How to Beatmatch in 2024 (Complete Guide)

[@djcarlo]

⚙DJ Mixing Course (Zero to Hero): sellfy.com/p/ms3fx1/ 🎵I get my tracks also from: crateconnect.net/sign-up Use code “DJCARLO” for a huge discount! 🏆 Gear in this video [Best Deal]: guitar-center.pxf.io/21o2d0

[@roberttaylor4854]

Oo[[oo

[@dj4monie]

Excellent explanation. I started DJ'ing in 1986 and learned manually as everybody should.

[@DJEddieMane]

Bro I love your humility in not being a gatekeeper. I still watch your vids even if it’s covering the basic bc there’s always a new gem to pick up. I try to at least get in 2 hours of practice a day big up to Carlo

[@djcarlo]

Thanks man! Just here to help the DJ world be a better and happier place for everyone :) I'm always learning too!

[@DJ_Wi_Fey]

Completely agree with this sentiment! DJ Carlo is the man!

[@patrickglaser1560]

Well you can't really teach artisan level skills... that requires experience

[@ygaspar1234]

Funny how I was spinning vinyl before you were born and here I am reintroducing myself to the new world of DJi'ng with you as my teacher. Extremely well made videos. Thank you.

[@djcarlo]

I'm always so happy to see comments like yours! Embracing the future while keeping in touch with your past. Keep it up bud! 🫡

[@RuthRandoms]

This is a sweet comment full of humility and appreciation. We can often learn from those younger than us! Happy spinning!

[@geraldfirme1213]

D.J. Carlo is not a gatekeeper. Its in his Pilipino blood to serve all cuz we are humble. But dont take our kindness for weakness. Mabuhay!!! 🇵🇭 Watch his past d.j.battles. He destroys his competition with focus and humility. We our proud of you pare Carlo. Love from San Antonio Texas!!!

[@djcarlo]

Thanks Gerald! I like to believe that education should be shared!

[@angeloamoojee2112]

I've DJing for about 1 year now you basically taught me how to DJ thank you DJ Carlo but we need more hip-hop mixes, please....

[@djcarlo]

Sure! I'll get to work on those next!

[@LucasVu26790]

@@djcarlo thank u so much, keep it up bro

[@PacManShift6c]

Its kinda hard with the copyright algorithm, can't exactly play a lot of the og tracks unfortunately 😢

[@MEKATRANCE]

Hey carlo! Just came back from my 1st ever intl show, I first began djing from your tutorial 2 years ago and from there I began producing my own tracks which has landed me so many cool opportunities and kickstarted my music career. Since you're posting your yearly guide again I'd like to thank you for being the catalyst putting me on this path!

[@djcarlo]

That's amazing! I may have helped kickstart it, but the rest is on you and your hard work! Congratulations!

[@StevensPino-sf5yt]

Hey Maketrance, what app or software do you use to produce your own tracks? Thanks! 💪🏾

[@diskjokk]

DJ C, I've been DJing a long time. I started on turntables back in 1987 - started DJing professionally in the early 90's. Beatmatching, comes very natural too me at this point in my DJ career, but I found myself watching this video nonetheless. Just had to tell you that it's a great video and I can see that you're helping so many new DJ's in our industry. Thanks man! This is a fantastic video!

[@djcarlo]

Thanks buddy! So happy you watch my content even though you already have mastered the lesson. A lot of new DJs don’t know their fundamentals so I thought it was the best time to release this especially now when everything is always automated and controlled by robots haha

[@stylepoint1200]

Same!! Been Djing since 95. Started on rotary knob technics and after a year got myself a pair of 1200mk2’s. I can beat match in my sleep, but I still watched this video. Lol

[@diskjokk]

@@stylepoint1200 OMG! You just brought up a memory... I remember working all Summer to save up for my first pair of Technique 12's while they were in layaway (LOL!). When I finally bought them and opened one up in my Studio apartment (this was in 1988), I literally teared up. It was a very emotional moment. You have one over on me, I never had a chance to mix with Rotary knobs. So cool to be still doing what we love after all these years.

[@DJ.Ascencio707]

11:43 that’s the old school way, when we used to mix with vinyl. Amazing video, I Just bought the DDJ-FLX10. Been mixing with turntables and man now this controller, I’m relearning how to mix again. 😬

[@djcarlo]

Bingo! I was trying to emulate that with that technique, just so the temptation to look at the screen isn't there

[@TruForte401]

You've been a big part of my djing journey man. Appreciate the knowledge!

[@djcarlo]

For sure buddy! I'm so happy the videos have been helping you with the DJ journey!

[@djbadhabits]

Thanks again Dj Carlo. Many new Dj’s get frustrated, lose interest and quit because they didn’t get this kinda help to achieve Beat matching. This info is like CPR for DJs. Plz share..

[@djcarlo]

Amen to that brother! We gotta teach the fundamentals and let new generations know!

[@fatdragonrecords1647]

I literally taught my 7 year old nephew how to put two songs in time, if you are over 7 and want to understand how to do it but can't understand how synchronizing two tracks works you can ask for social help as you have just discovered that you are disabled :)))

[@Johnnyjawbone]

Grimes has joined the chat

[@djcarlo]

Hahaha, well, I'll still have to give her props for being a producer and singer first

[@philtaylor7476]

Winning comment 😂

[@JTH1153]

lmfaoooo

[@keilyxbay3816]

lol really. props to dj carlo for paying attention to trends and knowing the perfect time to drop this video.

