Serato DJ Pro General Discussion

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 Serato DJ Pro General Discussion
how's your itch
Talk about Serato DJ Pro, expansion packs and supported hardware

how's your itch

NIKE fly 6:30 AM - 9 November, 2010
i haven't been posting much on the itch forums recently. although i do read it often, its kind off boring. lots of old complaints, negative itch comments and feature hungry people. So ive spent most time on the general djing and off topic discussions

Anyways, id like to know about the all the things you guys are doing with itch to enhance your set.

Things that youv'e recently discovered (or rediscovered), or clever tricks you came up with. For example, ive been trying to incorporate more saved loops. it has made my sets stand out more. too bad the shift function for relooping stored loops hasn't been fixed yet, but when it does, i'll do even crazier things. And soon i will start practicing needle dropping, thanks to strip search and the beatgrid. it sounds so crazy good. but needs practice

So, in detail, what are some of the cool stuff you are doing with itch and its controllers these days that can be used to make your sets more special. I'm hoping this will help other DJs realize the potential of itch with its current and core features and become better DJs.
DJdaveZ 8:54 AM - 9 November, 2010
great topic! kudos NIKE!

i just stick with the basics, no effects... straight mixtape style mixing with EQ cuts as mix tools, some a capellas here and there...
djcerla 1:30 PM - 9 November, 2010
What I really do a lot nowadays is to start a 1 beat autoloop on the last syllable of a vocal (better without drums/bass, i.e. at the end of a breakdown), then shortening the loop while applying a LPF with high resonance or a flanger... Then, at the right point, I start the other track, on a drums+bass, energetic part. When I lift my sight to the dancefloor: all hands in the air! Massive.

Quote:
lots of old complaints, negative itch comments and feature hungry people


So true.
djcerla 1:49 PM - 9 November, 2010
Another trick that changed my DJ style forever:

every song on my library has cue point #3 set to the drums break, or drums+bass; I prepare next song on a "juicy" part, possibly without drums (i.e. a synth intro, a vocal, a pad intro, percussions, etc).

When the current song bores me (much quicker than the normal breakdown point usually), I push cue point 3 with one hand, while pushing PLAY on the cued new song with the other hand.

Result? CD-perfect mixes and no loss of crowd energy. Basically, the effect is like a cut mix, but much more polished as the new song sits on the drums/bass of the previous one.
BadBoyChubs 3:14 PM - 9 November, 2010
Quote:
Another trick that changed my DJ style forever:

every song on my library has cue point #3 set to the drums break, or drums+bass; I prepare next song on a "juicy" part, possibly without drums (i.e. a synth intro, a vocal, a pad intro, percussions, etc).

When the current song bores me (much quicker than the normal breakdown point usually), I push cue point 3 with one hand, while pushing PLAY on the cued new song with the other hand.

Result? CD-perfect mixes and no loss of crowd energy. Basically, the effect is like a cut mix, but much more polished as the new song sits on the drums/bass of the previous one.


pull out a pen and paper *taking notes*

useful thread!!!!!
BadBoyChubs 3:18 PM - 9 November, 2010
U know wat i think will be great if u do a video wit the tricks! start a video thread and post them. so we all can learn wat to do and not to do!!
kraal 6:34 PM - 9 November, 2010
here is a simple trick ---
watch the wave forms. I have been doing some really neat bleands just by knowing what the waveforms are saying

but this is an interesting post i will have to pay more attention cause so much stuff has become second nature i dont see it as tricks :)
haze324 7:04 PM - 9 November, 2010
Quote:
What I really do a lot nowadays is to start a 1 beat autoloop on the last syllable of a vocal (better without drums/bass, i.e. at the end of a breakdown), then shortening the loop while applying a LPF with high resonance or a flanger... Then, at the right point, I start the other track, on a drums+bass, energetic part. When I lift my sight to the dancefloor: all hands in the air! Massive.

Quote:


lots of old complaints, negative itch comments and feature hungry people


So true.


Yep I do this with the last good beat or the last word of a hook and loop the last word and use the LPF. I try to give myself 4 beats on the incoming track to lower the LPF and volume fader and it gives it a bit of that echo/out type effect and right as it's about to die out the new track kicks in. might try it with flanger.
DJ Chele 8:19 PM - 9 November, 2010
this is a cool post,

the VFX-1 gives more control and fun,

I have been using the repeater on acapellas,

you have a nice drum/bass/ synth loop and allowing some headroom in the middle

I bring accapellas with the repeater effect, also, i add flanger to both channels

and it creates a cool sound,

also, with the LPF and HPF I create nice sweeps between songs and frequencies,

you can play with the resonance and lfo amount and you can remix live
DJ Sergio B 9:09 PM - 9 November, 2010
I have a little move I use on string intros or beat-less blends into a playing song - using reverb as it comes in and cue points to play the notes - closing the level of the reverb and a cue point on the one - annnnnd drop! sounds like a big organ is playing far away - traveling quickly to the dance floor and then its like "bang - right in the kisser" ha
Rob Pointer 9:12 PM - 9 November, 2010
On my V7 I've been setting the "break" effect to 1 bar. Then you can, if you time it right, move the up down fader in on beat increments, quickly, one right after the other, and it gives this double break sound over a track. It is a nice fill if the timing is done right, but you have to the turn the effect off right when you do the second break sound on a two beat count.

