Quick Sign In:  

Forum: Old versions

Topic: Looping using timecoding - Page: 1

This part of topic is old and might contain outdated or incorrect information

Hey Guys,

Just a quick question then, is it possible for a loop which is made on a CDJ 1000 to be picked up by the VDJ software and make the loop an exact 4, 8 etc beat loop without doing manually using the mouse.

If so, how can this be done? Im using the maya44, but cant get the loops to work, have 100% signal and scratching etc works fine, have played with the maya44 input levels but doesnt effect anything. I have 100% timecode quality.

And I am running in smart mode.

Has anyone got any ideas on this?

Cheers

Dan
 

Posted Sat 07 Mar 09 @ 1:13 pm
sischoPRO InfinityMember since 2005
Since your CDJ 1000 is not MIDI, you can't do it.

You should try to do it:
enable the smart_loop function (by a shortcut or by a skin which has this button) and then try to loop your song in normal way by loop In and Loop Out of your CDJ. Perhaps VDJ recognizes you are making a loop.

Let me know whether it works or not.
 

Posted Sun 08 Mar 09 @ 8:54 pm
Even if the CDJ had auto-looping (ala CDJ800), because the CD doesn't have any audio and thus no measurable BPM, it can't automatically loop on the player. Now, that being said, you're using a CDJ1000 which doesn't have it, so you're either manually creating a loop on the player or using the loops within the player and negating the timecode.
 

Posted Mon 09 Mar 09 @ 12:08 am
sischo wrote :
Since your CDJ 1000 is not MIDI, you can't do it.

You should try to do it:
enable the smart_loop function (by a shortcut or by a skin which has this button) and then try to loop your song in normal way by loop In and Loop Out of your CDJ. Perhaps VDJ recognizes you are making a loop.

Let me know whether it works or not.


Unfortunately this is what I have been trying to do but without any avail. And yes I was hoping VDJ would recognise the loop but doesnt seem that way :(

Maybe I shall wait till V6 where this maybe implemented ;)

 

Posted Mon 09 Mar 09 @ 4:56 am
DJ-Pulse wrote :
Even if the CDJ had auto-looping (ala CDJ800), because the CD doesn't have any audio and thus no measurable BPM, it can't automatically loop on the player. Now, that being said, you're using a CDJ1000 which doesn't have it, so you're either manually creating a loop on the player or using the loops within the player and negating the timecode.


DJ Pulse, it isnt autoloop im after, when I hit loop in then loop out obviously the cdj creates its own loop for instance roughly 4 beats, I was wondering if in VDJ smart mode, it would pick this up and set an auto 4 beat loop if you see what I mean.

Cheers

Daniel
 

Posted Mon 09 Mar 09 @ 4:58 am
sischoPRO InfinityMember since 2005
Thinking better about this feature, I think is not possible.

Why?
Because when you create a loop by Loop IN and Loop OUT, VDJ software doens't recognize it: It's the CDJ that recognizes this loop.

The only thing which might to be implement in VDJ code, it's that after the first loop, VDJ sets an integer number of beats.
Example:
the first loop is set on 2.55 beats (by CDJ), the second and next one are set directly on 4 beats (by VDJ).

This could be a very innovative feature.
 

Posted Mon 09 Mar 09 @ 5:59 am
sischo wrote :
Thinking better about this feature, I think is not possible.

Why?
Because when you create a loop by Loop IN and Loop OUT, VDJ software doens't recognize it: It's the CDJ that recognizes this loop.

The only thing which might to be implement in VDJ code, it's that after the first loop, VDJ sets an integer number of beats.
Example:
the first loop is set on 2.55 beats (by CDJ), the second and next one are set directly on 4 beats (by VDJ).

This could be a very innovative feature.



Yes thats what I was hoping is already implemented! That seems the only way it could work, but would would mean that the first loop would be incorrect. Obviously this would have to be in smart mode as abolute mode wouldnt work with this as it maps the disk to the track.

Thanks for your help.

Dan
 

Posted Mon 09 Mar 09 @ 8:59 am
sischoPRO InfinityMember since 2005
I think Dev can't implement anything different (the first loop will be incorrect): that's because VDJ can't "understand" whether the Loop OUT button has been pushed or not. VDJ can "understand" it, only after the end of the first loop.
 

