Thread: What Do You Love About Mixing?

I've often wondered this and questioned myself about it.

Why did I buy decks all those years ago?
Why did I spend hour after hour practising?
What do I get out of doing it?

Some of the answers I still don't know. Yes I enjoy music, yes I enjoy creating something, but there is something deeper than this and I can't quite put my finger on it, which is why I'm throwing this question out to you, fellow DJ's.

Just what do you love about mixing, apart from the obvious?

I love trying strange shit like at the moment im messing around with the sound of music and some gabber tunes, i havnt found the correct fit yet but it makes me smile messing around

Originally i wanted decks to play hardcore on, i can tell you since playing with hard trance i havnt botherd with the hardcore i love playing hard trance its so easy to work with and it sounds fuckin beltin. Im loving everything about mixing at the moment even if i am shite im having fun and lovin it

why did i love mixing,? ... oh my, the freedom to go anywhere i wanted at anytime ... the creativity of it ... when i did a new mix that sounded the nutz, i used to be as impressed as i would listening to another dj do it ... i can't sing, can't play any instruments ... but, put me on a set of decks and i can create music that didn't exist before ... aaaand the chicks angle deffo helped with the old ego boosts

fav question i always got asked from girls on the make, while i was mixing ... 'is it hard?' ... stock answer was always 'not yet'

it's always been like a form of meditation for me.

i switch off. get my groove face on and control the flow of music through my finger tips.

for that moment. nothing else matters*



*until the neighbours complain.

theres nothing better than getting in the zone and just pulling mix after mix like being a on a big roller coaster that goes on for hours and your in control

Why did I buy decks all those years ago? To save money on batteries from fastforwarding thru tracks i wasnt into on mixtapes. No other reason that that. Didn't want to become a superstar dj or any of that, just wanted to mix tunes i wanted to hear.

Why did I spend hour after hour practising? Because i loved the music and wanted to be able to mix without too many trainwrecks.

What do I get out of doing it? Sooooo much, even after 21 years mixing. as sirus said, it's like meditation and medication to me. I can be the most stressed individual going but 30mins mixing and I'm a happy bunny. When I was gigging a lot part of the attraction was the crowd and their reaction, but tbh I've always mixed for my own enjoyment and that'll never change. The fact that other people are into what I do is just a bonus.

Good question.

As soon as I started going out to events it seemed like an awesome thing to do. I remember listening to a particular DJ at Pandemonium who'll remain unnamed (Grooverider ) and he was dropping clangers left right & centre. I remember thinking at the time even though I was out of my tree: "I don't care how famous he is, I could do better than that".

Lo and behold six months later I started practising on the ones and twos; not to be a superstar DJ like Haze said, but just so I could get my creative juices flowing. I started off copying mixing from the big DJs and when I had enough confidence started doing my own style (you guys will know that I chop a lot), the possibilities were endless.

For me getting back into DJing the last 2 years it's like I've been reborn again and there's nothing better than coming home, firing up the decks and having a mix with your tunes and trying different stuff each and every day.

It's difficult to explain to the non-DJs out there as I suppose it would sound quite monotonous just mixing all the time, but even without modern technology where you can loop, add FX and even do live remixes, the raw basics of a mixer & 2 decks will always generate a proper buzz

I just love the freedom it gives me, I can do what I want on the decks. If I want a rap or piano over a tune I can do it. After a stressful day at work I come home and fire up the decks, within a hour I'm stress free.

Having an understanding missus helps as well. Sometimes I'll come home from work and just say hello to her and go straight upstairs (she realises the pressures of my job) but she knows that after a hour I'll come downstairs and be normal again.

I've only been mixing for 8 months(ish) so I'm learning all the time, especially where the levels are concerned. I love to better myself at anything I do and be the best I can and mixing is a real challenge so I'm loving that part of it too.

I just wish I'd started sooner.

i rarely mix now. i like a spin if im playing out or on the radio, but not very often for my own pleasure. im more into learning to scratch and do tricks, i have been mixing for over 20 years now so it got a bit stale for me.