Mixing Dubstep is No Fun Cuz Its All 140 BPM

Discussion in 'Working with Sound' started by dim_triad, Apr 24, 2015.

  1. dim_triad

    dim_triad Producer

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    Since I started mixing vinyl in 2000 on Technics, when I use CDJ's, I dont use any of that BpM counting junk... and actually put Post-it notes on anything that shows bpm calculations, since I beatmatch with my ears.

    Lately, I've switched back to Deep Dubstep... and there is just no fun in mixing tracks that are mostly (like 90% +) the same BPM of 140.

    What the hell is with that shit?.. I remember early Tempa Recordings stuff where the tempo could be anywhere between... say 137 to 144 (give-or-take a BPM or two).

    What happened?.. did Skrillex (or should I say Caspa and Rusko) ruin that too?
     
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  3. remix

    remix Platinum Record

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    wow such variety... :rofl:
     
  4. dim_triad

    dim_triad Producer

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    the key is that its not the same... so a person (one that knows how to beatmatch with their ears) has to... actually fuckn beatmatch. An onslaught of tracks that are all 140 is a laugh**.

    Let me guess... you are one or more of the following:

    1) A Skrillex or Brostep listener
    or
    2) let the mixer/ BPM-lock "dj" for you.

    ?


    P.S. most electronic music club genres lie within a general tempo-range. Can't for the life of me what is so hilarious about that. ??

    I mean what about drum n bass for example.. I seem to find most of them (in the passed 15 years), between 170 to maybe 177?.. or so.

    earlier... like pre 2000, can be way lower, like even 160 or less.

    All other standard club/dance genres don't vary much either.

    The passed couple years of Hard/Dark/Industrial Techno is around 125 to 133... with most centered around 130, plus or minus 2-3 BPM's.


    So clearly remix... you were offended by something in my initial post... hopefully it was that you let the mixer/cdj beatmatch for you... since THAT is something worth laughing at someone for... the Brostep thing (though pretty funny as well), isn't quite as damaging to someone's character...

    ** I remember specifically reading somewhere that dubstep is produced at 140 so that its easier to mix!.. I cannot understand that. There is nothing about a dubstep beat that renders it somehow more difficult to beatmatch. I personally do not find one genre more difficult to beatmatch then another. Honestly, the first music I learned to beatmatch was mid to late 90's DnB, where those rhythms were absolutely all over the place (check the intro to Jonny L's "Tychonic Cycle" for an example). I remember thinkin' that all other genres would be simple to sync from there on out... however, after my interests finally broadened from something other than DnB, syncing straightforward, 4-on-the-floor Techno actually threw-me at first. Then hip-hop beats, with there often "lazy" dragging snares, fucked with me at first as well. In the end, each genre (and therefore rhythm) has its own unique nuances.
     
  5. Catnaps

    Catnaps Newbie

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    If beat matching by ear makes you feel like a "real" DJ then more power to you. It doesn't make you any better or smarter than anyone else here. Capitalize on the opportunity you see: go make better music instead of crying about it here. No one cares that you can beat match by ear .
     
  6. mono

    mono Audiosexual

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    i cares great skills dim_triad +1 :wink:
    looks like someone got out the wrong side of the bed today :rofl:
     
  7. dadarkman

    dadarkman Producer

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    Actually, this is a strange remark that I, as a DJ for well over 10 years have heard the first time from another DJ; Shoop, from anybody period! I mean, I read the initial post three times + the following explanation to remix and still can't figure what the problem is. I mean, you are overwhelmed, underwhelmed? :dunno: Oh well!
     
  8. don_questo

    don_questo Noisemaker

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    If you re young its 140. If you are old its really only 70 bpm. Its a bit of topic, but I never really understood why everybody says dub step is 140, when I perceive it as so painfully slow
    But recently I heard someone talking that how many beats there are per bar is relative to how many beats in a bar can your body move to. Its quite interesting...
    I realized than that its the hats that you young folks count as beats instead of kick/snare. So yes, if you can move your body to 140 hats per minute than good, enjoy your youth. For me those days are long gone :dancing:
     
  9. VirtualMark

    VirtualMark Member

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    Lol dubstep has always been 140, that's the standard.

