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| {{Short description|DJing technique of manipulating an adjacent track to match the tempo of the current track}} | |||
| '''Beatmatching''' is a mixing technique employed by ]s that was popularized by ] in the late 60's/early70's. While originally it involved counting the ] with a ] and finding a record with the same tempo, today it involves changing the speed at which a recording is played back so that its tempo matches that of the song currently playing. In this way, the DJ can either simultaneously play two songs of different original tempos without their ]s clashing or "galloping" or can more smoothly transition between two songs. The tempo of the recording can be changed through the use of specialized playback mechanisms. In the case of ]s, for example, the ] would have a separate control for determining the relative speed (typically listed in percent increments) faster or slower the record can be played back. Similar specialized playback devices exist for most recorded ]. Changing the speed the record is playing is called pitching or ]. | |||
| {{multiple issues| | |||
| {{one source|date=May 2016}} | |||
| {{Original research|date=May 2008}} | |||
| }} | |||
| ] | |||
| '''Beatmatching''' or '''pitch cue''' is a ] technique of ]ing or ] an upcoming track to match its ] to that of the currently playing track, and to adjust them such that the beats (and, usually, the bars) are synchronized—e.g. the kicks and snares in two house records hit at the same time when both records are played simultaneously. Beatmatching is a component of '''beatmixing''' which employs beatmatching combined with equalization, attention to phrasing and track selection in an attempt to make a single ] that flows together and has a good structure. | |||
| For a DJ wishing to beatmatch using vinyl turntables, the general procedure involved is relatively simple to explain, but harder to master. | |||
| The technique was developed to keep the people from leaving the dancefloor at the end of the song. These days it is considered basic among disc jockeys (DJs) in ] genres, and it is standard practice in clubs to keep the constant beat through the night, even if DJs change in the middle. | |||
| Assume, as is the case for most DJs, that we have two turntables with records on them, T1 and T2, and a ] capable of variably blending the outputs of T1 and T2, and also allowing the DJ to cue the music playing on one or other of turntables (listen to it on ] without outputting the sound to the audience). In order to control the records on the turntables, the DJ must be competent in moving the vinyl record with his hand whilst the platter of the turntable is moving. Typically a ] is placed on the turntable between the record and the platter, to reduce the friction between the two, and allow the DJ to search through a record by moving it with his or her hand, as well as momentarily speed up or slow down the record, by pushing/nudging it on, or holding it back (typically by pressing a finger against the side of the turntable platter to reduce its speed). | |||
| ==Technique== | |||
| Now, if T1 is playing to the audience, and we wish to ] the beginning of T2 into the closing sections of T1, we will most likely need to adjust the pitch of T2 in order to match the tempos of the two songs, and the beats. | |||
| ] turntable; corresponds to steps 2–5 in the listed instructions.]] | |||
| The beatmatching technique consists of the following steps: | |||
| # While a record is playing, start a second record playing, but only monitored through headphones, not being fed to the main PA system. Use ] (or ''trim'') control on the mixer to match the levels of the two records. | |||
| To do this, the first thing a DJ must do is find the start of the ] in T2. For a lot of dance music, this is typically the first sound of the song, often a ]. The DJ can find this beat by playing the record until he hears the sound of the first beat in his headphones, which will be set to cue T2. Once the first beat has been found, the DJ can hold the record with his hand and prevent it from spinning, thus pausing the sound. To start it again, he or she must simply release the record, and the spinning platter will start the record moving again. To find the first beat again once the song has begun playing, the DJ can rewind the record, again with his or her hand. In this way it is possible to start T2, rewind it, start it again, etc... | |||
| # Restart and ] the new record at the right time, on beat with the record currently playing. | |||
| Once the DJ is confident he or she has found the first beat, and can start it at the exact moment they desire, the process of beatmatching can begin. | |||
| # If the beat on the new record hits before the beat on the current record, then the new record is too fast; reduce the pitch and manually slow the speed of the new record to bring the beats back in sync. | |||
| # If the beat on the new record hits after the beat on the current record, then the new record is too slow; increase the pitch and manually increase the speed of the new record to bring the beats back in sync. | |||
| # Continue this process until the two records are in sync with each other. It can be difficult to sync the two records perfectly, so manual adjustment of the records is necessary to maintain the beat synchronization. | |||
| # Gradually fade in parts of the new track while fading out the old track. While in the mix, ensure that the tracks are still synchronized, adjusting the records if needed. | |||
| # The fade can be repeated several times, for example, from the first track, fade to the second track, then back to first, then to second again. | |||
| One of the key things to consider when beatmatching is the tempo of both songs, and the musical theory behind the songs. Attempting to beatmatch songs with completely different beats per minute (BPM) will result in one of the songs sounding too fast or too slow. | |||
| The basic process is as follows: | |||
| When beatmatching, a popular technique is to vary the equalization of both tracks. For example, when the kicks are occurring on the same beat, a more seamless transition can occur if the lower frequencies are taken out of one of the songs, and the lower frequencies of the other song is boosted. Doing so creates a smoother transition. | |||
