DJ Beatmatching and Tempo Control 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does BPM stand for in DJ and music terminology?
- Bass Per Minute
- Beats Per Minute (Correct answer)
- Bars Per Measure
- Beat Phase Matching
Correct answer: Beats Per Minute
BPM stands for Beats Per Minute, the standard measurement of a song's tempo used by DJs to match tracks during mixing.
Question 2: What is the technique of manually adjusting two records to the same tempo called?
- Phasing
- Beatmatching (Correct answer)
- Harmonic mixing
- Cutting
Correct answer: Beatmatching
Beatmatching is the skill of manually adjusting turntable speeds until two tracks play at exactly the same BPM for a seamless mix.
Question 3: When beatmatching, if the incoming track sounds like it is 'rushing' ahead, what should you do?
- Increase the pitch fader slightly
- Decrease the pitch fader slightly (Correct answer)
- Push the platter forward
- Pull the platter backward
Correct answer: Decrease the pitch fader slightly
If the incoming track rushes ahead, its tempo is too fast, so you must decrease the pitch fader to slow it down to match.
Question 4: What is 'phase alignment' in the context of beatmatching?
- Matching the BPM of two tracks
- Aligning the beat positions of two tracks so their downbeats coincide (Correct answer)
- Adjusting EQ to match frequency content
- Syncing track key signatures
Correct answer: Aligning the beat positions of two tracks so their downbeats coincide
Phase alignment ensures the beat positions of two tracks line up so their kick drums and downbeats hit at exactly the same moment.
Question 5: What percentage of pitch change does a standard DJ pitch fader cover on most CDJs?
- ±4%
- ±8% (Correct answer)
- ±10%
- ±6%
Correct answer: ±8%
Most CDJs offer ±8% pitch range as their standard setting, providing enough range to match most tracks without noticeable key change.
Question 6: What is 'phase drift' in DJ mixing?
- The gradual key change of a track
- Gradual misalignment of beats between two tracks playing at slightly different tempos (Correct answer)
- An EQ frequency shift over time
- The slowing of a belt-drive motor
Correct answer: Gradual misalignment of beats between two tracks playing at slightly different tempos
Phase drift occurs when two tracks are not exactly the same BPM, causing their beats to gradually drift apart and fall out of sync.
DJ Beatmatching and Tempo Control 1
What does BPM stand for in DJ and music terminology?