Effects and how do you use them.

[Zafire]

So i wasn't sure if here or the Techniques forum would be best for this but either way i've posted it here

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]

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]

don't really use 'em.

[g-sep]

Reverbs, delays, echos, filters. I spin techno.

[drop1]

What effects I use greatly depends on the type of music im playing. Some just sound better with certain genres.

[Sigma]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Yeah man, I'd love to give that a go!