If you are an aspiring DJ, or already a pro who would like to add beat matching to your arsenal of skills, a combination of the right gear and a little know-how, will keep the dance floor packed. There’s no better feeling for a DJ than knowing that you kept the party going. Of course, the extra tip at the end of the night doesn’t hurt either.
This tip is specific to the feature set of Numark’s all-in-one CD mix station, the CD MIX-1, but the technique can be applied to other gear as well.
Matching the Beats Per Minute (BPM)
Match the tempo by monitoring the music of both Player 1 and Player 2 by ear and adjusting the pitch. When the tempo of the music of the selected CD player is slow compared to the tempo of the other player, move the slider to the (+) side and match the tempo. When faster, move the pitch slider to the (-) side. The following illustrates the case of matching the pitch of Player 2 to the pitch of the music being played on Player 1: Press Play/Pause to start Player 1, press PLAY/PAUSE to start Player 2. Both CD players are playing discs. Listen to Player 2 in your headphones: When Player 2 is slow compared to Player 1; speed up Player 2. When Player 2 is fast compared to Player 1, then slow down Player 2.
Using the BPM Display Feature
Press the BPM button to select the BPM feature on the display on the side of the CD player that you wish to set. Tap the Counter button to the beat of the music. You will see the BPM number appear in the display. The more times you tap the more accurate your number will be. When you adjust the pitch slider the display number will change by an equal percentage.
Beat Matching Using Pitch Bend
If you find the BPMs (Beats Per Minute or Tempos) are the same, however, the drumbeats are not matched you will need to temporarily change the pitch. (This procedure can be done on either Player): After matching the BPMs, adjust the pitch temporarily as follows:
When Player 2 is ahead, rotate the jog wheel counter clockwise When Player 2 is behind rotate the jog wheel clockwise. The pitch changes automatically while the jog wheel is rotated. The faster you rotate the wheel the more you change; releasing the wheel results in a return to the original pitch so the BPMs are once again the same.
Now you are the DJ.
