Pitching records down

[Quadrant]

I thought I'd share my opinions on this. Am I right or am I right that on a CDJ when you want o slow a track down you can either do it normally (where the song gets slower and the tone gets lower) or you can use the Master Tempo whereby the track gets slower but the track holds its original pitch?

If I'm right, Jules likes to use the master tempo thing too much, and it hurts the music because you can hear the "compression" of the music, like when you have an mp3 at a crap bit rate (e.g. 128kb/s)... does anyone know what I mean? It like, a beat, you can almost hear that beat being split and the top range is not crisp...

I am going into my local tomorrow to try a CDJ out, I want to test this!

Can anyone enlighten me? I thank you in advance, young sirs!

[Bjorn]

yeh, u are right mate, a lot of ppl don't like the master tempo for that exact reason, altho master tempo allows you to correct an out of sync tune without anybody noticing, as the 'pitch bend' is noticeable when the MT is not used. i think all tunes sound bad anyway no matter what if they are sunstantially pitched up or down, master tempo or no master tempo!

[Max Kane]

Generally when i first got my decks i never played anything below its original speed, i hated slowing down tracks. I think that pitched down is a lot more obvious than pitched up (within reason), i dnt mind pitching tracks down but generally hold them around 0-4 speed with some of the slower proggy stuff i play a little faster (Henrik B 'Overrun' usually gets played at about 7)

I think the proof that no1 really notices sped up tracks as much comes from the fact that the first couple of prog trance mixes i shared on here & other sites had most of the tracks played at about 6-9 speed, without one person saying anything.

Imagine me playing them at -6 and you kinda get the point i'm raising. I'd much rather hear a DJ spin a tune at around it's original speed and gradually build things, its a lot better than trying to manufacture a set where your spinning records at a long from their intended speed.

Master Tempo wise, i never use it, i agree with some of the points both Bjorn & Quad made about the sound just not being right

[Aza]

I remember once taking over a set from someone playing funky, rather than create a sort of obvious cut, I mixed in my record, which had to be slowed right down, first of it then sounded poor, but then I had to try and sneakily speed it up to get back on normal tempo, which was a bitch!!

[Dewi]

I've used it a few times.. not noticed 2 much of a difference in quality.. altho if I know it's gonna be a big chance in bpm I'll do it on the pc ready to be played (so not to do it 2 much on cdj - get me?)