Posted Mon 09 Mar 09 @ 9:07 am
sischo wrote :
I think Dev can't implement anything different (the first loop will be incorrect): that's because VDJ can't "understand" whether the Loop OUT button has been pushed or not. VDJ can "understand" it, only after the end of the first loop.


Yes I agree
 

Posted Mon 09 Mar 09 @ 9:12 am
BishPRO InfinityMember since 2004
Unless I'm mistaken (and I prob should've checked first) it isn't possible to have your cake and eat it.

According to the manual . . . .

Mode – You can choose between 3 different timecode tracking modes. These modes will influence how the timecode is controlling playback position on the corresponding deck:

* Absolute – This mode is similar to how music is normally played on vinyl. The beginning of the record corresponds to the beginning of the track and picking up the needle and moving it to another location on the vinyl, also known as needle dropping, will move playback to that location in the track. Please note that in Absolute mode you will not be able to use some of the software features, such as looping and cue points.
* Relative – In this mode, the software will track the relative movement of the record (forward, backward) but will not track the position of the within the control timecode. So, for example, you will not be able to seek to another location of the song by picking up the needle and dropping it on another part of the record. This mode is perfect for scratch DJs since it allows you to scratch without worrying about the needle skipping around on the record – the software will compensate for any skip that might occur. In this mode, you are also allowed to use some additional software features, such as looping and cue points.
* Smart (default) – This is the default timecode tracking mode and is the mode that we recommend most users use. In Smart mode, you have the ability to do needle drops but can also use the additional features of the software, such as pitch, loops and cue points.

With Absolute mode you are able to set loops via cdj, but Vdj wont adjust your loop to automatically.
 

Posted Tue 10 Mar 09 @ 9:42 am
sischoPRO InfinityMember since 2005
Yes, using Absolute mode you can use loops by CDJ (loop IN and loop OUT) but the problem shows from Dlearious is that he wants to use loops by CDJ and, at the same time, using precise loops by VDJ without any MIDI device.
 

Posted Tue 10 Mar 09 @ 10:04 am
Bish wrote :
Unless I'm mistaken (and I prob should've checked first) it isn't possible to have your cake and eat it.

According to the manual . . . .

Mode – You can choose between 3 different timecode tracking modes. These modes will influence how the timecode is controlling playback position on the corresponding deck:

* Absolute – This mode is similar to how music is normally played on vinyl. The beginning of the record corresponds to the beginning of the track and picking up the needle and moving it to another location on the vinyl, also known as needle dropping, will move playback to that location in the track. Please note that in Absolute mode you will not be able to use some of the software features, such as looping and cue points.
* Relative – In this mode, the software will track the relative movement of the record (forward, backward) but will not track the position of the within the control timecode. So, for example, you will not be able to seek to another location of the song by picking up the needle and dropping it on another part of the record. This mode is perfect for scratch DJs since it allows you to scratch without worrying about the needle skipping around on the record – the software will compensate for any skip that might occur. In this mode, you are also allowed to use some additional software features, such as looping and cue points.
* Smart (default) – This is the default timecode tracking mode and is the mode that we recommend most users use. In Smart mode, you have the ability to do needle drops but can also use the additional features of the software, such as pitch, loops and cue points.

With Absolute mode you are able to set loops via cdj, but Vdj wont adjust your loop to automatically.


Hey as Sischo said I am using the smart loop, yes I can create loops using the mouse manually but I wanted to know if I could create a loop on the cdj and VDJ pick this loop up...

 

Posted Tue 10 Mar 09 @ 12:59 pm
sischoPRO InfinityMember since 2005
Re-thinking about this speech, just a simple consideration:
let's suppose that this feature has been implemented and we are looping by CDJ 3.5 beats.
According our thoughts, the first loop will be at 3.5 beats while the followings will be at 4 beats (4 is the number closer to 3.5), and we do 20 loops.

What happens?
After 20 loops, we have lost 0.5 beats * 20 = 10 beats, it means that the Timecode signal and the mp3 file are going to be desynchronized.
In short, this feature can't be used in Absolute mode but it can be used (and implemented) in Relative mode.
 

