Beatmatching

[Woah]

Hey, I've been practicing for roughly 3 months now and my ears have been properly trained as I know instantly if a track is slower, or faster then the other and I can adjust accordingly.

There's just one thing I can't master AT ALL, and that is KEEPING the beats in sync. I always drop a track, match by headphones and when I put it on it either sounds off or will go off in about 5-10 seconds. ALWAYS.

I've tried riding the pitch, and it goes nice and steady but it just seems like I can't leave it alone for a second or it'll go off again, leaving no space at all to mess around with EQ and effects...

I've spent some nights just generally pissed off because I just couldn't get it right... Surely after 3 months you should be able to match the beats...

Am I doing it the right way? What other techniques are out there? I would apreciate some tips and ways of practise...

Thanks in advance
Woah

[Calum]

its all about practice.
your getting them close but the're not matched

[synthet1c]

seriously there is a thread about beatmatching on the same page...

[Xtian317]

What gear are you using? Do you have the option to adjust the pitch range (%)? You might try a lower setting. This will give you finer control over the pitch adjustment.


If you're having an especially difficult time getting/keeping them matched, don't beat (pun intended) yourself up over it...Some days you just aren't feeling it...With continuous practice, you'll eventually you'll get it.

Props for taking the time to learn to beat match!

[Woah]

I have 2 cdj 200's and a djm 400, I like it better mixing while beatmatching then using traktor and sync. Gives me more satisfaction when it actually works out haha. But yeah keeping them beatmatched is so hard!

[RobotNinja]

Just keep practicing man, you'll only get better.

In the meantime for gigs/partys and such, don't try to play two songs simultaneously, just get them in sync long enough (Say 4+ bars) to mix in the new track during the first tracks outtro.

Once you master it, then you can get wierd with remixing two tracks together.

[dj matt blaze]

Beatmatching 101

1. Track A is playing at 128 BPM

2. Track B is 129 BPM

3. Bring Track B's tempo to 128 BPM. There are several ways to do this. Move the pitch fader -1 BPM on a TT or look at your BPM display and make it 128 BPM. If you think thats cheating, get over it, the BPM counter is a tool, use it to your advantage.

4. Listen to Track B in your headphones and match "the beats" so the first beat of Track B comes in on the first beat at the beginning of a phrase on Track A. A phrase is 2 bars long or 8 beats. If you come in at the middle of the phrase which in essence is the first beat of the 2nd bar but the 5th beat of the phrase, you may be technically beatmatched and in sync BUT its not going to sound right, it will sound off because the phrasing is not matched.

This is basic beatmatching. You can change the tempo of either track or both tracks until the tempos are matched and then line up the beats accordingly. When using vinyl if you wanted to match a 120bpm record and a 124 bpm record you had to speed up the 120 to 122 and bring down the 124 to 122, then once you beatmatched and came out of the mix you slowly brought the tempo back to 124. You had to do this without keylock because of pitch and the record sounding like a chipmunk when sped up or dragging when slowed down.

In todays world, you can match a 120bpm with a 130bpm because of keylock. This was unheard of and impossible to do with vinyl. Keylock has opened up a whole new world of combinations for mixing, mashups, etc.

If your tracks are getting that off after 5-10 sec. the tempos aren't matched. You may be as much as 1 bpm off, so there is a point where it will sound good and then it starts getting sloppy. In that case you have use your jog wheel to speed up or slow down 1 of the tracks to keep it matched while adjusting your pitch fader.

[shr3dder]

Practice, Practice, Practice. It probably took me 6+ months to get it perfect and to be honest the jogs on the CDJ200s gimme the shits A LOT, so your not alone there.

[Xtian317]

With CDJ200s (and the afore mentioned craptastic jogs), you may find it easier to ride that pitch like a mofo.

[Woah]

Yeah I have noticed riding the pitch is much easier then trying to sync them... But had a good day today I notice I was maybe going a bit too fast before and I could sync songs pretty well after a minute or two of matching them... yay