Beatgridding Acapellas In Traktor

[Shaky]

I am new to the forum, so firstly, hi to everyone.

I have a problem trying to beatgrid acapellas in Traktor. I can beatgrid normal tracks just fine, but I just can't seem to get the hang of beatgridding acapellas.

I have watched Ean's video on this topic and also tried to searching round the net for other advice or ways to do this.

The acapella that I have been trying to beatgrid is Crystal Waters - Gypsy Woman. I have both the original and the acapella and have tried to match the bpm etc from that but it still doesn't sit right. It starts off in time and then after a couple of words drifts quite dramatically.

Is there something I'm missing here?

I really want to start being able to drop sync'd acapellas using the third deck TSP1, but this is preventing me from doing so and is really starting to bug me.

Any help greatly received.


Shaky

[Ed Paris]

if you want them to be perfectly in sync to only way to achieve this goal is to warp those acapellas in ableton.

[elio_xh]

if you want them to be perfectly in sync to only way to achieve this goal is to warp those acapellas in ableton.

agreed. For some songs, it feels impossible to do it in Traktor. This is the video I used to learn how to do it in Ableton

[Shaky]

Thanks elio_hx. I'll give that look.

One thing that has just ocurred to me. Does it matter where the first beatgrid is? Obviously if you are beatgridding a tune it has to be on the first beat, but is this also the case for acapellas?

If the vocal doesn't start exactly on a beat on the original tune does this mean that the beatgrid on the accapella has to be in the same place as the original?

Another one I am busting my balls with is Baby D - Let Me Be Your Fantasy.

Come to think of it the only accapella so far that I have managed to beatgrid is Wink - Don't Laugh.

[elio_xh]

It doesn't matter, but if you have the first grid marker after the beginning of the audio you might run into some problems. I don't know if it's different in 2.5 but in 2.1, if you have sync on and try to play audio before the first grid marker, it automatically jumps forward. For example I was using Beastie Boys- Intergalactic, and there's a little part I wanted before the first downbeat, but it always jumped if I tried to play it before the downbeat in the other deck. The solution for me is to grid the grad, not worrying where the grid falls, and then there's a button in traktor to move the grid back by beats, so just do that to make sure the entire song is in the grid.

For your second question, I'd do it in ableton and just make sure the tracks align, but when you go to render the track don't shift the acapella to the beginning, leave the empty space before the vocals, it just makes it easier in traktor, because everything will align. Then just place a hot cue.

[Shaky]

Nice one. Thanks elio_xh. I'll give that all a go, but I've never really used Ableton before.

My betting is that I'm still going to struggle as this seems to be going a little over my head.

You wouldn't know of somewhere you could purchase beatgridded acapellas?

[Shaky]

Just tried to give it a go in ableton using the video above. Its so confusing!!!

Dont think im ever going to be able to beatgrid acapellas.

I even tried using this video.



I thought that would be the solution, however, that Crystal Waters tune is still not having any of it. Have tried a number of other acapellas and im still struggling.

Anyone got any other ideas??