|
Tips on beatmatching for a newby? (pg. 6)
|
View this Thread in Original format
| Stu Cox |
| quote: | Originally posted by brucelee6783
And while we're at it, why not just remove steering wheels from Formula 1 cars, and install an "auto steering" functionality to the cars. That way we can let the driver focus on his braking and acceleration. Damn, that sure sounds like fun.
Manual beatmatching is an integral part of the entire DJ performance. It makes DJ'ing more "fun" in my opinion. |
Or maybe a better comparison would be installing a semi-automatic gearbox so the driver doesn't have to worry about using a clutch... oh, wait, they have done ;)
[I'm just playing devil's advocate here, not trying to pick a fight]
It's just the age-old argument which gets brought up on here just about every week. And there are so many parallels:
Take the furniture maker who's angry that people can carve wood using computer-controller machines... he's not out of the job because there's a market for the 'authentic' style of a hand-carved chair, but it's certainly going to make business harder and the average customer (comparable with clubbers in our case) doesn't care as long as it's functional.
Or the Royal Mail employees over here in the UK who are striking because their jobs are being threatened by mechanical sorting machines...
Or on a more musical tip, when electronic keyboards emerged in the 70s and meant people didn't have to spend thousands on a piano or guitar to create a similar sound, or digital recording studio now meaning pop records can be recorded without any instruments at all or even anyone who can sing...
Even in the DJing world, when CDJs appeared they were met with disgust by the vinyl devotees because they were seen as easier to mix with, but now I expect only about 1% of DJs use vinyl. But that's not a bad thing: with a bit more time, mixing with vinyl will be seen as a specialised art which will draw its own following.
In fact exactly the same has already happened with looping: before CDJs, beatjuggling was the only way to loop a section of a track (unless you're DJ Shadow, in which case you use a rubber band around the tone arm, or so the legend goes). I know several turntablists who were outraged when they found out people were 'cheating' and had buttons to do it on CDJs. Now, the orange buttons are seen as the 'normal' way to loop a track... so if you do see a turntablist beatjuggling, it makes it even more special.
It happens in every industry and the answer is always the same when technology takes a job which workers want to protect: the technology will gradually become more reliable and will eventually dominate, some tears will be shed and you'll be left with those with the manual skills being in the minority, but highly revered and more valuable*
It's then up to the individual DJ to decide whether they want to take advantage of the technology and focus on developing new skills with it, or whether they want to become recognised as talented in the traditional manual arts of mixing.
* Let's face it, with every man and his dog being able to beatmatch nowadays, it does feel like the hours we spent practising in our bedrooms have done nothing to set us apart from the crowd... but give it a decade and your beatmatching skills will be sought after once again. |
|
|
| Apeattack |
| quote: | Originally posted by Rodri Santos
The logical next step is start using drum machines and other tools to make live sets like Deadmau5, Zabiela or Hawtin does... |
I agree with this.
In the future, the DJs who will be the biggest draws still will be those who produce the most popular tracks (e.g., Armin, Tiesto, Guetta, etc.). But other DJs will be able to stand out from the crowd by utilizing tools in novel and interesting ways. |
|
|
| Apeattack |
| quote: | Originally posted by Stu Cox
It's just the age-old argument which gets brought up on here just about every week. And there are so many parallels:
...
Even in the DJing world, when CDJs appeared they were met with disgust by the vinyl devotees because they were seen as easier to mix with, but now I expect only about 1% of DJs use vinyl. But that's not a bad thing: with a bit more time, mixing with vinyl will be seen as a specialised art which will draw its own following.
...
Now, the orange buttons are seen as the 'normal' way to loop a track... so if you do see a turntablist beatjuggling, it makes it even more special.
It happens in every industry and the answer is always the same when technology takes a job which workers want to protect: the technology will gradually become more reliable and will eventually dominate, some tears will be shed and you'll be left with those with the manual skills being in the minority, but highly revered and more valuable*
It's then up to the individual DJ to decide whether they want to take advantage of the technology and focus on developing new skills with it, or whether they want to become recognised as talented in the traditional manual arts of mixing.
* Let's face it, with every man and his dog being able to beatmatch nowadays, it does feel like the hours we spent practising in our bedrooms have done nothing to set us apart from the crowd... but give it a decade and your beatmatching skills will be sought after once again. |
I agree with most of what you say except that I do not think that DJs who use vinyl and beatmatch manually have skills that will be sought after once technology makes those skills completely obsolete.