[@intoxicode]

💯💯💀💀

[@DjFrankybe]

Hi DJ C, I've been DJing a long time. I started on turntables back ,i was 16 years young, its great video you doing here, for the other generation, but i have a queston about your CDJ3000 display ( waveform ) (on 9:11 minutes ) i don't see your beatgrid on your waveform if you are mixing? the 2 redlines if you are mixing the same as in Rekordbox? Thanks

[@djcarlo]

I dont think the beat grid lines show up on the 3000. At least, I don't recall seeing them or noticing them while playing

[@SelkieTears]

hah i found this after doing my FIRST EVER set for a livestream event!!!!!!! this is actually so helpful for me since im literally starting at the very beginning and its super easy to follow too! thank you so so much DJ carlo please know u have contributed to an essential part of my dj journey 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@djcarlo]

That's awesome! And yes, Beatmatching is the cornerstone of DJing. I'm so sure you'll have a blast learning to do it, and a much bigger blast with your DJing career!

[@badfoot]

The BPM value should be ignored when learning beat matching, it will pay dividends if you ever want to mix vinyl plus some tracks BPM's can fluctuate. The BPM value is used to help select next track within suitable range of the previous or when you want to tempo change your set.

[@djcarlo]

That’s true! Always best to learn by ear!

[@spartt4360]

How can you match beats with different bpm of the tracks?

[@therunningstef5347]

If you match the beats using the jog wheel and the tracks move out of sync then they are at different tempos. You have to work out which is faster and slower. Trust me if you practice it long enough and know your tunes then it becomes second nature

[@HYPESHORTSSHOW]

Amazing video ❤ Thank you for putting in all the work so we can learn and aspire to become a DJ!

[@djcarlo]

For sure! I just love watching the world learn!

[@babyjenks4607]

What an amazing teacher! Your videos are the only straight to the point and easy to understand tutorials out here. Big thank you for helping people like me who love music and are not very tech savvy.

[@djcarlo]

I'm so happy you think so! I try too make these tutorials as easy to digest as possible so everyone can learn! :)

[@FGBMFAWillson]

Thank you DJ Carlo! I am a beginner and have been looking for a teacher that makes it easy for me to understand. It's so overwhelming. I love your friendly, patient teaching style! I will be learning more from you. Thanks for the youtubes Angel WillSon Boise, Idaho

[@djcarlo]

Woohoo! I'm so glad you think so! All these videos were designed to be easy to digest, so I'm glad it worked for you!

[@DJSuperkhaki]

Love how the advanced method today is the only method that was available back in the days =) It was very rare to have BPM info about your vinyl record and we only had 8% range to play with and no key lock or information for that matter! Loving how easy it is nowadays, I still sucks of course, but it's easier 🤣

[@djcarlo]

I'm always about technology helping us live easier and better lives! 🥳

[@taedwhoasked]

i think the last point briefly mentioned is super important! when i tried to teach some people the basics of DJing and beatmatching, they got the technical part right. but for the most part, it was song structure that was the biggest "flaw" You really have to get a feeling for how i.e. dance music works and what sounds "good" or "clustered" it can be one beat too much/less that can throw you out of momentum

[@djcarlo]

Yes, absolutely! I've heard some very fire song choice sets ruined by some very bad mix phrasing, with complete disregard for song structure.

[@andrewwowk935]

After getting beat matching mostly down with the BPM visible and just matching the numbers, I recommend covering the numbers and learning to tell if one song is slower/faster than the other by listening. A lot of club gear isnt all that well looked after and sometimes the readout isn't accurate or the pitch fluctuates, so being able to tell by ear helps a lot.

[@djcarlo]

This is really good advice actually! I should have included a bit on this 🤩

[@ness-ee]

It’s also MEGA FUN and really rewarding. I get that not everyone has access to technics and vinyl, so I really recommend this☝️

[@eyespy3001]

Listening is fundamental to DJing. It’s music you’re matching, not numbers, so mix with your ears and never with your eyes

[@NambiGrace-h2m]

Best complete dj basic course ever thank you for teaching the world boss!

[@djcarlo]

Youre very welcome! I just hope people learn from the tutorial haha

[@kaianders8773]

Carlo. I wish you all the best Sir. I only do this for hobby and my own private parties, but I've learned so much from you. Great advice always. Thank you!

[@djcarlo]

I'm glad you're learning new techniques from the videos! Makes me really happy to know that the videos are still educating!

[@realdjvillanova]

I use BPM Sync. It saves time for me. Beat matching I do by myself

[@djcarlo]

That's fair! The goal is to learn how to beatmatch first, then if you prefer sync, use it all you want! :)

[@ukaszziaa7052]

Thanks to you I have learned a lot before a I got my flx4 !!! Had solid ground of theory and applied this to my mixes… and now I have my first gig coming soon. THANK YOU! ❤

[@djcarlo]

You got this! Congrats on your hustle!! Keep going!

[@alurone1]

Great videos… I just bought my first controller after 25 years of mixing on the same technics and DJM600. Yet here I am watching a video on beat matching lol…

[@djcarlo]

Haha, it's slightly different when beatmatching on digital! Though I'd say it's much easier than analog 🥳

[@djwalkerfemaledj]

Good video DJ Carlo I learnt a lot been DJING two years now you taught me a lot about DJing man 👍🏾🤟🏾👏🏾🙏🏾

[@djcarlo]

I'm so happy the videos have always been helpful to you Walker!

[@Dhruvinator]

one tip i figured out when using radio tracks is to do all this with a 4 beat loop in your headphones because there’s usually not much intro to work with haha

[@djcarlo]

Yup! Its actually one of my techniques in an older video, though I didn't utilize beatmatching for that one. Just the loop

[@Dhruvinator]

@ edit: and when ur bringing the volume up, release the loop and do the classic echo out + hpf lol

[@ManlyStubrick]

As a lifelong, dj, vet, who just got a Pioneer set up, your videos are really valuable. Always keep learning!

[@djcarlo]

I'm so glad you think so man(ly)! Will always keep up the good stuff!

