You could try checking out a book like Drum Programming (Music Instruction): A Complete Guide to Program and Think Like a Drummer by Ray F. Badness https://www.amazon.com/Drum-Programming-Complete-Program-Drummer/dp/0931759544
Another text I found mildly helpful was Snoman's Dance Music Manual: https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Second-Techniques/dp/0240521072. I don't think its amazing, but there are some interesting analyses of specific types of EDM.
I’m a big fan ofthis book, because he gives A + B patterns plus corresponding fills. The patterns can sound a little cheesy and aren’t necessarily geared toward EDM but i think it’s a good foundation for drum programming & seeing what rhythms work together
What kind of maintenance are you trying to do? If you're intimidated by electronics you might want to hold off on amps for a while because you can easily damage some of the components and some of the components can easily damage you.
A good book to get started though is https://www.amazon.com/Electronic-Projects-Musicians-Craig-Anderton/dp/0825695023/
This is a good reference book and can be found in PDF format for free on archive.org
Electronic Projects for Musicians
And if you really want to get your hair wet:
Start anywhere you want, go anywhere you want, and play anywhere you want.
That said, buy this book and read the whole thing, but particularly Chapters 23 and 24:
https://www.amazon.com/How-DJ-Right-Science-Playing/dp/0802139957
In a nutshell, you should build your set to tell a story. But there are many ways to tell a story and many stories to tell.
Your set can be a constant progression of energy, building to a climatic peak. Or it can be a series of peaks and valleys. Or a slow journey through a genre or a mood. Or a long, punishing, relentless workout. Or a series of ebbs and flows.
You can pick music based on mood, genre, instrumental qualities, energy, or even the meaning and stories they tell.
Really, it’s up to you. But no key progression formula will ever tell you what you need or how to express it.
I found this book to be invaluable. It's sloppily written towards the end, but I almost found that endearing. The guy has some hard truths to tell, and it certainly doesn't give you any shortcuts, but I now feel like I know what I should be doing, even if I haven't put it into action properly.
I also have the Ableton book, but I found that to be a bit too Eno, airy-fairy for me.
Hope that helps!
May not be what you're looking for but I bought this book and it's been pretty fun to go through and see what comes out!
Under $100, you could get them a Numark DJ2GO2 controller. It comes with Serato Lite, they'll just need a computer with an i5+ Intel processor and at least 8G RAM.
It's not an "essential" item, it can be used for DJing but it has limitations. Eventually they would need to upgrade but its great for practicing, and can be used as an emergency backup or portable option for low-key events.
Aside from that get them this book, which will have loads of useful information about DJing. Or, a gift card so they can buy high quality music downloads/vinyl.
Either or both of these books:
How to DJ Right (The Art and Science of Playing Records)
Both are written by Bill Brewster and are full of interesting history, insights, and interviews with top DJs.
Using the EQs will make the songs layer better against each other.
Typically a house tune will start with a beat, but the bass will take a 16 or 32 bar measure to kick in. So you can try bringing in the second tune, then trim the low off the first track when the low of the second track kicks in.
As far as how long you let tunes overlap, it depends on the tune, and the genre. Dance/pop and hip hop require shorter transitions, while house music and other EDM genres allow for some variability... but in general hip hop is 8-16 bars, and house/EDM is 16-32 bars depending on the song.
There's a great book called How To DJ Right that covers virtually every aspect of DJing, including a basic understanding of music theory. I recommend it for anyone who is starting out DJing. I read it about
(I love how in UK the same book is called How To DJ Properly!)
If you want to learn the best, but hardest way, pick up a copy of something like The Computer Music Tutorial and some kind of fully modular software (Reaktor, Puredata, CSound, Supercollider, etc). It won't have you sounding like Virtual Riot right off the bat but it will get you to a place where you can learn any synthesizer or synthesis techniques effortlessly. And... you will be able to design your own shit. Just an alternative way of doing things.
Buy a book and read it. That's what most courses are anyway.
I recommend this one as it is easy to read and comprehensive:
Good luck. And check out my latest mix for some fresh tunes. Thanks.
"how to dj right" was written in the mid '00s and is therefore dated in some regards but I still found the book super helpful. YouTube and beatmatch are great supplements but this really helped me prioritize what to focus on to get the basics down https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802139957/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_ZZ2T9F6Q3TT8YF4QPSMX
Ok, here goes. MFOS (Music From Outer Space) is a website dedicated to synth diy. The site is run by Ray Wilson. All of the projects on the site are of his own design. The projects are all sound based and include such things as guitar pedals, audio mixers, sequencers, synthesizers. The Noise Toaster is a synthesizer/sound generator. It includes a Voltage Controlled Oscillator, a Low Pass Filter, an Envelope Generator etc. You can get a wide range of sounds from it by twisting its many dials and flicking its many switches. It has an output jack for headphones or connecting to an external input of your choice. There is also a book dedicated to synth projects called Make: Analog Synthesizers by Ray Wilson.
