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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.ย. 2024
- The more I teach DJ art, the more I realize understanding how to count is the most under appreciated technique involved with this art form. The average DJ isn't rhythm ready and its hopeless in terms of becoming an above average DJ if you can't count beats. If you're a beginner, the best advice I have for you is develop your ability for ACTIVE LISTENING. The capacity to count beats, bars and phrases is more important than any "chirp flare" or "beat juggle" pattern you could ever learn. Instead of relying on the "DJing made easy" MP3 intro edits that perfectly start on a one, read a web article on the rhythm syllable system (1 - e - and - uh). Better yet, buy a book on music theory because after all, you're working with music.
Agree completely. A lot of dj's want to run before they can walk.
True!
That's true about me but I am having to teach myself from the start.
I dig Rob's teaching style.
Right on!
One of the best channels on TH-cam.
Thank you!
Rob is such a chill teacher.
You need to feel the music, how else you gonna ride rhythm, sense the dance floor? Counting beats, understanding bars, beats, quarters, sixteenth is when I had my lonely breakthrough, back in 1992, no TH-cam tutorials to watch back then!
Also, Rob must have been seething watching his student casually lean up, not just on his deck, but also on the platter!!! 😒
dang Rob, I watched this video and not only did I pick up what you were teaching, but when you got to Michael Jackson's "wanna be starting something" and you asked the question of what was it, I instantly thought it's a three. Thank you sir, better clarification I couldn't ask for.
It's such an important lesson Rob is learning here! A lot of kids nowadays "learn" to start their songs with the one, preferably with use of the loop function. I started to DJ with a lot of (live recorded) disco songs, on purpose. Not only because I like the genre, but because of the musical structure. It's such an educational genre! Since most of the songs at the moment, are being produced by software, there is "no need" to learn to count...But, like Rob says, it's your responsibility to know the craft and the technique.
Thank god I played the trombone, trumpet and drums during middle school, high school and college. Music theory is hard to understand if you never saw or was taught it
Is right!
Rob, you're a musical genius .
Amazing. It’s almost 5 in the morning... and I just had an epiphany. I mix since 1998 and I always had a difficult time syncing records - until now. Bless you Rob, now I CAN SEE. In fact I CAN HEAR. You opened my ears. And you’re absolutely right. The sounds are there for a reason. And a true dj doesn’t cut them, but respect them. 🙇🏻♂️👏🏻🙏🏻
Rob is a Swift DJ and teacher Salute to you and all your students 💪🏼
when he asks: "is there a way to drop it easy?"
In most of the dj software today, you can set where the 1 is, meaning where the "beat-grid" starts. This can help a lot of beginner djs to have a visual representation on how bars work, and can train the ear by watching the screen.
And about what you talk about the end, about digital
It's important to understand what you are seeing in the waveform. Yes, you can press sync but you still need to press play at the right moment for the mix to be good. But you can also not use sync at all, and use your eyes and ears to make a perfect synced mix, because at the end it's all about learn your tracks, feel the music and predict what is going to be the next track that will have everybody dancing!
Good lesson Rob, nice work!
Try closing the laptop and just using your ears. Using your eyes is cheating.
@@alvinhorne5643Or, you could just buy some REAL vinyl and REALLY learn your art.
Not even going down the “real DJs mix vinyl” root, hell, whatever tools you can access, use to your best ability. Just saying, by taking it back to basics, its rawest form, you MUST become better at the art you love. 🤍
Music can be complex,and experience matters much of the time.That's why at some point,it makes sense to learn some theory,because then you have no reference points.You will know what 4/4.3/4,6/8,3/3,or what anything is doing within the song structure.That's why many great producers and DJs do have some musical background,or learn it quickly.Pac,Dre,REd Spyder,Premier,all played instruments,and it was DJs that actually saved the record industry to a huge degree,because they had both the timing,innate groove,and sense of space to create ,instead of only technical knowledge from a book.In other words,it's hard to assemble a set,especially of various 'genres' through the course of a night.It helps to know exactly what you are dealing with,which helped me to spin just about anything and to gather up gear and do sound design,work with different samplers,,and just able to grab records all day,and just keep mixing..It helps to expand yourself and even study styles of music you're not used to...Prince and Michael Jackson are great examples of all sorts of time signatures, syncopation,scatting,key shifts,and dissonant notes...
Rob Swift's way of breaking down the inter-workings of turntablism is a art form by itself!!! Salute!!!
