GOING FROM CONTROLLER TO CDJ 3000 | WHAT THEY DON'T TELL YOU! 

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Point 2 - Turn off Quantize if you want to hit the Cue buttons without a delayed response, otherwise the Cue Points will only Snap to the Beat Grid

Point 3 - The CDJ2000 NXS2's had a option in the Utility Settings Menu to change the playback behaviour of the Hot Cues, but here's a workaround for this to work. Stop the deck, make sure SLIP MODE is on. Now the Hot Cues will only play audio while you hold down a cue button and stop as soon as you let go.

One really awesome features of a CDJ is that whatever you play on the CDJ is stored into the HISTORY folder as a playlist on the USB. If you take that USB back to Rekordbox, you can see everything you played on the CDJ as a playlist, so no need to write down what it is that you played in a spontaneous set, whether it's on your own decks or at a venue.

Hello, regarding no 7 (hot cues bank) Set the quantize to 1/8 so you'll have that instant play.

About that #5 you can use tag list feature for creating dj set. When you have everything ready click menu and save as playlist. I use this everytime when creating sets no laptop needed

Its almost like when we touch vinyl, the harder you put pressure on the vinyl, or even how quickly or slowly you move it, as well..... The more different the sounds are that are produced, thanks man.... 🔥💯👍💪🙏🎶🎛️🌎

Ive just started DJing seriously this past summer and I got the XDJ RX2 because I wanted something standalone and close to the "industry standard". I haaate how the hot cues don't have a gate effect. I really wish they would add that functionality! Another thing is that it won't play FLAC files, so I have to convert all my FLACs to AIFF. Also #4 drove me crazy at first too. Love your videos, Phil, you help me improve every day!

Rekordbox recording quality is very good coming out of the mixer with USB. Also try to connect your mixer to your CDJs with cat 5 cables on top of the RCAs and a few cool things happens (like the sync button;) !

Been waiting for you to make this vid! You still haven't told us why you swapped the mixer (unless I missed it). The set up looks amazing - like a Rolls Royce sat in your dj room! The last mix you did was insane so I think you are getting the hang of it!

Really love the feedback in this video! I am gonna play on these for my first live set this weekend so it’s great to know that some of the features in serato are kinda missing! I’ve been practicing or rekordbox lately

Point 6 - The EVERMIX has a frequency response output of (30Hz - 20,000Hz). While the CDJ3000 outputs at (4Hz - 40,000Hz). The DJM900 NXS2 outputs at (20 - 40000 Hz) A system is only as good as it's weakest link. It's like buying a Ferrari and then swapping out the engine from a KIA. Have you tried recording via the RB App on your phone connected via USB to the CDJ, DJM LINK (sample rate of 16 bit / 44.1 kHz) Another way is to use a "Virtual Audio Driver" like "Blackhole" that's linked to "AUDIO MIDI SETUP" internally. But imho, you can't beat taking the digital out (from the DJM) sent directly to a Studio Grade Sound Card Interface on a separate Mac/Pc with your DAW.

Great info as usual Phil Thanks 🙏🕺🏾👍

Love your content btw your class was amazing yesterday

Hey man, great review, loved it. Just one tip, check if you’re trying to use the cues with slip or PLAY button on. I am currently able to play the audio as a trigger as you were describing you wanted to. Otherwise I remember seeing in some part of the settings that one of the functions could be set to toggle or trigger…maybe it was this one? Hope this helps, let me know if it does, otherwise it might be that I generally use the cdjs myself in control mode. 🤟🏽

I get the CDJ thing, in general the only people who can afford a setup like this at home or for mobile DJing are the older set. I remember back in the mid 2000's watching my mates DJ on early CDJ's, it now makes sense how they were able to line up the beats properly.

Phil, great video. I hate to say it, but this list could be read as 7 reasons I'm really happy I just got a Denon setup. Each of these 7 issues are not present on Denons. Still the Pioneer stuff is great, can't fault them.

I am very surprised that as a professional DJ that you have never had the opportunity to play on CDJs before. Also something to note is that the DDJ 1000 controller has the same mechanical jog wheels as the CDJ 2000 Nexus 2 so that would have been another opportunity to get a feel of the mechanical jogs of CDJs. I find touch wheels on other controllers quite irritating as I’ve had many times accidentally lightly brush the top of the wheel and the music temporarily stops. Fortunately it’s only ever been on the incoming track and never the currently playing track.

