beat matching do you or dont you

[sarasin]

Beat matching is useless. But, while you're learning to do it, you learn phrase matching and track structures (hopefully). If you can learn that on your own, fine. If you don't learn that, it will always be audible in your mixes.

I also don't understand what you're supposedly saving time for. Everyone I've heard use that excuse just doesn't seem to understand anything about what they're doing (Ritchie Hawtin aside) and adds useless garbage to ruin every song they play. Or they do things in a harder way than they have to just to show off what you can do with sync.

I–on the other hand–use sync because it's there. It works fine. I can fix it when it doesn't work. And there's nothing even remotely artistic about sync. It saves trouble.

That being said, if CDJs incorporated key shifting and–now that I've grown to love it–'beats to cue' in a reasonably priced player…I'd switch without hesitating.

LOl...then you not watching DJ's worth anything.....

I know guys on this board....as well as myself.....who play 4 decks...and mix in key some of the time...and can bump between cues and drop samples and FX intelligently....without making it sound SHYTE.

So while i do tend to agree with you that there are MANY out there that sync and leave it there....there are many who do push the envelope...correctly without fucking about.

You just gotta find them.

They are few and far between....mostly still bedroom.

But wait....they will RISE!



I am the only guy i know who plays Psy with a Controller here in SA.
Its not big here....but its getting there.

It will weed out the COP outs...and elevate the envelope pushers...

Junk will fall to the side lines....like it usually does.

[ToOntown]

it depends on your gear, how serious you want to be about DJing, and what kind of events you're playing. if you are a bedroom DJ or you want to DJ some weddings and bar mitzvas with a controller, i wouldn't say it's a necessary skill.

i know how to beatmatch but the way my controller is mapped i don't have a tempo fader so i just use sync. i may never need to beatmatch again but i like knowing that i can do it.

[edit] not knocking bedroom DJs btw... just making the point that if nobody is watching, nobody will know.

[ChrisEPIC]

Yaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwn. Why are people still arguing about this non-issue?

it's just like the turntablist vs controllerist argument

beatmatchers vs sync'rs

the people who've been doing it from the start don't like the idea of completely skipping a major part of being a dj

[djproben]

When I was in school I learned to do math with a pencil and paper. These days I use a calculator. Nevertheless, having learned with pencil and paper means I understand a lot more about what's going on when I need to do math, and I can do it in my head when I need to if a calculator isn't available. Same with beatmatching (which, frankly, is just math -- simple math at that). I learned on turntables and vinyl and have done it that way for years; I can still do it that way when I need to (and often do it just for fun). But pressing sync is like using a calculator - it saves time and energy to concentrate on other things (not just messing with effects, which I try to keep to a minimum, but more basic things like song selection and phrasing).

And by the way if you're using traktor and you're looking at the screen, you're not really beatmatching, not by ear anyway. If you're looking at the phase meter and the BPM value you don't need to use your ears. In fact try beatmatching without even listening to the songs -- you can do it right every time without the sync button and without your ears just by looking at the visual cues. Sync is just another tool that puts it all together for you. If you don't like using it, fine, but it doesn't make you a better DJ or even a better beatmatcher.

[djproben]

I can beatmatch on vinyl or CDJs if i'm spinning house or anything 4/4, but when i'm spinning breaks and DnB i rarely bother with beatmatching, since overlapping rhythm sections sounds horrible most the time, i just make sure everything is phrased correctly and let the tracks do the work.

I use sync, but only for music that i could beatmatch manually, as i don't bother to beatmatch most dnb/breaks i just utilize good selection.

dnb and breaks are almost always 4/4. I really can't think of any tracks that aren't. And they generally sound fine when beatmatched correctly -- sure, you can mess it up if the drum patterns are radically different but it's not a question of different time signatures. When dealing with vinyl where I haven't clocked the BPM I actually find it easier to beatmatch dnb than house sometimes, since the tempo and phrasing of dnb tends to vary a lot less than much house music. I find dnb extremely predictable musically.

