Soulful House Competition 2015

Megamixes are generally too "crowded" for my taste, but big respect for the effort and skill here. Nice work.

There are plenty of women on the site :D

Thanks for your nice words default-shepard ...................(I'm using this djlucien-test account at this moment because I still cannot write comments using my original djlucien account ...... Paul is aware of this and trying to fix the issue of me not being able to write comments on mixes)

I mean REAL woman Alex ;-) hahaha ...................................... (I'm using this djlucien-test account at this moment because I still cannot write comments using my original djlucien account ...... Paul is aware of this and trying to fix the issue of me not being able to write comments on mixes)

For a first timer, this was an awesome mix! Loved it!!

DJ Lucien,

I just got around to giving your Soulful House mix a very precise listening ear. I must say, this mix is quite interesting. Before I go any further, I want you to keep in mind that I am going to give honest feedback to you with no sugar coated. My feedback is not meant to be derogatory or disrespectful but simply my honest opinion. I was intrigued to compare your personal preference in mixing style vs. my own. You commented on my mix that I used a lot of "Fade-Out Techniques" through out my mix set.

The first thing I noticed about your mix was on the very first switch in tracks there basically was no transition. It was like a sample effect before the following track comes in. The 2nd switch to another track was a very abrupt brake sample before the next track comes in. I am using the word "Switch" because I personally do not categorize those as transitions. As the mix progressed most of the transitions became a little cleaner.

This is precisely why I was eager to study your particular mixing style as you were mentioning you weren't really a fan of my mixing style which were fade-out type transitions. As for my personal preference, there is nothing that is more Beautiful to my ear drum then a well mixed transition. A transition that is anywhere between 64 Beats - 128 Beats. A transition where you hear the two beats become one and share the rhythm and dance floor together. That's my personal preference in mixing style and what I really enjoy to hear. I have a few different styles that I use. When I am mixing Hip Hop, Club Bangers, or Dance Hall & Reggae genres, I tend to Scratch In tracks or Slam certain songs in depending on the particular music I am mixing. When it comes to Deep & Soulful House tracks, I totally switch up my style.

I have to commend you for your Tremendous track selection. Damn good tracks that capture the Soulful House vibe accurately. Soulful, Jazzy, and Deep Melodic Rhythms with tremendous percussion. Exactly my cup of tea!

Overall, I think you mix Kicks Ass! My Pro's... #1 = The amount of tracks that you implemented during the 35 minute time limit. Excellent! #2 = Your track selection = Greatness! The Cons... #1 For me, quite a few of the switches from track to track aren't exactly what I would personally categorize as transitions. Everyone has there own preference in mixing style and I say to each there own.#2 = I am not 100 percent that you were mixing Live? I personally do all my mixes "Live" 2 turntables & a mixer no programs syncing the beat-match for me. I manually beatmatch and pitch bend every transition I do. A fine tuned ear will be able to decipher when a beatmatch is off and how the DJ pitch-bends to get the beatmatch precise. Your method of mixing doesn't allow you to even here a 16 Beat transition. Now I do recognize that tracks can be mixed with the volume kept down and at the last moment the a track can come in. For myself, actually being able to hear a full 64 Beat - 128 beat transition of two tracks beatmatched is more so my preference.

Never the Less, the mix was put together in an extremely respectable and damn near flawless fashion. Anyone that listens to this mix has to appreciate the Greatness in music selection. I well go on record at this very moment and say, it's going to be very tough for competitors to beat out this style of mix. But you never know what the judges will embrace and why. So I will end this with commending you on a damn good mix.

Good Luck in the Competition.

Sincerely,

DJ JBVicious

Hi DJ JBVicious, first of all thank you for your honest comment, appreciate it. I will get into some of the things you mentioned.

