Just played a houseparty this past Saturday / Thoughts on Autosync
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
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”.
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.
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.
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.
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?
I try to avoid using a mouse at all costs. Not cause I care what the crowd thinks, I just hate using it. I’d rather use my keyboard.
People look at me strange anyway just cause of what I do when I DJ. Hell, I’ve broken a crossfader clean out of a mixer, I’m almost knocked an entire rig off of a table… I’ve been dancing so hard I’ve fallen, banged my head against walls, etc.
But, the mouse is just so restrictive. I can’t bang on it, I can’t move in any sort of fast and furious manner, I’m just stuck moving my fingers real slow like. It’s one thing when I’m building or killing an effect/level, but the mouse just drives me insane.
And who’s gonna give you a weird look? The tools that think they can do it better?
BTW: congrats on the gig, miyuru. If they don’t care you’re sync’ing, why should you?
Syncing will definitely be your friend in the end. When you are starting to get drunk, you are busy mashing and tearing, when you just notice that the bass and snare are all messed up… there will be that little cute button. Saving you ass one delirious moment at a time.
See, I haven’t been doing this that long and even I remember, when rip roaring wasted, needing to figure out why it sucked so bad and fixing it. Sometimes it ended well… others… notsomuch
Your job is to rock the party… which you did do and thats what matters at the end of the day, and if people could actually identify and enjoyed your effects signature then your doing even better.
Thanks for all the comments It really was extraordinary - I mean, I’ve been to many gigs myself (as part of the audience), but to see a crowd go THAT wild was intense, especially with me as the DJ. It got to the point where I could play anything without even mixing it and the kids would’ve danced! Haha it felt good to earn the crowd’s trust like that.
In regards to using a mouse to DJ, I’d rather not in terms of controlling an actual parameter etc. I still use my mouse though to browse through tracks and so forth (I can’t browse on my VCI because I changed the .tks to let me beatjump with the navigation buttons).
the few times i have performed for a “crowd” on my vci, i beatmatched with the pitch fader most of the time - except, when i occassionally tried getting more creative than just blends and cuts.. even then, i have the digital crutch of having the tempo in the corner of the deck.
I guess i was trying to show them that i could beatmatch (becuz i was amongst a die-hard-vinyl crowd - i wonder if they noticed i didnt have to bump the platter), while at the same time trying to gain acceptance for my new toy(the beat juggle feature seemed to be a hit - now if only i could master that third deck((that could be a new tutorial - examples of 3 deck mixing)).
If i were more established as a dj, i would probably feel less pressure to gain acceptance like that. Until then, ill beatmatch if i dont have anything better goin on.
I’m in the same boat miyuru; had my first proper house party gig last Friday and it was pumpin. Though I ended up switching to CDJs because half a dozen DJs were invited and the guy with the most gear (and biggest head) took up all the table space so I had to pack the VCI up. Luckily he just wanted to get pissed so myself and 2 other dudes were doing rotations on the CDJs all night and keepin’ the party going. Best buzz ever!
As for the synching, I actually experienced bouts of having nothing to do if I managed to beatmatch quickly between mixes (those long hours of practise on the VCI are paying off!) so once I start looking into beatjumping etc. properly I imagine that beatmatching will be the least of my creative concerns.
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.
So I’d take credit either way