Originally, the "disc" in "disc jockey" referred to gramophone records, but now "DJ" is used as an

all-encompassing term to describe someone who mixes recorded music from any sources,
including cassettes, CDs, or digital audio files on a CDJ or laptop. DJs typically perform for a live
audience in a nightclub or dance club or a TV, radio broadcast audience, or in the 2010s,
an online radio audience. DJs also create mixes, remixes and tracks that are recorded for later
sale and distribution. In hip hop music, DJs may create beats, using
percussion breaks, basslines and other musical content sampled from pre-existing records. In hip
hop, rappers and MCs use these beats to rap over.
DJs use equipment that can play at least two sources of recorded music simultaneously and mix
them together. This allows the DJ to create seamless transitions between recordings and develop
unique mixes of songs. Often, this involves aligning the beats of the music sources so their
rhythms do not clash when they are played together, either so two records can be played at the
same time, or to enable the DJ to make a smooth transition from one song to another. An
important tool for DJs is the specialized DJ mixer, a small audio mixer with
a crossfader and cue functions. The crossfader enables the DJ to blend or transition from one
song to another. The cue knobs or switches allow the DJ to pre-listen to a source of recorded
music in headphones before playing it for the live club or broadcast audience. Previewing the
music in headphones helps the DJ pick the next track they want to play and cue up the track to
the desired starting location so it will mix well with the currently playing music. DJs may also use
a microphone to speak to the audience; effects units such as reverb to create sound effects;
and electronic musical instruments such as drum machines and synthesizers.
The title "DJ" is also commonly used by DJs in front of their real names or
adopted pseudonyms or stage names as a title to denote their profession (e.g., DJ Jazzy
Jeff and DJ Q-bert). Some DJs focus on creating a good mix of songs for the club dancers or
radio audience. Other DJs use turntablism techniques such as "scratching", in which the DJ
or turntablistmanipulates the record player turntable to create new rhythms and sounds. DJs need
to have a mixture of artistic and technical skills for their profession, because they have to
understand both the creative aspects of making new musical beats and tracks, and the technical
aspects of using audio consoles, professional audio equipment, and, in the 2010s, Digital Audio
Workstations and other computerized music gear. In many types of DJing, including club DJing
and radio/TV DJing, a DJ also has to have charisma and develop a good rapport with the
audience. Professional DJs often specialize in a specific genre of music, such as house
music or hip hop music. DJs typically have an extensive knowledge about the music they
specialize in. Many DJs are avid music collectors of vintage, rare or obscure tracks and records.

There are several types of disc jockey. Radio DJs or radio personalities introduce and play music
that is broadcast on AM, FM, digital or Internet radio stations. Club DJs select and play music in
bars, nightclubs or discothèques, or at parties, raves, or even in stadiums. Mobile DJs travel
with portable sound systems and play recorded music at a variety of events. Some mobile DJs
also serve as the master of ceremonies (MC) at weddings or other events, directing the attention
of attendees, and maintaining a room-wide focus on what is included in the event's agenda.
There are also many competitions for DJs that specialize in different turntablism techniques, such
as mixing, hip hop music-style "scratching" or other kinds of techniques.
Other types of DJ use musical performance techniques that allow them to be categorized as
performing musicians, depending on the situation. Hip hop DJs not only select and play music
using multiple turntables (or other sound sources) to back one or more MCs or rappers, but they
also perform turntable "scratching" to create rhythmic and percussive sounds and create sound
effects and beats. Hip hop DJs and are also often songwriters or music producers who
use turntablism and sampling to create backing instrumentals for new tracks.
In reggae, the DJ (deejay) is a vocalist who raps, "toasts", chants or chats over pre-recorded
rhythm tracks. The individual who helps the DJ by selecting tracks or records to be played is
called the selector.[1]
Many electronica artists and producers who also work as DJs often perform music by combining
turntablism with keyboards, digital musical instruments, drum machines or live
electronics. Electronica, hip-hop or reggae DJs also often collaborate and play live music with
bands and musicians from several musical genres (rock, heavy metal, jazz or even classical
music), using turntables and electronics as musical instruments. According to a 2012 study, there
are approximately 1¼ million professional disc jockeys in the world.[2]
The songs, tracks and beats a DJ picks to play and the style in which the DJ mixes them defines
a DJ's style. DJs are often connoisseurs of various music genres, and they often spend time in
used record stores searching for rare or obscure tracks to use in their club sets. DJs also use DJ
mixers to transition from song to song in different ways. One key technique used by DJs for
seamlessly transitioning from one song to another is beatmatching. The DJ's style can and
should be pliable, depending on what club he or she is playing in and what kind of music is
expected of the DJ (e.g. a house musicdance requires a different set list than a rave or
a techno event).[3] The DJ also has to "read" the mood of the dancers, and pick songs or styles of
music that will keep the dancers on the dance floor.

