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Slammer_Jammer_Man
Average Member
Australia
242 posts
Joined: Jun, 2004
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 Posted - 2004/12/06 : 06:23:24
I'm an aspiring DJ, and I've started to dabble in composition. The stuff I have made is very amateur, but we've all got to start somewhere. So I have a question for you established Hardcore DJs:
How did you start to learn to compose and spin? What programs did you use? What are the best ways to learn?
Thanks heaps.
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The only part of your body that should be partying too, every hour on the hour is the rebel in you! (Scott Brown - I Don't Need Nobody)
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silver
Admin
Japan
12,579 posts
Joined: Feb, 2001
894 hardcore releases
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Posted - 2004/12/06 : 07:44:20
There is no quick solution, for DJing you just keep trying and trying until you get it... it's not easy and will take a few months to get it and about 1 year to get any good. I recommend you get to know the tracks that the DJ's are playing and listen and watch them when they are mixing, you will see how they do their stuff...
Starting to DJing aint cheap either, if you have a nice friend that will let you use their records and equipment have a go and see if you like it...
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it's all hardcore.
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Underloop
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
3,895 posts
Joined: Mar, 2002
91 hardcore releases
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Posted - 2004/12/06 : 13:37:36
By composing I am assuming you are meaning MAKING music rather than playing somebody elses right?
Well, I started off with a program called Digital Orchestrator onthe PC, and also a program I got free with a magazine called Cubasis (little brother of Cubase). Back then there was no VSTs, it was all audio and midi, so much of the stuff was done piecing together samples. Digital Orchestratr had some effects built into it and I basically just fiddled around with stuff until I got the hang of it. Sampled stuff off tapes, and eventually started buying hardware synths and samplers and stuff, and along came VST effects, and then instruments. I learnt a hell of alot from reading magazines like Future Music and Sound on Sound (incidentally I will have a HUGE batch of back issues of these magazines up for sale in the new year stuffed full of tutorials and complete with CDs with samples n stuff).
At this time it was purely a hobby, and I messed around for fun. I then stumbled across an article in Sound on Sound that talked about a website offering people the chance to remix full vocal tracks with the possibility of them getting released. I checked the website out, and lo and behold it was run by one Nick Arnold and his partner in crime Chris Groucutt. I signed up, did a few remixes, got loads and loads of top quality advice from all the peeps on the site and suddenly I upped my game from casual mess-abouter to a more professional capacity doing all sorts of media work.
What I'm trying to say basically is that the best way to learn is by doing stuff and getting involved with projects! Follow the tutorials at http://www.computermusic.co.uk, and also in the above magazines. They tend to be program specific, so get hold of demos of the software it uses and its a good opportunity to see which programs you prefer because everybody suits a different style of working. Theres lots of remix contests all over the web. Unfortunately tehres nothing quite as good as The Vocalfactory anymore, but artists still put up traks to remix. These are also very valuable insights intoteh way top pros work. I seem to recall that Sasha put up ALL the multitracks for his album airdrawndagger for people to remix, so there is stuff out there..... just get stuck in. pass tracks around to people (not your friends and family, they'll all tell you its
Matthew aka DJ Underloop
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"We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing."
- George Bernard Shaw
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Slammer_Jammer_Man
Average Member
Australia
242 posts
Joined: Jun, 2004
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Posted - 2004/12/06 : 22:05:53
Yeah, I do mean as in creating my own. I want to do remixes as well, but I mainly want to create my own tracks.
Thanks for the advice, it will help heaps. How much will you be selling these magazines for? I am very much interested in purchasing them, though I am in Australia, will shipping be a problem?
_________________________
The only part of your body that should be partying too, every hour on the hour is the rebel in you! (Scott Brown - I Don't Need Nobody)
__________________________________
4 Tonnes of raw techno power!
Long live the NEC and all those innovative DJs tearing up dancefloors with Freeform and similar driving, experimental, high energy sounds!
http://www.nuenergy.co.uk/
http://www.finrg.com/
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Underloop
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
3,895 posts
Joined: Mar, 2002
91 hardcore releases
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Posted - 2004/12/06 : 22:58:43
quote:
Originally posted by Slammer_Jammer_Man:
Yeah, I do mean as in creating my own. I want to do remixes as well, but I mainly want to create my own tracks.
Thanks for the advice, it will help heaps. How much will you be selling these magazines for? I am very much interested in purchasing them, though I am in Australia, will shipping be a problem?
I'll be sticking them up on ebay. Not sure how much they'll go for tbh..... Going off the prices they sell for in the "readers ad" section in the back they average out at about £5-6 an issue, sometimes more, but we'll see - I'm only selling them because I need the space. It'll be late January before I can put them up though as I'm off Stateside for a month over Christmas next week.
Shipping to Oz shouldn't be a problem, but I'd expect to have to pay a fair bit - especially if you bought all 4 years worth! (although I'll be auctioning them off in yearly volumes).
Check out Computer Music though, its a fantastic resource for beginners 
Matthew aka DJ Underloop
__________________________________
"We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing."
- George Bernard Shaw
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Righteous9
Advanced Member
United States
1,516 posts
Joined: Jun, 2004
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Posted - 2004/12/07 : 00:22:12
Learn from Oldschoolers. I learned first with oldskool breaks then I started mixing newskool. Breaks are easier to mix in my opinion. Thats what I think anyways.
"Ghetto Houser"
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Sean Apollo
Advanced Member
United States
1,687 posts
Joined: Jul, 2003
143 hardcore releases
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Posted - 2004/12/07 : 00:27:25
well worth it tho
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http://djseanapollo.tripod.com
NORTH AMERICAN HARDCORE MOVEMENT
http://www.happyhardcore.com/radio
Rave n' Beats USA
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- Sean Apollo
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Slammer_Jammer_Man
Average Member
Australia
242 posts
Joined: Jun, 2004
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Posted - 2004/12/08 : 03:37:49
Cool, thanks for the tips. Anyone know where I can find some free breakcore samples for download?
Oh and Underloop, if you could PM me when you put them up for auction that'd be great.
_________________________
The only part of your body that should be partying too, every hour on the hour is the rebel in you! (Scott Brown - I Don't Need Nobody)
__________________________________
4 Tonnes of raw techno power!
Long live the NEC and all those innovative DJs tearing up dancefloors with Freeform and similar driving, experimental, high energy sounds!
http://www.nuenergy.co.uk/
http://www.finrg.com/
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Sean Apollo
Advanced Member
United States
1,687 posts
Joined: Jul, 2003
143 hardcore releases
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Posted - 2004/12/08 : 04:01:28
Don't know about samples, but here is a awesome site (Brought to my attention by milo) that tells you how to make breakbeats. It's a really good site. Check it. http://breakbeat.hattrixx.co.uk/
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http://djseanapollo.tripod.com
NORTH AMERICAN HARDCORE MOVEMENT
http://www.happyhardcore.com/radio
Rave n' Beats USA
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- Sean Apollo
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Righteous9
Advanced Member
United States
1,516 posts
Joined: Jun, 2004
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Posted - 2004/12/08 : 23:14:15
The best New School Breaks are by Luna-C and they're easy to mix. He doesn't double up beats. I don't know if IMO has anything but try it. I don't know, I like Oldschool so, or Kniteforce. Another Break label is Quosh but not as nice as what that KFA is.
"Ghetto Houser"
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http://www.soundcloud.com/DJ_Ghostly
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http://www.rapfamily.info
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