Q-point
Hi Virtual DJs!
This is my first post here but I have been following these forums for a long time and also been using VDJ for many years now. I think it was VDJ 4.0 when I first started to use VDJ. I have been a DJ since I was 13 which was back in 1989. So I have experience with mixing vinyl, CDs and with software. I started using BPM Studio as my DJ-software back in 2002 i think. Since then I have tried many different DJ-software and I always seem to be coming back to VDJ. It is the software which has the most features and also the best ones. It is also the only software to use in some areas, such as video. Although, I really like VDJ and think it is the best DJ-software by far I have some wishes that I would like to share with you and the VDJ-team. Please, feel free to comment on my suggestions. I am sorry if I may suggest something that is already possible in VDJ. If so, please let me know. I did my best to reach 20 suggestions (for VDJ 10.0 :-) but VDJ is already very rich on features so I leave it with 18.
Best regards to you all!
Urban
1.Save loops etc.
One of the main reasons for me to choose BPM Studio back in the beginning of 2002 was the ability to save loops. This is also a feature available in many other DJ-software and should soon be implemented in VDJ. I know that I can engage loop and then jump to a specific cue point in order to get an instant loop but it would be much easier if we could have the ability to save loops as we can with cue points.
I would also like to be able to engage an upcoming loop-in point before the track reaches that point so that the track automatically starts to loop when it reaches a certain point in the track.
2.“Better” and more native sound effects
In comparison with some other DJ-software I think the native effects in VDJ isn´t quite as good as for example Traktor. Ableton (I know some of you might think it´s not really i DJ-software) have some really good sound effects also. I know we have the ability to add VST´s and that we can create our own plugins. A VST with accurate BPM synchronization however needs a MIDI Clock and I am not certain if it is possible to sync a VST with VDJ with that, especially do I not know if that is possible on a Mac yet. It also seems a bit confusing how to set up the MIDI Clock to use it this way. If it´s possible to do this already then someone maybe can explain how to do it for me. That would be much appreciated.
It would be terrific if I could assign one knob to control different effects without having to write VDJ-script. Just by turning a knob. I think that feature is available in Turnado (VST-effect).
I would also like the ability to use effect/send like in Ableton for example. That makes it possible to add effects like echo or something similar to the track and just raise the volume on the controller to make beautiful overlays and so on and when I lower the volume slider the sound echoes out instead of getting completely silent directly. You can try what I mean by turning on the EchoDoppler effect and just stop the track. With a effect/send ability I wouldn´t have to stop the track and try to start it on beat again. I can just rise and lower a volume slider.
3.More accurate visual beatgrid and adjustable beatgrid for those tracks with not accurate bpm (elastic CBG) and a metronome.
First I must say that I am so impressed with the bpm counter in VDJ. It manages to calculate the bpm correctly almost every single time without any need of adjustments. That is quite amazing. Try to do that with Traktor or Ableton without having to adjust the CBG. Anyway, sometimes it is necessary to make adjustments. In those cases I think it would be helpful with a more visually precise CBG and waveform. A line or something would make it easier than just a dot in the CBG. A metronome would also help because sometimes I don´t know which CBG I have to adjust and therefore I might adjust the wrong one, the one with a perfect synced CBG. I will then end up with an incorrect CBG on two or more tracks. A metronome would make it easier to find which track that has the CBG off beat.
An adjustable CBG for those tracks that thanges BPM or just gets off beat some times would be very appreciated. I think the only software that has this ability is Ableton, Torq and MixMeister. That would make it easy to do crazy mixing also with rock tracks and golden oldies. Some new dance tracks however is also sometimes off beat and has changing bpm.
Ableton and Torq has different approaches to this. Ableton forces all tracks to be consistent with the BPM. It sort of stretches all tracks to be linear with a BPM although the actual track might slow down or speed up at times. I have not tried Torq but I believe it has the ability to let one track be the master and all other tracks and samples follow the master tracks BPM if it changes. I can´t really say which solution I prefer if I have to choose. Maybe a combination of both of them would be the best solution. VDJ could have the Ableton-solution as default but with the ability to make certain tracks as BPM-Masters if it is necessary that the BPM of that certain track changes. Some tracks are made to slow down and then speed up again.
I would also like to be able to lock or save the CBG for every track so that I don´t, by mistake or during a gig, change my settings for a track and when I play the track later that track gets off beat or something because of that change if I rely on the CBG.
4.Key lock and adjustable key for samples + sampler banks
I would like that the samples were recorded in the same key that the track is currently playing at. If I save a sample with adjusted key it should also be saved in that key. A batch-change of the key of the samples in all the sample slots would also be nice so that I can load a bunch of samples and just hit for example “4A” and all samples is changed, not to 4A, but to the corresponding keys 3A, 4A and 5A.
