How Do I Mix Music Without Knowing the Beats Per Minute?

To be honest there is no real way of knowing how to mix songs without at least having a sense of how fast the song plays. You might not know the exact BPM, but after trying to mix some different songs together and actually calculating the BPM of at least a handful of records then you don't have a reference point.

You need to at least calculate the BPM of some records in order to have a reference point so you know when you hear a record play you can estimate the BPM of it.

This really comes with knowing your records and the only way to know your records is to play them. If you don't take the time to get to know your records then there is no point in DJing.

What do I mean when I say "know your records"?

When you know your records I mean you know the song and can repeat it. When you know your records you also know the following:

1. The name of the record label

2. The artists

3. The producer of the song

4. The way the song begins

5. The way the song ends

6. How fast or slow the song plays

7. If the song is one that gets people to dance

8. If the song has breaks in it or the point where only the drums play.

9. If the song is only a quick transition song or if the song can be played for an extended period of time without getting boring.

10. Does the song offer the opportunity to scratch over it?

11. Does the song offer the opportunity to make a great mix?

This is what getting to know your records means. By definition a DJ is supposed to know the first three items on the list down pat.

1. The name of the record label

2. The artists

3. The producer of the song

People will want to know the names of the songs, who the artists are and sometime the record label.

You will find that when you play records people will come up to you and ask you. "What is the name of that song?" Your answer should roll off your tongue.

When you get to the point of knowing your records you will inherently have an idea of the BPM in order to mix just about any song you want. This, however, does not happen overnight and it will take some time.

I find that the best DJ's naturally have a sense of time and rhythm and can almost instantly pick up any record and mix it after they've listened to the first few bars of the song.

Fortunately for you this can be taught by simply listening to a song and clapping your hands to the beat.

This may sound basic but understanding this simple concept and applying it to other songs you will find that you start bobbing your head and then bouncing your whole body to the beat of a song.

Unfortunately from my experience even the most enthusiastic music lovers don't necessarily have a sense of rhythm and if this is the case with you don't despair. Read the earlier section on calculating BPM's for a better understanding.

Sterling is an article marketer and SEO enthusiast. He has been marketing online since 2003 in many disciplines. Visit his latest websites at http://www.discountkitchensinks.net which helps people decide among popular brands of discount kitchen sinks.

Mixing Before Mixing - Good Production Practices When Making Beats Online

Making professional quality beats online is a fast, easy and smartest way to create backing tracks for your music project these days. To get that professional quality, though, you have to produce well mixed material. Here are some things to keep in mind when creating your beat tracks for DJing or adding to your next album.

Mixing tracks is more than just turning up the volume on certain parts, although it obviously includes that a well. Making sure that the sounds in your track are well balanced does not necessarily mean raising volume, nor does it mean exclusively all sounds are the same level or stay that way over time. The way to approach your track is listening to it as a process that changes its strengths over time. It is a miniature composition. It has an opening, an ending, and a series of melodic, harmonic, and/or rhythmic elements in between that carry the listener/dancer through the work. There are cadences and accents at work within the beat and mixing properly can bring those forward, strengthening your music.

Adjusting a support sound level can be very effective. Try bringing a bass drum or bass guitar sound from a zero or low level volume to the most prominent element of a track and see how that works. You can also try the opposite, bringing complimentary sounds in and out with the strongest element as a staple of the beat. The same applies to the ending of a beat or piece. Fading elements out or cutting them out cold can be extremely catchy and can highlight the melodic or rhythmic accents.

Bringing samples up and down over time in the mix can also supply the tension and relief needed to increase the entertainment value of a beat. Paying attention to factors like the stereo pan or the EQ of a sound is important and can give you an entire range of creative outlets for your track. Some DJs utilize the EQ heavily during a set; mixing with this in mind can be a great advantage if you balance sections severely towards or away from certain groups of frequencies. This allows the DJ to drop the bass or the high end and maintain the integrity of the track.

Try some of these ideas when mixing your beats and hear how it assists in producing professional quality tracks! Use an online service to generate your beats, burn a copy, and hit the club!

Now all you need to do is pick an online service, sign up, and get started. There are a few online beat making services out there currently. I personally like using Sonic Producer. They offer professional and concise tutorials and lessons. If you want to find out more about it, check out this review by going here: Sonic Producer Review

Good luck!

William Connor, Percussionist and Ethnomusicology Ph.D. candidate,
London, England and Honolulu, Hawaii, USA