Nice to do some quick like flair enhancements like that for fun.
KLH 9:20 PM - 9 November, 2010
This thread needs vids and soundbites for examples...

-KLH
NIKE fly 9:27 PM - 9 November, 2010
Quote:
This thread needs vids and soundbites for examples...

-KLH


indeed, i'll try to post some my self
kraal 9:34 PM - 9 November, 2010
Quote:
Quote:


This thread needs vids and soundbites for examples...

-KLH


indeed, i'll try to post some my self
djcerla 9:44 PM - 9 November, 2010
from my ITCH archives:

using Battery 3 as a sampler with ITCH: serato.com
cue points organization: serato.com
scratchsynth: Watchwww.youtube.com
using tremolo for wicked scratch: Watchwww.youtube.com
scratch+FX: Watchwww.youtube.com
NS7 3 platters mix: Watchwww.youtube.com

new videos coming in the next months
Coneman Sid 12:04 AM - 10 November, 2010
Nice videos djceria, u have lots of good ideas ma man, it was a pleasure to watch !
Rob Pointer 12:14 AM - 10 November, 2010
+1
thebeatworx 12:25 AM - 10 November, 2010
Quote:
from my ITCH archives:

using Battery 3 as a sampler with ITCH: serato.com
cue points organization: serato.com
scratchsynth: Watchwww.youtube.com javascript:void(0);
using tremolo for wicked scratch: Watchwww.youtube.com javascript:void(0);
scratch+FX: Watchwww.youtube.com Watchwww.youtube.com
NS7 3 platters mix: Watchwww.youtube.com javascript:void(0);

new videos coming in the next months


Nice videos as always... It really goes to show how you've made your current setup work for you creatively... I especially liked the NS7 3 platters mix example...

+1
kraal 2:17 AM - 10 November, 2010
here's on on the vfx-1 set breaker to 100%/chance at 60 -100% and set the depth to 55 - 70 % set time to 2/1

setting the effect off right before a chorus or change in the song adds a bit of tension
Doctorjon 2:58 AM - 10 November, 2010
Man i wish i had a NS7! Yes the 3 platters mix video is similar to how i like to use the VCI-300. I also like to use voice samples as a way to mix in a new song and also scratch. Acapellas are the way to go to enhance your set all the way. I find you only limit yourself if you can't think of new ways to mix. I always like to keep busy. Even though i'm not work working with much on the vci i like to be different. Its so easy to just beat-match than mix in the next song. I like to get creative and use cue points and loops. I kinda treat the Vci-300 like a pair of turntables.
NIKE fly 5:36 AM - 10 November, 2010
Quote:
What I really do a lot nowadays is to start a 1 beat autoloop on the last syllable of a vocal (better without drums/bass, i.e. at the end of a breakdown), then shortening the loop while applying a LPF with high resonance or a flanger... Then, at the right point, I start the other track, on a drums+bass, energetic part. When I lift my sight to the dancefloor: all hands in the air! Massive.


Tried to show some of your ideas (lookey, im using the 3rd cue point)
minus the loop shortening, which instead of hands in the air, creates an "everyone stare at the DJ moment" lol,
and then brought the loop back while turning bass down on other track

Watchwww.youtube.com

hopefully i will be able to do more intresting and lengthier videos in the near future, this is the first video of me, my NS7, and music coming out of it, so this was kind of a test run. All i had was movie maker on my DJing PC... i hate movie maker. I had no idea how i was going to film myself, so i used painters tape to stick it onto my lighting stand tripod.
NIKE fly 5:38 AM - 10 November, 2010
* to stick my camera onto
djcerla 2:46 PM - 13 November, 2010
Quote:
the loop shortening, which instead of hands in the air, creates an "everyone stare at the DJ moment" lol,


man, take a listen to BEP The Time (dirty beat) to hear a working example of this technique :-) they'll stare at you obviously, that's why we do tricks!
NIKE fly 7:28 PM - 13 November, 2010
^Haha, I actually played that song last night for a party. And yeah, I do like them starring at me. And I had the time of my life.
zaguama 9:10 PM - 13 November, 2010
Quote:
Quote:


What I really do a lot nowadays is to start a 1 beat autoloop on the last syllable of a vocal (better without drums/bass, i.e. at the end of a breakdown), then shortening the loop while applying a LPF with high resonance or a flanger... Then, at the right point, I start the other track, on a drums+bass, energetic part. When I lift my sight to the dancefloor: all hands in the air! Massive.


Tried to show some of your ideas (lookey, im using the 3rd cue point)
minus the loop shortening, which instead of hands in the air, creates an "everyone stare at the DJ moment" lol,
and then brought the loop back while turning bass down on other track

Watchwww.youtube.com

hopefully i will be able to do more intresting and lengthier videos in the near future, this is the first video of me, my NS7, and music coming out of it, so this was kind of a test run. All i had was movie maker on my DJing PC... i hate movie maker. I had no idea how i was going to film myself, so i used painters tape to stick it onto my lighting stand tripod.


Great vid man, i actually had used similar technique in the past but shortening it with the platter, it gives a different feel. Not sure if you are aware of it, some people have missed this feature in the past but with motor off you can adjust the length of the loop when rotating it so you can create a nice effect up to 1/32 then bring it back slowly then drop the beat, audience loves it when i do it.