In regards to recording, I'm pretty sure you can just connect your PC/laptop to the DJM via USB cable and record through Audacity, rather than needing extra equipment like an evermix. You need the right drivers installed (which I guess you have since you've hooked up rekordbox on your laptop to the mixer), but I've been able to do this before on a friend's DJM-900NXS

Thank harris for this...now I used/ mastered CDJS on my mates CDJS, I felt pro on them thanks. I spent 15 hrs on the CDJS.,practice.

to gate your cues you need to go to the end of the track and set slip mode on, then when you release the cue it will jump to the silence at the end of the track, thus yielding the gate effect although you do have to set an extra cue at the end of the song and also turn slip mode on so it's a bit of a hassle

They look insane, I went from cdj1000mk3 to pioneer xdj xz which should arrive next week

I'm after Your Begginer Dj Course was awesome. I have XDJ-RX2 i wish one day i will buy some amazing dj equipment like You have now. Absolutely love Your chanel, You inspired me to try with music by myself. Good luck 🎧🎧🎧 I do recommend Beginner Dj course 🔊🔊🔊

LOVED THE VIDEO!!! 💯💯💯

@9:50 just buy an SC4 cable ($20 CAD) and go booth out (2 to 1). the SC4 cable creates a backwards audio signal and allows perfect audio right from your mixer into your phone. way cheaper option!!

Im pretty sure the hotcue issue is due to the quantize... did you ever try turn it off? its always a delay on hotcues with quantize on. It waits for the nearest upcoming beat before it runs.

Love the feedback! A few misses tho when you talk about features such as hot cues (which is affected by quantize) and then you go on to the track pad feature of the mixer which isn't apart of CDJs lol.

You can plug a USB cable straight out of mixer and record from audacity. You should of bought the SC 6000's. HID mode for Serato.

that CDJ mode "preview feature" tripped me up. i also thought my 2000NXS1s were broken. thanks for explaining.

Your snaps are so strong 😂 Gotta work on my technique

You went from level 2 to level 10. CDJs ROCK in comparison to controllers. My personal plan to to get away from Serato and the SRT and get on CDJs and Rekordbox.

Phil, Keep working it out. I am glad I went with Denon sc5000s with the x1850 mixer using the computer.

Im luckily your first 1k like haha Amazing vid bro

That's basically my beef with a traditional CDJ/DJM setup as opposed to a good DDJ. The DDJ, while not feeling as good as a proper modular setup, does offer a TON more practicality. When I DJ in small bars and clubs, I always bring my controllers. Here I have ALL of my music already prepped, ready to go in one convenient, smaller setup. There's no need to burn CD's, I got a mouse to help me scroll through the tracks, and they do what I need them to do. And when I see modern flagships, like the DDJ-RZX, I'm really wondering why spend £10k on a CDJ setup when the RZX will do pretty much the same shit for £2800. At some point it has to be style over substance.

just because of this video ..i changed my mind on buying these 3 things...plus its expensive

Good decision moving to CDJs, sooner the better. If you're not comfortable using a USB or SD cards, just use the CDJs in HID mode with Serato or Rekordbox.

With the playlists I've just made playlists on my USB drives, and aside from that I just try to force myself to know all my music like a BOSS (which I haven't done yet).

4. Cue skipping.... It highlights you never played outdoor in a sunny environment

4:58 This has been a standard feature on Pioneer players for almost two decades now...I'm blown away that it's not on controllers. Also, when cueing, bring it back to the last frame/second before the best kicks in. That way you're getting the whole kick drum and it's less likely to make that clicking noise when the loop cuts the kick drum.

With that last point about the hot cues and them being delayed, have you tried turning quantize off. As with it on it’s normally set to 1 beat so won’t change till it hits the beat

"OKAY POINT NUMBER TWO IS THIS" with the number and flashy edit of the title to what the 2nd point should of been, that fucking KILLED ME!

Best dj teacher

withe the hot cue delay problem you just need to optimize your quantize function in setting because yours is set to 1 beat and if you set it to like 1/4 it will be directer

