Another mixing question (Those long intro's)

[nrgbeat]

Let's say you mix into a song with a really long drum beat intro (e.g. Disconet mix of "Don't You Want Me" by H. L.) how do you know where to start the mix so you can make an effective seque without having a minute of empty beats? (No chop mixing either)

[Masdefi]

It depends to me how long is the drum intro. If you think about, as example, T-Connection's "At midnight" 12", you're quite impossible to match exactly the mixing on the starting point, it's so way long. I think, up to 48 bars or 16-beat each you shouldn't have problems just by counting.

[QUINNY]

NRG: It's not really a problem and there are solutions.
a) Count the number of bars that the intro lasts for.
(BTW: 32 bars @ 120 BPM is going to be just over a minute long, 64 will be just over 2 minutes).
b) Start the record way before you need to and take it to within 16 bars or 20 or 24 of where the main vocal or where the meat of the record starts (number of bars will depend on the bar sequence structure of the record you're mixing into) by counting the bars whilst not mixing.
c) Do your mix from this point just as you would with a record with a shorter intro.
d) Failing this method, just get to learn the intro inside out so that you know where that cue point is. It shouldn't be too difficult to familiarise yourself with it. Otherwise,
e) match the record up with the record that's playing without mixing and bring volume up at appropriate cue point.

Whatever happens, COUNT THE BARS!!!

It isn't a crime to cue a record half way into the intro is it?

[NickNack]

Quinny counts bars, I count beats. Four beats = one bar in 4/4 disco. Either way, it's going to involve some counting on your part. You need to know how many beats/bars in the intro bring you to the mix-out point in the song playing. Also remember while you're doing all this counting to keep the bars/measures in sync. Some songs just love to give you a hard time. Examples (from memory):

West Side Strutters - "The Man I Love" starts on beat 5
El Coco - "Cocomotion" (lp version) starts on beat 2
Donna Summer - "This Time I Know It's For Real" the synthesizer begins on beat 4 (I count everything :) )
Ritchie Family - "African Queens" has that spoken intro that's only 14 beats. Should be 16 to mix properly so careful how you play with it.