We discuss the use of two alternative basis sets to carry out practical linear response calculations for systems containing transition metal and first row atoms, which exhibit poor convergence in plane-wave based methods. The first approach uses augmented plane-waves as in the LAPW method, and the second uses a new mixed basis method. The relative merits and disadvantages of these are considered. We also discuss the newly introduced projector basis technique that permits Car-Parrinello scaling for the computational workload for both of these methods.