Is a crossfader really necessary?
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  1. #1
    Tech Mentor DirtyNerd's Avatar
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    Default Is a crossfader really necessary?

    Hello everyone. I am new here...been getting back into DJ'ing after a VERY LONG hiatus...but that is another story.

    I am not intending to start a holy war...I know that a good crossfader is essential for scratching...so my question is really for the non-scratching folks/controllerists...how useful/necessary is a crossfader to you?

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    Tech Mentor DirtyNerd's Avatar
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    As a bit of an explanation on this question...I started off on vinyl...two decks and a mixer WAY back in the day. I have only recently gotten back into it (mainly because of my love of music...not for work) and am embracing digital technology (controllers,software etc.).

    I am slowly evolving my setup moving more and more toward modular controllers and am planning my next set of "investments". I mainly mix with volume faders/EQs and only use the cross fader to quickly switch between playing songs as part of a routine....but that is more the exception rather than the rule...So I am thinking that I should embrace my controllerist tendencies and just map that functionality to buttons and avoid the crossfader altogether. That gives me the ability to be more creative with my setup and controller selection moving forward...

    I am already forsaking an external mixer by using an M-Audio X-Session Pro...But it feels slightly like a toy compared to my Kontrol X1. If I can use something like the A&H Xone:K2 or Behringer CMD-MM1, I can get away without an external mixer AND have decent controls for EQs etc...

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    Tech Guru djproben's Avatar
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    You can ask the same about any control on your mixer -- is a midrange knob really necessary? How about a cue button? It all depends on your mixing style.
    "Art is what you can get away with." - Marshall McLuhan

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    Quote Originally Posted by djproben View Post
    You can ask the same about any control on your mixer -- is a midrange knob really necessary? How about a cue button? It all depends on your mixing style.

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    Tech Mentor DirtyNerd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by djproben View Post
    You can ask the same about any control on your mixer -- is a midrange knob really necessary? How about a cue button? It all depends on your mixing style.
    I agree. I don't use it too much except for some specific mini-routines cutting back and forth between songs...I mainly mix with volume faders and EQs...I just wanted to get a sense of how other used/didn't use the cross fader so as to be better informed.

    Maybe a better question would be...how do you use the crossfader when you perform?

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    DJTT Administrator del Ritmo padi_04's Avatar
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    I haven't used a crossfader in at least 5 years.

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    Tech Guru SirReal's Avatar
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    I mostly use the line faders and EQ, the only time I use the crossfader is when I'm mixing breaks and want sharp quick cuts.
    "Walking the fine line between Stupidity and Genious" My Soundcloud ---- My Mixcloud
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    Tech Mentor DirtyNerd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SirReal View Post
    I mostly use the line faders and EQ, the only time I use the crossfader is when I'm mixing breaks and want sharp quick cuts.
    Likewise, but like I said, I am just getting back into things and am wondering how things have progressed and how people are performing. Curious if it is still an integral component, or is it a "holdover" from analog/vinyl days and destined to go the way of jogwheels. Note that jogwheels are still around...but it looks to me like there is a non-trivial movement away from jogwheels...

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    Tech Guru SirReal's Avatar
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    You could say that BUT I specifically searched out controllers with touch sensitive jogs just because I sometimes want ot mix "Old School" It's true that you can now "get by" without using them BUT you've got to do some pre-prep on your tracks with gridding & loop points and such. I wanted the ability to do both.
    "Walking the fine line between Stupidity and Genious" My Soundcloud ---- My Mixcloud
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    Quote Originally Posted by SirReal View Post
    You could say that BUT I specifically searched out controllers with touch sensitive jogs just because I sometimes want ot mix "Old School" It's true that you can now "get by" without using them BUT you've got to do some pre-prep on your tracks with gridding & loop points and such. I wanted the ability to do both.
    I've thought about that and am VERY conflicted on the issue. On the one hand, I want to be able to mix "old-school" as that is how I started...but on the other hand, I don't have the ability to spend indiscriminate amounts of cash buying lots of controllers, or something like the S4/VCI400 etc...they are just out of my range.

    I thought about buying something like a Numark Mixtrack to use alongside my Kontrol X1/Launchpad/X-Session Pro when I want to mix old-school....but that it just seems so bulky...Maybe a Behringer CMD PL-1 might be a solution for me....give me a jogwheel for multiple decks when I need it...slim and not too expensive.

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