Eli5 – What is a DJ like Tiesto actually doing when performing a live show?

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I don’t really know much about the process of remixing a song but I can imagine it is a process that is like editing a video – layering tracks, adding beats, etc. They are clearly not doing that kind of editing live so they are basically playing something that’s already had some amount of that already done.

So what are they doing live besides maybe mixing between songs?

I just don’t understand what all the knob fiddling is about.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

A good DJ can play the mixer the same way a guitarist can play their instrument.

Every song has 3 layers:

– Lows (bass)
– Mids (vocals, instruments)
– Highs (cymbals, high hats).

Each song has a section on the mixer with 3 knobs that control the volume of these layers.

The DJ hits play on Song A, which the audience can hear through the speakers. They then hit play on the Song B, but keep the volume off so that they can only hear it in their headphones.

Once the beats are in sync, the DJ can then bring in the different layers of the new song by increasing the layer volume on the mixer. For example, you can blend songs together by using the Highs and Mids of Song B, and playing that over the Bass of Song A.

When they’re ready to transition to the next song, they cut the bass of Song A and bring in the bass of Song B.

They do this seamlessly over and over to create a 1.5hr set.

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