Xone DX video
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  1. #1
    Tech Guru Yul's Avatar
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    Default Xone DX video

    Hello guys, after reading Pilmat's review of the unit I thought about illustrating its use with this video.

    Hope you'll enjoy the short mix (ok, it is a bit cheesy to play Faithless/Prydz but that was on purpose) and that it will give you an idea about the potential that could be released from mapping the DX with Traktor (especially as the DX operates on 5 different midi sections so you can use 5 times the modifiers available within Traktor).

    I added a bit of 'controllerism' inside mostly inspired by DJ Techtools' mapping on the vci100. Sadly the DX doesn't have sensitive jogwheels but still you can be creative and use other controls available to get an interesting result.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1wAOKmB5Cs

    This morning I thought it would be fun to continue to mix from the last point and to show some other tricks with what could be achieved. So I took back the last track I used in the previous vid, pulled out a few other tracks and made the video this time on two aspects: the use of a super combo (two units: 3 chained Fxs and 1 advanced FX) controlled by the jogwheel and the copy track function with Fxs and 'crossfader assignments'.
    I saw a few mapping where those physical controls were replaced by something else but I don't really like their feel as a 'playable' control and I still use from time to time the crossfader assignments and I find those handy when playing multiple copy of the same track.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPGZdOfaEb0
    Last edited by Yul; 06-19-2010 at 01:42 PM. Reason: Updated with second video

  2. #2
    Tech Wizard monkey magic's Avatar
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    nice vid good to get an idea of what it can do

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    Tech Guru SirReal's Avatar
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    Nice Vid, Thx for that. Great potential with the DX for sure.
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  4. #4
    Tech Guru pilmat's Avatar
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    Excellent vid Yul! Nice mix too.

    Couple of questions:
    I noticed that the master level lights were often maxed out in the red, is this due to a mapping of the lights or did I miss something?

    Why are your headphone cue buttons always on? I like it that it adds light to a dark zone on the mixer and that you used amber, but is there another reason?

    Did you map the FX so the wet dry is on the right (the encoder)? from a work flow point of view this would make sense to me if I could get used to it being reversed to the screen.

    Thanks for the this and glad if I inspired you to post this. I'm sure many would like to give your TSI a try if you would care to post it (I would have a go with it for sure!).

    Later, Phil.
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  5. #5
    Tech Guru Yul's Avatar
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    - I'm using Traktor autogain - for what it's worth - as for the main volume it doesn't really have sense here as I'm using the digital out for recording and a limiter. Nothing to do with mapping and to be honest didn't really bother to make fine adjustments (lazy me). AND as I've done it quickly yesterday at night while my daughter was sleeping there's not even sound coming from the unit and I'm doing all on the headphones only.

    - the first 4 tracks were already in the virtual decks so I didn't really have to monitor cue that's why you don't see me using the cue buttons, same for following tracks, I have a load marker on the first beat and I know the tracks. However as a side note, the cue buttons leds are amber while not engaged and red when engaged. I didn't plug turntables for the time being so I didn't really needed the 'audio through' use of the amber lights hence the borrowing to indicate an un-engaged cue button (more lights is better on the unit). I'm waiting for A&H to release the patch that would allow to midi map the green lights.

    - the right encoder on the fx units is both a blessing and a flaw depending on your point of view. It's wicked when you're using beatmasher/slicer and the like as a third chained fx (which is the case in the video), it's a bit more annoying when you need a smoother control (that's tempered by the settings within Traktor but still it's not the same feeling).
    I'm glad in fact that A&H chose an encoder/push button, I see that mainly as an advantage. So to answer the question, no I'm not using it as dry/wet.
    The DX's FX units being the controls for chained FXs, the first button on the left of each unit is a kill for all three FXs on the unit.



    The mapping is working on the basis that:

    * each deck has three states: move and loop mode, hotcues mode, Fx mode.

    * FX unit 1 is chained and only used for decks A&C
    unit 3 is advanced for decks A&C
    unit 2 & 4 are for decks B&D (and respectively chained and advanced)

    * I'm only using presets for FXs:

    - 8 presets of 3 chained FXs usually controlled by the DX's FX units.

    - 7 presets of 1 advanced FX. Pushing a button will call the fx, set the parameters, engage the unit on for a given deck. For a nice twist, even if I'm using generally speaking the same parameters for advanced Fxs I can also if desired use the jogwheel and the encoder push button. Depending on the FX called, the controls available either with the jogwheel or the encoder would be different.

