From house to hip-hop, disco, techno, and drum & bass, we look at how DJs across the board approach their craft.
A genre’s musical characteristics are almost always reflected in the way DJs mix it. Fast genre, fast mixing. Smooth genre, smooth mixing. This feels like common sense. A chilled house set full of scratching and cutting would just feel weird. But it’s also fascinating that mixing styles have organically developed as non-formalised responses from DJs to a genre’s musical DNA. Put another way, nobody ever sat down and decided any of this stuff.
In bringing together most of the approaches to mixing in one place, you realise just how much richness and variety the DJ craft has. Even before the advent of digital tools, DJs created a vast range of techniques from rudimentary tools of two decks and a mixer. Even today, there are signature methods in one genre that DJs from another genre may not even be aware of, let alone use themselves.
Our overall aim here is to nerd out about DJ craft, while hopefully inspiring you to steal techniques from your peers in other genres. We’d like to stress that this is just a general guide, and although genres do have mixing methods, the rules are very much there to be broken.
In its classic form, house music is groove-based and, compared to other dance genres, of medium intensity, words that could also be used to describe how it’s mixed. There is usually one main musical idea in a house track, with variations on that idea arriving every 8 to 16 bars, although the style sometimes follows the verse-chorus arrangement you find in pop. This emphasis on the groove shapes the mix, as DJs execute key mixing events—introducing the next track, swapping the bass EQ, FX peaks—timed to musical phrases of 8 or 16 bars.
Even within house music’s codified mixing tradition, you’ll still find a wide range of expression. There is a place within house for both silky blends on a rotary mixer and fast cuts on linear faders. Still, many house sets maintain a steady metronomic pulse, with less of the big builds or drops you find in other genres.
Tracks are built with drum-led, DJ-friendly intros and outros, but the harmonic content of house, with its expressive synths, strings, and bass, means DJs should listen for clashing keys. This is especially true in house’s more song-orientated forms, where vocals and fuller arrangements increase the potential for discordant mixes. An understanding of harmonic mixing would benefit any house DJ. But building a feel for musical compatibility through experience is how most of them do it.
FX usage varies widely among DJs, but you’ll typically find a restrained use of filters, reverbs, and echoes, with the use of FX increasing in line with the BPM and intensity of the strain of house being played. The “true-school” house head would often seek the purity of two turntables and a mixer with DJ tech and FX more subtly integrated (if at all).
Techno mixing builds on the house template by adding more—more speed, more tracks, more loops, more layering. The platonic image of the techno DJ was famously framed with Jeff Mills’ early 2000s Exhibisionist videos, in which he hyperactively ripped through records, rode the pitch controls, and compulsively adjusted EQs and faders. Many techno DJs still play in this spirit (if not using Mills’ exact setup of three turntables and a mixer) but techno mixing these days is a broad church with a few main themes.
DJs aim to hypnotise a dance floor. This may sound like a cliche, but it’s actually instructive as to how they mix, select tracks, and use FX. Sets feel like a single evolving machine, often making it hard to tell where one tracks ends and another begins. Although they do appear sparingly in techno sets, elements like vocals, melodies, long breakdowns, or overly long tracks risk breaking the audience’s state of adrenalized focus. In this respect, techno DJ sets are closer to ancient drumming circles than they are modern concerts.
Some DJs used hip-hop-style cuts and scratches back in the day, but FX are currently the primary means of adding performance flair. FX boxes and samplers like the RMX-1000 are more likely to be seen at a techno event than at any other type of show.
Led by Richie Hawtin in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, techno DJs were early adopters of new DJ technology like FX, loops, controllers, digital vinyl systems (DVS), and software. DJs in the Hawtin vein have gradually moved closer to something resembling live performance or composition, layering multiple loops, triggering musical clips and samples, and making FX a main character. (Exhibit A: Hawtin’s classic 2001 mix CD, DE9 | Closer to the Edit.)
