turn the beat around
trying to nail this demo is kicking my ASS!
Jovino has been awesome, patiently listening to my bad attempts at mixes and offering great advice and a lot of encouragement. this is really not the way I like to spin. I want to be all spontaneous and improvisatory, but that just doesn't fly when you are committing it to a recording where it can be heard again and again. I certainly learned that lesson with my Theory sets - I've recorded many of them, and what may have sounded good in the moment often starts to fall apart on repeated listening. you hear ALL the snags, and it's painful!
I do know that all this PITA work is going to pay off nicely the next time I have a disco gig that does allow spontaneity, so I can't really bitch too much.
one interesting realization I have had through this process is that it has really pointed up the differences between early period, middle period, and late period disco in my mind - besides the obvious advances in synthesizers and sound technology, the tempo just got faster and faster and faster (kinda like that old joke about how can you tell when there is a drummer at your door) to the point where you kinda have to order your tracks somewhat chronologically or you're never gonna be able to mix 'em, because the tempos are just too far off. (it's also a lot smoother to get faster than to get slower - so you really do have to plan at least a little, or else have a lot of fast stuff!) I like to hang out around the mid 120s so I need to keep conscious of this.
this whole project is something that I have had in the back of my mind forEVER but have been putting off for a long time. part of it is that there is SO MUCH more available on CD now - it really would not have been possible very much sooner without me becoming a vinyl collector (and frankly I have a bit too much self-preservation instinct to ever let myself go there, lol) but another part is definitely that I have been srsly intimidated. spinning live is different - there's no record! the proof of the pudding is in the eating - and ya know, as long as there is a party going on out front, you are pretty well succeeding as a live DJ. making a recording is a whole other game. it takes a lot of time, and it has to be *right* or every little thing will bug you forever!
so, this evening I made draft #2. it was a VAST improvement over the last one! Jovino and I listened to it afterwards and his suggestions were all totally in line with how I felt. I have a few changes to make to the track lineup and then I think by the time draft #4 rolls around I should be solid with my track selections and then it's all about mixing.
wish me luck!
Jovino has been awesome, patiently listening to my bad attempts at mixes and offering great advice and a lot of encouragement. this is really not the way I like to spin. I want to be all spontaneous and improvisatory, but that just doesn't fly when you are committing it to a recording where it can be heard again and again. I certainly learned that lesson with my Theory sets - I've recorded many of them, and what may have sounded good in the moment often starts to fall apart on repeated listening. you hear ALL the snags, and it's painful!
I do know that all this PITA work is going to pay off nicely the next time I have a disco gig that does allow spontaneity, so I can't really bitch too much.
one interesting realization I have had through this process is that it has really pointed up the differences between early period, middle period, and late period disco in my mind - besides the obvious advances in synthesizers and sound technology, the tempo just got faster and faster and faster (kinda like that old joke about how can you tell when there is a drummer at your door) to the point where you kinda have to order your tracks somewhat chronologically or you're never gonna be able to mix 'em, because the tempos are just too far off. (it's also a lot smoother to get faster than to get slower - so you really do have to plan at least a little, or else have a lot of fast stuff!) I like to hang out around the mid 120s so I need to keep conscious of this.
this whole project is something that I have had in the back of my mind forEVER but have been putting off for a long time. part of it is that there is SO MUCH more available on CD now - it really would not have been possible very much sooner without me becoming a vinyl collector (and frankly I have a bit too much self-preservation instinct to ever let myself go there, lol) but another part is definitely that I have been srsly intimidated. spinning live is different - there's no record! the proof of the pudding is in the eating - and ya know, as long as there is a party going on out front, you are pretty well succeeding as a live DJ. making a recording is a whole other game. it takes a lot of time, and it has to be *right* or every little thing will bug you forever!
so, this evening I made draft #2. it was a VAST improvement over the last one! Jovino and I listened to it afterwards and his suggestions were all totally in line with how I felt. I have a few changes to make to the track lineup and then I think by the time draft #4 rolls around I should be solid with my track selections and then it's all about mixing.
wish me luck!