Just played a houseparty this past Saturday / Thoughts on Autosync

[miyuru]

And wow did it go well!

Once enough people got there and some people decided to dance, I *really* started the party with some heavy hitters and people were hooked from then on. The crowd, albeit a little small (about 15 people) were all going very hard, jumping and singing and all around raving about how great of a night they were having.

ANYWAY, when I started the night I was beatmatching all my tracks on my VCI (using Traktor). But once things really got going, I decided to just auto-sync everything. I've come to the following conclusion:

For the most part, I could have done everything I did that night without autosync, apart from some sequences that called for mixing tracks in one after another with almost no time to beatmatch (I'm not that good yet). Those sequences would have been better off using something like Ableton to be honest :P

I've decided that, I don't care about beatmatching when playing for a crowd. I'd rather just rock the crowd, right?

I can beatmatch and I know that and I'm the only person that needs to know that. I've learned a LOT in regards to song structure and DJ'ing in general by learning to beatmatch, but now that we can autosync most tunes (esp. if we beat-grid them), what's the point in actually doing it?

After the party I was talking to some people who were especially impressed, and felt that the mixing was on point and felt more like live remixing than plain ol' mixing. It definitely was at some points through the use of cue points.

Anyway, I don't know what I'm trying to say really. I just feel like a lot of people gave me way more credit than I deserve because I was auto-sync'ing everything, despite explicitly admitting to doing it. Then again, if I learned to use Ableton and did the same thing I don't think I'd feel so "guilty".

Thoughts?

[steveboyett]

For my money beatmatching is one of the most overrated necessities of the craft. Sure, it's important to be able to do it, but it's not what it's about. From the number of DJs out there, clearly beatmatching really ain't all that hard to learn. From the number of *lousy* DJs out there, clearly there's more involved than good beatmatching. To me it's akin to saying you're a lousy driver if you use a stick shift, you're a lousy writer if you use a word processor, you're a lousy word-processing writer if you use spell check. Take that argument back far enough and anything you don't grow, carve, crank, or forge yourself is a cheat.

If a digital DJ doesn't want to use autosynch, that's fine. But if a digital DJ wants to feel superior because he doesn't, I feel as if someone in a car is bragging that he doesn't use power steering.

[JesC]

Hey dont trip about the autosync. I use it, well I tap it twice just to get the BPM close and then I fine tune it. Keep this is mind, as long as you sounds good dj'ing and your getting props by people at the party...Dont Worry About It!

[obsidiance]

i carved my car out of wood and i dont use power steering so im pretty damn good.








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ps good work on the house party man!

[tekki]

LoLz @wooden car!

[miyuru]

Hey dont trip about the autosync. I use it, well I tap it twice just to get the BPM close and then I fine tune it. Keep this is mind, as long as you sounds good dj'ing and your getting props by people at the party...Dont Worry About It!

Yeah, that's exactly what I do! I hate when I leave it on, it can completely ruin your mix :S

Anyway thanks for the encouragement Beatmatching is fun...at home. While DJ'ing, I had WAY more fun just getting the next tracks in order and rocking out with the crowd! I think that makes a huge difference.

I wish I had pics to show you guys, maybe some will surface.

[djxsquizet]

screw you guys you all cheat i use 2 8-tracks now what....

lol

but good job on that...I don't care what other dj's say about me I am gonna rock ableton even if i did just buy tables. I love using it, its so versatile.

[obsidiance]

xsquizet you can give the tables to me please!

[djxsquizet]

ummm no I said i was gonna rock ableton but i am gonna still gonna use the tables bro lol.

ebay my friend lol

[Fatlimey]

I just feel like a lot of people gave me way more credit than I deserve because I was auto-sync'ing everything, despite explicitly admitting to doing it. Then again, if I learned to use Ableton and did the same thing I don't think I'd feel so "guilty".

It's about the sound you produce, not *how* you make the sound.

When you understand that big name DJs like Sasha, Armin Van Buuren and Coldcut use Live to DJ with, and these people can only be launching beatmatched clips the same way the rest of us are, you see that the purists are fighting a losing battle.

There will be no revolution in vinyl in the near future. There already is a revolution in Digital DJing and Controllerism. Relax and enjoy yourself! You made the crowd jump, you had fun, you brought some joy into people's lives so who cares how "pure" your mixing was?

You rocked!