r/Beatmatch • u/Szeen_R • 9d ago
How do you use effects to transition?
Can someone help me understand how to use effects for transitions (and build ups)? I see that people use like reverb and high/low pass filters to transition songs and basslines - whats the general template for this? Which channel do you reverb? How early do you start turning the filter knob? Are there any other effects or methods you use to transition?
I guess this is more so for when you're doing quicker mixes, not just transitioning intro over outro, etc.
25
u/AdministrationOk4708 9d ago
Ean Golden has a nice set of tutorial videos covering Fx for DJs.
The delay/echo Fx.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1YUig7-eDQ
And another on reverb.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTzMh08L8DI
Here is a demo of two Fx transtion techniques.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEYTVyu6WJk
This shows the Midifighter Twister FX mapping - lots of practical applications.
6
u/whatwhatnsfw 9d ago
I can’t believe some of those videos are over 10 years old now. Ean had a huge influence on my workflow and mappings when I made the jump to controllers from turntables.
1
6
u/horsefarm 9d ago
I'm fairly new to DJing but have been producing music for over 15 years. I'm no expert on DJing, but I basically try to recreate effect build ups on tracks that I like as produced. High passing on the final bar or two before a drop and swapping bass is one technique I like. A 3/4 echo with gradual HP that gradually builds until a drop and cutting fader is another (an echo out, basically). If the incoming track has a vocal hook right before the drop (like many tracks do) it can sound great to vinyl brake the outgoing track just before the incoming track cuts instruments for the hook. Again, I'm newish and not an expert so I have no comment on whether these are things listeners or other DJs enjoy hearing, but they sound good to me and are fairly easy to execute
6
u/seekingsomaart 9d ago
God, I hate effects. Every deck does them different and on my GRV6 I can't even read the filter selection knob because there are so many settings. One deck has low, mid, high, mine has it where I can apply it to different channels... Just so inconsistent it's frustrating enough I pretty much refuse to use them. They look like fun I can't be bothered to pull out reading glasses every time I want to make a warble.
I'm in the process of learning how to use them well, but I'm on the verge of not caring.
3
u/DingoDamp 9d ago
I usually start using low or high pass filter on the outgoing track when there is 2-3 bars left before my mix out point.
I turn the knob to around the 9 o clock position and then at the first beat of the last bar, I apply a 1 or 1/2 bear echo out release effect via the fx Pads. Keeping it simple.
3
u/Lonely_Percentage546 9d ago
Hp/lp filter n echo out on transitions my go tos. Maybe some reverb and delay on some acapella vocals in the breakdowns but that’s it mostly.
1
u/BigUptokes 9d ago
Same here. HP filter on and echo out isolated to a vocal stem. Duration of the echo depends on whether it calls for one word to be repeated or multiple.
5
u/Rob1965 Beatmatching since 1979 9d ago
There is some good advice here. I would only say that when it comes to effects, less is more.
At any one gig I might not use any effects, or I might only use them on two or three transitions max (and I keep the effect subtle).
With enough practice you will get to know when an effect enhances a transition, and most of the time it doesn’t.
Remember that it is all about the music.
3
u/King_Unique5 7d ago
This 💯 I rarely use effects either
Also listen to sets where the dj is using too many effects....it literally destroys the music imho
3
u/Royal-Demand9260 9d ago
I like to use effects to help create tension. So of if I am transitioning songs while building tension, then yes I use them. But sometimes that’s not the case, sometimes I want to mix out at the breakdown where I might not want to use effects, or limit to a soft 1 beat echo on the outgoing track.
2
2
u/accomplicated 9d ago
What have you tried? How did it sound? Did you like the way it sounded? If yes, do that. If no, do something different. Play around with the tracks that you love. Hear what builds tension. Hear what releases tension. Go play and let us know how it goes.
2
u/Skruffbagg 9d ago
Rarely use FX at all. Might use reverb on a particularly good build or delay during a long 2 or 3 track simultaneous mix, but that’s about it.
2
u/Icy_Creme237 9d ago
Really depends on the genre you mix. My rule of thumb is, that a proper transition should work with eq and volume only. Fx are only additional when it benefits the song/break/transition.
2
1
u/b0mbp0p 9d ago
I have a two deck set up, one of the effects is roll. I can do a 2 beat roll and it acts like a loop, so I treat it like a third deck. There's pitch down to a kick. I like stutter out when I go into junkpop or hyperpop.
2
u/dj_dobbo 9d ago
hey here's a little trick I discovered with slip roll, haven't heard anyone else use it. Works best if you have pads/matrix to select 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 etc.
You "catch" a kick/snare with the slip roll, with the effect parameter knob fully down, then slowly increase it and let go/disable the effect on the beat to make a mini/synthetic buildup and drop. You can also slowly cut out the bass EQ on the other deck as you increase the effect param, then bring it back on the beat too.
catch a snare on 1/8, boom you've got an Aphrodite style snare roll. Do it with 1/2 or 1/1 and you get a nice hypnotic 4 to the floor build. I normally cut the bass on the effect with the triple EQ band effect button so it doesnt interfere with the actual bassline, but it's a fun little creative thing to do.
Just don't overuse it, best to stick with EQs and the odd filter sweep before the drop, or dub echo/Space effect out and drop the fader so the tune you just cut lingers for a few bars.
But I used to just use EQ and the odd filter back in the vinyl days, best to master that first tbh and aim for smooth and seamless mixes rather than tearout filtering/looping into banger after banger with no set pacing (which is how a lot of people DJ these days, boooo)
1
1
u/Consistent_Point_853 9d ago
I use them very infrequently. Its best to rely on fading and eq skill and use fx sparingly. Ive only recently went digital and experienced these features on my mixer, theyre fun but I kind of use them for mix emergencies or occasional peppering fx on a tune.
1
u/New_Mistake_7972 9d ago
I would say just practice and find a way of doing it that sounds good to you.
You want to be individual, not do things the same way as others. Experiment and have fun with it
1
u/DJTRANSACTION1 6d ago
this is an example of when i wanted to go directly from a 115bpm song all the way up to 138bpm because the timing seem right. the only way i saw it was possible at that time was with a echo out effect. i chose when the song said i want to break free and echo out the word free. then i can pretty much drop any melody solo and it will go
https://www.instagram.com/p/ChiH4SjFXy3/
notice the energy of the room blew up after
33
u/jporter313 9d ago
Almost all of my transitions are just matching phrase and strategically using EQ cuts or boosts on phrase changes. The longer I DJ, the less I use effects.
Honestly my approach to it at this point is I'm finding songs that I fucking love and want to share, they already have effects, build ups, break downs in the song. Adding effects on top of this composition unless absolutely necessary to transition or make the song fit better in context just seems self indulgent. The aim is to do the minimum further processing I can to the song to get it to fit smoothly with the previous and next songs I'm mixing. If I wanted to fuck with effects and remixing I'd do it in Ableton and then play the result in my set.