I’m cueing up the beginning of the track to set a cue marker, while the track is stop. I’m listening for the first sound of audio and I move back a slight turn. Set my cue marker. I have a habit of moving the side of the jog wheel to pin point where to place the cue, but there is no audio while the track is moving. Man, that throws me off thinking something is wrong. I have to catch myself and remember I’m not touching the top of the jog wheel to hear the audio, while the track is moving. This is not a problem for me. It’s just something I have to remember.
Another is even though I own controllers like the Numark NS7ii and Traktor S8. I have to remember what pad mode I’m in on sc5000, between cue mode or loop mode. Lights are low and I’m jamming. On the fly I decides to set a cue marker or set a loop marker. I like to set my loop marker by pressing one of the 8 pads at the start of the loop and pressing the same pad at the end of the loop. This way save time or steps, of using the loop function of the deck and remember what the loop length I’m on. Because I sometimes, use the loop function of the deck for quick short stutter loops to transition my blend from one track to another. Like a echo out effect.
Any who, I have to pay close attention to what pad mode I’m on, because there been times, when I want to set a loop and I set a cue marker and times when I want to set a cue marker, I mess around and start a loop. Still building up my memory muscles on these decks.
It’s all muscle memory and it’s pretty universal whether it be for a DJ device, mixer, instruments, etc. When I moved from controllers to the Pio CDJ/DJM realm, it took me a while to get use to the new ecosystem–different terms, different locations on the hardware for my desired functions, different Hot Cue behavior, etc. The same can be applied to instruments, guitars for example, While I can pickup and play any guitar, there’s a bit of a different feel between brands and models: the weight of the body, the action, the thickness of the neck, the fretboard type, etc., and these variations take some getting use to in order to adjust to the change.
Much like the previous listed examples, moving from Pio to Denon Prime took a little getting use to. After much use and having grasped a strong familiarity, the “problem” I have now (and it’s a good one to have) is putting my brainstormed ideas into practice. For example: I’m working on creating a track that consists of nothing but one-shot sounds for Hot Cues (downers, impacts etc.) as well as a variety of 8/16 bar loops for the Loop functions to act as transition tools, similar to classic “DJ Tool” vinyl that came equipped with various samples, shots, breakbeats, etc. I digress.
Just keep jamming out with them. Before you know it your muscle memory will kick in and you’ll be doing things automatically versus having to think twice. Such is the way with any instrument.
I totally agree with you. Best part of it all, is I’m having fun learning the ins and out of these decks. Yesterday, I ordered the X1800 prime mixer. I’m using a Allen & Heath DB4 mixer with the SC5000 right now, but I’m curious to see the full potential of the X1800 and the SC5000 together.
