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The introduction to this set takes us through some nice downbeat, almost chilled sounds. Beautiful string progression with no beat signifies a transition to the development section of the set. This occurs around the 12 minute mark. The development section sees Daniel finding his groove with the introduction of a more active rhythm and hints at percussive electro sounds.
At around 29 minutes we find that we are well immersed in the electro sounds. The music here has a definite old-school feel to it with lots of very percussive electro clicks and veebs and a mix of spoken and sung male vocals.
During the development of the set, Daniel creates a sense of tension around the 48 minute mark with an extended track that consists primarily of basic percussion and a range of samples. As the tension progresses, a sense of anticipation develops as we wait for a release, which would normally come in the form of a melodic sounding track–perhaps with a drop in the musical key. In this case, there is a subtle release around the 52 minute mark with a track that incorporates a sweeter sounding vocal. The key doesn’t drop, however. It actually increases, which sort of maintains the sense of tension. I think this is alright, but I would have preferred more of a release here. One of the things that makes mixsets work well is the build up of tension and anticipation, followed by release. Now, around the 57:15 mark, you hear Daniel bringing in another track. This one does have a drop in key which helps resolve the earlier anticipation.
Daniel finishes his set on a high note which leaves us wanting more. I think on a whole the set contains a good selection of tracks which fit well in the style Daniel is working with. I enjoyed the starting introduction and build up to the point where he really gets down to business. I can’t help thinking that this set needed to run a bit longer to really give the listener some release. I suspect that if the set ran for a couple of hours we would really get to complete the journey that Daniel wants to take us on.
“November Mix” - mixed by DJ Dan Clarke
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We quickly move to the development section of the set in which the main groove continues in the funky/disco house style. Tension is introduced in this section a couple of times, but is then relieved with return to the melodic vocal sound that characterizes the set. Towards the end of the development section the sound hints towards electrohouse. The electrohouse sound is then introduced with a Black Box remix–a remix of Everybody. It contains really nice vocals with guitar backing before jumping into some serious electrohouse sounds. The next track reaffirms the electrohouse sound, but softens the feeling before the final track takes us into the resolution section and returns to the disco sound.
Now, I would normally suggest that the introduction and resolution sections contain several tracks, but flexibility is most important. This set shows that the mixset structure I have identified can be implemented in a variety of ways. The length of each section can vary, and when you listen to a range of DJs this variation is normal. But, regardless of the variation, the set will take you on the most fulfilling journey if it follows the structure I have described.
“Everybody” - mixed by Maestro B
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This set kicks off with the wonderful “New Day” from Shapeshifters, which makes for a perfect introduction and gets the listener in the mood for what’s coming up. Phil then moves quickly to an electrohouse sound, which he sustains for several tracks. This is the main groove of the set, which forms the basis for the “development section of the mix” (for more info on mixset structure, see my article: http://brentishouse.com/?p=124). During the development section, Phil sustains the electrohouse sound and includes tracks that raise some tension and builds anticipation for some release, which he then gives us in the form of a sweet vocal track “Uninvited-Freemasons”. After this nice interlude, Phil gets back to business with “Back once again”. The development section of a mixset is the “main argument” of the set, in which the DJ builds tension, then gives release. In this case, Phil repeats the process several times using tracks with a harder, dirty sound and then balancing with more melodic tracks.
The Development section forms most of the set, before Phil moves to the “resolution” with “You don’t Know” (Stonebrige), which has almost a disco-sound and has a similar style to the first track in the mix. Here Phil brings his set to a nice conclusion.
“Winter Beats” - mixed by Phil Hewson
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The Structure of a DJ Mixset
Taking your audience on a purposeful journey
by Brent Silby
Def-Logic Productions
Copyright (c) Brent Silby 2007
DJs have been producing mixsets for decades. On the technical end, the mixset requires the DJ to use technology and skill to blend a range of songs together to create a continuous “suite” of music. In effect, the DJ is producing one long song out of a large collection of individual songs. Artistically, this requires the DJ to select tracks that sound nice together and suit the general style of music. The art comes in recognizing features of songs that make them fit into the mixset. For more on this, see my article “Is a mixset a piece of Art?”
Now, as with all musical creations, a good mixset has a “form” or “structure” underpinning its construction. Obviously a mixset is not simply a random collection of tracks. Nor is it a mere collection of songs the DJ (and crowd) likes. There are good mixsets and there are bad mixsets. Interestingly, many bad mixsets actually contain very good songs. The problem arises from the order in which they have been mixed by the DJ. In many cases, these bad mixsets fail simply because the DJ has not put any thought into an overall structure. Its all well and good playing a bunch of nice tracks that the crowd likes, but if the set does not take its audience on a meaningful journey with a purpose, the DJ may as well simply use iTunes Shuffle.
The purpose of this article is to provide a framework upon which a “theory of the mixset” can be established. This is just a start, and I welcome input from other experienced DJs. I realize that many DJs will naturally go through the process outlined below, and I am not attempting to tell people how to do their job. What I am trying to do is to establish, in writing, the structure of a good mixset. This information will be useful for DJs who are learning, and it will also provide a language which can be used to review and discuss DJ mixsets.
A good mixset needs to take its audience on a journey. It makes no difference whether the set is being performed live in a club, live on radio, or pre-recorded for the internet. The important thing is that the DJ makes meaningful decisions about the tracks to be played, and their placement in the set. In live club situations, the DJs decisions will be made through collaboration with the audience, as track choice and placement will be decided, in part, from the reaction of people on the dance floor.