The more recent incarnation of tech house (as opposed to the original UK sound developed in the mid-to-late ‘90s) has been one of dance music’s most dominant styles over the past decade. Its mid-tempo (typically 124 – 135 BPM) blend of punchy drums, prominent bass, and attention-grabbing vocal hooks has soundtracked countless festivals and big rooms, and is, according to the latest IMS Business report, currently the most popular genre on Beatport.
This new school of tech house came of age as CDJs and USBs became the industry standard. It subsequently has less of the cultural baggage of house and techno when it comes to using functions like Sync and Hot Cues, which are still frowned upon in some of those longer-established DJ communities
The style also differs from its close musical cousins through its inclusion of one key ingredient: the breakdown / drop. Although DJs might live edit a track using Hot Cues and Beat Jumps to reach a breakdown more quickly (or extend it), they still honour this basic arrangement fact, and will only mix into track B once track A has revealed its payload. The mixing itself tends to paint with clean, bold strokes rather than long, delicate blends.
As you might expect from a CDJ-native style, tech house DJs are not shy about using FX, but the best ones know not to get too carried away. The prominence of vocal samples in the genre lends itself to using small loops of one bar and under to tease upcoming tracks or generally remix the music. Quick cuts at phrase changes, echo-outs on vocals, and stutter/loop rolls are common to punctuate peaks without derailing the groove.
House and techno DJs have it relatively easy compared to their peers in hip-hop and R&B. There are no DJ-friendly intros and outros designed for mixing here. Tracks are packed with chords, melodies and vocals, making beatmatching without clashing keys a challenge. Plus, the BPM range of a typical hip-hop and R&B playlist will be considerably greater than with dance genres, leaving DJs to decide whether to hop around tempos or stay in a BPM lane.
But these obstacles are exactly what makes great hip-hop and R&B DJing so impressive. Playing recognisable tracks means that audiences get to hear and appreciate the way that the DJ is mixing and manipulating the music. We mentioned in the techno section how performances can feel like one single, evolving track. With hip-hop and R&B it’s the exact opposite. The contrasts are sharp, and DJs can play with this to tease and excite an audience.
Indeed, the original hip-hop DJs of the 1970s were showmen. They developed breathtaking new techniques like cutting, scratching and backspinning as a way of standing out and attracting crowds to their parties. Modern hip-hop DJs don’t necessarily use the full-blown performance repertoires associated with turntablism (see below), a style that stemmed from the early DJ pioneers like Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Grand Wizard Theodore. But basic fluency in scratch techniques always helps, both as a mixing tool and to hype the crowd.
Hip-hop and R&B DJing these days is a blend of the old and the relatively new. The classic vinyl-stops, backspins, cutting, and scratching still form the backbone of hip-hop sets, and this is also true of the DJ’s original performance energy. DJs mix quickly and often theatrically, which calls for a higher base level of technical proficiency compared to most dance genres.
When it comes to DJ technique, turntablism is as impressive as it gets. Debates rage in some scenes about how much DJs are actually doing; with turntablism there’s nowhere to hide. You either spend months and years perfecting your craft and your routines, or you don’t step up to the decks.
As we mentioned above, turntablism is a byproduct of the early hip-hop scene. In the early ‘80s, MCs (or rappers as they would come to be known) overtook DJs as the music’s focal point and never looked back. The DJ branch of the culture, meanwhile, doubled down on all of the new techniques they’d been developing and began gathering for competitions, or “battles.” This fostered a spirit of competitiveness, innovation, and virtuosic performance that has survived to this day.
The time and dedication required for turntablism makes sense when you see the scope of techniques aspiring DJs need to master. Turntablists spent the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s establishing the broad foundations of scratching and beat juggling, before the advent of digital DJing in the 2000s introduced a host of new techniques and possibilities. The would-be turntablist therefore needs to know all of their classics—the transformer, crab, flare, backspins, rhythm juggles etc—along with more recent techniques like tone play, finger drumming, live remixing, and cue-point manipulation.
If we’ve made turntablists sound like craftsmen, perfecting prescribed techniques derived from decades of tradition, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Composing a unique performance calls for the creativity of an artist. A killer routine is both musically satisfying and surprising. It might work with a theme or try to tell a simple story. The best DJs become known for a style that brings their personality to bear.
