How To Make a DJ Mix

A great DJ will make their mixes look and sound absolutely effortless! And just as it should, all the work behind the mix will be hidden by the great results. But creating the best DJ mixes does require a little bit of knowledge, effort, and hard work to pull off a great evening of entertainment. 

You’ll probably want to create a DJ mix so that you can show off your skills in order to get gigs. In this article, we’ll take a look at what it takes to make a DJ mix. Then, we’ll look at what makes a great mix and talk about what you need to make it happen. 

Related: 

• How To Get A DJ Gig
• How To DJ With Spotify

What You Need to Make a DJ Mix 

1. DJ Equipment. Of course, if you’re going to be a DJ, you need to have DJ equipment. This can be as simple as a laptop with DJ software or some more extensive hardware. Click here to find out more about DJ equipment. 
2. Music Library. You’re going to need music to make your mixes. There are plenty of ways to get tracks, such as these. You might use your own digital or physical library or even mix from a streaming service. 
3. Recording Device. You’ll need a way to record your mix so you can share it. Here are a few examples.
4. A means of sharing your mix. Will you hand out physical CDs? Put a link on YouTube? You’ll need some way of getting your mix out there. 

What Makes a Great DJ Mix 

Before you make your mix, you’ll want to think about what elements make a mix great. You’ll want to consider some of the following elements: 

• How the mix flows from song to song 
• Keeping the energy between songs by using good transitions 
• The level of intensity that suits your audience 
• Great tunes (of course!) with clear, usable recordings
• A few surprises to keep your audience engaged
• The length of the mix 
• The right type of music for your venue and audience 
• Well-balanced songs with the right EQ 
• You may also want to add remixes, effects, scratching, and other techniques that make your mix even more exciting
• A good recording done on the right equipment

Step-by-step Instructions for Making a DJ Mix

1. Know your purpose. Typically, you’ll use a DJ mix for advertising your skills and getting gigs. So you’ll want to make your mix as close to representing your live skills as possible. If you put too many effects and filters on, you might give an unrealistic picture of what you can actually do. Just make sure that your mix represents the type of gig you are looking to get and the actual skills you can provide. 
2. Know your audience. What type of audience are you looking to play gigs for? Do you want to do dance music, clubs, or wedding sets? Gear your gig to the audience you’ll be performing for.
3. Plan the movement of your set and the length. This is where it really starts to get interesting! An average mix length is typically about an hour long, so you’ll want to plan for about an hour mix. But you also need to plan the movement that happens throughout the set. There are several popular options: 
   1. The wave. The wave brings the intensity up and down, giving your listeners a series of peaks and valleys.
   2. The ramp. The ramp starts with a slower BPM and steadily increases the BPM and the energy level
   3. The mountain. Takes the energy level from a slow BPM to a peak level of intensity about halfway through, followed by a slow descent to slower BPM again
   4. The story. A story gives you a little more creative freedom to mix genres and styles by taking your listeners on a flowing journey with surprising twists and turns.
4. Choose your tracks. Once you know the direction your set is going to go, you can start picking out your tracks. Choose popular music that isn’t overdone and that fits your style. Make sure everything fits together, like a puzzle, following the framework you’ve already laid out. 
5. Choose your tracks. Once you know the direction your set is going to go, you can start picking out your tracks. Choose popular music that isn’t overdone and that fits your style. Make sure everything fits together, like a puzzle, following the framework you’ve already laid out. 
6. Put your tracks in order. Choose the best order for your tracks, taking into consideration the BPM and key changes. Don’t forget to add in a few surprises to keep your listeners interested!
7. Choose your transitions. Transitions help keep the momentum and flow going between tracks. You don’t want to leave lag time when creating a mix since that kills the excitement. Transitions will help tell the story. You may want to incorporate: 
   1. BMP synching 
   2. Mix in Key 
   3. Scratching 
   4. Looping and effects 
8. Add your loops, filters, EQ, and effects. Let your creativity shine here as you add in the ‘extras’ that make your work interesting and exciting! But, on the other hand, don’t overdo it, either. And don’t make up for bad tracks by covering them up with too many effects. 
9. Add your loops, filters, EQ, and effects. Let your creativity shine here as you add in the ‘extras’ that make your work interesting and exciting! But, on the other hand, don’t overdo it, either. And don’t make up for bad tracks by covering them up with too many effects. 
10. Create artwork for your mix. If possible, create some branding and artwork for your mix. This will help it get noticed.
11. Share your mix. Get yourself out there, so people learn about you and your style! Remember, this is like a commercial for your business and should really show off your skillset as a DJ.

Final Thoughts on Creating a DJ Mix 

Creating a DJ mix is a great way for you to advertise yourself as a DJ. It should reflect your skills, your intended genre, and of course, the audience you want to play music for. Remember to keep these things in mind when you are creating your DJ mix: 

• Your purpose and audience 
• The flow of your mix 
• Choose great tracks and put them in order
• Create transitions that keep the momentum going and the audience engage 
• Record your mix and create artwork 
• Share it

Your DJ mix should reflect what you’ll do at a live gig. It should show off your skills, your style, and of course, your personality. Don’t create an unrealistic picture of your abilities by incorporating things you would only do in a recording, but try to make the mix as close to what a real gig is like as possible. Let your creativity, intuition, and heart guide your knowledge and skills to make a great-sounding mix that will help you find the best gigs.