Where do you put your speakers?

[yourdj]

I have noticed on many websites that all the pictures have the speakers in front of the dj. one question :confused:

How do you mix your tracks accurately (especially dance music)?

Do you use monitor speakers, headphones, bass out the back of the main speakers, you don't mix tracks at all, or use automated software?

Being a club promter and dj this seems quite difficult but everyone seems to have the same set up so there must be something in it :)

[JAMdisco]

The obvious choice is headphones - then only you can hear the track you're mixing in. I also use Virtual DJ which works very well (when it works) when mixing between tracks.

Also depends on what kind of venue/age group your playing to, in a general disco the mixing doesn't need to be that acurate, so long as there are no gaps between the songs (IMO)

[yourdj]

in a general disco the mixing doesn't need to be that acurate, so long as there are no gaps between the songs (IMO)

I cant help it :p even at 60th birthday parties i get annoyed if my mixing is not up to scratch. Doubt anyone really notices though ;)

[rob1963]

How do you mix your tracks accurately (especially dance music)?

Do you use monitor speakers, headphones, bass out the back of the main speakers, you don't mix tracks at all, or use automated software?

I don't mix tracks at all.

Most of my work is weddings & birthday parties from 40ths upwards...and mixing just isn't necessary for these functions.

[thex-faders]

Most people put their speakers infront of them because if they are behind with the DJ's microphone infront of the speakers the likelyhood of feedback is high so most people put the speakers infront. That is my understanding of the reason behind it!

You can get feedback eliminators but its easier to just put the spakers in front and mix with headphones, as you say maybe use monitors. And it has already been said you dont really need to mix the tracks perfectly anyway.

[Shaun]

I don't mix tracks at all.

Most of my work is weddings & birthday parties from 40ths upwards...and mixing just isn't necessary for these functions.


Necessary, no! Extremely useful...YES!

I do mainly the same type of events you do, and I do some beat-mixing at almost every event. Not all night, but I mix at some point at each event. Mixing gives a nice flow on the dance-floor, and its helpful in enticing people to stay on the floor longer than they might have. My live megamixes have always gone down a storm. Give it a try sometime, I have the feeling you might be pleasantly surprised. :)

[TonyB]

My preference is to have them in front as there is less chance of getting feedback when using the mic but it depends on the amount of space available. I have had them further back. NYE I had to have one in front and one back against the wall otherwise it obstructed a walk through.

Acoustically they are better if they are a few feet from a wall. The little bit of mixing I do, I do through the headphones, one side playing the current track and the other playing the new one. I use noise canceling headphones so I don't get distracted by other noise too much. Usually its just a case of cueing up the next track and play when I want it to start or cross fading one into the other.

[Shaun]

I have noticed on many websites that all the pictures have the speakers in front of the dj. one question :confused:

How do you mix your tracks accurately (especially dance music)?

Do you use monitor speakers, headphones, bass out the back of the main speakers, you don't mix tracks at all, or use automated software?

Being a club promter and dj this seems quite difficult but everyone seems to have the same set up so there must be something in it :)

My speakers are in front of me too. Mixing is fine (no delays) unless you have your speakers spaced out quite a bit.

[yourdj]

the mic thing seems a good reason. i have never had any problems with feedback though? the only feedback comes when i'm too close to the mixer (need a wirless one). I hate mixing with headphones. i like a seperate sound source.

I like having speakers behind me cos i can tell exactly how loud the system is and i can mix dance/disco/hiphop or whatever else really accurately, which is a necessity when doing city bars and clubs etc. It also makes me feel more involved.

Last night i did not have my monitor and was trying to mix (all music styles and eras) in a big bar at low sound. It was not very easy.

I still do the same setup at weddings etc. too.

[Adam_F]

I'll use my headphones most of the time, and will mix as much as I can, but as mentioned, not alot of people notice.
For 18th's, 21st's or playlists that desire more of a club atmosphere then I'll use a monitor, currently a Numark M80.

[rob1963]

Necessary, no! Extremely useful...YES!

I do mainly the same type of events you do, and I do some beat-mixing at almost every event. Not all night, but I mix at some point at each event. Mixing gives a nice flow on the dance-floor, and its helpful in enticing people to stay on the floor longer than they might have. My live megamixes have always gone down a storm. Give it a try sometime, I have the feeling you might be pleasantly surprised. :)

Shaun,

Don't get me wrong...I did sometimes mix in the past (particularly in a nightclub I worked in), but It's just not something I do these days.

