Mastering the Art of Beatmatching: A DJ’s Guide

10/18/2024

We bring you part one of our free guide giving you hints and tips to start or develop your DJ Skills. So what does BPM and Beatmatching mean? Lets get into it.

Beats per minute (BPM) is a crucial metric in DJing. It refers to the speed or tempo of a piece of music. A high BPM indicates a fast tempo, while a low BPM signifies a slow tempo. In basic terms when you are dancing in a club, your dancing to the beat. The number of beats in a single minute is the BPM

Why BPM Matters in DJing

Mixing Harmony: BPM plays a vital role in seamless transitions between tracks. When two songs have similar BPMs, they blend more smoothly, creating a harmonious listening experience.

Maintaining Energy: The BPM of a track can influence the overall energy and mood of a set. A high BPM can energize the crowd, while a slower BPM can create a more relaxed atmosphere.

Beat Matching: Accurate BPM matching is essential for creating seamless mixes. DJs use various techniques, such as beatmatching by ear or using BPM counters and software, to ensure that the beats of two tracks align.

Programming Sets: DJs often plan their sets in advance, considering the BPM of each track to create a coherent set and increase energy.

alt=" MPM Range in music gneres from Mastering The Mix

The Art of Beatmatching

Beatmatching is a fundamental skill for DJs, involving synchronizing the beats of two or more tracks to create a seamless transition. This technique is essential for maintaining a consistent flow and keeping the crowd engaged.

Understanding the Basics

BPM: Beats per minute (BPM) is the speed or tempo of a track. Matching the BPMs of two tracks is crucial for smooth transitions.

Beat Grid: A beat grid is a visual representation of the beats in a track, often displayed in DJ software. It helps DJs align the beats of different tracks.

Techniques For Beatmatching

Manual Beatmatching: This involves listening carefully to the tracks and adjusting their playback speeds to match the beats. It requires a keen ear and practice.

Using BPM Display: BPM display on DJ equipment or Decks can help measure the tempo of tracks, making it easier to match them.

DJ Software: Most modern DJ software includes built-in BPM detection and can simplify the beatmatching process.

Follow These Steps To Master Beatmatching

Load up two tracks. Let’s call them tracks 1 and 2. Track 1 is the master (Current Track Playing ).

Play track one out of the main speakers (to your Audience). Track 2 is monitored privately in the headphones with your other ear with the CUE function, so only you can hear it while you match beats.

Work out the tracks’ BPMs. The easiest process for working out a track’s BPM is to use the software of DJ Decks.

Adjust the tempo slider. Once you’ve worked out the two BPMs of the tracks, you can adjust the tempo control of the second track to raise or lower the BPM to match the speed of the first track. You can either do this by ear or literally by calculating the difference in BPM and then adjusting the percentage of the tempo slider as necessary.

Match the beats and phase. Once the tempos are the same, it’s a matter of aligning the beats to make sure that both tracks are in the same correct phase position. So beats 1, 2, 3, and 4 of both tracks are hitting at the same time. The easiest way to do this is by counting the beats of track one and then using the cue button to trigger the second track to start at the right point.

You can make this process easier if you set the cue point for track 2 – where you want the track to come in.

Count 1-2-3-4 to the beat on track 1.

Tap away track 2 CUE button to the beat of track one. When you feel its the same tap then hold it down for a couple of bars.

Listen to see if track 2 is faster or slower than track 1.

If its off Adjust the tempo slider – increase or decrease the speed.

If it doesn’t drift out and its the same you have the right tempo. Hit the CUE again and if it helps set a loop that way you have enough time to mix track two in.

When you mastered this cover the screens and try without looking at the waveforms.