Beat-matching WTFQQ!

**Coldfuzion** · 11-17-2010, 12:15 PM

Hey Guys,

First of all let me just apologize in advance. I am functioning on 0 sleep right now, so if the contents of this post make no sense, please excuse me - however I believe it will make sense. :eek:

So I am new to the world of DJ'ing (it is a pretty amazing world I must say) and have been reading all I can, watching all the videos I can, and I picked up Eans S4 video from the DJTT store (WOOHOO GO DJTT!). Yet I simply cannot find a video that will help me work on my beat matching with hip hop.

I have browsed through the forums and have about 6 - 7 different YouTube videos and the selection from Traktor Bible about beat-matching, but it all seems to be for like techno/electro music and stuff. It's not difficult to beat match beats that are already near each other BPM wise, but when you're playing around with a genre like hip hop or something - what do I do then? Where should I start? Where should I go?

So far I have done these things:YouTube'd Videos (Like 6 - 7 of them) on Beat Matching
Purchased Ean Goldens Traktor S4 DVD (I can easily Beat Match like his examples, just not with my genre - epic failure - i know

)
Done it by ear (which usually comes out fine, I just wish I knew it was 100% spot on and was pro!)

**I'm gunna wait for someone to tell me im a dummy before picking up DJing for dummies

.

Thanks again for your continuous help DJTT!
Coldfuzion

**Dustin V** · 11-17-2010, 12:25 PM

Sorry dude, I would love to give you some tips, but Hip Hop isnt my speciaity.

**djchriswoods.co.uk** · 11-17-2010, 12:34 PM

not my speciality either, but i have been known to dabble...

start with two copies of the same track, to get your cueing right. then cover the display (if ur using cdj's) and change the pitch on one deck. try to match them, then when your feeling ok about it, pick a different track and try that.

what i would point out is hiphop can range from say 70 to 125 bpm so make sure ur tracks are close enough to each other, say within 5 or 6bpm

AND, be prepared for it to take a while, it wont happen over night, easy a good 3 months at it solid to get it perfect

**mostapha** · 11-17-2010, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Coldfuzion

Done it by ear (which usually comes out fine, I just wish I knew it was 100% spot on and was pro!)

Does this imply that you can do it and you're just wondering how to check and see if you're actually right?

Well…no. The idea is that as a DJ you've listened to it enough that your ears are probably better than anyone listening to you. If it sounds right to you, it probably is.

If the question is how to arrange your sets so you're not trying to mix 80bpm into 120bpm…umm…that's programming…and it's harder than beat matching. It's also what separates a DJ from someone who's learned how to use a pitch adjustment.

In general–though this is often wrong for hip hop–you want to start out slow, peak towards (but not at) the end of your set, and then slow down some as the night/set winds down. Though it's not a hard-and-fast rule.

Also…it's hip hop. Transitions are short and people tend to expect some scratching. If you need to change tempos drastically, don't beat match. Scratch it in, hard cut over, and you're done. Just don't do it all the time. It's jarring, but if you use it to go from 85 to 95 or 100 and drop an awesome track that fits your floor's mood…it works.

Also…use Key Lock and don't be afraid to change tempo (gradually) while a track is playing. Doing that to a relatively short, repetitive vocal (think something like the repeated "onto the next one" in the Jay Z track or "go go go go" over and over again in Loupe Fisaco's Gadget Flow) in a loop…sped up from 90ish to 100 ish over 4-8 bars…then baby scratch and cut to something with a really hard-hitting bass line and picks up with high-energy vocals about 4 bars later…in a song that plays at about 100. It works. It drives the energy up. And if you do it right, it sounds good. It also works backwards if you've got a nice, laid-back groove you want to ride at the end of it.

It's all about figuring out where you want to go and how to get there.

Also, please forgive my knowledge of hip hop. My taste lags pretty severely because I don't go to hip hop clubs and only get new music when one specific friend is in town…they're just the first 2 songs I thought of that would work like that.

**Nicky H** · 11-17-2010, 02:42 PM

Beatmatching hip-hop is just the same as beat matching anything else.

If the tempo's are miles apart it will sound crap.

Get your grids sorted, don't jump too far in tempo and you'll be fine dood.

**Coldfuzion** · 11-17-2010, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by mostapha

Does this imply that you can do it and you're just wondering how to check and see if you're actually right?

Well…no. The idea is that as a DJ you've listened to it enough that your ears are probably better than anyone listening to you. If it sounds right to you, it probably is.

