Any way to visually recognize downbeats in tracks?

**mystical** · 05-27-2021, 06:43 AM

Hey guys, for some reason wearing headphones never feels comfortable for me so to listen to a track to find the downbeat is always a problem for me. I am not a commercial DJ, I only spin music for my buds whenever hanging out and I like being part of the hangout too and not spend every second at the rig.

I was wondering if there might be a way to visually see[recognize] the 1st downbeats of a track in the waveform even in the Intros of a tune?

p.s. I know basic beat matching and finding downbeats and setting cue points and all that. I figure if I can pull up a track from by bud's collection and be able to see the downbeat then I can simply very quickly set it where I need it.

**Manu** · 05-27-2021, 07:28 AM

Buy Serato DJ.

**mystical** · 05-27-2021, 07:41 AM

I have Serato DJ Pro but to me it's the same as Traktor and other software's, looking at the waveforms alone is not always enough to see which is the downbeat?

I was just looking at this video I found here where the guy is not using a headphone:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH6GK90hYME

I guess I can try out those methods even though at the 8.30 mark he is speeding up the incoming track to match, shouldn't it be quicker and equally as good to simply use the jogwheel for this?

**Manu** · 05-27-2021, 07:53 AM

I see he's not using DJ gear either, nevermind the lack of jog wheels. Besides that's an advert disguised as a tutorial. I'd rather look at Ellaskins for beatmatching lessons https://www.youtube.com/user/ellaskins

I cannot recommend ways to circumvent established traditional ways of DJing. I understand the concept of looking at a waveform, but I don't see how it would supersede using your ears, because it's sound. IE thinking in reverse, you don't play video games relying on sound only.

**mystical** · 05-27-2021, 08:34 AM

I have seen many DJ's beat match live without using any headphones at all and without having set cue points but I don't know how they do this without previewing the incoming tracks [live]

**pete** · 05-27-2021, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by mystical

I have seen many DJ's beat match live without using any headphones at all and without having set cue points but I don't know how they do this without previewing the incoming tracks [live]

there's 4 ways of doing this:
1. Know your tracks and the BPM so you can pitch them correctly pre-prepared to mix.
2. Look at the mixer level meter to see when it peaks to get an idea of where the beats are and help line it up.
3. Have jedi-level DJ skills. (it aint that hard...a few rounds in dark clubs, on belt drives with a half-broken mixer will help)
4. Cheat. Have some DJ software match the BPMs or even Sync the tracks.

there is a fifth way. its called using all of the above - any working dj uses whatever is in front of them to get the job done.

**KLH** · 05-27-2021, 03:41 PM

There are two problems with relying on the software:

* Software can miss analyze the track and apply the wrong tempo/BPM
* Tracks can remove the downbeat

Training your ears addresses both of these items.

**Daniel S** · 05-28-2021, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by mystical

I have seen many DJ's beat match live without using any headphones at all and without having set cue points but I don't know how they do this without previewing the incoming tracks [live]

They probably have their cue points pre set, their tracks just start with the downbeat or they know their tracks well enough to set the cue points on the fly.