Atomix Virtual DJ 5 manual

Copyright © 2008 Version 5.1[...]

2 INTRODUCTION 3 INTRODUCTION TO DJing 4 INSTALLATION / UPGRADE NOTES 6 INTERFACES – ZONES BROWSER FILE SYSTEM / FOLDER STRUCTURE FILE / SEARCH RESULTS 8 9 9 11 ID3 TAG SUPPORT 12 DATABASE MANAGEM ENT 16 GLOBAL SEARCH 17 SEARCHING 17 TRACK OPTIONS 19 BPM ANALYSIS AND KE Y DETECTION 19 MANUAL BPM CORRECTION 20 PLAYLIST AND AUTOMIX 21 EDITING AUTOM[...]

3 Welcome to VirtualDJ! VirtualDJ is revolutionary software which allows audio and video mixing ri ght from a computer. We designed VirtualDJ to be simple and intuitiv e to use but do not be fooled — there are many advanced features to ex plore and customize. VirtualDJ features everything you need for imaginative performance and mixing: • Two v[...]

4 The work of a disc jockey can be divided into three tasks: 1. Choosing the music (programming) 2. Mixing the music 3. Modifying the music (remixing) The first task consists of choosing the appropriat e music, which obviously depends o n the type of evening and your style. Generally a good rule of thumb is to avoid play ing all the hits” from th[...]

5 The effects traditionally used are scratch, loops, and samples: A scratch consists of creati ng an entirely new sound by play ing a small portion of music repeatedly. This is achieved by moving that same portion of music back and forth at different velocities while using the crossfader to shar ply cut the sound in and out of the mix. A loop consi[...]

6 VirtualDJ installs files into the following locations: Default application path on: ¾ Windows - C:Program FilesVirtualDJ ¾ MAC OS X - ./Applications/ All Application Configuration, Plugins, Skins, Database, Playlist, Tracklisting, Languages and Support Files are stored in: ¾ Windows XP - C:Documents and Settings{username}My Documents ¾[...]

7 Because of the ‘split’ database files and depending on the size of the previous database XML, the FIRST LAUNCH of Vi rtualDJ after upgrading may act like it has stopped at the applications splash screen. Please be patient and look for activity on the hard drive(s). VirtualDJ is reading the prior version database and splitting the various entr[...]

8 Before beginning to use VirtualDJ, familiarize yourself with the controls and “zones” of the software. Upon opening t he application, an interface menu is displayed. Interfaces called “skins” feature different configurations, layout s and f unctionalities of the software. Let’s begin by selecting “Internal mixer inte rface” to becom[...]

9 The Browser Zone is the area wher e to navigate and organize files stored on a local, external, or network hard disk. The browser contains the compatible file types (i.e. whose extensions are associated with the decoders in VirtualDJ) to access the com patible extensions list. Click the “Config” menu then choose the “Codecs” tab. See the [...]

10 Genres – provides a generated tree of Genre types based on the imported ID3 tag Genre field. By selecting on the various listed genres the file browser panel (2) only shows those entries that match the tag. History – provides access to data stored about each session use of VirtualDJ. The data is stored as .m3u playlist files and it is stored[...]

11 File / Search Results Panel (2) VirtualDJ provides several elements of informa tion about each track. The information is a combination of ID3 Tag and VirtualDJ defined dat a fields. By default the title of the song and artist are listed for each f ile along with columns for beats per minute (BPM) and duration (Length) with additional co lumns, e[...]

12 VirtualDJ supports v2.4 of the ID3 tag format. ID3 tag support is not the same support that other applications implement. VirtualDJ ha s always provided the fasts information access about stored tracks in the database. Adding direct ID3 tag access to every file would have considerably SLOWED VirtualDJ’s ability for browsing and search as exper[...]

13 Retrieving ID3 tag Data (cont’d) Another method of retrieving ID3 tag information is by right clicking on a file in the browser and selecting File Info. The bel ow dialog displays the database stored information along with the ID3 tag information that is retrievable. Under each field with a button will have the read ID3 tag info next to it tha[...]

