You must also have the necessary confidence in your equipment and a clear idea about what you want. Here we’ve listed some of the popular forms of transitions that the DJs use during their performances:

1. End-to-end

This simple form of transition is quite contemporary. You need to be sure when the current song is going to end. Once you know when it’s going to end, be prepared with the next song. It must be a strong and impacting song with a starting point that’s immediate. 

You certainly wouldn’t want switching from the end of one song to a slow-starting one. The next song must be something that starts with a bang. As the current song ends, count the beats and bars to start the new song on a downbeat.

2. Fade

This form of transition is one of the best ways to move from one song to another. You’ll never struggle to move to the next tune if you know how to use the fade. It also gives you a sense of confidence that helps you in your performance. By fading a song, you tell the audience that the track is ending and another one is about to begin. 

A lot of volume from the current tune is removed. As a result, the incoming tune dominates the moment it begins. If done smoothly and with confidence, the fade places give you control of where you make the switch.

3. The Cut

Unlike the end-to-end and Fade, the cut is an instant mix and is instantaneous. It is a clean-cut from a particular track to its next one. The power of this form of transition rests on three factors. One is timing, which is quite obvious. 

The second is the choice you make where you do it in both your tracks. The third factor is your choice of the actual tracks. Upon getting these three factors right, you’ll surely deliver a successful performance.

4. The Bassline Swap Beatmix

You might’ve seen a DJ jumping around in an animated way, despite both the hands fixed to the mixer. Upon taking a closer look, you’ll notice what the DJ is doing. He or she grasps the knobs with the finger and thumb of both hands. When the moment is right, one twist of the two knobs makes the crowd dance to the next tune. 

What the DJ is doing, in this case, is the Bassline Swap Beatmix. This form of transition is used by many DJs to play smooth and musically tight sets. This method of transition is quite simple once you’ve mastered the Single Phrase Beatmix.

5. The Single Phrase Beatmix

The term implies that you play both the tunes for one musical phrase. Usually, in a single musical phrase, there are about four or eight bars. In this form of transition, the incoming tune is prepared for the best mix. It is somewhere at the beginning in a section with drums. The tune is lined up one musical phrase before the spot you’d like to make it clear to your audience. 

Double-check with your headphone if the tune lined up is sounding good. Then, over the top of the outgoing tune, make sure that the new tune is audible to the audience. Now, play the tunes together for a musical phrase and mix out the tune that’s about to end.

The post 5 Forms of Transitions That DJs Use appeared first on 4midiloop.com.

For achieving this purpose, they need to build a good collection of music. So, if you’re into DJing, you’ll be researching, sourcing, and getting a vast music collection organized. This is one of the ways to build your career in this field. To select the right tracks, you’ll need a good knowledge of music, both old and new. 

It is a daily ritual for many DJs to listen to music and collect as much as they can. They use multiple sources in their search for some exciting music and uncover some true gems in this process. Here we’ve presented some of the best sources you can get your music from as a DJ:

1. Free DJ music downloads

A great way to get some good music is to download legally from the artist or record label. You can bookmark the websites of all your favourite record labels and artists. The next step would be to check whether they are running a mailing list. 

Many of the artists and record labels often send out links to their exclusive tracks and some free music. An alternative way would be to message them directly and ask them for some free music.

2. Record shops

There are certain music retail shops, from where you can get some fabulous collections. They’re also excellent places to connect with people and experience a good musical environment. You can make a list of record stores in your neighbourhood and pay them a regular visit. By doing this, you’ll get to know about the latest releases. It is also a good idea to visit the nearest record store when you’re away from home.

3. eBay

In its heyday, eBay was one of the most popular websites for getting all kinds of stuff. Today, it has declined in popularity. However, you can still utilize this international platform to buy a good music collection. Many of the DJs buy vinyl records or CDs on eBay and then get them digitized. 

On this particular site, you can pick loads of records or an entire collection at once. DJs who perform at weddings usually use this website for building a collection of classic hits.

4. Subscription streaming service for DJs

In recent times, there are some emerging services that offer streaming specifically for DJs. One of them is Beatport. It has a new service that allows you to pay for accessing their vast music library. You can do this with a monthly subscription. By using the service, you don’t need to buy individual tracks. It also has a variety of options in the subscription. 

Some of them give you the chance to store a limited number of tracks offline. Using the subscription streaming service also has its downsides. You’ll need strong internet connectivity at the venue where you’re performing. In the absence of a reliable internet connection, you’ll need to depend on the downloaded tracks.

The post Top 4 Sources of Music for the DJs appeared first on 4midiloop.com.

Electronic music is more like an umbrella term for the kind of music created using electronic tools or instruments. The first electronic musical instruments were developed towards the end of the 19th century. During the early 20th century, new electronic instruments were introduced and compositions based on them were created. 