It's really funny to hear some of this coming from the other end of the spectrum. I have NEVER used a controller or dvs system in my entire DJ life since I started in 1985. On occasion I have tested someones setup, but just felt that it was a worse option not to be considered serious. I'm a hardware guy only where computers are a prep tool only, not to be in the booth. I used vinyl for 10 years, then CD's for almost 15 years, and since 2009 i use RB prepared USB devices. This mean that when I stopped using vinyl in the mid 90's, i immediately had to get used to the stutter sound of CDJ mode setting a new cue point, which were pretty much the same on all brands. The benefit is that when you use the CDJ mode to set a new cue point, you can do it on vocals with other background sounds on the fly, not only on kicks and snares on the one. ...and it's a frame based solution where you go frame by frame until the next frame has the start of the sound you want to use as the new cue point. Doing this on the fly using the vinyl mode will never ever be as good as you will end up one more frames wrong every time. For me starting a new track with faders up is relying on me doing it with perfect timing, which means that I need to have perfect set cue points every time. ...and yeah, if I always ended up with a pair of 3000's I could probably use the wave form to do it, but I use what's in the club, which still means using first gen CDJ-2000's and 900's on a regular basis which means no moving wave forms and using your ears is the only option. B.t.w, you did set the cue point several frames in to the beat... old school as I am, I still rely on my ears for most of my mixing, which means I don't look in the screens, or down on the mixer, very much, but rather have my eyes on the people attending the venue. A final note on the CDJ vs Vinyl mode topic: If you're NOT a scratching DJ, and NEVER in your life will use the the jog wheel for the purpose of scratching, why would you even use that mode? The ONLY things that can happen in vinyl mode are BAD things. I still have all my vinyls and do occasional vinyl sets, and have no problems switching back to the way I used to play, but why on earth would I want to bring that old school way of playing in to the digital world? If my memory is right, there's a setting in RB where you can set hot cue's to be gated when the track is paused.

Hey Mate, great video 👍✌️

what i like to do in Rekordbox and organise songs is with a lot of playlists in each playlist i have a set in order of the songs im going to play, so when you drag the songs into the playlist it orders them automatically in the order that you dragged it into the playlist, this helps me a lot specially with the first 4, then i can put no1 on deck 1 no2 on deck 2 3 on deck 3 and 4 on deck 4 after that all you need to do is count baby and wait until 1 is done playing select 5 into 1 and then gooo heavy

Its like the "controllers" are designed for how pioneer is envisioning future/optimized DJaying. With the latest gimmicks and lowlatency. While the "CDJ's" are designed to glue together older and newer generation DJ's and keep everyone happy, at the cost of some convenience.

I used to feel less of a dj when using controllers but after four years of djing two professionally it's all about rocking the crowd.

Based on the "issues" you pointed out in this video, I can tell you never used Cdjs since their very conception back in 1994. Not saying that's necessarily a bad thing

Loved the phone hook-up

on #7 try to use with quantize off the Cdj will react as soon as you hit the cue point without the gate

That is why I will probably go for the XDJ-XZ

That broken cdj point was funnny.....tht stutter sound whn u pause a track in CDJ mode was used by lot of DJs including from then csj 200 era. So DJs who have used something like cdj 200/ denon d-4500 will b familiar to that sound!

Regarding the CDJ pause function. I'm usually in vinyl mode all the time but if I ever need an exact exact cue point the only way to really get it completely exact is CDJ mode because it's frame accurate. I don't need cue points that accurate usually. For queues usually I just grab the jog wheel like it's a record and find the first kick, and then while holding down press the cue button and voila, cue point is set

Hi Phil, congratulations with your new set of equipment. In my opinion the CDJ's with their enormous price tag do not offer so much really interesting features compared to the NXS-2. In my opinion both players are soooo over priced for what they can do. The best Pioneer product I have used is the XDJ-XZ with a Macbook Pro running Rekordbox version 5. Really has everything Pioneer has to offer. It is much smaller that the 3000 set-up and can play extremely fast via Performance mode, it can play from USB sticks and can do recording on a USB at the same time. The one thing which Pioneer doesn't understand is that the biggest part of DJ's have very large music collections and play whatever the crowd likes (think of requests). Here comes the problem with the NXS-2 and 3000 set-up. These can't handle a collection of 1TB or up and can't perform fast searches for artist / titles. Why? well the USB connection is USB 2.0 and they way Pioneer handles such a large collection it will not work. Your players will get stuck performing multiple search actions. One stupid thing Pioneer needs to change is activate search after pressing enter and not while typing. As the USB 2.0 protocol handles much lower speeds than USB 3.0 or 3.1 it makes no sense investing in portable SSD drives as the players can't handle the speed the drives can handle. Therefore most DJ's will need to bring a laptop and work in Performance mode as this is the fastest way to play requests. Rekordbox Performance mode is a great tool, in my opinion the best DJ software out there. If I would advice a DJ who travels and plays allround for different kinds of audiences... Buy a very good Macbook Pro (not the M1 due to overheating issues that may occur) with a 2TB SSD drive and a XDJ-XZ. Then you are familiair with the Pioneer workflow (having to use Rekordbox to arrange your collection) and you will be able to play on a NXS-2 set-up or 3000 set-up if this is in a venue where you don't bring your controller. Don't wanna go into the Denon discussion, but they are an interesting competitor and that is a very good thing for both brands. I will check out in the coming weeks how a SC-6000 handles a large drive... it has USB 3.0 I understood so... but then again if you are used to Rekordbox (Performance) you will have an issue with the software of this competitor. When they get the software on the same level as Pioneer we have a real fight ;). Enjoy your music, keep smiling and stay safe.