14 Displaying VirtualDJ data fields (ID3 tag) Columns In the file browser (2) or playlist panels (3) right clicking on any column and choose from the pop-up list any or a ll of the available data fields now stored in the VirtualDJ database. Changing the order of the columns is very easy by selecting the Order… option from the bottom of the list. [...]

15 Additional VirtualDJ Data Fields The VirtualDJ database now stores additional data about each tr ack for additional search features and Filter folders. Key – stores the analyzed key value of a song for use doing Harmonic Mixing. Camelot – stores the Camelot key c ode based on the analyzed key value. Play Count – stores the running pl ay co[...]

16 The database management system comes with additional to ols as part of the VirtualDJ Configuration Br owser tab. Save ‘On the Fly’ during each session use Automatic check of database integrity at launch Manually check the database integrity Fix database error(s) Clean out database entries for missing/moved files VirtualDJ now saves the datab[...]

17 VirtualDJ provides an intuitive on the fly search capability. Adding file s to the global search can be done two (2) ways. First is by setting the ‘Search Database’ proper ty in the Configuration Browser tab to ‘Add automatically’. This will add a ll files when browsing the folder structures to the search. The other option is ‘Add manu[...]

18 In the following example, a search on ‘ba’ is entered into the search box. The center file browser panel displays the results of the sear ch. The file(s) listed above the dividing line represent the file(s) found in the folder that is currently highlig hted in the left folder browser panel. All other files below the dividing line are files t[...]

19 Right clicking on a track displays many options: Preview – for launching the separate track preview interface File Info – for launching the File Info dialog to modify data field content File Operations like - copy, move, and delete files o When selecting Delete a warning is displayed about deleting the file(s) from your system BPM analyze tr[...]

20 Part of VirtualDJ’s BPM Engine is to calculat e the Computer Beat Grid (CBG) of the track. However, in rare cases, when the BPM and the CB G is not correctly calculated, you can easily correct both manually by right-cli cking on the appropriate BPM button for corresponding track. There are several methods for correcting the BPM and the CBG: Us[...]

21 The Automix feature works from a single deck. By default it is Deck 1; however, prior to starting the Automix if Deck 2 is selected as the active deck then Deck 2 is used. By utilizing 1 deck this frees the opposite deck for staging the first song to be used once you decide to stop the Automix process. In addition to drag and drop, playlists can[...]

22 Playlist & Automix Management Using the Playlist management menu by clicking on the icon choose from the options how the automix functions and tracks are managed in the playlist. Automix Types – 5 modes SMART – VirtualDJ attempts to determine the optimal mix point based on the outro of t he current track and intro of the upcoming track ?[...]

23 Deck Waveform Display – Mix Point Markers When automix is active, the deck being used for aut omix play will show bo th the current track (top) playing and the next track (bottom) to be pl ayed. The currently play ing track will display an EXIT mix point marker. The track to be play ed next will show an EN TRANCE mix point marker. Based on the[...]

24 Even with the mix point markers available for on- the-fly adjusts, the mix points for a track can be set prior to using that track as part of a aut omix playlist. The adjust ed mix points are only utilized when using the SMART automix type. To edit a tracks Automix mix points, load a track to a deck, then select the respective BPM button for tha[...]

25 VirtualDJ incorporates its own ve rsion of a waitlist called the Sidelist. The Sidelist panel (4) can be used to hold tracks that the DJ knows they will play sometime during th eir session. It also provides a location for VirtualDJ to moved tra cks that were loaded but never played because the DJ loaded a new track to th e deck. The Sidelist can[...]

26 In order to simplify browsi ng and provide better and robust f ile management capability, VirtualDJ provides three (3) methods fo r the user to organize the database. On the left panel’s border are three (3) folder options Create Favorite Folder (monitored folder) – pick a folder from the driv e to always display in the browser Create Virtua[...]

27 Virtual folders also aid in quick access to tracks. A virtual fo lder holds a collec tion of shortcuts to tracks. Create a virtual folder by clicking on the red VirtualFolder icon and giving the new folder a title. Now browse the database or run various searc hes looking for tracks that are being gr ouped together. Drag and drop the tracks in to[...]

