Sync Part 2!
You wanted my feedback on the last Sync chat we had, with crash helmet on, here we go:
The best knowledge and advice I've acquired over the years has come from delving into the life stories of successful individuals across various fields: entrepreneurs, sports pros, and musicians, etc. One piece of advice that struck a chord with me is to not immediately push back with my perspective when confronted with differing viewpoints. Instead, I've learned to dive into research and figure out what I might be missing, exploring how others approach the subject, what tools and technology they employ, and how these elements enhance their skillsets. This approach fosters a balanced opinion and offers the potential for personal growth and learning.
My previous post about the use of Sync generated a powerful response, as anticipated. Some countered its validity, pointing to top-tier DJs on social media, claiming 'they all cheat.' Yet, if we extend this viewpoint to the broader music industry, it becomes evident that such debates are not exclusive to DJs. Pop stars lip-sync while authentic bands perform live and raw in underground venues. The DJ community echoes this trend, with specialist worlds mostly embracing technology and leading innovation away from the glare of social media.
Top-tier DJs primarily focus on entertaining massive crowds with well-known tracks to lift the audience. They might not be as focused on the technical side, as their popularity and track choices suffice to entertain. However, thousands of other DJs, from bedroom novices to the depths of the underground worlds, are embracing technology, and this shift could potentially birth new rising stars.
Throughout my journey, I've applied real-world wisdom and kept an open mind while researching and exploring unfamiliar territories, from theories to technologies. For example, although I mainly steer clear of the mainstream world, I learned the art of reading a crowd by watching and studying wedding DJs. To me, they have the hardest job in the world capturing a whole age range from kids to the elderly. It's like watching a beautiful artist at work as the DJ captures the audience's attention, engaging them, slowly filling the dance floor, and eventually creating a unified fun experience. An example of not pushing back on a world I wasn’t interested in, but learning from it.
Technology empowers me to execute my art in new ways. Sync isn’t just about holding two tracks together for a single transition; otherwise, the whole sync debate would be a non-starter. The other misconception is that Sync is for DJs to mess around with FX on the mixer, but this notion is debunked by real-world users. For many DJs, their creative minds are unlocked with the thousands of possibilities of how they can craft a set unique to them, offering the audience an unprecedented experience. Sync effectively transforms the decks into a multi-channel sequencer, bringing our studio knowledge and environment into the DJ booth.
Sticking to the basics of a DJ mix as an example, I can now mix tracks in intricate detail—not just transitioning, but actually mixing frequencies over a sustained period of time to ensure a smooth mix. The clue is in the name: Mixer. Not just mixing volumes, but frequencies too. For instance, when mixing two tracks, I’m absorbing both the characteristics of the current track that's playing and comparing it to the next track cued in my headphones. I analyse the energy of the percussion, the arrangement, the musical content, and how the low-end bass is performing.
For those of you seeking a geek insight, here's my basic approach to a mix. Every sound system/club will have its low-end sweet spot, dictated by many factors, from cone sizes and speaker direction to acoustics and the natural room reverb (the boom). Tracks in certain keys could hit that sweet spot. For example, a track in the key of F could resonate with a rig's sweet spot at 43 Hz, sounding deep and powerful. Yet, the same track played at another club might not hit that rigs sweet spot due to different rig characteristics, bad acoustics etc. This can significantly impact the intended journey. To address this, I turn to my toolbox of knowledge. I create a double of the outgoing track on another CDJ, create a loop, cut top/mid frequencies, and introduce this element to retain the 'sweet spot' bass under the incoming track. Incrementally balancing and mixing all three until I find the exit point or even hold throughout.
During a mix, I might also notice that the percussion of the incoming track doesn't kick in until about 3 minutes in. This could risk losing energy due to the outgoing track's driving percussion. To counter this, I'll either double the outgoing or incoming track (based on the desired energy), find a clean percussion loop, and run it on a fourth CDJ. Now, things get busy as I balance and mix four channels of frequencies for a smooth transition (while cutting frequencies), also paying attention to phasing and arrangement drops.
These moments can lead to impromptu jamming sessions. Midway through the mix, I might create an amazing groove, sensing the crowd getting lost in the moment. Instead of continuing the mix, I nudge the outgoing/incoming tracks 16/8 bars back/forward while dropping various elements, building on that groove until I sense the right moment to transition.
I focus on mixing and balancing various frequencies, not just of the tracks themselves but also the dynamics of each room. This is why many DJs don't use headphones for extended periods; they're mixing to the room sound. This is why I'm not a fan of in-ear monitors or headphone mixing as you can’t hear the rooms dynamics.
Thats just an example of a very simple mix using technology (Sync) to keep a smooth mix and keeping the energy flowing as intended, and you can see there’s a lot going on. I’ve literately 100’s of techniques I’ve learned, each and every time impromptu fixing and solving problems and dealing with every scenario of where I want the mix/journey to go, up down or sideways, or being creative to eliminate breakdowns, create breakdowns, add atmospheres and the list goes on, my mind explodes with the possibilities all feeding in realtime from the dance floor in front of me.
All this wouldn't be possible with just mixing two tracks/vinyl. If a track's arrangement is poor, you're stuck with limited options. I've firsthand experience mixing thousands of them in my career. I wanted to make good use of my music knowledge and theory that I'd built over my career and turn to technology and be creative, rather than spending my time counting to four and keeping two tracks with wandering BPMs in time.
Sync doesn't mix anything; the human behind it does all the work. A lot more can go wrong and be disastrous when you're mixing 4/6 CDJs—far worse than any train wreck. That's what gives us a bigger adrenaline rush as we perform, edit, create, and jam live. We're in full concentration mode, deeply focused on the task at hand. There's no time to pose in front of camera, jump on stage, or dance with VIPs backstage. Most DJs, like me, keep others out of the DJ booth; it's our workplace, and distractions aren't welcome.
I respect both worlds: Disc Jockeys and Digital Jockeys. After all, I'm both and feel I can provide a balanced view. Both are extremely talented in their own ways. It seems that mainly vinyl DJs are contending with the digital world, which speaks volumes. When you delve deeper, many resist change, don't produce (so they may not understand), or want to leave the studio environment behind when performing. However, pushing back on fellow DJs isn't the solution.
I’d personally love to see all tools back as standard in the DJ booth, turntables, CDJ’s and other manufactures kit too, having use of everything while playing will be more entertaining and add more flavours all round and hopefully unite the DJ community.