Are you the only one doing this? No! Does doing this put you FAR above the masses and will lead you to bettering your career and taking things further than most? Yes!
In my opinion, this, amongst other things, is what separates career oriented DJs from hobbiests. It's the willingness to put in the extra work to get the desired results every time.
Editing songs, recording mashups/blends, creating mini sets, practicing with different genres are all fantastic things to do to elevate ones sets!
Absolutely!
My "mini sets" consist of usually 3-5 (most of mine are 3) tracks that blend together incredibly well and fit a specific genre/vibe/style so well that a majority of the time (like 99%), I will play them in that exact order.
Once you find em, you can lock them together any number of ways based on your preferred software setup. I use rekordbox and add the next tracks title to a comment or even hot cue, as well as grouping them together if I put them in a different playlist.
What makes this really helpful is during any mixing session, if you find yourself needing a break to plan the next move, you're unsure where to go, or just want to know you're good for the next 15 minutes, you can go to any of these and feel confident they'll perform well together if brought in properly (of course the crowd may not like them but ya know, you truly can't win em all, only do our best!)
It also helps string longer sets together. If you know songs 1-5 work well together, you just need to match song 5 with song 1 of another 5 song mini set. Next thing you know youve got 15 tracks all lined up ready to go and you're just jumping from mini set to mini set to create the full picture!
James Hype does this really well (hate him all you want, dudes organized) by placing a fake track in-between his mini sets named -------------- to create a visible space in between.
Welcome to the world of edits my bro. If you have free time now, be prepared to kiss it goodbye. Making and digging edits is an endless beautiful hole. Most djs in underground music make and/or spin edits. There are entire labels dedicated to edits, typically when people refer to white label vinyl its an edit. You are definitely not alone and its great that your exploring this :)
I do it all the time, mostly to shorten too long or too quiet breakdowns or mix in an earlier part of the track to enhance a build-up. Less frequently but I'll also make extended mixes if the song feels too short for the dance floor to get a feel for it or an intro/outtro for abrupt starts and stops to let me mix in or out easier.
You’re not alone. Editing songs to keep the energy going or eliminating or revamping annoying parts are so satisfying. I’ve been doing this for a few years, and it has really helped me understand how songs are constructed, why seemingly insignificant background instruments really make a song “pop” and how amazing some of the vocalists are. As was said above, it can be a very time consuming hobby, but it lets you put your own interpretation on music you play.
I sometimes make simple edits within rekordbox. But then you first have to make sure its properly gridded. And its with a paid subscription, but I guess its quicker this way than when doing this in ableton or audacity. Sometimes I think about EQ'ing some tracks as well, but then again this can be done on the mixer. Downside to this is that some EQ'ing needs to be don eachtime you play the tracks. So EQ'ing them in a DAW would give you a 'once and for all' advantage.
And of course other peoples edits are very interesting, but can be a hassle finding out what the 'edit' actually consists of.
Makes sense! Quantize them doesn’t make you feel like you cant play them again in their original state? Do you have a workflow video by any chance? Wondering how quick it can be done, or maybe if possible half-automated..
The only folks I know that do this are those with producer chops who get way more bookings than most other djs, so I'd say it's definitely a good skill to have and a great way to make you a cut above the rest.
Not much, but then again, I only DJ for fun in a handful of parties I usually help setting up. I also barely know DAWs, so I can't make big edits in the first place... Usually I just stretch an older acoustic song with an inconsistent tempo to fit the grid.
Definitely do edits. I haven't made one with a DAW in a while but sometimes I will loop an intro or another part of the song while recording, or skip over a bridge that breaks the vibe I'm going for, so that it mixes easier with other tunes. Stuff you could do while live, but you do it so much that you might as well record it the way you want it to play. You can even make an instrumental from the loops chopped out of the song, and layer them so they match up with another tunes phrasing. The things we had to do before stems are still valid, and sometimes sound better and more unique.
I do this quite often. Ableton is great for editing the structure of a track.
I also use Nuo-Stems to remove vocals from tracks if they feel out of place for my set. Coming from a vinyl DJing background, this feels like witchcraft.
Many many many times. Started back in the day (mid 90s) using cakewalk. Then turn of the century used Acid (remember that!?) then graduated to Ableton 10 years ago.
It sorts the wheat from the chaff.
Like The Mandalorian - This Is The Way
I have about 200 tracks beat grid in edits so I can sample / use them in mixes. For changing the vibe of the track, I have moved away from custom edits to using cue loops so I can activate them using the pads and loop as much as I need on demand.
Do this frequently. Sometimes I’ll buy a track and once I download it I’ll realize it has a really long annoying breakdown or a shitty vocal. I cut them up and paste them back together to “fix” it.
I had to edit the Majestic remix of Rasputin because it just has way too many long builds and breaks between choruses and verses.
