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Mixcloud - One for the House and Techno heads

John Channing

fruit box forever
So, after a number of years away from the turntables, I recently got back into DJing and have started publishing mixes on Mixcloud. I am now fully digital (Pioneer DDJ and Rekordbox) having largely given up on vinyl, have a listen and let me know what you think.

Piano and vocal house
https://www.mixcloud.com/johnchanning/drc-005-march-2019/

Digweed style techno mix with some funkier house later
https://www.mixcloud.com/johnchanning/drc-004-march-2019/

Three mixes of recent house:
https://www.mixcloud.com/johnchanning/drc-003-march-2019/
https://www.mixcloud.com/johnchanning/drc-002-march-2019/
https://www.mixcloud.com/johnchanning/drc-001-march-2019/
 
Hi John,

Thanks for the post

Really enjoyed the first mix (005) , that took me back to early mid 90’s !

Also really enjoyed (002) nice mx of tunes and upbeat.
 
How do you find the Pioneer set up?

The mixing on all of the files you've uploaded is quite linear - from track to track - how far are you delving into Rekordbox and experimenting with it? If you're letting it do most of the work with regards to beatmatching then that leaves a lot of time for you to get more creative with how the mixes are put together.

I'm interested in your comment "having largely given up on vinyl." What happened?

Having been a vinyl only DJ since the mid 1990's (because what else was there!) I have recently bought a pair of CDJ 1000's because of the amount of digital music I have that I am not really able to play, in a way that I want to.

I don't want to use a computer as a source alongside my decks, so rule out Serato, Traktor, Ableton etc but want to be able to play the digital music in a way that's as close as possible to what I am used to, so the CDJ's fit the bill. I did look at the new XDJ's and USB capability but the 1000's are more suitable for me, especially considering the prices!

Interested in how you find the transition to digital from analogue.

I've added a few more mixes:
This is a techno mix of recently released tunes:
https://www.mixcloud.com/johnchanning/drc-007-march-2019/

I wouldn't really be calling any of these tracks "techno", but each to their own. :D
 
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How do you find the Pioneer set up?

The mixing on all of the files you've uploaded is quite linear - from track to track - how far are you delving into Rekordbox and experimenting with it? If you're letting it do most of the work with regards to beatmatching then that leaves a lot of time for you to get more creative with how the mixes are put together.

I'm interested in your comment "having largely given up on vinyl." What happened?

Having been a vinyl only DJ since the mid 1990's (because what else was there!) I have recently bought a pair of CDJ 1000's because of the amount of digital music I have that I am not really able to play, in a way that I want to.

I don't want to use a computer as a source alongside my decks, so rule out Serato, Traktor, Ableton etc but want to be able to play the digital music in a way that's as close as possible to what I am used to, so the CDJ's fit the bill. I did look at the new XDJ's and USB capability but the 1000's are more suitable for me, especially considering the prices!

Interested in how you find the transition to digital from analogue.



I wouldn't really be calling any of these tracks "techno", but each to their own. :D

Same here. There's some OK tunes in your mixes John although it's a bit away from the stuff I like to listen to.
 
How do you find the Pioneer set up?

It is excellent. I am using the DDJ400 which is the most basic controller they sell (£250) and it has more than enough physical controls to use all of Rekordbox features.

The mixing on all of the files you've uploaded is quite linear - from track to track - how far are you delving into Rekordbox and experimenting with it?

I am mostly just mixing one tune into the next, occasionally using Beat Loops and some FX. I do however know how to use pretty much all of it, including sample, the sequencer, hot cues, etc. What I am looking to do however is fairly long and melodic transitions, with two tunes playing for extended periods. I have done some mash ups, but they are not on Mixcloud.

If you're letting it do most of the work with regards to beatmatching then that leaves a lot of time for you to get more creative with how the mixes are put together.

With an accurate digital read out of BPM, it largely does not matter whether you use Beat Sync or not as beat matching is trivially easy. Most of the "top" DJs still manually adjust BPM to beat match, but frankly, given the software can do it so perfectly, there is little point. The software also makes it very easy to identify tracks that match in key, and where the track transitions through the various phrases. On vinyl matching key is more difficult as you cannot adjust tempo/BPM and key independently and knowing how many bars you are from the next break down relies on good memory - on a controller it is trivial.

I'm interested in your comment "having largely given up on vinyl." What happened?

I still have an LP12, but for DJing, digital has moved the game on a lot, to the point I have no interest in mixing vinyl records. Plus records take up loads of space and I now sit at a computer and buy a dozen new tracks having scanned through hundreds just at the click of a mouse.

II don't want to use a computer as a source alongside my decks, so rule out Serato, Traktor, Ableton etc but want to be able to play the digital music in a way that's as close as possible to what I am used to, so the CDJ's fit the bill. I did look at the new XDJ's and USB capability but the 1000's are more suitable for me, especially considering the prices!

I am the opposite, I am fully computer based.

Interested in how you find the transition to digital from analogue.

It has been great, it has unleashed a load of creative potential.

I wouldn't really be calling any of these tracks "techno", but each to their own. :D

The tracks are coming from Beatport or Traxsource and that is the genre assigned to them - Techno or Tech House or Progressive or Melodic House in some cases. Certainly there is much harder Techno out there, but I am not that into it. I am also just starting to explore Nu Disco, Jackin' House and Indie Dance as I have a friend who is really into that stuff.
 


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