The first track transition to the second: at 1:12 the track "02) 120,00 BPM + Yolo (Original Mix) by Johnny Fiasco comes in and the beat/bassline from the 1st track continues "under" the piano-part of the 2nd track .......................................... It might be clear to you and others that listen to my entry for the competition that I create my transitions in a different way than others do. I don't make transitions in the breaks that are in the tracks, but I create my own "transition-break-moments" by editing each track and using only that part of each track that I myself find interesting to be in the total mix. This way I also keep the listener of the mix sharp and interested in what's next to come :) .............. I also answered your next remark: no I do not mix live as you call it, I am more of a "studio-mixer" as I like to call it ........................ back in the old days, talking about 30 years ago when I first started mixing I used to create transitions "the old-fashioned way" by using two turntables and a mixing panel, followed by replacing the turntables by two CD-players and two MD-players, each with pitch control and pitch bend ....... stopped doing that back in 2004 and since then I only use the computer to create mixes ........................ You wrote "The 2nd switch to another track was a very abrupt brake sample before the next track comes in." ................. just to let you know, that piano bit that gets repeated is already in the track, all I did was add the effect as if someone hits the turntable to make the needle go further on the record ...................... if and when you listen to the mix in general carefully you will notice that beats/basslines of former tracks DO continue when the next track comes into the mix so they ARE transitions but not made as most mixers make them .......... but that just has to do with the fact that my mixing-style is unconventional to others :) ................... the endresult is still the same: two beats become one and share the rhythm and dance floor together as you so nice put it in your comment ........................ Please don't forget: I am merely a hobby mixer who's hobby got out of hand LOL! ......... started creating mixes after hearing Ben Liebrand do his Grandmixes back in the good old eighties and he's my biggest influence in mixing ....................... thank you for the nice words about the track selection: "Damn good tracks that capture the Soulful House vibe accurately. Soulful, Jazzy, and Deep Melodic Rhythms with tremendous percussion." .......... took me a while to choose the right tracks for this mix as I was not familiar with the genre ............. the fact that my mix captures the Soulful House vibe accurately is due to the fact that I ONLY use the parts of each track that to me "deserve" to be in the mix to make the mix sound as Soulful and Jazzy as possible ......... maybe that's also the reason why to you it doesn't seem as if my mix contains real transitions when in fact it seriously DOES contain real transitions ...! ............ thing is that when you go listen to the tracks I used on their own, you won't find any part in each track that has been used in it's original form in the mix ........... all tracks have been edited, as said I only took from each track THE part I thought would be best for the mix ........... that's also the reason why I was able to put 21 tracks in the mix which is approx. 35 minutes ........... when you mention things like "16 Beat transition/a full 64 Beat - 128 beat transition" my ears are hurting hahaha ....... I seriously have no idea what you are talking about when you mention stuff like that ......... I am most certainly NOT a musician and neither music educationed ............. I don't know how to play an instrument of any kind and when people talk about 16 beat and stuff I always get very puzzled .................. just proves that I am really seriously honestly just a hobby mixer....! ................................ as closure on my reviewing your extended comment I just want to point out again that even though I use a different way to create my transitions between the tracks they surely ARE transitions but because of my way of creating them they MIGHT not sound as transitions to you 'cause you might not exactly be able to hear WHEN a transition takes place :) ....................... I seriously think that's the case and therefore you don't notice them as being transitions .................... again thank you for you extended comment on my entry for the competition and my remark about your transitions being "live-like-transitions" was in no way shape or form a negative comment! absolutely not! .............. good luck in the competition to you as well ...................... best regards, djlucien (I do hope you can understand all I am trying to explain about my mix, English isn't my native language and although my English isn't bad, when it comes to writing about mixing I sometimes don't know all the exact words) .............. (I'm using this djlucien-test account at this moment because I still cannot write comments using my original djlucien account ...... Paul is aware of this and trying to fix the issue of me not being able to write comments on mixes)

DJ JBVicious wrote: "I well go on record at this very moment and say, it's going to be very tough for competitors to beat out this style of mix." ................................. personally I don't think it is even possible for anyone wherever to "beat out this style of mix" because over the years I have developed my own (unique?) way/style/sound of/in mixing .......... perhaps you should listen to some of my other (mega)mixes and you will notice the way/style of mixing I use because I do know it's different from others, but that's also what seperates my work from others and make it recognisable :)

Thank you for your goodluck-wishes Sticky ............ (I'm using this djlucien-test account at this moment because I still cannot write comments using my original djlucien account ...... Paul is aware of this and trying to fix the issue of me not being able to write comments on mixes)

DJ JBVicious wrote: "The Cons... #1 For me, quite a few of the switches from track to track aren't exactly what I would personally categorize as transitions. Everyone has there own preference in mixing style and I say to each there own.#2 = I am not 100 percent that you were mixing Live? I personally do all my mixes "Live" 2 turntables & a mixer no programs syncing the beat-match for me." ........................................................... I don't use a program syncing the beat-match either! ...... all transitions are literally hand-made but because of my mixing style it allows me to do something extra during a transition that cannot be done when creating a transition using turntables & a mixer .............. I know because as said before, back in the old days when I would use two turntables & a mixer I was always disappointed because I couldn't do more than just "crossfade" two tracks ........... when starting to use the computer for mixing back in 2004 a whole new world opened up for me! ............... now I could "play" with the tracks during a transition! .......... for instance do a back-spin or equalise the sound of a track so it would better fit the sound of the next track ........... those things I did use in this mix as well .......... so my transitions are seriously hand-matched by me! no computer programm did this for me! Took me somewhat like 20 hours to create this mix and I'm not even counting the time I needed to select the tracks and the parts of each track I would use ................... just trying to give some insight in how I create a mix .............. regards, djlucien