I think this is the most important lesson. Identifying what beat/bar the first sound of track starts on. I partially blaim intro versions for this as it tends to make new dj’s match the one instead of find the one missing beats and depending highly on bars an phrases, thus making it difficult to understand the concept of how to drop/slam instead of mixing everything. Great lesson would like to see more on this.
I partially blame those intro versions too!
I landed on your channel randomly but I'm glad I did. You have a new subscriber my man!
I think every video I've seen Rob teach in I have compared him to a saint.I could not imagine ever having the patience this man has while teaching.It looks like the guy he is teaching has all the newest equipment in pristine condition and probably already has a DJ name.Meanwhile,it has taken 25 mins and a chart for someone to break down the idea of 4 beats in a bar to him.
Teach Brother! As a hobby DJ (starting with analog & transitioning to digital) & 30 plus year professional drummer, I know these elements will boost your skill & musical credibility. After doing this for a while, one can "feel it"; however, that proper feeling is based on the science of rhythm. I would say it's spiritual! Crowds get lost when mis-timing is played; they can't even explain why, but they know it's not right. That goes for live instruments & DJ's spinning. If a drummer drops a stick or goes off the beat they will get the "stare" from the people if they don't make it back with a quickness. Great lesson
What Rob Swift is saying makes soooo much since!!! I took music lessons when I was young so I understand the 1 2 3 4 count, and that's exactly what music is
Word!
Notifications on. This channel is an essential
Respect!
Bro you're an incredible teacher. I've watched numerous and numerous tutorials you have and they're all perfectly explained. I really congratulate you regarding how you express this knowledge you have taking the time to explain what you will never get into "DJING MADE EASY" course, like you said giving you tracks that start always on a 1. I'd love to just be in one of your lessons to seeing that live. You have given me the proper knowledge to be able to walk before running in Djing, thanks man.
Rafael Valenzuela Thank you for the kind words 🙏🏾
This dude has all that equipment and that "and 4" is kicking his ass....
Also.. Rob: what beat does this song start. Dude: uhmmm... a 3? lol.
@@polgimenoAlso... STOP LEANING UP ON YOUR DECK!!!
It isn't a couch, or a table, or a bed, it is a precision tool with which you express your art. Some folk literally deserve a set of £50 belt drives, and leave the real gear for those who respect them!
I agree with Rob Swift is saying to this kid that he got to know how to DJ you got to go by bars and the beats you got to go by 1 2 3 and 4 that's how I go by not know how to mix and when I do loops I do loops and go by counting for 1 2 3 and 4 and that's it in the music just starts playing that's what I do this kid needs to learn how to work to going by two Beats from mixing that makes sense right there👍
I'm hella late but Rob's channel is a goldmine for any aspiring DJ, I've watched hundreds (literally hundreds) of DJ vids and even ?uestloves masterclass on dj'ing and this is by far the most helpful channel I've come across.
You sir are a great teacher of the skill.💪💪
Rob reminds me of Fletcher from Whiplash...and it's brilliant.
dude the first video of djing i ever watched was you continuously saying songs do not always start on the 1, thankfully NOBODY every told me before that every song starts on a 1, and now when i watch something like this when u ask if a song starts on a 1 or not, i know almost instantly, maybe 2 or 3 plays and ill know. im so thankful man you probably helped me avoid learning a huge mistake!
love your hands on method of teaching it works so well for me! i cant thank u enough man. i still suck, but without you id suck even harder.
This is so informative! .. Ur making me understand beats/bars more now and the guest ur instructing ask very good questions. I'm glad I came across this video! 👏🏽
This is such a great lesson! Thank you 🙏🏼
Been watching your videos a lot. Definitely need to enroll into your classes. Your teachings are superb.
Man, I wish I had someone to learn from when i Started.
I watch everyone of these I see in my feed, just reinforces good teaching!
THE BROTHA IS TEACHING THE BLONDE DUDE RYTHYM! AIN'T NO SHAME IN THAT! as a DEE-JAY!! RYTHYM IS ESSENTIAL!!!
My hats off to you, Rob! You are a real instructor! 👍👍👍
SONAR
This definitely isn't limited to DJs, as a guitarist this took me so long to figure out, the idea of weak and strong beats and how important they are to groove. I think it's something a lot of musicians rush past - no matter what tools they are using.
Rob, thanks. Your lessons make me a better student. It really opened my ears.
Mission Accomplished!
Bro I’ve been djing for seven years and I’ve learned more from you in 3 videos than I’ve ever learned.