Residents[edit]
A resident DJ performs at a venue on a regular basis or permanently.[4][5][6] They would perform
regularly (typically under an agreement) in a particular discotheque, a particular club, a particular
event, or a particular broadcasting station.[7][8][9] Residents have a decisive influence on the club or
a series of events.[10] Per agreement with the management or company, the DJ would have to
perform under agreed times and dates.[5][11] Typically, DJs perform as residents for two or three
times in a week, for example, on Friday and Saturday. Also, DJs who make a steady income from
a venue, are also considered resident DJs.[12][13] Wynn Nightlife and Hakkasan are well known for
hiring high-profile DJs as residents with 'skyrocketing pay'.[14]

Equipment

As music technology has progressed, DJs have adopted different types of equipment to play and
mix music, all of which are still commonly used. Traditionally, DJs used two turntables plugged
into a DJ mixer to mix music on vinyl records. As compact discs became popular media for
publishing music, specialized high quality CD players known as CDJs were developed for DJs.
CDJs can take the place of turntables or be used together with turntables. Many CDJs can now
play digital music files from USB flash drives or SD cards in addition to CDs. With the spread of
portable laptop, tablet, and smartphone computers, DJs began using software together with
specialized sound cards and DJ controller hardware. DJ software can be used in conjunction with
a hardware DJ mixer or be used instead of a hardware mixer.

Turntables[edit]
Main article: Turntablism

Turntables allow DJs to play vinyl records. By adjusting the playback speed of the turntable,
either by adjusting the speed knob, or by manipulating the platter (e.g., by slowing down the
platter by putting a finger gently along the side), DJs can match the tempos of different records so
their rhythms can be played together at the same time without clashing or make a smooth,
seamless transition from one song to another. This technique is known as beatmatching. DJs
typically replace the rubber mat on turntables that keeps the record moving in sync with the
turntable with a slipmatthat facilitates manipulating the playback of the record by hand. With the
slipmat, the DJ can stop or slow down the record while the turntable is still spinning. Direct-drive
turntables are the type preferred by DJs, with the Technics SL-1200 being the most popular
model of turntables for DJs. Belt-drive turntables are less expensive, but they are not suitable for
turntablism and DJing, because the belt-drive motor does not like being slowed down, as it can
stretch out the belt. Some DJs, most commonly those who play hip hop music, go beyond merely
mixing records and use turntables as musical instruments for scratching, beat juggling, and
other turntablism techniques.

CDJs[edit]
Main article: CDJ

CDJs are high quality digital media players made for DJing. They often have large jog wheels
and pitch controls to allow DJs to manipulate the playback of digital files for beatmatchingsimilar
to how DJs manipulate vinyl records on turntables. CDJs often have features such as loops and
waveform displays similar to DJ software. Originally designed to play music from compact discs,
they now can play digital music files stored on USB flash drives and SD cards. Some CDJs can
also connect to a computer running DJ software to act as a DJ controller.