Someone may pay a carpenter to make a chair by hand because the chair likely will last longer than an Ikea chair and the chair has a certain stylish look to it. But can you imagine a club owner paying a DJ to mix only with vinyl records? The club owner likely doesn't care what a DJ uses as long as he/she brings in warm bodies and keeps them dancing and drinking. Most club patrons can't see what the DJ is doing and don't care if the DJ is using turntables or CDJs.
In 5-10 years, I don't believe there will be any monetary value to learning how to mix with vinyl or manually beatmatching. There may be sentimental value (which can be very important to the individual), and you may get the respect of certain DJs, but those skills will not help you pay the bills.
All that being said...
If a DJ loves to use vinyl and manually beatmatch, great. We all started DJing because we have a passion for music, love to show off to the crowd, etc... and it is important to keep doing what you love. |
|
|
| stealthman |
| Learn with vinyl. End of story. |
|
|
| RyanVice |
Such a funny yet irrelevant argument everyone is making about beat matching vs. autosync. All i know is..
I can press the auto sync button on anyones midi controller and software. You can't beat match on my CDJ's. I therefore, by nature, already have more skill than you do and we haven't even started mixing lol!! Done and done :) |
|
|
| stealthman |
| quote: | Originally posted by RyanVice
Such a funny yet irrelevant argument everyone is making about beat matching vs. autosync. All i know is..
I can press the auto sync button on anyones midi controller and software. You can't beat match on my CDJ's. I therefore, by nature, already have more skill than you do and we haven't even started mixing lol!! Done and done :) |
Let's say you spilt coffee all over your flimsy midi controller/laptop and had vinyl/CDJ as a last resort. Would you still have more skill than the average DJ with minimum 2 years experience on vinyl/CDJ or would you run for the nearest sync button. You are not a DJ. Piss off. |
|
|
| Rodri Santos |
| if you can beatmatch you aren't a good dj solely because of this, those laptop wannabes you see in local clubs often don't have any clue about the eqs, phrases, fxs and keep redlining the mixer all the night, there are some things that you've to learn with practice, and with the autosync button people think they can play for a night in a club and can't. |
|
|
| brucelee6783 |
| quote: | Originally posted by RyanVice
You can't beat match on my CDJ's. |
Lol what? |
|
|
| Mr.Mystery |
| quote: | Originally posted by RyanVice
I therefore, by nature, already have more skill than you do and we haven't even started mixing lol!! Done and done :) |
Pushing a button is not a skill. You are not a DJ. Sit down. |
|
|
| orTofønChiLd |
| you tell em mr mystery |
|
|
| RyanVice |
| quote: | Originally posted by stealthman
Let's say you spilt coffee all over your flimsy midi controller/laptop and had vinyl/CDJ as a last resort. Would you still have more skill than the average DJ with minimum 2 years experience on vinyl/CDJ or would you run for the nearest sync button. You are not a DJ. Piss off. |
Bahaha! Someones panties in a bunch? Chill out you wombat.
I wouldnt know, i learned on vinyl and dont use MIDI controllers.
| quote: | Originally posted by Rodri Santos
if you can beatmatch you aren't a good dj solely because of this |
Never said it did.
| quote: | Originally posted by Rodri Santos
those laptop wannabes you see in local clubs often don't have any clue about the eqs, phrases, fxs and keep redlining the mixer all the night, there are some things that you've to learn with practice, and with the autosync button people think they can play for a night in a club and can't. |
My point exactly.
| quote: | Originally posted by Mr.Mystery
Pushing a button is not a skill. You are not a DJ. Sit down. |
You're right! Button mashing is not a skill, beatmatching is a skill. WOW You're right again! I'm not a Disc Jockey, I'm a business professional who enjoys mixing music as a hobby.
While your sitting at home hoping to be the next Tiesto and 'Searching for yourself' lol, im out wearing my big boy pants stacking ca$h.
PWND :) |
|
|
| Mr.Mystery |
| quote: | Originally posted by RyanVice
You're right! Button mashing is not a skill, beatmatching is a skill. WOW You're right again! I'm not a Disc Jockey, I'm a business professional who enjoys mixing music as a hobby. |
At least you know where you stand.
| quote: | Originally posted by RyanVice
While your sitting at home hoping to be the next Tiesto and 'Searching for yourself' lol, im out wearing my big boy pants stacking ca$h.
PWND :) |
Ah, the internet - where any idiot can pretend to be anything. |
|
|
|
|