    It has nothing at all to do with age. It's 140bpm with a half time signature. Most of the pace in dubstep usually comes from the bass, although some artists do use faster shuffle patterns to speed things up.
     
  10. remix

    remix Platinum Record

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    This is the problem with EDM...its listeners are obsessed with BPM's and making sweeping generalisations...

    I listen to hip hop...

    it uses a wide range of BPM's...

    carry on...
     
  11. jayxflash

    jayxflash Guest

    Wow, beatmatching talk in 2015 :) meanwhile Djay launched the Apple Watch version. I started mixing with vinyl and I see the turntables and mixer as a simple instrument. Then the instrument got a little interesting with Pioneer introducing loops on their CDJs. And then Native Instruments brought something even spectacular to the table. Then Pioneer came with the Nexuses. And this game will never stop, fortunately.

    So, @dim_triad if you can't fill that time you used to spend on beatmatching with somethign else, the problem is not the music... or Skrillex.
     
  12. fraifikmushi

    fraifikmushi Guest

    See, the dj's job is to entertain the audience and the sad truth is:
    90% of the crowd don't care if you beatmatch using your ears of if you hit the sync button.
    With music like dubstep beatmatching is really not that important. It's not like you make a minute long transition - mixing dubstep is rather like mixing hiphop than mixing real electronic music.
     
  13. Catnaps

    Catnaps Newbie

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    :bow:
     
  14. dim_triad

    dim_triad Producer

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    very simple... for me, the beatmatching part makes it more fun... dont know why... just does, and always has. Sure, all the cool mixing shit, and smooth mixes, and carefully selected tracks that sound good together, along with taking the crowd on a journey that ebbs and flows, obviously is all part of the fun... but for whatever reason, if i dont have to sync it myself, since its all synced for me etc, then its just not the same.
     
  15. fraifikmushi

    fraifikmushi Guest

    Aren't we talking about dubsteb? Smooth, ebbing and flowing journey, that's not what comes to my mind when I hear *BRRRR*DABBADABBADABBA*WOINGWOINGWOING*DRRRR*ZAWOSH*PSIUUUUUUU*OYOYOYOYOY*
    I mean with Techno, I'd be on the same page with you 100%, but dubstep? :dunno:
     
  16. dadarkman

    dadarkman Producer

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    Simple Do-It-Yourself solution: Randomly slide your pitch back and forth to random position after mixing each track. That way you will always have to find 140BPM (or any other BPM) by ears, yourself.:wink: Problem solved!
     
  17. reliefsan

    reliefsan Audiosexual

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    it sounds to me that the OP needs to revise a few things.
    Dj'ing should be fun right? but you experience is not fun, because your mind tells you, you HAVE to do X/Y/Z before its fun.
    how about. change your mind? free your self. - ALLOW yourself to have fun, by dropping the idea that you "GOTTA do diz" or no fun wil happend.

    focus on EVYTHING else there is to be a good DJs. theres alot to it i hear besides SMALL TECHNNICAL detail......... you know, bigger picture ?

    its your owne fault you are not having fun and only YOU can change that by changhing your mind.

    make some new rules for yourself. see how that feels like. if you like it keep it. if not, do something different
     
  18. nickveldrin

    nickveldrin Member

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    Hi, I'm a new member, but i've been around electronic music all of my life, since the late 1970s with Kraftwerk, and up through the times to today, where i enjoy mostly liquid drum and bass and melodic dubstep.

    I went through a phase of my life where i dj'd, and chose to do it with two technics sl12000-mk2's and rane's serato, and to me, having a perfect beatmatch was only part of the equation. I liked to tag my tracks with what key they were in, and used MixedInKey to figure out where they sat on that "ChromaKey". Then as a poster had alreaedy pointed out, used key changes to affect the overall mood, flow, and energy of my mixes.

    In addition, because dnb is a genre that is absolutely incredible if you rinse 2x (or 3x if you're good enough) tracks simultaneously for long stretches, you can also do some dj tricks by popping out a snare on the 4 count of the song you're going to mix out of in the tail end of a segment when you're rinsing. Makes for a neat effect.

    I havent tried actually mixing any dubstep yet, but i don't think that would be a genre that would do very good with rinsing. It doesn't seem like the crazy sounds and even crazier basslines would go well with other tracks.
     
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