DJ Mixing Techniques: Making Space To Add New Tracks

Ean shares a few critical mixing techniques that he uses to make room for tracks when DJing - from volume, to filters, to reverb, to advanced bi-pole filters. He uses Traktor in this video, but the tips apply to everyone using digital DJ gear of any kind! Watch more DJ tutorials here: djtechtools.com...

[@ShaneMoorhead]

Ean is the Bob Ross of DJ'ing

OMG hahaha so truee!!!!!!!!!

[@SpiritualDem0n]

LMAO. right?!?

[@rexxxar123]

Love those actual technique tutorials by you! Everytime I learn something that I can instantly apply in my mixes and instantly hear how my mixes are improving. Thank you!

[@ShenFM]

After completing a degree in music, a decade later now trying to learn how to DJ, you blow my mind bro. I always thought that DJ'ing was a cop out but now i know the intricacy of the unctions as you have explained... thank you for enlightening us!

[@DjDiffrnt]

My favorite mixing technique is to use the filter as well as the eq. Cut the low end of the incoming track using the eq and the high end using low pass filter. Bring up the volume fader and slowly bring the track in by decreasing the low pass filter. Then shift to the new track by turning down the low end eq of the outgoing track while turning it up on the incoming. Finish by increasing the low pass filter and then bring down the volumen fader. Having a Denon X1500 I could assign the inputs to more than one channel. This made this technique easier since a low pass filter combined with fully cut low eq means no sound, but by assigning the same input to another channel I could basically bypass the filter/eq in my headphones and thereby make it easier to keep the tracks in sync.

[@DJLeeStreet]

Could you do a video of this Fredrick this sounds like a good technique for tech house

[@martygruver2304]

I have literally been DJing like this for years, great advanced tools.

[@kaim2869]

So does literally everybody.. lol.. Calling this advanced is hilarious.

[@ic3manofficial]

The best tutorial I've seen lately! Great job 😉👍

[@Jowcke]

I really like to cut the low on the outgoing track and bring the new one in at the same time really fast, that switch makes the crowd feel a new song is coming but you still have the energy left from the outgoing track!

[@sicoactivo]

Love this tutorial, most of it seems basic, but it is essential to any mix. I specially like the step by step instructions and demos, to really understand what's going on, the objectives and strategies to accomplish them. Thanks!

[@ambientlife9663]

The reverb thing really didnt work for me. It made the transition muddy, however, the 92 filter trick now that was excellent and I cant wait to experiment with that. Thanks for sharing.

[@chaz-e]

Reverb trick works only if dry/wet is halfway... If you do a complete 100% wet reverb it will add a muddy trail to your mix which you may not prefer.

[@leou6631]

Last trick is like EQing down lows and highs and leaving Mids up. Not the same sound, but for Pioneer mixer users is kind of doing the same. ypu can alos filter down and lower EQ highs or vice versa. Closer sound then. I came up to most of these techniques by try and error process, great to see is common practice, though this is very much gear related ... this tutorial is primarily focused on Traktor users. Great tutorials indeed! congrats ...

[@mantrasoul]

a decent tutorial, although i want to add a few things. as far as classic mixing transitions go, a simple rule: in order to keep everything balanced, you should somehow *replace* frequencies and levels. so whatever new frequencies you bring in, you should equally take out from the previous track. a crossfade is a perfectly proportioned transition of levels and can therefore sound very natural (although i never use a crossfader for mixing, this is for the example). the effect of the crossfader could also be accomplished by mirroring movements on both faders. and, that same principle can be applied with frequency knobs, which is what you should be doing: replacing one thing with the other, so that glass at the end of the master fader won't overflow. also consider that if you make things louder and blow things up too much during the mix, there will be an inevitable loss of energy once the previous track ends. read that again and think of the implications. exactly, *this* is why you should try to keep levels even all the time. you could ignore this advice and turn the next track's gain up to compensate for your earlier stupidity, and then repeat that strategy, but how many times can you do that before your master starts distorting and the sound system says 'i quit' ??

[@skymakai]

A crossfader, centered, is the same as the two volume faders being at full volume; it doesn't 'blend' or make space for frequencies which might clash or phase each other out. Maybe I'm not understanding what you're saying.