28 Now enter the Filter to be used for creating t he results desired. This is where it can be complicated or simple. This example is simple, use the keyword ‘top’ with the number ‘100’ and the element ‘nbplay’. ‘nbplay’ looks at the Play Count data fiel d. As the filter statement is entered VirtualDJ evaluates that the statement is [...]

29 There are two virtual “decks” on the screen. Drag and dr op files int o each of the decks to load music tracks or video clips. The two decks are equipped with the following controls and displays: 1. Title of track currently loaded 2. Waveform display for currently - This view shows the vis ual waveform of the entire track, allows for viewing[...]

30 4. Loop Sampler - Sample Selection Drop-down arrow - Choose which sample to use. There are 12 slots which are available to record, load and play samples. Sample Selection window - When c licked this will play the sample listed in the selection window. REC button - When initiated, this function records the loop to the sample slot selected. If no [...]

31 Stutter/Play - Starts the music. Pressing “Stu tter/Play” while the song is already playing, will restart the music from the last position you pressed “Play” from, creating a “stutter” effect. Pause - Stops the audio where it is currently playing. Subsequent clicks while stopped cycles through the beginning of the song and all the Cu[...]

32 VirtualDJ features an internal mi xer section as part of the Inter nalMixer skin. The mixer can be accessed by selecting the “VirtualDJ:Internal Mixer” in the Configuration Skin section. It can be used just like a regular DJ mixer. The controls on the mixer include: 1. Channel Gain This knob sets the gain level for the corresponding channel [...]

33 Not all skin interfaces provide this set of co ntrols, however; there ar e some elements common in all the skins (those are annotated with an asterisk * ). 1. Headphone level Volume control for headphone level. 2. Cue/Mix blend Fade to hear just the cue, cue/mix, or mix signal only in the headphones. 3. BPM button * Opens BPM edit window. Each b[...]

34 Above the players, a window posts curves co rresponding to the two rates/rhythms of the music. These curves are represented in a waveform, allowing you to see your music. The peaks in the curve represent beats. In order to synchronize the music, these peaks should occur at the same time. The present is represented by the feature in the middle of[...]

35 VirtualDJ is designed to be very simple and easy to use but it is also fully customizable to match your preferred system performance. To make changes to VirtualDJ’s configuration, click on the button. This will bring you to the “Settings” dialog. The options in the “Settings” dialog can be viewed and edited by clicking on the correspon[...]

36 The Options settings control the multiple featur es and actions to accommodate the DJ’s style for using the VirtualDJ application. Smart BeatTap – When enabled and using the beat_tap action, it will automatically "snap" to the nearest plausible BPM and phase. This allows for very accurate BPM by just tapping 3 or 4 beat s, the firs[...]

37 AutoLoad Playlists – See page 18 – “Playlist Setup” AutoSave Unplayed – See page 21 – “AutoSave Unplayed” Auto Pitch Matching – When loading a song, autom atically adjusts the pitch so that the BPM matches the BPM of the song currently playing. Auto Gain – This is the auto gain adjustment setting for VirtualDJ. The values are[...]

38 VirtualDJ provides a simple, yet complex; interface for optimizing performance to the capabilities of the computer based on its specifications. Dependi ng on the system’s resources, some settings will work better than others. It is recommended that the DJ take time to experiment with the settings in order to achi eve the best performanc e of t[...]

39 Overclock – This setting can make your computer run faster (especially on laptops) and therefore be compatible with lower latencies. Scratch – Allows for adjustment to how Virt ualDJ reacts to scratch motions Optimize for : Quality – VirtualDJ will more accurately represent how a scratch sounds when moving the virtual record back and forth[...]

40 Master Tempo The master tempo is the algorithm controls how VirtualDJ changes the pitch of the song without changing its tone (“KeyLock feature”). The default “Fast” algorithm takes only a small percentage of the CPU power, and produces good results at pitches in the range of -10% to +10%. For extreme pitching, the fast algorithm can pro[...]

