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Effects

Description of the basic effects

These are definitions from the basic effects. This will be useful later to describe the FX chains (combos).

  • Basic FX:
    • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_signal_processing#Audio_effects
    • Delay = repeat sound once after X beats (can be fractional)
    • Echo = repeat sound multiple times, with decreasing intensity
    • Reverb = repeat sound multiple times heavily very soon
    • Flanger = a single delay with very short duration (short phase)
    • Filter = lower/cut or raise specific frequencies
    • Overdrive = clipping to increase loudness
    • Pitch = changing tone with same tempo
    • Resonators = emphasize harmonic frequency content on specified frequencies.
    • Modulation = change frequency in relation to a signal
    • Compression = reduction of dynamic range
    • Gate = ON/OFF synced to BPM

How to create unique effects by chaining base effects

You can easily create unique effects by chaining existing effects in very specific ways.

This is called the "Fader FX theory" as invented by Ean Golden in 2008:

  • Article: https://djtechtools.com/2008/12/15/fader-fx-theory/
  • Demo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjjA0xPkXMs

This uses 3x effects in a chain:

  • Slot 1: Repeating effect
    • eg: Beatmasher, Gater, Delays
  • Slot 2: Shaping effect
    • eg: Filter, Lo-fi, Peak filter
  • Slot 3: Dimensional effect
    • eg: Reverb, delay

Below, blog posts on a) lists of FX chains and b) descriptions of MixerFX / MacroFX / SoundColorFX.

List of FX Chains

This is the original article where Ean Golden applied these FX chains to the jogwheels (JogFX):

DJ Estrela / JaJa DDJ jogFX

  • JogFX1: Beatmasher2 / Digital filter / Gater
  • JogFX2: Beatmasher2 / Filter / Reverb
  • JogFX3: Eventhorizon / Filter / Gater
  • JogFX4: Gater / Beatmasher / Reverb
  • JogFX5: Flanger / Filter / Gater
  • JogFX6: Beatmasher2 / Peak filter / Gater
  • JogFX7: FormatFilter / Peak filter / Flightest

Ean Goldmen VCI-100

DJTT VCI-400 (same as S2/S4)

DJTT S2/S4 JogFx

jwill 4TRAK platter FX

  • demo: 2:12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVQxa8rbjeA
  • 1: BeatMasher / Lofi / delay
  • 2: Flangerflux / gater / reverbT3
  • 3: Gater / peakfilter / delayT3
  • 4: Gater / t3delay / peakfilter
  • 5: FlangerFlux / FilterPulse / delayT3
  • 6: Iceverb / peakFilter / Reverb
  • 7: Filter / reverb / iceverb / key <<<<<
  • 8: Beatmasher / transpose_Strech / mullhoand_drive

Koolis FX combos

  • http://blog.dubspot.com/8-free-traktor-fx-combos-koolis
  • 1 BeatSlicer / Filter:92 LFO / Delay
  • 2 Beatmasher2 / Transpose Stretch / Reverb
  • 3 PolarWind / Gater / Digital Lofi
  • 4 Reverb T3 / Delay T3 / Digital Lofi
  • 5 Reverb T3 / Delay T3 / Filter
  • 6 Beatmasher2 / Gater / Flanger
  • 7 Beatmasher2 / Phaser / Digital Lofi
  • 8 Delay / Phaser Flux / Reverb T3

Viper

  • 1 Beatmasher / Reverb / DelayT3
  • 2 Sweep Drama: iceverb / PeakFilter / Delay 
  • 3 Delay like Ean Golden: Delay
  • 4 Gater / Beatmasher / ReverbT3
  • 5 DelayT3 / PeakFilter / Flanger 
  • 6 Detox (E.G): Beatmasher2 / Lofi /Reverb
  • 7 Build (E.G): Gater / Beatmasher2 / PeakFilter
  • 8 Swirl (E.G): FlangerFlux / Filter92:LFO / Reverb 

