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Zafire
12-02-2012, 12:07 PM
So i wasn't sure if here or the Techniques forum would be best for this but either way i've posted it here :ninja:

I've spent most of my day messing around on the CDJ's and watching video's of various DJ's with various different styles as to how they mix. One thing that i personally don't use much of ( however i would like to ) is effects / Looping.

So the question is how do you guys / girls use yours? Do you even use them at all? Do you use them solely for bringing in / out tracks or do you take the Laidback Luke / James Zabiela approach and throw them in all over the place ? Do you use them on a on a channel or on the master mostly?

The only effects i've really played with varying degrees of success is the Hi/Low pass filter & the 1/1 Delay.

mars.shosh1n
12-02-2012, 12:33 PM
Generally, I won't use effects while mixing. There are two exceptions I can think of off the top of my head:

- If I'm playing a bunch of new music I haven't listened to before, and the lead-in to a mix is starting to sound sketchy, I might prep a low pass or delay type effect to "smooth over" (read: fake the funk) a harder cut than I would've wanted.
- If I don't intend to mix in the first place, I'll probably use a delay and fade-in to incoming track. I rarely do this, except at the end of a mix cd if I want to drop something completely different (like a ragga jungle mix, ending with straight up reggae).

Edit: Outside of mixing, I do some outboard effects processing on my mixer, usually effecting my emx-1 synth.

Era 7
12-02-2012, 12:37 PM
don't really use 'em.

g-sep
12-02-2012, 01:14 PM
Reverbs, delays, echos, filters. I spin techno.

drop1
12-02-2012, 01:38 PM
What effects I use greatly depends on the type of music im playing. Some just sound better with certain genres.

Sigma
12-02-2012, 01:46 PM
I occasionally use a touch of reverb, but the effect I use the most is echo, usually for "echo outs" when taking a track out of the mix. Sometimes I do it manually using the line fader or sometimes I use an actual echo effect. I try not to overuse effects though.

I do mess about with scratching using different effects, but it's just for fun mainly. Here's some scratching using the ubiquitous "ahhhhhh" sample with a morphoder effect on it, for example: -

http://www.sigmamixes.com/misc/oddcuts.mp3

M!TCH
12-02-2012, 02:42 PM
Here is the thing about effects IMO, incorrectly used effects can screw up a set, extremely well used effects make your set marginally better.

DJ Nada
12-02-2012, 02:42 PM
I don't use too many effects in the way you mean, but I do have a few techniques I like to use.

One is mixing out with the EQ instead of the crossfader. I beatmatch, bring in the new track, then fade out the first track bass first, mids next, then highs after letting them ride for a bit. It can sound pretty awesome with the right tracks.

I also like using a powerdown or echo out for tracks I can't beatmatch properly.

drop1
12-02-2012, 03:14 PM
I occasionally use a touch of reverb, but the effect I use the most is echo, usually for "echo outs" when taking a track out of the mix. Sometimes I do it manually using the line fader or sometimes I use an actual echo effect. I try not to overuse effects though.

I do mess about with scratching using different effects, but it's just for fun mainly. Here's some scratching using the ubiquitous "ahhhhhh" sample with a morphoder effect on it, for example: -

http://www.sigmamixes.com/misc/oddcuts.mp3
Scratching through a wah peadal is a blast.

Sigma
12-02-2012, 03:16 PM
Yeah man, I'd love to give that a go!

LiquidFusion
12-02-2012, 03:17 PM
I have used a 1 or 1/2 loop only for transitions. Just something I was messing with to fade into the next track.

LiquidFusion
12-02-2012, 03:18 PM
Scratching through a wah peadal is a blast.

That sounds like fun. Hmm where's my wah pedal..

Sigma
12-02-2012, 03:27 PM
That sounds like fun. Hmm where's my wah pedal..
One of the first people I heard scratch with a wah pedal was DJ Radar. He does it in this track (released 15 years ago), starting at 36 seconds in: -


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNfweBSsSt4

If you try it, post up some audio/video of you doing it!

DJAkash
12-02-2012, 03:53 PM
I find that LPF and HPF is great for transitions, also some echo and reverb is good to transition out of a track while beatmatching another track, besides that those noisy things like flanger are a bit tacky.

Zafire
12-02-2012, 03:56 PM
Interesting.

I totally agree that sometimes it can be overdone but if you nail it, it can make your *set* sound amazing.

