Of a Thousand Mixes

Of a Thousand Mixes

"What's it gonna be star?" Retro Spins said as he eyed me down holding me in place with the mighty decision of my own reputation versus my heartfelt obsession.

Retro was definitely not lying. In the case I hadn't mentioned, Retro Spins works for a huge Music magazine called "Rhythm Sketch" as a Music Critique, which matches his special talent. He has done articles on Equestria's top musicians, critiquing their music, and giving a review if they were worth following. Of course every time he did an article on DJ-Pon3 I always came sucking up to him begging him to tell me everything about her in order to feed my innocent little following.

To be honest though, Retro Spins doesn't see anything special or talented in DJ-Pon3. Every article he has written complains of her "lack of vision", and "on stage is not very active", or "music is only slight remixes of other remixes of the same song". Of course I get upset over it but he insists he's only being unbiased.

So on to the decision. As I thought I knew in the back of my mind that I may never get a chance at this again, and even if I decided to one day become a fledged DJ, which is something DJ-Pon3 inspires me to do, I knew that Retro Spins would never help me get up to bigger things because I chose my own dignity over his article, and potentially his job.

But then again I have never done this before! I do have the ambition to do it but I don't have the practice. I was never a real DJ before so I have no experience and no idea what I would be doing. I certainly don't want to be vilified, and chased out of the party by an angry mob.

The weight of everything was heavy, but I do so much want to meet my Idol and become something I have only imagine being, and just maybe this will turn my life around.

My gut was churning like a hurricane so I sucked it up, took a deep breath, and let the words leave my mouth.

"Ok...I'll do it." I said sighing into Retro in an attempt to calm some nerves from what I was getting myself into.

Retro's eyes went wide and smiled ear to ear. "Oh sweet Celestia! Thank you so much brother!" Retro Spins exclaimed has he pulled me in for an uncomfortably tight hug.

"Ok ok, easy, I'd like my rib cage to be intact." I said struggling against Retro's grasp.

"Oh my bad dude." Retro said as he let me go to breathe.

"Alright. So now what?" I asked.

"Now we go talk to the M.C. to get you set up." Retro said with a grin.

"I... whats an M.C?" I asked with a puzzled look.

"The announcer guy of course, follow me!" Retro answered as he began walking through the dense crowd of party goers across the bar to the dance floor and then on to the stage to get to the M.C. I followed him bumping into dancing. or drunken colts and mares on accident and getting the occasional "Watch it bucktard!" in which I replied "Im sorry" repeatedly to somehow make up for an accidental groping of mare flank.

Finally we were at the stage and out of the drunken dancing crowd and onto the stage were I saw a Pegasus colt with purple fur and black mane in the form of Dreadlocks, sporting a blue cap worn in reverse, sunglasses, and blue jacketed vest with a cutie mark of a golden microphone.

I could tell what kinda character this pony was.

The colt looked up at Retro and bore a huge smile.

"Yo retro! How's my boy doin!?" Said the colt getting up to bro hug Retro.

"Aww heck! Nice to see ya again Fly Mic! How long has it been my man!" Retro replied as he followed his friend around stage checking some of the audio equipment set up,=.

"Dayum homie, been ages probably but, no time fo dat my brah, I got a DJ freestyle starting in like 5 minutes, and heck my dawg over there takes on a drinkin contest and gets himself wasted to da point he aint even gonna see a stars before his liver shuts down. Now I got no DJ and I'm tryin to phone all my homies right now but all dem asleep!" Fly Mic said as he pace around the stage with Retro Spins.

"Well no need to worry my man. I got you a DJ right here!" Retro said point a hoof at me while I continued cringing about crossing the point of no return on this whole "I can be a DJ too" idea.

"Yo homie whats good? The names Fly Mic. Im the M.C. fo dis DJ Freestyle. You probably heard of me before, I M.C. For rap battles, freestyles, ciphers for events, music videos, da whole lot. Its mah special talent and heck I love doin it!" Fly Mic said as he brohoofed me for greets and mingled around the stage a bit more."So whats yo name homie?"

"Starlight Zen." I answered

"Hah! Nah nah nah nah nah, I mean yo Alias." Fly Mic said half laughingly.

