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Originally posted by SpecRadio The BPM is not what you mix by! I've had mixes in traktor 3 where one is 138.9 and one is 139.4 and they're matched perfectly.

Uh that is because 138.9 rounds to 139 and 139.4 rounds to 139 as well. Anything above .5 rounds up, just like in math. It does the same thing in mixmeister. You do mix by BPM, you don't have to mix by the same exact BPM but you go in steps. You don't mix a 130 BPM track with something like 138 or 139 BPM, it clashes. You could mix something 130 with something 135 if you pitch up the 130 BPM track to say 132 and the other one to 133, but you don't want to deviate too much with the tracks your mixing together. It clashes and sounds off, so in a sense, you do mix by BPM but they aren't the only thing you mix with. So knowing the BPM is helpful in most cases, esp with trance.

Well you can mix a track @ 130 bpm with one that has 138-140 bpm and it CAN sound good.

If you pitch a track +6 it will change its key (-6 does the same) and you can mix it with a track that has a higher BPM. Of course it will sound a bit smoother if you pitch track A +3 and track B -3.

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Originally posted by Rockabye Well you can mix a track @ 130 bpm with one that has 138-140 bpm and it CAN sound good. If you pitch a track +6 it will change its key (-6 does the same) and you can mix it with a track that has a higher BPM. Of course it will sound a bit smoother if you pitch track A +3 and track B -3.

Yeah thats what I mean. A +3 and track B -3 sounds better than A +6, I mean you do want to be relatively close, not way off. I personally like to keep my tracks in relatively close BPM from the original unless I really have to pitch it up or down THAT much. So +3, -3 is fine in my opinion, beyond that I try to stay away from. But thats just me. So someone is free to do whatever they want. But BPM is still something that one needs to at least have a concept of when mixing so they aren't totally off BPM wise.

i never write anything down.

i too dislike to see writing on my sleeves, or vinyl label itself. i find it very disrespectful for some reason...


the difference in tempos is the reason why i purchased a pair of m5g's. as much as don't like mixing in the +-16 mode, i like it a lot more than fiddling the track that is playing in order to be able to beatmatch the next track.

my aversion to messing w/the tempo of the track that is playing is my main reason for not giving a hoot about harmonic mixing.

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Originally posted by Nic How are you supposed to mix in key without knowing the bpm of tracks?

I listen to it...

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Originally posted by Tranc3 I listen to it...

cool so you have all 499500 combinations memorised then?

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Originally posted by hiram im learning to spin so im still counting beats for both records and then matching them, i count for 15 sec and then multiply by 4. just wondering how many of your pre-count the BPMs and write them down on the record or the cover for quicker mixing.

Yeah I'm just starting too mate, and until this week I've been working out approx what level to set the pitch at for each of my vinyl, using one particular vinyl (in my case whiteroom - whiteroom) as the 0% level, then everytime I get a new tune running them together to work out what % the new vinyl will run at, then sticking a little label on it. It's great for when you're starting out (at least I've found), it allowed me to concentrate on keeping tunes in time, rather than constantly rewinding records because I ran out of time trying to beat match.

Recently started mixing without using the stickers though - and its coming on fine.

Good luck with the mixing mate!

I only use the bpm counter as a generalisation, not for acurate mixing. Like if the track Im playing is 129, Ill cue up the next track and pitch it up/down to 129 and then go from there. I dont think it was ever meant to replace beatmatching.

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Originally posted by Nic cool so you have all 499500 combinations memorised then?

Let me see if I'm understanding your question correctly.

Each track is written in a certain key. Say I have the live track playing in C Major and the cued track in natural A below C major. Either the live track has to be pitched down or the cued track pitched up to both be in the same key...or depending on the chord progressions used, you could just use other keys that will create the desired cadence. Is this what you're getting at?

Because if so, no I don't have X amount of combinations memorized. The whole point of just listening to it is so I don't have to carry out calculations, so I don't have to memorize tables. Just listen to it, it's not that hard.

i've thought about putting the bpm and key on there, but i don't have the hardware to do it (and i'm not going to tap the spacebar to the beat either!). maybe when i start converting my vinyl to CD/mp3.

couldn't hurt! but yeah, i don't recommend it for newb DJs who have to train their ears first....

edit: don't live by it, cuz there are some tracks that can sound a lot better at around +6 (depending on the mix)

I only use the bpm counter to check the speed of the first track.
How the hell do you figure out the key? I've never understood how you tell.
I'm guessing that when two tracks clash that means they're way out of key?

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