Posted Tue 10 Mar 09 @ 6:24 pm
sischo wrote :
Re-thinking about this speech, just a simple consideration:
let's suppose that this feature has been implemented and we are looping by CDJ 3.5 beats.
According our thoughts, the first loop will be at 3.5 beats while the followings will be at 4 beats (4 is the number closer to 3.5), and we do 20 loops.

What happens?
After 20 loops, we have lost 0.5 beats * 20 = 10 beats, it means that the Timecode signal and the mp3 file are going to be desynchronized.
In short, this feature can't be used in Absolute mode but it can be used (and implemented) in Relative mode.


Correct, as absolute mode maps the disk to the track directly, where relative and smart mode do map the disk to the track but this can be manipulated hence VDJ software looping is possible at the moment but done manually.
 

Posted Wed 11 Mar 09 @ 5:27 am
Simply put, you CAN NOT press loop-in on the player and loop-out on the software and expect the CDJ to loop. The only Pioneer player which would support this is the CDJ400 which has bi-directional HID communication with the software.
 

Posted Wed 11 Mar 09 @ 11:12 am
DJ-Pulse wrote :
Simply put, you CAN NOT press loop-in on the player and loop-out on the software and expect the CDJ to loop. The only Pioneer player which would support this is the CDJ400 which has bi-directional HID communication with the software.


I want the exact opposite, loop with cdj's and software pick up the loop not the way you have mentioned above.
 

Posted Wed 11 Mar 09 @ 11:16 am
sischoPRO InfinityMember since 2005
DJ-Pulse wrote :
Simply put, you CAN NOT press loop-in on the player and loop-out on the software and expect the CDJ to loop. The only Pioneer player which would support this is the CDJ400 which has bi-directional HID communication with the software.


No, we aren't talking about pressing loop-in on the player and loop-out on the software, we are talking about pressing both loop-in and loop-out on the CDJ.

I guess it will be possible in the future because I know how Timecode signal works and it can be done!!
Just there needs to add this option in VDJ code.

Today I have tried CDJ-200 and it has a button BEAT LOOP which allows to the DJ to set precise loops of 4, 2, 1, 1/2, 1/4 beats because the CDJ reads BPM of the song.
The problem is that Timecode signal doesn't have a BPM because it's not a song but it's a special signal of 1 KHz by which an CDJ/turnatable is able to control the track loaded in VDJ software.
 

Posted Wed 11 Mar 09 @ 12:33 pm
sischo wrote :


No, we aren't talking about pressing loop-in on the player and loop-out on the software, we are talking about pressing both loop-in and loop-out on the CDJ.

I guess it will be possible in the future because I know how Timecode signal works and it can be done!!
Just there needs to add this option in VDJ code.

Today I have tried CDJ-200 and it has a button BEAT LOOP which allows to the DJ to set precise loops of 4, 2, 1, 1/2, 1/4 beats because the CDJ reads BPM of the song.
The problem is that Timecode signal doesn't have a BPM because it's not a song but it's a special signal of 1 KHz by which an CDJ/turnatable is able to control the track loaded in VDJ software.


Yeah I see no reason why it can't be but anyway going back to the original question, no this cannot be done at present so ill carry on using my mouse for the software to create loops :) Thanks for your help guys!
 

Posted Wed 11 Mar 09 @ 12:55 pm
sischo - you CAN do that already, I've been doing player-loops as long as I've used timecode. When your software is in ABSOLUTE mode (any software), think of the timecode like this

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8

When you loop 1-4, the timecode now gets sent as:

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

The software doesn't "anticipate" going to 5, it just gets told "play 3, play 4, play 1" and does it. There's no beat to auto-loop so you do have to loop it based on what you hear in the audio from the computer.
 

Posted Thu 12 Mar 09 @ 4:11 pm
sischoPRO InfinityMember since 2005
Yes, DJ-Pulse I know it's possible to create loops with timecode listening the song.
Dlearious was talking about precise loops, and I think, unless the person is an extra-terrestrial :-), it's not likely to create precise loops just relying on the hearing (I mean pushing loop in and loop out buttons).
 

Posted Thu 12 Mar 09 @ 7:16 pm
77%