Beat Matching No Visuals

Just when I thought I had this pretty much down (90% of the time) I've had a couple of really bad practice sessions. I've been buying new music and mixing house, tech house and techno. Just feels so frustrating. I can mix for half an hour no probs and then a track will just throw me off (i'll think ive got it sorted in my headphones and then as I'm bringing it in it'll drift off really fast and ill train wreck). I've notived when Im transitioning I'm having to use the jogs loads.

Apart from the usual practise are there any kinda practise methods to learn how to beatmatch faster and more accurately?

Unfortunately, this happens to every DJ... don't be discouraged.

You don't need visual beat grids to beat match - just your ears. You will know if it's on beat.

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Originally Posted by Jambon

Apart from the usual practise are there any kinda practise methods to learn how to beatmatch faster and more accurately?

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Sadly, there is no way to expedite one's learning curve when it comes to beat matching. Many hours of persistence and an intimate knowledge of each track (its breaks, phrases, etc) is mandatory prep for any set.

If you really want to challenge yourself - try mixing 70s and early 80s funk and disco...
Having even moderate success with those genres will make mixing contemporary tracks seem so much easier.

Run the tracks together in your headphones the whole time you're waiting to mix them. Cue it, drop it (in your headphones) and let them run together.. you can mix them with the EQ's in the headphones.. not touching the track that's playing of course... run them together a while, adjust it till it's perfect (as close as you can get), then recue and do it again.. use all the time you have between tracks doing this.

Start the track fast and slow it down until you got it.

Somebody showed me this technique a long time ago and it works for me when spinning vinyl.

Check out the old school ellaskins dj tutorials on youtube for tips though.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Ye I'll try not to get to discouraged and just keep practising. I started this year but been more serious about it the last 4/5 months, I'm assuming one day it's just going to click? At least I'm at a point where I can mix for half hour or so with no mess ups. I thought I had this completely sorted though until I got new tracks!! lol

I find it easier with both tracks playing in the headphones. Where as the one cup method I seem to struggle with. Sould I practise both methods or just stick to what I find easier?

the problem with playing through the headphones is when you're playing out there is a tiny chance that the channel is not coming through; usually by forgetting to crossfade. Also, the levels are harder to distinguish just using headphones; it might sound perfect in them, but the actual sound in the room might come through lower. These all sound 'bread and butter' but when you're playing out, sht happens!

Whilst practising today the same tracks have been throwing me off...here's an example.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya8wHtB1_L4

So I seem to do ok on the majority of my other tracks but this one along with 2 or 3 other similar tracks to this.... it just sounds awful when im transitioning them lol.

Any ideas?

If I adjust the jog both forwards and backwards it just sounds worse both ways. I don't mind getting this wrong but I like to understand why so I can learn. But this track is a mystery I just cant transition it right.

HELP!

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Originally Posted by Jambon

If I adjust the jog both forwards and backwards it just sounds worse both ways.

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What exactly do you mean by this?

It's like I'm really struggling to find the sweet spot on the track where it's perfectly beat matched. But the spot at which it sounds it's best it still sounds clippy and off, but to a lesser degree. So the spot at which I get the least clipping I adjust the jog either clockwise or anti clockwise and it get's worse either way. So I suppose I just can't find the sweet spot lol. Where as with other tracks you can tell straight away when they are perfectly matched!! Any ideas?

I don't know what genre you play, but it could just be the track with a weird drum pattern.

There are some tracks I have to stay on the pitch and jog wheels for the whole transition - just babysit it and keep them in tune.

My beatmatching on others seems ok so it might just be a case that maybe the tracks i'm mixing it with just don't fit or are out of key etc. Something ill have to get used to and work on. Thanks for the reply though. I do have a shit load of other questions hehe.:)

I used to put tape over the BPM counters on my CDJs and mix solely by ear. That is how it was always done when I learned on vinyl.

I'd suggest pick out a group of about ten tunes you know are similar BPM - say 129/130/131/132 etc - try not to look at the laptop screen or the BPM counters and just concentrate on mixing these ten at random. You'll have it ballpark right if you mix them in on zero pitch and what you're looking for is the minor sub-1 beat changes. This is where you get good at mixing.

Just like to say - well done for doing this properly. The amount of people who are trying to become DJs just by using the Sync button is unreal and they are missing the point. Its good to see someone taking it on, understanding what it is all about and who obviously has a bit of pride about it. Fair play to you mate. Carry on!

Hey cheers mate! Thanks for all your info on the other thread I really appreciate it.

Ye I've taped over the bpms. Like you said I've got my track library and I'm just mixing my way though, some good some bad lol. I'm setting the pitch to it's slowest so when I'm beatmatching I already know it's to slow. That really seems to be working for me. Sounds quite straightforward now but 2 months ago I couldn't get my head round it! heheheh. It's cool looking back and seeing progress. I've still got a long way to go though.

I would NEVER trust the BPM counter over my ears!

I'd say maybe 95% of the time it's correct - but it's not a given. I have experienced a few (probably 10 times) when the BPM counter was not accurate and a few beats off.

The other problem with the BPM counters is that they can tell you a tune is in and beatmatched perfectly, and even if your ears don't agree the brain takes it as confirmation bias and naturally dismisses what your ears as telling you as you can see there in front of you that the tune is in because the deck says so. As you say, trust the ears over the eyes.


I play mainly proggy house or techno so there is nowhere to hide on the beatmatching - if it isn't spot on it sounds bad as you cant just flip the new tune in in ten seconds, it has to be layered and some of the mixes can go on for two or three minutes.

One thing I was always taught was to have it perfectly matched at the beginning of a phrase. Count 1234 1234 1234 1234 / 1234 1234 1234 and 1234 - if its still in then its right. Unless you are playing on vinyl which can fluctuate etc if you have it right it will stay right as the tunes generally don't have tempo changes. Good thing is you can take one headphone off and leave it in for the full phrase in cue in the cans, do something else, perhaps sort out another tune or speak to someone or have a drink or whatever and by the end of the phrase you can pull or push gently to bring it back in, and make the small adjustment on the pitch slider - you do it instinctively.

Dude that's really helpful regarding getting it beatmatched for a phrase, currently I spend ages just listening to the two tracks in my headphones and it takes up so much time. So knowing if it hasn't drifted for a phase like you said I can crack on with with other stuff until I want to mix it in.

As stated I'm not looking at the bpms, but one thing I am using is the meter which kinda maps out each track, almost like a mini graph, tells you where the breakdowns are etc. Understand you wouldn't get this with vinyl. Is this something I should hide as well?

No - anything you can do to improve your knowledge of each track, ie: where the breaks are, cue points etc is a good thing.

Ol cool cheers dude i'll use that as the only aid then :)