Try using skip mode with the hot cues, may fix your issue!

Also, invest in a decent external SSD. Flash sticks are stupidly slow, and they're even slower than normal on CDJs (no exFAT format.) An SSD is faster, provides more space for less money, and is more reliable.

WOOOOOW!!!! I am really shocked!!! Some of these differences I just met on Pioneer XDJ-XZ and I could not find the possibility to change it in the menu - most anoying missing the gate function. Also the slow uploading of songs. And browsing the library... in Rekordbox I can see all the information for all displayed songs together especially with the grafic sound wave. On the player I can see the wave once it is loaded. I am missing it very much, because often I am choosing next song also according what way the new song is beggining just what I can see from the wave. People are saying that playing on DJ controler connected to the the computer is not the real DJ job, that it is just a toy. But it gives so many options and gadgets. Knowing this it looks like that I want always connect the computer (I have 10 inch Samsung tablet with Windows) to be able to use all the features I am common. Another difference - I know pads only as buttons that have to be pressed to work. On XDJ-XZ they are touch sensitive. So just moving around and just accidentaly touched my master song jumped to the hot cue point!!! I like to have finger ready on the pad and once I want to use it just press it. Here I have to watch carefully what I am touching. Unbelievable! So many differences without a possibility to change them. Not sure that when I connect it to the computer with Rekordbox that it overtakes the setup from the Rekordbox (the Gate playing at least). So thank you very very much for this video!!! Very important details/important things!!! We should be ready that live playing on someone else's equipment can bring some unexpected issues. That better and more expensive profi players and equipment does not nesseccarily mean better conditions... Once again - THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! Enjoy your big beast and relearn your habbits...

Interesting video, surely as a professional DJ you have played in clubs etc where these players are standard? Just interested if they were not things that bothered you in the past? CDJs are not touch sensitive as they as meant to replicate using vinyl You can record right off the mixer using the pioneer DJ app just need to plug your phone in, much cheaper

I will propably never own or play on CDJ 3000 's as im a hobbyist that has only used mixers with Laptops currently with a FLX10 . I really appreciate you taking some of the mystery out of the them .

Thank you, you're awesome

Interesting to read the comments and tips on how to overcome some of the shortcomings of the Pioneers. Maybe they are really not the best choice...

Cdj pause play it was really handy on cdj 200 And cdj 400 ;) but it’s also good to change loop like James hype :)

You look awesomely professional behind those decks!

Phil you look like you been doing your sit ups!

#4 drove me crazy with my xdj-xz

One tip change the cables or get faster usb stick avoid that lag

Good day Phill

You can load a track in where you want but you have to do it with memory key on the deck also you can do a loop when he comes he automatic play that loop instant. 🤗

What up Phil, thanks for the videos brotha.... 👍💪🙏🎶... But, do you have any strictly vinyl videos my friend, where I'm personally learning, & practicing with turntables, & vinyl mostly, without a computer or tablet, using my Pioneer DJM250-MK2 mixer..... Figured, id at least ask my friend, thanx ninja..... 🔥💯👍💪🙏🎶🎛️🌎

You can create a set list on the fly 😎🎧👍🏻

For the hot cue problem try to turn on quantize i think this would solve your problem

What a great video.

Number 3 .. you can do the tone play with the hot cues while the song is not playing and the slip mode is on!!

Wow that's a huge gap, especially if we'd keep in mind that their new "super fast" processor comes with cdj3000 as major feature

Awesome video. I'm thinking about going to CDJ's but they are so expensive.

I mean I can arrange a playlist on my cdj-350 (from 2010), you can definitly figure it out on the 3000's hehehe

The pause 'problem' reminds me of good ol' times of CDJ 100.

Try using vinyl Phil. It’ll blow your mind.

Starting 2 song on same deck with hot cue in quantize, I think they made it by purpose. It's not change the track straight away, it's changing on the next beat. If you do it without quantize, probably no delay...

