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Posted by kamil on Jan-20-2006 13:40:

Pioneer CDJ-200 BPM Counter

Ok, so im looking at buying these badboys, and ive been doing some random research, what i would like to know is:

Does the BPM counter display the choons BPM immediately and precisely (digitally, like in Traktor DJ Studio) or is it kind of like on old mixers where its averaged out? Seeing as it playsback mp3s and CD audio i would imagine it scans the entire track and gives a precise BPM.

With that being said, am i to assume that when the +/- pitch control is used, it also displays the true BPM of the track?

I've got old vinyl decks but ive gotten really tired of choons going out of sync and spending too much time trying to beatmatch (yeah im lazy). Im either going with the Pioneers or Gemini CDJ-02..but no BPM counter, however, seeing as this is digital were taking about, am i to assume tracks being beatmatched will NOT EVER go out of sync and therefor, not really making it much harder for me to beatmatch without the BPM counter?

Any help? Thanks!


Posted by Ryan0751 on Jan-20-2006 14:18:

Re: Pioneer CDJ-200 BPM Counter

Don't buy the gemini's that's for sure.

The BPM counter works, but will only get you so far. You'll need to practice to get better. It will still be easier than spinning vinyl, however.


quote:
Originally posted by kamil
Ok, so im looking at buying these badboys, and ive been doing some random research, what i would like to know is:

Does the BPM counter display the choons BPM immediately and precisely (digitally, like in Traktor DJ Studio) or is it kind of like on old mixers where its averaged out? Seeing as it playsback mp3s and CD audio i would imagine it scans the entire track and gives a precise BPM.

With that being said, am i to assume that when the +/- pitch control is used, it also displays the true BPM of the track?

I've got old vinyl decks but ive gotten really tired of choons going out of sync and spending too much time trying to beatmatch (yeah im lazy). Im either going with the Pioneers or Gemini CDJ-02..but no BPM counter, however, seeing as this is digital were taking about, am i to assume tracks being beatmatched will NOT EVER go out of sync and therefor, not really making it much harder for me to beatmatch without the BPM counter?

Any help? Thanks!


Posted by kamil on Jan-20-2006 14:24:

Re: Re: Pioneer CDJ-200 BPM Counter

quote:
Originally posted by Ryan0751
Don't buy the gemini's that's for sure.

The BPM counter works, but will only get you so far. You'll need to practice to get better. It will still be easier than spinning vinyl, however.


But how accurate is the BPM counter? I mean, i spend 2 seconds looking at the BPM counter in Traktor DJ Studio, looking at the other choons BPM, match them, and in under 7 seconds im done. Is it that easy on the Pioneers?


Posted by skoom on Jan-20-2006 14:34:

lol if u cbf beatmatching u cbf djing.. u may aswell get 2 tracks n just crossfade at the end of em without matching them
thats my advise


Posted by Ryan0751 on Jan-20-2006 15:03:

Re: Re: Re: Pioneer CDJ-200 BPM Counter

They are FAIRLY accurate. But they still only approximate (which Traktor does as well, there's no magic there), and they only show you an approximation to the nearest BPM.

Put a CDJ in 6% pitch mode (.02% pitch resolution mode), play a track. Then move the pitch slider up and down and see how much movement it takes to affect the pitch a full "beat per minute", quite a bit! You'll never get accurate enough using the BPM counter alone.

quote:
Originally posted by kamil
But how accurate is the BPM counter? I mean, i spend 2 seconds looking at the BPM counter in Traktor DJ Studio, looking at the other choons BPM, match them, and in under 7 seconds im done. Is it that easy on the Pioneers?


Posted by Protege on Jan-20-2006 16:32:

They work more like a guide, but you shouldnt use them solely to beatmatch. They are also sometimes a little off. Ive had one track say 129 and another say 130 and they were perfectly matched, although it was probably like 129.9. And they are displayed within a few seconds of selecting the track but many times the initial bpm displayed is off by like 2 bpm, but as soon as you start playing the track it corrects itself.