[Ciar2001]

weekly sync appreciation, nice.

i tend to walk to work. i like to prove i can put one foot in front of the other. using a car to save time to get to work while talking on the phone is just

NAFF

as you put it?

what does that mean, anyway. not a yank term, im afraid.

this, why on earth people can't use ye olde search function I will never know, as for the question i love sync it makes me feel wonderful, I was beatmatching back in the late 80's and I can still do it now, thankfull i don't have to ;-)

[BennyJ]

I dont see the big deal really. I think the only point turntable vinyl guys can bring up is beatmatching cuz thats all they can say. now a days technology makes digital dj's alot more portable and easy to setup, i just think they need to stop holding on to beatmatching like its some sacred treasure or something. Now ive learned to beat match and beat match all my tracks in. no sync. i do use syne to keep them in time tho. this is after ive got the two tracks working together. I do this cuz i like to do long blends and the sync helps keep them locked together. I only think u should use sync if ur doing stuff like ean golden. even he sometimes doesnt use it.

[Ed Paris]

Can beatmatch but i use the sync buzzer! And i love it!

[fullenglishpint]

no respectable club is going to book someone who can't beatmatch.
its a very basic and imo the most important skill any dj can learn.
many people think that because everything is digital they can just let the computer do all the work.
well, i'll put one question out there.
say your doing a gig, and your software crashes, or your controller breaks, or some form of not being able to use your computer
what are you gonna do?


my answer would be use the club's set up. which is most likely 2 turntables and 2 cdj's
well. how are you gonna mix now, since your so used to the computer doing everything?

i have been a digital dj my whole life.
BUT. i learned all the basics and some advanced techniques to mixing using turntables.
the best and hardest way to learn.

so in short.
yes learn to beatmatch. it will help you out ALOT in the long run.

I see your point chris, and tend to agree that beatmatching is a useful skill to have in your arsenal. However i have to disagree on a couple of points.

Firstly, since a club is equally as likely to book you either on the strength of a mix tape or even your online popularity, i doubt they're going to hand you some vinyl and give you a beatmatching exam first.

Secondly, what are you going to be playing on the club system? Not having to burn and carry around a big book of CDs is part of the advantage of digital DJing. One or two CDs in case of a crash maybe, but it doesn't take that long to restart.

Also, another one of the big advantage of the digital revolution is that it opens up DJing to a wide range of people without the need for an expensive pair of Decks/CDJs and mixer. These days I would go so far as to say that beatmatching by ear is not by any means the first skill you need to learn as a new DJ, more of an additional bonus once you've got the hang of the other basics.

[ChrisEPIC]

I see your point chris, and tend to agree that beatmatching is a useful skill to have in your arsenal. However i have to disagree on a couple of points.

Firstly, since a club is equally as likely to book you either on the strength of a mix tape or even your online popularity, i doubt they're going to hand you some vinyl and give you a beatmatching exam first.

Secondly, what are you going to be playing on the club system? Not having to burn and carry around a big book of CDs is part of the advantage of digital DJing. One or two CDs in case of a crash maybe, but it doesn't take that long to restart.

Also, another one of the big advantage of the digital revolution is that it opens up DJing to a wide range of people without the need for an expensive pair of Decks/CDJs and mixer. These days I would go so far as to say that beatmatching by ear is not by any means the first skill you need to learn as a new DJ, more of an additional bonus once you've got the hang of the other basics.

true, digital djing offers so many possibilities. i just think that people take to much advantage of it.

learning digital doesnt give you the full experience as you would learn on vinyl or cds.

i've seen many people who haver never in their life even touched vinyl but their all digital.

my prefered setup at a club is bringing my laptop and 2 vinyls. all i need. the club has an audio 8 and a very good mixer, as well as turntables.

timecode and play

----
edit: i also always bring cd's with me whenever i go to any show.
digital may have more possibilities but it also has a chance of crashing.
thats why i think people should know how to beatmatch.
if something happens and you need to use the cdj's you have experience