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Device model (e.g. 2020 iPad Air 4th Gen):
Version of operating system (e.g. macOS 14.4.1):
Version of djay (e.g. 5.1.2):
Hardware/controllers used (e.g. Reloop Mixon 8 Pro):
Your question:
– MacPro 12 Core with 1TB SSD, 128GB Ram and RX580 8GB Video Card
– macOS Monterey 12.7.4
– Djay 5.1.5
– Pioneer DDJ1000
Hello all… I have been a huge and loyal fan of the Djay software since it’s first release back in 2006. I have really enjoyed using the software and I have championed the software to all my DJ mates now for year trying to get them to move over… my software review is even on the overview page on Apple’s App Store. I have always been a Techno DJ… but recently I have started to explore the Breakbeat and Drum ‘n’ Bass genres… this was before v5.0 and all was going well, but with the introduction of the new Dynamic Beat Grids I’m really struggling with the confidence to play a full set as sometimes a loaded drum and bass track on Deck 1 will be dynamic and have a clear and well structured beat grid, while the track on Deck 2 is impossible to mix eventhough I have it set to the same BMP as the Deck 1 track as the BPMs keep changing on Deck 1. I never really experienced any of this with my techno music when I started using v5.0, but the Drum ‘n’ Bass music is really catching me. I really want to explore more of this music, but until I understand how best to get a consistent experience while using the software for this type of music, I cannot commit to doing a live gig. I don’t really use my ear exclusively to mix… I don’t use SYNC, but I d rely on the visual cues from the beat grids alot.
If I switch from Dynamic to Straight, the beat grid alignments can totally change and I’m unable to assign a clean 1st bar or downbeat to that track… so I’m at a loss as how to fix this.
Can anyone help me understand better how to prepare and play Drum ‘n’ Bass music using these new Dynamic and Straight BMP features…?
Seems heavily syncopated music is having some serious issues in the digital world . . .
If you dont use SYNC anyway, its all about listening and practice.
Not much difference with dnb/jungle than any other heavily syncopated music.
But in my opinion Djay Pro is your best bet to get the beatgrids usable at all.
But you do have to double-check every tune in my experience.
Everything can not be mixed with everything.
Selection is a big part of getting a good transition.
In my opinion the visual feedback of the waveform will be less trustable than your ears. A lot of stuff does not sit tightly on the grid.
In my experience, all this get much easier at a really high volume.
(not always possible, but preferred)
I think a lot of both new and old jungle are med with hardware, and small adjustments might need to be done a lot of places. Perfect for the Dynamic Beat Grids
But often they cant handle it at all . . .
Guessing this isnt a lot of help, but if you are coming from 4 to the floor techno, it might take some getting used to.
A lot of times it can help to find the first “drop”
aka after the intro, usually at bar 33 or 65 there is an obvious change in the sound.
Set your downbeat here, and then you can se how that looks with the intro and the second drop. Might help for finding out what needs adjusting in the beatgrid
Excellent advice Spiro… thank you so much for your well explained input. I’m really loving the complexity of the whole D’n’B scene, the innovative beat patterns etc… but finding it hard to find a way to make it work with the new Dynamic BPMs, and you are 100% right… coming from a very straight forward 4x4 to the floor techno beat grid structure, where everything pretty much always lines up… same with house… D’n’B really is a different animal… especially with the original OG music created pre all the digital software explosion… I find mixing more modern tracks far easier as they seem to conform to the grids far better. As for mixing purely by ear… it’s a skill I always wanted to master… but the convenience of the visual beat grids is soooo seductive!! lol Maybe I just need to go fully OLD SKOOL and master the art of DJing once and for all… end of… lol
With the new Fluid Beatgrid the BPM readout is supposed to change.
It’s showing you live information about changes in tempo on the analysed track.
It seems that some people are used to seeing a single BPM figure that never changes (i.e. most other DJ software/hardware) but that’s not really an accurate representation because it’s based on an average of the entire track, so if the track has tempo shifts (even slight) the fixed BPM shown will be wrong.
When trying to mix one or more tracks that shift tempo like this, it can be challenging to manually adjust things on the fly. That’s why sync exists! Don’t be afraid or ashamed to use it. It’s a tool.
Its good training. Helps for hearing when the grid is off.
But it seems silly to not utilize the available tools.
Im still stuck on trying to get my beatgrids tight enough to find the sweetspot without a jogwheel or “fake vinyl” hardware. Might be the resolution of the beatgrids are still a bit too course for some tunes. Other sit right in that sweetspot and it sounds great!
With serato i felt most tunes was slightly off. Even after adjusting the grid over and over. Im guessing everyone are using hardware for that last fine-tuning, but the hardware prices . . .
