Which Beatmathcing Technique do you prefer?

Wunderkind

Wunderkind

Bluelighter
Joined
Jan 26, 2003
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757
Location
Louisville, KY
I want to get everyone's opinion on this. Do most people pitch bend by rapidly moving the pitch fader back and forth, or do you manipulate the record, then adjust the pitch in increments.
 
both for me -
drop the record, if its too fast, I touch the platter gently to slow it down while moving the pitch to an appropriate speed

if its too slow then I "push" the record while I move the pitch up until it is in the ballpark speed

after I get the pitch in the general area, its all pitch bending to lock it in - I find that to be more accurate than touching the record again.

I would say I'm about 90% pitch bending, 10% manipulation.
 
my decks are so shit that manipulation requires a really fine touch & pitchbending isn't as reliable as on decent decks. however, that's a Good Thing in the long run, because it makes me focus on technique.

i couldn't tell you the ratio, i'll have to try and remember to remember next time i mix :)
 
I use both, theirs a time and place for each, normally I ended up doing it consecutively. i.e manipulate the record/platter and then tweak the speed accordingly.

But dont take my advice, I still cant mix ;)
 
I used to adjust in increments, but I've found that pitch-bending is really the most intuitive for me. The only time I touch the record is when the pitch is really far off. Fine adjustments are just so much easier with the pitch slider.
 
i tend to touch the platter when i first start trying to beatmatch. after about 5 seconds or so i'm close enough that i switch to pitch control only.....i never touch the platter during a mix.
 
Pitch bending is really the smoothest way to mix, and I use it most of the time. But if the record is really fast I will touch the outside of the platter to slow the record a lot. I never touch the record, cause each surface is so different I eventually fuck up.
 
i tend to use both. I never touch the record however, i only use the platter if i need to manually speed up/slow down the record for the same reason triball effect mentioned . I'd say i use blending most, scince i know most of my records pretty well and can tell about where i need to move the pitch up or down to match the beat.
 
Thanks for all the responses, that's kind of what I figured, but I'm glad I asked. I am starting to pitch bend more, but I still am having trouble locking it in. Also, I know that I can just fix it, but does anyone ever notice that the pitch is a little bit different when you re-cue a record.

Example would be if you had a record and it sounded matched, then you re cued it to get it into phrase for the mix, it is a little bit off now. Is that just me or is it a phenomenon of vinyl?
 
It might just be the way you are redroping the record back in. Even if it is off just slightly you will have to readjust it.

Pitch bending is hard at first. It took me a bit to learn in on my technics (before, I had such shitty tables I couldn't do it). But after practicing a couple weeks you will notice why everyone uses it, and why it is so good. Just resist the natural urge to reach over and touch the record or platter. You also need to overcompensate with pitchbending, because if the records are outta wack by 4% you will need to speed the incoming record to like 8% for a brief time then slow it back to beat matching speed.

Stick with it, keep those fingers off the platter, and your ears will eventually adjust. Using both techniques (pitchbending and touching the platter) I usually have records matched within 8 beats easily, 4 beats if I know the records well.
 
WK, a couple of things I've discovered is that you can have two records beat matched nicely, perfectly if you will :)
Now, when it comes time to drop record B into the mix and it is very noticably not beat matched all of a sudden. I believe the reason for this is because your dealing with an analogue device and as a result the surface of the vinyl A is going to alter to *some* degree, hence the platter is still revolving at the same speed 33/45rpm but the record because of its contour and friction is going to throw your beat matching estimate. Doesnt happen all the time, but it does happen.

Personally, I've found it helpfull to familiarise yourself with the feel of the vinyl on the platter as your beat matching with it. If its relatively flat or slightly concave its going to be more prone to being manipulated from the inner ring with a slight push. If its slightly convex then your a brave man (or desperate :-) if you touch it there. I've found twisting the nipple (or alternatively pinching it, to slow the platter) of the deck to be very handy if things are drifting slightly. I'm opposed to using *just* pitchbending because it doesnt rectify a mistake for me as quick as possible. But thats just my milage, yours will differ.

Another thing I find helpfull when I'm mixing is, say for example you've got track A and B again. Track A is playing away which is primarily composed of drums. Your starting to mix track B which has a trancey/keyboardy thing going on with it. I'll always manipulate the track with the drums as if you have to slow down or speed up the trancey bit, people are going to notice it and laugh at you :)

Ideally you should invest as much time as you can in mixing two tracks. Use as much as track A as possible, as opposed to swiging on a beer or trying to smoke a bowl :) so you've got the best advantage when it comes time for everyone to hear the mix. Use your eq's too, they're there to get you out shit :)

Just play around with it, everyone has there own 'style' it'll come to you with plenty of practice.
 
im a record/platter manhandler. ive used pitchbending before and it just doesnt suit me. ill get my beat zeroed in and if i do need to do any adjustments, i either tweak the spindle or i use the platter to slow it down. i rarely have any problems this way. i see alot of people use pitchbending though. hey, whatever 's comfortable right?
atri
 
as soon as i drop the record in, the next time i touch it is when i take it off after its mixed out

i use the pitch slider for everything, now granted, when i spin dnb rather than house, i do a few tricks and things here and there, so i touch the vinyl when scratching, if a rewind is requested (grumble), etc. but other than that, i wont touch it, not cus the surface is different or this or that, but using the pitch only is more accurate, im good at that, and its what im used to
 
WTF is pitch bending? Do you mean like an actual pitch bend control on a turntable or do you actually mean 'riding the pitch'?

The cleanest way to mix is to ride the pitch. Look at most renowned (for their mixing) internationals and they will likely never touch the platter/record.
 
interesting

good call cuz now that i think of it...most of the really good djs i've seen only ride the pitch....but i'm thinkin this is because they know their wax so well.....
 
pitch riding bending whatever is also a good thing to get used to if youre using cd mixers i imagine right?
atri
 
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