This whole time; thank you for the enlightenment
Starting as a drummer, learning how to count beats makes this concept so easy. Every beginner dj should first learn how to count beats
Man I just started watching rob videos yesterday and I've already learned a lot. Much appreciation brother for your videos.
Thanks for dropping so much knowledge. I appreciate u sharing these videos. #respect 💪🏽
You should have waayyy more subs!
Amazing content, even better teacher.
Your lessons are always lit 🇳🇬
Your lessons are amazing.. you are a great teacher. Im djing past 2 years. But I didnt count the beat any time, I just look at the wav on the display and drop it. I realized thats not the way to learn djing. So i delete the software first and organized the songs and start mixing only by hearing the song. Its hard on first time, but i learn from your videos. I keep trying to sync , finally i did it. Youre the best teacher ever. As you told "every song is not starts on one " thats corrcet. Thank you again for your advices
Im from srilanka 🇱🇰 .
Hello Rob! First of all I want to say that I'm glad to having met your channel. Your really good in what you do. I totally agree with the concepts about djing that you express. I've been watching your classes and I've noticed that when your trying to explain how to identified "the one" on a song, some guys get confused. Not only in this video, but in some others I've watched before, where you use Michael Jackson and Prince songs. I believe that this is due to the fact that everybody suspects that the first thing you hear in a song, as it's the first sound, it had to be "the one". Maybe it's because everytime we count anything in this world, we start on "one"
I'm 54 yearrs old, I'm from Argentina, and I began Djing at the age of 14, in high school. I had no teachers, because, as you say and laught about it in the stickers adding class , "back in my days", djing wasn't so fashionable as it becomes today. There were no internet tutorials, in fact, there were no internet at all! So, I had to make my own way. To solve the "not on the one" starting songs problem, I use to imagine the missing part of the bar. For example in Rick Astley's Take me to your heart , Autumn leaves mix, there's no first boom. Same thing with KRAZE, The party. So, when I had to drop these songs, I imaginary heard the first boom over the song that was playing and after that, I drop them. I did this keeping in mind the rhythm of the song, so I could drop the piano in time over the song that was playing. What you teach is perfectly true, as a silence is part of the song, if it completes the bar. But until you drop the song over another, it's hard to identify where it starts. So, maybe, even if it's not quite correct to say that, we can think that the song starts on the 4, 4 and, or wherever, of the song you are trying to mix it with. It worked for me back in the days. Hope this comment could help in any way. Greeting and Respect from Argentina,
What you wrote here is magic!
@@djrobswift Thank you for your response, but magic is what you do, when sharing the others not only the dj skills you have,, obviously in large amounts, but the love for the art of djing you have. When somebody ask me what being a Dj is all about, I usually say that "A Real Dj" is an artisan who can create a special mood on the dancefloor by just using songs.
And to do that, following your advices would be a very good idea.
I started with my djing activity because I loved sharing the songs I found to make my class mates dance,. Then it became my way of living. So, I can proudly say that I had never worked in my hole life! (As Wizard Theodore said, found something you enjoy doing an you'll never work).
The love for this profession that emerge from your tutorials makes me feel that I'm not the only one that is so crazy in love with it.
pablorodriguezdj Respect brother. Thanks for showin’ my TH-cam page love.
Yes sir. I do the same thing with drum and bass, given it's easier for me to turn down the low end of second track, and count the two ( the first snare hit) as the one. With the amen break and other break beat loop structures, it's vital to match the snares because they are the predominant driver of the loop and stand out more than the kick, where the kick is usually the dominant perc hit in house, trance, techno, pop, and occasionally even certain hip hop tunes that typically utilize break beats.
@@pablorodriguezdj You're very lucky indeed. DJing has mostly been an avid hobby for me. I live in a rural area, and while some local people my age (39) or younger enjoy dance music of this variety, we don't have clubs, studios, raves or festivals closer than about 40 miles from here in Pittsburgh, PA USA. I put together a couple of non monetary podcasts and posted on Facebook and published through Anchor, but they were removed within a week due to copyright issues. I suppose the potential to profit was there, but that's why I didn't seek sponsorship or third party funds to support myself. It was done purely for self promotion. I guess some of us are destined to be bedroom DJs playing to ourselves or a few friends. Oh well.
Love your vids mate 👍 sitting bobbing my head to get down 😀
Right on!
WoW man. You’re a great teacher on this! I always knew how to do it on time but didn’t know the 1-and, 2-and, 3-and science behind it.
I’ve seen movies and where an art teacher would say the “1-and” part but didn’t know why.
