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Been trying to dj, but still can match the beats!
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Djones
IsraTrance Senior Member
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267
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1766
Posted : Nov 21, 2006 18:40
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Bought a set of CDJ-100 and 200's and a reasonable mixer.
Now I thought I be mixing the tracks within a couple of hours.
But so far nothing, I mean nothing of my expectations came out!
Every day I'm giving it a shot, but it just drives me nuts that I can't match 2 beats.
After 20 minutes I'm so tired of that I get lazy again and do something else.
I've come down from Fullon to medium Progressive to make it easier, but even Progressive seems to hard to handle for me.
I totally have no feel for the jogwheel on the CD players.
Is there any tips you could give me to get me goin?
Thanks in advance.
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UnderTow
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
1448
Posted : Nov 21, 2006 18:46
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Well how are you trying to match the beats at the moment? Give a detailed and full description of what you are doing and we can probably help you out. 
UnderTow |
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Alex Roudos
IsraTrance Junior Member
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33
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411
Posted : Nov 21, 2006 19:11
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Now I thought I be mixing the tracks within a couple of hours.
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Djones not even the best DJs ever, when they started djing managed to mix the tracks in a couple of hours.
Because everyone these days claims to be a dj, it doesn't mean it's easy. Quite the opposite i'd say.
Beat matching the tracks, is not very difficult but it's not also easy, from a technical point of view. All you need is practicing, and depending on your talent on this maybe you'd need less time than others.
Generally and from my personal experience i can say that you can have some descent results if you practice at least 2-3 hours a day for at least 3-6 months. I hope it will be less for you as you seem quite anxious, but remember that it's something new to learn and everything new needs time and patience.
Have also in mind, that mixing great at your own equipment at your own place, has nothing to do with the real thing, if of course you plan to dj in public. There the pressure is huge(at least the first time) even if the place is empty. Another thing also is the different equipment every bar/club uses, which means that you must have the ability to adjust very fast on how the different equipment functions, and that comes with time and experience.
Imho, what makes any dj a really good dj has nothing to do with the technical skills. These will be achieved one day. But one thing that can't be achieved is the musical education background, meaning how much you know about the music you are playing or any other style, and how you can combine this knowledge to come up with the best real time dj set and selections when there's the pressure of time and audience. I'm not talking about pre-configured dj sets here.
And always remember if you ever dj in public : Look always at the audience. You don't play for yourself, you play for your audience. Communicate with it. If they are not satisfied it will show on their faces and in the way they dance(if they dance or how). This is the moment that will determine if you are a good dj. At this moment you will have to scan your music and make instant decisions on what to play next and get the audience up. And this is the most difficult part of being a dj.
For me a good dj is the dj who manipulates the audience and not the mixer and the faders.
And a tip for your mixing. Don't try to mix on the kick as it is a lot harder(due to the low freq of the sound)to spin it exactly with the other kick and focus on both kicks if they are matched. Instead try to mix on the snare sound. It's high freq, easier to distinguish and focus on. And if they are not matched the difference is audible immediately.
Hope it helped.
 A friend told me once that the biggest mistake we make is that we believe we live, when in reality we are sleeping in the waiting room of life. |
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Braindrop
Braindrop
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140
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1730
Posted : Nov 21, 2006 20:20
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good tip alex!!! ... my 2 cents.... just keep practicing...!!
BOOM!
www.braindrop.in |
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Dharma Lab
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
342
Posted : Nov 21, 2006 20:26
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Yep, it takes time. I practiced for over a year before I ever played out anywhere.
We've discussed a few pointers in a previous thread you started, but another thing to make sure that the pitch lock is not turned on. I've used CD decks before that had the pitch lock turned on when the unit powers up. When this is the case, no pitch changes take effect, and so you are never speeding up or slowing down the music.
As I stated previously, try using 2 of the same track. They should require no pitch changes if they are started in sync. This give you practice of cueing, when & how to throw the beat in, and helps train your ear to hear when the beats are on just right.
Keep The Faith,
Christian K. |
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Ulterior
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
35
Posts :
531
Posted : Nov 22, 2006 02:52
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the slower the track is the harder to mix. Try to use the jog more and more, u'll get it in some time, this dissapointment its just normal, believe me. |
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Summum Bonum
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
69
Posts :
553
Posted : Nov 22, 2006 03:16
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First make sure you properly understand the theory of beatmatching.
Beatmatching is a skill and needs to be developed through practice.
Practice makes perfect! There is no substitute. "Never argue with an idiot, they'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience" |
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Psyfex
Started Topics :
2
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23
Posted : Nov 22, 2006 04:51
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Alex Roudos wrote,
And a tip for your mixing. Don't try to mix on the kick as it is a lot harder(due to the low freq of the sound)to spin it exactly with the other kick and focus on both kicks if they are matched. Instead try to mix on the snare sound. It's high freq, easier to distinguish and focus on. And if they are not matched the difference is audible immediately.