Sometimes the samples get off beat. I really like to add a lot of loops with drums, melodies and a cappellas during my gigs and I would appreciate an ability to change the phase of the samples, a sort of pitch bend or CBG +- if you like. Just so that I can adjust the samples if they get off beat.
Sample banks for specific play lists, tracks or genres would be much helpful. Now we need to open the folders with samples in it and choose a sample slot for each sample. If I would like to use for example five or six samples for one track I simply don´t have time to find these samples and load all the sample slots. Drag and drop for samples, and for a bunch of samples for many slots, would be perfect and help a lot.
5.Drag and drop-playlists
I have been using Itunes play lists for a long time and have just recently been doing some playlists in VDJ. Previously I have just been using the smart lists. I find it a bit frustrating that i don´t seem to have drag and drop and easy naming and renaming of playlists. and I can´t find out how to change the order of the tracks in a playlist in a simple way other than saving the playlist again.
6.More integration with Grooveshark
I have recently become a premium member and I find the Netsearch feature very helpful. I also have a Grooveshark account now and I would like to connect that account with all my playlists in Grooveshark to VDJ so that I can view my playlists directly from within VDJ and also download complete playlists to the cache. That would be awesome.
7.The same effects and transitions that are available for PC to the Mac
I know that VDJ was developed for many years on the PC-platform before it became available for Mac. It is also the users who create the specific plugins who decides if a plugin will be available for both platforms. I think though that it shouldn´t be any difference for the PC and the Mac users when it comes to what effects and transitions that can be used on the different platforms.
8.Presets for every track
I would like to load specific samples, tracks, effects and so on that are connected to the track that is loaded in a deck. Lets say I have loaded Alexandra Stan on deck 1. If I have five samples, like the saxophone melody, and maybe four different tracks or other loops that I want loaded in deck 5-9 I would like to be able to just press the “load presets”-button and all these samples, loops, a cappellas and so on gets loaded in sample slots connected to deck 1 and also in for example deck 5-9 if those decks are also connected to deck 1. Everything in sync and in a corresponding key. This “load presets” should also be possible for different effects that are perfect for just that loaded track. If this would be possible we could have a skin with four decks as main decks and a grid of minidecks with, lets say deck 5-14 connected to deck 1, deck 15-24 connected to deck 2 and channel 2. (compare with Serato/Ableton-Bridge) and use the minidecks as “Ableton Clip launchers”. I hope you get my idea. Just load a track in deck 1, press “load presets” and you will have 10 loops for example the sax melody from Alexandra Stan “Saxobeat” in deck 5 with effects already applied to it ready to mix in on top of the main track plus useful samples and specific effects. A killer setup for those who like to do some live remixing. Or scratchers could press “load presets” and they would have all their turntables ready with sounds to scratch with on top of the track that is playing. VJs can have video loops and visuals loaded in no time for live “video remixing”. Endless possibilities :-)
9.Save a track with specific presets
Let´s say I have a track that I have played to the end because it has been very popular. I now want to play only certain parts of it. This would be possible and very simple if I could save the track with presets like “when track reaches cue point 3 - jump to cue point 5 and loop 8 beats for 8 times then to to cue point 1 and loop 16 beats”. This is possible to do live with cue points of course but it would be very helpful if we were able to create these mini-remixes to make extended versions, short versions and so on of the tracks and also for example effects which triggers when the track reaches a certain point.
10.User specific transitions for Automix
I have not found any way to change the transitions in Automix besides changing the time of the fade. I would like to determine the transitions more in detail for example by number of beats, change eq after 16 or 32 beats (base up on deck 1, base down on deck 2) and so on. I know that VDJ is a live-DJ software and not a DAW but since we already have Automix I think some extra features in it would make it even better.
11.Longer loops than 32 and shorter than 1/8
When I double the loop VDJ doesn´t go further than 32 beats and not shorter than 1/8 beats. I think it would be cool if we could make a really short loop, adding some filter and go crazy (thinking about Swedish House Mafia - One, but doing it live).
12.Fader and volume transitions
I think it is possible to do this with VDJ-script but it would be helpful if we could have some pre-made “transitions” for the volume and fader sliders. One could be when I move up the volume slider the track is at first gradually filtered (high pass) and cut with the cut effect from 0 to 60 %. The filter has then gradually been turned off and is completely off at 60 %. If I move the slider up to 85 % the cut effect gradually turns off and for the last 15 % the base gradually kicks in. The different settings that can be applied to a slider are endless. I believe Torq 2.0 has a kind of feature like this.
13.“Action-Cue points”
When the track reaches a cue point the software can automatically be told to jump to another cue point, engage loop, trigger effects, start deck 2, play a sample and so on. Maybe also with “drag and drop” so I can just drag one effect, one sample, and cue point 1 from deck 2 to cue point 4 on deck 1 and all of this gets triggered when the track on deck 1 reaches cue point 4.