Which brings us to our final point: showmanship. The winner of last year’s DMC World Championships, DJ FLY, recreated his winning routine (dubbed the “King’s Show”) by striding down the pearlescent steps of the Nantes Museum of Art, dropping his hooded gown, and performing a staggering routine on a set of golden turntables. From the early hip-hop DJ crews, to the latest TikTok clips, the art of creating a spectacle is baked into the DNA of turntablism.
Open format DJing is an offshoot of hip-hop and turntablism that, as its name suggests, draws from any style of music the DJ can imagine. It got started in the 2000s, as DJs loaded their newly available digital crates with a much wider selection of music. Surprising genre combinations became a new mode of self-expression. Unlike turntablism, open format placed an emphasis on moving a dance floor.
Open format is not a style for the casual hobbyist. The best open-format DJs have the technique of a turntablist, the music knowledge of a crate digger, and the sequencing skills to please a range of audiences. Although the best open-format DJs operate at the pinnacle of DJ technique, it’s a sound that lacks the concrete network of venues you see with big dance sounds like techno. The term “open format” can also refer to DJs who work in the corporate world or at private events, indicating that they play all styles of music without necessarily DJing like turntablists.
Open-format mixing brings together pretty much all of the techniques we’ve explored in this article so far. DJs like A-Trak and ESKEI83 draw on all of the scratch trickery you’d expect from a turntablist, but they’re also comfortable dance music-style beatmatching while playing, respectively, house and drum & bass. In order to move seamlessly between styles, open-format DJs do plenty of experimentation, practice and preparation; matching disparate styles requires much more than pressing the Sync button and hoping for the best. Any type of FX can be thrown in the open-format DJ’s blender. Developing tone play and finger drumming routines, signature track combinations, and producing radio-style idents are a few of the ways DJs acquire the thing that open format values the most: originality.
The foundations laid down by New York disco DJs in the 1970s and 80s are the basis for practically all dance music DJing. It was during this period that the idea of a continuous musical performance—achieved through beatmatching—and the concept of the DJ as the magical musical conductor both took hold.
Where disco DJs differ from the dance DJs who came after them is they were mixing unquantized music—that is, beats played by a human drummer rather than a drum machine programmed exactly to the grid. This, of course, presented a challenge for disco DJs. But the aim back then wasn’t long blends. It was more about quick-and-tidy mixes that moved between tracks at roughly the same tempo.
The modern incarnation of disco DJs, the so-called selector DJs (Floating Points, Theo Parrish, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Hunee etc.) who spin an eclectic blend of styles from across the past 50 years of music, also have to navigate mixing unquantized music. Some might use modern production tools to create mix-ready edits of tracks with drums that fall on (or at least close to) the grid. But this isn’t strictly in the spirit of this style of DJing, which values the good old approach of playing vinyl on rotary mixers.
With all of this mind, disco or selector-style DJs need to develop a flexible range of mix strategies. Beat-matching or phrase mixing isn’t off the table with unquantized music, you just have to be prepared to ride the pitch and actively nudge tracks as they drift out of time. The fun and/or difficult thing here is that no two mixes are alike. In any case, audiences for these DJs understand that the occasional clashing beats is part of the deal with such eclectic selections. A simple quick fade between tracks, or even stopping a track before starting the next one, can also be fine. Using music with more traditional song structures means that dropping a track from its first beat is a viable option.
The use of FX tends to be restricted to EQ, isolators, and maybe some echo. But despite what you might expect from a scene based on musical connoisseurship, the use of those FX can get pretty wild, particularly if the DJ is playing with isolators on a rotary mixer. This is thanks, at least in part, to iconic DJs like Theo Parrish and Joe Claussell, who are known for constantly (and theatrically) manipulating the frequencies of their records.
While it’s true that some of the biggest names in EDM don’t do any spontaneous live mixing, instead presenting a tightly choreographed stage show built around an overall audio-visual experience, this isn’t the case for every DJ. And even those who are simply “pressing play” do so with certain musical aims in mind.