[@planc7on]

@Sky Makai Music depends on the crossfader curve. If the curve is for blend, than when you move from the far left position to center, it subtracts from the left deck as much as it gives volume to the right (like with two upfaders in the middle) - so the balance of volume is 50/50. If the curve is set to the cutting (for scratches), then in the middle position volumes will be 100/100, which will cause a lot of clipping! That's why on many mixers and in software there is an adjustable crossfader curve.

[@gatsu8634]

you're referring to a crossfader which has a curve set to the cut feature, if somebody has the problem you are describing they need to read the manual or get a better mixer.

[@kn00tcn]

pretty sure he described this in the video, he was even twisting both deck knobs & both deck faders in opposing directions at once to visualize it (but didnt exactly play it as an example) same for the already loud energy, when the old track cuts, everything suddenly gets quiet

[@user-pi9vq6xk8n]

Лучшее видео для начинающих на всём ютюбе!!!!!!!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@kuan831]

Such handy tips , thanks Ean

[@RealDJblaze]

Excellent Video!

[@DanielleKingdjdinosaur]

Reverb ,delay and echo can be really useful and on my mixer i have a touch screen with an array of effects that you can customize .I am not a big user of effects but they can be really useful and in the right hands can really raise a set a few notches up

[@jacquesdupontd]

I didn't learned anything except i had understood well by myself how to transition, thanks! To make it a little bit fancier i like to add some beatmasher type effects while the track space has been reduced by whatever techniques you used, it being filter92, delay or reverb and play with it in the background of the new track.

[@AlejandroGuerrero]

Man this was great. Saludos desde Madrid.

[@donallfinn]

Excellent video, lots of really good info here I'm producer/composer well versed in music theory and tech and can tell you this is no hack-job amateur hour stuff, this is good info. BTW so what if he says compression and not clipping? For one thing, I'm willing to bet whatever he's using has a compressor across the 2 bus, and furthermore any DJ who has a clue has a compressor limiter over the 2-bus, so it's pretty much a given, the only mistake he makes is not mentioning that which he assumes is obvious. But whether you're clipping the master or bumping into your compressor/limiting threshold, is irellivant. This is a VERY good video that all aspiring DJ's would do well to watch.

[@freespiritkaro3414]

Great work, love the concept and tools shared, I would have just loved to see it demonstrated on 2 different songs since one could get away with almost anything as long as their cueing/timing is Good on bare Drum loops. Otherwise Brilliant tutorial 👍

[@MastahKyler]

WE MISSED YOU IAN

[@rodrigorodrigo4634]

You make such good videos, thank you for the time and effort you put in them.

[@FleaFlay]

Great tips, Ean. Thanks!!

[@JotaStroeter]

Cool, to the studio now to try the filter92!

[@A7exandersca7es]

Time to hop on My dj808! Thanks Dan exactly what I needed

[@djceejaay]

Traktor has the BEST delay-freeze of all the DJ softwares suites, no doubt. I think their effects sound so much better than Serato. And they sound really good in the mix. I use delay, delay 3, along with freeze, and the reverb effects most of all. Okay, so you hit all of the key points but I also use the gain to trim off the volume to help keep from clashing on the frequencies. I think I'll try using that Rane filter to see how it sounds, it sounded great when you used it. Thanks again for another great video 👍🏾

[@mikelo303]

Still Xone db2 and db4 has the best FX in the world even better than Traktor and miles better than any mixer. I am still baffled why A&H won't make stand alone FX...

[@chaz-e]

Best tutorial out there

[@churchillcoins8519]

Thank you, great advanced tutorial that was explained perfectly.

[@jorgecarvalho5577]

Hi ian, thank you very much for your tutorials, we all appreciate so much the hours you put into this tutorials even though you are a very busy man. I would like to ask you a tutorial on sound distortion, since that has been my main drawback while playing my sets, (i am a amateur bedroom dj by the way)

[@DanielleKingdjdinosaur]

i use a bit of filter and bass switching but it depends on the tracks and length of mix .I try to avoid persistent redlining but my up faders tend to stay full on .Gain is often on auto but not all tracks work on that so knowing the tracks is good but im always trying to keep an eye and ear on my levels .I tend to be a bit conservative at first and then build.One should not be afraid to bring things down a bit even if you follow a fairly banging set .If you have a bit of time it can be good to give the floor a bit of a breather and then rebuild.You dont want to kill the floor but you want them to come back down to earth briefly so as to better appreciate the high points of your set.Also there is no harm in giving every ones ears a bit of a rest all be it a short one

[@RobTicho]

Fun tutorial but both the reverb freeze and delay freeze mixes had a HUGE drop in volume/energy. You can get around that by trigger the freeze at the beginning for the breakdown on the second track.