DJ mixers[edit]
Main article: DJ mixer

A Numark DM2002X Pro Master DJ mixer. This three channel mixer can have up to three input sound
sources. The gain control knobs and equalization control knobs allow the volume and tone of each sound
source to be adjusted. The vertical faders allow for further adjustment of the volume of each sound source.
The horizontally-mounted crossfaderenables the DJ to smoothly transition from a song on one sound
source to a song from a different sound source.

DJ mixers are small audio mixing consoles specialized for DJing. Most DJ mixers have far fewer
channels than a mixer used by a record producer or audio engineer; whereas standard live sound
mixers in small venues have 12 to 24 channels, and standard recording studio mixers have even
more (as many as 72 on large boards), basic DJ mixers may have only two channels. While DJ
mixers have many of the same features found on larger mixers (faders, equalization knobs, gain
knobs, effects units, etc), DJ mixers have a feature that is usually only found on DJ mixers:
the crossfader. The crossfader is a type of fader that is mounted horizontally. DJs used the
crossfader to mix two or more sound sources. The midpoint of the crossfader's travel is a 50/50
mix of the two channels (on a two channel mixer). The far left side of the crossfader provides only
the channel A sound source. The far right side provides only the channel B sound source (e.g.,
record player number 2). Positions in between the two extremes provide different mixes of the
two channels. Some DJs use a computer with DJ software and a DJ controllerinstead of an
analog DJ mixer to mix music, although DJ software can be used in conjunction with a hardware
DJ mixer.

Headphones[edit]
Main article: Headphones

DJs generally use higher quality headphones than those designed for music consumers. DJ
headphones have other properties useful for DJs, such as designs that acoustically isolate the
sounds of the headphones from the outside environment (hard shell headphones), flexible
headbands and pivot joints to allow DJs to listen to one side of the headphones, while turning the
other headphone away (so he/she can monitor the mix in the club), and replaceable cables.
Replaceable cables enables DJs to buy new cables if a cable becomes frayed, worn, or
damaged, or if a cable is accidentally cut.
Closed-back headphones are highly recommended for DJs to block outside noise as the
environment of DJ usually tend to be very noisy. Standard headphones have 3.5mm jack but DJ
equipment usually requires ¼ inch jack. Most of specialized DJ Headphones have an adapter to
switch between 3.5mm jack and ¼ inch jack. Detachable coiled cables are perfect for DJ
Headphones.[17]

Software[edit]
See also: List of music software § DJ software

A screenshot of Mixxx DJ software running on Mac OS X

DJs have changed their equipment as new technologies are introduced. The earliest DJs in pop
music, in 1970s discos, used record turntables, vinyl records and audio consoles. In the 1970s,
DJs would have to lug heavy direct drive turntables and crates of records to clubs and shows. In
the 1980s, many DJs transitioned to compact cassettes. In the 1990s and 2000s, many DJs
switched to using digital audio such as CDs and MP3 files. As technological advances made it
practical to store large collections of digital music files on a laptop computer, DJ software was
developed so DJs could use a laptop as a source of music instead of transporting CDs or vinyl
records to gigs. Unlike most music player software designed for regular consumers, DJ software
can play at least two audio files simultaneously, display the waveforms of the files on screen and
enable the DJ to listen to either source.
The waveforms allow the DJ see what is coming next in the music and how the playback of
different files is aligned. The software analyzes music files to identify their tempo and where the
beats are. The analyzed information can be used by the DJ to help manually beatmatch like with
vinyl records or the software can automatically synchronize the beats. Digital signal
processing algorithms in software allow DJs to adjust the tempo of recordings independently of
their pitch (and musical key, a feature known as "keylock". Some software analyzes the loudness
of the music for automatic normalization with ReplayGain and detects the musical key.
Additionally, DJ software can store cue points, set loops, and apply effects.
As tablet computers and smartphones became widespread, DJ software was written to run on
these devices in addition to laptops. DJ software requires specialized hardware in addition to a
computer to fully take advantage of its features. The consumer grade, regular sound
card integrated into most computer motherboards can only output two channels (one stereo pair).
However, DJs need to be able to output at least four channels (two stereo pairs, thus Left and
Right for input 1 and Left and Right for input 2), either unmixed signals to send to a DJ mixer or a
main output plus a headphone output. Additionally, DJ sound cards output higher quality signals
than the sound cards built into consumer-grade computer motherboards.

