DJ Dropping the Tune in Is as Good as a 16 Bar Transition

0:00 In this tutorial we're going to do a bit of a phrase mix

Alright, so in this tutorial we're going to do a bit of a phrase mix. I'm using two tunes. One is a definite extended version. The other one is sort of an in-between actually. It's quite strange, but it's in-between an extended and a radio version. So how do we define what? What is this tune? Where does it stand in-between a radio and an extended version? Well, it's about four minutes. It's nearly five minutes long. Now generally a radio version of a track will be about three and a half minutes. An extended version is going to be five and a half, six or so minutes. A good way of knowing if the track you're playing is an extended or let's say an edited version of a track is your phrasing. If let's say the phrasing of your track is only two or four bars, then it is guaranteed.

It will be a radio version. If on the other hand, the phrasing of your track is more like 16, 24 or 32 bars, it's going to be the extended version. So generally what you'll find a radio version is around about three and a half minutes long, extended, anything from five and a half minutes upwards. Two tunes here on the right-hand side, Panic Room. On the left side, Bet You Can't. Both tracks are taken from the underground releases from CDPool. There will be a link in the description from... May, 2018. So let's have a listen first of all to Panic Room. You can hear a subtle kind of increase now in a melody in the background. So what I like about this track, we haven't got a defined like boom, in comes the bass line or bang, in comes another element of the track.

It's almost like the producer has decided to slowly bring a part of the track in.

And that's exactly... the same towards the end of the track. Now, I set a cue point here at the end of the track.

In fact, before we do that, let's just have a listen to halfway through so you get an idea of what it sounds like.

This sort of track is almost like a classic, like a journey track. The whole musical content takes you on a really nice floaty journey. Very good tune.

So go back to the end. Now here, that rolling sort of melody stroke, bass line. It doesn't abruptly stop, it just fades away. So the transition I want to do is a fade out and a fade in with the bass line on the other side because the Bet You Can't track, which I will play for you now, the bass line starts pretty much straight away as soon as the track starts. Have a listen to that again. The bass line and that melody slowly faded away. Have a listen.

3:07 Let's have a listen to the beginning of Bet You Can't

Just fades away. Okay, let's have a listen to the beginning of Bet You Can't.

See, it's there from the word. Go.

Okay, so I set a hot cue towards the end of the track at the beginning of a phrase there. I'm going to turn the bass down on the Bet You Can't to about sort of 9 o'clock. I still want a bit of the bass in but not too much. I don't want it overpowering. So let's go back to about there. That'll give me a little bit of time to count in.

Right, just started the other track now, Bet You Can't.

5:07 I'm going to turn the bass down a little bit there as well

Okay, so we're in with Bet You Can't. Now again, a bit of an experiment. I'm going to turn the bass down a little bit there as well. Now, if you practice something like this and if I'd have just thought a little bit more, you know, we can get a transition where you can't even hear it's a transition. Now, most of the time that's great to do a mix like that but not all the time because you end up being too much like a machine and you lose the whole soul of doing a mix. You know, if you listen to two people who've done mixes, one on a controller using sync, the other person on a controller without sync. And the one who doesn't use sync maybe makes a few hiccups. That mix is a lot more organic and natural than the one using sync.

All right, let's find something else from the Underground series. Okay, Rock The House, bit of filter on the left hand side, Bet You Can't. I might be out of phrase here actually.

6:51 Underground May 2018 you will see

Feels like I am. Okay, this one here, Rock The House, the original mix. Let's speed it forward a little bit so you get an idea what it's like in the middle of the tune. What I've done here, I've got poor cues S. I'm dyslexic. It's P-O-R-Q-U-E and then E-S. Don't forget there will be a link in the description if you go to Underground May 2018 you will see all of the tracks and also on that page on the CDPool website there's a soundbite of every single track so you'll be able to hear the others as well. So what I've done here with this one, I've set a cue point in the middle of the track but at the beginning of a phrase.

Oh, hold on.

Slight drop here but let's get the levels right. And straight in.

8:58 Let's find another tune

Just using the cue there so by using the cue and keeping my finger on it I'm allowed to carry on, the track will carry on playing so long as I've got my finger on the cue. But then if I want the track to carry on playing without having to keep my finger on the cue I have to press play pause while my finger is on the cue and then I can take my finger off the cue. Sounds a bit confusing but if you know what you're doing it makes perfect sense. Alright, let's find another tune. Randomly going through the tracks. Smoke signals next. A mix does not have to be a beat mix, a long transition. It can be a chop like that. This one here, Smoke Signals from the EP...

Oh, hold on. From the EP it's coming up now. Motor Skeleton.

Lone Smoke Signals. Alright, here we go. Let's bring the trim down slightly because I don't want to go into the red. Play one more. Here is a track entitled Again. This is my kind of style. It's very soulful. It's got a bit of a skip. Lively kind of feel to it. Alright, let's spin it forward a little bit so you get an idea of the middle of the tune as well.

Nice sort of happy vibe to this.

This is the Jacobin and Domino remix.

Right, there you go. A few of the new releases from the Underground Series CDPool May 2018. Don't forget, link in the description to CDPool. Practice and enjoy. Thank you.

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