Beatmatching Tutorial
How to beatmatch
When you first listen to two records together it sounds like a
Count in 4's (most popular music) along with the song until you get the feel for the track. Your count should look somehting like this :-
1,2,3,4 // 2,2,3,4 // 3,2,3,4 // 4,2,3,4
When you get to the end, simply start at the beginning again.
Start the second record in time with the beat of the song playing live (i.e. on the 1 of 1,2,3,4).
This should start them off in synch. If they're adjusted right they'll stay in time; if not, they'll drift apart. And the faster they drift, the more they need adjusting.
1 Use two records with clear, solid drum-beats - the simpler the better (beats-only tracks are great to practise with, or even better two copies of the same record).
2 Set the mixer so record 1 is playing out loud and record 2 is in your headphones. You should have one record in each ear (remove one side of the headphones so your ear is open to the air).
3 Find the first beat on record 2, Move it back and forth in time with record 1- like you're tapping out the rhythm. Each forward motion should make the beat play in time with record 1.
4 When you're ready, let go on the beat. The first beat of record 2 should play in time to record 1.
When you can do this accurately, beatmatching will start to seem a lot less impossible.
If you're marking one beat with your body, it leaves your head free to count the other beat, so try marking the beats of record 1 by shaking your leg / hand / other suitable body part & marking the beats of record 2 in your head!
How do you hear beats on two records at once?
At first you'll have to count, and that's confusing. But with practice you'll just hear four beats without counting them (like you just see four dots on a dice).
How do you know if it's faster or slower?
Eventually you'll just be able to hear it. Until then, use trial and error. Take an educated guess, then adjust things. If you guessed right you'll have corrected the problem a bit; if you guessed wrong you'll have made it worse.
How can you tell the two records apart?
One clue is the noise that two records make when they're out of synch. Instead of a clean kick-drum boom, you'll hear b-boom. Listen carefully to this noise and you can hear whether the extra b-is in the headphones or the speakers. This will tell you which record is hitting the beat first, again eventually you will be able to simple hear the difference in the records (this has nothing to do with how well you know your tunes, but when your ear has "learned" what sounds wrong, you'll be able to tell straight away - on any given record.
How can you hear really small differences?
Practise. At first you'll only be able to hear big differences in speeds. But gradually your skill will increase until you can spot tiny ones without consciously trying. The more you practise, the more obvious they'll become.
Do you always count kick drums?
Not necessarily. As you get better you'll be able to hear the beat in all sorts of rhythms, even ones without a kick. Some people beat-match by lining up hi-hats.
Thats the basics of beatmatching, then next comes phrasing and harmonic mixing......but thats another story