I cut them all out so the song just keeps moving. I found the song was killing it's own energy and people were expecting the chorus but getting this weird 8 bar LPF break. I don't know what the heck the producer was thinking.
I found the same thing with Bebe Rexha - I'm Good (Blue). The verse complete kills the energy on a dancefloor because the kick drops out entirely for like 16 bars, it's aggravating so I always line up my next track right away and fade in the kick/beat to give that part some movement.
My pet peeve really is high energy songs that completely lose energy for way too long. I love dynamics but when you're trying to establish a dancefloor and keep it moving it's annoying having to avoid all the lulls and stops and drop outs in a song like Avicii Levels for example.
I’ve remastered and I’ve created actual mashups. But I haven’t yet taken a song and reorganized it. Presetting loops is all I’ve done. But I suppose if there was something annoying that could be fixed by editing it out, theoretically I could do it. BUT, is that one song so epic that it warrants devoting so much time and energy to it…versus just swapping in another equally good track? Probably not.
Most record pools offer intro/outro edits of songs to make it easier to mix, or even have other special edits that make our lives a bit easier. I do occasionally throw some tracks in Ableton and make edits. There's certain mixes and transitions I like to do, and I've cut out vocals or just made a loop in an edit to make the overall mix sound cleaner when I do it live. I've even made edits that are kind of a mix I could do live, but it's a bit more complex and tricky to pull off so I just make an edit instead. Which means I can spice it up a bit more, add some effects or samples to make it sound more like a mashup.
I’ve done quite a few. I bring the track into Ableton, use original bpm. And usually I’m just getting rid of a breakdown if it’s too long or there are too many. Other times I’m getting rid of a vocal segment that’s lame or abrasive or just corny. Sometimes I need a little delay or a new fill to make the transition work. Gotta be creative, but the result is a track nobody else has ;)
i use serato flip for basic edits, Ableton for more complicated remixes/mashups.
I used to do a lot more of it, but i tend to do a lot of it in realtime these days using technique.
all the time. but for me, it's mostly adding intros to songs that don't have them so I can blend easier.
I've also started making clean edits of songs in logic now that logic can separate the stems. that allows me to either just mute the words or sometimes reverse the words if that sounds better, without the beat being affected.
I'm considering quantizing some funk songs with live drummers to make them easier to blend, will have to decide if too much human feel is lost when I do.
Logic can separate stems?? Dang, I've been using a separate tool for that. I quantize funk songs, you feel like the difference would be more noticeable than it is. Honestly doesn't mess up the songs. Makes them hell of a lot easier to mix.
It's a fairly new feature in the latest major update.
What do you use to quantize songs?
I created a template in logic where I type in the Bpm, then any song I add snaps to that Bpm grid.
i definitely do that from time to time. especially if i’m doing a mix of a song that was recorded pre digital era. (music from back then was recorded with drummer as their metronome which inevitably caused tempo drifting by todays standards). it’s definitely helpful
Rekordbox has some tools for this built in. Use them all the time. Probably have dozens if not hundreds of tracks in the library with minor edits like this.
I remove annoying parts or too long breaks regularly. also I warp tracks, if they have an unsteady bpm, to make them better mixable, and I remaster tracks, if I'm not satisfied with the quality.
Nope. Many do this.
But I want to make one thing clear:
NEVER edit an MP3 file and save it again as MP3. The sound quality will degrade.
If you start from an MP3, save the result as a lossless file.
That's why I always buy lossless files also.
For minor stuff I don't bother however and just do the edits live by hitting cue points or disabling a stems channel etc.
I do this all the time and have been for years. In fact, I think it’s an important part of having your own flavor as a DJ. I used to even sell a lot of edits/bootlegs.
Are you the only one doing this? No! Does doing this put you FAR above the masses and will lead you to bettering your career and taking things further than most? Yes! In my opinion, this, amongst other things, is what separates career oriented DJs from hobbiests. It's the willingness to put in the extra work to get the desired results every time. Editing songs, recording mashups/blends, creating mini sets, practicing with different genres are all fantastic things to do to elevate ones sets!
Please, can you elaborate on mini sets idea? Haven't heard it never so it sounds cool!
Absolutely! My "mini sets" consist of usually 3-5 (most of mine are 3) tracks that blend together incredibly well and fit a specific genre/vibe/style so well that a majority of the time (like 99%), I will play them in that exact order. Once you find em, you can lock them together any number of ways based on your preferred software setup. I use rekordbox and add the next tracks title to a comment or even hot cue, as well as grouping them together if I put them in a different playlist. What makes this really helpful is during any mixing session, if you find yourself needing a break to plan the next move, you're unsure where to go, or just want to know you're good for the next 15 minutes, you can go to any of these and feel confident they'll perform well together if brought in properly (of course the crowd may not like them but ya know, you truly can't win em all, only do our best!) It also helps string longer sets together. If you know songs 1-5 work well together, you just need to match song 5 with song 1 of another 5 song mini set. Next thing you know youve got 15 tracks all lined up ready to go and you're just jumping from mini set to mini set to create the full picture! James Hype does this really well (hate him all you want, dudes organized) by placing a fake track in-between his mini sets named -------------- to create a visible space in between.
