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6. Other helpful information
Most tracks used by DJs have a similar rhythmic
structure, in 4/4 time (with 4-beat bars). This classic
notation means that you count four beats per bar.
A 4-beat bar includes a main beat (called “the One” in
DJing), followed by three intermediate beats. “The One”
indicates the first beat of a bar, which is usually when a
DJ will start playing the second track. This mixing
technique is known as “dropping on the One”, and
consists of matching the first beat of a bar of the
incoming track with the first beat of a bar of the outgoing
track.
The unit used to measure the speed (the tempo) of a
track is the BPM (beats per minute). It corresponds to the
number of beats per minute. The higher the BPM value,
the faster the track is; and conversely, the lower the BPM
value, the slower the track is.