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The Art Of Beatmixing
"Mixing is like riding a bike. Once you learn, you'll never forget."
For the beginning or amateur DJ, beatmixing with vinyl can be difficult--even tougher than learning to scratch in many ways. But to become a professional club DJ, matching beats and creating smooth transitions is the name of the game. So it's a skill that you will simply have to master at some point.
To get some mixing tips from a veteran DJ, we spent an afternoon chatting with DJ Sugar Daddy from www.SugarDaddy.s5.com , SD has been playing in busy nightclubs for over ten years and owns Playhouse DJ Shop. His experience playing Clubs, Concerts, Radio, Raves & Hip-Hop makes him versatile enough to give this advise about mixing.
For the beginning DJ, how would you suggest learning to beatmix?
SD: Well, the first step would be learning to count the beats in the music. You should be able to count beats in divisions of eight from the beginning to the end of a record, paying special attention to where the "one" is. You should then purchase two copies of the same record, put one on each turntable, and adjust the Pitch control to be the same on both decks.
Start by playing the first record, then finding the "one" count on the second record in your headphones so that you can get an even match of counts. Once you've got both records spinning in sync, the final step would be to crossfade back and forth, making sure to adjust the pitch slightly if one of the records is sounding like it's falling off-beat.
After you've got this down with two copies of the same record, you can start to mix in other records of the same genre and similar tempo.
You mentioned adjusting the pitch if one of the records is off. Is it better to grab the nipple of the turntable to slow a record down or to drag your hand on the side of the platter?
SD: I find that the best thing to do is to grab and apply pressure to the turntable nipple if the record needs to slow down a tad. Avoid touching the record itself or the platter if you can, because this can create a noticeable change to your mix. It's easy to be heavy-handed and throw things off that way. The nipple is easier for making subtle adjustments.
What role do the EQ knobs play in beat mixing?
SD: Your EQ controls play a major role in smooth mixing. Records and CDs are all mastered a little differently, which can cause drum kicks or bass lines to conflict sonically and throw off your mix. So the main purpose of EQ is to drop the low-end (the bass) so you don't over-modulate your mix. By reducing the bass frequency of the record you are mixing in, you can eliminate most of the over-modulation completely. If your mixer has total frequency Kill switches, you can really create some really smooth mixes.
Do you continually adjust a single Pitch control until one record is right with the other, or do you adjust both turntables' Pitch controls while mixing?
SD: When adjusting your pitch, it's always best to control the turntable or CD player that you will using to bring your new song in. By using both turntables or CD players you might confuse yourself, unless you are a master beatmixer.
Do you use or recommend BPM counters for beginning DJs?
SD: Definitely. A BPM counter is a good guide for DJs who are just learning. These counters usually detect the BPM (beats per minute) over a few measures and give you a average BPM readout on an LCD. Some DJ mixers from Pioneer and others even have BPM counters built in. Of course, you shouldn't use a BPM counter as your primary mixing tool--your ears are always the best judge--but it can be a good guide to perfect your mixing skills when starting out.
What are the easiest and most difficult types of music to beatmix?
SD: The music that I would stay away from when beatmixing is anything that was recorded with a live band instead of a drum machine or sampled drum loop. When trying to mix "live band" music like old disco, funk, or rock, you can only lock a beat for about four counts without having to keep adjusting the tempo sometimes.
So I would suggest starting with music that gives you a number of counts without vocals, like house music, techno or trance. If you are going to mix hip-hop, I would recommend you buy doubles of each record so you can mix the instrumental first then follow with the vocal version.
The music that is best for you to learn on is the music you feel the most. By feeling the music, you will be able to drive the dance floor and tell a story through your mix.
If a DJ is spinning the entire night, how should he or she go from hip-hop to funk to house to techno smoothly?
SD: You always want to read the crowd and not plan a format for the night. Just assuming your set will work and not reading the crowd might cost you the dance floor. If you feel a genre of music is not working, go ahead and change it immediately by lowering the volume of the current record and starting with a recognized tune to follow.
Any other tips or words of advice?
SD: Just follow what you feel and be sure to practice, practice, practice. Mixing is like riding a bike. Once you learn, you'll never forget.
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