Intermediate DJ Mixing Lesson on Adding Layers to the Mix

0:01 Demonstration here on what I class as mixing in layers

Alright guys, demonstration here on what I class as mixing in layers. Two tunes I'm using got to be their original mix by Aguatsin Gas and over here the Dymo Edit Alex Chasing Stars and that's A-L-E-X-S, Chasing Stars with a Z. So let's kick off. Terrible hay fever today for some reason. Notice as well I've got the LEDs tapping in just about in the amber. Don't forget this term, red is dead. It can be used any time in the mix. Layers, what are we doing? Well I've taken away on the Alex Chasing Stars tune, I've taken away the bass completely, left the treble at 12 o'clock but highlighted the mid right about to half past 2. Why? Well what I want to do, I want to just bring out the vocals a little bit more. Let's have a listen to the Chasing Stars by itself. So, that little bit of vocals. Now what's happening with that, it's actually complementing the other track.

2:30 This is what I class as layering

If you listen, if you go back, I'm not going to do it again, just rewind and listen to the beginning of the demonstration stroke tutorial. What was happening? Is the Aquasyn Gas, we had a bit of vocals and then Chasing Stars had a bit of vocals. So it's almost like the one than the other, the one than the other, not both together. This is what I class as layering. What you're doing is you're almost having one song and adding to it. It's a little bit like having a remix, having a re-edit or producing your own kind of mix during the mix. So for example, you could do this kind of mix at the beginning of... a track. So let's step back a little bit. You're playing the track here on the left hand side, then you know and this, let's imagine that the track on the left hand side is track number one.

Now, you know what track number three is going to be. Okay, so we'll come to that very shortly. Hold tight. You play track 1, you mix in track 2 which is the Aquasyn Gas and then of course, you know what track 3 is going to be. So you quickly zip to it. If you've used Rekordbox, of course, then you've got yourself a playlist. You can zip straight to it, even to the point where you want to start it because you'd have set your hot cues. Bang! Away you go with adding your layer and then you let the Aquasyn Gas or track 2 play near enough to the end and then you bring track 3 in. So what you're doing is you're actually bringing track 3 in over track 2 at the beginning, letting track 3 play and then sorry, letting track 2 play.

I beg your pardon. And then... After track 2 is... Or when track 2 is coming towards the end, then you bring track 3 in. So let's go a little bit further and go to that point where we bring the track in.

So we're near enough at the end of the track now. What I'm going to do now is I'm going to put the mid at 12, treble at 12, take the bass away, wait for my phrasing.

Listen to that build.

4:39 I hope this has been a help

If you don't know about phrasing, loads of videos out there. Listen, if you're not sure about phrasing, all you've got to do pretty much is wait. Or a change in the track and it's highly likely that will be a phrase.

Three, two...

Okay, I hope this has been a help. Practice and enjoy. By the way, if you're interested in Skype lessons, I'm still doing them and there'll be an email in the description of this video. Also come and like and share and say hello on Facebook as well. I've put a link to my Facebook page as well. Practice and enjoy. Thank you very much. Muchas gracias. Dankeschön. Jochen war tussentak.

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