Posted by kamil on Jan-20-2006 21:54:

Does anyone use the BPM counter more than not when playing live? i mean, it sounds like far less work than having to spend a couple minutes to try and beatmatch by guessing and checking how much faster or slower a track needs to be in order to be in sync.


Posted by Ryan0751 on Jan-20-2006 22:20:

Umm, that's the thing. Once you get past the hurdles of learning to beatmatch, you'll be able to do it in about 10 seconds. Without any BPM counter. Seriously!

If you're playing out live, you better be able to do that.

quote:
Originally posted by kamil
Does anyone use the BPM counter more than not when playing live? i mean, it sounds like far less work than having to spend a couple minutes to try and beatmatch by guessing and checking how much faster or slower a track needs to be in order to be in sync.


Posted by kamil on Jan-20-2006 22:24:

quote:
Originally posted by Ryan0751
Umm, that's the thing. Once you get past the hurdles of learning to beatmatch, you'll be able to do it in about 10 seconds. Without any BPM counter. Seriously!

If you're playing out live, you better be able to do that.


See, the problem ive always had is that ive always been able to beatmatch quite easily without the bpm counter on my gemini turntables, but theyd always go out of sync, almost always. I did get lucky a couple of times where they actually stayed in sync for like 4 minutes. however, these are direct drives and im guessing its more of a hardware fault than me doing a half ass job of beatmatching.

im sure the pitch control is far more accurate and consistent on cdjs than with vinyl....or could it be just me?


Posted by Ryan0751 on Jan-20-2006 22:29:

Well cheap turntables doesn't help. But that's the skill with vinyl, even on my Technics I ride the pitch ever so slightly to keep things in sync. With CD decks, they hold their pitch 100% perfectly, and corrections are easier to make.

But the point is that the BPM counters will NEVER get you close enough to a locked match.

You really have to put the time in with lots of practice. It's really worth it!

quote:
Originally posted by kamil
See, the problem ive always had is that ive always been able to beatmatch quite easily without the bpm counter on my gemini turntables, but theyd always go out of sync, almost always. I did get lucky a couple of times where they actually stayed in sync for like 4 minutes. however, these are direct drives and im guessing its more of a hardware fault than me doing a half ass job of beatmatching.

im sure the pitch control is far more accurate and consistent on cdjs than with vinyl....or could it be just me?


Posted by kamil on Jan-20-2006 22:38:

quote:
Originally posted by Ryan0751
Well cheap turntables doesn't help. But that's the skill with vinyl, even on my Technics I ride the pitch ever so slightly to keep things in sync. With CD decks, they hold their pitch 100% perfectly, and corrections are easier to make.

But the point is that the BPM counters will NEVER get you close enough to a locked match.

You really have to put the time in with lots of practice. It's really worth it!


I just spent about 1-2 minutes beatmatching Flight 643 w/ Lethal Industry (Picotto Mix) and the transition was flawless, as was the beatmatching consistent. What i usually do is, play with the pitch fader, then when it sounds *about* right, i use the pitch bend down to see if the choon is actually slower, if gets slower i just keep raising the pitch fader up, check again, pitch bend down, check again, and so on.

I feel as though this is tedious, how do you do it? More or less the same?


Posted by Ministerio on Jan-20-2006 23:25:

quote:
Originally posted by kamil
Does anyone use the BPM counter more than not when playing live? i mean, it sounds like far less work than having to spend a couple minutes to try and beatmatch by guessing and checking how much faster or slower a track needs to be in order to be in sync.


I hope you're not doing this for the wrong reasons...

AS you said it takes you 7 seconds to beatmatch ith a bpm counter. Usually it also takes you 7-10 seconds to beatmatch without one(if you practice...more than a little).

Also, people (I'm guessing) RARELY RELY ON bpm counters when playing live.

Lastly....spending a few minutes trying to beatmatch means you need to practice a lot more.

You didn't start spinning vinyl yesterday by any chance, have you?


