introduction
understanding dance music
beatmatching
EQing
scratching
advanced tips
CDJs

link >
link >
link >
link >

introduction : cueing : pitch finding : advanced : fading

Cueing and Releasing the Record

We now know the point of beat mixing or beat matching so lets get started on the practical. There are two methods of learning to beatmatch. Some tutorials may tell you to use two copies of the same record with one on each deck. You could put both records at zero (green light in middle of pitch slider) and you automatically know that the speeds are spot on. It's then just a matter of knowing when to put the new record into the one that's playing. However I feel this is not very exciting for you and you will get bored very quickly. There are several disadvantages to this.
The first is that there is little practical use in using two identical records as for most DJs you'll be straight mixing as the main method of getting from one record to the next. Its therefore a waste of your money, too, when you could buy a different tune and increase your collection.
Secondly, if you play the same record at zero pitch on both decks by starting both records from the very first noise with the fader in the middle, the output you will hear will sound slightly echoey. This is a technique often used in turntablism called Phasing where you overlap identical parts of the same record over one another. If you have two copies of the same record try it. The final mixed sound is far fuller than the original and some how due to the echo a little bit more ermmm "live".

Cueing

I define this as:

"A systematic process allowing the DJ to find a specific point on the record to then use for scratching or mixing or other DJ trickery"

If your using CDJs this section is pretty much useless to you. You will use the autocue function and adjust it so that the beat starts straight away when you press Play. It will be instantaneous with no drag and is as accurate as you are pressing the Play button in time with the tune already playing. Because the technology does this for you, throwing the record in is not particularly applicable. Turntable users aren't quite so fortunate. So what affects the accuracy of cueing?

Basically the quality of your decks. If you have high end decks (Technics, Vestax, Numark TTXs etc.) The "pick up" of a deck will be affected by the torque of the deck and strength and quality of the motor. This "pick up" is how quickly the deck gets to speed from a standstill. The pick-up on these decks are almost instantaneous so this shouldn't cause you any problem.

Budget direct drives (Soundlab, Citronic, Gemini, Kam etc.) are still good but the componentry and torque will not be so good. Instead when you are holding a record at the right point and release it to start the mix, you may need to give it a little push so that you improve the time it takes to get the record up to speed. You will need to give them a little push to get them on their way.

Belt drive decks are the worst for this - these usually require a shove more than a push and take the most getting used to.  Again, it becomes easier with practice.  Don't despair if you have these. I learned on belt drives and it is very much possible. You will soon get a feel for how hard to push the record (and how gently you have to handle the record once its going) and it will become second nature.

Releasing the Record   

Stage 1 - Learning to release the record

• Select two records of the same musical style from the same period.  A good rule of thumb is to pick two current releases form the same record label and maybe even by the same artist or producer. How they create the music will be fairly similar so should ease the burden of learning. You may find it easier selecting two records that have basic simple beat structure. Breakbeats with lots of different rhythms may cloud the issue and you may get lost trying to distinguish one lot of beats to the other when mixing them live with the fader. In this case minimal is better. Ideally both should start with a beat as the first sample on the record.  Using tunes you know well will not only help you identify loops and where the breaks are but will also help make it easy on your ears to identify which drums and cymbal noises relate to which deck.
• Place x-fader to the LEFT on Channel 1. Set the pitches on both decks so they are approximately the same.  Somewhere around +2 is good.
• Place Record one on Channel 1 and switch the Headphones so you can monitor Channel 2.
  Do not play Channel 1 yet!
• Cue-up the record on Channel 2.  You do this by starting the deck, putting the needle on the record at the very beginning and winding it on manually until you hear the first beat come through the headphones. (Vinyl Point A).  If is no beat at the beginning, wind the record on until you find the first proper kickdrum.
• Stop the record as soon as you hear that sample.  This is your Cue Point. Now when you move your hand backwards and forwards you will be able to hear this one kickdrum through the headphones (sounds like wic-ca, wic-ca). Hold the sample.
• Start the record on Channel 1 - Get a feel for the tune in terms of its speed and set-up.
• As music plays, rhythmically push your hand forward on the downbeat (or first beat of each bar),  pulling back on the second, push forward on the third and pull back on the fourth.  Repeat this. The point here is particularly beneficial if you are using budget decks. If you rub the record back and forth any quicker you may find the platter underneath the record doesn't regain its full speed as you push forward. Keeping this movement fairly long (rather than quick rubs where the deck may come to a standstill), doing it slightly slower (one push and pull per beat) will maintain the speed of the platter as you push forward. It will slow slightly on the pull back but keeping the pressure with your hand very light should help ease this.
• Count the bars, and wait for the repeat. As you release the record you will find it very easy using this method, as no matter what decks you have as you release it will be accurately on the beat (as long as your rubbing was accurately in time) and as you push forward on the first beat and release it as you go, will be at full speed and you won't experience any lag due to the equipment you are using.
• Don't release the record on the repeat as you need to keep the breaks together.  (see here for more details) When mixing, this will prevent fill-ins happening at random places and piano breaks dropping in from nowhere.
• Remember: Only release the record at the beginning of a loop.
• Practice this releasing of the record.  You want the record to be at its selected speed as quick as possible.
• If you prefer to hear how accurate you are, find the first beat of Channel 2 with the headphones. Then put the fader in the middle and rub the record back and forwards. When you release it you will be able to hear through your stereo how accurate your drop in (cueing) actually is.