| Hold T2 on its first beat (the DJ hears it through headphones, the audience cannot). | |||
| ===Pitch and tempo=== | |||
| Listen to T1, and try to follow the beats to a ] (i.e. know which is the first beat of the bar). | |||
| The ] and tempo of a track are normally linked together: spin a disc 5% faster and both pitch and tempo will be 5% higher. However, some modern DJ software can change pitch and tempo independently using ], allowing ]. There is also a feature in modern DJ software which may be called "master tempo" or "key adjust" which changes the tempo while keeping the original pitch. | |||
| ==History== | |||
| Start T2 on the first beat of a bar (ideally this will be the first bar of a section of T1, see below). Assuming the tempos of T1 and T2 are close, the two tracks will sound 'in time' to begin with. | |||
| ] was one of the first people to beatmatch in the late 1960s, being taught the technique by Bob Lewis.<ref name="dj-history">{{cite web|url=http://www.djhistory.com/interviews/francis-grasso|title=Francis Grasso|publisher=DJ History|date=28 December 2009|access-date=8 January 2023|author=Frank Broughton|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091228090616/http://www.djhistory.com/interviews/francis-grasso|archive-date=28 December 2009}}</ref><ref name="MasterClass">{{cite web | title=How to Beatmatch: Beatmatching Tips and Benefits — 2023 | website=MasterClass | date=2021-03-29 | url=https://www.masterclass.com/articles/beat-matching-guide | access-date=2023-09-27}}</ref> | |||
| These days{{when|date=May 2016}} beat-matching is considered central to DJing, and features making it possible are a requirement for DJ-oriented players. In 1978, the ] turntable was released, whose comfortable and precise sliding ] and high torque ] motor made beat-matching easier and it became the standard among DJs. With the advent of the compact disc, DJ-oriented ] with pitch control and other features enabling beat-matching (and sometimes ]), dubbed ]s, were introduced by various companies. More recently, software with similar capabilities has been developed to allow manipulation of ] files stored on computers using turntables with special vinyl records (e.g. ], ], ]) or computer interface (e.g. ], ], ]). Other software including algorithmic beat-matching is ], which allows for realtime music manipulation and deconstruction. Freeware software such as ] can detect the ] and determine the percent BPM difference between songs. | |||
| If the tempo of T2 is too slow, it will fall behind T1 (listening to the drums often highlights this). If this is the case, speed up T2 (see above) until it is again in time with T1. | |||
| Most modern DJ hardware and software now offer a "sync" feature which automatically adjusts the tempo between tracks being mixed so the DJ no longer needs to beatmatch manually. | |||
| If the tempo of T2 is too fast, it will overtake T1 (again, the drums are often the easier way to hear this). If this is the case, slow down T2 (see above) until it is again in time with T1. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| Repeat this process until you are sure that T2 is definitely slower or faster than T1. | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| ==References== | |||
| Now, once we know if T2 is too fast or too slow, we can temporairly adjust the pitch using the pitch slider (found to the side of all DJ turntables) to adjust the tempo of T2 and bring it closer to that of T1. | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| {{DJing}} | |||
| Next we must repeat the whole process of testing T2 to see if it is too fast, too slow, or just right to blend with T1, and adjusting as necessary. | |||
| ] | |||
| After a few iterations of this procedure (the time at which it is performed varying according to the skill of the DJ) the tempo of T2 should be very close to that of T1. If this is so, the DJ will find that even after listening to T2 for a (relatively) long time, it will not fall out of time with T1. At this point we can be sure our beats match, and T1 and T2 are at close enough speeds that they could be blended. The next step though is to note the total percentage of the variation in speed needed, and divide it by two; so the resulting music (voices especially) are not to modified or "pitch-shifted" on T2. Thus instead of leaving T1 at neutral and having to "pitch" T2 at +6% (making BARRY WHITE sound more like the BEE GEES), gradually slow down T1 to -3% and "pitch" T2 at a more reasonable +3%. | |||
| ] | |||
| Now we can simply start T2 at the desired point in T1 to create a nice effect, layering the ] or better still the break of T1 over the ] of T2. | |||
| To beatmatch, a DJ must be aware of '''both''' the songs he or she wishes to blend at all times. A fact that makes the life of a ] DJ a lot easier is that the majority of dance music is based around the 4/4 ]. In broad terms, this has the effect that the sections of a dance music song will have length equal to some multiple of 4 bars. Most commonly, if you count the bars in a section of a song, they will be 4, 8, 16, 32, or 64 bars in length. This information helps the DJ decide at which point during T1 he must start T2 in order for the sounds of one track to fade as the other builds, or whatever effect is desired. | |||
| {{hiphop}} | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 18:04, 18 September 2024
DJing technique of manipulating an adjacent track to match the tempo of the current track | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
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Beatmatching or pitch cue is a disc jockey technique of pitch shifting or time stretching an upcoming track to match its tempo to that of the currently playing track, and to adjust them such that the beats (and, usually, the bars) are synchronized—e.g. the kicks and snares in two house records hit at the same time when both records are played simultaneously. Beatmatching is a component of beatmixing which employs beatmatching combined with equalization, attention to phrasing and track selection in an attempt to make a single mix that flows together and has a good structure.