If the question is how to arrange your sets so you're not trying to mix 80bpm into 120bpm…umm…that's programming…and it's harder than beat matching. It's also what separates a DJ from someone who's learned how to use a pitch adjustment.

In general–though this is often wrong for hip hop–you want to start out slow, peak towards (but not at) the end of your set, and then slow down some as the night/set winds down. Though it's not a hard-and-fast rule.

Also…it's hip hop. Transitions are short and people tend to expect some scratching. If you need to change tempos drastically, don't beat match. Scratch it in, hard cut over, and you're done. Just don't do it all the time. It's jarring, but if you use it to go from 85 to 95 or 100 and drop an awesome track that fits your floor's mood…it works.

Also…use Key Lock and don't be afraid to change tempo (gradually) while a track is playing. Doing that to a relatively short, repetitive vocal (think something like the repeated "onto the next one" in the Jay Z track or "go go go go" over and over again in Loupe Fisaco's Gadget Flow) in a loop…sped up from 90ish to 100 ish over 4-8 bars…then baby scratch and cut to something with a really hard-hitting bass line and picks up with high-energy vocals about 4 bars later…in a song that plays at about 100. It works. It drives the energy up. And if you do it right, it sounds good. It also works backwards if you've got a nice, laid-back groove you want to ride at the end of it.

It's all about figuring out where you want to go and how to get there.

Also, please forgive my knowledge of hip hop. My taste lags pretty severely because I don't go to hip hop clubs and only get new music when one specific friend is in town…they're just the first 2 songs I thought of that would work like that.

I have no idea what I meant by that either. I cannot accurately beat match hip hop. I've been using those 5 techniques Ean posted up a while ago. I have been practicing just fading one beat in and the other out while dumping the new songs base and then putting it back up. I've basically just been making the old songs bass match up with the new one and fading it. THen the other one I use is the scratching, put it on a loop, scratch it in to the new song thats already queue'd and then let it go.

Nicky - It's so different though! Maybe i'm just not too bright, but I believe that it is easier to match like 127 with 127, instead of 80 with 127! Unless i've been doing it all wrong.

Thank you ALL though for your input <3.

**completej** · 11-17-2010, 08:49 PM

what he meant was

beat matching hip-hip is like beat matching any other genre

if i have 50 cent - they burned me (84 bpm) and drake - like i found you (84 bpm), there is absolutely no difference beatmatching those to fake blood - fix your accent (129 bpm) and erol alkan & boys noize - avalanche (129 bpm).

regardless of genre, they are near identical bpms.

you can find a slow progressive house song at 85 bpm (sasha) and 128 bpm (tiesto) the same way you can find 85 bpm (dre) and cee-lo (128).

first, learn how to do it with similar bpms. then, practice.

that really should have been the only answer in this thread - practice.

once you know your gear, and you know your music, you will learn the shortcuts on how to match.

maybe its grabbing the last 16 beats on an outra of a hiphop song A at 85 bpm, then loop it. let it loop for 1 minute, 5 minutes, who cares. then grab the intro 16 beats on hiphop song B at 128 bpm. loop it, let it loop. now slowly bring up the tempo of hiphop song A, and keep bringing it up until the beats are syncopated with hiphop song B.

once you learn where you are, where you need to go, practice how to get there and all will be good.

**Coldfuzion** · 11-17-2010, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by completej

what he meant was

beat matching hip-hip is like beat matching any other genre

if i have 50 cent - they burned me (84 bpm) and drake - like i found you (84 bpm), there is absolutely no difference beatmatching those to fake blood - fix your accent (129 bpm) and erol alkan & boys noize - avalanche (129 bpm).

regardless of genre, they are near identical bpms.

you can find a slow progressive house song at 85 bpm (sasha) and 128 bpm (tiesto) the same way you can find 85 bpm (dre) and cee-lo (128).

first, learn how to do it with similar bpms. then, practice.

that really should have been the only answer in this thread - practice.

once you know your gear, and you know your music, you will learn the shortcuts on how to match.

maybe its grabbing the last 16 beats on an outra of a hiphop song A at 85 bpm, then loop it. let it loop for 1 minute, 5 minutes, who cares. then grab the intro 16 beats on hiphop song B at 128 bpm. loop it, let it loop. now slowly bring up the tempo of hiphop song A, and keep bringing it up until the beats are syncopated with hiphop song B.

once you learn where you are, where you need to go, practice how to get there and all will be good.

Will do sir

. You bring up a good point. Gonna continue to practice, practice, practice, and practice till it sounds good I guess

.

Ty!