[@A7exandersca7es]

I think that's kinda the goal with those two techniques.

[@RobTicho]

the reason I pointed it out was Ian talks about avoiding the energy drop at min 4. Nevertheless, there are still some great tips on the video.

[@A7exandersca7es]

No, you're right, I understand how you saw that.

[@kn00tcn]

one thing about energy, there are some tracks that have an epic buildup followed by a minimal but hard drop, so this is the type of energy 'loss' that can be done for aesthetic purposes

[@smurf123444]

Yay finally, another great tutorial,

[@DJBigbadbuckley]

I would consider this a threshold concept of DJing

[@jrichey10]

Any tips on how to emulate that last filter (92) in Serato DJ Pro?

[@dr33mrmusic]

Thank you so much. It was great to learn something new. I laughed because you said “as if I had 3 hands..” because it’s true! Lol that’s how I feel sometimes. I’ll literally do all 3 as fast as possible to create more space and have a seamless transition. What would You say does that knob trick on a XDJ - XZ? I know you use Traktor but I’m sure there’s a way

[@hi_marie]

This is fantastic, thank you so much for sharing! x

[@dj-peterofficial2753]

Great explanations. This is what took us old farts a long time to figure out for ourselves before the internet and no one to ask. Here it is, all in under 15 minutes. Well done! B.t.w. That last one, with both filters at the same time, sounds a lot like how the Sweep color effect on the DJM-800, gone on the DJM-900 Nexus, and was a factor for me when it returned on the 900NXS2, kind of, when I needed an upgrade a while ago. Never got the 900 Nexus because for me it didn't add enough, and the 800 is still going... The 900NXS2 on the other hand was a nice step up in almost every aspect, and I still have my Sweep, kind of :) .

[@kn00tcn]

this is a nice respectable comment, there was another video from a few years ago where it was full of 'old' people complaining about digital decks, iphones, fake djs, mocking, etc... but everything is a tool, the point of a set is to have a single cohesive audio experience speaking of figuring things out for ourselves, it's fun to listen to a performance or recorded track & find a way to recreate what was done without asking the source

[@Cryrold]

Great tutorial, I'd love to see more of those theoretical concepts brought to practical use.

[@rocstarskinnyjeans]

Please make more videos, we miss Dj TechTools

[@politesociety]

And... while i'm here, what resonance does it increase the volume at the frequency the filter is starting to cut at. In high/low pass it creates a little peak just before cutting, in a bandpass which you had at the end, it pretty much just boosts the signal a bit. On many filters if you crank the resonance, you get what's called self oscillation, which is what creates that squelchy sound on a 303, for example. It's essentially a sine wave at the frequency of cutoff. Sounds like that tracktor filter doesn't let it get that far, but it's not hard to find. Sorry if i sounded like an ass, those are still good tips.

[@jimmymcghee1411]

awesome knowledge thanks man .

[@Crudecraig]

Tracks are designed to build at the beginning and drop out at the end, so if you time your mix right it will all fall into place. Thats just how it was done on vinyl before looping was a thing.

[@jbucku324]

Missed u guys man

[@mikemoralesofficial]

very nice Ean, thanks mang!

[@grapsta]

Anything similar to the 92 FX on Serato ?

[@AmbientWanderer]

no, not that i know of.

[@SEARLY100]

Great tips, thank you. What's the track on deck A please?

[@xavidiaz8109]

Thanks, I love it!

[@bboymac84]

i like the examples with the cups. Hey ean I would love to come by and do a tutorial on MPC'S and traktor. would that be ok with you and your peoples? I can def show you some hidden tricks I found!

[@D0CT0RS0UL]

Thanks Ean !

[@pelicruise2365]

king of red! awesome!

[@cassiusjb]

Nice! I made a mapping for my Z1 to replace the eqs with Xone 92 filters. Kinda to emulate the filter eq of the DB 4 or DB 2. In combination with the filter knob already there, transitions seem pretty smooth at isolating frequencies. It takes a little getting used to but it's worth it.

[@mikelo303]

I mix exactly like in last trick on xone db2. It has this option in eq settings.