41 VirtualDJ allows you to choose between several different “skins”. VirtualDJ:Basic – a basic, simple skin. VirtualDJ:Full – a skin which features full VirtualDJ controls. VirtualDJ:FullVideo – a skin featuring full VirtualDJ controls plus a video section in the middle. VirtualDJ:InternalMixer – a skin featuring full VirtualDJ controls[...]

42 Shortcut Macros A shortcut macro is the process of assigning multiple actions to the same key or key combination. The power of th e macro comes from the order t hey are listed. So open the Configuration dialog and select the Keyboard Shortcuts tab. Here is an example of a highly request macro that provides a ‘Mix Now’ capability. The actions[...]

43 VirtualDJ can be synchronized between multip le instances and/or synchronize multiple computers running VirtualDJ. No synchronization – turns synchronization off. Local synchronization – allows multiple instances of the VirtualDJ software to run and synchronize together on the same computer. Network synchronization – allows several compute[...]

44 VirtualDJ can be controlled usin g a wide array of external cont rollers. T he “Remote Control” section of the Settings menu provi des the setup to ‘ena ble’ VirtualDJ to wo rk with the external controller. With the controller connected, start VirtualDJ, select “Config” and then select the “Remote Control” tab. Enable th e contro[...]

45 VirtualDJ is able to decode several formats nat ively with its audio and video decoders. The Codec tab identifies what file types (by extens ion) use what specific decoder for play in VirtualDJ. At install, VirtualDJ includes the some of the common sound and video file extensions. If, VirtualDJ is not already associated with a spec ific extensio[...]

46 ENABLE / DISABLE – Provides the ability to have the app lication’s vide o engine enabled or disabled. By disabling the vi deo engine ALL video features of the application are not usable and may increase performance for DJ’s using onl y the AUDIO features of the application. Activate – Turn the video engine on or off. TV Output – Select[...]

47 The VirtualDJ Info tab provides the version number along with copyri ght statement for the application. There are three useful buttons: Check for Updates : makes and internet query to the Vi rtualDJ Download C enter and checks to see if any updates are available. [Internet Connection required] Download Plug-ins : Launches the browser associated [...]

48 VirtualDJ features a powerful sa mpler, which provides the ability to record, load, save and play samples on the fly. The sampler can be accessed by clicking on the “Sampler” tab in the lower window and features 12 slots for sa mples which are available to use at any given point in time. There are two types of samples that are suppor ted –[...]

49 Samples can be played from the loop sampler menu found as part of the controls for each deck. Simply sele ct the sample from the pull-down menu, and then click on the sample title to begin play. The frame around the title will light up during playback. If the sample is a loop, then click the sample title again to stop the loop. Linear samples wi[...]

50 VirtualDJ features a comprehen sive set of audio and video effe cts and transitions which can be accessed by clicking the “Effects” tab on the lower window. The effects list is display ed on the left side of the window and each of these effects can be activated for both decks. Multiple effects, both audio and video; can be applied. To use an[...]

51 Video files are distinguished in the Browser with a small, blue “V” on their icon . And, audio files with linked videos are distinguished in t he Browser with a small, blue “L” on the ir icon . When playing a video/linked audio file , a video window will open in VirtualDJ. If the installed video card has a TV output or a second output sc[...]

52 If using the VirtualDJ:FullVideo skin, the desired transition effect can be selected and activated from the ‘Transition’ button f ound in the “Effects” zone just below the video preview windows. There are two ways to mix video c lips: automatically or manually. To mix manually, use the video crossf ader to go from one video to another. O[...]

53 Optimization In general, video mixing is much heavier in com puter resources than audi o mixing so certain optimization may help performance, especially when dealing with fu ll frame rate video (such as DVD in high definition). There are several parameters which determine the speed with which VirtualDJ decompresses and displays video content –[...]

54 In addition to being able to play music and ot her video content, VirtualDJ allows provides support to play and mix karaoke files. VirtualDJ is compatible with MP3+G, W AV+G, WMA+G, OGG+G, and .ZIP files. The tracks will appear wit h a “K” in its icon . When loaded on the deck, VirtualDJ will load the audio track on the deck and display t he[...]