[@daennes84]

I wish 21years ago I had people like you and your Team. I learned by the hard way without help and with vinyl...but I don't miss the old times. The new equipment opens big gates of creating my own style. Also the cheaper gear is ok and you don't have to buy Pioneer. I prefer NI with Traktor. But that's just my opinion. Had and sold a lot of gear in 21 years 😂 But I stayed beatmatching by ears... it's like riding a bike and makes mixing more attractive, for me😊

[@djcarlo]

I do miss Traktor. I wish they'd update more often. I'm still a Traktor fan at heart

[@derekloftus6768]

Your explanation is super easy to follow and understand. The end with when not to mix in can be explained a bit better with 4/16/32 but other than that; top notch tutorial my dude! This would have helped me 15yrs ago vs my mentor yelling “FIX IT” from the other side of the house 😅

[@djcarlo]

It was quite hard to really explain that part in just a video, but I hope it still came through! Glad you enjoyed the video a lot though! Really appreciate the praises 🤩

[@jamesLG1]

Tip: Turn off master tempo when learning beat matching (vinyl style). When MT is on you may hear artefacts that sound like the beats are not matched (which is why I never use it).

[@djcarlo]

Good tip! I forgot to mention that.

[@Olyndr]

Which course could be suitable for me if I mainly play genres like Deep House, Tech-Minimal, Tech-House, and Organic House? My goal is to master FX, Color FX, and to learn when and how to use these effects properly to enhance my mix without overloading it. My set up Decks 3000 + DJM900NXS2 mixer THANKS A LOT

[@djcarlo]

Are you referring to my DJ Courses on Sellfy? Most of them have to do with scratching :)

[@Olyndr]

@@djcarlo Yeah, you're right. I thought I'd find something from you. but I'm not a scratcher, unfortunately. and not planning.

[@BitLeg]

I have a tip. When beat matching by ear. If the two tracks don’t sound aligned and for example you move the jog wheel a quarter turn forward. If it sounds even worse than before it’s likely you have moved the jog wheel in the wrong direction. To correct this one has to move the jog wheel back. But, if you move it back a quarter turn then theoretically you have moved the jog wheel back to its original position, where we know the track is already out of alignment. Therefore, move the jog wheel back even more than a quarter turn whilst trying to correct it.

[@djcarlo]

Yup yup! The jogwheel adjustments are important when making sure everything is perfectly aligned

[@irvingabundis3817]

Thanks @DJCarlos, your way of teaching is the best I have found😊.

[@djcarlo]

I don't have an S at the end of my name! That's someone else bwahahaha, but thank you so much Irving! I'm so glad you loved the new beatmatching video, and hope you found some good new info on it!

[@deepzone31]

Always check your auto-gridded tracks and validate your initial cue before you press sync. You may need to tighten up the grid or apply a corrected initial cue point. But as someone who started on Technics in the 90s, using sync allows me to worry about programming and phrasing. That means spending less time grinding my teeth trying to ride the pitch control like the old days.

[@djcarlo]

Very good advice! And indeed, I use sync the same way. I still will stand by learning to beatmatch first in case something goes awry 🤭

[@DJ_Wi_Fey]

So I learned how to DJ on Traktor way back in 2013 and I always used the Sync feature. I came from playing the drums and it just made sense to me to always have the beats line up and only have to time the downbeat. At the time, I had no idea there was this whole controversy over using the Sync button haha. Now I have an XDJ-RX3 and I still prefer to use Sync almost all the time. I only deactivate Sync when I know my song fluxes in tempo and I have to make manual adjustments because no matter what the beat grid will flex. I always reserve the right to beatmatch though because even with Sync, the machine doesn't always get it perfectly right. When Sync is on and I adjust the jog wheel the software warns me once that Sync is on and then lets me adjust the speed of the track if I move the jog wheel again. It's great.

[@djcarlo]

That works yo! I encourage folks to learn beatmatching manually as, half the time, they don't have any musical background. You've got drums, so you know how the rhythm works already. But yeah, go to town on sync and enjoy yourself!

[@cberigan1]

It’s crazy how many DJ’s really can’t beat match. It used to be the single most important skill as a dj. That’s why so many djs hate sync. It allows betas to look good.

[@djcarlo]

But man, when sync messes up on you, it's an absolute train wreck! And this is why, despite the digital age being here and now, I still encourage people to learn the basics. This guide was long LONG overdue haha

[@Disisdabeast]

Who cares if it makes betas look good? If it's working for them it works for them. DJing isn't some concept where there's "a right way to look good". I do agree DJs should at least know how to beatmatch on the fly, but there's nothing wrong with using sync if a DJ wants to.

[@christiangro5605]

That's why I tell everyone who is thinking of becoming a DJ to start with turntables and vinyl, especially in the digital age, to learn beatmatching and the ear for it, it's the 1x1 of DJing. Later you can use the sync Button, please never ever permanently 😉

[@thegeenius]

i'm a proud gatekeeper,, lol honestly never understood why sync became a "must have" for controllers-but like everyone says,, it's here-get used to it -- doesn't mean it should be constantly relied upon-,, if you're putting DJ in front of your name,, or claim to be one-, then yea,, at least take time- learn the Basics, this was dj 101 whether you were a scratcher , open format or house dj,, this was just what Had to be learned initially. using your EARS,, listening, knowing your records etc-,, all key ingredients -- carry on , great post, by the way-,

[@ambu.6707]

most of the time if i use sync i just tap it on and off real quick to ensure my tracks dont drift / the phrasing is lined up if i dont wanna worry about jog wheels and pitch slider adjustments while im EQing and prepping loops / fx. but its def a minor QoL thing and not something to rely on cause it can mess up p bad

[@allentastic]

A way to level up beat matching is to slowly drop or raise the tempo of the playing track to halfway in between bpms (if they’re like

[@djcarlo]

That’s an amazing tip! Perhaps I’ll make a video on it! Thanks for the gem!

