Here is my method to easily beat grid your tracks by setting up a set of simple hot-keys. The best way to figure out the precise BPM of a song and ensure that any loop you drop is perfectly in time is by using beat-grids. When Traktor first analyzes a new song in your collection it determines the peaks of the wave form. 9 times out of ten these peaks are also the down beats, which means the BPM accuracy and auto loop features should work fairly well most of the time. When you get to a breakdown or start dealing with rhythmically complex material though, only beat grids will insure consistently accurate mixes. Setting beat grids and cue points can be a cumbersome process though so I will show you how I blow through 10 tracks in less time than it takes to brew a cup of coffee.
Continue reading ‘Quickly set up Perfect Beat Grids’
With a limited number of physical knobs to control an ever increasing number of software goodies you need to find a way to get more out of your control surface. Using a single knob to control more than one parameter is one of the best ways to do that. A good example of this is the effects section of my VCI-100SE. Each effect in Traktor has 4 knobs and 4 buttons but my vci-100 only offers 2 knobs per effect. How can this be effective? Super knobs!
Continue reading ‘Super Knobs’
Many of you out there are new to the game and starting to get gigs with your digital dj equipment. As a few readers have pointed out, frequently that gear does not really mesh well with the bread and butter setups clubs have installed. Showing up and plugging in equipment can be a nerve racking affair to begin with but if there is one thing MORE scary- its your first 30 dj gigs. So, if you want calm nerves and smooth sets with digital dj gear your going to need a game plan.
For the past 5 years I have setup my laptop, sound card and midi gear in hundreds upon hundreds of clubs around the world. From a traditional Tico dance hall in Costa Rica to techno clubs in Berlin, there was always a way to make it work. Here are a few helpful things I have learned upon the way.
Continue reading ‘How to Set Up in a Club’
At this price point there should not be much of a difference right? Well, one thing we do not like around here is assumptions without any real evidence or experience to support that assumption. So, while writing a new column for Remix magazine about sound cards I took it upon my self to try and find out what separates a $100 sound card from a $800 one. After talking to all kinds of “experts” and engineers and after sifting through mountains of marketing propaganda I had a really hard time really finding any quantifiable differences. This reality is hard for us to accept in a society that places a high value on the price tag of a product. “Its $1000, so its got to be the best right?!”
Continue reading ‘4 Dj Sound Cards under $200 (updated)’
As many of you know, I have been working on a special layout for the VCI-100 that is in the beta stages. You can download, test and give feedback on the current version here. In the mean time I stumbled on this crazy midi mod that got me REALLY excited (which is rare) so I wanted to share it. I mix externally with the vci-100 so all the central controls are dedicated to effects. However sometimes I need to quickly cut out a song and I have been using the input faders to do that by engaging the reverb to 100%. Each channel fader engages the reverb, fades in the mix and then at the top freezes the effect. So, if you quickly flip the fader up you get a really clean cut with a cool reverb tail. Then I was thinking instead of 2 faders, what if the cross fader did the same thing for both decks but in opposite directions? So when you move the cross fader to the left the right decks cuts out with a adjustable reverb trail and when you move it to the far right the left deck cuts out with a reverb tail? Continue reading ‘NEW VCI-100 mod and the “super” crossfader’
As a result of our videos a ton of people seem to be very interested in the VCI-100 but remain confused about how it works. Every day I get more emails asking “Do I need a sound card, if so how does that work?” Dont fret, here at Dj Tech Tools we have the answers for you. Just check out this Sound Cards 101 video courtesy of Ean Golden.
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