Timecode[edit]
Special vinyl records (or CDs/digital files played with CDJs) can be used with DJ software to play
digital music files with DJ software as if they were pressed onto vinyl,
allowing turntablism techniques to be used with digital files. These vinyl records do not have
music recordings pressed on to them. Instead, they are pressed with a special signal, referred to
as "timecode", to control DJ software. The DJ software interprets changes in the playback speed,
direction, and position of the timecode signal and manipulates the digital files it is playing in the
same way that the turntable manipulates the timecode record.
This requires a specialized DJ sound card with at least 4 channels (2 stereo pairs) of inputs and
outputs. With this setup, the DJ software typically outputs unmixed signals from the music files to
an external hardware DJ mixer. Some DJ mixers have integrated USB sound cards that allow DJ
software to connect directly to the mixer without requiring a separate sound card.

DJ controllers[edit]
Main article: DJ controller

DJ software can be used to mix audio files on the computer instead of a separate hardware
mixer. When mixing on a computer, DJs often use a DJ controller device that mimics the layout of
two turntables plus a DJ mixer to control the software rather than the computer
keyboard & touchpad on a laptop, or the touchscreen on a tablet computer or smartphone. Many
DJ controllers have an integrated sound card with 4 output channels (2 stereo pairs) that allows
the DJ to use headphones to preview music before playing it on the main output.

Other equipment[edit]
 A microphone, so that the DJ can introduce songs and speak to the audience over the sound
system.
 Electronic effects units such as delay, reverb, octave, equalizer, chorus, etc.
 Multi-stylus head shells, which allow a DJ to play different grooves of the same record at the
same time.
 Samplers, sequencers, electronic musical keyboards (synthesizers), or drum machines.
 PA system or sound reinforcement system (power amplifiers and speaker enclosures),
typically including subwoofer cabinets for deep bass (or, if a DJ is broadcasting and/or
recording a set, broadcasting equipment or recording gear)
 Monitor speakers, for listening to the "house mix" that is playing over the main speakers

Techniques[edit]

Several techniques are used by DJs as a means to better mix and blend recorded music. These
techniques primarily include the cueing, equalization and audio mixing of two or more sound
sources. The complexity and frequency of special techniques depends largely on the setting in
which a DJ is working. Radio DJs are less likely to focus on advanced music-mixing procedures
than club DJs, who rely on a smooth transition between songs using a range of techniques.
However, some radio DJs are experienced club DJs, so they use the same sophisticated mixing
techniques.
Club DJ turntable techniques include beatmatching, phrasing and slip-cueing to preserve energy
on a dance floor. Turntablism embodies the art of cutting, beat juggling, scratching, needle
drops, phase shifting, back spinning and more to perform the transitions and overdubs
of samples in a more creative manner (although turntablism is often considered a use of the
turntable as a musical instrument rather than a tool for blending recorded music). Professional
DJs may use harmonic mixing to choose songs that are in compatible musical keys.[18][19]
Recent advances in technology in both DJ hardware and software can provide assisted or
automatic completion of some traditional DJ techniques and skills. Examples
include phrasing and beatmatching, which can be partially or completely automated by utilizing
DJ software that performs automatic synchronization of sound recordings, a feature commonly
labelled "sync". Most DJ mixers now include a beat-counter which analyzes the tempo of an
incoming sound source and displays its tempo in beats per minute (BPM), which may assist with
beatmatching analog sound sources.
In the past, being a DJ has largely been a self-taught craft but with the complexities of new
technologies and the convergence with music production methods, there are a growing number of
schools and organizations that offer instruction on the techniques.[20]