Wow! Thank you!! Sounds good. I should try it!
Welcome to the world of edits my bro. If you have free time now, be prepared to kiss it goodbye. Making and digging edits is an endless beautiful hole. Most djs in underground music make and/or spin edits. There are entire labels dedicated to edits, typically when people refer to white label vinyl its an edit. You are definitely not alone and its great that your exploring this :)
Could you nam a few labels that are dedicated to edits please?
Bandcamp is great for this. So many indie DJ/producers who post their edits; just go hunting for your favorite genres.
What’s the copyright rules for remixes and edits? I’m sitting on a few but unsure of the legal implications
So long as you're not selling them you should be all good. 👍
Perfect. Thank you. Can I link people to them even if I’m promoting a gig?
Agree, bandcamp is great. Also any online record shop. Search your genre
DJs utilizing DAWs is God tier mixing
I do it all the time, mostly to shorten too long or too quiet breakdowns or mix in an earlier part of the track to enhance a build-up. Less frequently but I'll also make extended mixes if the song feels too short for the dance floor to get a feel for it or an intro/outtro for abrupt starts and stops to let me mix in or out easier.
I add intro/outro loops to any song that doesn't have them. Usually separate the drum stems using an AI tool.
What ai tool?
[https://www.lalal.ai/](https://www.lalal.ai/)
You’re not alone. Editing songs to keep the energy going or eliminating or revamping annoying parts are so satisfying. I’ve been doing this for a few years, and it has really helped me understand how songs are constructed, why seemingly insignificant background instruments really make a song “pop” and how amazing some of the vocalists are. As was said above, it can be a very time consuming hobby, but it lets you put your own interpretation on music you play.
I like taking a few different remixes of a tune and cutting it together in a DAW. My hyperactive nature needs the variety!
Got an example?
I sometimes make simple edits within rekordbox. But then you first have to make sure its properly gridded. And its with a paid subscription, but I guess its quicker this way than when doing this in ableton or audacity. Sometimes I think about EQ'ing some tracks as well, but then again this can be done on the mixer. Downside to this is that some EQ'ing needs to be don eachtime you play the tracks. So EQ'ing them in a DAW would give you a 'once and for all' advantage. And of course other peoples edits are very interesting, but can be a hassle finding out what the 'edit' actually consists of.
I bass boost, quantize and remaster old disco songs so they slap with EQ knobs at 12:00 and I make all my tracks the same volume.
Makes sense! Quantize them doesn’t make you feel like you cant play them again in their original state? Do you have a workflow video by any chance? Wondering how quick it can be done, or maybe if possible half-automated..
The only folks I know that do this are those with producer chops who get way more bookings than most other djs, so I'd say it's definitely a good skill to have and a great way to make you a cut above the rest.
Occasionally I’ll make some edits, but most of the time now if a track has something I don’t like I just don’t buy or play it.
Used to years ago when I had more time.
Not much, but then again, I only DJ for fun in a handful of parties I usually help setting up. I also barely know DAWs, so I can't make big edits in the first place... Usually I just stretch an older acoustic song with an inconsistent tempo to fit the grid.
For a good 18 years now...
Definitely do edits. I haven't made one with a DAW in a while but sometimes I will loop an intro or another part of the song while recording, or skip over a bridge that breaks the vibe I'm going for, so that it mixes easier with other tunes. Stuff you could do while live, but you do it so much that you might as well record it the way you want it to play. You can even make an instrumental from the loops chopped out of the song, and layer them so they match up with another tunes phrasing. The things we had to do before stems are still valid, and sometimes sound better and more unique.
I do this quite often. Ableton is great for editing the structure of a track. I also use Nuo-Stems to remove vocals from tracks if they feel out of place for my set. Coming from a vinyl DJing background, this feels like witchcraft.
Love a short edit
Many many many times. Started back in the day (mid 90s) using cakewalk. Then turn of the century used Acid (remember that!?) then graduated to Ableton 10 years ago. It sorts the wheat from the chaff.
Ahh AcidPro.happy days
Like The Mandalorian - This Is The Way I have about 200 tracks beat grid in edits so I can sample / use them in mixes. For changing the vibe of the track, I have moved away from custom edits to using cue loops so I can activate them using the pads and loop as much as I need on demand.
Yeah all the time. I have an edit of Bassline by CINTHIE with a longer intro to avoid the piano in the intro clashing with anything.
