knowing the right tempo

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knowing the right tempo
Posted on: 15.07.2013 by Isis Genwright
how do you know when you have the right tempo? is there a way to tell or an instinct?

I've been beatmatching for a month and I can get the songs matched for a good 15 to 20 secs but if I leave for a minute the songs are usually off. is there a way to set the.right tempo from the start?

also, roughly how much do you usually move the tempo control? I can't tell if I'm over, under or accurately adjusting it. I use 6% on the cdj900's


thanks!
Ervin Calvery
16.07.2013
Originally Posted by deevey
Unless you are looking at the screen to find the exact speed of the first track, at which stage you may as well just match the BPM on both players and be done with it.

Gigging and Math do not go hand in hand IMHO - should be feeling it rather than needing to concentrate.
I label most of my tracks with BPM and key, even regular vinyl records. Personally, I'm must faster if I've done that preparation.
Rolanda Clodfelder
15.07.2013		Its really instinct over time where your cue ear can differentiate between the two tracks BPM... Are you using one ear headphone monitoring or mixing in the headphones (personally I always found One ear easier).

Just a matter of training yourself to separate the various elements from each track - it'll come.

If you are intent on doing it blind without looking at the BPM - riding the fader is how I find works most accurately for long mixes.

Its rare that you will not need a lil bit of pitch bend or adjustments to keep the tracks in sync over long periods though.



Originally Posted by botstein
It's always an option to use arithmetic, but not always necessary. For example, if the first track is at 102 BPM and the second at 100, then they will be in time if the second track is sped up 2%.

I'm used to the +/- 8% pitch control on Technics turntables. I let track decks in Traktor move as wide as 25%, but rarely adjust farther than the single digits, especially without keylock.
Unless you are looking at the screen to find the exact speed of the first track, at which stage you may as well just match the BPM on both players and be done with it.

Gigging and Math do not go hand in hand IMHO - should be feeling it rather than needing to concentrate.
Ervin Calvery
15.07.2013		With practice, it's easy to remember what a specific tempo feels like. It's possible to check against a metronome, click track, or a track already marked with the tempo.

Originally Posted by locksmith
if I leave for a minute the songs are usually off.
Don't do this.

Originally Posted by locksmith
is there a way to set the.right tempo from the start?
It's always an option to use arithmetic, but not always necessary. For example, if the first track is at 102 BPM and the second at 100, then they will be in time if the second track is sped up 2%.

I'm used to the +/- 8% pitch control on Technics turntables. I let track decks in Traktor move as wide as 25%, but rarely adjust farther than the single digits, especially without keylock.
Isis Genwright
15.07.2013		how do you know when you have the right tempo? is there a way to tell or an instinct?

I've been beatmatching for a month and I can get the songs matched for a good 15 to 20 secs but if I leave for a minute the songs are usually off. is there a way to set the.right tempo from the start?

also, roughly how much do you usually move the tempo control? I can't tell if I'm over, under or accurately adjusting it. I use 6% on the cdj900's


thanks!
Federico Vilas
25.07.2013		That's what the master cue switch is for so you can here it in your headphones the same way the master out is projecting the sound
Rolanda Clodfelder
25.07.2013
They say you need a speaker on the side to beat match with one ear. Is that true. Cause I don't believe the places I'm gonna play have monitors. But I like the idea of hearing it on speakers before bringing the cues track in cause it always sounds a little more matched than it is through earphones
If the nearest speaker is more than 3 or 4 meters away at most and not pointing in your general direction one-ear mixing just ain't gonna work due to speed of sound latency (every meter adds over 3ms of delay)
Ming Devis
18.07.2013		With the one ear method remember to have the volume level balanced or a little bit quieter in your ear when trying to beat match. Having it too loud can make it hard to concentrate on the track that's playing out of your monitors
Isis Genwright
17.07.2013		Thanks all for the help! Is the pitch chart to be used in conjunction with the jog wheel or by itself? I've seen DJ's who ride the pitch to get them matched and barely touch the wheel

Till last evening , I've used earphones to cue the tracks with both ears. I will practice the one ear method, cause it looks fkn awesome lol. But seriously, I gotta figure out which method is better once I get a good mixer. The one I'm using doesn't have a cue/master mix so I have to figure that out

They say you need a speaker on the side to beat match with one ear. Is that true. Cause I don't believe the places I'm gonna play have monitors. But I like the idea of hearing it on speakers before bringing the cues track in cause it always sounds a little more matched than it is through earphones
Ervin Calvery
16.07.2013
Originally Posted by deevey
Unless you are looking at the screen to find the exact speed of the first track, at which stage you may as well just match the BPM on both players and be done with it.

Gigging and Math do not go hand in hand IMHO - should be feeling it rather than needing to concentrate.
I label most of my tracks with BPM and key, even regular vinyl records. Personally, I'm must faster if I've done that preparation.
Federico Vilas
15.07.2013		Use your ear... Your can tell if a song is over/under tempo... If so use pitch bend buttons on Cdjs to adjust. I use ttables so it is easier to make small adjustments
Rolanda Clodfelder
15.07.2013		Its really instinct over time where your cue ear can differentiate between the two tracks BPM... Are you using one ear headphone monitoring or mixing in the headphones (personally I always found One ear easier).

Just a matter of training yourself to separate the various elements from each track - it'll come.

If you are intent on doing it blind without looking at the BPM - riding the fader is how I find works most accurately for long mixes.

Its rare that you will not need a lil bit of pitch bend or adjustments to keep the tracks in sync over long periods though.



Originally Posted by botstein
It's always an option to use arithmetic, but not always necessary. For example, if the first track is at 102 BPM and the second at 100, then they will be in time if the second track is sped up 2%.

I'm used to the +/- 8% pitch control on Technics turntables. I let track decks in Traktor move as wide as 25%, but rarely adjust farther than the single digits, especially without keylock.
Unless you are looking at the screen to find the exact speed of the first track, at which stage you may as well just match the BPM on both players and be done with it.

Gigging and Math do not go hand in hand IMHO - should be feeling it rather than needing to concentrate.
Ervin Calvery
15.07.2013		With practice, it's easy to remember what a specific tempo feels like. It's possible to check against a metronome, click track, or a track already marked with the tempo.

Originally Posted by locksmith
if I leave for a minute the songs are usually off.
Don't do this.

Originally Posted by locksmith
is there a way to set the.right tempo from the start?
It's always an option to use arithmetic, but not always necessary. For example, if the first track is at 102 BPM and the second at 100, then they will be in time if the second track is sped up 2%.

I'm used to the +/- 8% pitch control on Technics turntables. I let track decks in Traktor move as wide as 25%, but rarely adjust farther than the single digits, especially without keylock.

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