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Posted by dj jasonF on Oct-12-2004 23:38:

dj question

ok. im djing 3months now just got my first mk2 but i used to mix with the pc and a cd player. i m just learning to beatmach (couldnt do it till the day i got the techs) and i m trying to find out a way to know my tracks better. how do i know how many bars in a section etc etc. i cant listen to all my records and count beats. im sure there is an other faster way. help me please.
thanx

Posted by djdk on Oct-13-2004 00:03:

im afraid the only real way to know is by counting the beats, it takes time but theres no easy way out.

fortunately, as you get better, it becomes second nature, you'll just know, but it takes alot of practice!

Posted by 3xx3r7 on Oct-13-2004 00:04:

If you listen to enough dance tracks, you should be able to do it intuitively.

Posted by vswede on Oct-13-2004 05:51:

first of all congratulations!!
after some time things become easier and second natue. just dont give up

Posted by tu_face on Oct-13-2004 09:39:

think of 4/4 music like a computer... except change bits for beats

its all in sections of 8 beats, 16 beats, 32 beats, 64 beats etc. usually at the start of a phrase you will have some form of tell tale sign, in a trance track for example, there is usually a cymbal or a crash or something. keep listening to music, and you will start to notice how the music is divided up

Posted by dj jasonF on Oct-13-2004 10:16:

i can tell when a tack goes into break or any section and i can tell which one, but as i said my problem is to know how many bars a section has.
so its like beatmatching? practice practice practice and you just can tell after that?

Posted by 6iki_Snake on Oct-13-2004 10:45:

Why dont people learn that there IS no easy way to DJing? You can have a BPM counter, but frankly these suck for 2 reasons:

1. They are not always that accurate, and a mix on the same BPM ( according to your counter ) isnt always good, it sometimes sounds like shit.

2. In many clubs you wont find a bpm counter, the one and only thing you need is your hearing, so dont fuck up your ears either

If you really need help, just count along, 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4,etc. Or tap your foot to it. or bang your head to it, or jump up and down to it, whatever.

Posted by tu_face on Oct-13-2004 10:48:

quote:
Originally posted by dj jasonF
i can tell when a tack goes into break or any section and i can tell which one, but as i said my problem is to know how many bars a section has.
so its like beatmatching? practice practice practice and you just can tell after that?

so from the start of that section, you can count 64 beats. there are 4 beats to a bar, and bars come in sets of 4 (this is where 4/4 comes from) to make a phrase. often with trance, every 4 phrases (64 beats) is the point at which you need to release your cue track to get it phrase matched and sounding good.

|... |...|...|...|... |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|
where | = first beat of the bar

some tunes will be a bit different with it, and you may that with a lot of tunes you can get your cue points every 32 beats. its all the same principle though, just listen as you mix.

but yes, practice practice practice and it will become an instinct as opposed to an ability

Posted by 6iki_Snake on Oct-13-2004 10:50:

quote:
Originally posted by tu_face

but yes, practice practice practice and it will become an instinct as opposed to an ability

+1

you have to develop a FEEL for the music and for the beat.

Posted by dj jasonF on Oct-13-2004 11:07:

damn i thought there would be an easier way, but i can do that
thanx for helping

Posted by dj jasonF on Oct-13-2004 11:09:

oh i forgot a breakdown doesnt have any beats you can either use the FEEL if you have it or experiment and put an other track's beat on the breakdown and count it, right?

Posted by RIP_Technics on Oct-13-2004 13:25:

think of a breakdown as havin the beat "muted". the song is still movin at the same tempo so if u have the beats matched on the 2 songs then 1 moves into a breakdown, the beats will still be matched when the breakdown is over and the song's beat returns.

Posted by Jarjar on Oct-13-2004 13:35:

quote:
Originally posted by RIP_Technics
think of a breakdown as havin the beat "muted". the song is still movin at the same tempo so if u have the beats matched on the 2 songs then 1 moves into a breakdown, the beats will still be matched when the breakdown is over and the song's beat returns.

If it's perfectly matched from the start, yes. If it's 0.1 BPM off however you'll probably notice after a breakdown.

Posted by CraSHer[UK] on Oct-15-2004 13:19:

quote:
Originally posted by Jarjar
If it's perfectly matched from the start, yes. If it's 0.1 BPM off however you'll probably notice after a breakdown.

ha, very true.

I hate it when im certain they are perfectly beatmatched and you bring in the neww bassline at the breakdown, and say halve the bass on the outgoing track, only to find when the bassline (on the outgoing track) kicks in again, they are horribly out of sync.

Posted by dj jasonF on Oct-15-2004 14:20:

ya and the beats are always like this
track 1.....beat
track 2 beat....beat
not even close lol

Posted by DJ Eric Munson on Oct-16-2004 02:08:

Thanks for the good tips guys