EDM DJing is built around big moments: huge builds, emphatic drops, soaring choruses. Where house or techno might prize hypnosis and incremental tension, an EDM set tends to stage-manage energy in waves. Transitions are often planned to land on, or set up, the next payoff rather than to run two full tracks in parallel for too long.
Because the records are so focussed on the drop, harmonic mixing and managing each track’s hook really matter. Vocals, massive leads, or big toplines can clash if you layer too much, so the usual play is to highlight one element at a time. Hot Cues, Beat Jumps or editing tracks ahead of time help DJs to construct sets so there is never a dull moment. FX in EDM sets are central to the performance, rather than just a garnish. DJs utilise the most dramatic modulations their mixer has to offer. Reverb, filters, noise sweeps, echoes—whatever helps make a climax feel most impactful.
Stage presence and theatrical flair are also vital in EDM. Hyping the crowd with hand gestures, mounting the DJ table, running around stage, and jumping on the mic are all party starters the audience at EDM shows expect.
These styles share a common interest in long-form musical expressions and emotional melodies. From trance’s hands-in-the-air breakdowns through to progressive house’s slow-burn layering, and melodic techno’s darker drive, think of them as a continuum.
Trance DJs favor long arcs and big, emotional payoffs. 125 to 140 BPM is the usual tempo range, with tracks built around evolving motifs, drum-free breakdowns, and dramatic drops. The typical trance track features extended, DJ-friendly arrangements, creating plenty of scope for long blends. Trance’s foregrounding of melody and harmony makes mixing in key all the more advantageous, although the prevalence of drum-only intros and outros mean it’s not essential. Mixing is generally tidy and precise, with DJs using EQ surgically and subtly. Performance tricks are kept to a minimum. You’ll hear clean bass swaps, gentle filtering, and some reverb to make those breakdowns just a touch more epic.
Progressive house is trance’s slow-burn cousin. It’s usually a little slower and more groovy and textural, with long tracks that evolve by adding and removing layers rather than through exaggerated moments. The mix approach is relatively simple. DJs build layers, shape them, then reveal the next idea, stacking complementary parts—like tops from one track with the bass from another—while using EQ and filters so the mids don’t fight. Harmonic mixing was popularised by leading prog DJs in the ‘90s, who would layer complementary tracks for minutes at a time. FX are usually understated—filters, short delays—and mark the phrases without breaking the DJ’s spell.
Melodic house and techno share the same mixing lineage as prog, trance and some strains of house and techno in preferring polished, functional blends. Vocals and, of course, melodies are prominent, so DJs create breathing space by centering one track at a time. You’ll hear smooth filter rides and careful EQ to make space for the next motif, with layers held together for a few phrases before they’re cleared so the next hook can take the lead. Again, mixing harmonically ensures that the vibe is as smooth and inviting as possible.
Drum & bass, UK garage, dubstep, and the wider “bass music” world mostly trace back to soundsystem culture, although each has its own distinct tempo range and groove logic. The craft in this lineage, which has its roots in Jamaica and was refined for decades in the UK, is about rolling energy and big moments. DJs in this lane are versed in the cultural cues of soundsystem culture, using spinbacks to round out a mix, and wheelups, where the DJ spins back the track and starts it over in response to a big crowd reaction.
Drum & bass is engineered for speed and impact. Most contemporary tracks sit in the 170 to 180 BPM range, which encourages decisive transitions of 8 or 16 bars rather than extended mixes. The signature drum & bass move is the double-drop: aligning two tunes so the drops hit simultaneously, creating a single, explosive peak. FX like echo-outs and filters at this tempo range tend to work best when used quickly and intentionally, keeping the momentum nice and taut. Drum & bass sets often feature an MC, who shapes the energy, bridges sections, and adds call-and-responses with the crowd. DJs may give MCs space to toast / rap over drum-led sections. Culturally, drum & bass is a scene that values technical mastery and DJs with stage presence and energy.
