Instructions Body

Instructions on how to mix vinyl

This will be a guide on how to mix records together where the records seem to blend into one another smoothly. Most observers think that this is a simple task that takes no effort. That can not be further from the truth as you must posses a good ear, great timing, and the most important;a passion for music! This instruction manual will be a step by step guide so that anyone can read this and be able to start mixing.

Equipment and supplies needed

1. Turntables - The first and most important piece of equipment you will need will be your turntables [record player]. You need a belt driven player in order to mix properly. These will help you to stop or speed up a record quickly with no delay. Technique 1200's are the industry standard as they are used by most professionals. Do not forget that you need two turntables in order to properly mix.

2. Mixer - A DJ mixer is a type of audio mixing console used by disc jockeys. The key features that differentiate a DJ mixer from other types of audio mixers are the ability to redirect (cue) a non-playing source to headphones and the presence of a crossfader, which allows for an easier transition between two sources. They come in all different forms and prices. A normal mixer will have 2 channels which allows you to mix 2 of a total of 4 inputs: 2line ins and 2 phono ins. Some mixers are "one input, one channel" but most modern mixers have 2 inputs for one channel. A button or flip-switch allows you to select the input that is put through to the channel, phono in for the turntables and line in for the rest of the equipment. There are hundreds of mixer on the market now days. My personal preference is the Gemini mixer. I have previously owned 3 Gemini mixers and have thoroughly enjoyed each one with no problems.

3.Headphones- A pair of headphones has to meet a few requirements: Good bass reproduction, good fit and tough design. As far as the demand for good bass reproduction goes, you have to favor the closed-back designs. This will also better keep out the ambient sounds, which is, given the situation, very much desirable. Better, more accurate sound reproduction will help you hear the slightest of differences during transitions. A poor quality set of headphone will make this a lot more difficult.
Good fit speaks for itself, you are likely to want a headphone that has a comfortable fit if you want to survive several hours of mixing. And for design: it is not so much you need a tough headphone, but you need to avoid using a fragile one, which of course comes down to the same thing. You have to be able to twist and bend the headphone repeatedly without wear / causing damage and it has to be able to survive a drop to the floor. (The twisting and bending happens when you listen with only one ear pad on one of your ears, the other pad behind the other ear, or even in your neck.) I have found that Pioneer's headphones have been the been the most durable brand that I have used.

4.Speakers- A quality pair of speakers will be needed in order for you to mix records. Speakers from your home-stereo system will not work due to the fact that they will probably be short circuited by the amount of power that they receives. A professional pair from Bose is a perfect pair for mixing.

5.Vinyl- Very vital, you can not mix without vinyl. Be sure to have at least 10 to 15 records when you first begin to learn. Also make sure that they are of similar genre when purchasing. Having the same beat as other records makes mixing a lot easier when you are matching beats together.

6.Receivers- Receivers are what power the mixer and turntables. Alpine is a brand that is trusted by most professionals because of their dependability. Never power a receiver on with either the mixer or the turntables on. This can do serious damage to all components and may even ruin them.

6. Cords and speaker wire- You will need the proper cords in order to set up your mixer correctly. You will also need speaker wire to connect your speakers.

Step by step instructions on how to mix

We assume that record 1 is playing, and we want to mix in record 2 which has an extended ‘intro’ period with no beats and mainly escalating mid-range sounds.

1.
Set equalization on record 2, by keeping in mind that this is a difficult mix-in and you will be spending most of your time attaining and maintaining sync between the two tracks rather than adjusting knobs. Generally, adjust the treble to -2dB, the mid-range to 0dB and the bass to -4dB. Try not to worry too much about these knobs till the end of the mix-in.

2.
Assuming that you know that record 1 has about 1:30 minutes (say) of ‘outro’ and it’s running at 130 bpm (beats per minute), then we have: 130 X 1.5 min = 195 beats / 32 (beats/period) = 6 periods. (Always work in periods and not minutes. Use the minutes to approximate the closest number of periods. Songs rarely have half periods and almost never smaller fractions than that.)

3.
Go to record 2, listen how many minutes the intro rolls for. Assume here that record 2 has about 2 minutes of ‘intro’. (If you don’t have time, estimate the approximate ‘intro’ time by skip-listening with your needle.) Make sure you determine which is longer, the ‘intro’ of record 2 or the ‘outro’ of record 1. Assume the ‘intro’ of record 2 is longer for this example.

4.
Once the beats start to sound on record 2, use them to quickly acquire a sync with record 1. Now, make sure that your sync is close enough, so that track 2 can stay in sync at least about a minute.

5.
Now here’s the real hard part. Bring the needle on record 2 right at the beginning of the record. Find the point at the very beginning of the track. Usually there will be some form of distinctive beat-like sound, like a clash or a single beat.

6.
Put your headphones on, set head-phone cue for record 2. Hold the vinyl in place with one hand and start deck 2. The plate is now spinning and the record is not.
Remove one ear phone and start jerking record 2 forwards and back across that starting point in line with the beat of record 1 (which is playing on the live speakers). Jerk for 4 or 8 beats and then release.

