Thread: Mixing Tracks with totally different BPM - Tipps & Tricks?

I'm DJing for one year now with Traktor.
Not very regulary and mainly at private parties, but had also two warm-up club gigs.

To my enlightment, beatmatching with traktor is really easy (sorry to all the vinylcraft-purists). But that autobeatmatching ends most of the time in one BMP throughout the whole set. That seems a bit too restrictive to me. And I like to mix lots of different genres with different tempos - from disco & postpunk to techno & house, and sometimes some non electronic things, too - which makes it necessary to switch the BPM to make is sound not too awkward.

I'm just wondering how you deal with that?
What is you favorite technique to change the tempo?
Do you switch tempo?
Do you use breaks / intros / non-beat-passages to switch the BPM?
Do you change the pitch slowly while a beat is running?
Do you do rough cuts from one track into another without beatmatching?
Do you have strict rules for yourself like make it only faster and never slower throughout a set to please the audience?

Breakdowns and intros are the easiest way imo

Using Traktor's FX can be fun, or doing a trick or 2 like scratching in a change, a spinback out of a sequence (don't overdo the spinback tho, it gets old pretty quick), stopping a deck to changedown on the other, using the loop recorder to do a loop roll and stepping up the tempo before dropping a change up, a bit of cue point juggling ....

Usually, if it's a massive change in BPM, I use a tip that was told to me. Don't try and mix it.

and if you are doing a "normal" set in one genre, are you switching the tempo normally, or are you selecting your tracks to fit all in the same tempo?

Can i ask what equipment you're using fella? Traktor obviously, but with decks, cdj's, controller?

Originally Posted by pone

and if you are doing a "normal" set in one genre, are you switching the tempo normally, or are you selecting your tracks to fit all in the same tempo?

A very interesting thread pone mate, might pick up some tips and tricks when I can't be bothered to even clang

I'm quite strict with my bpms whenever I'm planning a set:

Hardcore pre-1992 (a rarity): 140BPM

Trance: 142BPM

Hardcore 1992+: 155BPM

Jungle 1994-96: 165 BPM

Liquid Drum & Bass: 175BPM

Drum & Bass: 180BPM

Techno: Whatever tickles my fancy after a belly-full of lager

Be genuinely interested in dodder's reply

Originally Posted by swipezster

A very interesting thread pone mate, might pick up some tips and tricks when I can't be bothered to even clang

I'm quite strict with my bpms whenever I'm planning a set:

Hardcore pre-1992 (a rarity): 140BPM

Trance: 142BPM

Hardcore 1992+: 155BPM

Jungle 1994-96: 165 BPM

Liquid Drum & Bass: 175BPM

Drum & Bass: 180BPM

Techno: Whatever tickles my fancy after a belly-full of lager

Be genuinely interested in dodder's reply

Erm, i'm not too sure why?

I'll drop an intro at a tempo i like & off i go. The only rule i "try" & stick to is don't pitch down but thats just personal preference.

I do find it quite odd that you've got a gap of 15bpm between 92 & 92+ - seems rather restrictive to have a rule that rigid, especially when plenty choonage came out at all sorts of bpms then. If that bpm counter wasn't in your face you wouldn't be doing it.

Not at all mate - the pre-92 stuff I play is when there was an influx of well-slow amen in 1990/91 and it's well known I'm not the biggest fan of very early 90's hardcore

Horses for courses and all that

Originally Posted by dodders

Can i ask what equipment you're using fella? Traktor obviously, but with decks, cdj's, controller?

I use a Windows laptop with Traktor and Hercules DJ Console Rmx, which is a combination of mixing console and two conrtollers, conected via usb to the laptop. The main reason I use it is I got it second hand from a friend for a cheap price. But it fits my purpose.

The RMX with Traktor seems a really good set-up - wouldn't mind that myself mate, but I just can't get into Traktor even though my Numark Total Control is actually set up for it

I think a few effects and samples should see you right switching bpms between 2 tracks - can't beat a film sample either that is relative to whatever you're doing.

Remember about 15 years ago every film I watched I was listening out for the perfect 'sample'

Originally Posted by swipezster

it's well known I'm not the biggest fan of very early 90's hardcore

Horses for courses and all that

Fookin' Junglist Hairdressers....

Originally Posted by swipezster

I think a few effects and samples should see you right switching bpms between 2 tracks - can't beat a film sample either that is relative to whatever you're doing.

Was gonna suggest this but our mans playing out. If you've got film clips all over your set to cover bpm changes then yeah its gonna be tight but you're gonna be less able to impro if the crowd ain't feeling it.

film samples and all kind of sound effects as kind of self made intro/breakdown. Not the baddest idea.

I don't see why this should limit you ability to improvise?

Originally Posted by pone

film samples and all kind of sound effects as kind of self made intro/breakdown. Not the baddest idea.

I don't see why this should limit you ability to improvise?