UK garage usually sits between 130 and 140 BPM and is characterised by shuffle and swing, which means skipping kicks, syncopated snares and hi-hats, and either the 4/4 “speed garage” bump or the more irregular 2-step pattern. Sets in the smoother end of UKG could feel akin to house DJing, while down the other end of the scale, a DJ like EZ is closer to open-format technical wizardary. Because so much UKG features big hooks and vocals, DJs pay attention to song structure and clashing keys; layering two choruses, for instance, is almost always a no-go. Modern tools like Hot / Memory Cues, Beat Jumps and loops can help DJs in this respect, which requires some preparation and familiarity with the music in your crate. Like drum & bass, FX tend to work best in UKG when they’re used judiciously to mark transitions but there are always exceptions to the rule. Spinbacks and wheelups are perennial favourites.
Dubstep sits around 140 BPM but with the kick and snare hits so wide apart, it often feels more like 70 BPM. Classic dubstep combines meditative moods with hefty bass-weight and drops, while the later dubstep offshoot styles popularised in the US pile on more vocals, synths, and energy. No matter the style, tracks are arranged around drops, and in the DJ booth the goal is to make those drops land with maximum weight, with bold, decisive transitions. DJs usually keep the mix uncluttered, giving the bass space to breathe, and rarely ride a mix for too long. Beatless intros, which are common in dubstep, are used to build tension and clear space. Like with garage and drum & bass, FX add flourishes to the ever-rolling rhythms rather than reshaping the tracks. Similarly, rewinds / wheelups and spin backs are part of the culture, and a DJ needs a keen sense of when the crowd deems a rewind has been earned.
Afro house fuses 4/4 house with African energy—polyrhythms, hand percussion, chant-like vocals—rooted in South Africa’s club tradition of deep house and kwaito. The sound has been developing in SA and the wider continent for decades, but has recently been gaining traction with DJs elsewhere. By the end of 2024, Afro house was the sixth-most popular genre on Beatport.
Black Coffee is the scene’s standard-bearer and has done the most to shape the way Afro house DJs play. His style, one of the most distinctive in dance music, is at once smooth and dramatic. There’s a continual push-pull between the rolling, subtly euphoric tracks and the way they’re cut up and mixed using FX, with echo in particular playing a starring role. The signature Afro house move is an echo / fade / return, where the DJ soaks a track in echo, lowers its volume to leave just the echo tail, and then returns the track to full volume on “the one.” Filters and reverbs are also used to create these little rhythmic pockets. Some of the current Afro house or Afro tech is reminiscent of progressive and melodic house, which means long, harmonic blends are on the table. The best Afro house DJs are masters of tension and release.
Amapiano DJs share many of the characteristics of their peers in Afro house, only everything is slower and more spacious. Tracks typically sit between 108 and 115 BPM and feature tumbling, percussion-heavy rhythms and the signature Amapiano log-drum bassline. We could say that there are two ways to play amapiano. The first is more straightforward and subtle. A DJ could use simple beatmatched transitions, functional EQing, and minimal FX to create a vibe akin to the chilled end of deep house. The second is far more hands-on and performative. The use of cuts, chops, and FX are ramped up to create an ever-shifting soundscape that grabs the crowd by the collar. It’s credit to the unique properties of amapiano and the creativity of its DJs that both approaches can sound great in the right hands.
Our final category is an approach that emerged in the UK in the early 2010s, and in recent years has become one of the most dominant styles of DJing. To see this in action, check out the majority of the popular Boiler Room sets of the last couple years. You’ll find DJs playing an eclectic selection of uptempo club music (and beyond) from across the world, with the mixing tailored for speed and maximum impact.
This type of DJing most closely resembles the drum & bass / UK garage / dubstep lineage we covered above, only with “anything goes” DJing, the rhythms are constantly being switched up and mashed together. A DJ’s success rate in combining genres as disparate as baile funk and speed garage certainly increases with experience, but this approach is more about the raucous energy of throwing things together live in the mix and seeing what works. Any type of FX or DJ trick that maintains the momentum is fair game, although you won’t find much scratching or turntablism tricks here.
It might seem strange to mention social media in this context, but this style, with its hard left turns and wild crowd reactions, is especially good at creating the viral moments that algorithms feed on. DJs in this lane especially should almost think of capturing and presenting these moments as an integral part of their craft.
Words: Ryan Keeling
