The Complete Guide To Beginner DJ Mixing With A Traktor Controller
In this video course, world-renowned DJ Shortee teaches you the essential DJ skills that you need to beatmatch and mix your music using a Traktor DJ controller. These skills include manual adjustments, tuning your ears, manual beatmatching, auto beatmatching using sync, and beginner mixing techniques. She breaks down the entire beatmatching and mixing process slowly and clearly, step by step and in multiple ways so that you can fully grasp the concepts, while also giving you specific exercises that you can practice repeatedly to hone your beatmatching skills. Every lesson is taught in a clear and concise way that is easy for anyone to understand.
Videos
• Introduction (04:58) - In this video, DJ Shortee introduces the course in which she teaches manual adjustments, tuning your ears, beatmatching, and beginner mixing techniques using a Traktor DJ controller such as the Traktor Kontrol s4. She explains what beatmatching actually is and why it's important for DJs to learn to beatmatch manually. She also compares manual beatmatching versus relying on the automatic "Sync" features available in most DJ software, and lists the benefits of each.
• Manual Speed-Up Method (03:05) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to manually manipulate the jog wheels on the controller in order to temporarily speed up the tempo of your songs. She explains why manual adjustments are crucial to the manual beatmatching process and then demonstrates the manual speed-up method.
Songs:
Shortee & Step 1 “Wax that Booty” (Bikini Wax Album—5 Star Records)—115 bpm
Songs:
Shortee & Step 1 “Wax that Booty” (Bikini Wax Album—5 Star Records)—115 bpm
• Manual Slow-Down Method (01:57) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to manually manipulate your records in order to temporarily slow down the tempo of your songs. She demonstrates the manual slow-down method, using both visual and audible techniques. She teaches you how to perform this technique without looking at the software so you can train your ears to hear the adjustments and then she shows you how to "read" the Traktor Pro 2 software as you manually adjust the jog wheels so you can actually see the adjustments affecting the bpm in real time.
Songs:
Shortee & Step 1 “Wax that Booty” (Bikini Wax Album—5 Star Records)—115 bpm
Songs:
Shortee & Step 1 “Wax that Booty” (Bikini Wax Album—5 Star Records)—115 bpm
• Using Manual Adjustments (12:09) - In this video, DJ Shortee teaches you how to use manual adjustments to adjust your songs while beatmatching. She explains why you should only adjust one song at a time, what sounds to listen for while you are beatmatching in order to tune your ears, and how to determine if a song is playing faster or slower using just your ears.
Songs:
Shortee & Step 1 “Wax that Booty” (Bikini Wax Album—5 Star Records)—115 bpm
Scary Fox “Subway” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
Songs:
Shortee & Step 1 “Wax that Booty” (Bikini Wax Album—5 Star Records)—115 bpm
Scary Fox “Subway” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
• Continuous Manual Speed-Up Method (06:20) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to perform the continuous manual speed-up method, an exercise that will help you to tune your ears and become proficient with your manual adjustments. She also explains how these continuous manual adjustment methods can be used when you are beatmatching live music with a beat played by a live drummer in real time, rather than beatmatching songs that are quantized during production.
Songs:
Scary Fox “Subway” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
Songs:
Scary Fox “Subway” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
• Continuous Manual Slow-Down Method (04:13) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to perform the continuous manual slow-down method, an exercise that will help you become proficient with your manual adjustments.
Songs:
Scary Fox “Subway” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
Songs:
Scary Fox “Subway” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
• Beatmatching: Part 1 (14:06) - In this video, DJ Shortee teaches you how to combine manual speed adjustments with full pitch adjustments using the tempo slider in order to beatmatch two of the same songs using your ears only. She breaks down the entire process slowly, walking you through it step by step so that you can fully grasp the concept, while also teaching you a fundamental exercise that you can practice repeatedly to hone your beatmatching skills.
Songs:
Shortee & Step 1 “Wax that Booty” (Bikini Wax Album—5 Star Records)—115 bpm
Songs:
Shortee & Step 1 “Wax that Booty” (Bikini Wax Album—5 Star Records)—115 bpm
• Beatmatching: Part 2 (10:29) - In this video, DJ Shortee teaches you how to combine manual speed adjustments with full pitch adjustments using the tempo slider in order to beatmatch two different songs with the same bpm using your ears only. She shows how you can combine the techniques more efficiently in order to beatmatch faster, while still breaking the process down step by step so you can follow along in real time.
Songs:
Fransis Derelle “Rocca” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Minesweepa “Later Gator” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Songs:
Fransis Derelle “Rocca” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Minesweepa “Later Gator” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
• Beatmatching: Part 3 (10:07) - In this video, DJ Shortee teaches you how to combine manual speed adjustments with full pitch adjustments in order to beatmatch two different songs with different bpm using your ears only. She also explains how long to test playing your beatmatched tracks together before finally mixing the next song in, which varies depending on the length of time you plan to mix them.
Songs:
WiseLabs “Family Values” 1nvader Remix (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—124 bpm
Minesweepa “Later Gator” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Songs:
WiseLabs “Family Values” 1nvader Remix (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—124 bpm
Minesweepa “Later Gator” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
• Beatmatching: Part 4 - Sync Intro (04:46) - In this video, DJ Shortee introduces the Sync functions and teaches you how to use the Traktor Kontrol s4's hardware Sync controls.