The technique was developed to keep the people from leaving the dancefloor at the end of the song. These days it is considered basic among disc jockeys (DJs) in electronic dance music genres, and it is standard practice in clubs to keep the constant beat through the night, even if DJs change in the middle.
Technique
The beatmatching technique consists of the following steps:
- While a record is playing, start a second record playing, but only monitored through headphones, not being fed to the main PA system. Use gain (or trim) control on the mixer to match the levels of the two records.
- Restart and slip-cue the new record at the right time, on beat with the record currently playing.
- If the beat on the new record hits before the beat on the current record, then the new record is too fast; reduce the pitch and manually slow the speed of the new record to bring the beats back in sync.
- If the beat on the new record hits after the beat on the current record, then the new record is too slow; increase the pitch and manually increase the speed of the new record to bring the beats back in sync.
- Continue this process until the two records are in sync with each other. It can be difficult to sync the two records perfectly, so manual adjustment of the records is necessary to maintain the beat synchronization.
- Gradually fade in parts of the new track while fading out the old track. While in the mix, ensure that the tracks are still synchronized, adjusting the records if needed.
- The fade can be repeated several times, for example, from the first track, fade to the second track, then back to first, then to second again.
One of the key things to consider when beatmatching is the tempo of both songs, and the musical theory behind the songs. Attempting to beatmatch songs with completely different beats per minute (BPM) will result in one of the songs sounding too fast or too slow.
When beatmatching, a popular technique is to vary the equalization of both tracks. For example, when the kicks are occurring on the same beat, a more seamless transition can occur if the lower frequencies are taken out of one of the songs, and the lower frequencies of the other song is boosted. Doing so creates a smoother transition.
Pitch and tempo
The pitch and tempo of a track are normally linked together: spin a disc 5% faster and both pitch and tempo will be 5% higher. However, some modern DJ software can change pitch and tempo independently using time-stretching and pitch-shifting, allowing harmonic mixing. There is also a feature in modern DJ software which may be called "master tempo" or "key adjust" which changes the tempo while keeping the original pitch.
History
Francis Grasso was one of the first people to beatmatch in the late 1960s, being taught the technique by Bob Lewis.
These days beat-matching is considered central to DJing, and features making it possible are a requirement for DJ-oriented players. In 1978, the Technics SL-1200MK2 turntable was released, whose comfortable and precise sliding pitch control and high torque direct drive motor made beat-matching easier and it became the standard among DJs. With the advent of the compact disc, DJ-oriented compact disc players with pitch control and other features enabling beat-matching (and sometimes scratching), dubbed CDJs, were introduced by various companies. More recently, software with similar capabilities has been developed to allow manipulation of digital audio files stored on computers using turntables with special vinyl records (e.g. Final Scratch, M-Audio Torq, Serato Scratch Live) or computer interface (e.g. Traktor DJ Studio, Mixxx, VirtualDJ). Other software including algorithmic beat-matching is Ableton Live, which allows for realtime music manipulation and deconstruction. Freeware software such as Rapid Evolution can detect the beats per minute and determine the percent BPM difference between songs.
Most modern DJ hardware and software now offer a "sync" feature which automatically adjusts the tempo between tracks being mixed so the DJ no longer needs to beatmatch manually.
See also
References
- Frank Broughton (28 December 2009). "Francis Grasso". DJ History. Archived from the original on 28 December 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- "How to Beatmatch: Beatmatching Tips and Benefits — 2023". MasterClass. 2021-03-29. Retrieved 2023-09-27.
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