7.
Let the tracks play and listen to see if there are any asynchronous sounds. Clearly it is hard to tell whether the tracks are in sync with the lack of a beat on record 2, but it is usual for producers to include some kind of a periodic sound during the ‘intro’, for the very purpose of extracting a beat.

8.
If you’re not sure whether sync exists or not, then nudge record 2 a bit forward and listen. Is it better or worse? If worse, break record 2 till you feel that the sound of record 2 rolls with the beat of record 1.

9.
So, you have convinced yourself that you can synchronize the two tracks, so now return the needle to the beginning of record 2. Leave it there.

10.
Half a period (16 beats) before the start of the last 6 periods on record 1, start the plate on record 2, hold the vinyl in place and remove one ear-phone just like before. 8 beats before the start of the mix-in, start jerking record 2 and feel the beat of record 1 sound with that initial sound on record 2.

11.
Release record 2 at the right time. Take your time and listen for a good 1 - 2 periods whether the sync has been attained, make minor adjustments and keep listening.

12.
Sync has now been attained and you’ve spent 2 periods in doing this (approx 30 seconds). Start crossing gently towards the middle position over the next 2 periods. 2 more periods to go.
Start lifting the treble on record 2 to full volume over the next period, while crossing the fader to ¾ mark (towards record 2).

13.
Finally in the last period, you can use the bass knob on record 1 to keep cutting bass to dry out the sound, while lifting the bass on record 2. (Record 2 does not yet have a beat, but lifting the bass will give the sound more authority and will drown out the sound of record 1.)

14.
Now, there are 2 more periods till the beats on record 2 sound. Use this time to lift up the equalization of all frequencies to the +0dB mark, if you haven’t already done it.
Sit back and relax. Don’t forget to also cross the fader all the way or mute the corresponding channel fader of record 1, or you may have a nasty surprise when you start sampling the next record.

15.

Practice,practice,practice. No one ever gets right the 1st time but by following these guidelines and practicing should have you mixing in no time.

Memo for instruction manual

2502 North Country Dr
Harlingen TX, 78550

Janie Santoy
TSTC
1902 North Loop 499
Harlingen TX, 78550

Dear Ms.Santoy,

I am writing you this letter to express my interest on doing my next project on writing instructions. I was hoping to do my project based on the art of mixing. This has been a hobby and fascination of mine for sometime and thought that this would be a great instructions manual.
There are many people who love music and love to mix it. The problem is is that many aspiring dj's do not know the proper technique to seamlessly blend one record into another. One must have a great ear for a music and impeccable timing.
The information I will be providing will come from research on the web and the years of experience that I have accumulated in playing music. I have been playing records for 15 years throughout the South East. Most of my experience has been at playing at clubs and at a handful of festivals. I have even played at a few festivals in Europe. Music has always been a great influence on me and so learning to mix was second nature to me.
I believe there is a significant audience for the material I will research on. Turntables now outsell guitars in many areas of the world. This means there are many new aspiring artist that have the desire to learn the proper way of mixing records. It may not be that prevalent in South Texas but mixing can be a very lucrative career for many young artist. They even conduct paid seminars on how to learn this beautiful art form.
My schedule to complete this task should be accomplished by July 6, 2008. I will be using a laptop and my knowledge of this subject for research. My laptop will be used to define any technical terms that will be used in the instruction manual.
I would like to thank you in advance for your time in this matter. If you have any questions concerning this matter, I may be reached at (956)-454-5312 or by e-mail at onegroove72@yahoo.com.

Sincerely,



Jared Young

Project 3 - elements in instructions

1.Introductory- Letting the reader exactly what it is you are giving instuctions on and the equipment needed to follow the instructions completely.

2. Audience analysis- Explain who it is that you are wanting to reach or who you want to explain the instructions to.

3.Equipment and supplies- Explain the tools and supplies needed in order to complete the task you are explaining.

4. Graphics- More than any other form of writing, graphics are very important part in writing instructions. This gives the readers the ability to visualize what they are doing.

5.Headings- Use headings to draw attention to important sections of the instructions.

6.List- Gives step by step instructions following the heading.

7.Special notices- In instructions, you must alert readers to possibilities in which they may damage their equipment, waste supplies, cause the entire procedure to fail, injure themselves or others.

Activity 3 - Plan Design

Plans on how I am applying the design elements in my brochure for the English Lab.

1. Headings- Headings are the titles and subtitles you see within the actual text of much professional scientific, technical, and business writing. Heading are what grab the readers attention to tell what the brochure is all about. The second level heading gives examples of the first level headings in detail. I will be using headings to give the reader information on the vital information on the lab.

2. Lists- You use lists to highlight or emphasize text or to enumerate or make for easier reference. I will use the lists to give specific information following a heading such as: hours of operations, computer programs that are used, location, and tutoring information.

