you're right about the usual structure of dance music, but that's not what 4/4 stands for. 4/4 means one measure contains 4 beats, and each beat contains 4....ticks. 1 measure contains 16 of these ticks. Hence 16th notes. Something like that

___________________
All rhythm evolves around a kick...

Music is expressed through thought. Different thought, different types of music. Each thought is represented by a 'phrase'. A phrase can be the adding of the bassline or a simple repetitive synth. Some people call a phrase a "layer", because visually it looks like one. In a 4/4 structure, a new phrase is introduced on the 8th beat or 16th beat. As a DJ, you're suppose to match the beats of a phrase.

GOOD:
track1: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
track2: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

When you match the phrases, as a layer of track1 disappears, the exact moment a new layer is introduced from track2. The result is a very nice and smooth sounding transition.

BAD:
track1: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
track2: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1

When the matching is off. You can hear one layer disappear and for 1 beat there is a slight void. And then you hear the introduction of another layer on track2. The effect sounds makes the mixing sound like there is too much clutter going on.



Hope that helps

well put scott

phrase matching is veryyyy important. it's truely makes or breaks your mix, even more than beatmatching IMHO
and i'd also say phrase matching is trickier than beatmatching - beats are easy to hear if they are off - phrase matching takes good flow with the choons

-mer

thanks guys.

phrase or layers... ok got it. learned somehting new

If you really want to learn this stuff, I suggest you take some lessons in introductory music theory. It really helps you to understand some of the basics of structure.

^^^^ not so true, i remeber getting kicked out of every music class for sleeping or farting, and i think my spinning is coming along nicely

But i am sure it could help, and maybe if i didn't get kicked out so much i could have picked it up quicker

Jay