Beatmatching tracks pre-gig using audio editing software

[Omega Dub]

If you really don't want to waste any time beatmatching, and want to just focus on new, innovative ways to mix and manipulate tunes, just get an Ableton + APC40 setup, and don't bother with Traktor/CDJs/turntables at all. That way you can have a ton of channels, add in loops, one shots, etc. plus have a basically unlimited arsenal of effects.

I pretty much always use Ableton when I play out these days, but that's because I'm playing 90-100% original tunes, and I'm starting to play my tunes as combinations of track stems, so that I have a ton of live manipulation options. But, that being said, on the rare chance that I play a DJ set (usually playing a genre other than dubstep) i find it's way more fun to play on CDs or vinyl... "DJing" on Ableton just lacks the thrill of pulling off super clean (manually beatmatched) mixes.

[brokedjs]

lol.. lotta hate from the purists. i knew this would be taboo for some but ffs!

I play vinyls too, & I can beatmatch fine. But this is about ultra-precision, getting the tracks absolutely locked. I find with traditional beatmatching I can usually only get the speed to around 0.1% correct, which means I can't run the songs together as long as I would like. This "experiment" is to see if i can eliminate that 0.1% margin & hopefully hold the mix for longer without having to put hands on the record while it's playing

Look at it this way, people have paid money for the pleasure of seeing/hearing you mix, a skill which can sometimes take years to master. If I was a promoter and saw you just hitting play for the desire of being able to squeeze more tunes in or perform different kind of mixes because they 'wont stay locked' then I would suggest to keep practicing, as a DJ it is a bit of a cop out.

Just look at what happened to Mistabishi, relativly well known, album out on Hospital, whole road ahead of him.

Promoter caught him out that he wasnt beat matching and it was pretty highly publicised, and look at him now. Dont see Mistabishi on flyers any more do you?

Perhaps this is more of an argument for established artists especially considering the price that is paid for the pleasure of hearing someone 'big' mix. But still I personally dont think its a great look, just practice man, I understand the drive to be able to push things further and its great but I dont think it would be appreciated as much as its worth.

For what its worth within genres now most stuff is around the same BPM anyway so locking tunes in is getting quicker than ever.

Dont think im just pointing a finger at pre pitching tunes but in general removing the beat matching process as a whole (Traktor sync button etc) it is a bad thing.

Having said that, looks like Mistabishi is under the alias LOL these days on NonPlus+

[the wiggle baron]

First off i just have to say, whoever it was...you couldn't have invalidated your points any more than using the plural "vinyl's" 3 times in one paragraph.

People who are using auto beat-matching technologies etc. are absoloutely fine, as long as theyre using the time made from it to do something else. If youve got fucking umpteen samplers and effects units or 3/4 decks on the go then fucking right get yo pre-beatmatch on and play away! If however you are still just mixing tune into tune, but pre-beat matched/live synced, youre a lazy tnuc, end of. Come back when youve actually spent some time mixing. Theres alot more than just beatmatching that it takes years to acquire...if you have spent enough time to become a decent selector (in terms of selection, individual mix choices, responding to a crowd, understanding the night youre playing at etc) then in that time beatmatching will be so far beyond second nature its a moot point really. If you cant tweak a track to keep things in time for a few minutes, youre a loooong way off playing out. Or at least you should be.

Absoloutely hate the pre-beatmatched "tap counter" CDJ things you can get. People are still just dropping tune after tune, but making sure they have to have no physical skill whatsoever. And I know alot of big DJs use these things...its just lame. Im there to watch a DJ.

[wizeguy]

when i go to see a dj play out i want to see them not a computer.
beatmatching is step 1 all it takes is practice and you should have it on lock.
mixes stay in time plenty long enough to move a hand from the decks to the mixer (as long as you aint using some shitty numark tt1625 or something)

[JensMadsen]

Mate you're wasting your time. If your mission is to get it perfect, learn how to use Traktor right. For all my mixtapes i use traktor, and there is not a single bad mix in there, because i know how to use it right - and i use time-code vinyls, but no fucking sync-button!!!

[JensMadsen]

Further more, start by learning to mix great on vinyl - only when you do this, it's justifiable to use Traktor.

[Pada]

Times are changing. End of.

Had this discussion on the breakbeat forum the other day.

Beat-matching is now redundant. Why bother going through the hassle of beat-matching when you can put more time into putting on a better show with faster mixing, EQ controller, cross fader control, effects, loops, samples?

If the technology is there, use it. How many of you record TV on Sky+ or use the iPlayer or 4od instead of using VHS?

