i learned music selection using consumer cd players a dual cassette deck and a belt drive TT... for like 3 years... the whole time finding different ways to transition songs...at times even get off an accidental almost beat match.... i kept striving to not only improve my selection/playlisting skills but afford the proper equipment to actually mix.
I bpm'd every single song in my collection....every new record pool release...every cd i bought from 1991 to 2007 with one of these and a watch...
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i never had a readout of bpm...nor did i ever have a sync button or any of the modern tools... i mixed by ear...and i honed it for years...in clubs and private parties...
i can slam a song without mixing with the best of them... and know that method at times has its place....i can dj an entire party without mixing.... and maintain a crowded floor... i can certainly play entire songs start to finish ...
However i truly believe that it was all the work i put into learning the artform of mixing that allows me to do that and do it well... like a classical pianist who (guess what) can also play chopsticks....
What i cant abide by is the notion that... mixing/beatmatching isnt important...coming from any djs who decided to skip to the front of the line without actually devoting the time to learn it. Technology has truly fisher priced the whole process for you....so theres simply no excuse not to learn it and utilize it.
If your reasoning is.... im already getting gigs...and nobody cares that i dont mix....then you are doing a disservice to your clients....your company....your potential...by not making proper use of those other buttons on your rackmount controllers.
cc