Scamo S4

  • Mode 1 - Ean's Beat Masher: beatmasher + peakFilter + T3 reverb / muloun drive + pftr + reverb
  • Mode 2 - Transbeater: beatmasher / transposeStretch / TTFX
  • Mode 3 - Delayorama: T3Delay
  • Mode 4 - The Belofo: beatmasher / Lofi / FilterLFO.
  • Mode 5 - Flangeritis: FlangerFlux / Reverb
  • Mode 6 - The Riffer: gator / beatmasher / ReverbT3 (filter?)
  • Mode 7 - Reverbogator: reverb / gator
  • Mode 8 - Army of Me's (Priscilla's) Sweep Drama Effect
  • Mode 9 - LOFI Sweep
  • Mode 10 - Flanger Sweep
  • Mode 11 - Pulse Sweep
  • Mode 12 - Beat Slicer
  • Mode 13 - LOFI Masher

elephant jogFX

  • 2-M: Beatslicer / Gater / LaserSlicer
  • 2-L: Gater / Beatlicer / ZZurrp
  • 2-R: Reverb / Gater / Wormhole
  • 3-M: Gater / Beatmasher2 / Beatslicer
  • 3-L: Gater / Beatmasher2 / Delay
  • 3-R: Gater / Beatmasher2 / Srrrettch Slow
  • 4-M: Gater / RampDelay / Iceverb
  • 4-L: Gater / TapeDelay / Reverb
  • 4-R: Beatmasher2 / RampDelay / PolarWind

DAVE

  • Beatmasher 2 / Reverb / Transpose stretch

L.G.MUZIK - TP3 F1 sidekick

  • 1-1) Iceverb / Peak Filter / Reverb <<<<<
  • 1-2) Reverb T3 / Delay T3 / Filter 92
  • 1-3) Delay / Flanger Flux / Reverb
  • 1-4) Stretch slow / Transpose Stretch / Wormhole
  • 2-1) Iceverb / Mullholland Drive / Peak Filter
  • 2-2) Reverb / Delay T3 / Digital Lofi
  • 2-3) Reverb T3 / Flanger / Gater
  • 2-4) Ringmodulator / Reverb T3 / Flanger Pluse

Raycotek 2x2RD

  • 0:24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--U3Ngp5RyI
  • 1 Iceverb / Peak Filter / Reverb <<<
  • 2 Iceverb / Digital LoFi / Peak Filter
  • 3 Reverse Grain / Peak Filter / Iceverb Smart FX
  • 4 Mulholland-Drive / Transpose Stretch/ Peak Filter ...
  • 5 Tape Delay / Gater / Filter:92 LFO
  • 8 Delay / Beatmasher 2
  • 12 Delay T3 / Filter:92 / Beatmasher 2
  • 16 Transpose Stretch / Delay / Reverb

Raycotek 4FD

  • 1:22 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhHzcGEa3yg
  • jogFX :
    • 1 / Flanger Pulse / Delay / Peak Filter
    • 2 Delay / Flanger Pulse/ Wormhole
    • 3 Laser Slicer / Delay T3/ Filter
    • 4 Beatmasher / Laser Slicer / Peak Filter
  • smart cue:
    • 1 Beatmasher 2/ Transpose Stretch/ Delay
    • 2 Beatmasher 2/ Tape Delay/ Filter
    • 3 Laser Slicer/ Filter:92 Pulse/ Reverb
    • 4 Delay/ Mulholland-Drive/ Peak Filter

Which basic effects constitute Traktor mixerFX and macroFX?

MixerFX / MacroFX are essentially FX chains with specific defaults and behavior.\ This post describes the basic elements of MixerFX using simpler base effects (delay, echo, filter, reverb, flanger, beatmasher, bitcrush, white noise).

TP3.0 MIXERFX

  • https://djtechtools.com/2018/10/18/traktor-pro-3-out-now-heres-whats-new/
  • Reverb: resonant reverb + heavy filter
  • Dual Delay: 1/2 delay + filter
  • Dotted Delay: heavy delay (staccato)
  • Noise: white noise + filter
  • Time Gater: ON/OFF BPM-sync + filter
  • Flanger: 4-beat flanger + filter
  • Barber Pole: soft Shepard Tone
  • Crush: bit crush (no pitch increase) + filter
  • Filter: Filter + Light resonance

