How to DJ: Tips and Advice on finding the Pitch

A Tutorial for the Beginner on Using Decks for Mixing

© Marius Goubert

Dec 4, 2008

Finding the correct pitch when mixing is undoubtedly one of the most difficult elements for the aspiring turntablist to master. It can be a very tedious, time consuming and often infuriating learning process, and is definitely unsuitable for anyone with a low threshold for boredom. To reach a point where the beginner DJ can practice pitch control properly they must first understand the idea of bars and majors and be able to successfully cue records in. For advice on this see: Mixing Tutorial

Unfortunately there is no quick and easy route when learning to find the pitch. Most DJs are not much help explaining the idea to a beginner, because it is simply an instinct they have gradually evolved through hours of practice. It is however very useful for a beginner to watch a DJ simply interact with the turntables while mixing. It gives a good indication how to modify the speed of records when using the pitch control, and how to apply one's hands.

Pitch

All records have different speeds by default, and when DJs talk of 'finding the pitch', they are referring to the idea of setting the BMP (Beats Per Minute) of one record so that it is exactly in time with another. This enables the DJ to produce a perfect blend of two separate records or a mix, from which one record can be continually deducted and a new one introduced to create a chain of records or a set, which can be go on for any length of time.

Professional DJs are so accurate at finding the exact pitch that their sets become totally seamless, and a listener cannot easily tell where one record blends into another. Finding the pitch is all about estimating and narrowing down until a correct speed setting is found. One way of trying to understand the idea of synchronizing two records is to think of them like a pair of cars traveling alongside each other down a motorway.

• If record A is a car with a speed of 40mph, and record B is a car with a speed of 60mph, then they will quickly begin to separate.
• For them to travel alongside or in time with one another, the speed of B has to be reduced.
• As it has traveled away from A, B must change to a slower speed - about 30mph - in order to compensate for this and align with A.
• A will now catch up as it is traveling at 40mph, but eventually overtake B.
• B will now have to increase its speed again, but not as high as the 60mph setting but somewhere in between 30mph and 60mph to about 45mph.
• However this is still a bit too fast, and B will overtake once again and have to slow to just under the speed of A but not as low as 30mph, to somewhere in between 45mph and 30mph, so about 38mph.
• This is still a tiny bit to slow, and B will need to move up again to between 45mph and 38mph to about 42mph etc etc, until its speed is the same as A.

This is exactly like the principle of beat matching. Finding the pitch is essentially a process of trial and error. It is all about using judgment to continually narrow down the speed difference of two records until they are the same. For a professional this process can take just a few seconds, but for the beginner it can seem almost impossible at first. It is also worth noting that DJs use their hands aswell as the pitch to act like a break if a record is to fast, or give it a slight push to accelerate if it is to slow.

Handling Decks

The problem that most beginners have when they first attempt to beat match is a tendency to be very heavy handed with the decks. It is crucial to remember that turntables are highly sensitive musical instruments and that successful mixing requires a very light touch. Frantically moving the pitch dial up or down or forcefully winding a record is ill advised and will only knock the record speeds further apart.

It can be incredibly frustrating for a beginner to have almost closed in on the correct pitch only to nudge the records out of time by being to forceful. At the same time however, it is important not be afraid of the pitch which can be quite common for beginners. Just remember that sometimes only the smallest of modifications is needed to yield a perfectly synchronized mix. Here are a few techniques for making those very slight changes:

• A pitch nudge is one way of slightly increasing or decreasing the speed of a record. If you have nearly closed in on the pitch but the mix still doesn't sound quite right, then give the pitch a sharp nudge by moving it up or down by a cm or so, and then return it to its original position.
• You can tweak the record pitch by either pinching to slow, or turning to speed, the protruding metal spindle which the record rotates on.
• You can also allow your hand to gently graze the platter in order to slow the record if its too fast.

It is always worth bearing in mind that everyone has off days where things never go quite right, even professional DJ s are not immune. Making mistakes is a great way to learn, and for every disastrous mix boomed out in those early days of practice - every DJ has been there - the beginner's expertise are constantly evolving. Eventually a finely tunned musical ear will develop, and successful mixing will become like second nature.

DJ

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