[@allentastic]

@@djcarlo no problem! You have to either use sync or adjust both faders simultaneously for it to work also

[@djstuc]

Top video Carlo, much needed reminder about learning the skills 🙌

[@djcarlo]

Yes sir! This is the fundamental that everyone needs to know!

[@djcarlo]

Indeed! This is one of the most important aspects of DJing, so it's only apt I explain it

[@djstuc]

@@djcarlo Ive seen a trend online lately whereby people are actually actively hoping to hear the odd mistake here and there just because it proves the person is involved in the mix... it was bound to happen eventually wasn't it, DJing has always been a performance art as much as anything and it had become slightly soulless where people were just blending music together with the sync button and doing not a lot else.

[@edgarquirozcarter6634]

Do you have a video about effects for pioneer users? Really interested on this topic. Great video by the way, useful.

[@djcarlo]

Many of my videos include bits about it! I haven't done a deep dive yet though

[@Hathnotseen]

As a riddim dj switching from one double into another that you immediately have to begin chopping, sometimes u gotta use sync. Utilize all the tools at your disposal to achieve your desired sound

[@djcarlo]

Yes, indeed! But that's for advanced mixing, and quite genre specific too. This is for absolute beginners, and beat matching is necessary across the board for all genres

[@Hathnotseen]

@@djcarlo ah I see. Been following you for a while, started with techno but now I only do riddim, metalstep, dubstep, and I never thought I'd get to the point that only having two decks and not using sync would hold me back so much. I have an rx3, would you recommend the new alpha-theta 4 channel?

[@Dhruvinator]

i personally tempo match by screen (as i said in my earlier comment, tempo matching display is a huge clutch in serato lol) and jogwheel by ear but ik some djs who do other methods lol

[@djcarlo]

It's still important to learn beatmatching by ear, just in case your program fails on you.

[@wow_donnie]

This makes total sense, this is how I started out as well. Eventually I found that using beat sync with quantize made this manual process automatic. Load up next song on inactive deck, turn on beat sync for inactive deck - tempo should now be synced to active deck. The only issue / thing you have to get used to is that your tempo fader will no longer be synced to the actual tempo - you have to "re-latch" it. Once I figured this out it allowed me to open up the 5-6 seconds I was using for jogging and getting cue rhythm down (in my headphones) and instead focus on a smoother mix (something the audience can actually hear). Could this approach get me intro trouble?

[@djcarlo]

Not at all, unless you've got some grumpy DJs there. Personally, I embrace the world of beat sync and quantize as, like you said, it opens up more time for other things! Of course, beat matching should always come first

[@wow_donnie]

@@djcarlo Yep, beat sync and quantize help for sure but using ears and eyes to ensure you are locked is always the first thing before any knobs or faders get moved.

[@remyzandbergen4376]

I always use my ears and i noticed in all my years that there are not many good dj's. Well, there is one i think is flawless. Thats john digweed.

[@djcarlo]

He's a legend

[@marceloatafoya]

The only thing he was tripping on was the need for extended edits. We used to mix with any edit. The difference was you would get the beat to match from the start and then be ready for the bridge to drop and mix it in. You would have the vinyl ready and would constantly be releasing and pulling it back so you could catch the drop doing your count and practicing your release. You would release on the drop and then fade it in and fade out the first track when the timing was right. Back then, it was an art. Now it's literally easy button. We use to have to manually count the BPM, write it on the record, plan ahead or crate them by BPM and genre, know all of the music by heart, and practiced your mixing and scratching skills like crazy, while making sure you keep an eye on the crowd and have your next song ready to cue up and begin again. We would be so busy that DJs used to sweat from the work. It was a passion, not something anyone could just pick up and master in a week or two, lol. At least true scratching still takes skill unless there is some new machine that matches all the cuts in a magical way.

[@djcarlo]

Actually, I disagree on the extended edits part. Take a look at 90% of 12" records from the 80s and early 90s, and they've all got extended versions on them! Club Mix, Extended Mix, Remix, Long Version, etc. They disappeared into the realm of house music as the 2000s came in, but having those again with modern songs was such a breath of fresh air. Why make life harder again? Haha

[@zosuliweiinyembezi2760]

This is so clearly explained💯

[@djcarlo]

Thank you! I tried to make this as clear and concise as possible :D

[@paulhancock3791]

Informative vid. I hope it helps a lot of people. Personally though I would have advised to cover up the BPM displays and learn to do it by ear - not all BPM displays are accurate or (sometimes) even function. Once you learn to do it by ear it becomes instinct and you should be able to do it blindfolded at which point you're not relying on the display at all.

[@djcarlo]

Oh, this is a point I missed out on! Good call!

[@RuthRandoms]

Thank you. Will the jog wheel still alter the track even if you have beat sync on? Or does it only work independently (without beat sync turned on)? Thanks anyone who can answer this, as I'm struggling to manually beat match - sometimes it is 0.03 beats different, or even 0.01 which isn't spot on, I guess jog wheel corrects this? Why is this not working for me? Thanks.

