Where are you guys setting your cue points?

[wonkadonk]

So I'm trying to get better at mixing records faster and more aggressively. So I think I need to step up my cue point game. Originally I had just been putting cue points on the downbeat of all the main sections but I think now I should put cue points 4/8/16 bars before where I want to drop the track in.

What are you guys doing?

[pilmat]

Welcome to the forums.

Yeah, setting the cue point at the start of a phrase helps to make things sound smoother. One beat before means special attention to your timing!

Phil.

[Str8upDrew]

It changes for each song, but i stick to a pretty standard formula most of the time. I pick the spot where i want song to drop and be done playing the previous track. Then i go back 8/16 sometimes 32 bars before that, and thats where i set my cue point. I start the mix on the cue point, and mix the two for however long i have set and i can pretty much tell by looking whether it's a 8/16/32. Then when thats up i slam it to the next song. On top of that i'll do this in several spots for each song, at least 2, one before a chorus, and before a verse. If the song has a bridge i really like, i'll put one before that too. This allows me to replace the chorus(or verse, etc.) from deck A with the one coming up on deck B, without having to just slam the mix.

[n2hf1st]

depends on the tune.

if there's an ambient intro, #1 (almost always my grid) goes where the drums drop in. I usually keep one or two loops stored for mix in/out points, maybe another grid marker for tunes that drift. if I cue point juggle with the tune, then 1-4 are juggle points. if there's some signifiant point, for example a breakdown, that works well as a mix out point I'll put a marker there. mostly it depends on the tune, but surprisingly I can always remember why I set up a particular tune the way I did.

[n2hf1st]

p.s. as far as phrasing goes, go to deck details -> deck heading, and put "beats" and/or" "beats til cue" on the deck heading. Keep an eye on the counters and you'll always know where you are.