Miming[edit]
In DJ culture, miming refers to the practice of DJ's pantomiming the actions of live-mixing a set on
stage while a pre-recorded mix plays over the sound system.[21][22] Miming mixing in a live
performance is considered to be controversial within DJ culture.[23] Some within the DJ community
say that miming is increasingly used as a technique by celebrity model DJs who may lack mixing
skills, but can draw big crowds to a venue.[24]
During a DJ tour for the release of the French group Justice's A Cross the Universe in November
2008, controversy arose when a photograph of Augé DJing with an unplugged AkaiMPD24
surfaced. The photograph sparked accusations that Justice's live sets were faked. Augé has
since said that the equipment was unplugged very briefly before being reattached and the band
put a three-photo set of the incident on their MySpace page.[25][26] After a 2013 Disclosure concert,
the duo was criticized for pretending to live mix to a playback of a pre-recorded track.
Disclosure's Guy Lawrence said they did not deliberately intend to mislead their audience, and
cited miming by other DJs such as David Guetta.[27]

History[edit]

 For the history of club DJs, see History of DJing

 For the history of radio DJs, see Radio disc jockey history
The term "disc jockey" was ostensibly coined by radio gossip commentator Walter Winchell in
1935, and the phrase first appeared in print in a 1941 Variety magazine, used to describe radio
personalities who introduced phonograph records on the air.[28][29] Playing recorded music for
dancing and parties rose with the mass marketing of home phonographs in the late 19th century,
and Jimmy Savile is credited with hosting the first live DJ dance party in 1943. Savile is also
credited as the first to present music in continuous play by using multiple turntables. In 1947, the
Whiskey A Go-Go opened in Paris as the first discoteque.[30] In the 1960s, Rudy Bozak began
making the first DJ mixers, mixing consoles specialized for DJing.
In the 1960s, Jamaican sound system culture emerged, with Jamaican deejays such as King
Tubby and Lee "Scratch" Perry pioneering dub music in the late 1960s.[31][32] They experimented
with tape-based composition, emphasized repetitive rhythmic structures (often stripped of their
harmonic elements), electronically manipulated spatiality, sonically manipulated pre-recorded
musical materials from mass media, deejays toasted (boastful chanting) over pre-recorded
music,[31] and they remixed music.[32] Jamaican deejays later had a significant impact on hip hop
DJs in the 1970s.[31][32]
Two Technics SL-1200turntables set up for DJ use. A DJ mixer is placed between the two turntables.

DJ turntablism has origins in the invention of direct-drive turntables. Early belt-drive