[@djcarlo]

Moving it back or forth should help correct it, but with sync, it usually locks it to the beat grid. If you're beatmatching manually, turn of sync (of course hehe), and just nudge the jogwheel back or forth, depending on which track needs the catch up

[@RuthRandoms]

@@djcarlo Thank you for replying. I've started to figure this out a bit on my own just playing and seeing what happens, and I've also noticed that a few bpm difference (0.04 bpm faster or slower - this was my main concern with manually matching up) it doesn't cause a big issue and tracks can still be beat-matched at these rates! Thanks again for your great videos and advice and response. It's also nice to have the eye-candy whilst learning from you, you're rather cute :)

[@nikdoznamej7698]

oldschool way we used on turn-tables was to use only the pitch control to match the tempo. touching the vinyls would also work, but sometimes you could push the needle to skip and all hell would go lose

[@djcarlo]

Ohhhh, I wouldn't dare push the needle. That's playing with fire hahaha

[@peppersbodega2966]

Can you do something about happy hardcore or hard style mixes?? I love these videos and they are helping me learn a lot but there are little to no tutorials online on tips and tricks for it 😢

[@djcarlo]

Unfortunately, I too am not well versed in those genres, so I can’t say much about them

[@ParanoiaTheDJ]

I used to spin vinyl late 90s early 2000s at raves in the south. I didn't have a beat match button, I didn't even have a beat counter, I had to listen to it and match the beat of every song every record. I thought that's what DJ still did, I need to get back into it. I could be one of the top billed people out there

[@djcarlo]

Go for it! The fact that you have your beatmatching skills intact means you can still go and get em out there! 🥳

[@ParanoiaTheDJ]

​​@djcarlo I am impressed with my progress. I am actually in front of 5,000 people on the 28th and 29th of this month man. I'm so excited. I'm ready also. I'm going back and forth about the s1000 and xp2 right now. I think it's still going to be 2 years before upgrading to cdjs, unless a miracle happens. I still binge watch your videos, you've taught me so much that transitions that are possible these days are insane and I'm having so much fun I'm even playing with dubstep now.

[@ParanoiaTheDJ]

I actually have a question, sir. The shows on the 28th and 29th, it's being put on by a drum and bass production company. They said I can play whatever I want. Do you think I should do my normal house, I've been getting in a DubStep I could do a DubStep set, or do house and throw some dubstep curve balls? cuz I've been doing that in my studio, and it sounds pretty cool.

[@ParanoiaTheDJ]

​@djcarlo I realized why I haven't lost my beat matching skills over the 20 years I was out of dj. Every song I listen to, I tap along to the beat and keep it going through the breakdown, and I'm dead on every time the beat comes back. I realized that in the car today. I have that Festival next weekend, I'm getting nervous. But I think I'm ready.

[@tomturelur9191]

I am glad I learned beatmatching on vinyl back in the days...

[@djcarlo]

It's still the gold standard for beat matching I'd say. Less folk have turntables now, hence the digital beatmatch guide

[@tomsharpey_]

Thanks for the great video Carlo, super helpful as always, I've always had a few questions about this for anyone that can answer? Is the exercise where you mixed without seeing the bpm what vinyl DJs have to do every time, or if rekordbox has gotten the bpm wrong (does this happen?)/the song changes tempo? My best guess was always that they have to continuously manually spin the jogwheel of the incoming song with one hand, making sure to keep the first beat falling in the right place, whilst adjusting the tempo with the other? Also when beat matching on CDJs without a laptop, you don't get to see the stacked waveforms/beat grids right, so you'll always need to use headphones?

[@djcarlo]

Yup yup! Mixing on vinyl is a slightly different beast, but its always good to practice without looking at the bpm. And yes, you need to use your headphones ideally

[@djstuc]

That is pretty much it, but over time your ears can detect the difference in tempo in seconds and you can get most of the way there simply by moving the pitch fader.... you kind of know how much to move it with instinct, then you're just adjusting the platter and pitch fader to fine tune.

[@theoadams5079]

I have a question......once I've matched the bpm of 2 songs then beat match then mix then load the new song and do the same, won't all my mix be at the same bpm as the very 1st song which will make for a very boring mix - all songs the same bpm. I'm a little confused , or dumb

[@djcarlo]

Well, that depends on you! You can speed up or bring back the tracks to their native Bpm so the beats change as the mix flows

[@spartt4360]

I just wonder why do it manually? I dont get why cue-play try to get into synced beat and the spin wheel to catch beats, also at the start you got to manually adjust bpm of another track. So why not skip all this and press sync? That would set bpm the same and would start new track in sync. Im not a dj, just curious.

[@djcarlo]

Because some songs aren't always tied to the same BPM. Manually beatmatching will help ensure that, even if the software gets it wrong, you'll have a back up plan to make transitions happen on your own

[@spartt4360]

@@djcarlo sorry for my ,ack of knowledge, but are you manually doing it every song? I mean before transition you listening for other song on your headphones and match tempo beats etc before you play it on speakers or not? It just seems way more work for example for me as a beginner to manually set bpm and match the beat. What I would do is sync and only if something is not right, maybe the try and adjust. Or am I missing something?

[@djholly5948]

If you really want to learn beat matching, put some tape on the BPM counters and just listen and adjust the speed. You don't want to be dependent on the equipment...

[@djcarlo]

Yes that was demonstrated at 11:53 🎉

[@clandestineuseofkindness7990]

Hello, got a question for you, how to beat match high speed 150-160 without constant jog fixing and synk, as controllers show the speed 150,5, but any laptop 150,52 , the difference feels every marching more than 5-10 secs, just to fix the jog ? Or any other hacks you know, guess this topic is interesting

[@djcarlo]

You may need to just adjust bit by bit with the jogwheel. Some tracks are like that

[@eyeviewfocus]

How can a person beat match by jog wheel scratching. I see some dj mix in particularly in hip hop. Can it be done on flx4?

[@djcarlo]

Oh, what do you mean? I'm sure they scratch it in and still do the normal pitch fader technique. It's usually a baby scratch instead of just pressing the play button if I understand this right

[@eyeviewfocus]

@@djcarlo correct, i cant get it right. i cant get the timing right or there's a lag from the jog when i attempt. "baby scratch method" quantize doesn't seems to help either.

[@feso85]

Thank you 🎉 what's the first track id ur mixing with mi genti?

[@djcarlo]

I honestly can't remember the track I used. Sorry!

[@anadechic]

Best tutorial ever. THANK YOU.

