DJ Lesson. Help with Counting a Bar and Adding Some Effects to a Tune

0:01 Another demonstration tutorial and in this one we have a tune from Chr

Alright guys, another demonstration tutorial and in this one we have a tune from Christian Carvajal. I hope I've got that name right. I do apologise but us Brits haven't got the foggiest, well some of us, haven't got the foggiest how to pronounce certain names from different countries. So, out. I do apologise. This tune here is an absolute monster. It's very good. It's got lots going on. It's also in a major key which makes, since you hear it, lifts your spirit, makes you feel good. Which reminds me actually, why is it that most tunes seem to be made in the minor key? Why not change things and make them in the major? Which lifts the vibe of a room anyway. In fact, digress slightly. If you can construct a set all in the major key, you'll probably have people walking out there, out of the room chucking £50 notes at you and just shaking you by the hand and giving you bottles of Moet Chandon.

So, a lot of things are going to happen. So, a lot of things are going to happen in this tutorial. First of all, it could be by accident how the track was downloaded but it doesn't start on the count of one. Have a listen.

Listen. So, 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. Right, you're probably wondering. Hmm, what's going on? What am I doing? First of all, I'm counting a bar which is 1, 2, 3, 4. Secondly, I'm not bringing it in on the count of one because it doesn't start on the count of one. Probably scratching your head and going, yeah, and, yeah, right, yeah, come on, yeah, what? Good way of practising bringing a tune in in a different point, in a bar. It's a great way of making your mind think one step ahead. So, let's try something different. Let's just move it there. Okay. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. I was off there again. Let's try again.

Hold on, let's have a listen first.

1, 2, 3, 4. Yeah, 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. Did you get the idea? So, if you have a tune, or most of them really do, modern day EDM, electronic dance music tunes. Oh, EDM, I'm really posh now. Start the count of one.

2:56 Just wang it forward a little bit

Concentrate, sorry. What you need to do is get your track and just do what I did. Just wang it forward a little bit. Not on a beat, just wang it forward a bit, anywhere. Press Q and then start off at that point and try and count. But, do what I did. Start at the count of one, 1, 2, 3, 4, and then bring that track in on the first bar. It's a great way of practicing how to count. Now let's cut the crap and start. Okay, what I'm going to do, I'm going to play you some of this track as well because it's such a, it's like, it works. It's called Happy Monday. Just, it's very good. I'm sure that riff is from somewhere. There's a lot going on with it. There's a lot going on with this track. There's loads of effects.

4:40 With this one here, what I'm feeling is a bit of white noise

So, do you really want to add effects when you've got a track that has already, or it already seems to have a lot of effects in? I would say yes, but you need to add the correct effects. Now if we were to add lots of echo rolls over this, you'd almost destroy the track. We don't want to do that. If you've got, like, some minimalistic house, maybe a progressive house, deep garage, there's not much going on, then of course it's a good idea to add some effects because you can lift the track, but again, not too much. With this one here, what I'm feeling is a bit of white noise. Now, on this mixer we have something called noise. It's not that kind of noise. It's this. Have a listen. That one, sorry. Now also, what I'm doing is I'm listening to the timing.

And as I'm bringing it up, I'm going one, two, down, four. One, two and down. Up, two, so one, two, three, four. Up, two, down. Follow. Listen. See again, even that, the movements were in time. I'm trying to imagine I am playing a part in the overall production of this track, which is exactly what... Sorry, I'm picking my nose now. Don't do it again. Oh, dear. Excuse me.

5:59 It's about as important as maybe forgetting one item from the shopping

So I'm trying to play a part almost as though I'm in the producer's seat as well. I'm trying to imagine if I was making this track what I would do to add effects to this track. So again... See, maybe I should have started that a little bit later to hit this point.

There.

And there.

So again, with your effect. When you engage the effect, as soon as you start turning the dial, the effect will come in. Well, I've said this before in videos but this is important... It's not that important. It's about as important as maybe forgetting one item from the shopping list. It's not really that important of course unless it's like condoms or something like that which is really important. Anyway. So... Of course what you can do is engage. From the word go. From minimum to maximum while the effect's on. Alternatively, take the... Stop it. Take the effect off, bring up the effect dial and then engage the effect so the effect starts where the dial is set. It doesn't start at the lowest point and come in.

Have a listen. Very big difference there. Alright. This one here. Happy Monday. This is such... This is such a good track actually. Just one point here. Hold on. Where are we? I like this area here. What I would have liked to have heard here is just this.

Nothing else in the background. Just that...

And then...

Coming in in the background... No other effect. Sorry, I'm just giving my point here for remake.

This track here, if ever Relief Records people listen to this track then maybe you need to take this on board. So Mr Green Velvet Sir, come and check this out. If you want any info on this track here which is just stunning...

I'll put all the info in the description. Thank you very much. Practice and enjoy.

This transcript was produced automatically from the audio of the video and may contain mistakes.