This is a great lesson. Mixing has become trendy and there are people who don’t know the basics and rely on beat sync and autobpm. Personally I think in 32s which is how a lot of music is structured.
bro you're driving me nuts by setting your elbow on the turntable
I thought it was just me noticing. The turntable is a precious piece of cargo...
@@dwight971 Plus, it's difficult to have your hands where they belong if your elbow is sitting in the way of the pitch slider or cross fader....
He is breaking it without knowing. The same way he needs to understand his music he must do with his equipment.
Rob, Keep Steering These Upcoming DJs In The Right Direction My Dude.
I think listening to old breaks and beats mixes by yourself, Skratch Piklz, Kenny Dope to name a few exposed me to a whole range of drop points, including intro drum rolls that lasted more than a bar. I was already dropping on 3s, 4s etc but that stretched my imagination further and then when I heard a track for the first time, I'd visualise cutting doubles back and forth from the start of the song or the first beat to work it out. This goes a lot on feeling for me, however how you just broke that down mathematically has just made me realise I could have saved a lot of time.
Great tutorial. You have made something that many probably take for granted into a simple to follow explanation and teaching tool.
This lesson made the count really clear on knowing how to hear the 4 count. Great lesson 👍🏼
I did my time counting beats when i was young....its very important...after a couple of years you dont count..its like visualizing the beats..its very strange...but its the most important thing for a dj..so keep practicing. Yout have the best teacher in the world so do your homework :)
Don’t overthink it, just feel it
The hardest track I've ever experienced trying to drop it right is Connections by Leaders of the New School, it's like the 1 starts on the "tha>>>>t
Hello Brother, this is DJ Scribbles from Brooklyn, New York now living in Baltimore, Maryland... I have been following U for over 10 years now and I Truly LOVE your work with the kids... Can U please tell Me where do U buy your Records from in New York and where do U buy your Records from Overseas... Because I'm trying to buy some House Music & some Import Music... I would Truly Appreciate your help Sir... I have always been Mixing the old-fashioned way, with Charisma and Art... Thank U for being True To Tha Game...
This is great !!!
...and super important!
moving forward every time I listen to a song, I will figure out what beat a song start on.
Good on you!
Mets! great examples
much respect Rob your videos are sincerly appreciated!
After watching many of your videos, I have noticed many people don't understand about pick-up notes at the begining of a song is not the one
Ciao from Parma italy 🇮🇹 ciao bro
Rob first of I want to thank you for all the knowledge you drop brother. Second I want to say that watching your videos was the final push I needed to jump into Djing. I use to mess around a very little in high school but never got into it or learned anything about it, but I always respected the art. I'm a bboy so I can really understand how you respect tradition and those that came before you. I was using a cheap controller just to mess around with but after watching your videos I finally after over 20 years, bought my first real DJ set (used technics, pioneer DJM S3 mixer). Thank you for giving me the motivation I needed to get into this beautiful element. One last question (sorry it's a little off topic). I was wondering what is the best record pool for 90's hip-hop and 70's funk and soul music (also breaks, I am a bboy)? Appreciate everything you are doing Rob. Looking forward to all your future videos.
First it was surprising to me that there are lessons on this but I remember that I've seen professional DJs who have been DJing for years that still dont get this concept.
Just got a controller last week, this video was so beneficial for a beginner, thank you!
my favourite DJ and the best teacher
Im other words. Some songs start on the Hi hat, instead of the bass, or kick drum. So you start your next song on the Hi hat part of the 4 on the floor drum sequence.
Exactly!
Rob teach me your ways!
Good stuff Bro, Your patience is AMAZING!!!!!
Excellent lesson. See if I can breakdown that MJ track into the right spot~!
Thank you for this because honestly I just drop on the one regardless of where the song starts.
It's definitely easy to overlook counting bars and measures, particularly when playing EDM , which typically features limited vocals/ad libbing or no vocals at all, combined with repetitive song structures and more improvisation with rhythm patterns and intros. The verse, chorus, bridge, etc, is less apparent to the untrained ear as a result, and the length of a song with a couple of different loops chained over and over can be mind numbing. I play drum n bass, and some tracks (particularly golden era hard step and tech step, intelligent (liquid) and modern neurofunk can be lengthy rollers clocking in between 6 and 10 minutes. Figure in the percussion often hitting on the downbeat and the various drum patterns requiring the matching of snares and hats as opposed to kicks, and it can become quite intimidating or challenging in the early going. I used to snooze alot on counting to sync the beats because I was too busy worrying about if the snares of the track I was mixing in would start poking through the track that I was mixing into (trainwrecking), or concentrating on when to switch out the low end. I got past that by simply counting that first kick, the first drum hit, as a four, or counting the proceeding snare hit as a one. Probably sounds a little unconventional, but I've come a long way.