turntables were unsuitable for turntablism and mixing, since they had a slow start-up time, and
they were prone to wear-and-tear and breakage,[33] as the belt would break from backspinning or
scratching.[34]The first direct-drive turntable was invented by Shuichi Obata, an engineer
at Matsushita (now Panasonic),[35] based in Osaka, Japan.[33] It eliminated belts, and instead
employed a motor to directly drive a platter on which a vinyl record rests.[36] In 1969, Matsushita
released it as the SP-10,[36] the first direct-drive turntable on the market,[37] and the first in their
influential Technics series of turntables.[36]
In 1972, Technics started making their SL-1200 turntable, which became the most popular
turntable for DJs due to its high torque direct drivedesign.[38] The SL-1200 had a rapid start and its
durable direct drive enabled DJs to manipulate the platter, as with scratching techniques. Hip
hopDJs began using the Technics SL-1200s as musical instruments to manipulate records
with turntablism techniques such as scratching and beat juggling rather than merely mixing
records. These techniques were developed in the 1970s by DJ Kool Herc, Grand Wizard
Theodore, and Afrika Bambaataa, as they experimented with Technics direct-drive decks, finding
that the motor would continue to spin at the correct RPM even if the DJ wiggled the record back
and forth on the platter.[38] Although Technics stopped producing the SL-1200 in 2010, they
remain the most popular DJ turntable due to their high build quality and durability.
In 1980, Japanese company Roland released the TR-808, an analog rhythm/drum machine,
which has unique artificial sounds, such as its booming bass and sharp snare, and a metronome-
like rhythm. Yellow Magic Orchestra's use of the instrument in 1980 influenced hip hop pioneer
Afrika Bambaataa, after which the TR-808 would be widely adopted by hip hop DJs, with 808
sounds remaining central to hip hop music ever since.[39][40] The Roland TB-303, a bass
synthesizer released in 1981, had a similar impact on electronic dance musicgenres such
as techno and house music,[41][39] along with Roland's TR-808[40] and TR-909 drum machines.[42][43]
In 1982, the Compact Disc (CD) format was released, popularizing digital audio. In 1998, the first
MP3 digital audio player was released, the Eiger Labs MPMan F10. Final Scratch debuted at the
BE Developer Conference, marking the first digital DJ system to allow DJs control of MP3 files
through special time-coded vinyl records or CDs. While it would take sometime for this novel
concept to catch on with the "die hard Vinyl DJs", This would soon become the first step in the
new Digital DJ revolution. Manufacturers joined with computer DJing pioneers to offer
professional endorsements, the first being Professor Jam (a.k.a. William P. Rader), who went on
to develop the industry's first dedicated computer DJ convention and learning program, the "CPS
(Computerized Performance System) DJ Summit", to help spread the word about the advantages
of this emerging technology.
In 2001, Pioneer DJ began producing the CDJ-1000 CD player, making the use of digital music
recordings with traditional DJ techniques practical for the first time. As the 2000s
progressed, laptop computers became more powerful and affordable. DJ software, specialized
DJ sound cards, and DJ controllers were developed for DJs to use laptops as a source of music
rather than turntables or CDJs. In the 2010s, like laptops before them, tablet
computers and smartphones became more powerful & affordable. DJ software was written to run
on these more portable devices instead of laptops, although laptops remain the more common
type of computer for DJin
 Beatmatching
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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This article possibly contains original research. (May 2008)

Alignment of beats in the beatmatching process

Beatmatching or pitch cue is a disc jockey technique of pitch shifting or timestretching an

upcoming track to match its tempo to that of the currently playing track, and to adjust them such
that the beats (and, usually, the bars) are synchronised — i.e., the kicks and snares in two house
records hit at the same time when both records are played simultaneously. Beatmatching is a
component of beatmixing which employs beatmatching combined with equalization, attention to
phrasing and track selection in an attempt to make a single mix that flows together and has a
good structure.
The technique was developed to keep the people from leaving the dancefloor at the end of the
song. These days it is considered basic among disc jockeys (DJs) in electronic dance
music genres, and it is standard practice in clubs to keep the constant beat through the night,
even if DJs change in the middle.
Beatmatching is no longer considered a novelty, and new digital software has made the
technique much easier to master.

Contents
[hide]

 1Technique
o 1.1Pitch and tempo
 2History
 3See also
 4References

Technique[edit]
The beatmatching technique consists of the following steps:

1. While a record is playing, start a second record playing, but only monitored through
headphones, not being fed to the main PA system. Use gain (or trim) control on the mixer
to match the levels of the two records.
 2. Restart and slip-cue the new record at the right time, on beat with the record currently
playing.
3. If the beat on the new record hits before the beat on the current record then the new
record is too fast, reduce the pitch and manually slow the speed of the new record to
bring the beats back in sync.
4. If the beat on the new record hits after the beat on the current record then the new record
is too slow, increase the pitch and manually increase the speed of the new record to
bring the beats back in sync.
5. Continue this process until the two records are in sync with each other. It can be difficult
to sync the two records perfectly, so manual adjustment of the records is necessary to
maintain the beat synchronization.
6. Gradually fade in parts of the new track while fading out the old track. While in the mix,
ensure that the tracks are still synchronized, adjusting the records if needed.
7. The fade can be repeated several times, for example, from the first track, fade to the
second track, then back to first, then to second again.
One of the key things to consider when beatmatching is the tempo of both songs, and the musical
theory behind the songs. Attempting to beatmatch songs with completely different beats per
minute (BPM) will result in one of the songs sounding too fast or too slow.
When beatmatching, a popular techniqueis to vary the equalization of both tracks. For example,
when the kicks are occurring on the same beat, a more seamless transition can occur if the lower
frequencies are taken out of one of the songs, and the lower frequencies of the other song is
boosted. Doing so creates a smoother transition.
Pitch and tempo[edit]
The pitch and tempo of a track are normally linked together: spin a disc 5% faster and both pitch
and tempo will be 5% higher. However, some modern DJ software can change pitch and tempo
independently using time-stretching and pitch-shifting, allowing harmonic mixing. There is also a
feature in most modern DJ software to change the tempo but keeping the original pitch, this is
often referred to as master tempo or key adjust.

History[edit]
Beatmatching was invented by Francis Grasso in the late 1960s and early 1970s.[1] Initially he
was counting the tempo with a metronome and looking for records with the same tempo.[1] Later a
mixer was built for him by Alex Rosner which let him listen to any channel in the headphones
independently of what was playing on the speakers; this became the defining feature of DJ
mixers. That and turntables with pitch control enabled him to mix tracks with different tempo by
changing the pitch of the cued (redirected to headphones) track to match its tempo with the track
being played by ear. Essentially, the technique he originated hasn't changed since.
These days[when?] beat-matching is considered central to DJing, and features making it possible are
a requirement for DJ-oriented players. In 1978, the Technics SL-1200MK2 turntable was
released, whose comfortable and precise sliding pitch control and high torque direct drive motor
made beat-matching easier and it became the standard among DJs. With the advent of the
compact disc, DJ-oriented Compact Disc players with pitch control and other features enabling
beat-matching (and sometimes scratching), dubbed CDJs, were introduced by various
companies. More recently, software with similar capabilities has been developed to allow
manipulation of digital audio files stored on computers using turntables with special vinyl records
(e.g. Final Scratch, M-Audio Torq, Serato Scratch Live) or computer interface (e.g. Traktor DJ
Studio, Mixxx, Virtual DJ). Other software including algorithmic beat-matching is Ableton Live,
which allows for realtime music manipulation and deconstruction, or Mixmeister, a DJ Mixset
creation tool. Freeware software such as Rapid Evolution can detect the beats per minute and
determine the percent BPM difference between songs.
The change from pure hardware to software is on the rise, and big DJs are introducing new
equipment to their kits such as the laptop, and dropping the difficulty of carrying hundreds of CDs
with them. The creation of the mp3-player allowed DJs to have an alternative tool for DJIng.
Limitations with mp3-player DJing equipment has meant that only second generation equipment
such as the IDJ2 or the Cortex Dmix-300 have the pitch control that alters tempo and allows for
beat-matching on a digital music player. However, recent additions to the Pioneer CDJ family,
such as the CDJ-2000, allow mp3-player and other digital storage devices (such as external hard
drives, SD cards and USB memory sticks) to be connected to the CDJ device via USB. This
allows the DJ to make use of the beat-matching capabilities of the CDJ unit whilst playing digital
music files from the mp3-player or other storage device.
Most modern DJ hardware and software now offers a "Sync" feature which automatically adjusts
the tempo between tracks being mixed so the DJ no longer needs to spend time and effort
matching beats. This has caused some controversy in the DJ industry since almost anyone can
beat-match thanks to the new function.