Some people need to get out of the dark ages and embrace the technology, instead of risking getting shot down by your peers cause "your not saying true to your roots and using vinyls".

I dont have a problem with vinyls, in fact I can use vinyl's and quite ofter I use (timecoded) vinyl's when I play out or practise at home.

But if I want to put on a better show for the crowd, then I'd stick to my Serato and CDJ's.

But for pre-matching beats, I'm not keen on this at all. Otherwise your just being iTunes on stage!

VINYL'S???! wtf.

[Pada]

yes, I don't think anyone is really arguing the fact that progress is good to a certain extent. But what this guy is suggesting is a lame way of putting a mix together before you even play out. His excuse for wanting to be correct to 0.1 BPM's is invalid. Granted, Traktor doesn't read beatgrids at all, in fact it is shamefully how bad it reads beatgrids and deduces BPM's. For such a popular program, it really could do with some improvements.

But look at VDJ, that program generally gets BPM's correct as well as the beatgrid. You can always make your own beatgrids (although that is a bit of a time consumer). When you have your BPM's in front of you, it takes you about 3 seconds to get it right if you want to use the pitch controller for a natural feel, or just press SYNC (they way I suppose most DJ's do it, and granted it's convenient). There can't be a more accurate and time-efficient way so just drop that argument.

I assume he was using mixmeister or some other subpar baby program and was having issues with the automatic BPM synchroniser (it slows the bpm's down gradually, much like you're using a pitch controller) and therefore he got it in his mind that he could fix that using soundforge and alterating the BPM's... this will do you no good though. Unless you have some basic tracks which work with a set amount of Bars etc. but what if you have an intro or something?

Anyway, I think a set can't be just 140 bpm's for one / two hours straight. It will get boring very quick. You need to mix up the bpm's to keep it interesting, like move from 128 bpm's to 130 bpm's to 135 bpm's to 140 bpm's perhaps up to 170 bpm's. That's what I call DJ'ing, the equipment you use doesn't really matter to me, but much respect to the vinyl crew of course.

The problem is, software (or CDJ/Serate) dj'ing is convenient and it frees up time to focus on your selection...but why do more and more DJ's throw that all out of the window and just cue tracks on drops and go from one drop to another (CASPA is king at this btw) instead of mixing clean and taking your time (J:Kenzo for example)...this is beyond me...going from drop to drop is so D&B...

BPM'S??!??! wtf is it with apostrophes and unnecessary plurals in this thread.

[wolf89]

Pre pitched sets of standard mixing is boring

the dj doesn't seem to get into it quite so much. The air of chance around it gives a set more energy.

If you're playing pre pitched and doing something crazy with it fair enough, but being lazy is just boring.

[SloppySeconds]

all ive ever done is fix vinyl rips cos most of them go slightly in and out of time.. but that is rare.

Some people need to grow up though and stop hating on anything that isnt vinyl.

[Captain Planet]

What creative stuff are you talking about here?? I can use EQs and effects while in the mix having not pre-beat matched my set. What other sorter stuff are you talking about?

Stagediving after every drop

[MikeE]

Probably the two best posts on this topic I've read:

http://www.theproof.co.nz/blog/finding- ... l-in-sync/

http://www.theproof.co.nz/blog/human-ti ... rnal-sync/

[Liam92]

I don't know shit about DJ'ing really tbh, but is this not what Chemical Bros, Justice, Daft Punk, etc, do?

[wub]

If you really don't want to waste any time beatmatching, and want to just focus on new, innovative ways to mix and manipulate tunes, just get an Ableton + APC40 setup, and don't bother with Traktor/CDJs/turntables at all. That way you can have a ton of channels, add in loops, one shots, etc. plus have a basically unlimited arsenal of effects.

This, basically.

Not the IF as the most important word.

[brokedjs]

I don't know shit about DJ'ing really tbh, but is this not what Chemical Bros, Justice, Daft Punk, etc, do?

No they do live sets using midi controllers etc cueing each part of a track seperatly and having control of each element.

[dj seizure]

I'm unfortunately a vinyl man. But I did a set the other night and basically didn't change the bpm except for about 5 mixes. Genereally 80% of Dubstep is 140. Man, do whatever you want. When people see you're using a laptop the respect for you can't get much lower.

Sorry, I'm being a bitch.

[wizeguy]

What creative stuff are you talking about here?? I can use EQs and effects while in the mix having not pre-beat matched my set. What other sorter stuff are you talking about?

Stagediving after every drop

haha joker