DJing basics: beatmatching, EQ and two ways to mix

What a DJ actually does

A DJ has two jobs. The first is selection: which tracks, in what order, how to build the night from warm-up to peak, as discussed in the peak-time lesson. The second is mixing: joining tracks so the music flows without gaps. People on the dancefloor shouldn't notice where one track ends and the next begins.

Beatmatching

Two tracks playing at once must share the same tempo, or the kicks drift apart into chaos. On the Technics SL-1200 MK2 turntable, found in clubs worldwide since 1979, this is done with a pitch slider with a ±8% range. The DJ listens to the next track in headphones, sets the tempo and gently speeds up or slows down the platter with a finger until both kicks hit together. It is hard at first; after a few weeks of practice it becomes a reflex.

EQ, or never two basslines at once

Each mixer channel has an equaliser with three knobs: low, mid and high. The golden rule: never two basslines at once, because they blur into booming mud. The DJ brings in the new track with the bass cut, then, ideally at the start of a new phrase, swaps the basses: down on the old track, up on the new one. Remember from the track anatomy lesson that changes come every 8, 16 or 32 bars? A good transition lands exactly on those moments. Many producers make tracks with DJs in mind, with long, rhythmic intros and outros. Speedy J made "Pull Over" as exactly that kind of mixing tool.

Long blends or quick cuts

In techno long blends are everyday practice: two tracks can play together for a minute or more and create something neither has on its own. The other style is quick cuts and many records at once. Its master is Jeff Mills, who mixed on three turntables and changed tracks every few dozen seconds. Listen to his legendary set recorded in 1995 at Tokyo's Liquid Room.

Vinyl, players, USB sticks

For years DJs played vinyl only. In 2001 Pioneer released the CDJ-1000, a player with a platter that behaved like a record, and such players gradually became the club standard. Today most DJs play from a USB stick with a prepared library. Vinyl has loyal fans for its sound and ritual, but it is heavy and expensive. To start, an entry-level controller is enough. The debate over the "sync" button, which matches tempo automatically, gets its own lesson.