14.Wait-command
A VDJ-script command that would let us build effects and actions that happens over time for example while a assigned button is pressed a track starts lopping 1 beat, after 4 beats it loops ½ beat and so on and at the end it automatically ads some filter and at release jumps to a pre defined cue point. That was just an example. Those of you who are familiar with Ableton have probably been working with “dummy clips” and know what I mean. I believe this might be possible with some advanced VDJ-scripting already but some simple “dummy clip”-builder would be nice. Then we can just press a button and a lot of effects can be added and also changed automatically in a pre-defined pattern for 4, 8, 16 beats or more. The Beatgrid-effect works a little like this but only for 4 beats.
15.Ability to show Flash as video (flash animations and text)
Especially the flash text would be cool if we could have something like a flash text builder in VDJ to add on top of video. It just occurred to me that it might be possible to change the flash-format to a format that is already compatible with VDJ, like mp4 or something. I haven´t tried that. Anyway, I would like to write messages or the name of the club and so on and instantly see my text as a cool flash-text on the screens.
16.Grid with decks
Maybe a grid of decks (think Serato/Ableton The Bridge) can be made already as a skin. Anyway, I would like to have four decks as “main decks” and maybe 12 decks per main deck in a grid below each main deck. When I load a track in main deck I would like the connected decks in the grid to be loaded with samples, tracks, loops, effects and whatever I have saved as presets if I press “load presets” (see above under 8). The benefit with having decks as kind of sample slots is that I can add effects, make key adjustments and so on for each sample. A grid of decks not connected to a main deck would also be good to have. That would be almost exactly as having The Bridge but without Ableton running in the background.
17.Advanced playlist and rating system
I would like to be able to assign settings for the actual gig, like “wedding”, “house club”, “mainstream club”, “corporate event” etc. and also for different times during the gig, for example dinner-time, start of the dancing, prime time, afterhours. So when I click that I now am on prime time, VDJ would recognize the tracks that I play and if I rate a track as a five star-track during that time, the same track should pop up as a suggestion if I´m doing a gig a few weeks later which also is, for example, a wedding. Maybe this is a little overkill when we can just make playlists and smart lists. But I thought it could be cool if I could just rate the tracks as I play them during a gig and if I play the track during the opening of the club VDJ could by itself make a playlist for the opening hours the next time I am at the same type of club. Well, it´s just a thought.
18.Midi clock (for Mac)
I have seen some comments that this might exist in VDJ, but I don´t know if that is true just on the PC-side. Anyway, I would like to have a “easy to use”-midi clock so that I can sync VSTs, Ableton or any other software to VDJ.
Alright, his was kind of a long post. I hope that was ok.
// Urban, Q-point Deejay Entertainment
Inviato Wed 07 Sep 11 @ 5:10 am
SBDJ
Q-point wrote :
7.The same effects and transitions that are available for PC to the Mac
I know that VDJ was developed for many years on the PC-platform before it became available for Mac. It is also the users who create the specific plugins who decides if a plugin will be available for both platforms. I think though that it shouldn´t be any difference for the PC and the Mac users when it comes to what effects and transitions that can be used on the different platforms.
I know that VDJ was developed for many years on the PC-platform before it became available for Mac. It is also the users who create the specific plugins who decides if a plugin will be available for both platforms. I think though that it shouldn´t be any difference for the PC and the Mac users when it comes to what effects and transitions that can be used on the different platforms.
As you've stated it's the users. Are you offering to buy all plugin developers a Mac? ;)
Q-point wrote :
11.Longer loops than 32 and shorter than 1/8
You can, but you have to do it manually. Examples:
loop 64
loop 32 ? loop 64 : loop_double
Q-point wrote :
13.“Action-Cue points”
There have been plugins to do this in the past :)
Q-point wrote :
15.Ability to show Flash as video (flash animations and text)
Convert it, or use a plugin such as FireText or Essential Video.
Q-point wrote :
18.Midi clock (for Mac)
Shouldn't you check before asking. I'm not a Mac user but AFAIK it was added.
Inviato Wed 07 Sep 11 @ 5:52 am
Q-point
Hi SBDJ!
Thank you for your input. I would like to be able to offer all VDJs a Mac but I can´t really afford that :-)
Big thanks for the examples of VDJ-script. It´s hard to find examples on that so I have been doing a lot of trial and error but I keep learning.
It seems to exist some kind of SendMidiClockTo in the Registry Tool. I haven´t worked with that and don´t know how to use it, but I will give it a try.
Thanks again for your answers!
Thank you for your input. I would like to be able to offer all VDJs a Mac but I can´t really afford that :-)
Big thanks for the examples of VDJ-script. It´s hard to find examples on that so I have been doing a lot of trial and error but I keep learning.