[@djcarlo]

You're very welcome! Hope it helped you grasp the ins and outs of beat matching just a little bit more 🤩

[@anadechic]

@@djcarlo absolutely! I’ve been looking for YEARS for a tutorial that showed all the steps one by one without assuming that we already know these basics, which is what most dj-youtubers do, so thank you for actually thinking of us 🙏🏼

[@klemo6548]

Do you by chance have any videos on how to edit beat grids where bpms slightly change or tracks that are vinyl to mp3? Solid video btw!!

[@djcarlo]

Oof, that's a software limitation! Only Djay Pro has the fluid beat grid from what I know

[@NiallDoran.glasgow]

Another Great vid Carlo been djing for 20 year but always learning and helping advancing ! will you be doing a FLX 10 walk around Still using my NI S4 but really want 2 get hang for RB + FLX10 Many thanks bro

[@djcarlo]

I'll think about it! There are a lot of amazing reviews on it as well online from fellow DJs 🥳

[@MB-pi3ep]

I don’t understand why DJs need to press the queue button so many times to get the first beat ? Can someone explain ? For me one time pressing does the job …

[@djcarlo]

Call it preference, I'd say. I like doing it to really get into the rhythm

[@MB-pi3ep]

@@djcarlothanks, that makes sense :)

[@mipmipmipmipmip-v5x]

When pressing buttons is the only skill you have, you'll try to solve any problem by pressing buttons more often

[@MB-pi3ep]

@@mipmipmipmipmip-v5x lol....yeah, hopefully the right ones

[@erichull1771]

I have a FLX-6 and my headphone cue does not work when I click channel cue with the slider all the way down I still get no sound what may solve this problem?

[@djcarlo]

Oh! Check your Cue/Master (or similar) knob. It might be turned all the way to the master side

[@erichull1771]

@@djcarlo that unfortunately did not fix my problem when with knob all the way on the cue side and at the mix point I still have no sound :(

[@GOS520]

When you bring the Tempo Fader down or up, will that not make the next tract too slow or too faster than what people know as it is sometimes? Is it possible to mix songs that have a huge difference on BPMs i.e. House song to a Jazz song?

[@djcarlo]

That's the point though! It brings something new to people's ears, so it's not like you're just listening to the song off of Spotify. And yes, there are ways to mix songs that jump BPMs! I have a tutorial on that here in the channel. Should be called How to Mix to Anything :)

[@GOS520]

@@djcarlo Thanks Carlo

[@essentrikality]

Nice and GRIMEyyy, just how I like it🥵

[@djcarlo]

I see what you did there

[@RealityMusic912]

Spotify has tons of (extended mix)'s for almost every mainstream edm song. Combined with a quality paid-for downloader (approximately $60-$90), you wont need dj record pools anymore (unless you are seeking a very specific edit)

[@djcarlo]

They do! But I've come to realize a lot of downloaders aren't reliable with the *real* quality. And, if you're paying for a downloader, you may as well use that for the tracks themselves 🥳

[@RealityMusic912]

@@djcarlo I agree, however 320kbps is sufficient for most uses

[@djcarlo]

That's the thing! I've experienced downloaders "downloading" at 320kbps, but the actual source file isn't. I read that Spotify will stream at different bitrates depending on your plan, and will only allow access to said bitrate no matter what your Downloader says 😱

[@AlbertMazurekAlbert-M]

Can you help me ? I have a problem with Traktor DJ 2, after creating several lists of songs, after a few days a message appears that the track cannot be found, this does not happen with every list I created, but most of them do not work, what could be the reason?

[@djcarlo]

That's really odd. You didn't move any of the source files to a different folder?

[@AlbertMazurekAlbert-M]

@@djcarlo The files are in flack format, maybe that's the reason... I created about 10 playlists and after 2-3 days, when I want to run any file, the Traktor Dj 2 program informs me that the file has not been found.

[@AlbertMazurekAlbert-M]

its wrrrrrr hmmm :)

[@AlbertMazurekAlbert-M]

@@djcarlo but in tractor pro 3 everything works hmm... I have tractor dj 2 as an emergency exit :)

[@djcarlo]

It might be the FLAC, or the software itself. Sometimes older software glitches out for no reason

[@incognitech3593]

Yeah auto sync messes sometimes, when we used belt turntables it was total impossible beat match because it just not holds, then Technics turntables changed everything. Digital revolution was the next big step, at least now you're sure decks will maintain beat so you're only need to match... It's way easier nowadays.

[@djcarlo]

Oh man yeah, I've tried older belt driven turntables, and it was always a nightmare haha. Beatmatching DURING the transition was nerve wracking! But hey, I'm glad technology has come a long enough way too to keep the music in time. Excited to see what else the future holds for us too!

[@cov204]

what is the point of repeatedly pressing the cue? I do not understand or agrre wiht this. because I repeat,for me repeatedly pressing the cue has use

[@djcarlo]

It’s to get into rhythm with the current song or the playing song. It truly is unnecessary objectively but doing so just helps me get my timing, right.

[@sailormarsrx]

Hey Dj Carlo, not sure if you have already covered this in the past but what format should I be downloading my tracks from places like Bandcamp? I’ve heard that WAV doesn’t store metadata so is FLAC or AIFF a better option? P.S. Thank you very much for all you do, it is soo appreciated!!! 🙏🏽

[@djcarlo]

I would go Flac or AIFF. You’re right about Wav! Sometimes I’m lazy, so I just go with mp3s lol

[@sailormarsrx]

@@djcarlo gotcha, thanks :)

[@jam_marquezz]

Galing tlga mag explain, thanks DJ Carlo!

[@djcarlo]

Thank you very much pare!