Definitely MFOS, Ray Wilson (rest his soul) even made a book which is great for beginners - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Analog-Synthesizers-Ray-Wilson/dp/1449345220/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Make%3A+Analog+Synthesizers%3A+Make+Electronic+Sounds+the+Synth-DIY+Way&qid=1617918813&sr=8-1
Sorry looks like I screwed up the title
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Absolutely fantastic book
read the book <em>how to dj right</em>. some of the advice is a bit outdated but as a whole it's a good introduction to the art of DJing — how to use CDJs (or vinyl if you're so inclined), how to think about phrases, how to put together a set that flows well. and, when you eventually get a chance to play at a gig, how to read an audience and move butts.
This book helped me a shitload. Hopefully it can help you, it's legit
Sorry, wasn’t trying to be a jerk.
If you’re getting into modular synths and you don’t have a good grasp of basic electronic theory, I highly recommend this book:
Handmade Electronic Music by Nicolas Collins
Having a decent understand of what’s going to happen before you do something will help you understand what your modules are actually doing, come up with new patches, avoid damaging anything, and a host of other benefits.
You could start with this book: https://www.amazon.com/Make-Analog-Synthesizers-Electronic-Synth-DIY/dp/1449345220
It's written by Ray Wilson, who is the guy behind Music From Outer Space, where you will find tons of synths and module circuit, parts, pcb.
The book explains all the wizardry behind the Noise Toaster, and guide you through the build.
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Or you can start with eurorack, there is tons of DIY modules, you can have complete kit, so you "just" need to solder the parts, or you can buy a pcb and source the parts yourself. For eurorack, you will find "through hole" modules, aka classic and "big" components, or SMD, which are tiny component, usually made to be soldered by robots. You might want to avoid SMD as a first build if you don't have a lot of soldering experience (and tools).
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This book helped me improve with Reason a lot. The genre-specific sections are pretty dated now, but it is loaded with great advice on sound design, music theory, and mixing.
Dance Music Manual, Second Edition: Tools, Toys, and Techniques https://www.amazon.com/dp/0240521072/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pV1dBb1P15E5N
This is the best book on the subject and really got me far in creating original circuits: My copy is as dog-eared and bookmarked as could be.
Nicolas Collins Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware Hacking
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0415998735/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_57MCAbAZ0WC52
More than hacking and mods, really gets into playing with ICs and such.
Have fun.
It doesn’t have to be super expensive. Burning CDs can be a bit of a pain, but if you’re okay with that you can get a very affordable setup.
EDIT: I also highly recommend this book. A very talented DJ friend of mine gave it to me as a gift and it’s been an awesome reference. Talks a lot about FX, beat matching, and even things like keeping your energy levels in check.
That is interesting, and tied in very closely with a book I am reading right now.
That is where the idea of working on something music-related for 15 minutes every day came from. I usually put it on hold when I go on travel, but I brought some stuff to work on this time to try and build the habit.
Perfect! If you pick up this book (https://www.amazon.ca/How-DJ-Right-Science-Playing/dp/0802139957) you'll have loads of theory on DJing can learn/build on. I personally find having a book on my shelf to flip though easier than sifting though hundreds of opinions online. Have fun mixing!
> Did you build many easier circuits before you built this?
I modded my volca beats, and built a guitar pedal from a kit, but otherwise I prepped for this project by reading Ray's awesome book on the subject, which I feel was paramount to my success (so far), having only had a few small issues that required troubleshooting.
> How do you like the 2 pole LPF on the Ultimate?
I LOVE the sound of this filter. My only slight beef is the fact that the expander design also has a 12db/octave circuit, and I'm debating on doing the legwork and research to modify the circuit on that state variable filter to run at 24db/octave, to provide a bit more filter diversity over the whole unit. I'm still unsure on how involved that effort would be.
Can second the 'beat dissected' section in Attackmagazine that someone wrote below.
This is a decent guide that came up after my first google search: The Ultimate Guide to Drum Programming
I'd look into this book too:
Try this book from the awesomely named Ray F. Badness. It's old but really grounds you in the basics of programming drum patterns and you can apply the concepts to any style.
https://www.amazon.com/Drum-Programming-Complete-Program-Drummer/dp/0931759544