    - 7 "juggle combos" presets of 3 chained FXs only controlled by the jogwheel and encoder/push button. A good example of this is the Beatmasher/delay/reverse grain trick. That's what would be closer to Dj Techtools's mapping for the VCI100 (lacking the sensitive jogwheel - pants!!! - and the use of the line fader. I tried to use the line fader in the mapping but that was not really satisfactory, mapping and practically wise).

    - 7 presets of 3 chained Fxs and 1 advanced FX (meaning you're using both FX units 1&3 for deck A or C, or FX units 2&4 for deck B or D) that are controlled by the jogwheel only (swoosh, scratch fx, what I call the space drive, etc... well combos) .

    That are the main ideas within the beast. I'm not really comfortable publishing the mapping as it's way from perfect, I need to make a serious amount of adjustments in the settings, change some Fx combos I'm not that using often for more clever ones (found new ones), correct some bugs (I really should get a mac) and find solutions to current 'live' issues that I didn't think about, implement some stuff, review the whole, realize it's way too complicated, dump the whole thing to start again from scratch ^^.
    If one day it seems to be stable and clever enough to be playable without a fuss, why not. But not in its current state (the mapped functions lines within the controller manager are just a mess as I changed things over and over within it, it need to be cleaned up too to be 'readable'.
    Please NI give us a nice layout and practical tools to create, change and read mappings please??
    However what I can do as I need to do update it anyway is to publish at least the visual plan of the mapping in case someone may find it useful or for the video to be more understandable.
    Last edited by Yul; 06-18-2010 at 11:51 AM.

  6. #6
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    awesome vid.

    THis is my next splurge!
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  7. #7
    Tech Guru eastcoastams's Avatar
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    Nice mix man, wish I could afford one of these right now

  8. #8
    Tech Guru Yul's Avatar
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    This is the first of the three parts of the mapping's written plan (in its current state): mixer section & deck state "move/loop mode".
    The following two (a bit later) will relate to the two other states of the deck sections: hotcue mode & Fx mode.
    Last edited by Yul; 06-18-2010 at 11:52 AM.

  9. #9
    Tech Guru Yul's Avatar
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    Second part of the three.
    You get access to the deck state 'hotcue mode' by pressing the corresponding button at the bottom of the deck (where the original hotcues are supposed to be). The 4 leds on the main part of the deck section are lit also as a reminder.

    You get access to 8 hotcues (+clear by shift).
    A next/previous button and a slicer as an advanced fx (you start to hold shift to route the fx to the deck and set preferred parameters). Pressing the button again will start the fx and gives you control over several parameters at once with the rotary encoder next to the jogwheel and pressing the button on the encoder will engage the glitch parameter (turning the rotary encoder while holding the glitch will change the glitch value).
    The reason behind the presence of the slicer here is to allow for juggling with cue points and record/have fun with the slicer.

  10. #10
    Tech Guru Yul's Avatar
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    Third part: the Fx mode section for the deck.
    You get access to this mode by pushing the related button at the bottom of the section, like the one on the hotcue mode, the corresponding led lit as the two top leds on the buttons on the main section of the deck (meaning you're in state "2"=fx mode).

    There are three types of group here:

    - 7 advanced fx (ADV): you push a button it chooses, activates the unit for the deck, sets parameters, activates the fx. You can also choose once the fx is activated to control some parameters with the jogwheel and encoder/push button. Depending on the Fx called the parameters controlled are different.
    - 7 "juggle" FX chained combos (JUG): holding the deck's shift and pushing the desired button will call and set the related combo. Using the jogwheel will turn the Fx(s) on, will control some of the parameters. The encoder/push button usually controls the third fx of the combo and its value.
    Like the previous group of Fx, controls with the jogwheel and encoder will change from a combo to another one.
    - 7 super combos (CMB) using both the 3 chained FXs from FX unit 1 and an advanced fx from FX unit 3 (for decks A or C - and the opposite Fx units 2 & 4 for decks B&D). Holding the central shift (in green) and pushing a button will call the Fxs, set parameters, etc... You control all the parameters for both units with the jogwheel only.

    As a visual reminder one of the led from the deck's main section will blink if you're having control over the advanced Fx unit, a different one will blink if you're having control over the chained FX unit and the two together will blink in case you're using a super combo.


    All the above was the funniest and most difficult 'mode' to map. Each group is a modifier with different states that excludes other groups; lit some leds or unlit others, etc, etc..


    As I said it's way from perfect and needs to be more precise and clever. it's 'quite' complicated (at least the more complex I did) and there are pitfalls while using it. It also lacks several functions I'd like to have and I need to change some choices made.

    That's it for now. Hope you'll get a clever insight on what's going with the vid. May be the plan will give ideas to others.

    Thanks all.

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