not to start an out of control thread, but i thought i'd put in my $.02 as a beginner dj. i think if i tried to count, i'd probably f*ck up even more (which would be a very bad thing)
instead of spending my energy on counting or whatever, i just try and listen and feel it. (hope you all aren't gagging right now.) anyway, i don't think the counting rule is the end all rule for all. i listen to music purely for pleasure<-- (i'm rereading this wondering who doesn't...but anyway) . i started djing cause i have a short attention span (and i love techno.) it seems like literal counting in the beginning would make the whole listening experience for a beginner dj even more frustrating. props to the counters who stuck it out. -m On Mon, 9 Oct 2000, tristan watkins wrote: > > On Mon, 9 Oct 2000, M. Todd Smith wrote: > > > > > If you learned to DJ by counting then you missed > > the point, DJ'ing is about > > > listening not counting. Just because you don't > > count doesn't mean you > > > aren't aware of the beat. When people dance they > > are very aware of the beat > > > (some even stop if the DJ brings in an offbeat > > mix), I know when I dance I > > > don't count, and it would by my fervent belief > > that no one else does either. > > Absolutely agreed. You can usually hear where to cue > up the record and start matching things from. However, > I suspect I am "counting", just no in any literal > sense. But, this depends on knowing you records (see > below) > > > > The best DJ's I have ever met can pick up a record > > they have never heard > > > before and throw it down like they've owned it > > forever. This is the > > > intuitive knowledge of musical structure gained > > through listening and paying > > > attention to music. > > This may be partially true with one new record, if > it's of a standard format, with nothing too surprising > happening along the way, and the DJ takes some time to > familiarize him/herself with the track before throwing > it in, but it isn't true with two new records you've > never heard before, unless they're trance records > maybe. Also, I bet most of the best DJs would tell you > they can't do this with any record. It just isn't that > easy. You can usually rely on changes occuring every > eight bars, and larger changes around every fourth set > of eight bars, but lots of songs deviate from this, > and this is just sort of a basic rule for the most > standard of formats. Even then, if you don't know the > record lots of surprising things can happen to throw > off subtle EQing, two big bass lines might collide, > whatever. You gotta know your records. > > Disclaimer: I know that's a total oversimplification, > and that's my point. > > Tristan > > > > Perhaps the reason behind your disconcertation > > with Isotope 127 is that you > > > are internally trying to count, instead of > > listening, and feeling the > > > rhythm. Just my 2 cents > > > > > > Todd > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: "Hillegonda Rietveld" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Cc: <313@hyperreal.org>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Sent: Sunday, October 08, 2000 11:02 AM > > > Subject: Re: [313] Re: Mixing and musical > > structure > > > > > > > > > > hello, > > > > > > > > I guess it all depends on what you mean by > > internalizing. If you do not > > > > count time, or are unware of it, chances are you > > probably suck. If you > > > > can count time and be aware of bar changes > > without it taking most of the > > > > space in your conscious mind you are probably > > better off. It used to be > > > > that I would have to use my fingers to count the > > bars while counting > > > > time, then I counted them verbally in my head, > > and nowadays in the back > > > > of my mind I just see that bars coming and going > > while I think about > > > > other things. You are both right in a sense. You > > have to be aware of > > > > time, but it cannot be all that you are aware > > of. > > > > > > > > I saw isotope 217 play a month or so ago, their > > structures were alot > > > > more complicated than the usual dance stuff. I > > had a very difficult time > > > > keeping up with everything that was going on, it > > was very pleasant > > > > actually, been a long time since I have heard > > something that made me > > > > feel absolutely bewildered. why does music seem > > less magical the more > > > > you understand how it works? > > > > > > > > I will shut up now. > > > > > > > > take care, > > > > Mike > > > > > > > > Hillegonda Rietveld wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Hillegonda; > > > > > Yes, it helps to know about musical structure > > before embarking on > > > mixing - > > > > > how otherwise can one distinguish beats, bars > > and sections? > > > > > > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]: > > > > > - wut? you actually just need to be able to > > count. > > > > > ----------------------------- > > > > > > > > > > I hope you're joking - what do you count to? > > 3? 4? one bar? 15? counting > > > is > > > > > for nippers in toddler trunks who are in > > learning stage - when you > > > > > actually DJ, you need to have internalised the > > structure and other > > > aspects > > > > > of your musical selection. Only then can you > > play from the heart, be the > > > > > music and play with flow rather than act out > > some sad calculator without > > > > > direction. > > > > > > > > > > To use a parallel example: if you are in the > > middle of some busy > > > traffic, > > > > > do you count distance, speed and accelleration > > when crossing the road or > > > > > overtaking a car? I hope not, by the time > > you'd rationally achieved > > > that, > > > > > you'd be dead. > > > > > > > > > > Hillegonda. > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > For additional commands, e-mail: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Michael Taylor : [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > http://www.billionairesforbushorgore.com > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > For additional commands, e-mail: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > For additional commands, e-mail: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > For additional commands, e-mail: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Yahoo! 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