I want to start DJIng. Right now I am using ableton to produce and I comfortable in that. Now I am looking to try new fields.
I’ve read a lot of DJ interview, and watched. I’ve read forums, seen comments and heard people talk. Now I am conflicted.
Should I learn to beatmatch before I start using sync?
Do I learn the art of basic 2 deck mixing before I move to 4 deck looping? I already know how to mix tracks, key, timing, etc. But should I master 2 deck beatmatching? Or jump in to 4 deck looping?
Umm, two deck mixing isnt all that simple, you can make it simple but it can also be complex. I learn how to beatmatch after i had learn how to beat grid and press sync, it all depends on if you like to mix on the fly or prepare you tracks an mixes.
IMO I think learning to beat match etc important when starting. Too many people jump into mixing playing without learning this basic step. It helps with your timing and helps grow your ear. That way effects, cuts, cueing in tracks, and other things are done cleanly.
Also if you run into an instance where you software, laptop, controller isn’t working, you don’t feel SOL. Beat matching isn’t everything, by any means, but it can destroy a set and make you look terrible if you don’t know how to well. Where as mixing, effects, looping decks, samples, is more a supplementary to a set to enhance it.
Don’t learn to beatmatch before you start using sync. And don’t sync before you learn how to beatmatch. DO BOTH. Sync is a helpful tool for learning what two songs should sound like while beatmatched, but it only_works if you have proper beatgrids set. Don’t pigeonhole yourself into only being able to DJ using sync, because if your beatgrids are off or you’re not using Traktor/Ableton/VDJ/whatever, you’re screwed. Also, beatmatching can be fun believe it or not.
Absolutely learn 2 deck mixing before 4 deck looping. Focusing on two decks will let you learn what music actually works together instead of just throwing everything in at once. Less is more. Four deck looping (like say Richie Hawtin) is a more production-like style of DJing, and will come to you much better after you get the hang of doing it with two.
Beatmatching? whuts this? lol
I actually have a good ear on BPMs to where I can guess the bpm of trance and get pretty close. But thats also from several years of listening to it.
First step I took back then was (on turntables) to get the same record twice and try to beatmatch that. First at 0% (which is basically a no-brainer if you’re not deaf), then at varying random speeds. You could do the same thing with whatever medium you chooose. Beware though that it is tempting to be able to look at a CDJs BPM display or Traktor’s sync thingy.
The sync function might indeed help you by hearing how it should sound, but as keeb said, that only works with proper beatgrids.
I always recommend learning manual beatmatching, even if you never plan to use it later on.
The best thing about learning to beat match is that is really forces you to focus on the basics and forces you to learn to really listen to your music. It helps you develop an ear for it that I feel a lot of DJs these days don’t develop since they are too busy being distracted by effects!
By all means, don’t stick with it if you don’t want to but it’s worth doing, if only to expand your ability as a DJ (and for a bit of fun!)
REAL DJS BEAT MATCH. omg HATERS DONT LIKE SYNC WELL I WAS LIKE CAN YOU DO THIS AND THEN I BEATMASHED WITH MY APC80 AND LOL IN THERE FACE AND KISS THEIR GIRLFRIEND
you might aswell learn to do both, with sync a few tracks dont match anyways even if they seem to be gridded perfect thats when turning off sync and using a tempo nudge comes in handy but this is simple as hell to be fair
This is so true,since I’ve started to play around with traktor a lot I find a lot of transitions don’t sound right with out a little nudge no matter how good the beat grids are.
Beatmatching is a learning curve and in the days of vinyl it meant djs had no choice to learn to walk before learning how to run.
If you’re an actual dj with actual gigs then you’re going to have to beatmatch into the set of the person before you unless you don’t mind looking like a tit. It’s one of the essential but easy to learn skills that a dj should have mastered before playing gigs anywhere.
Yeah I think it depends a lot on the genre, the type of night and whether you have someone with a microphone to pay respect to the previous DJ and give you a short introduction.
Putting your ego aside for a moment though this isn’t always possible or desirable, and I’m sure that if it wasn’t you’d be more than capable of mixing into the last djs set innit.
Honestly I think it’s more about rallying up the crowd and cheering for the previous DJ.
Besides at the nights I go to no one plays the same style one after each other so it’d be largely pointless to mix them together. A continuous mix with a sudden unexplained style switch is more jarring than explained stop with an intro and such.
Yeah, like I said, that isn’t always possible or desirable - for example most house and techno nights would do it continously.
Anyway, the point is that basically if you can’t mix manually, you aren’t really a dj. Even if you don’t use the skill there’s really no excuse for not acquiring it. It’s a fucking doddle.
