Counting and phrasing

Loop an instrumental break or section of the new song that works to transition from the old song. Once the new song is mixed in and you're ready to bring it in full, use a cue point to hit the start of the track on beat.

Most music services provide songs with intros, even the most inexpensive ones, so it may be worth the investment to get high quality versions of the songs you want to play. Personally, I enjoy making custom edits for songs and you might also find it fun to build your own...

Record pools save you a lot of time making your own. I wasted so much time making my own when I'd rather be paying a monthly fee. In saying that, sometimes you need to make your own to taylor your specific needs. Sometimes an intro or mix show edit sounds wack (like if it drops on the wrong part) and you gotta do it yourself. Hook first should also be considered. It all depends really.

I use both types. The originals are good for tempo changes. Sometimes you need the originals, if you've mastered cutting sometimes it's good dropping it from the top. But before you get into that stuff you should master blending and "safe mixing" Some songs sound better blended anyway (often slower RnB songs). Some sound better dropped from the top "hypnotise, party up" Some songs don't need an intro as they already have the 8 bars for you

And yes. Counting and phrasing. Very important. This should be applied consistently in your sets (verse, chorus, verse chorus etc). This will sustain momentum

I don't like a lot of record pool edits because a lot of them sound like they were made with MP3 sources and just transcoded and don't sound great to me.

Learn to count, learn to mix with tunes that don't have intros and outros and you'll be fine.

Use Flip and loops if you need to.

Yeah and adding to what soo said in regards to counting, all my songs have cue points at 4 bars before the drop and 8 bars before the drop. Name them / colour them (I just call them either full or half) and it it will make counting a lot easier.

It depends on the length of the intro... This is a pop song as an example but, the radio edit of bieber's "sorry" has a four bar bar intro which totals 16 beats. I would set the cue point at the first beat of the intro. Then if i wanted to mix into the 1st verse of that song i would release the track four bars into the chorus of what ever song is playing. Note: While there is not necessarily an actual rhythm track the beat is there. You have to be patient and just actively listen to the track. With practice it will come much more easily. hope this helps.

Ha, now a days all I hear on the radio is an air horn. Lbvs

remember hip hop and rap listeners become accustomed to a different style of mixing. there are songs were you only play a particular verse or break or the great gets hype to a partcular lyric. you can't just mix in and out of songs because you'll lose your audience. its a genre you have to know the music, culture, etc. so i'd study the scene before i incorporate it into my sets if i were you

Thank you for all the help guys!

This.

This

8 bar count is your friend

And with SDJ having beatgrids, you don't even need to count. You just need simple addition.

^ wack IMHO

+1 on counting. Basics.