3. Graphics- Graphics can be tables, graphs, photos, diagrams, and illustrations. Graphics will be the first thing that catches the readers eye. A brochure with only text will be found to tedious to the readers. Without some sort of visual stimulation, you stand a good chance of the brochure not even being read. I plan on using pictures of the lab and of students using the lab so that the lab seems to be accessible to students seeking information on the lab.

4.Highlighting-Highlighting is used to place emphasis on certain keywords or phrases. It can be a very helpful tool but can also be used to much, resulting in overkill. I will be highlighting information that I find the most vital including; phone number, hours of operation, and location of the lab.

5.Text areas- This area will provide the text that informs the reader all about the labs functions. This area of the brochure will answer all questions that the reader might have concerning the lab.

Activity 2: Analyze proposal Audience

My intended audience will be Alma Garcia who is the director of the English lab at TSTC. Mrs. Garcia oversees all day to day operations in the lab. Providing a brochure with information detailing all aspects and attributes of the lab would greatly benefit Mrs. Garcia by helping to provide information to the student body. This brochure could be used as a handout to all students seeking details of the English labs functions. I really see know technical limitation concerning this project considering that this is her field of expertise.

List of elements in a proposal

1. Introductory- Give a brief overview on what is being proposed.

2. Background on the problem, opportunity, or situation- This section tells what brought the idea of the proposal and the need. It also explains what opportunity there is to improve the subject.

3. Benefits and feasibility of the proposed project-This section gives them reasons to approve the project you are proposing.

4. Description of the proposed work - Describe what you are going to do and how.

5. Method, procedure, theory - Show that you have a sound, well thought approach about the subject.

6. Schedule- To show not only completion date, but also key milestones.

7. Qualifications- To show your audience that you are qualified for the project.

8.Cost/resources required- List all cost and equipment needed to accomplish project.

9. Conclusion- The final paragraph or section of the proposal should bring readers back to a focus on the positive aspects of the project .

Activity 1 - Helpful websites

1. Everest Innovation - http://www.everesti.com.sg/



This site explores all dynamics of teamwork and different management styles. It is a web sites that can be used by companies to help their employees and management team come up with new solutions in order to maximize companies profits and production.



2. Research Papers - http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/8565/Writing/research.html

Good place for information on doing research.

3. Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Best place on the Internet to find information on anything. Will be helpful with your vocabulary and explaining different writing styles.

4. Grammar Slammer - http://englishplus.com/grammar/

Great site to make sure you don't make grammatical errors in your writings.

Activity 2: List Parts of Letter and Analyze Audience

1. The different elements which need to be included in a letter are as follows

a. The heading - the writer's address and the date of the letter.

b. Inside address - name and address of the recipient.

c. Salutations - address the recipient of the letter followed by a colon.

d. Subject or reference line - main business of the letter.

e. Body of the letter - actual message

f. Complimentary close - "Sincerely yours"

g. Signature

h. End notations - abbreviations or phrases that have important functions.

To me, the three most important elements in a letter are the subject line, inside address, and the body of the letter.

1. Subject line - You need to summarize what the letter is about so the reader knows exactly what is being asked of them.

2.Inside address - You need to be sure that the correct person receives your letter.

3.Body of letter - Here you can go into detail of what the subject line is asking of the reader.

Project 1

Hello to everyone and hope all is well with everyone. My name is Jared Young and I will be attending this Technical Writing online course this summer. This is my first time ever blogging so please bear with me.

To begin with, my educational plans are to attend classes at TSTC for the next few years so that I may acquire my associates degree in Graphic Design. I really would like to be in a career where I can use my creative side and I hope this class will help nurture that side.

I can not really say how my previous composition classes have prepared me for my goals or for this class, as a matter of fact. My last composition class that I attended was well over for 5 years ago, so a lot of time has passed since then. I really hope that to much time has not passed so that I do not struggle in this course.

In today's high-tech world, communication is a big part of the business community. Without proper communication, most companies would have major trouble succeeding in today's cut throat market. Good communication is vital in any type career that students may choose. Being a bartender for the last 10 years, I could definitely say that good communication is important. Not only to communicate with customers, but also comprehend what is being said while continuously doing other task. After years of doing this, I can definitely say that multi-tasking is second nature to me.

I signed up for this course to help me with my writing skills and to expand my vocabulary. Writing has never been my strong point in school, making me a little hesitant about this course. I hope to excel with hard work, good teaching, and great classmates.

Now for a little information about myself. I am originally from Charlotte, North Carolina. I have spent the last year or so in Hawaii working on a cruise ship circling the 5 islands. I love any activity that pertains to water. I took up skydiving a few years ago and still try and go as much as possible. I would have to say my 2 main passions are music and traveling. I have been a disc jockey for the last 10 years, so record collecting is a big hobby of mine. I have traveled pretty extensively over the last 15 years. I have been to London, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Italy, France, and most recently Hawaii. My next destination will hopefully be to Thailand in the next few years.

I am excited to be a part of this class and looking forward to further my education. I hope that this course elevates my writing skills, knowing that it will be needed in any career.