DJ Tutorial: Introduction To Beatgridding Using Rane Serato DJ Pt.1 - The Basics

In the first installment of this three part DJ video tutorial on beatgridding with the new Serato DJ, Dubspot’s Devon James Stewart explains the basics of beatgridding from analyzing tracks and setting markers to editing the grid.

Serato DJ Tutorial – Beatgridding Pt.1 – How to Set Beatgrids

Beatgridding is the process of aligning a grid that matches the tempo of that song’s BPM. Now some of you have been using Serato Scratch Live without setting beatgrids for your tracks and probably got a long just fine. However, with the incarnation of Serato DJ there are some new features that rely on beatgrids to execute a function properly. For instance, if we would like to use Sync in our performances we must have our tracks properly beat gridded. Others aspects such as auto loops, triggering and setting cue points, and any time-based effects you wish to use are all also highly dependent upon proper beatgrids.

Stay tuned for the second installment in which we will look at multi-tempo beatgridding. Most songs have a consistent BPM through the track. However, sometimes the tempo might fluctuate or change completely and we want to make sure that we know how to mark those changes. – Devon James Stewart

All of the tracks that we are going to be working with are in common time, or in 4/4 time signature. Most music that we listen to on the radio and hear in the club is in 4/4 time.

Devon James Stewart began working at Dubspot in May 2011, just a week after graduating from Syracuse University. He teaches in our DJ program, as well as the Kids Production and DJ courses. His expertise with Traktor has led to tour managing gigs for artists such as Felix Da Housecat, A-Trak, and Nicole Moudaber. He works regularly with Felix Da Housecat in many regards, but more recently served as the head engineer on Felix’s forthcoming studio album. He also has production credits on that album alongside such legendary musicians as Nile Rodgers and Lee “Scratch” Perry. In 2012, along with some friends and fellow Dubspotters, Devon helped to start up RVDIOVCTIVE, a multi-media artist collective that has thrown parties in Miami for WMC, produced short films, and curate monthly shows in and around NYC. Currently, Devon is preparing to return to Ibiza for the second year in a row. Bunking up with Felix, he will be spending most of his time working on his own productions in the studio as well as doing a live radio show with Felix on the highly respected Ibiza Sonica station.

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