TP2.6 MACROFX

  • https://techtools.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/202165534-NEW-MACRO-FX
  • https://crossfadr.com/2012/11/21/overhauling-the-traktor-native-instruments-new-traktor-pro-2-6-release/
  • Wormhole = heavy filter + heavy flanger + delay (Buildup//breakdown)
  • PolarWind = heavy flanger (coloring) + light filter + reverb (Mixing/punch in)
  • FlightTest = heavy echo + resonant filter (Punch In)
  • LaserSlicer = heavy beatmasher + flanger (Punch in/buildup/breakdown)
  • DarkMatter = heavy crush + delay + compression (for Mixing)
  • Zzzurp = related to Ringmodulator (masher + flanger + crush + reverb) (Punch in/breakdown)
  • EventHorizon = heavy filter + echo (Breakdown/punch in)
  • Bass-o-Matic = heavy triplets slicer (Punch in/breakdown)
  • Strrretch (Slow) = loop sampler (Buildup/breakdown)
  • Strrretch (Fast) = loop sampler (Buildup/breakdown)
  • GranuPhase = delay to 2nd and 4th beat (Punch in/buildup/breakdown)

TP2.0 effects

  • https://www.digitaldjtips.com/reviews/native-instruments-traktor-kontrol-z2/
  • Transpose Stretch = Dubstep-style
  • Ringmodulator = Josh Wink “tweak”
  • Tape Delay = “chillwave”

To test these effects, loop a simple beat and characterize what you hear based on basic FX concepts.
To test delay/echo/reverb presence, stop the track to hear the FX tail.

original thread

Describing the basic effects that constitute Pioneer SoundColorFX

SoundColorFX are similar FX chains with specific defaults and behavior. This post describes their basic elements as well.

DJM-900NX2 ColourFX

  • https://docs.pioneerdj.com/Manuals/DJM_900NXS2_DRI1300A_manual/#/
  • Space = reverb
  • dub echo = echo
  • sweep = gate (left) / filter (right)
  • noise = white noise + filter
  • crush = reduce bit resolution + filter
  • filter = filter + resonance
  • jet = flanger
  • pitch = tone change
  • gate comp = gate (left) / compressor (right)

DJM-900NX2 Beat FX

  • https://docs.pioneerdj.com/Manuals/DJM_900NXS2_DRI1300A_manual/#/
  • Delay = delay
  • multi tap delay = delay
  • Echo = echo
  • low cut echo = echo
  • Ping Pong = delay
  • Reverb = reverb
  • Spiral = reverb + pitch
  • Trans(form) = Gate
  • Filter = Filter
  • Flanger = Flanger
  • Phaser = Flanger
  • Pitch = Pitch
  • Roll = loop sampler (once)
  • Slip Roll = Loop Sampler (can be restarted)
  • Rev Rol = Loop sampler reversed
  • Helix = Loop Sampler
  • melodic = Sampler
  • Vinyl Brake = Constant tempo down
  • robot = vocoder (?)
  • enigma jet = Shepard Tone + flanger
  • Mobius saw = Shepard Tone
  • Mobius triangle = Shepard Tone

RMX-1000

  • https://djtechtools.com/2016/08/02/rekordbox-4-2-1-rmx-effects-vinyl-recording/
  • https://djtechtools.com/2012/05/06/pioneer-rmx-1000-effects-unit-review/
  • BPF Echo – Adds the sound that has passed through the band pass filter to the original sound and adds echo.
  • Noise – Adds white noise generated internally to the sound.
  • Spiral Up – Raises pitch of the sound while changing echo reverberation time.
  • Reverb Up – Adds a reverberation effect to the sound and raises the pitch of the echo as time passes.

RMX-1000 - Effects for inserting breaks into tracks

  • HPF Echo – Passes the sound through the high pass filter and adds echo.
  • LPF Echo – Passes the sound through the low pass filter and adds echo.
  • Crush Echo – Creates a sound as if the sound were crushed and adds echo.
  • Spiral Down – Lowers the pitch of the sound while changing echo reverberation time.
  • Reverb Down – Adds a reverberation effect to the sound and lowers the pitch of the echo as time passes.”

Describing the basic effects that constitute VirtualDJ SoundColorFX

VirtualDJ has similar FX chains, with specific defaults and behavior. This post describes their basic elements as well.

VirtualDJ SoundColorFX

  • https://www.virtualdj.com/manuals/virtualdj/interface/mixer/audio/index.html
  • https://www.virtualdj.com/manuals/virtualdj/appendix/nativeeffects.html
  • Cut
  • Distortion
  • Echo
  • Flanger
  • Filter (default)
  • Noise
  • Loop Roll
  • Pitch
  • Reverb
  • Spiral