Audiovisual Performances

[McRossi]

Virtual DJ has native video support at no extra charge. It also has support for the VCI-100 controller. They just released a new version 5.2 that also includes key analysis with camelot translation. http://www.virtualdj.com/products/virtualdj/index.html
You have the ability to mix audio with video, mix two videos that contain their own audio, or attach video to an mp3 for synced playback. Lots of video and audio effects and VST support.

[Nicky_Laws]

i've been mixing visuals and music for a couple months now, nothing professional, just messing around at home. I figured out a pretty easy work flow to get you up and running mixing music and visuals at the same time.

Things you'll need: (this is based off of what I have for equipment)

- a projector
- macbook pro
- traktor software (dj)
- vestax vci 100
- modul8 software (vj)


So how it works basically is, you'll have two programs running - Traktor and Modul8.

Quite a few VJ softwares out there almost emulate a DJ mixer style feel. Modul8 in this case sorta does.

So what you do is you basically set up or 'midi learn' your Modul8 to what you normally use in traktor.

In modul8 there are a number of things you could do to screw around with video. such as change colors / red / green / blue ...cross fade between clips...flip vertical horizontal...strobe or flash video...

A basic set up would look like this...

midi map your crossfader in modul8 to your crossfader in the vci-100. So now, when you crossfade between songs, you can crossfade between videos.

You can also take your lo's hi's and mid's and map those to RGB (red green blue) channels, so when you cut out your low's on a track, you could essentially turn your video to go all tinted green.

This is just a few possibilities of what you can set your midi maps to.

Another good idea which I've incorporated is that in the modul8 software, you can download modules or extensions other users have developed. There are modules that let you select your video clips from your video clip bank.

What Ive done was midi map my track selection buttons in traktor/vci-100 (up/down) -- and mapped that to the 'select video buttons' - what this does is now when I'm searching for tracks clicking up or down....its selecting randomly in my video clip bank to load into the VJ software.

I've always wanted to do an AV set live, but couldnt find a software that would work in tune with traktor that does video.....(without having to shell out $3000+ for dvj decks)

Here's a couple vids I've done VJ'ing. (before I got into all the DJ'ing side of things, I'm originally a multimedia/graphics designer)

These videos don't show how traktor and modul8 synced together...its rather 2 computers 2 people, my friend is on Traktor, and im controlling the visuals


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aKWGG8a2oE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgc9zhWASxA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuSABmOkNYo


A vj set I did after I compiled a mix in ableton. - this was done in the Onyx VJ software

http://www.nickylawskensino.com/inde...&id=3&Itemid=1




some good forums to learn more about vj'ing

vjforums.com
createdigitalmotion.com
garagecube.com (modul8 website)

[djxsquizet]

ok now thats on point...now three questions

1. Can I use ableton in the place of traktor

2. Can it except live video feed to mix ie. Have a video taken of the crowd then mix into another video.

3. does it comes it certain videos already and if not where do you get yours from. TV shows and movies ect.

[Nicky_Laws]

ok now thats on point...now three questions

1. Can I use ableton in the place of traktor

2. Can it except live video feed to mix ie. Have a video taken of the crowd then mix into another video.

3. does it comes it certain videos already and if not where do you get yours from. TV shows and movies ect.

1. Yes, and JAM or (Just Add Music) is the plugin for ableton.
check out this bad ass vid of someone mixing isodora with ableton

http://vjkungfu.tv/archive/cut-up-vi...-ableton-live/

2. Yes, in Modul8 you can hook up your DV camera, and theres a setting where you can activate, so you can point your camera at the crowd and use that live video feed as a 'video clip' where you can crossfade between other clips, do effects, change colors etc.

3. modul8 comes with sample vids, like a dozen or so...
in VJ'ing, creating content is a time consuming process... you can either

a) create your content from scratch
b) rip your videos off DVD, TV, YouTube...etc
c) programatically create video content using data info <-- more complex

[Sunshine]

Thanks McRossi! I shall add Virtual DJ to the list of solutions to check out!

[Sunshine]

i've been mixing visuals and music for a couple months now, nothing professional, just messing around at home. I figured out a pretty easy work flow to get you up and running mixing music and visuals at the same time.

Many thanks Nicky! You've provided lots of information to be explored.
The typical method has always been to use two or more people on different computers and I'm hoping to avoid that.

I've been lurking at those sites for a while and have contacted the Modul8 folks already.

I'm off to check out the Youtube videos.

Cheers!

[Sunshine]

A vj set I did after I compiled a mix in ableton. - this was done in the Onyx VJ software

http://www.nickylawskensino.com/inde...&id=3&Itemid=1

Ha ha! I was on your site a couple days ago and bookmarked it. I couldn't view the video on my Mac, but it works well on my PC.

I enjoyed the Youtube videos. Nice.

[djxsquizet]

yea that lucifer thing is sweet looks like something i might need to get into. Not right now but maybe for the future

[Chubbz]

Hi all,

Awesome stuff guys...many thanks for the links and guides, ive always been interested in the art of mixing visuals and audio. I am a novice when it comes to computer hardware/software (hell i am still trying to grasp all this talk bout midi n all, Thank god fer djtt ) that is why i enjoy reading threads like this...

Nicky can you post a video of you using your set up with traktor? i am curious to see how you integrate all your gear in a live set situation....

Cheers,
Chubbz

[djxsquizet]

this stuff makes me happy I wish I can jump forward a couple of semesters in school so I can start learning how to make my own 3d characters and movies and stuff. Cause now I want to add this to my sets.