Cueing accuracy is often overlooked as a skill and is often taken for granted that it can be done accurately and consistently. Even if you can find the pitch (as explained in the next section) your speeds and pitches may be spot on. If when you drop it in to the mix and your accuracy is sloppy, you may drop it in early. Adjusting the pitches to make it fall back in line with each other will ruin the whole point of finding the pitches in the first place. The same if you drop it in too late. It will permanently running behind but at the correct speed. In both cases a simple poke if you dropped it in too late will re-align your tunes and THEN it will stay together. If you released it to early and the record is in front of the playing tune, touching the edge of the platter or dabbing the inner label with your finger will temporarily slow the record and re-align them. All your hard work on the pitch finding is then worthy. Adjusting the pitch will only send it haywire meaning that once you've got them running together correctly , because the speeds were right and your cueing has ruined it, the pitches will now be wrong as you've changed them. One will then run away or drag and you'll have fingers all over the decks correcting it all the way through the mix.

Imagine a correct mix as two identical cars in a drag race. They start together, accelerate together to top speed (view this as the pick up on your decks) and run side by side for the whole race and both finish identically over the finishing line (the end of the mix)
If however one gets a better start (less tyre smoke) than the other, the first car will pull away, leaving the second behind. Both cars will reach the same top speed but because of this the same distance will remain between them with one car dragging.

You wouldn't add a sixth gear and increase the top speed to the car with the poorer start. That's not the problem. Its top speed would then be more and yes it would catch the better starting car. But then it'd drive past due to the higher top speed, and run away to the finish line. To get them to finish together would mean making the now faster car brake. (having increased the pitch due to the poor cueing you are now applying the "brakes" by pitching the record back down)

Instead in the best method would be to add a turbo to the poorer starting car. Applying a little boost (poke the record with your finger rather than increasing the overall speed) will eliminate the poor start further into the race and both will run together until they cross the line.

I hope that makes sense but it's quite important! You may find when finding your pitches in the next section that when you are monitoring it, it will stay the same and play correctly. When you actually mix it, you haven't adjusted the pitch but it may sound totally out. This could be because your cueing isn't as accurate as you thought it was. The pitch hasn't changed and was correct when monitoring the first time. The only thing that has changed in the equation is you moving the needle back to the same cue point and re-releasing the record. It can only be human error and nothing to do with the equipment or decks you are using.

Previous | Next

Recording decks to pc, scratching tutorials, beatmixing tutorials, beatmatching tutorials, CDJs tutorials, turntable tutorials, vinyl, vinyl care, vinyl storage, technics, vestax, flares tutorials, skratchin, sxratching, dj mixers, free dj tutorials, turntablism tutorials, dj tutorials, download dnb mp3s, drum and bass, dnb download, mixes, dj glossary, calibrating needles, deck setup, hifi wiring, monitoring, speakers tutorials