It seems to exist some kind of SendMidiClockTo in the Registry Tool. I haven´t worked with that and don´t know how to use it, but I will give it a try.
Thanks again for your answers!
Inviato Wed 07 Sep 11 @ 6:37 am
SBDJ
No problem. The Mac donation was tongue-in-cheek but the problem is that for plugin developers without a Mac it is near impossible for them to create a Mac plugin - especially for video purposes.
Inviato Wed 07 Sep 11 @ 7:20 am
synthet1c
1.Save loops etc.
for this I have somewhat of a workaround but it is intelligent... Over the last couple of days I have discovered a way to save information with your tracks, you have 99 bits of possible information that can be linked to a variable when scripting... If you guessed I'm using the hot cues you would be right. Using this method you can save loops as they are playing which the size and position of the loop can be recalled later with the press of a button. But I'm not going to give it away to NLU's so Pro's will need to download my new mapper for the reloop Digital Jockey 2 to get it, It will be released when I finish the instruction manual (it needs one LOL).
8.Presets for every track
to load a number of decks with preset tracks you can use "save_deck_set" and "load_deck_set" this will save the information of the tracks loaded to the decks in an xml file that can be loaded with the same file at a later stage, If you pair that with the above idea, you could do exactly as you requested, but a little restricted.
11.Longer loops than 32 and shorter than 1/8
there is no restriction in the loop size to doubling or halving when you use "loop 200%" & "loop 50%" as well, you can just change the mapping of either your controller or skin to this to have the option
14.Wait-command
I know I'm a nerd but this would be better than christmas for me I would make vdj do some great things with it
+1,000,000,000 (+1 billion)
13.“Action-Cue points”
If this was mappable it would be better than christmas eve, because I could make this perform something like a wait command, although a little restricted LOL
12.Fader and volume transitions
This I have done, but you do need to know how to script, If you give me a suggestion of exactly what you want at what part of the knob/slider with what effect, I can try to make it work for you. a slider or knob is heaps easier to do than buttons.
knob
http://www.virtualdj.com/forums/151471/PC_Version_Technical_Support/would_like_to_control_2_parameters_in_diff_sections_of_a_knob___.html
buttons
http://www.virtualdj.com/forums/151935/PC_Version_Technical_Support/here_is_a_map_for_you_keyboard_guys_-_eq_undermix_crossfader.html
for this I have somewhat of a workaround but it is intelligent... Over the last couple of days I have discovered a way to save information with your tracks, you have 99 bits of possible information that can be linked to a variable when scripting... If you guessed I'm using the hot cues you would be right. Using this method you can save loops as they are playing which the size and position of the loop can be recalled later with the press of a button. But I'm not going to give it away to NLU's so Pro's will need to download my new mapper for the reloop Digital Jockey 2 to get it, It will be released when I finish the instruction manual (it needs one LOL).
8.Presets for every track
to load a number of decks with preset tracks you can use "save_deck_set" and "load_deck_set" this will save the information of the tracks loaded to the decks in an xml file that can be loaded with the same file at a later stage, If you pair that with the above idea, you could do exactly as you requested, but a little restricted.
11.Longer loops than 32 and shorter than 1/8
there is no restriction in the loop size to doubling or halving when you use "loop 200%" & "loop 50%" as well, you can just change the mapping of either your controller or skin to this to have the option
14.Wait-command
I know I'm a nerd but this would be better than christmas for me I would make vdj do some great things with it
+1,000,000,000 (+1 billion)
13.“Action-Cue points”
If this was mappable it would be better than christmas eve, because I could make this perform something like a wait command, although a little restricted LOL
12.Fader and volume transitions
This I have done, but you do need to know how to script, If you give me a suggestion of exactly what you want at what part of the knob/slider with what effect, I can try to make it work for you. a slider or knob is heaps easier to do than buttons.
knob
http://www.virtualdj.com/forums/151471/PC_Version_Technical_Support/would_like_to_control_2_parameters_in_diff_sections_of_a_knob___.html
buttons
http://www.virtualdj.com/forums/151935/PC_Version_Technical_Support/here_is_a_map_for_you_keyboard_guys_-_eq_undermix_crossfader.html
Inviato Wed 07 Sep 11 @ 8:30 am
tayla
15, The Firetext plugin has been available for 18 months or more now with the ability to send moving text to screen vertically or horizontally and you can also have a moving logo displayed at the same time, you really need to check out this free plugin...
http://www.virtualdj.com/addons/10481/FireText_VirtualDJ_Plugin.html
Used in conjunction with Scotts scroll text you can come up with some great on screen visual effects.
http://www.virtualdj.com/addons/10481/FireText_VirtualDJ_Plugin.html
Used in conjunction with Scotts scroll text you can come up with some great on screen visual effects.
Inviato Wed 07 Sep 11 @ 2:39 pm