Thanks for all the feedback so far, I was just getting really into effects etc today after watching some James Zabiela and Laidback Luke videos =P

How about mixing in general then instead of simple intro's & outro's, obviously having 4 decks would help in being a bit more creative with being able to set loops up and overlay them across other tracks etc.

Anything any of you guys do that you would say really gets the crowd going.

drop1
12-02-2012, 04:21 PM
That sounds like fun. Hmm where's my wah pedal..

Its awesome. I used to scratch in a band. Not uber technical stuff but I used the tt more as an instrument. Because of the band I had limitless combinations of pedals and processors to play with.

thehadgi
12-02-2012, 05:06 PM
Flanger

...

Nevar!

Era 7
12-02-2012, 05:10 PM
Flanger

...

Always!

*fixed :fap:

Maikky
12-02-2012, 06:23 PM
It's cool to have effects but you shouldn't need them to make an amazing set .

If your one of those DJs that have to use effects to be on par then no .

:blank:

Zafire
12-02-2012, 06:27 PM
It's cool to have effects but you shouldn't need them to make an amazing set .

If your one of those DJs that have to use effects to be on par then no .

:blank:

I didn't say i needed them. But i see no reason to not embrace every possible skill i could have at my disposal incase a situation requires it.

Maikky
12-02-2012, 06:44 PM
I didn't say i needed them. But i see no reason to not embrace every possible skill i could have at my disposal incase a situation requires it.

Woops . Read the thread title wrong .

I thought it said "Effects and what do you guys think of them"

:blank:

DAV1
12-03-2012, 06:04 PM
I use effects dely, echo, wash on efx 500. its a good tool i would say. however, theres a time for everything

Dharmaboy
12-03-2012, 06:21 PM
I never know how to use them properly so i stay away from them as a whole.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Marco Bass
04-09-2013, 07:20 AM
I use effects: dely, echo,flanger, roll loops and other depend what music im mixing. but make sure your not overusing them.
@ all the people that said i dont know how to use them properly so i dont use them --> go away and practice using them. I think that effects will make your set stand out from all the osther + 'i dont know how to use effects so i just dont use them' approach is the worst approach ever

thehadgi
04-09-2013, 07:22 AM
*fixed :fap:

:lol:

Blue Shoes
04-09-2013, 07:39 AM
Only one I use the filter. Sometimes just to add to the drop a bit. Give it slightly more punch when it comes in

Adzm00
04-29-2013, 11:14 AM
Anything any of you guys do that you would say really gets the crowd going.

I tend to lift my shirt and pull out my member. It has some LED's stuck on it, so when I swing it round it's like a meaty catherine wheel.



It's cool to have effects but you shouldn't need them to make an amazing set .

If your one of those DJs that have to use effects to be on par then no .

:blank:

I so massively disagree with this. In general a guy with good mixing skill vs a guy with good mixing and good skills on the fx, the guy who can use FX and mix well will sound way better.

Dubphyte
04-29-2013, 12:01 PM
Using FX is dangerous! They can make or break a set! Generally i only use the flanger to fade out a track that just won't go! If you wanna learn to use FX, learn to use them properly, because nothing is worse than that DJ who thought "it might be cool to randomly add an echo here"

Dubphyte
04-29-2013, 12:02 PM
Oh and for looping, i personally use it to fade out a track! Works well when an intro is very long and you need a bit more track!

KLH
04-29-2013, 12:40 PM
IMHO, mixing requires only two tracks. With just two tracks, you can transition in a number of ways... but adding unexpected sounds keeps the listener engaged. Unexpected sounds could be turntablism, samples/controllerism, and effects, but like anything added, these should be seen as an enhancement - not a replacement - for original tracks. Use enhancements sparingly.

I do not use turntablism. (I'd love to, but need to buy TTs to learn these techniques.) I've been experimenting with samples/controllerism (with the F1 and Traktor), so I have more to learn here.

As for effects, I've settled on two primary effects - echo delay and phase shift - and use them often to enhance transitions and tracks respectively. I LOVE echo fades, and I LOVE to phase shift build-ups! I used to use loop roll, quick reverse, and brake to sound more "live DJ" like, but I received feedback that these effects distract instead of enhance, so I've stopped using them.

YMMV. Remember to experiment in practice well before you use effects live.

-KLH