Songs:
WiseLabs “Family Values” 1nvader Remix (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—124 bpm
Minesweepa “Later Gator” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Songs:
WiseLabs “Family Values” 1nvader Remix (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—124 bpm
Minesweepa “Later Gator” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
• Beatgrid (12:08) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to set and adjust basic beatgrids in Traktor Pro 2.
Songs:
Pawax “Shaolin” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
Jay Velar “Surge” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
Songs:
Pawax “Shaolin” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
Jay Velar “Surge” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
• Beatgrid Track with Beatless Intro (05:31) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to set up your beatgrids on tracks that don't have a defined beat in the intro.
Songs:
Mashur “Army Boots” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—140 bpm
Songs:
Mashur “Army Boots” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—140 bpm
• Adjusting Beatgrid with Controller (02:21) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to use the Traktor Kontrol s4 to set and adjust your beatgrids for your audio files in the Traktor Pro 2 software.
Songs:
Mustache Riot, Mobb Creep & Melissa Pixel “It’s Not Too Late” Safra Remix (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—86 bpm
Songs:
Mustache Riot, Mobb Creep & Melissa Pixel “It’s Not Too Late” Safra Remix (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—86 bpm
• Auto Sync (07:36) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to use Auto Sync in Traktor Pro 2.
Songs:
Digital Fracture “Inflexible” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—130 bpm
BSSFST “Superalligator” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Digital Fracture “Monster” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Songs:
Digital Fracture “Inflexible” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—130 bpm
BSSFST “Superalligator” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Digital Fracture “Monster” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
• Sync to Master Clock (02:06) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to sync to the master clock in Traktor Pro 2.
Songs:
Bsharry “BOA” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Fransis Derelle “Rocca” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Minesweepa “Later Gator” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Marc Remillard “Unite” FetOo Remix (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Songs:
Bsharry “BOA” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Fransis Derelle “Rocca” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Minesweepa “Later Gator” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Marc Remillard “Unite” FetOo Remix (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
• Sync Master Clock to Decks (01:33) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to sync the master clock to your decks in Traktor Pro 2.
Songs:
Bsharry “BOA” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Marc Remillard “Unite” FetOo Remix (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
BSSFST “Superalligator” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Songs:
Bsharry “BOA” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Marc Remillard “Unite” FetOo Remix (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
BSSFST “Superalligator” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
• Simple Blend Mix (15:14) - In this video, DJ Shortee teaches you how to perform a simple blend mix using the volume faders on the controller's DJ mixer to transition the songs from one to the other. She quickly walks you through the process of beatmatching two different songs manually, and then shows you how to begin mixing the second song in at a mix point and use the volume faders to seamlessly mix the two songs together.
Songs:
Fransis Derelle “Rocca” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Pawax “Shaolin” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
Songs:
Fransis Derelle “Rocca” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Pawax “Shaolin” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
• Basic EQ Mix (06:24) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to begin incorporating the EQ into your mixing by transitioning the bass frequencies of your songs. She explains why this basic EQ mix is the most important EQ mix you will ever learn as a DJ and why you should use it, or a variation of it, most often.
Songs:
Fransis Derelle “Rocca” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Pawax “Shaolin” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
Songs:
Fransis Derelle “Rocca” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Pawax “Shaolin” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
• Longer EQ Mix (08:02) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to perform a more elaborate EQ mix by mixing each of the three frequencies separately in order to create a longer EQ mix together with the volume faders. She also shows you how to change your Traktor Pro 2 EQ Type to utilize the Z ISO EQ on your controller and explains the importance of the "complete kill" feature in this specific EQ setting.
Songs:
Fransis Derelle “Rocca” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Pawax “Shaolin” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
Songs:
Fransis Derelle “Rocca” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Pawax “Shaolin” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
• High/Low Pass Filter Mix (07:29) - In this video, DJ Shortee teaches you how to use the high/low pass filter to isolate certain frequencies of your songs while mixing between them using the volume faders. She also shows you how to change your Traktor Pro 2 filter type to choose between the three different Filter options that are offered in the software.
Songs:
Fransis Derelle “Rocca” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Pawax “Shaolin” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
Songs:
Fransis Derelle “Rocca” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—128 bpm
Pawax “Shaolin” (Arkade Records)—128 bpm
• Drop Mix (08:10) - In this video, DJ Shortee shows you how to use the cutting technique that you learned in the Traktor Controller DJ Basics course in order to perform a drop mix. She demonstrates this technique using the crossfader in conjunction with the volume faders and then using the controller's Play/Pause button with the crossfader. This skill can be used to execute quicker mixes, trick mixing, and songs with shorter phrasing, as well as any mix for which you need to hear the very first beat when mixing in the track.
Songs:
D.E.P “Bikini Girls” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—110 bpm
Sharxpowa “Storm” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—110 bpm
Songs:
D.E.P “Bikini Girls” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—110 bpm
Sharxpowa “Storm” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—110 bpm
• Drop Mix with EQ & Filter (08:33) - In this video, DJ Shortee teaches you how to perform the drop mix technique in various ways by incorporating the EQ and/or the high/low pass filter so that you can blend the frequencies between songs in a more efficient way for smoother transitions during quick mixes.
Songs:
D.E.P “Bikini Girls” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—110 bpm
Sharxpowa “Storm” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—110 bpm
Songs:
D.E.P “Bikini Girls” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—110 bpm
Sharxpowa “Storm” (Heavy Artillery Recordings)—110 bpm