[@dimitrisklonaris6733]

nice, really nice! thank you

[@DJTechnoboom]

are they ever goian fix the filter knobs on Traktor pro 3 you see how it shows the % on the screen in traktor 2 now it doesn't do it anymore, i even emailed native support and told them and they told me they would look into it that was over a month ago i hope they fix it soon, cause i like using traktor pro 3 cause my S5 has color screens, and also cause i payed 100 for traktor pro 3, but i be using traktor pro 2.11still so i don't have to keep touching my mouse to make sure i am at the correct filter %

[@ClectaSkiMusic]

Good stuff

[@stevenjones6875]

Hi is there way I analyse my track but not been saved next time I use it ,any suggestions thanks

[@politesociety]

It's not compression, it's clipping. Compression reduces sound levels once they are over a threshold, clipping just loses data over the maximum which turning the sound more and more into a square wave, which causes distortion.

[@mantrasoul]

exactly. you can redline a fully analog mixer, because as you go more over the threshold and the level goes more in the red, it will gradually saturate. If your mixer is digital (in that case, the D/A conversion (=digital to analog) usually happens after the master fader), you can't redline without distorting the sound in a very bad way (digital distortion is hard clipping, meaning the audio waveform gets completely deformed). Traktor is definitely digital, so if you go in the red even a little bit, you are doing yourself and the crowd a disservice. if it doesnt go loud enough without redlining, talk to the technician of the club to turn up the master.

[@phaselead_dj]

I don't think so. Thanks to a lot of headroom with recent audio systems, clipping rarely occurs in recent mixers. In addition, we also have limiters (one type of compressor) there. It compresses the signal and keeps its level inside the headroom, which otherwise may go over the headroom. Thus, it is more likely for you to have 'compressed sound' than to have 'clipping' when you send full signals to each channel of dj mixers.

[@DJIrvinCee]

It's compression. Traktor has a build in limiter when u use internal mixer mode so you won't clip. It doesn't work on external mixer mode.

[@politesociety]

Irvin Cee that's good to know, though it's a bad habit to get in to, regardless.

[@DJIrvinCee]

Polite Society I fully agree on that. We should avoid the use of a compressor or triggering a limiter. It just reminded me of the old days (+30 years ago as a teenager) I also "used" the radio station compressor to mix because it actualy mixes those frequencies better. But later on I realised it is at the cost of the dynamics/sound quality.

[@dace002]

On Pioneer gear, don't put reverb on a bassdrum!

[@stellarVoid123]

Wilhelm D. I learned that the hard way while using a friends controller 😂

[@1312_PV]

@@stellarVoid123 What would happen? My only Pioneer gear is a battle-style mixer.

[@AmbientWanderer]

yeah it sounds like crap. maximum distorion and breaks up the whole mix. Now i have switched to a Xone mixer. far, far better.

[@missSanSan]

Hi Ean, thanks for the tips ... I'm wondering, what kind of controller are you using in this video?

[@windowshots]

traktor s5

[@0rican]

THANKS.Great Great Great

[@Aristoper]

Anything that subtracts from the volume of the current track allowing for the incoming track to mix in better without clipping and/or over compressing. Reverb is great, but too much of it turns into a bit of madness at the same time delay is similar less is more. Really in regard to all of this less is more is the cliff notes take away less of the current track more of the incoming track.

[@reubenzoremmawia8137]

does NI traktor fx has a sweep or noise fx like in serato dj or how can we create that type of fx in traktor

[@bboymac84]

Reuben Zoremmawia yes it does

[@StevanDjumic]

IceVerb+PeakFilter+Reverb map all three to a single knob on your controller.

[@politesociety]

or you could put some white noise loop on a sample deck and put a bandpass filter on it to sweep through the spectrum. give it a reverb afterwards if you want it sounding a bit fuller. you could just leave it on deck d and sweep it up or down whenever you want.

[@politesociety]

ugh, reverb doesn't create space, it fills it if anything, but you have a high pass and low pass filter (the hp and lp setting) on that reverb which is creating a bandpass, as you go over 50% mix, you remove the original sound, which probably makes it sound like it's reducing in volume. you could increase the LP a little bit more so you don't have as much of the kick coming through, which is creating that trainwreck when you mixed then.

[@mickeymephistopheles]

Now I have an excuse to use the Filter:92. Thanks!

[@djctrlentertainment]

what filter do you use in traktor @DJ TechTools

[@ic3manofficial]

Ean what type of headphones do you use?

[@crhettbuttler1]

How do I get red nobs for my traktor?

[@flash1551]

Chroma Caps

[@KBM-Dj]

your da sells Avon.