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I can't say that i've ever had any trouble mixing with the kick drum (imo, kicks are how i usually beatmatch, and is how i learnt) but that is a good tip for beginners Alex, as a dodgy beatmatch is usually much more apparent in the snare or clap.
Also, one of the main things to listen out for, is if the kick drums are matched up too perfectely it can cause a bit of a phase cancellation type effect (compounded by too much low freq), so taking one of the kicks just ever so slightly back or fowards with the jog wheel will get the 2 kicks sounding punchy together (with the right EQ of course).
A good crossfade from a technical standpoint involves amplitude, EQ mixing and beatmatching. Of course there are plenty of times during a set where it better not to beatmatch at all, but thats all about knowing your tunes.
But yeah, as everyone else has said, beatmatching skill does not come instantly and requires practice like anything else!
Keep it up!
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tokolosxi
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
117
Posted : Nov 22, 2006 06:51
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It takes time ......depending on your talent........friend of mine who's been into music since he was a child literally took two hours to sort it out.........took me much longer.......tips............find music in the beginning that is similar and also find kicks that gel nicely.......some kicks just beatmatch better than others......also train your ears and don't trust too many bpm counters!
Happy Days! |
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Raoul V
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
26
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583
Posted : Nov 22, 2006 09:03
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Djones
IsraTrance Senior Member
Started Topics :
267
Posts :
1766
Posted : Nov 22, 2006 12:10
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On 2006-11-21 18:46, UnderTow wrote:
Well how are you trying to match the beats at the moment? Give a detailed and full description of what you are doing and we can probably help you out.
UnderTow
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Well what I do is, I got one track playing over my two speakers.
Now I start the second track and play it over the headphones, only on my left ear.
What I do is starting track 2 with a little higher speed, so I know for sure it's at least a bit faster than track one.
Now I start to try to match the signal I hear over the headphone to the main signal, with slowly bringing down the pitch and jogging the wheel.
But when I get to a point when it actually comes quite close to matching the beats, I get really confused and can't keep the two tracks apart, which means I cannot tell if track 2 is running faster or slower than track 1.
That's basically how I try to dj.
Btw, I have tried to play two of the same cd's in both my cd players.
All tracks were at 145 bpm, and I actually managed to mix some tracks  !
Thanks for thet tip! |
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Boobytrip
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
39
Posts :
988
Posted : Nov 22, 2006 12:27
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Try to use the jogwheel during speeding up or slowing down the track, keeping the beats locked together. It's peanuts compared to learning to play an instrument.
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xrust
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
63
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1742
Posted : Nov 22, 2006 13:58
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one other basic thing is to learn to work with the cue(this is how i do it):when i have the next track,i am listening in the headphones and when the first kick comes i play the pause button(exactly in the first kick)
u can play with the jog when the track is paused,so you can find EXACTLYwhere the kick starts!!!
now that you got the kick in your hands,push the CUE button.and just listen to the track that is already out.now thAT you got the CUE right,just try to press it and keep it pressen so the two tracks are playing together.if you see(hear) that the tracks are starting and playing together but then the mix is getting lost,try with the jog wheel to understand if the track you are going to play is quicker or slower(if you need to turn the jog to the left it means tha track that is coming is faster,if you turn the jogwheel to the right it means the track is slower)
now that you know that your track is faster,try to take the pitch down 0,7,or if it is faster take the pitch up 0,7.if it still dont match,try 1,4+/-
hope all those made sence 
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Psyfex
Started Topics :
2
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23
Posted : Nov 22, 2006 14:17
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On 2006-11-22 06:51, tokolosxi wrote:
......also train your ears and don't trust too many bpm counters!
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Lol very true. BPM counters are pretty useless....and anyway, in my humble opinion, DJ's who need or use BPM counters should not be DJ'ing..... (imho)
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On 2006-11-22 12:27, Boobytrip wrote:
It's peanuts compared to learning to play an instrument.
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Totally agree man....ive spent too many hours of my life learning instruments and studying music theory. I only recently took up DJing and it took like 2 hours to get the basics but it sure is FUN! I almost rate it as much as jamming! ehehe but not quite....
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D-Alien
Oxidelic
Started Topics :
51
Posts :
619
Posted : Nov 22, 2006 16:47
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beatmatching is like driving a car. U have to sinchronize. when u got the trick its shamefully easy. wow... its easier than a stupid kid game. if u've just begun u need at least 2 weeks of constant working on the decks. just learn the 7-7 rule bro and u are done. next u'll see that beatmatching is just the first step when u'r emixing. there are much more problems u'll strike later. but never give up. Why u want to be a dj, to make a name? to make people move their asses, to make people elevate their spirts? ehehehehehehehe... beatmatching is a question of practice bro. nothing more..
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