Been looking on the net for ages on information on this but to no avail so any help would be much appreciated.
I need to know how to do a drumroll in Traktor - by this I basically mean when you have a loop that goes from 4 bars->2->1->1/2->1/4->1/8 and then you drop the bass back in - usually happens at breakdowns in songs. By the way, the loop usually goes into a higher sounding pitch (I assume to build tension).
To hear an example (sort of):
It’s the only thing that I found that was similar.
Hope anyone can help/suggest how to do this in Traktor - I was thinking of using the jogwheels on my controller to reduce the loop but does Traktor support 1/2,1/4,1/8 loops?
On the deck you have selected, right click on the loop button that has the length. You should get a whole list of amounts (32, 16, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1/2, etc.). You can either set a button to select previous loop amount or set a button/hotkey to each loop amount you want. So, for example, on your keyboard, the top row of numbers… 1 could be 32, 2 could be 16, 3 could be 8, etc. all the way down the line. You could also do this with a MIDI controller.
Another option is to designate a hotkey/MIDI command to select next/previous loop length. So, for example, every time you hit the left arrow key the loop gets smaller, and every time you hit the right arrow key the loop gets longer. You can do some interesting changes here with vocal samples and drum lines. Hope this helps.
What configuration is made for loops in the Traktor 3.3 tks for the VCI?
I’ve been messing around with the black buttons on the VCI but I find the loop options surprisingly limited on the standard setting? Is it really this limited or is it just me?
Well I assumed that the looping function would be set up in a manner that such a ‘drumroll’ effect could be achieved eg.One button activates looping, then you can scroll through them with two buttons on the VCI.
I’m just wondering what the standard VCI Traktor 3.3 tks does with the looping buttons on the VCI (Upper left section - Three white function buttons and four small black buttons)
It seems to me that you can only turn on loop and move between three different loop sizes.
I have found that if you follow DvlsAdvct’s advice and set 2 buttons up - one to increase and the other to decrease loop length - then you can get much smaller loop sizes. I think taking snap off also helps.
Yeah, I think that’s how they have it set up by default, but that doesn’t mean you can’t change it Just play around with the tks until you find the settings and abilities you want. That’s my mission this week: find adequate looping.
Does anyone think it would be a good idea to share their personal techniques how to create different effects to add life to your mix with effects as the one described above? I am new to the DJ world and I thought what a great idea to share your ideas and experience with one another.
Another idea would be if Ean could provide some insight on how to create different effects to add life to our mix (I know Ean is busy, just a thought) using the different effects.
Just a thought, Mark
P.S. A proud owner of the VCI-100 Limited Edition EG
Definitely, I’d really like to hear other people’s tips and tricks on effects. Even if it’s only different MIDI settings to improve efficiency of effects use etc.
Hi, as you just spoken to beatmashing, I have a question:
Is there a possibility to be not limited to the 1/32 beatmashing which is the most decreased loop size in the effect? I really would like to be able to do 1/64 or 1/128 beatmashing (I know it doesn’t sound clear, but I need that sound )
I was wrong about my own performance! thats exactly how I did it in that video and how the vci-100se is set up. 4 buttons activate loops on 4 decks and then there are 3 buttons to shorten loops on 3 decks.
Here’s a trick:
Set a 2beat loop just before the bass kicks in.
Open up the start loop panel and change your buttons so you have /2 and 1/8 available.
Turn off loop snap now or this wont work.
Press the /2 button repeatedly to cut the loop size in half each time.
You need to use the start loop settings because if you move the end of the loop the bass wont kick in when you release the loop.
If you keep pressing /2 the loop itself will start moving and you can create a kind of roll effect on voices or whatever you want. If you want it to go faster use the 1/8 button.
Release the loop when you feel the crowd proceeds to trip
Finally made the dive into altering the tks. after reading all the adice to get what I wanted and now have the four black loop buttons set up to inc/dec loop length and move the loop; just the way I wanted. And this will only be the beginning!
I have another question on this now. I’ve got a handle on loops (making them, shortening, increasing etc.) but in terms of mixing, when I make a loop just before a bass line coming back in, if i shorten it, it obviously is going to have a slight gap just before the bassline.
If I can do a slight graphical representation it would look like this:
If you are looking at this in terms of a timeline, you can see i can repeat those 1/8 loops but when i stop the loop, there is a slight gap before the bassline. is the only way to combat this playing the same song side by side with a cue point on the bassline on deck B and the looping going on in deck A?
Let me make sure I have your question right. You have a short loop prior to a bass entry. You want to know how to go from the end of the loop to the bass line, avoiding the 1/8 beat gap.
If this is right, then here’s an idea. You would set your loop, gap and all, and set a cue point where the bass line should be. Set a hotkey/midi command for jump to cue: next, or the cue number, and when you want it to drop just hit it and there you will be.
And the fun part is you can that the loop will still be active, so you can re-loop it and continue the loop whenever you want
DvlsAdvct: You sir, are a genius! haha. Nice one mate - exactly what I meant, now I just need to go through all of my mp3s and sort the cue points out!
Hope this helps.