Today, this type of music has many varieties. They range from experimental art to the more popular electronic dance music (EDM). Here are some of the popular genres of electronic music that aspiring DJs must know:

1. House

Many still consider this genre of electronic music the best among the rest. It was among the earlier forms of electronic music and was formulated in Chicago’s black neighbourhoods in the 1980s. House music emerged after disco and was popularized by young musicians. 

House music remains popular even today, as many DJs still play it during certain events and festivals across the world. Some of the classic tracks are played by them even today to get everyone on the dance floor moving. This genre has also influenced many other genres, such as hip-hop and R&B.

2. Techno

After house music techno was the second genre of electronic music to gain massive popularity. It was inspired by disco, house, and the music created using computers that came from Japan and European countries. Techno emerged in Detroit, the largest city in the state of Michigan in the United States. 

While house music involved a lot of gospel vocals and piano-playing, techno focused on computerized sounds with mechanical beats. Many of the classic tracks belonging to the techno genre are still popular in clubs. 

3. Dubstep

Dubstep emerged in the early 2000s in South London. It drew inspiration from related styles, such as dub reggae, broken beat, jungle, and grime. The origins of this genre in the United Kingdom can be traced back to the early 1980s. 

This was the period when there was a significant growth of the Jamaican sound system party scene. The success and popularity of dubstep can be attributed to its mainstream exposure from DJs like John Peel. It was further popularized by the success of hits from American DJs such as Skrillex.

4. UK Garage

This is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) that originated in England during the 1990s. Abbreviated as UKG, it was inspired mostly by a dance music style called garage house. It also included elements from jungle, R&B, and dance-pop. 

The garage tracks feature chopped-up, pitch-shifted, or time-stretched samples of vocals. They complement the underlying rhythmic structure at a 130 BPM tempo. The sub-genres of UK garage include a 2-step and speed garage. 

5. Drum and Bass

This electronic music genre is yet another creation from the United Kingdom. It originated in the rave and jungle scenes in the UK during the 1990s. Drum and bass are characterized by fast breakbeats that typically range between 165 and 185 BPM. 

The fast breakbeats are complemented by heavy bass and sub-bass lines, synthesizers, and samples. This genre of electronic music is dominated by a small group of record labels. It mainly has fanbases in Canada, United States, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

The post 5 Electronic Music Genres Aspiring DJs Must Know appeared first on 4midiloop.com.

They’re mixed in such a way that there’s a seamless transition from one song to another. Jimmy Savile is considered to be the world’s first DJ. In the years that followed, many international DJs emerged in different parts of the world. Here are the most popular DJs of recent times:

1. David Guetta

Born Pierre David Guetta, he is a French DJ, songwriter, and record producer. He is considered the best DJ of all time. His worldwide record sales have crossed 50 million. David Guetta was voted the number one DJ in 2011 and 2020. This was according to the poll of DJ Mag Top 100 DJs. 

His first album titled ‘Just a Little More Love’ was released in 2002. His later releases include ‘Guetta Blaster’ and ‘Pop Life’. In 2009, he released his fourth studio album titled ‘One Love’. This album gave him mainstream success with the hit singles Gettin Over You and When Love Takes Over.

2. Martin Garrix

A DJ and record producer from the Netherlands, Martin Garrix is also known as ‘GRX’ and ‘Ytram’. He was born as Martijn Gerard Garritsen in the Amstelveen municipality of the Dutch province, North-Holland. In 2004, he saw the Dutch DJ Tiesto’s performance in the Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony. 

After seeing the performance, he expressed his interest in becoming a DJ. Martin Garrix was ranked number one in 2016, 2017, and 2018 on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list. His most popular singles are In The Name Of Love, Animals, and Scared To Be Lonely.

3. Armin van Buuren

A Dutch DJ and record producer, Armin van Buuren was inspired by Jean-Michel Jarre, a French electronic music composer. He was also inspired by the Dutch DJ and remixer, Ben Liebrand. The first success of Armin van Buuren came from his track Blue Fear. It was released in 1997 under the Cyber Records label. He had another major success with the track Communication. 

It became immensely popular in Ibiza during the summer of 1999. The track reached the 18th position in the UK Singles Chart the very next year. He has hosted a weekly radio show called ‘A State of Trance’ since 2001. It has close to 40 million listeners across 84 countries on more than 100 FM radio stations.

4. Alan Walker

He is a British-Norwegian DJ and record producer known for his international hit single Faded. While growing up in the digital era, Alan Walker developed an interest in computers. Later, he turned to graphic design and programming. As he had no musical background, he learnt from the tutorials that he watched on YouTube. 

His inspiration was the EDM producers Ahrix and K-391, and film composers Hans Zimmer and Steve Jablonsky. He started off as a bedroom producer with the name DJ Walkzz. Later, he signed a record deal and released his debut single Faded on the 17th of August, 2014.

The post 4 Most Popular DJs in the World Today appeared first on 4midiloop.com.