The DJ mindset

As we touched upon already, remixing is a direct byproduct of DJ culture, and this dancefloor-oriented mindset is a great way to approach the remixing process yourself, especially if you enjoy the odd spin on the wheels of steel.

As we all know, the modern DJ seamlessly transitions from track to track by matching BPMs and merging outros over intros. While many DJs settle at functional blends and basic cuts, more creative jockeys approach the art of DJing almost from the angle of a studio remixer. Choice tricks include dropping an acapella of one record over the instrumental of another; looping up a short section of a track and chopping it into rhythmic bits with fader chops, mixer effects and scratching; or even building an entire live mash-up with three- or four-deck wizardry.

With this in mind, getting into the DJ zone – even if you’re not a DJ! – is a brilliant way to inspire your remixing endeavours. Perhaps you like individual elements within a track, but its overall energy is just too low to ignite a dancefloor? Maybe a retro record will only compete with up-to-date hits after you’ve cranked up the DJ mixer’s volume. Or a track just might be so ‘remixable’ that you can’t get it out of your head! With all these examples, you should use inspiration on the decks to get yourself in the studio and bring those tracks bang up to date. How, exactly? Let’s flip the page and find out…