DnB Am i learning a bad habit?

[pencil.]

Hi, ive been learning to mix on cd players (numark ndx400s. They're shit. I know. Wish i could afford proper equipment) for about a month now. Before that i mixed on a basic midi controller for about a year, so ive pretty much got the basics of mixing (beatmatching not included) down, and eventually got bored with the controller so i got cd players.

So anyway, the next step for me has been learning meatmatching (djingtips.com had great tutorials, and reading the forum has helped alot), and i pretty much do it by the book. Thing is, after setting up a cue point, i tend to press and hold the cue button down (in time with the other tune, obviously..) and ride pitch accordingly, occasionally giving the jogwheel a little push. I release the cue button and repeat this until i get close enough for the tunes to stay in relative sync for about 4+bars. I tend to only use the play button for finetuning the pitch and starting a track.

Ive read alot of threads about people forming bad habits by taking 'shortcuts' while practicing, so i was wondering whether or not overusing the cue button qualifies as one?

 

[Teddy]

EZ overuses that button with some next level results.

I wouldn't say it was a shortcut. Keep doing your thing. Once you're more confident with what your doing, record yourself and listen back to see what you think. Lots of helpful djs on here, so if u record a short mix and upload it, someone will give you some feedback and/or pointers.

 

[Vanden]

Hi pencil, welcome to the forum. The main bad habit to get in with CDJs is using the bpm counters - doesn't sound like you're using them at all which is good. Nothing you're doing sounds like a shortcut, it will just take practice and lots of repetition to get quicker and more precise at it. As Teddy said above, record a quick 15 minute mix, share it on here and state that you're looking for some feedback on your mixing style/abilities/whatever. There are plenty of people here that will be willing to give it a listen and provide some feedback.

 

[Lorre]

EZ overuses that button with some next level results.

He seems to be playing in the reds alot.

 

[WhoSayReload?]

Just practice, practice, practice until you can beatmatching locked, might take a year or two, it might only take a few months. Use your ears to learn try not to use any visual aid, although you will eventually work out that a +0.60 on most cdj setups (pioneer in particular) will give you +1bpm about 90% of the time.
Using the cue button like that is what it's for really, very useful function.

 

[Rusket]

meatmatching

mmmmm, meatmatching

 

[Tundra]

meatmatching

meatmatching with menny men

all seriousness welcome to the forum, only cheating is doing a set making sure all tunes are exactly same BPM, syncing etc etc I mix vinyl and the amount of times I had to cue a track, then try beatmatch it, then cue it back again was endless when I started mixing, keep doing what your doing mate best way to learn

 

[Afek_One]

Cue riding isn't a bad habit at all.

There is no cheating, only good and bad mixing. IMO, don't worry about what others think. As long as you can mix, that's all that matters. Do what works for you.