With the recent release of the CDJ 2000 NXS, the Sync debate has risen again! A recent article from Not Your Juke Box brought my attention to this. Here is my response!
I am upset that this debate is still given traction. It certainly highlights the immaturity of many and the fragility of egos when sides must be taken on this ‘sync or no sync’ nonsense! Thankfully at this stage, people are free to choose whatever method they prefer to achieve the results they want. I would not tell you how to bring up your child, because it is YOUR child, only you know how you want that child brought up and rightly so. Is sending that child to a recognized school, similar to pressing the sync button, or would it be more artistic to home school the child, manually?
Dear Everybody, I am grateful that there are different types of DJ’s out there, I am happy for technology, I am happy for evolution, I am not scared of change and I am very impressed by the creative talents of all DJ’s and musicians and am proud that you are all choosing to express yourself in whatever manner you wish. Continue with your chosen path and do not let anyone tell you that their way is the right way!
The world will be a better place when we can all offer each other support and not judge others based on their own individual choices. Surround yourself with people who support you and send love to those that don’t!
Happy DJ’ing – Enjoy the freedom of choice – while we still have it!
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I have been Djing for the last 13 years! I started using PCDJ on my PC as decks were out of reach financially back then! I then got myself as set of Sony Direct Drive turn tables (which were total gash!) later to be replaced by 1210mk3’s. Then added CDJs and over the last year a full Traktor setup!
So I guess I have come full circle now MP3>Vinyl>CD>MP3 funny huh?
As you say I have nothing to prove to anyone I have been beat matching for years! I quite welcome the sync feature for new music and will use it without shame. I do however turn all syncing off when mixing older music, jungle/garage/old skool/etc… That stuff just needs to be bet matched as its soooooo much fun!
I guess the point i’m trying to make is that the Sync in some cases is fine by be but other times its manual beat matching all the way!
Just cant wait to get my S4 and Scratch Pro upgrade to use all my MP3s on my Technics as the were vinyl! Bring on the technology!
Yes Kieran I am very much aligned with you here. I started when I was 14 on some soundlab DLP1R’s (I think thats what they were called) Vinyl was my medium, I even had hit the decks volume 3 on vinyl!! As you say, so much fun…. I also progressed onto CDJ’s as I moved from UK to Canada and wanted to take all my records, so I copied them all onto CD so I could play a club in Canada. Then from there took the natural progression onto Traktor. My set up varies between CDJ’s technics and X1 / Maschine these days, embrace and expand – no one should limit themselves to one art form!
If I have MP3s i’ll use Traktor. If I have CDs i’ll use CDJs. If i have Vinyl i’ll use 1210s. If i have ripped Vinyl MP3s I’ll use either Traktor in Scratch mode with Time Coded Vinyl or my S4 on full manual!
Winning all round if you ask me! :oD
Multi talented and no scared of technology! Remain open and you will always win! 😉
Maybe you should try the automation out?! It may expand your DJ sets. You don’t need to prove your point that you can beat match anymore, because you CAN beat match. You can always beat match your sets now and again and switch between the 2 styles in any set. Drop your guard and your need to prove something and see where it takes you. As soon as you pigeon hole yourself, you limit yourself. Go play and enjoy! If you play 2 records into each other with automation, it can get very boring, but when you start loading in cue points, jumping around the record, using loops and bass lines from other tracks and remixing on the fly, it can become a very satisfying experience. Embrace the limitless possibilities and don’t place limits on your self in order to preserve your ego. Thanks for getting involved in the debate, i hope it has allowed you to see something deeper in yourself as it has in me.
Here here!
Great website by the way.
Nice, hey thanks!
For DJing, the art is in the mixing, if you automate any part of the mixing process then you are removing that element as art, beat matching included. You are correct, there are many kinds of DJs, I’m voicing for those that want to keep DJing an art form instead of moving it to a state of over priced jukeboxes. I am not anti-tech, I was using traktor back when it was final scratch. I am anti-automation for DJ performance and art above convenience.
The art is not in mixing… that’s like saying that the art of using a Mini Moog was in your ability to be able to manually – by eye / ear (NOT by writing things down) manipulate the synthesis….. and that all who now use software are phonies and that’s not real…..
HOWEVER – if your form of mixing is none other than making the end of one track meet with the beginning of the next… then yes, unless you are beatmatching by ear – you are an overpriced Jukebox.
BTW: That’s why most (good) DJ’s nowadays do more than just just beatmatch 2 records… for instance just watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=pohTY2x0J2Q#t=49s – please tell me why he should beatmatch… or why what he’s doing is less of an art?
You summed it well right there! Great video of Chris Liebing! The one with Zabiela in the related posts section is well worth a watch too……
You seem to be confusing mixing as a whole with one of its parts, beat matching. I didn’t say that automating the beat matching removes all art from the process, but rather in automating any process of the mixing you eliminate that aspect from art. Automation is not art.