Hi, I was just wondering what general techniques or software features you consider essential to your DJ’ing. The reason I ask is because I’m a beginning DJ trying to make a custom midi mapping for an akai lpd8. With 8 buttons and 8 knobs, there are a lot of possibilities. I’m using a mapping someone else made right now, but I find I only use the cue points and effects controls primarily. I don’t see myself using a lot of samples, but I do use looping for transitions between tracks sometimes. Besides EQ kills (which my controller lacks) and an echo freeze button, I’m wondering what other kinds of things I could incorporate into my mixing. I know there are threads similar to this, but just a general idea of what you use the most as a digital dj would be helpful to me.
That’s all? With so many people using midifighters and other kinds of MIDI equipment, I thought I would have gotten more ideas. I may just stick to using cue points, EQ’ing, and a little bit of effects until I become good enough to branch out further.
I love the echo effect on the midi fighter instant gratification mapping…probably too much, but I just got my midi fighter. It’s handy when you want to change the bpm dramatically though.
Echo/filter out of current track…drop new track, boom!
Good call on the LPD8! I have one, and have each program set to do different things. PRGM1 is my looping functions, PRGM2 is my effects section, PRGM 3 is Hot Cues and PRGM4 is sample deck control. I can send you the mapping if you’d like.
Acapella and clap loops can be gold if you want to get an audience going!
But for the most part, I do use a lot of filter, beat juggling, and light FX. I pre-cue most of my tracks so that I can skip over a large portion of it if the audience just isn’t feeling it.
Something else I like to do here and there is slow the tempo of a song dramatically before the buildup and slowly speed it back up before the chorus or drop. You don’t do anything fancy but it gives a song just a little bit more energy.