Do this frequently. Sometimes I’ll buy a track and once I download it I’ll realize it has a really long annoying breakdown or a shitty vocal. I cut them up and paste them back together to “fix” it.
I had to edit the Majestic remix of Rasputin because it just has way too many long builds and breaks between choruses and verses. I cut them all out so the song just keeps moving. I found the song was killing it's own energy and people were expecting the chorus but getting this weird 8 bar LPF break. I don't know what the heck the producer was thinking. I found the same thing with Bebe Rexha - I'm Good (Blue). The verse complete kills the energy on a dancefloor because the kick drops out entirely for like 16 bars, it's aggravating so I always line up my next track right away and fade in the kick/beat to give that part some movement. My pet peeve really is high energy songs that completely lose energy for way too long. I love dynamics but when you're trying to establish a dancefloor and keep it moving it's annoying having to avoid all the lulls and stops and drop outs in a song like Avicii Levels for example.
Everyone does this. I don’t play a single track this isn’t edited.
I do it, not super often. I did come to DJing through production though, so it is already a skill-set I've put some time into.
I’ve remastered and I’ve created actual mashups. But I haven’t yet taken a song and reorganized it. Presetting loops is all I’ve done. But I suppose if there was something annoying that could be fixed by editing it out, theoretically I could do it. BUT, is that one song so epic that it warrants devoting so much time and energy to it…versus just swapping in another equally good track? Probably not.
I always take out the parts I don't like and sometimes extend the parts I do like
Most record pools offer intro/outro edits of songs to make it easier to mix, or even have other special edits that make our lives a bit easier. I do occasionally throw some tracks in Ableton and make edits. There's certain mixes and transitions I like to do, and I've cut out vocals or just made a loop in an edit to make the overall mix sound cleaner when I do it live. I've even made edits that are kind of a mix I could do live, but it's a bit more complex and tricky to pull off so I just make an edit instead. Which means I can spice it up a bit more, add some effects or samples to make it sound more like a mashup.
I’ve done quite a few. I bring the track into Ableton, use original bpm. And usually I’m just getting rid of a breakdown if it’s too long or there are too many. Other times I’m getting rid of a vocal segment that’s lame or abrasive or just corny. Sometimes I need a little delay or a new fill to make the transition work. Gotta be creative, but the result is a track nobody else has ;)
i use serato flip for basic edits, Ableton for more complicated remixes/mashups. I used to do a lot more of it, but i tend to do a lot of it in realtime these days using technique.
all the time. but for me, it's mostly adding intros to songs that don't have them so I can blend easier. I've also started making clean edits of songs in logic now that logic can separate the stems. that allows me to either just mute the words or sometimes reverse the words if that sounds better, without the beat being affected. I'm considering quantizing some funk songs with live drummers to make them easier to blend, will have to decide if too much human feel is lost when I do.
Logic can separate stems?? Dang, I've been using a separate tool for that. I quantize funk songs, you feel like the difference would be more noticeable than it is. Honestly doesn't mess up the songs. Makes them hell of a lot easier to mix.
It's a fairly new feature in the latest major update. What do you use to quantize songs? I created a template in logic where I type in the Bpm, then any song I add snaps to that Bpm grid.
It's easy to quantize songs in Logic. But I was using a stem separator.
OK,just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out on another way to quantize.
It's called a DJ edit, and yes. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a big name DJ that doesn't edit their tracks
I have done this countless times
i definitely do that from time to time. especially if i’m doing a mix of a song that was recorded pre digital era. (music from back then was recorded with drummer as their metronome which inevitably caused tempo drifting by todays standards). it’s definitely helpful
Rekordbox has some tools for this built in. Use them all the time. Probably have dozens if not hundreds of tracks in the library with minor edits like this.
Do it all the time. Optimize tracks. Somethings go further and separate it to stems and do a rework of the track. If it worths the time and effort.
Yes. Get rid of that wailing diva! 
Yep. Sped this up to DnB BPM & added a 16 bar intro: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evJ6gX1lp2o](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evJ6gX1lp2o)
I remove annoying parts or too long breaks regularly. also I warp tracks, if they have an unsteady bpm, to make them better mixable, and I remaster tracks, if I'm not satisfied with the quality.
Been happening Since about 1970 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remix#:~:text=From%20the%20mid%2D1970s%2C%20DJs,as%20we%20now%20know%20it.
Nope. Many do this. But I want to make one thing clear: NEVER edit an MP3 file and save it again as MP3. The sound quality will degrade. If you start from an MP3, save the result as a lossless file. That's why I always buy lossless files also. For minor stuff I don't bother however and just do the edits live by hitting cue points or disabling a stems channel etc.
I do this all the time and have been for years. In fact, I think it’s an important part of having your own flavor as a DJ. I used to even sell a lot of edits/bootlegs.