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Beatmatching or beat mixing is the
backbone of all DJing. It is essential to get the basics of this skill
before attempting anything else. Most people assume that beat matching is
simply matching the speed of the beats (beats per minute, or BPM) of two
tracks, but it goes a lot further than this. Good DJ's must also learn to
phrase match, which, in other words means to match different parts of a
song structure.
Step #1 - Know your records!
The key to proper beat matching and phrase-matching is knowing your
records. Learn the structure of the track (e.g. intro, breakdowns,
build-ups, outro). Try to differentiate the parts of the track, like when
a melody is started, or when the hi-hats enter the tune. Different styles
of music will have different structures. Also, be sure to learn the
different styles themselves. A hard techno track will have a significantly
faster beat than a slower ambient track, and therefore would be hard to
mix properly. This will help you pick tracks that will sound good
together, as well as help you time your tracks perfectly. The more
comfortable you are with your records, the more you will have that extra
advantage!
Step 2# - Learn your Phrases!
Basic 'techno' or dance style tracks are made up of repetitive beats of a
regular tempo. This makes it pretty easy to distinguish between phrases.
Most of the time, tracks are made up of riffs containing four beats pr
bars. You can listen to a track and count the beats, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4.
Phrases can be any multiple of 4 bars (4-8-12-16 etc.) in most typical
techno, house and trance tracks. How can you distinguish a phrase? Simple,
really! Phrases usually begin with the introduction of a new sound, such
as a new or different melody, or the introduction of hi-hats to the track.
Not all records are the same though, sometimes you may have to pass
through up to 16 or 32 bars before a phrase begins (or ends), so like I
said before, knowing your records is key in this department.
Beat Matching
The pitch (or speed) of a track can be altered in one of two ways on a
typical turntable. You can either adjust the pitch slider (up or down,
+/-) or physically touch the record or platter. At first, it's best to
become familiar with the turntable and touching records.
1.The simplest way to practice manipulating vinyl is to go out and buy two
copies of one track (that's what I did). It's best to find a track that
you not only like, but is simpler in form (e.g. has a standard 4/4 beat,
clear, sharp bass, is not super fast, and doesn't have any complicated
melodies). Slap on both records and fire up both decks. Put the pitch at
0% on both. Put the needle down on deck #2 and slide the x-fader over to
that channel so deck #2 is playing... Make sure your cue or PFL settings
on your mixer are set so that you can ONLY hear deck #1. Now, put the
needle from deck #1 at the beginning of the track and rotate the record
with your fingers (preferably near the label, or a blank spot on the
record, as to not get the grooves dirty...hopefully, you have slipmats
which will allow you to rotate the record back and forth without
interference with the platter itself. Now, rotate the record slowly until
you find the 1st beat or BOOM on the record. Now, practice rotating the
record back and forth, getting the needle to pass over this first beat
over and over. This is a form or scratching actually and is called
'cueing' the record. This is necessary to start the incoming record at the
precise time, vital to proper beatmatching.
With deck #2 spinning, listen closely for the phrases. Now scratch over
the first beat on deck #1 on every beat while counting in your head,
1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, etc. When you feel ready (at the proper phrase) try to
release (with a slight push) the record on deck #1 to match the 1st beat
of a phrase on deck #2. If done correctly, both records should now be in
sync, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, etc. Practice this until you feel ready to bring
in a record in at the right time.
Congratulate yourself, you've just conquered cueing!
Now on to round two...beatmatching.
In the real world, the records you'll be spinning will all be at different
BPM's, and this is where TRUE beatmatching comes into play.
Grab two different records, preferably of the same genre or style, so
they'll be in the same range of BPM's (you don't want to mixing fast hard
techno with slower funky house). Fire up the decks and play deck #2. Cue
up deck #1 and let it play. You'll notice at first that the two tracks
match for a few bars, but then quickly get out of whack. This is,
obviously, because their pitches are different. Listen carefully to deck
#1. Is it faster or slower than the live track? Let's just say, in this
case, that it is slower. Cue up deck #1 again. Use the pitch slider to add
some pitch (+) or speed to the incoming record. Hopefully, both records
will be roughly in sync. But you will still notice they're a little off.
Using your fingers, you can speed up the record or slow it down. To speed
it up, you can either manually spin the record (closer to the edge will be
more noticeable, closer to the spindle will be more subtle) or twist the
spindle of the turntable. To slow down, you can press down on the label of
the record, or drag your finger along the platter. You can also twist the
spindle to slow down the platter. This is good for minor adjustments.
Adjust the pitch again until you reach the right pitch. Hopefully, the
beats will be in sync, or at least close. Keep adjusting the pitch and
using the above methods until you reach a match.
Once a match is made, slide the x-fader over to the incoming record, and
voila! you made a mix!
Now let's cover Advanced Beat Matching (Pitch Bending)
Now that you've somewhat mastered the basics of beatmatching (this might
take you weeks, even months of practice!), you can move on to
pitch-bending. If you've ever taken a good look at some of the top DJ's
doing their thing, you'll notice that the only time the ever touch their
records is when cueing them up! This is because they use the pitch bending
technique, a technique that only requires the use of the pitch slider.
This technique is not for everyone, and might be a little more complicated
that the "hands on" version, but it results in a smoother mix.
Fire up the decks, and play deck #2. Cue up deck #1 and listen in your
headphones to determine if it needs to be faster or slower. Adjust the
pitch to where you think it should be. Now, you'll notice its time for
adjustments. Instead of touching the record, the platter or the spindle,
use ONLY the pitch slider to speed up or slow down the platter. If deck #1
is lagging behind deck #2 (lets say, deck #1 needs to be at +5% pitch to
be perfectly beat matched, but is now at + 4%), use the pitch slider to
speed it up, by slamming it all the way up to + 8% for maybe a second, and
bringing it back down to just above where it was before. You should hear
in your headphones the beats coming in sync. If, again, the record is
still lagging behind a bit, bring up the pitch to speed up the record (but
not too much) and then set it ever so slightly above where it was before.
OOPS! Now deck #1 is too fast! Well, slam the pitch slider down a couple
%, and bring it back up just a touch below where it was originally. You
should always keep an eye on where the pitch is before you pitch bend, so
you'll have an idea of where to bring it back. See, essentially what
you're doing is using the pitch slider to speed up or slow down the
record, rather than make more noticeable adjustments by touching the
record or platter itself. Once you've go these techniques down, you are
ready to mix!
Please keep in mind that beatmatching takes weeks or months or even years
of practice and requires a lot of patience and time. Some people get it
right away, yet for others it takes more time (I've been spinning for a
year and I'm only beginning to perfect my technique now!) Both of these
techniques can be used, neither is "right" or "wrong". Work with whatever
feels comfortable for you. And last of all, HAVE FUN!
Now go tear up the decks!
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