The Sync Button Debate, Amsterdam Dance Event 2011

[dafe]

I honestly think that accepting that reasoning and stopping our hiding behind "improved creativity" or other BS is what will help it get accepted.

I honestly haven't seen this argument used by any pro-syncers in a very long time. It's mostly always the anti-syncers that bring it up.

That or I just haven't bothered reading too many sync debates lately.

[Karlos Santos]

I am mostapha, and I use Traktor's Sync function because it's easier.

I am Karlos Santos, and I use Traktor's Sync Function because it's easier and it gives me more time drink alcohol, talk to people and have fun.

[photojojo]

I am Karlos Santos, and I use Traktor's Sync Function because it's easier and it gives me more time drink alcohol, talk to people and have fun.

This!

[photojojo]

I honestly think that accepting that reasoning and stopping our hiding behind "improved creativity" or other BS is what will help it get accepted.

And I'll be happy to be the first.

I can beat match. I've done gigs in front of people on vinyl…and CDJs…and DVS.

I am mostapha, and I use Traktor's Sync function because it's easier.

Agreed!! This whole creativity argument is crap. I don't want to hear you slaughter songs with new FX every 32 seconds because you can. And I don't want to hear you try and layer five kick drums on top of an already good track. If anything the only one that I agree with is it gives you more time to pick your next song, I still feel rushed when I'm playing off the cuff though.

My name is Chris and I use sync so because it's EASY!!!

[completej]

I am Karlos Santos, and I use Traktor's Sync Function because it's easier and it gives me more time drink alcohol, talk to people and have fun.

Please build in a reddit-style upvote system so I can shower you with upvotes, sir.

[Nick V]

One thing that I'm glad they brought up (toward the end) was how much distribution channels have influenced this whole debate. That's one point that often gets ignored while everyone rants about the skill part. No one in the audience denied that days of vinyl as an industry standard were over and it has nothing to do with 1200s. It has to do with the fact that there just aren't that many record stores left (especially here in the states).

Sure you can order vinyl online and have it shipped but it's expensive (especially imports) and when you know that you can find the same track on beatport or traxsource for $2 the value of that purchase really comes into question. So you end up with DJ's with large collections of digital music and what is the natural way to play it? If you happen to already own decks then a DVS may make sense but for the younger generation - are you really willing to drop $1k+ on what may very well end up as just oversized joggle wheels to control your digital music?

Of course CDJs are another answer but most of the arguments for CDJs that I have heard really aren't about adding any quality to the DJing experience but because they are the new industry standard and all the local clubs have them installed. Personally I think this is more an argument for club owners over DJs and because of this I skipped CDJs and went straight from vinyl to laptop. That and the "industry standard CDJs" (Pioneer 2000s) require pretty deep pockets.

So the practical answer is that you have DJs playing off their laptop + controller with a big sync button just sitting there waiting to get pushed and even if they don't push it they have accurate BPM detection which makes manually syncing pretty trivial. You then don't have to worry about burning CDs or ordering and shipping vinyl. You can buy music in the middle of your set if you have wireless not to mention you can now slip in that original track you've been working on in Logic or Reason without worrying about burning a CD or expensive acetate.

[Alex Wild]

I just had a thought. Do you think that the average punter even knows how tracks are beatmatched on vinyl and CD? I'd bet that most of them just see a DJ controlling two 'players', then hear the music coming out and think no more about it. If there is an argument for manual beatmatching being some appreciable skill, then its only the DJ them self who's buzzing off their tight mixing skills.

Oh, and "I AM ALEX WILD, I SYNC BECAUSE IT'S EASY, IT GIVES ME MORE TIME TO DRINK, PICK TUNES AND WATCH THE CROWD. AND BECAUSE OTHERWISE I'D HAVE NO WAY OF BEATMATCHING MUSIC ON MY LAPTOP"

[fullenglishpint]

Very interesting debate, thanks Rainer.

I don't use sync right now cos I'm on SSL, but I use the lines and waveforms a lot of the time which is basically the same thing. Not going to reiterate what everyone's already said in this and many other threads, but suffice it to say that I think sync is a great tool and no DJ will go down in my estimations for using it.

The world moves on, technology improves, shit gets easier. It's awesome. DJs pick their tracks, put them together however they like, and if people enjoy it then what's to hate.

[tads]

Ok, so a lot of you people have already beatmatched and now are choosing to Sync because it's easier.

So why is it that when new DJ's ask for help, they are told to learn to beatmatch before they do anything else?

Would you stand up and say, "Newbies Sync first, Beatmatch later (or never)"

[fullenglishpint]

I've never advised anyone that way. But I do think that beatmatching is a useful skill that helps you make better use of sync.