How do I beat match drum & bass/ jungle?

M

Mo

Guest
I'm supposed to spin at my friend's house party. I've done a few mixes without beatmatching. I link the other bits together. But I have not yet learnt to beat match. I've heard that drum & bass and jungle music has a 4 count. But I still just don't understand it. Am I suppose to count the bass, the snare drums or the high tone (tis,tis,tis...)? The other dillema I have is when does the count start. What is the beginning(1st), and what is the ending(4th)? Although the stuff I like don't have the same drum pattern. I dislike music or mixes that are monotenous. Yet certain tracks that I like can't be mixed with my way because there are no breaks or synth atmosphere in between, for me to mix using just the knobs and the cross fader. So I'm limited. So if someone kindly helps me before the commencement of this party which is February 10th,01. It would be greatly appreciated.

Mo PEACE.
 
Tis Tis Tis!!!

There usually isn't anything more defined in jungle then the hihat to match with. Try turning down the lower frequencies and just listening to the hihats (and maybe the snare too). As far as the counts go, uhhh... try and count by 4s (almost always, with all styles) and just start when both records are at the beginning of one count... then 4,8, or however many countsi into it, start mixing! You might want to turn down some levels AS you turn up the others (slowly bring down the hihats, for example, while you bring in the hihats for another).

Jungle and DNB can be pretty hard to spin cuz there's no THUMP THUMP THUMP... but it just takes practice and a good hearing. Good Luck!

-jedd
 
oh well....

I once wrote a huge post regarding this, but well I'm too
lazy to paste it here. so do a search for it.

but anyways,

Boom ta ta ta
Tche ta ta ta
ta ta Boom ta
Tche ta ta ta

voila, here's the average 2 step beat of a bad company
it starts with the boom.

match the first kick (boom) and you're settled because
the snares might change and the whole beat might look like

Boom ta ta ta
Tche ta ta ta
Boom ta Tche ta
ta ta ta ta

Boom = kick
Tche = Snares

now the hihat's are most times like this

ts ts ts ts
ts ts ts ts
ts ts ts ts
ts ts ts ts

SO match the whole scheme, whether this happens by matching
the first kick or the first snare or the hihats (not recommended)
doesn't matter, you just have to match those "drum loops"
which consist of 4 beats.

greetz
 
Just listen for the snare... You may need to know your breaks(amen, tramen, paris) incase one of the snares is off the beating path. I usually turn up the mids(snare 200hz-500hz?) on the deck in cue and try to match up that way. After I get the snares close enough I go into more detail by listening to the hi-hats. This helps you find out if the record in cue is slow or fast by the phasing of the hihats.
But most of all you just really need to know your tracks and be creative with dropping the cue in.
 
I agree with you Mindblunt about the snares (that's why I said maybe) and I can see your method working well... if he was spinning 2-step. He didn't say exactly what he was spinning... that is why I suggested the hi hat method. The hats are almost ALWAYS the same (ts ts ts ts - like u said). The only problem I see with the bass drum method of yours is that alot of NEW Jungle/dnb is very technical and kind of random (especially w/ the bass).

Example :
boom ch boom ch boomboom ch boomboom boomch

If you did match up that first bass drum it WOULD match rhytmically.. but when you began to mix the 2 records you would probably get a sporadic heartbeat (kinda like what happens when you mix trance or house and the tempo is just a tiny bit off).

I don't even spin dnb anymore but a good friend of mine does and this is the only way he can do it (because he spins so many different styles : idm, jungle, 2 step, jump-up).

Well, I hope I have helped some.
-jedd

P.S. - No bad feelings Mindblunt... I DO agree with you for the most part (especially the part about mixing the WHOLE scheme). I just hear alot less 4 beat loops now. : )
 
If your just learning how to spin drum and bass, the easiest and quickest way to learn (IMO) is to match snares. Primarily because this the most definitive sound in most dance floor oriented tracks. For your standard 2 step beat the snare is on the 2 and 4 count. Amen is a little different, but the first snare is still on 2. You're basic beat generally has a 1-2-3-3-4 count. If you're dropping your new track on just hi-hats, then the first hat is on one, and the third "tss" will be where the snare will hit. This is on a 8 tic beat. So basically, match the 2-4 on each record and your good to go.
Once you've got that part down, train yourself to match on the first beat. It's harder to hear than the snare so it takes longer to get down. By learning them this way though you will hear the tracks more as a whole and can pretty much beat match anything. The first beat type mixing works exceptionally well with the stuff on Ram records and Good Looking...or really anything with an erratic snare and lots of roll offs.
This was written quickly and with many interruptions so it probably didn't come out as clearly as I had hoped, if you have any questions feel free to email me.
 
Thanx

Once again thanks to you all for responding to my e-mail. Thanks and I think, I'll benefit from the knowledge that you have shared with me in here. Many thanx and peace.
From Mo.
 
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