Getting to the next track fast.

[scoob101]

At the end section of each track Ive started to put a hot cue 8 bars before the track starts to break down - as a way to jump close to my Mix out point. The idea is that it's then easy to skip large sections of the track if I want to and get into the mix quicker. My thinking is that I try and play around 3 minutes of a track and when the best bits are done, I want to get out.

Other than using natural mix out points which occur earlier in the track like breakdowns, Does anyone have any alternate methods to achieve the same thing?

[light-o-matic]

Could do a loop.. I've done that.

[pete]

Learn the tracks and experiment with different mixing points to make a creative mix.

With a few hours practice with a set of tracks, you'll end up with a set where there is mixing almost throughout the set at various points...through breakdowns, intros, choruses, double-drops, looped sections etc etc

[lbarasc]

make a loop is a very good idea,
you can also apply FX like echo, test and repeat in your bedroom

[KLH]

Learn the tracks and experiment with different mixing points to make a creative mix.

With a few hours practice with a set of tracks, you'll end up with a set where there is mixing almost throughout the set at various points...through breakdowns, intros, choruses, double-drops, looped sections etc etc

As usual, pete nails it.

Loops are the defacto way to do transitions, but only using loops may be perceived as lazy mixing. It's best to do what pete says. Experiment. Be creative... and make it sound smooth.

[DJ Matt]

At the end section of each track Ive started to put a hot cue 8 bars before the track starts to break down - as a way to jump close to my Mix out point. The idea is that it's then easy to skip large sections of the track if I want to and get into the mix quicker. My thinking is that I try and play around 3 minutes of a track and when the best bits are done, I want to get out.

Other than using natural mix out points which occur earlier in the track like breakdowns, Does anyone have any alternate methods to achieve the same thing?

stems, you can just turn up the "beat", cut out everything else, loop 4 beats and you can use that as a base to mix your new track in over, you can keep the beat running then for a while in the background until it hits the first break usually

[DazzaB]

Couple tips away from the DJing side.

If you got longer tracks, import them into a music production software and make your own DJ edits, export them back and use them.
Also check out Mastermix DJ Edits. Tracks have been slimmed down to around 1.5-2.5 mins and have 8 bar intro/outro on them.

Set a couple hot cues and loops over chorus/instrumentals and you can mashup your sets getting a lot more creative.