Yet Another Beatmatching question.

[Lilac]

Hey guys, I've been learning to beatmatch by ear (Woo!)

I'm just wondering how long it should take you to beatmatch two tracks? I know the answer is as short as possible but right now, I can match them in about 8 bars. How long does it take you to beatmatch?

Thanks so much guys and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS! =D

[J5k]

It all depends on the mix you have in mind. The shorter the mix, the less accurate you have to be. If you're planning on slamming the fader over on the one, then you can afford to be a little bit off (tempo wise, timing is everything here). If you're going to let them ride for 2 minutes you need to really have them locked. For me the only way to know they're locked is to actually listen for a good few bars and see if they drift. That being said, the next important skill is learning to correct them being off while both are live before anyone else notices while keeping your corrections unnoticeable.

[Lilac]

So it's not just something that you do at the beginning of a song but you have to constantly check that they're still beatmatched. Gotcha. If I think I'm in sync but Traktor says I'm off halfway throughout a song, who do I trust? I'm trying to get a hold of the basics but people here have said that Traktor can be spectacularly wrong.

[haze324]

Traktor does not know if your songs are "beatmatched" all it knows if your grid lines are lined up. If your grids are off, your beatmatching is off or incorrect. Trust your ears.

[Lilac]

Gotcha. So would you say that it's best to Beatgird your songs. Then beatmatch by ear and check that you're right?

[kramerbuccs24]

So it's not just something that you do at the beginning of a song but you have to constantly check that they're still beatmatched. Gotcha. If I think I'm in sync but Traktor says I'm off halfway throughout a song, who do I trust? I'm trying to get a hold of the basics but people here have said that Traktor can be spectacularly wrong.

Search for information or tutorials on how to beatgrid your tracks. If something sounds perfect and Traktor tells you otherwise, your beatgrid is most likely off. Traktor automatically assigns a beatgrid to each track as you import it but is off occasionally.

Trust your ear... then adjust Traktor accordingly so you have visual reference for the future and so the sync functions work flawlessly.

[Lilac]

Are there songs that have the BMP fluctuate rather than say at a fixed number?

If so, does Traktor move the beatgrid with it or do you have to go completely by ear?

[PeteWoods]

most EDM is of a fixed BPM, not an awful lot will fluctuate. I personally have to correct all my beatgrids, due to traktor not liking hardcore very much, though usually it just nudging, not BPM changes. trust your ears man, and if you wanna learn to beatmatch, turn off the phase meter and bpm readout!

[buddha131]

Look man, in my opinion, you can take as long as the track before it takes.

[bumtsch]

1-Depends on the transition time.
2-Get it as right as you can in whatever time you have left before the point of no return..
3-...then learn how to ride the pitch and fix it live as seamlessly as you can.
4-Trust your ears above everything.
5-If you want Traktor's help, then beatgrid your tracks precisely.
5a some sloppiness allowed when you are competent with 2,3,4.
5b you can't always get a perfect beatgrid all the way through a track. Maybe the track is a recording of an analogue setup with slight variations in tempo and it's not going to line up perfectly all the time, but be close enough.
Maybe it's a vinyl rip, these will always have some drift.
Maybe there have been edits and a few missing frames of audio throw it slightly off. Maybe the tempo actually fluctuates ("Size 9 - Are you ready?" or "Lil'Louis-French Kiss"). If different parts have different bpms... you're on your own. If it speeds up back to the previous speed, set another beatmarker when it's cool again.
Maybe it's all of the above.

So if at one point Traktor is saying "nuh-huh" (beatgrid not lined up with the waveform, phasemeter way off) and it sounds right, just use the force and make sure you don't sync then - unless you want to practice coming back from a trainwreck.