It all depends on how rigid you plan your set. If you've got some twisted psycho film sample going into some big gunshot (sorry trish) tune, only to find that your crowd are wearing white gloves & sucking dummies, chances are you may have to rethink it all a bit lively.

Originally Posted by dodders

It all depends on how rigid you plan your set. If you've got some twisted psycho film sample going into some big gunshot (sorry trish) tune, only to find that your crowd are wearing white gloves & sucking dummies, chances are you may have to rethink it all a bit lively.

That's true for sure. If you relly on one thing and that thing doesn't work, you have a problem.

I bet puffa's going to kicking himself for not being here to reply to this

my idea - edit some tunes with acid (or another sequencer, but acid is quite beginner friendly and easy to use), adding a generic beat of choice, ending with a sample with an echo on it that goes off into "empty space" - dropping into the break of the tune with the higher/slower tempo.

an example of something similar to what I'm thinking of - Edge 1 remix. Starts off with a house beat at around 120-30 bpm then guy says I need something stronger - edge beats kick in at 150 odd bpm (roughly)

Originally Posted by junglist76

my idea - edit some tunes with acid (or another sequencer, but acid is quite beginner friendly and easy to use), adding a generic beat of choice, ending with a sample with an echo on it that goes off into "empty space" - dropping into the break of the tune with the higher/slower tempo.

an example of something similar to what I'm thinking of - Edge 1 remix. Starts off with a house beat at around 120-30 bpm then guy says I need something stronger - edge beats kick in at 150 odd bpm (roughly)

or doing it live when you work with traktor or similar software. if you have the sample in an extra file, you can add it to every track. effects for the echo, maybe a loop effect for the beat which should fade out.
should be also possible if you have the sample on cd and you have a third deck available.

Originally Posted by pone

or doing it live when you work with traktor or similar software. if you have the sample in an extra file, you can add it to every track. effects for the echo, maybe a loop effect for the beat which should fade out.
should be also possible if you have the sample on cd and you have a third deck available.

it could be done on the fly I suppose, and that does give you a lot of flexability, but to be sure that you absolutely, definately, don't fuck it up live on the night, you could pre record it. Do different versions with different starting BPMs so that increases your options, maybe even take a sample from the tune you are mixing into and rework the intro to your liking, add some swooshes/reverse cymbals as it goes into the break and make it sound professional.

Traktor is a great little program but I'd recommend to anyone that they invest in a USB mixer to control it with. It's a nightmare trying to mix using a mouse and keyboard!

Originally Posted by Livvy

I bet puffa's going to kicking himself for not being here to reply to this

just seen this...................... right............


using auto beatmatch WTF!!!

using auto beatmatch while playing out......FUKIN WOT THE FUK!!!!!!!

as for changing the tempo of a set.....

erm maybe start the tune from the edge?

speshly playing out..... even better with an mc wot knows wot their job is..... let the last tune fade out... drop the next from the top..

it cant get simpler!!!!!

who the hell in their right mind would want to hear to tunes of totaly diff genres and diff tempos / bpms mixed together???? will just totaly kill both tune, ruin the vibes in the house and totaly wank up the set.

all about "next wun cummin from the edge, bad man selective on a different tip" then a phat intro and boom... job done.

ez fukin peazy

...I second what Puffa said...

My advice would be to start with proper decks to learn the basics of mixing; it'll teach you how to beat match yourself without relying on Traktor - which is a bit hit and miss anyway. You can tell when a beat is going out of sync, and with practice you can learn how to resolve it with slight nudge of the turntable.

As for different genres try and plan your set in a way that gradually goes from one to another so it's not all over the place. In my case I used to start with progressive stuff before moving into the harder edged tunes.

You can't beat an old-fashioned spin back if you want to start a track with a different BPM or with an intro. Not easy without proper decks though.

Good luck!

scratching!!!
with vinyl obviously
or that vestax vc1 thingy... that decent for scratching

Originally Posted by dodders

Erm, i'm not too sure why?

I'll drop an intro at a tempo i like & off i go. The only rule i "try" & stick to is don't pitch down but thats just personal preference.

I do find it quite odd that you've got a gap of 15bpm between 92 & 92+ - seems rather restrictive to have a rule that rigid, especially when plenty choonage came out at all sorts of bpms then. If that bpm counter wasn't in your face you wouldn't be doing it.

I second this, even within the same genre bpms are up and down - best to use the intro and breakdowns to cut when changing tempos. With a few execeptions i also avoid pitching down. Gotta be fluid though.


Auto beatmatch... defeats the fun of learning how to dj and mix, no?

Originally Posted by soundsdistilled

I second this, even within the same genre bpms are up and down - best to use the intro and breakdowns to cut when changing tempos. With a few execeptions i also avoid pitching down. Gotta be fluid though.


Auto beatmatch... defeats the fun of learning how to dj and mix, no?

Mate, as a general rule on here, just to give you a heads up about it.

We don't agree with Dodders, ever, never. We can't.