"Like DJ-Pon3?" I asked seeing if he meant an artist alias.

"Ya like that now whats 'yo name'?" Fly Mic asked again.

I sat down a bit and thought. My cutie mark is 3 bright white twinkling stars, my special talent being astronomy but because I was broke I could never go to Canterlot University of Magic and Science to study them. So I had this little thought in the back of my mind that my real talent laid in making Electronic music that basically "flashed" the audience to give the feeling of them dancing in space with music, not drugs, but with the help of drum' n bass and dub step to let the audience embark on a journey through the cosmos as they danced the night away.

Which brought me to my last name "Zen". I think my last name is because my parents were peace loving hippies who enjoyed sharing the peace pipe with everyone, that being the reason why I moved out. However, Zen is about peace and love. Ethereal Joy in loving and being loved. I do enjoy love, even though I live a solitary life, I'm very peaceful as well. I should want befriend and help ponies. I don't want to be violent or aggressive, or show my hate in public. Id like to love and be loved by my friends. Id like to be that way for all eternity. Even if I was just simply losing myself in wishful thinking at the time.

"Immortal Zen" I awnsered. Forever loving and peaceful.

"Aight Immortal Zen, yo stuffs all set! Take a look around, we gonna start in five minutes." Fly Mic said as he hoped off the stage to get a drink.

Nice...Oh BUCK NO!!!I just realized that now I have to perform in five minutes, and I have no Idea what to do or play!

"Think Star, think!" I said to myself as I looked at the DJ set up in front of me which involved, not a mix table, but a sound pad. I thought back to the articles and videos I watched and then remembered that sound pads are used in mixing multiple sounds or tracks together to make a song. Sound Pads are used to make techno, electronic, and more popularly drum'n bass, and dubstep.

Then there was a new problem, I have no idea what the sound pads layout is. How am I supposed to know how DJ Vertex assigned what sounds and tracks to what pads? I then looked to my left to find a laptop. I opened the laptop to find that it was DJ Vertexes and there was a program that showed the profile of the sound pad. It was very straight forward actually, he labeled each audio file assigned on the pad to simple categories like "Snare 1", and "Low Bass 2". It also showed me what sound were mapped to which button on the sound pad which made everything a whole lot easier.

Now it was down to the rhythm and beat of my own hooves to make this work.

Fly Mic climbed back up to the stage and asked "Yo, you ready homie?"

I was feeling nervous with the butterflies in my gut but I pressed on to give the answer to my death sentence "yes".

"Aww yeah!" Fly Mic said as he turned to unhook the microphone from its stand at the front of the sage.

"Cause it about ta go down! Aight I know errey pony in da house has been havin a good time so now its time for the main event, the DJ Freestyle! Fillys and Gentlecolts I present to you a new comer out here, but one hack of a talented DJ, the one and the only Immortal Zen!!!" Fly Mic yelled into the microphone at the crowd.

The crowd stomped the ground with there hooves in applause.

"Ok take it away DJ!" Fly Mic said as he hopped off stage.

Now my heart completely sunk to my stomach , and I was about to break out in cold sweat but as they say its now or never.

Here we go.

I started by queuing up the Beat and toggling it so I don't have to hold it down, next the snare, and now for the build up.
I hit the high pitch bass track in a rhythm and ascended the pitch until long enough to begin the dubstep roller coaster ride with the drop. Immediately I hit several low bass pitches and effects for the drop, pressed them in rhythm, and individually in a deep base chorus. The crowd cheered and went wild as they danced and drunk some more. I was starting to feel confident but still on edge that I was still at a balancing act so I played it safe.

Finally after 5 minutes of repeated build ups, drops, and chorus's, I lead the song I mixed to the outro and ended the song with a low bass lead off. The crowd cheered at my audio masterpiece that I made on the fly.

"Aww yeah! That was tight! Yo give it up to my homie right here Immortal Zen!" Mic Fly said as he took my hoof and lifted it in there for victory.

I felt so much relief at that point because I knew the ordeal was over and I wasn't getting bombarded by empty bottles of alcohol.

I stepped off the stage to see Retro Spins smiling like a school filly. "Wow bro ya did it, and let me tell you something. I'm not a big fan of Dubstep, in fact I hate that music, but what you did was amazing! That's actually coming from my critique side, that was impressive" Retro spins said bringing me in for a brohug like the one he gave to Fly Mic. "I will definitely make you the front page story of the magazine."

