Maximize your DJ.Studio workflow with these handy tips and tricks!
Using The Track Solo Function
‘Solo’ is a helpful function in DJ.Studio which makes it easy to change what you hear when working.
This feature lets you isolate each track, so you can focus on one song at a time, making it easy to identify certain sections without hearing too much at once.
You can solo a track by clicking the ‘S’ solo button on the left-side channel controls.
Alternatively, press the S key on your keyboard to use the shortcut. On the first press, you will hear only track 1, on the second press, you will hear only track 2. Press S a third time to hear both tracks.
Any DJs who have used hardware mixers will see a similarity to this feature, and the cue channel on a mixer.
Cut, Copy, and Paste
The Cut, Copy, and Paste commands let users get more creative with their remixing.
Rather than having to play songs in their exact original arrangement, you can duplicate, move, and remove sections of tracks as you wish.
For example, you could remove breakdowns to keep the energy level higher throughout a mix. Or you could duplicate a chorus or end section to extend its length - if needed.
Copying makes a copy of the highlighted section, which can be pasted anywhere.
Cutting deletes the highlighted area, while also making a pastable copy.
Check out the full guide > Cut, Copy, and Paste to learn how!
Looping
Looping is an essential DJ technique, where sections are repeated for creative effect.
To create loops in DJ.Studio:
Highlight the section of a track you wish to loop with shift+click.
Press cmd+C to copy
Without moving the cursor, Paste (press cmd+v) to create a single repeated loop of the chosen phrase.
Press paste as many times as you would like the loop to repeat.
You can even loop single beats, which can be useful for creating exciting rolling buildups.
Alternatively, you can use the Looping transition presets to automatically create loops at the transition points.
Click on the desired transition.
Open the Transition Tab from the bottom of the screen.
In the ‘Effect In’ and/or the ‘Effect Out’ panel, select Loop.
Click on the number to the left of the effect selector to automatically change the length of the loop.
Move the position of the vertical blue bar in the transition window to change where the loop starts.
This is a quick way to create automatic looping transitions!
Echo and Reverb
Echo and Reverb are two creative effects commonly used in DJing. These add some interest and movement to tracks.
In DJ.Studio, you have the ability to use Echo and Reverb as effects for transitions.
Select the transition window you want to apply the effect to.
Open the Transition Tab.
In the ‘Effect Out’ panel, either select Echo or Reverb.
Next to the effect selector, you can click the number to change the time parameter of the effect, this changes the way it sounds.
In the timeline, move the vertical blue bar to change the start of the effect.
Experiment to see what you can achieve with these effects!
Soloing Automation Visibility
When you are using multiple transition effects at the same time, it can be hard to click the exact automation lane in the timeline.
So, we added a ‘Solo Automation Visibility’ option. This lets you select a single transition parameter to become editable in the timeline.
Simply click the ‘S’ icon to the right of the parameter name to solo the automation lane. Now, you will only be able to edit the timeline values for this parameter. Click the button again to un-solo the automation.
Before Solo
After Solo
Keyboard Shortcuts
Using keyboard shortcuts can make your workflow a lot quicker and smoother.
You can see the list of keyboard shortcuts by clicking the keyboard icon at the right of the center bar.
Alternatively, you can customize your shortcuts via the settings menu. (Click the top-right cog).
We recommended you read through the shortcuts, and try them out to work out how to use them!
Fading Out on the Last Track
Sometimes you might want to create a smooth volume fade-out at the end of your mix. You can create a clean fade-out on the last track, which is a nice way to end your mix.
This is easy to do in DJ.Studio, and there are two ways.
You can either record the automation live or draw it in manually.
To record a fade-out with automation:
Enter the Studio Timeline view
Move the playhead to the place you want the fade-out to start on the last track by clicking the timeline.
Click the Record Automation button (the red circle on the toolbar).
Now, as the track plays, use the volume control on the left-hand side to slowly bring down the volume.
When you stop playing, the automation will be recorded and your fade-out will be saved.
You can then click on the automation lane to manually move points around if you want to adjust the fade.
To manually create a fade-out:
Move to the place in the final track you want to start the fade.
On the channel of the last track, select ‘Mixer’ from the top dropdown, then ‘Volume’ from the bottom dropdown.
Now, you can click and draw points on the volume automation line as desired.
Siebrand's Tip! You can also click anywhere on the timeline and hit the 'V' key to instantly create a new automation point at the playhead - some people might find this workflow easier.
Enjoy!