Posted by kamil on Jan-20-2006 23:30:

quote:
Originally posted by Ministerio
I hope you're not doing this for the wrong reasons...

AS you said it takes you 7 seconds to beatmatch ith a bpm counter. Usually it also takes you 7-10 seconds to beatmatch without one(if you practice...more than a little).

Also, people (I'm guessing) RARELY RELY ON bpm counters when playing live.

Lastly....spending a few minutes trying to beatmatch means you need to practice a lot more.

You didn't start spinning vinyl yesterday by any chance, have you?


Haha, no, i mean i used to spin a lot more a couple years back but since i got into college my hobbys were put on hiatus so im really really rusty. Now that im graduating soon i want to get back into it.


Posted by Ministerio on Jan-20-2006 23:33:

quote:
Originally posted by kamil
Haha, no, i mean i used to spin a lot more a couple years back but since i got into college my hobbys were put on hiatus so im really really rusty. Now that im graduating soon i want to get back into it.


Where in T.Dot are you?


Posted by kamil on Jan-20-2006 23:40:

quote:
Originally posted by Ministerio
Where in T.Dot are you?


Downtown Why?


Posted by Ministerio on Jan-20-2006 23:41:

quote:
Originally posted by kamil
Downtown Why?


As I am in T0.


Posted by kamil on Jan-20-2006 23:49:

quote:
Originally posted by Ministerio
As I am in T0.


Well ive been in TO for the last three years, i gotta move back to kitchener in april, then going on vacation, and when im back hopefully the DJing thing for me will be at full swing.

You spin anywhere?


Posted by Scolomon on Jan-21-2006 07:28:

how long have you guys spun to get to the point where you can do it all in 7-10 secs?


Posted by kamil on Jan-21-2006 07:42:

quote:
Originally posted by Scolomon
how long have you guys spun to get to the point where you can do it all in 7-10 secs?


+1, i wanna know too.

For the record, i skipped on the pioneers and bought the geminis for 390US for the pair, everythings there that i need, cept no BPM counter.


Posted by Boomer187 on Jan-21-2006 09:12:

quote:
Originally posted by Scolomon
how long have you guys spun to get to the point where you can do it all in 7-10 secs?



I am guessing they have spun for about about 834 days to get their beatmatching to around 8 secs each time.


Posted by skip on Jan-21-2006 12:32:

IMO you should never ever use a bpm counter, it only gets in the way of learning to beatmatch properly IMO.

is it possible to turn the bpm counter off in the cdj-200s?! because i've been thinking of buying those maybe, but i don't want to see the bpm all the time.


Posted by Zild on Jan-21-2006 13:16:

quote:
Originally posted by skip
IMO you should never ever use a bpm counter, it only gets in the way of learning to beatmatch properly IMO.

is it possible to turn the bpm counter off in the cdj-200s?! because i've been thinking of buying those maybe, but i don't want to see the bpm all the time.



To tell you the truth if you can already mix fine without them then you won't pay much attention to them.


Posted by skip on Jan-21-2006 13:23:

quote:
Originally posted by Zild
To tell you the truth if you can already mix fine without them then you won't pay much attention to them.




so you can't turn it off? i have bpm counters i my mixer and i fucking hate them, good thing you can turn them off!


Posted by Boomer187 on Jan-21-2006 18:59:

quote:
Originally posted by skip
so you can't turn it off? i have bpm counters i my mixer and i fucking hate them, good thing you can turn them off!



u can turn it off with a piece of tape over it.


Posted by skip on Jan-21-2006 19:57:

quote:
Originally posted by Boomer187
u can turn it off with a piece of tape over it.




that's kinda not so nice though, putting an ugly tape over your new shiny cdjs!

i think i'm gonna just use my cdj-100s' for now then, wouldn't really even have money to upgrate either!


anyone got any idea if there's bpm counters which you can't turn off on the cdj-1000s?!


edit:
oh, but the cdj-1000s don't have looping or do they?! and how much can the cdj-200s loops? 32 beats? 64 beats? is there some kind of limit there?


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