[@djcarlo]

For sure! Been meaning to make this video for a while na haha

[@eyespy3001]

For any new DJ using a laptop that may read this, if you REALLY want to learn how to beat match, stop using your eyes and start using your ears. Music is an auditory experience, not a visual one. You’re matching music, not numbers on a screen. I highly recommend putting your laptop behind you, so you’re forced to listen to the music without reverting to looking at waveforms or BPMs. This technique mimics vinyl DjIng, where you’re never given a BPM count or waveforms. It also mimics having a record crate behind you, which will lead to more of a connection with the crowd you’re eventually going to be playing for (you won’t have your focus on a screen, but on the crowd). Also, make sure your monitors are at an even volume level with your headphones.

[@djcarlo]

This is great advice! I believe I tackled this at some point during this tutorial, but for more practical reasons, just have a piece of paper over the wave forms.

[@goatdubz3385]

And what if there is no drums at the start of the song, only ambience? (Like in dubstep)

[@djcarlo]

Look for the 1. The main drum beat, then grid from there

[@dondraper2488]

Sync button for instant match then turn straight off and phase on the jogs 😉

[@djcarlo]

You can do that, but I'd recommend only doing that once you've mastered beatmatching. Things can still go wrong, and it's always good to have the skills to mitigate any potential issues 🥳

[@DJTimeLock]

Ok but question. If the beatgrid is wrong, isn't there quite the posibility that the BPM indicator is wrong too? So how do you know to what to beatmatch in a reasonable time? I feel like it's just easier to make sure your grid is right before you go anywhere. Unless you play requests and stuff.

[@djcarlo]

Most of the time like 90 percent, the BPM is right. So from there, just fix up the Beatgrid. Best to always inspect the grid before mixing

[@blackcyborg009]

​@@djcarloIn those cases, do you recommend turning Quantize Off?

[@djstuc]

Experience and practise and you can get it in time in around 20 seconds, enough to mix in and adjust as you go.

[@andrejones5441]

I was taught that, "beat matching," is an essential DJ skill. If you can't beat match, you're NOT a DJ. Props to you showing those who are willing to learn.

[@djcarlo]

For sure! It's one of the topics I realized I never covered on the channel, just because I thought that it was an absolute must to beatmatch. When I realized a lot of folks haven't learned, well, I sprung into high gear

[@altkev]

It would be helpful to explain WHY someone should spend time dragging a tempo slider, using cue to preview the beat match, using the jog wheel, etc to do all the steps that beat sync can do for them (ignoring bad beat grids as that is a music prep issue). Like actual use cases where beat sync would work against you and justify the manual approach. It seems like manual beat matching's biggest benefit these days is to avoid judgement for beat sync, which is a terrible reason to use it as the primary approach.

[@djcarlo]

Well, there's actually a lot of reasons. But for me, the primary reason is because beat sync isn't infallible. You also have varied BPM tracks (live drums!) which WILL throw the beat grid off after a few minutes, equipment failure, software failure, etc. While the actual incidents are rare, it's best to know how to walk before you run in DJing, just as a backup. Once you actually know how to beat match, go to town on beat sync! 🥳

[@djslip_irie]

You would use sync to play on 4 decks . With a set much more like a battle DJ where you swap between songs and sounds very fast. Or.. If I’m playing a set of 92 hardcore and it’s one hr and I want to bang out as many tracks as possible. Sync will save you the time. Basically here the focus is sync saves time. That’s it’s purpose.

[@christianreyes6372]

I have a MacBook Air m2 but for some reason I don’t get the update for rekordbox 7. Any reason for this ?

[@djcarlo]

Maybe update your OS or go to the Pioneer DJ website and get the software installer from there!

[@christianreyes6372]

@@djcarlo thank you 🙏

[@christianreyes6372]

@@djcarlo hey Carlo I was able to install rekordbox 7. However its not unlocking and it’s running on a trial. I have DDJ-800 shouldn’t I be able to have the full version ?

[@helderalmeida2790]

Carlo thanks for the video, but i would like if you could go more in detail, but without you seeing the bpm. I would like to know how to mix by beat matching without seeing bpm and how to move jogwhell to get the right bpm and how do you know to move forward or backwards or how do you know you need to speed up or slow down, basically everytime you show on this video but without you knowing the bpm of both tracks. Im sorry if i went to long but i hope you understand what im trying to ask you. Much love Carlo ❤

[@djcarlo]

This video is the best way to explain how to beat match and still showcase it on a KZbin video. It's a lot more abstract to do it without the numbers. Best really is already have an idea of the BPM of your track, then try to catch it (that's something I might discuss in a future video)

[@acronnody8115]

I'm early this time. Thank you teacher! ♥️ 🤟🏻

[@djcarlo]

Yes you are! You're very welcome as well! Hope you found the video helpful!

[@krawiecka5903]

thank you for the tutorial this is really making my son way better. i appreciate this

[@djcarlo]

That’s great! So happy to hear that!! Your son is going to have a lot of fun :)

[@YoKnow]

Chef's kiss on this one!

[@djcarlo]

Thank you! Really important lessons here

[@AlbertMazurekAlbert-M]

Hello, what transition can be used for songs with different bpm, and what transition can be used for songs with the same or similar bpm? Thank you for your answer Send a video :)

[@djcarlo]

It really depends! Similar BPMs can be beatmatched easily. But for highly varied BPMs, check out my tutorials on How To Mix to Anything and the like 🥳

[@AlbertMazurekAlbert-M]

@@djcarlo please Send video :)

[@AlbertMazurekAlbert-M]

@@djcarlo ofcourse easy transition s 🙂

[@ezedjay]

I can beatmatch(blind) - but I'm lazy so I use half of the sync button...... I NEVER have a sync button lit up(on). What I do is load a new track and press the sync button twice. First press adjusts it's BPM and lines up the beat grids. Second press releases the beat grids from snapping together but leaves the new track pitched up. Works for me. Beatgrids are always off and I don't bother fixing them. There's no need.