Thank you for your kind words SlimTing ......... it was the first time I mixed this genre not the first time I created a (mega)mix as I have been doing that for some 30 years now :) ...... regards, djlucien ........... (I'm using this djlucien-test account at this moment because I still cannot write comments using my original djlucien account ...... Paul is aware of this and trying to fix the issue of me not being able to write comments on mixes)

Great selection i wish you good luck in the competition m8

Thanks for your comment DJSTEVEMACCA ........ I haven't got that much free time on my hands for listening to all entries of the competitions due to the fact that I got to create a 10/11 minutes megamix every week for a local Dutch radiostation but will try to see if I can make some time free for listening to more competition entries ............. (I'm using this djlucien-test account at this moment because I still cannot write comments using my original djlucien account ...... Paul is aware of this and trying to fix the issue of me not being able to write comments on mixes)

Hi DJ Lucien! Great work! To not be your strong style has become you well, you selected essential tracks. Good luck in the competition. Good beats & good vibes! :D

Hi DJDrai, thanks for your positive comment on my entry for the competition. First time ever I mixed this Soulful House genre so was a bit of a challenge, but as said I always love a good challenge :) Took me some time to find the right tracks for me to use in the mix and even more time to select the right parts from each track but I succeeded in doing so :) .............................................. takes up a lot of time creating a 34 minutes mix like this one and sometimes that's a bit underestimated as people sometimes think mixing with the use of software is easy and the software does it all for you ..... nothing could be further from the truth ..! The only big important difference is that using software let's one be more creative, that is if someone is a creative person of course .. the software doesn't make someone creative either .. it's still all in the person himself (or herself). There's a bit of a discussion going on about this on support part of house-mixes.com and it's actually quite a nice discussion. Only thing is that it's hard to make something clear by using written words, written text .. that's a bit hard, one should actually see how things are being done before one can make judgement on ways of creating a mix. But it's all in good harmony, the discussion, so that's nice. Good luck to you too in the competiton .!! Regards, djlucien ........................ (I'm using this djlucien-test account at this moment because I still cannot write comments using my original djlucien account ...... Paul is aware of this and trying to fix the issue of me not being able to write comments on mixes)

Hmmm.... Quite undecided on this mix. On one hand it's expertly mixed but on the other it sounds like a collection of samples which I don't know if a dancefloor would get. You just get into a vibe and bang it's gone! Think I might have to give this a few listens.

Hi John Parker, thanks for commenting on my entry for the competition ... I do find it weird however that you're calling my mix and I quote "like a collection of samples" ..... a mix that's as you said yourself and I quote again "expertly mixed" because it is smooth and has no flaws in the transitions between the tracks and is 100% insync, would be like a collection of samples because......?!?!?!? Because of what John ..?!? I am wondering why you would mark it as a collection of samples. Because I choose those parts of the tracks that fit together perfectly? Is that the reason? Or is it because I match the beats of the various tracks in a way that the entire mix seems/sounds as one long track? I am seriously wondering why you would call a mix that you yourself mark as "expertly mixed" why you would call it "like a collection of samples" ............. It may be clear that when using software instead of hardware it is possible to create transitions in mixes that are absolutely 100% insync and smooth ...... it's each person's own choice whether he/she uses hardware to create a mix or software isn't it ..?!? My choice is the use of software, but do not be mistaken: all is done by me and NOT automatically by the software!! That's a BIG misunderstanding that's going around on this website ................. all transitions are honestly seriously hand made and NOT automatically created by the software! ................................................................................................................................................................................. I too have to adjust the volumes of tracks, have to pitch bend tracks for the beats to match and so on and so on ..... I just use software to do so and not hardware ........... if one isn't familiar with using software for mixing he/she will probably not understand what I am talking about and that's a bit of a shame 'cause people tend to get the wrong idea about using software to mix ................. I do hope people will see/understand the hard work it is to create a smooth mix using software, for instance it takes me so much more time to create a 35 minutes mix than it takes using hardware for mixing ............................ don't think your mix for instance took you approx. 20 hours so create! ................. anyways, good luck to you too in the competition ........... best regards, djlucien ................................. (I'm using this djlucien-test account at this moment because I still cannot write comments using my original djlucien account ...... Paul is aware of this and trying to fix the issue of me not being able to write comments on mixes)

Reason why I mention this is that users know it's ok with you that I have ANOTHER account on house-mixes.com to place comments as I am still not able to comment using my original account and it seems that Akismet isn't able to solve the issue either, so I have to keep using this djlucien-test account for commenting.

No offence or disrespect was intended and my apologies if I have done so. Maybe edits would be a bet word to have used :) soulful house tracks tend to be on the lengthy side they take their time, tell a story.they have a soul. Just think this was lost a little due to the edits being so short. Again no offence or disrespect is intended it's just my opinion and hey I could just be talking out my arse :)

after reading the review(s) ... I must listen in...

no worrys bro keep up the good work........

thx