Basic Beatmatch Transition Techniques

Hello Alex,

Welcome to your third lesson. In the previous module, you mastered the art of beatmatching—aligning the tempo and phase of two tracks. Now that you can get two DnB tracks playing in perfect time, we'll focus on the next crucial step: blending them together seamlessly.

This lesson addresses the first learning outcome of our "Crafting Transitions" module: Perform a basic transition between two beatmatched tracks using the channel faders and the crossfader.

This is where the real art of DJing begins to take shape. A well-executed transition maintains the energy on the dancefloor and creates a continuous musical journey. Think of it as the glue that connects the individual tracks in your set.

Let's get started.

1. What is a DJ Transition?

Before we touch the faders, let's solidify our understanding of what a transition is and why it's so fundamental to DJing. In essence, it's the technique you use to move from the outgoing track to the incoming one.

From your experience with music production, you can think of this as managing two audio sources in a live environment. Instead of a static mixdown, you're dynamically adjusting the levels and presence of each source to create a smooth, coherent output for your audience.

To get a formal definition, please start by reading this short introduction.

As the article notes, without transitions, a DJ set would just be a playlist. The transition is your primary tool for controlling the flow and energy of your mix.

2. The Core Tools for Volume Transitions

On a DJM-900NXS2 mixer, you have two primary tools for controlling the volume of your tracks during a blend: the channel faders and the crossfader.

Let's break down how to use each one.

The Channel Fader Blend

Each channel on your mixer has a dedicated vertical fader. This gives you direct, independent control over the volume of the track playing on that channel. Using the two channel faders is the most fundamental way to perform a transition.

The most common technique is a simple, gradual blend:

1. Track A is playing out to the master output, with its channel fader up.
2. Track B is beatmatched and ready on the other deck, with its channel fader all the way down.
3. At the right moment (typically the start of a new 16 or 32-beat phrase), you start Track B.
4. You then slowly raise the channel fader for Track B, introducing it into the mix.
5. Simultaneously, or shortly after, you slowly lower the channel fader for Track A, fading it out.

This is a versatile technique that gives you precise control over the volume curve of each track.

This next reading explains the concept of using volume as a primary transition tool and provides a clear description of the basic fade.

The Crossfader Blend

The crossfader is the horizontal fader at the bottom of the mixer. It's designed to perform the action of fading two tracks in and out with a single, simple movement.

To use it:

1. Assign Channel 1 (Track A) to side A of the crossfader.
2. Assign Channel 2 (Track B) to side B of the crossfader.
3. Bring the channel faders for both Track A and Track B up to their full volume (or your target mixing level).
4. To hear only Track A, slide the crossfader all the way to the left (side A).
5. To hear only Track B, slide it all the way to the right (side B).
6. Placing it in the middle will play both tracks at equal volume.

A crossfade transition involves starting Track B while the crossfader is on side A, and then smoothly sliding the fader across to side B over the course of a phrase.

This reading explains the crossfade concept and gives a great example of a seamless blend.

3. Practical Exercise (25 minutes)

It's time to put theory into practice. For this exercise, use two copies of the same DnB track. This will allow you to focus entirely on the mechanics of the faders without worrying about clashing musical elements.

Setup:

• Load the same track onto Deck 1 and Deck 2.
• Make sure you have a cue point set at the first beat of the track on both decks.

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Task 1: The Channel Fader Blend

1. Play the track on Deck 1. Let it play through the intro and into the first main section.
2. In your headphones, beatmatch Deck 2 to Deck 1.
3. As Deck 1 approaches the end of a 32-beat phrase, press play on Deck 2 right on the "one" beat of the next phrase. Deck 2's channel fader should be all the way down.
4. Over the next 16 beats, slowly and smoothly raise the channel fader for Deck 2 to full volume.
5. As you do this, simultaneously begin to lower the channel fader for Deck 1. By the end of the 16 beats, Deck 1's fader should be all the way down.
6. Listen to the result. Did the energy transfer smoothly? Repeat this process, experimenting with faster and slower fades (e.g., over 8 beats or 32 beats).

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Task 2: The Crossfader Blend

1. Reset your decks.
2. On the mixer, assign Channel 1 to Side A of the crossfader and Channel 2 to Side B.
3. Slide the crossfader all the way to the left (Side A).
4. Bring the channel faders for both Deck 1 and Deck 2 up to your target volume (around the '9' mark is a good starting point).
5. Play the track on Deck 1.
6. In your headphones, beatmatch Deck 2.
7. As Deck 1 approaches the end of a phrase, press play on Deck 2 on the "one" beat. You won't hear it yet because the crossfader is on Side A.
8. Over the next 16 beats, smoothly slide the crossfader from the far left (A) to the far right (B).
9. Listen to the blend. The mixer is handling the volume decrease of Deck 1 and the increase of Deck 2 automatically.

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Reflection:
After trying both methods, consider the following:

• Which method felt more intuitive to you?
• What are the advantages of using two independent channel faders? (Hint: think about asymmetrical blends where you might want one track to fade in faster than the other fades out).
• What is the main advantage of the crossfader? (Hint: think about simplicity and quick cuts).

4. Conclusion

Excellent work. You've just performed the most fundamental action in DJing: the transition.

Key Takeaways:

• A transition is the blend from one track to the next, forming the "glue" of a DJ set.
• The channel faders give you independent, granular control over each track's volume.
• The crossfader offers a simple, single-control method for blending between two assigned channels.
• Successful transitions rely on the foundation you built in the last module: solid beatmatching and phrase alignment.

In our next lesson, we'll add another layer of sophistication. We'll explore the audible effect of the Low, Mid, and High EQ knobs. This will allow you to shape the sound of each track during the mix, making your transitions even cleaner and more creative. For example, you'll learn how to seamlessly swap the bassline of the outgoing track with the bassline of the incoming one—a cornerstone technique in DnB mixing.