Sample lanes let you add extra audio to your mix, at any point in the timeline, on top of the tracks you are already playing. In DJ Mix mode you have deck 1 and deck 2, with your sample lanes underneath. In Mashup mode you have the master track instead of the two decks, with the sample lanes underneath it in the same way.
Below your sample lanes is the Input lane, which you use to record voice-overs and other audio directly inside DJ.Studio. See Input Lane for how that works.
Scrollable studio
Studio lanes can now be scrolled vertically. Previously, DJ.Studio tried to fit the available lanes into the visible Studio area. In 5.0, you can work with a larger vertical timeline and scroll through it.
This makes working with more complex projects much easier, particularly when you're using several sample lanes, stems or automation.
Go to Settings > Interface > Scrollable studio and turn on Layout mode. You can also select the Studio scrolling to be with Command + wheel or mouse wheel.
Adding a sample lane
There are two ways to add a sample lane. You can have up to 10 sample lanes in a project.
Click the + button below the lane stack. This adds an empty sample lane at the bottom.
Drag a sample straight into the empty area below your existing lanes, where it says Drop tracks or samples here. This creates a new sample lane with that sample already on it.
Once you reach 10 sample lanes, the + button disappears.
Sample lane controls
Every sample lane has the same set of controls in its header on the left.
Lane name - each lane is named Sample 1, Sample 2 and so on by default. You can rename it, see below.
Volume slider - sets the level of everything on that lane.
S - solos the lane, so you hear only this lane and everything else is silenced. Click it again to unsolo.
M - mutes the lane, so it is silent while the rest of your mix plays.
High, Mid, Low and Filter - EQ and filter controls for the whole lane. Turn a knob to adjust it.
Show all - controls the automation shown on the lane, explained below.
The arrow to the left of the lane name collapses and expands the lane.
Automation on a sample lane
The Show all dropdown in the lane header controls which automation you see on that lane.
The settings at the top are:
Show all - shows every automation line on the lane.
Hide automation - hides the automation lines, leaving just the audio.
Reset all automations - clears all automations you have added.
Below that, Automation lists the automation currently on the lane, with a tick next to each one.
Under Add automation you can add more, from Track, Effect block or Plug-Ins.
Renaming, moving and removing sample lanes
Right-click a sample lane header to open its menu.
The sample lane menu contains the following options:
Rename - gives the lane a name of your own instead of Sample 1, Sample 2 and so on.
Resize height… - opens a small window where you can type a number or drag it up and down to set the height of the lane.
Reset height - puts that lane back to its original height.
Pin - moves the lane to the top of the stack, above your other sample lanes.
Clear - removes all the samples from the lane, leaving the lane itself in place.
Move up / Move down - moves the lane one place up or down in the stack.
Reset sample lanes height - puts every sample lane back to its original height, not just this one.
Delete - removes the sample lane.
Colouring sample lanes
At the bottom of the right-click menu are eight colours you can give a sample lane. This makes it easier to tell your lanes apart when you have several of them.
The checkerboard swatch is the default, and gives the lane no colour.
Frequently Asked Questions about sample lanes
I can't see the EQ and filter knobs on my sample lane anymore
The knobs are hidden when a sample lane is too short to show them. Make the lane taller and they reappear.
You can change the height by right-clicking the lane header and choosing Resize height, or Reset height to put it back to its original size.
How many sample lanes can I have?
You can have up to 10 sample lanes, in both DJ Mix mode and Mashup mode. Once you have 10, the + button below the lane stack disappears.