Who learned to mix on controllers?

[Dj Havik]

I started without a controller I starte with virtual DJ and then I got a controller, I reckon that's the best place to start

[rgtb]

Fixed

^^^ yeah, fair enough

[Jack Bastard]

i am a little stunned that so many DJTTers consider manual beatmatching an important skill. tbh, i think it has to do more with credibility in the DJ booth than with technical necessity.

I'll ask the same question I ask every time this comes up - If you can't beatmatch how can you mix into the preceding dj's set or go back to back with another dj?

You literally can't, and you end up looking like the amateur that you clearly are. Beatmatching for a gigging dj is still an important skill.

[rgtb]

Why? People need get their basics right before moving on to something more complex. It will not only help them in case something goes wrong but train their ears to know when something is starting to go wrong and fix it.

You can see if a beat grid is not perfectly aligned. And I would argue you don't need to be able to manually beatmatch to *hear* if something goes wrong. Analogy: I need not be able to play piano in order to recognize that a piano player is hitting a wrong note.

I do acknowledge your principal point: being able to manually beatmatch gives you some extra flexibility. The question is, though, how often you need that. I would argue: as long as you stick to laptops & look after your collection, almost never. Technology has advanced so much!

[padi_04]

I'm talking about a slightly phased kick, not a trainwreck.

+1 on what JackBastard said and i'd like to add whenever you are doing a b2b set.

[rgtb]

I'll ask the same question I ask every time this comes up - If you can't beatmatch how can you mix into the preceding dj's set or go back to back with another dj?

You literally can't, and you end up looking like the amateur that you clearly are. Beatmatching for a gigging dj is still an important skill.

Often you can just cut as your first track is a beatless intro anyway (or the previous DJ's track has a beatless outro). Often, when I start a set, I wanna slow down the tempo a bit anyway. Therefore, a beatmatched transition is not an option and I rely on another technique (like the turntable brake, an effect, etc.)

btw, i am capable of beatmatching (idk if this has relevance to the discussion, though)

+1 on what JackBastard said and i'd like to add whenever you are doing a b2b set.

good point, although i have seen it several times that people used midi sync instead.

I'm talking about a slightly phased kick, not a trainwreck.

if you read my previous posts i differentiated between matching tempos and matching phase. i do agree that phase matching still is a required skill. although technology is improving constantly and soon we might not requiring phase matching anymore, either.

[Jack Bastard]

Often you can just cut as your first track is a beatless intro anyway (or the previous DJ's track has a beatless outro). Often, when I start a set, I wanna slow down the tempo a bit anyway. Therefore, a beatmatched transition is not an option and I rely on another technique (like the turntable brake, an effect, etc.)

So you would break the flow of the night and lose any energy on the dancefloor just because you can't mix?



Sure there are times where what you've described would be appropriate, but there are far, far more times where it is not.

[padi_04]

You can't midi sync to a turntable or cdj1000, not everyone uses a computer.

[rgtb]

So you would break the flow of the night and lose any energy on the dancefloor just because you can't mix?

i think you're blowing this issue totally out of proportion. sure, a new DJ can break the flow of the night, even empty the floor and make people leave. but i've never identified the fact that the next DJ didn't perfectly beatmatch his first track as the cause of it.

You can't midi sync to a turntable or cdj1000, not everyone uses a computer.

but people do b2b sets with their friends. if you're a digital DJ, chances are your friends are too. i've seen many pingpong sets (and played a few myself) and it's been pretty rare to see the two DJs using different technologies. typically, both spin vinyl, both spin cdjs, or both use laptops synced via midi clock. my 2c.

[padi_04]

Most of the b2b sets I did were arranged by the promoter. I wouldn't consider it rare, but if that is the case, people should be profesional and be ready for it.