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Is this cheating?
So I was talking to a mate who's a DnB DJ, and I mentioned that I label the bpm of all my tracks, then work out a rough estimate (0.7% = 1bpm) and fine tune from there. He claims this is cheating, isn't DJing etc, though he's also the type who thinks CD decks 'isn't proper djing' and all that.
Does anyone else do this?
no, there are no rules for djing.. do what you want to do as long as the sound coming out is good
Yeah that's exactly what I said, just a different technique, and that it would still 'be DJing' if it was a guy with 2 tape players playing track after track in front of an audience.
I thought bpm & key labels were pretty much standard.
no..
Not standard just a matter of preference. If I wasn't so lazy/had a prog to do it for me, then I'd do it.
Playing records is DJing. Anything over and above that - do whatever the fuck you like.
How about this thought: I don't have ALL my records individually labeled. Some of the sleeves, however, list the BPM. After a time, you come to learn what the general BPM of ALL your tracks are as a result of mixing them with the labeled tracks. So, in effect, you end up with all your tracks "labeled," even if only mentally. Once this happens, your brain will automatically know how much you need to adjust the pitch from the get go to be in the general range. (Is that cheating, too? I think not.) And, even when this is the case, you still have to spend some time fine tuning your pitch to make sure it's as perfect as possible. And beatmatching is just the beginning anyway. If your EQing, phrasing, programming, etc. are not fine tuned, then your l337 beatmatching skills are simply that - the ability to match the beat of two tracks.
So, after all that brouhaha, I'd say it is definitely NOT "cheating". Give it hell, I say! 
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| Originally posted by Zoso So, in effect, you end up with all your tracks "labeled," even if only mentally. Once this happens, your brain will automatically know how much you need to adjust the pitch from the get go to be in the general range. (Is that cheating, too? I think not.) |
If my friend said that I'd no longer be friends with him.
Cheating is playing a pre made set. Other than that , there is nothing wrong with simplifying certain things in order to provide the most complete audio experience for your audience. While i do not do this for all my tracks, sometimes i edit bpms if i know i will perform a mashup at some point in the evening. Its not that you cant do it as it, just that if it sounds better the job is done. Prority number one is happy dancers, not people who have trouble playing great out that think you should share the same struggles as them.
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| Originally posted by elFreak Cheating is playing a pre made set. Other than that , there is nothing wrong with simplifying certain things in order to provide the most complete audio experience for your audience. While i do not do this for all my tracks, sometimes i edit bpms if i know i will perform a mashup at some point in the evening. Its not that you cant do it as it, just that if it sounds better the job is done. Prority number one is happy dancers, not people who have trouble playing great out that think you should share the same struggles as them. |
fuck no
i spend a vast amount of time keying/bpming my tracks and preparing for gigs. vinyl just doesn't make sense all the time (as much as i love it) and if you've used cdjs at least once you will notice that certain numbers and differences in pitch % keep popping up...
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| Originally posted by Jarvmeister Awesome post. |
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| Originally posted by nefardec ...if you've used cdjs at least once you will notice that certain numbers and differences in pitch % keep popping up... |
It's not cheating, as long as you are using it to mix cleaner mixes, or do things that you wouldn't be able to do if you had to had to "guess" the BPM off the cuff, like improv mashups, or dropping acapellas and the like.
short of playing a pre-recorded set , whatever you do (BPM, Key) to produce a better/cleaner/fuller sounds or mixes, it's fair game.
One thing that I still cant seem to understand is why everything is becoming so political with this scene?? I actually wrote to judge jules one day regarding this issue. I asked him if it was "cheating" to pre-program a set...in other words, have your tracks sorted out in a particular layout. He mentioned that usually in big events, this is what DJ's do. Its more intimate when they are at venues (play it more by ear and by crowd reaction), however when they want to make a musical statement @ an event, usually their tracks are sorted out. I dont see what the problem is with labeling your tracks with certain traits that enable your mixing (i.e BPM's). The only thing I see fucced up is when I heard Tiesto pre-recorded all his tracks for a set with the same bpm. No beat matching necessary throughout the whole set...wow what a champion! lol any way just do what ever makes you comfortable and what sounds good!
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| Originally posted by DJ Manuel C The only thing I see fucced up is when I heard Tiesto pre-recorded all his tracks for a set with the same bpm. No beat matching necessary throughout the whole set...wow what a champion! |
a set at a constant bpm never works for long sets. Tempo shifts are important....i really hate Tiesto
i dont really understand what the big deal is about converting bpms to % changes.
you start the next track & if it's a different tempo you just push the slider until it matches...
even if u are one of the types to calculate that you will need a 1.2% change to be matched (for example), you sill havent even started beatmatching yet!
i like to at least know what bpm to expect next so i dont slap down a 140 track against the 130 track that is playing - if i have to i will, but not desired.
that guy is romanticizing 'djing', let him do it how he want, u do it how you want. and honestly, if you using vinyl, its in your best interest as after i believe its like 5%ish of a bpm change the actual key signature changes, so even if you think these songs are perfect together technically (though all this is artistic and to each their own) the song will sound 'sour'. keying/bpming your records are VITAL to reach the next step IMO. but thats just me, and given enough years i think most people believe the same.
on a side note; thats a perk of using cdj's as when you alter the speed you dont affect the pitch (key signature) of a song like you do with actual records and turntables. so thats my 2 cents-
| quote: |
| Originally posted by ezbeats that guy is romanticizing 'djing', let him do it how he want, u do it how you want. and honestly, if you using vinyl, its in your best interest as after i believe its like 5%ish of a bpm change the actual key signature changes, so even if you think these songs are perfect together technically (though all this is artistic and to each their own) the song will sound 'sour'. keying/bpming your records are VITAL to reach the next step IMO. but thats just me, and given enough years i think most people believe the same. on a side note; thats a perk of using cdj's as when you alter the speed you dont affect the pitch (key signature) of a song like you do with actual records and turntables. so thats my 2 cents- |
You can get vinyl tt's with key lock you know.
Its way more hassle to mess about labelling your records with bpm and then working out how much to alter the pitch by than just matching them by ear imo.
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| Originally posted by the_gamemaster You can get vinyl tt's with key lock you know. |
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| Originally posted by Stu Cox Yep, but like all key lock functions it sounds gash ! |
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