[@CyberPixlMusic]

*_2:35_**_ Redlining = Headlining lol_*

[@alejandropimentel4774]

10:00 Echo out on Serato :)

[@zbeqem9507]

your jacket is very loud :D

[@A7exandersca7es]

Jonathan Hunsicker jacket ASMR?

[@ic3manofficial]

Ean what headphones do you use?

[@JoeManzone]

Which in ear headphones are you using ? Are they good to dj with would you recommend them ?

[@DJIrvinCee]

Joe Manzone I'm using the SHURE SE535-CL and I'm very happy with them. I prefer them over my HD7 headphone. You may need to adjust to the bass that is flat instead of pushy DJ headphones bass but after a few weeks I now prefer it over my HD7 dj headphones. I have lots more details now. The only disadvantage of IEM's is that they isolate so good it's a bit scary because you don't know if the pa is still running fine. Besides that you have to pull it out and back in when someone want to talk to you. And that removing putting back in is annoying.

[@djet00]

Wait, there are DJs who literally just fade in the tracks? I usually make it a point that it's a grievous mistake to neglect your levels when the knobs are usually right there. This has got to be a core lesson whether or not compressors are in line.

[@George-jt7vu]

What it the Controller, Ean's demonstrates on ?

[@d3j4v00]

looks like a Traktor s5

[@shipmasteryo]

The dirty minded amongst you will enjoy 7:45

[@DasGigPig]

Yeah. My mind will go where it wants when I hear someone utter a phrase like that. Straight to the gutter.

[@sabatheus]

I heard it, and loved it instantly. (see what I did there?)

[@Loukk_]

I really thought it was ice cream in the glasses until you said it's actually paper

[@obserwer]

basically I have been waiting till the end to find out that this last gem technic is not much more that gate effect on pioneer gear.

[@davidrobot7818]

What's the cheapest way to get a copy of Traktor? (Legally of course) . I have a Gemini g2v controller but wish to use Traktor. Does buying the X1 sound like a good purchase to you?

[@TrNdke]

David Robot if you don't need another controller, just get the standalone software for $100. Get on NI's mailing list. Sometimes they put the software on sale for $50. You an also find someone who has a license that they don't need and buy it off them.

[@davidrobot7818]

+Nishidake , Thanks, i'll get on the mailing list. goood shout.

[@StevanDjumic]

Traktor licence doesn't come with X1 so just a small heads up about that. You can just search for it in DJ Forums - they usually go by $50 to $70 US.

[@zeepster]

Put that stack of vinyls in the back upright. They're going to bend if they stand skewed like that, don't you guys know that?

[@kn00tcn]

plot twist: those are his tax papers

[@lolepicfailhaha]

Ean ASMR- Jacket sounds

[@gh0tex_official]

Omg I never realised Tony Stark is a DJ :O

[@zoranjovanovic701]

Nobody noticed, how red and shinny are his eyes .. (:D)

[@djmazagan3897]

IKEA glasses

[@theoriginalmiet]

well.. you can fit two girls in one cup

[@SuperFluidFerroFluid]

I am an amateur and my gutfeeling is telling me that i could do that transition just as well without touching any effects.. And why Traktor? when you can use Serato or Recordbox,these softwares are just so much better!

[@dermyod]

i didn't even make it past 2 mins of this video jesus

[@maarawoe]

You look so tired Ean... :(

[@LeonElRay]

Do you have to explain that??? Sorry are you speaken to Profesional DJs or to Bedroom DJs??? Btw what kind of controller you use in this video????

[@rareoldschoolbreakbeathard7583]

pushing buttons is not djing its just pushing buttons should call it bjing

[@Klueman]

if youre not hitting the red your music is to quiet. you can balance output in your both knob

[@Brisbae]

He just said ‘if we see red it means we’re seeing compression’. I think I’ll stop watching there lol

[@Dazwell]

Now do that without sync or quantize on ;)

[@jrichey10]

He doesn’t have platters on that controller so how exactly would he do that? Needless to say if he’s showing us these advanced techniques, he def knows how to beatmatch.

[@venator886]

@@jrichey10 bruuuuuh advanced techniques 😂😂😂 Everyone buying a 200 buck mixer should be able to do this after a day

[@jrichey10]

@@venator886 That's just not true lmao ur high as fuck or misremembering how long it took you. You have to get beatmatching and phrasing and counting and several other things down before this kind of stuff. Advanced might be a strong word, but it's not day one shit.