The Structure of the Journey
There are three major sections to the mixset. These are Introduction, Development, and Resolution. In order to describe the theory, I will refer to House music and its sub-genres. I do this because House is my genre of choice. The theory will, of course, work with other genres.
1 Introduction
The first track of the introduction should, wherever possible, start with no beat. In House music, find a track with an instrumental (perhaps piano) introduction. A piano intro of up to 1 minute would work very well as it eases people into the music. Then when the beat kicks in, people know that business is starting. From here, work through a range of easy going melodies with lots of nicely sung vocals and pleasing harmonic progressions.
Towards the end of this Introduction section, the DJ should attempt to raise tension by shifting the musical key up (further from the starting key). This can happen song-by-song, but requires the DJ to know what key each of his songs is set in. It is a nice touch to move towards tracks with a “searching” feeling.
2 Development (conflict / relief)
Here we have the “main argument” of the mixset. In this section the DJ has found his groove and focuses on a range of tracks that fit that sound. The tension left from the introduction is relieved by ensuring the key stays much the same–perhaps moving down, then up again but with no continuous upward trend.
The DJ sustains this for several tracks (the length of time depends on the length of the entire set) before introducing conflict. This conflict comes in the form of a song (or two) that have a slightly different (perhaps harder) sound, which points to where the DJ is taking this part of the set. For example, moving from “funky house” to an “electro house” or “tribal house” sound. This transition creates tension, which is then relieved when the DJ moves completely to the new sound.
The DJ then continues with the new sound for several tracks before hinting back towards the sound featured at the start of the development section. This is done by sampling vocal aspects from the earlier sound into the harder sound. This builds anticipation, which creates a new tension to be resolved in the resolution section.
3 Resolution
The end of the set is signified by a return to the style of music contained towards the end of the introduction and start of the development section. However, here the DJ needs to decide whether to leave the set on a high or a laid back sound. If the DJ wants to complete the set on a high, he needs to create a short transition from the harder sound in the Development section back to the up-lifting sound from the beginning of the development. This should be done by finding a suitable up-beat track that is set in a minor key, and then (after maybe 2 or 3 more tracks) ensuring that the set is finished on an uplifting song in a major “happy” key.
The same is true if the DJ wishes to finish on a laid back note. The only difference is that the tracks selected will have a more relaxed feel, similar to those used in the introduction. The music may transition to a minor sound before finishing in a major key.
Now, a mixset can be as long or short as you want. Many sets for the internet or radio are between 1 and 2 hours in length. This is a good length of time to run through the formula of a mixset. In longer sets (for example, an 8 hour club set) the DJ can repeat the entire process several times, or stretch out the set so that the Development section runs for an extended period of time. A possible structure for a long mixset would be:
Introduction,
Development
conflict / relief /
conflict / relief /
conflict / relief,
Resolution
As I stated earlier, this is the beginning of a definition of the musical form we call the “mixset”. It is far from complete and I have based it on both my experience as a DJ, and my experience as a listener/reviewer of mixsets. I welcome all ideas and input to make this theory more robust and useable. The end goal of this project is to have a definition of “mixset” that people can consider when building or discussing mixsets.
See also
Is the DJ an Artist
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The set starts off nicely with a laid back sound. The second track build tension slightly by raising the key of the set. We find lots of melodic vocals and pleasing piano chords in the first part of the set. As the set progresses, the rhythms get more complex and NaJ has found his groove in the mix.
The middle section of a set is what I call the “development” section. Here the DJ sustains his groove for a time before dropping in some tracks of a different style. This sends the listener on a different path through the journey.
There are a few tracks in the “development” section of the set that have a different, almost “conflicted” sound. A good example of this is around the 48 minute point. NaJ brings in a track which is built mainly from a sample and rhythms. This track has a contrary sound to the rest of the set and builds a bit of tension. The listener waits for the melody to come back. And as the song continues, the listener’s desire for melody grows and grows, until around 51:15 there is a hint at another track coming in. The relief is on its way. At 51:58 we hear a nice keyboard chord fading in to the mix. Here is the relief we are waiting for. The chord shifts to a nice progression at around 52:40. Then at 53:30 the chords get sweeter and at 53:45 very relaxed horn sounds come in signifying the tension is about to be released. A moment later, the vocals return and we know we are home, back on the journey after the diversion. We are now at the resolution section of the set. Nice.
“Powerful Mix November” - mixed by NaJ
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In the first section, the set starts with 2 tracks with a latin sound before moving into section two and a run of disco house tracks. This is the main groove of the set.
As the set progresses, the music becomes more active and uplifting. Towards the end of the second section, tension is introduced with a remix of “Music sounds better with you”, which is followed up with a new mix of “The Bomb”. These two tracks have a different, (even dirtier in the case of The Bomb) sound and provide a diversion until we move on to the third section with a return to the disco sound, but with more force section one.
“Salvation” - mixed by Maestro B
“La Casa” club series
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Listening to this mixset, you experience the nice clean funky house sound–lots of nice vocals, funky basslines, and clever instrumentation. The whooosh and shwoosh type sounds heard throughout the set reaffirm the categorization of funky house. Many of the tracks here have wonderful choppy piano loops, which I particularly enjoy in the music I listen to.
Thanks for the set Rob, we look forward to your next one
“Lazy Sunday 2″ - mixed by therobsta
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