[@djcarlo]

That's one way of doing it! Saves a lot of time so you can focus on showing your crowd a good time

[@you_are_dope]

Amazing content. Learnt a lot from your videos. May I know what software were you using in this video? And is it free?

[@djcarlo]

Rekordbox dj! And it’s free. But features are unlocked and work best with a pioneer dj controller or gear

[@you_are_dope]

@@djcarlo thanks😊. Would you recommend something for Hercules gear?

[@davebeery_youtube]

Great content for us beginners! Love your B-roll takes, btw. 🤩

[@djcarlo]

Thanks man! That's what makes these videos super fun!

[@Ruby_Mullz]

I’m blind so I beat match by ear. If u can’t see, u can’t read the BPM as u use the tempo slider, but rather than learn to correctly hear tempo, I do something else. I switch on sync (please! don’t stop reading lol) then switch it off. This sets the BPM perfectly, then beat match by ear. One day I will learn to adjust tempo by ear, but I mix DnB so doing takes too long, but I’d still love to learn to mix fully whike blind not using sync.

[@djcarlo]

That's one way of doing it! You're still somewhat beat matching by ear

[@jerylmac4776]

This is great! Watching always from philippines always connecting :)

[@djcarlo]

Thanks! Keep playing and enjoying!

[@tavomagno5]

Why the Cue butto and not the Hot Cue when you set it to the start of song or beat ??

[@djcarlo]

That's up to preference. The cue button is all you have on CDJs (unless they're the newer Pioneer ones), but yeah. You can use the hot cue button too if you prefer

[@LesterAlindogan-l5x]

Thanks dj Carlo❤️❤️❤️

[@djcarlo]

You're very welcome! Hope you learned a few new ideas for beatmatching!

[@theycallmeyeezy97]

Why is it that in recordbox all the songs have the same beat grid lenght but in serato different songs have different beat grid lenght. Why is that ??

[@djcarlo]

Different software different detection

[@Flipvip-]

Second 🎉 my idol finally posted smth ❤

[@djcarlo]

I've been posting! Just slowly haha

[@Olyndr]

Would be perfect to see review from you about Omni Duos DJ system from Alpha Teta

[@djcarlo]

I already have hehe. Check it out!

[@ComradeVain]

I will still use beatsync to get it perfect though, no reason not to use it. I match it by hand and do the last like .XX with beatmatch for perfection.

[@djcarlo]

That’s true! At least you know the fundamentals!

[@ComradeVain]

@@djcarlo Between you and an IRL friend, I've learned a lot! I appreciate your videos a lot.

[@darrenpressley5003]

DJ Carlo i must disagree with this if your a turntable DJ yes but if your a Controller DJ an your learning an using the Sync button correctly then you can be great at using the sync button its those DJ's that jump in the DJing world and really don't know turntables are the way to DJ on a controller an yes i came from the turntable world of Djing but remember technology has made it easier for Djing so why not use it correctly and you want get to off beat crap but i also use VDJ a much better world over there just sayin but your doing a great job just simplify it alittle more thanks DJSS..

[@djcarlo]

I appreciate your perspective, but I'd like to offer a different viewpoint. While I agree that technology has made DJing more accessible, relying too heavily on the sync button can hinder a DJ's growth and understanding of the craft. Sync can be a great tool when used properly, but it should complement rather than replace fundamental skills like beatmatching by ear. Mastering these skills on turntables or controllers can provide a deeper connection to the music and improve overall performance quality. It's also important to recognize that different DJs have different preferences and styles. Some may prefer the tactile feel of turntables, while others enjoy the flexibility and features of controllers. Both have their merits, and neither is inherently superior. As for software, VirtualDJ (VDJ) is indeed a robust platform, but it's ultimately a matter of personal preference. Serato, Rekordbox, and Traktor are also popular choices, each with unique strengths. What's most important is how effectively a DJ can use their tools to create an engaging experience for their audience. Let's continue to embrace the diversity in DJing and respect different approaches to the art form. Keep spinning and sharing your passion!

[@MikeyDarwish]

I mean extended mixes aren’t ONLY available on record pools. Most tracks you hear on Spotify have an extended mix somewhere on the internet

[@djcarlo]

I wouldn't say most, but record pools would be the best way to get them in high quality files for many tracks! They also have extended versions of tracks that don't have extended versions 😅

[@biddlybongdavinport5995]

Is there much point considering modern CDJs have the bpm count, and progressive jog? Vinyl yes, modern CDJs?

[@djcarlo]

Still yes! Even with the BPM count, these *could* be inaccurate, so it's always important to know how to beatmatch just in case

[@biddlybongdavinport5995]

@@djcarlo if your beat grids are set correctly, shouldn't be a problem using the bpm read outs. No disrespect, as your channel is definitely one of the best tutorial channels for Djing.

[@danielfinlayson8127]

I use pitch bend rather than the jog wheel. I’m guessing not all equipment has the same features

[@djcarlo]

That's different! What kind of equipment do you use?

[@danielfinlayson8127]

@@djcarlo I have a denon SC live 2. If I play a second song I’m mixing in, and I get the beats a little out, the pitch bend can be pressed to temporarily speed up or slow down the song being mixed in, until I’ve got the beats matched on the display. Never fails me - How is this different than using the jog wheel?

[@djcarlo]

Chalk it up to preference! Some controllers don't have the pitch bend, so the jogwheel is all they have. But if it works for you, then run with it! 🥳

[@charleyyoussef]

i usually use flx4 but now i’m changing my method and doing it naturally, one problem i have is when i try to beatmatch a song moves by itself, what do i do

[@djcarlo]

What do you mean? Like it plays?

[@charleyyoussef]

@@djcarlotracks get out of sync after beat matching manually