"Thanks a lot Retro, I appreciate it" I said. At that moment two other ponies wearing tuxedos and wearing ear pieces came up to me and Retro saying "Are you Immortal Zen?"

"Yes" I answered.

"Come with us, please" The two ponies said.

Oh buck! What did I do? Am I in trouble for stealing DJ Vertex's show? Like wise I guess I'm about to find out.

The two ponies lead me away from the party upstairs, to a big wooden double door.

"Enter" they said.

I pushed the doors open where inside I saw what appears to be a lavish bedroom with a fireplace, large screen TV, and a minibar. On the couch was a mature looking stallion with a full beard from his white mane and solid grey fur. Probably white from aging. On both his sides were two beautiful looking mares that cuddled up to him and giggled as he whispered sweet nothings into their ears.

"Oh your here I see. Ladies please leave us. Important business I'm afraid." The stallion said. The accent sounded like he was from Trottingham and was very refined.

"Am I in trouble sir?" I asked shuffling hooves hoping I wasn't right.

"Oh dear no. What makes you think your in trouble? Allow me to introduce myself. My name is William Trottington the third.
I am the organizer of the event that you just par took in, I am also one of the top entrepreneur's of Ponyville and the proud owner of the exclusive Ponyville nightclub "Aura". A pleasure to meet you my boy." William said as he extended a hoof in greeting.

"Starlight Zen." I said as I shook his hoof.

"Oh do sit my boy we have a great deal to discuss indeed." William said.

I took a seat on the couch and wow! This couch felt amazing, probably because I have been standing or walking for most of the night.

"Would you like some tea? I could have one of the mistresses you some if you'd like." William offered.

"Thanks but no thanks I appreciate the offer though." I replied trying to sound as formal and dignitary to not give a bad first impression.

"Ah, very well then on to business, as you know this event was supposed to be for DJ Vertex in order to land a record deal with a Music Label that I am a share holder of. Obviously tonight, instead of taking responsibility, he chose to loiter and ended up...Somewhere. In his place you took charge, and made a smashing show from what I heard. Now I will give you an offer. Sadly a record deal is out of the question because DJ Vertex was well known, well established, and had several sponsors, and years of experience. However what I can give you is a part time position as a DJ at club Aura where you will be trading shifts with DJ-Pon3." William said in monologue until I heard the words DJ-Pon3.

I was doing cartwheels and back flips in my head! I will be working with DJ-Pon3!!!This is the best day of my life!
I continued listen and smile as I figured this is not the time or the place to start jumping around the room in joy.

"The pay is very good and additionally I will sponsor you in any events you may par take in. The rest of the details are in this contract, right here but I assure you that the rest are simply formality such as "workers compensation" and what not." William said levitating the contract in front of me and giving me a pen to sign it.

"I would love, and gladly work at your nightclub, sir." I said as I bit the end of the pen to sign the contract with a signature.

"Smashing my boy! I'am very glad to see you have accepted this offer. Starting tomorrow at 9 PM to 5 AM you will work at Club Aura as a DJ at Monday, Wednesday, and Friday." William said as he rolled the contract and stowed it away.

"Thank you very much for this, sir" I said as I left for the door.

"Your welcome my boy I shall see you soon" William said as I left through the door.

Some times you gotta take a leap of faith in order to make dreams come true, and for that it takes courage. A courage I never thought I had until now.

Authors notes

Not sure if this is allowed so if it isn't I will re edit this and put it as a comment.
This story was inspired by many lonely nights of playing video games involving space.
However while I was "working" in these games I played music, Drum'n bass (My favorite), Dubstep, techno, house, and trance. These helped alleviate the boredom of space and made everything more interesting while I killed time in these games. Then one day I sat at my computer and just told myself I want to make a new story. Because of my obsession with Electronic music I wanted to make a story that depicts a change of heart, a change in self image, and taking leaps of faith to grasp your dreams. So I wrote this and so far i'm looking for any feedback on the story and I will reveal more in these notes as the story progresses. Oh and by the way the story doesn't end here, were only getting started!