I also used to talk after every song...and I don't do that any more either!

:rolleyes:

[Shaun]

Different strokes for different folks, Rob. There's no right way or wrong way of doing things...just what's right for you. :)

[rob1963]

Different strokes for different folks, Rob. There's no right way or wrong way of doing things...just what's right for you. :)

Very true, Shaun...and very diplomatic too!

:D :D :D

[yourdj]

Acoustically they are better if they are a few feet from a wall.

Yea i always make use of solid walls (especially corners). I played a wedding with my small but well tweaked sound system and good quality 4 speaker 12 inch set up at a room about the size of 20m x 50m. I stood at the back (behind a packed dance floor) towards the end and it sounded really good! well rounded and full range.

thats another thing i noticed:

some people have overlooked the sound and focused on having 15 lights instead :)

[mb3]

I don't mix tracks at all.

Most of my work is weddings & birthday parties from 40ths upwards...and mixing just isn't necessary for these functions.

Me too. I don't think I even could mix tracks if I wanted to.

I'm just working on a playlist for a 40th... so I'm looking at the top 100 from 1968 (year of birth)... rather than 1967 (last year's 40's) there's some great stuff from that year.

Born to be wild-Steppenwolf
Love is all around-Troggs
Fire!-Arthur Brown
Delilah-Tom Jones
Simon Says-1910 Fruitgum co
Young Girl-Gary Puckett
Judy in disguise (with glasses)-John Fred
Elenore-Turtles
Mighty Quinn-Manfred Mann
I say a little prayer-Aretha Franklin
Mony Mony-Tommy James
Hey Jude-Beatles
Harper Valley PTA- Jeannie C Riley

I don't think these would mix together very well, but they will all get an airing... and then I need to look at top 100 from 1981 (teenager) and 1986 (18th) and find out the year she got married.

I try to use particular years for the playlist at birthdays, weddings etc, because it means I get to play different tracks depending on ages... saves me getting bored.

Now to google for news headlines from 1968....

[mb3]

That was a bit :offtopic: I'm :sorry:

I generally put my speakers in front, because I often do Karaoke as well. Usually they go on stands, but my local Village Hall has a large raised stage, and I can get away with speaker cabs on either side of the stage without stands.

Actually I have to... otherwise the speakers block the lights :bang:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Now to google for news headlines from 1968....

I arrived. :D

[mb3]

I arrived. :D

I got a red Triang pedal car for my 6th birthday. It had working headlights (if you had enough U2 batteries!)

[rob1963]

Now to google for news headlines from 1968....


I arrived. :D

At your first gig?

:boxer2: :rolleyes:

[colint]

the mic thing seems a good reason. i have never had any problems with feedback though? the only feedback comes when i'm too close to the mixer (need a wirless one). I hate mixing with headphones. i like a seperate sound source.

I like having speakers behind me cos i can tell exactly how loud the system is and i can mix dance/disco/hiphop or whatever else really accurately, which is a necessity when doing city bars and clubs etc. It also makes me feel more involved.

Last night i did not have my monitor and was trying to mix (all music styles and eras) in a big bar at low sound. It was not very easy.

I still do the same setup at weddings etc. too.

Apart from the feedback this is also a very good method of seriously damaging your hearing! prolonged exposure to levels of this amount at this sort of distance will over a course of time damage your hearing!

with practice you shouldn't need to have speakers to monitor with, if you really feel the need for monitoring get yourself a small pair of nearfield monitors (Like a JBL control 1 or EV s40) and put them on mic stands either side of you! Your ears will thank you for it! :D

[yourdj]

Yes good point, i always put the speaker away from direct line of my ears but i get a general idea of the volume. personal preference i guess?

Im very sensitive to loud noise and especially crap/over loaded sound systems. if i walk past any speaker (at bars etc.) I always out of habit put my hand over my ear.

[yourdj]

Good hearing i think? thing is you never know?

[kilmeedyman]

I use the headphones for mixing.

My mixer has a control for setting the level of the cued track and the level of the master ouput that goes to the headphones.

Works perfectly for me and I mix as many tracks as lend themselves to mixing.