55  Between Songs o Show Bitmap – a Bitmap can be used to display a background in between each song played o Show Text – use to show information about specials or next song/singer between the songs. Use the X and Y coordinates for where to display the text. Available variables to be used with the displa yed text are %SONG, %SINGER, %NEXTSONG[...]

56 VirtualDJ provides an addition al ability to record or broadcast the output. To access the recording and broadcasting featur es click on the “Record” tab. The following interface is displayed. The following methods are available: • Record Audio • Burn CD • Broadcast • Record Movie To access the recording settings click on the “Conf[...]

57 Record Audio “Record Audio” provides recording a mix session to a .WAV or .MP3 file direct to the system’s hard drive. When the recording is completed, it can then be listened to in VirtualDJ, edited with an audio editing application, or written to a CD using a CD burning software. To setup the “Record Audio”, click on “Config” to [...]

58 Burn CD VirtualDJ can record the session in a CD image format for quick burning of a session to CD. Select “Burn CD” for VirtualDJ to record the se ssion as a .BIN/.CUE file type which contains all the necessary information for burning software that supports image ty pes of BIN and CUE. Click on “Config” to access the confi guration sett[...]

59 Broadcasting to the Internet (“Broadcast”) VirtualDJ provides a method for broadcasting t he session in realtime on the Internet as a “webcast.”. This way people around the wo rld can listen to the mix session. Click on “Config” to access the configur ation settings for recording a file. Record From – • chooses the recording sour[...]

60 Caution: If using a floating Internet connection, the address of the webcast could change from session to session. In this case, the br oadcasting address should be communicated each time to the listeners. Caution: To listen to the mix, the software used by the listeners must be able to communicate with the broadcasting computer via the webcast [...]

61 Record Movie VirtualDJ can record the session using the Mi crosoft MPEG4 codec inst alled on the computer as part of the Windows Media Player install. The Microsoft MPEG4 codec is used by default because it's the best codec to be used in live scenarios. For example, with the Divx codec a video can not record if the size is greater than 320x[...]

62 Prior to using your system or understanding how to configure for timecode control, here are some very important tips you should know about -- If you are going to use Timecode Vinyl - Veri fy that your turntable is well grounded If you are going to use Timecode CDs - Neve r activate the Master Tempo on your CD player because it will destroy the t[...]

63 Please refer to the following descriptions of the timecode configuration parameters (shown with Advanced View on the right): 1. Vinyl – Choose this option if you are using timecoded vinyl. 2. CD – Choose this option if you are using timecoded CDs. 3. Mode – You can choose between 3 different timecode tracking modes. These modes will influe[...]

64 5. Pitch Sensitivity – This is the time that it takes for the waveform display to become adjusted after you alter the pitch of the timecode signal. Too small of a value will attempt to redraw the waveform when you scratch t he timecode, which is not recommended. Setting too high of a value will take longer to redraw the waveform, which may be [...]

65 SYMPTOM RESOLUTION Speakers produce a HUMM noise Some laptops power supply has problems with ground. One consequence of this problem is a horrible noise in the background. In this case, remove the ground or buy an isolator Freeze or Pause in playing Audio/Video when loading a track Some computers can have some problems with USB ports: if there i[...]

66 *POWER USERS – typically only one genre is stored in the I D3 tag; however, since Virtu alDJ imports and stores this data in it’s own database multiple ge nres can be assigned to a single file by separating each genre with a semi-colon ‘;’ . This action is performed in the File Info dialog th e Genre field for th e file. *POWER USERS –[...]

67 http://www.atomixproductions.com http://www.virtualdj.com Atomix Productions PO Box 324 Warren, PA 16365 USA VirtualDJ Copyright: Copyright 1997-2007 Atomix Productio ns All Rights Reserve d Number IDDN.FR.001.040012.01.R.C. 2000.000.31400. Trademarks: The Logo is a registered trademar k of Atomix Productions VirtualDJ is a registered trademark [...]

EULA SUMMARY: ------------- - This license gives you the right to install and use the software on a maximum of two computers, by one person. - It does not give you the right to rent or sell computer sy stems on which the software is installed, or to rent or sell the software or part of it. - The software is distributed "as-is" and no warr[...]

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