Phrasing (DJ)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In DJing, phrasing, also called stage matching, refers to alignment of phrases of two tracks in a
mix. This allows the transition between the tracks to be done without breaking the musical
structure.
Phrasing is an aspect of beatmixing, not a separate technique. Because most electronic dance
music tracks have 4/4 time signature and a simple structure of 16-bar phrases, to align the
phrases of two tracks it is often enough to start the track to be mixed in at a phrase boundary in
the track currently playing. Careful phrasing can produce a seamless mix by making the breaks in
two tracks coincide, or aligning the break in one track with the start of the beat in the other.

Slip-cueing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Slip-cueing is a turntable-based DJ technique which consists of holding a record still while

the platter rotates underneath the slipmat and releasing it at the right moment. In this way, the
record accelerates to the right speed almost immediately, without waiting for the heavy platter to
start up. Slip-cueing was introduced to the disco scene by Francis Grasso, but the technique had
been used for many years in the radio broadcast industry.
In the days of vinyl records and turntables, slip-cueing allowed for very precise starting of the
next record. This technique was often used by radio stations to match a following song to the
preceding song, preserving the beat. Francis Grasso used this method to great effect in order to
create a continuous flow of music for a nightclub dance floor.

Harmonic mixing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about music. For the electronic frequency-changing device, see harmonic mixer.

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 Harmonic mixing or key mixing (Also referred to as mixing in key) is a DJ's continuous
mix between two pre-recorded tracks that are most often either in the same key, or their keys
are relative or in a subdominant or dominant relationship with one another.
The primary goal of harmonic mixing is to create a smooth transition between songs. Songs in the
same key do not generate a dissonant tone when mixed. This technique enables DJs to create a
harmonious and consonant mashup with any music genre.

Contents
[hide]

 1Traditional methods
 22006–today
 3See also
 4References

Traditional methods[edit]
A commonly known method of using harmonic mixing is to detect the root key of every music
file in the DJ collection by using a piano. The root key that fits the track perfectly may be used to
create harmonic mash-ups with other tracks in the same key. The root key is also considered
compatible with the subdominant, dominant and relative major/minor keys.[1]
A more advanced harmonic mixing theory has been proposed which accounts for the various
modes as well (aeolian, ionian, lydian, mixolydian, dorian and phrygian).[2] It is shown that these
alternate modes can be seen as variations of the traditional major and minor keys. The
corresponding traditional key will share the same number of sharps and flats as the mode, though
it will "feel" as if it's in a different key.
Which notes are in the scale is much more important than which is the tonic, so these can be
converted to one mode, such as minor. For example, F lydian and B locrian contain the same
notes as A minor, so these should be compatible, and slightly less with D minor and E minor.

2006–today[edit]
Starting in 2006, harmonic mixing experienced a renaissance. Two products made it easier for
DJs to analyze the keys of their music files by scanning files and eliminating the need for a
piano. Mixed In Key became an industry standard for key detection due to the large number of
fans and notable people in the DJ industry using the product. Mixed In Key also uses its own
unique system to identify and mix compatible keys called the Camelot Wheel. Freeware utilities
for the same purpose include Rapid Evolution by MixShare [3] and KeyFinder by Ibrahim
Sha'ath. Starting with version 2.6.1 Traktor from Native Instruments can also perform key
detection. Serato DJ and Scratch Live from Serato, and Torq from M-Audio have a "Key" display
in their interfaces, as well as a key column in the library browser to allow for easy sorting of songs
by key as does Virtual DJ from Atomix Productions as of version
5.0. Rekordbox from Pioneer also included a key column for sorting music metadata and has a
built-in key analyzer that is included with version 2.0.1 and higher. Mixmeister is yet another
software that performs automatic key and bpm detection and performs beatmixing automatically
and honours harmonic key information at the discretion of the user.