[Silver]

I use Ots av, speakers slightly in front of me, no need for sweaty headphones on for most of the night. http://planetsmilies.net/music-smiley-1306.gif

[kilmeedyman]

So with no headphones how do you listen to the incoming track to set it up?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

So with no headphones how do you listen to the incoming track to set it up?

If he has Ots with cue points and doesn't mix, then he wouldn't need to.

[kilmeedyman]

Well no, he wouldn't, but the original question was about how people do accurate mixes with the speakers in front of them.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Well no, he wouldn't, but the original question was about how people do accurate mixes with the speakers in front of them.

Yeah, and your question was...


So with no headphones how do you listen to the incoming track to set it up?

:rolleyes:

[kilmeedyman]

Because I don't know Ots and stupidly assumed that Silver was posting about the subject set by the OP.

And he commented on headphones in reply to my post which said

I use the headphones for mixing.

My mixer has a control for setting the level of the cued track and the level of the master ouput that goes to the headphones.

Works perfectly for me and I mix as many tracks as lend themselves to mixing.

[A1DL]

If he has Ots with cue points and doesn't mix, then he wouldn't need to.

but in that case surely you only know the cue points, not the level of the track to adjust the gain?

[DJ James Lake]

I have my main speakers in front, but use a either one or two 300w rms powered 12" monitors as I do a lot of mixing and need to hear the music well no matter how bad the rooms acoustics are.

I have them set low, just enough to hear clearly, not thumping out.

I started using them when I worked in a club that had a major delay, about 1/2 a second if not more, between the dancefloor (which was about 30ft away) and dj booth and no monitor in the booth.

I now use them all the time on mobiles as well.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

but in that case surely you only know the cue points, not the level of the track to adjust the gain?

Personally, Tony, I would know the level of the gain on my most played tracks or would have the software tell me. ;)

Having said that, I still use headphones. In fact I bought a rather expensive pair of Sennheiser HD25s a few months ago to replace my SPs. ;)

[kilmeedyman]

Having said that, I still use headphones. In fact I bought a rather expensive pair of Sennheiser HD25s a few months ago to replace my SPs. ;)

Was that the HD25s in use last Sunday? If so, I liked them and will get some myself. If not, what were they?

[Corabar Steve]

but in that case surely you only know the cue points, not the level of the track to adjust the gain?

Using a PC playout system he may well have run all his MP3s through MP3Gain, not a great deal of adjustment would be needed (if any).

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Was that the HD25s in use last Sunday?

It was indeed.

[A1DL]

Personally, Tony, I would know the level of the gain on my most played tracks or would have the software tell me. ;)


:p :p :p :p :p



Having said that, I still use headphones. In fact I bought a rather expensive pair of Sennheiser HD25s a few months ago to replace my SPs. ;)

Great choice Daz - they will last you years, I have a pair of HD25s that must be 13+ years old, and apart from the pads being a little tatty, they work as good as when they were new. Also the advantage to the HD25 over the HD25SP is that you can replace damaged parts individually.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

:Also the advantage to the HD25 over the HD25SP is that you can replace damaged parts individually.

I'm afraid I'll have to disagree there my good man....I've had both pairs and you can replace parts on both.

I had the SPs for about 10 years and replaced the cable and the pads. It was the single cable that made me buy the HD25s truth be known. The double cable on the SPs nearly strangled me several times....:eek:

[PropellerHeadCase]

Using a PC playout system he may well have run all his MP3s through MP3Gain, not a great deal of adjustment would be needed (if any).

Depends on the compression of the track as to how successful that will be.


Speakers in front (and if possible well away)/mixing in headphones... I simply can not mix using external monitors.

[A1DL]

I'm afraid I'll have to disagree there my good man....I've had both pairs and you can replace parts on both.

I had the SPs for about 10 years and replaced the cable and the pads. It was the single cable that made me buy the HD25s truth be known. The double cable on the SPs nearly strangled me several times....:eek:

Really... I stand corrected in that case. Understand what you mean about the double cable, I guess that takes getting used to at first.

Also, never understood why the cable on the SPs is nice and long yet on the HD25s it could do with being a bit longer (or at least that is the case on my 13 year old pair)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Also, never understood why the cable on the SPs is nice and long yet on the HD25s it could do with being a bit longer (or at least that is the case on my 13 year old pair)

No, still the same. I thought exactly the same. Weird.:confused:

[Shaun]

I dunno, I like that my hd25s have a short cable. Less to get tangled.