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Forum: Wishes and new features

Topic: [AutoMix] Start next track at current position or cue

This topic is old and might contain outdated or incorrect information.

So, I just started using a controller and thought it would be easy using dual-deck automix to set the start point of my next song.

I enabled automix, both songs show up in the decks. I use my jog wheel and headphones to set the incoming tracks start point. Automix starts at the beginning of the new song anyway.

So, I repeat the process except that this time, I press the cue button. Automix starts at the beginning of the new song again.

After that, I tried various things. None worked. Seems the only solution is to use the automix editor. However, when your screen and keyboard are 1ft in front of your controller, it's difficult to use. Also, you can't use jog wheels.

My request is for a way to accomplish what I said above. If I have a controller, I should be able to set the entry point of the incoming song. In addition, it would be nice to have the option of pushing play on the new song to initiate the crossfade. I'm a reasonably intelligent guy. Sometimes I like to pick a good spot to start the next song. In VDJ7, you could slide the little marker in the waveform.

One other thing I noticed. If I decide to do a cut to the next song, automix wrecks it. I have the play head where I want it. I press play and cut the crossfader to the new song. Automix decides that I'm stupid, mixes the next song it had, throws the crossfader back over, and transitions to the beginning! of the next track. Adding insult to injury, it starts at the beginning instead of where I had set the cue.

Thanks for considering my request.
 
Posted Sun 19 Jun 16 @ 11:20 am
Note that the automix editor saves mix-points for a pair of songs, so your custom start point will only be used when that song is played after that specific previous song.

To change the start point, similar as you would do in v7, you can edit the automix points in the POI editor.

To do a manual mix, the easiest would be to disable automix, mix however you like and then re-enable automix.
 
Adion wrote :
Note that the automix editor saves mix-points for a pair of songs, so your custom start point will only be used when that song is played after that specific previous song.

To change the start point, similar as you would do in v7, you can edit the automix points in the POI editor.

To do a manual mix, the easiest would be to disable automix, mix however you like and then re-enable automix.


I'm sorry, but that response seems dismissive. Using the automix editor or the POI editor requires me to operate in software and away from the controls at my fingertips. Open the editor, resize the window, resize the waveform, zoom in, try to find the mix point with a touchpad... on a laptop screen, and try to have it done before the current song finishes.

Or,

Use my controller and the existing waveforms. Use my headphones, spin the jog wheel to find the point I want to start at, and wait. Done. In addition, it would be nice to start the transition when I choose from wherever the current song is.

I'm not very good at beat matching yet. I've been automixing for years and am trying to up my game and improve. However, I can't do that yet at live gigs without sounding horrible and unprofessional. So, as a halfway measure while I am practicing and improving, I thought this would be a great feature for myself and many other DJs using this software... especially those who want to strictly use automix.

The request has merit in my opinion. It puts music control in our hands, helps newer DJs transition to a higher level, and it makes sense. If I'm using a two deck mode, I should have a bit more control over the mix than single deck mode. It kinda feels like the whole point of it.
 
You referenced v7, where you also needed the mouse to move the automix points.
It is possible to move the automix points using a vdj action that can be assigned to a button on your controller as well, using set_mixpoint.
For a fade mix that would be
set_mixpoint "StartFade"

If your automix mode is set to smart, it may also select cut or tempo start points, which can be set with
set_mixpoint "StartTempo"
set_mixpoint "StartCut"

For skip silence, it would be
set_mixpoint "StartSound"

If the only skill you are currently missing is beat-matching, you could also simply enable 'smart play' from the decks.
This will match bpm and beats when you press play, so you can do that at the time you want and then move the crossfader yourself. (Or combine both with a button assigned to mix_now)
 
@Cannen, Automix does what the name implies. The idea is to let the computer do the work. You don't need to intervene.

It seems to me that you're trying to use Automix at the same time as DJing yourself.

Make a decision. Either DJ yourself live, or use Automix and let the computer get on with it.
 
groovindj wrote :
@Cannen, Automix does what the name implies. The idea is to let the computer do the work. You don't need to intervene.

It seems to me that you're trying to use Automix at the same time as DJing yourself.

Make a decision. Either DJ yourself live, or use Automix and let the computer get on with it.


True. I'm trying to do a middle ground while I'm continuing to learn.

The problem is, right now I can't beat match very well. VDJ can. It adjusts the pitch and does the crossfade. All I want to do is be able to set the point at which VDJ comes into the next song. That's all.

Yes, I know that I can use the Automix Editor, but while playing live, it's too far away, too small (even with a resized window), and the mouse and keyboard aren't close enough or accurate enough.

However, I do have dual deck automix going. That means that I have wave forms in front of me. I also have headphones and jog wheels to adjust the play head on the wave form... all right there. I can use the jog wheels to find the point at which I want the next song to start. All I'm asking is for VDJ to respect the decision I made as a dj as to where I want the song to start.

The POI editor is out because I may not always want the song to start at the POI editor points. Depending on the event, crowd, or mood, I may need to adjust.

It seems like a very simple request to me. I have the controls at my fingertips... and more powerful controls at that.

Let me get the song to where I want it and VDJ can fade in and beatmatch from there. If that happens, I can have a loop set, effects on, etc. VDJ does the mix, I just decide how. Select the spot in the song, press "cue", set a loop or effect or nothing, and wait. Also, being able to trigger the automix to start the transition when I'm ready would be a great addition.

Feels to me like this would be a very powerful feature. A middle point for djs or a spot for automix djs to get more creative if they don't have the timing skills.
 
Time to step your game up and practice alot more. If this is what you wanna do (become a DJ), then you need to find time to get better and actually practice more instead of relying on the software so much.......
 
I found a bit of a work around for now. It doesn't work with automix, but it does something similar for my purposes.

I placed this as the code for the crossfader (Denon MC4000):
var '$shift' ? play_sync & auto_crossfade 4000ms : crossfader


The only thing I can't figure out is how to set the master deck to the one I just crossfaded to.
 


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