having a go at Craze's DnB juggle from DMC 2000

[Danny Crash]

Hey

 

I haven't done any beat juggling for ages so i thought I'd start again with something easy, (jk) Craze's DnB routine from DMC 2000. Surprisingly, turns out it's out a total headfuck. I can do the first bit but I just get lost after that. It doesn't help that the video is one of those where the cameraman is all over the place, trying to be all arty and shit, rather than just giving a steady clear shot of the turntables.

 

Has anyone attempted to re-create this beat juggle before? He's using Ed Rush & Optical 'Watermelon'.

 

https://youtu.be/bVx7VoCa2AA?t=118

 

 

 

 

 

[Vekked]

Haven't tried it myself but I think I understand it all.

The biggest thing with trying to re-create this juggle is noting that he's using 45 pressings and both sides are sticker looped to 1 bar. I'm not sure if parts of it are even possible on DVS (if you're trying with Serato) without editing the file because the sticker loop allows him to loop 1 bar but also back spin to the previous bar, unlike a standard loop on DVS which is locked to exactly the part that is looping. Also if you are using DVS it needs to be playing the track at normal tempo on 45 in order for the loop to be exactly 1 orbit. Part of how he gets such complicated patterns at the end is that the snare is always in the same place on the right record, so when he's doing power downs and babies on the left, the snare is always easy to get to on the right record.

So yea, hopefully you have doubles on vinyl to try and do it because it's one of those juggles that is using specific advantages of vinyl that you're gonna have a hard time replicating using Serato/Traktor.

[Danny Crash]

Ah right, this might be one of the reasons it seemed impossible.. I'm trying it on Serato on 33 rpm. I did see that he was using a loop but I thought it was only right at the very end of the routine..

 

I did try it once on the original vinyl records, but seem to remember finding it really hard, as I've always found juggling on 45 rpm difficult.

[Vekked]

Ah right, this might be one of the reasons it seemed impossible.. I'm trying it on Serato on 33 rpm. I did see that he was using a loop but I thought it was only right at the very end of the routine..

 

I did try it once on the original vinyl records, but seem to remember finding it really hard, as I've always found juggling on 45 rpm difficult.

 

Word yea this routine relies on the 45 + loop because that makes the loop almost exactly 2 beats and the drums hit in the same place every rotation. If you did it on 33 the drums are going to be in a different spot every loop and make it way harder.

 

And yea on the left side he only has the loop from 2:43. I thought the right was looped too but maybe it's not... I'm just looking at where he's bringing it back for the snares near the end and they're in basically the same place even when he lets the record play for a few rotations. I haven't tried the song on 45 so it's possible that it loops almost perfectly on it's own.

 

The main idea is that because of the 45 pressing the beats are hitting in the same place multiple bars in a row allowing him to do patterns you would have a really tough time doing otherwise. Same sort of deal as Plus One's Number 1 juggle.

[Guest rasteri]

Yeah he only loops the left record by the looks of it. 45RPM records loop at 180BPM which is damn close to the ~172BPM most DnB is.

 

At 3:07 he lets the looped section play by itself so you can hear exactly what part loops.

 

I guess you could just put your DVS in absolute mode and put loop stickers on your control vinyl Some DJs used to do that to "DVSify" versions of their routines before people figured out cue points were a better way of doing things.

 

You could also duplicate this in relative mode by setting the BPM of the track to exactly 180bpm and looping four beats/1 bar. Although then you wouldn't be able to pull back outside the loop (I'm not sure if craze does this in the juggle).

 

It would make sense to be able to have a loop that only operated in the forward direction, even for mix-only DJs - you could set up loops at the end of each track that would act as a safety in case you didn't notice the track had ended. Anyone know if Traktor or Serato support this?

[Jon]

Yeah he only loops the left record by the looks of it. 45RPM records loop at 180BPM which is damn close to the ~172BPM most DnB is.

 

At 3:07 he lets the looped section play by itself so you can hear exactly what part loops.

 

I guess you could just put your DVS in absolute mode and put loop stickers on your control vinyl Some DJs used to do that to "DVSify" versions of their routines before people figured out cue points were a better way of doing things.

 

You could also duplicate this in relative mode by setting the BPM of the track to exactly 180bpm and looping four beats/1 bar. Although then you wouldn't be able to pull back outside the loop (I'm not sure if craze does this in the juggle).

 

It would make sense to be able to have a loop that only operated in the forward direction, even for mix-only DJs - you could set up loops at the end of each track that would act as a safety in case you didn't notice the track had ended. Anyone know if Traktor or Serato support this?

 

I think Serato DJ might have this now - I think I read something on twitter about it. Vague Jon is vague

[JHouse]

Damn, nice break down Vekked. I have a whole other appreciation for his set.