You can turn the gate mode within rekordbox dj..under setings>controller>deck>hot cue(check the box written DURING PAUSE,GATE PLAYBACK IS APPLIED)..And just to add up REKORDBOX IS SHIT..And also that latency also makes you less accurate..You cant even scratch in time

I dj from 2007 so you really made me think like "wtf" it is absolutely normal that CDjs have stutter mode...

I have a set of these, they are awesome.

Hiya, wanna go from 1210s to ur current setup, is like wow it's reduced haha, depends what u started with, good to see all round though 👍😊

13:13 is quantize set to one beat? Change to 1/8 or turn quantize off 😉 then soon as you hit the cue button..... booooom instant

There's a cheat for the hotcue issue---set your last cue to the end of the track, hit it, then flux mode your other cues

Since you're into good sound I'm surprised you havent switched to a good microphone for your voice. It would be much more professional and pleasurable for us viewers. Cheers

The 'stutter' thing - reminds me of the CDJ500's

About recordings. If you use rekordbox as a source using Pioneer Link (network) three is a record funtion. Also in export mode. Regards Walter

Without looking to hard, i swear I thought the thumbnail was of one of their car stereos lol

They react to pressure that way because that’s how it would work when you’re touching a record

No one likes to talk about it (admit it), but Denon SC6000s (firmware 2.1.1) are the closest thing to "controller-style" mixing on a modular piece of gear as one can currently get. But, they don't have that "industry standard" sex appeal or bragging rights.....not supposed to matter, but for many it does. That said, the SC6000s aren't perfect either. I have owned them for 1.5 years, and even I have a pair of CDJ-3000s backordered. However, I'll be keeping both brands. Each brand's player has it's strengths and weaknesses.

For Recording just put a USB into The DJM909NXS2 😅 or Connect ist via USB to your pc and use Audacity, Ableton or whatever Software u like… fir livesrreaming get a Elgato Camlink and ob’s 💁🏻✌️

I use Serato with CD-J 2000 and works well but Sometimes I use a flash drive for the convenience. I feel like I get to be more creative with Serato dj

Hot cues are Cues, if you wanna use the cues like you use a sampler, the behavior of „stop when releasing a pad“ is just not the meaning of a cue, but a sampler pad. The acoustic lineup of Cues is familiar to a lot of DJs, and the point where the waveform starts to „look“ loud is not the point, where the body of the Sound is. The point of rekordbox is that you Organise your playlist at home and there is a tagliatelle, where you can do a lineup. As all the other things you said you should shift your perspective when we used to have a case with cds where we tilted the cds we wanted to play next 45degrees to have them in awareness. And yes, quantize can ruin a lot of your skills. Just turn is of, Beatmatch properly. I’d rather have a short push or pull to keep the beats aligned then to have that skip a misquantize produces

Regarding point #6, this is available on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Rode-SC3-3-5mm-TRRS-Adaptor/dp/B00L6C8PNU/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=rode+adapter&qid=1618606391&sr=8-7 I live in the US, so if you're in Europe I'm not sure how the shipping may or may not work BUT, I use this Rode adapter for my iPhone (it can also be used with Droid). It was about $15 for me, super simple, super easy to use. Just plug it into your phone via whatever cable you're using on your mixer and you're done. I have the DDJ-1000 so I have a dedicated booth output - which is great so I set it at quarter volume and forget it. I'm using a quarter inch cable to aux which plugs into the Rode adapter, which plugs into the iPhone dongle, and I'm done. The audio is crisp and clean and I use it for all my Twitch streams.

Nothing weird on your number 4...it's the way cdjs mark the Cue point... the problem is they try simplify A LOT with this all stand machines.

Hey Phil, There is Gated Cue in the CDJ 3000!!!! It is more of a workaround though.. So what you do is go to the very end of the track (maybe put a cue at that point) and then put it in slip mode. Now all of your cue points are gated cues!! You can actually do this with any cdj or controller that has slip mode!

When I win the lotto I might buy these beauty's - not sure about buying a nightclub tho ... Borris?? 🤔

try plugging in the optical cables instead of the RCAs, Hot cue delay is due to quantize set up wrong. i have no trouble with mine and i have same setup. using rekordbox on the ethernets via a link box are only as fast as the link box and they are far quicker with the USB, Why do you need to hook up a laptop when the screens are so big and everything is there? and your mixer has a record out function.. all you needed to do was connect a RCA to 3.5mm jack and plug into the Mic in or line in on your laptop.. think you should have more of a play with them and make another vid lol. ive had mine since teh day they came out and like you, these are my first CDJS so a lot to learn. and still finding little things.