beat matching do you or dont you

[willrjmarshall]

I use Traktor to set the BPMs identically, then I use sync to get a loose lock, then my jogs to adjust the phasing so it sounds exactly right.

I suck at beatmatching. I will be teaching myself to do it when my S4 arrives, just so I can, but I don't think it's a particularly important skill and I have known some utterly fantastic DJs who can't beatmatch at all.

[Coldfuzion]

I want bitches.

I decided i'm over reading the entire thread after the 4th page, this is a timeless argument but one thing everyone seems to accept is that beat matching is a great skill to know, and if you DJ, you should know it. Whether or not you use Sync button is up to you.

That's what I gather from all the material I have read in the passed 4 months.

As for myself personally, I use "sync" as I am still learning how to beat match correctly. I'll beat match at home (well try to), but whenever friends are over or anythings going on i'll hit "sync".

[wrong chris]

the only reason i still beatmatch manually is because it's less time consuming than beatgridding all of my music.

that really is the only reason, it's not because i have anything to prove or because i think it's the "real" way to dj. it really is because i'm kind of lazy and at the best of times can't be arsed with the chore-ish side of my music hobbies.

when push comes to shove i'd rather spend that time actually mixing instead of plotting out those stupid fucking grids - if given the choice.

[BradCee]

standard response to this question

been mixing for 10 years (just over now) and think i have deserved the privelege to use the sync button if i use the extra wisely. still do it manually now and again, but only if called for.

an understanding of the concept will always be useful, but let's face it; it's not rocket science... and not not by any means the foundation of djing as you can do a whole set without matching if you wanted and it can still sound good if done 'right'

on subject of gridding

i can do a track in less than 30 secs for the most part, so i don't find it time consuming at all.
but as i set my sync button to 'hold' so it flashes on and sets the bpm, but doesn't lock the grids together, i don't have to be full on with my grids as still use the manual methods to keep things locked

[kooper1980]

I don't think it matters one bit whether you can beat match or not. So long as your clubbers are enjoying the music and the Dj's are enjoying themselves who gives a fuck whether it's beatmatched by a machine or manually? Sounds no different from the dance floor.
I've read someone on another one of these threads say that a kid learning to dj using Traktor may not be able to beatmatch but his beat grids will be tight as fuck!!! I'm new to Traktor so my beat grids are as slack as Lyndsey Lohan!!! good job I can beatmatch!! ;-)

[djproben]

i can do a track in less than 30 secs for the most part, so i don't find it time consuming at all.

Agree... if you can't spend 30 seconds listening to a song first, should you really be playing it in public anyway?

[tyfurious]

I can beat match, and every DJ should know how to. I do use the sync button (for time sake), although I turn the phase meters off. A DJ should be focusing on how it sounds, not how it looks, features like sync help speed up a quick mix, but things like phase meters keep you looking at the screen instead of listening to your headset.

As for Ableton they do it all in preparation, as I do when I press the sync button, I would not consider either to be cheating. O.o