Think of it as 1/2's, .05, and sometimes 1/4s 1, 0.5 - 2, 0.5 - 3, 0.5 - 4, 0.5 AKA 1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and.......And so on. for small vocal intros a lot of times you'll end up dropping it on "The 4th AND". That's about as simple as I can put it. pretty much the same thing Rob said.
Thanks Rob for sharing parts of your lessons. In particular one thing you said that hits me, sorry for my english..., you said that instead of using mp3 edits we should know music.....i'm deep into edits, so are they useless? i mean....can you explain the concept better if you have any time.... thanks and respect
I wouldn't say edits are "useless". They can be helpful to DJs that don't know how to drop on a beat other than a "one". Edits can make you lazy tho and there in lies the danger of having a catalog of music that contains edited intros. If I gave you the original mp3 version of "Get Right" (Jennifer Lopez) would you know NOT TO DROP IT ON A "ONE". If you only rely on downloading mp3s from DJ Record Pools that provide their DJs with intro edits I will bet you don't know where to drop the beginning of "Get Right", "In Da Club" (50 Cent), "Peter Piper" (Run DMC), and most other songs. There is a BIG BIG BIG difference between DJing and Djing properly.
Very much appreciated I feel like I understand but not 100%
I'VE STARTED WITH ANALOG AND GOING ON TO MORE ANALOG.
The beginning of "Wait up" by Q-Tip throws me way off
I think its "and 1"
i have the Rane 72 mixer with the 4 1/2" display screen. When i see the waveform, it fucks me up when I try to scratch. I keep looking at it and not the platter. Now I have another reason not to use it.
RUN BEFORE THEY CAN WALK IS CORRECT!!!!!!! IN TOO MUCH OF A HURRY TO GET ON AND SAY THEY'RE THE SHIT.
Any James brown is HIP HOP BIG BANG THEORY!!!!!
I completely love your style of teaching and have seldomly seen such good online training.. But why don't tell the poor guy to start on the Kick drum? 😅
This is just common sense
Another good vid.
holy FUCK this is GOLDEN ADVICE. fuuuuuuuck me this should be stored in a safe so its never lost.
Bless Up great lesson
actually have a question about that. if you wanted to transition to a song like liquid swords, you would probably leave the long intro out and start it after it says "everything changed" which i believe is a 2 how would you transition to that peticular song?
Me personally I like to drop into "Liquid Swords" from the first word in the chorus, "When the MCs came..." A sub-par DJ would drop from the word "MCs" cause that's the one.
@@djrobswift thanks for the response Rob. you are the best!
When dude leaned on his deck
Cool!
Tha Teacha
I need to take some Rob Swift classes. Any one got info on how to apply for his courses.
Private message him on IG or Facebook.
@@alvinhorne5643 RESPECT BROTHER!
Robzennager can you post something with a half note next to an and
You might find what you're looking for here: th-cam.com/video/XUVIZBB6p1k/w-d-xo.html
I like how hard he's leaning on his technics lmfao
Hello, what is the name of music use ?
Thanks
👍💪🙏😎
I’m curious. Did this student eventually become a good DJ?
So how does one know when its a 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & type of count, or beat measure, rather than , 4×4 time, wich alot of hip hop, especially oldskool hip hop records are made in?? I get the counting, for the most part, but, I dont always know when its either a 1 & 2 & 3 & 5 &, or simply a 1,2,3,4......
.Thanx my friend, your appreciated, as always.... Respex, & Big Upz....
does this 1& 2&3 & 4 $ apply for dj controllers or the vinyl djays do i count before droppin the record ?
Recorded a while ago or you went back to the pioneer Rob?
I reorganized my room. This DJ station is only for teaching. Watch my other vids and you'll see I'm still rockin the Rane 70. th-cam.com/video/vig6GKkuf34/w-d-xo.html
@@djrobswift cool. Pioneer mixers always give me a flashback to playing with a 707 in Sam Ash when they came out. Before then pioneer wasn't even a thought in the 2 channel mixer space. Actually same with the 54 and 52. Crazy how much things have changed/ how old we are.
I still don't know how he got that hardware without music theory
Whats the title of the James brown track?
any chance of sharing all the songs used in teaching? would like to look into the notes and bars closely and study them. poor at counting and feeling the music :(((