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.
Unforgiving, unrelenting, unrecoverable double beats!
Once the wife and kid are asleep... the DJ awakens
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
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