DJ'ing for Beginners - Learning to Use Effects (FX) on a Pioneer DJM-600 Mixer

A tutorial explaining how to use the effects on a DJM-600. Some of these same effects are found on other Pioneer mixers such as the DJM-500, DJM-700, DJM-900, DJM-1000, DJM-2000, and even a few others.
Unfortunately, as of early 2014, KZbin annotations are not visible to mobile viewers, only to users watching on desktop browsers. I use annotations quite frequently to post clarifications and additional information during the video. For the best educational experience, you might prefer to watch this video in a desktop browser rather than on mobile, unless KZbin eventually fixes the mobile annotation deficiency.
All music used in this video is music that I own copyrights to. You can download the tracks for free if you want from my SoundCloud page:
Bolivia - Global Underground (Gregg Morrish Remix) - Vocal Trance:
/ bolivia-global-undergr...
Bolivia - Global Underground (DJ Nard Remix) - Tech-House:
/ bolivia-global-undergr...
Bolivia - Global Underground (Cozmic Cat Remix) - Vocal House:
/ bolivia-global-undergr...
Bolivia - Global Underground (Pitched Senses Instrumental) - Tech-House:
/ bolivia-global-undergr...
Bolivia - Global Underground (Gruman & Piller Remix) - Vocal Prog:
/ bolivia-global-undergr...
Bolivia - Global Underground (BassQuake Remix) - Vocal Tech-House:
/ bolivia-global-undergr...
Bolivia ft. Mike Allison - When I Grow Old (Radio Edit) - Indie/Folk:
/ bolivia-feat-mike-alli...
This is part of the "Learn To DJ" video series by Jonathan Clark, who is well-known in the industry as DJ Bolivia. To see a list of other DJ-related tutorials by DJ Bolivia, go to:
www.djbolivia.c...
You can also learn more about Jonathan Clark at these sites:
Main site: www.djbolivia.ca
Facebook: / djbolivia
KZbin: / djbolivia
Soundcloud: / djbolivia
About.Me: about.me/djbolivia
Music Blog: djbolivia.blogs...
Mixcloud: www.mixcloud.co...
Twitter: / djbolivia

[@djbolivia]

I'm always VERY glad to hear about people with experience in the "computer assisted" DJ'ing industry who want to learn traditional beat-mixing. Yes, it's time-consuming and frustrating, but you'll be SO glad you took the time once you've figured it out.

[@alexbumpers]

Just got into DJing and a good friend gave me one of these for free. Thanks for much for this tutorial... Very thorough and I was never bored.

[@djbolivia]

A free DJM-600? That's amazing. That's a pretty nice friend!

[@alexbumpers]

Indeed he is!

[@paulwhite4073]

only just brought a djm600 as upgrade so i will be watching this over many times to help with getting used to this mixer thank you for your video

[@davegalanie]

I've been djing for years and this is the best explanation for effects i've ever seen. thank you for being the truth man!

[@djbolivia]

Nice, thanks for taking the time to write, David.

[@jfslim25]

djm 600 the best pioneer mixer ever.. it's basicilly a war machine!! I've played on a few, they're old, but all of them were working fine!!

[@lama132]

Amazing Tutorial, this guy knows his stuff, unlike many DJ's out there

[@djbolivia]

+Randy Lahey Thanks Randy ...

[@slaterbreaker]

I was looking for the DJM 900 however your video pointed me here..... you're explaining it really well and I'm starting to understand how it all works! thank you

[@djbolivia]

Cool, thanks for the comment. I do have a video about the 900 too, if this helps: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6Wwm4ujjbCVeMk&ab_channel=djbolivia

[@tottenhamteacher]

@@djboliviamate if I can pick one up with CDJs lol and case for $250-350 USD do I jump? Need one for tables and cassette decks

[@tottenhamteacher]

@djbolivia bought one in the end.

[@nikkiraves1493]

ohhhhmyyygawwwwd Best tutorial on effects EVER!!! I've learned so much, now I can overcome my fear of using effects and ducking up the sound of the track. Knowledge is power, thank you for the knowledge share!

[@djlucky1347]

Thx a lot. Youre the only one who explain all , that everyone, allso a german like me, understand how to use different things👍🏻🤘🏻

[@FirstOvernight]

Thx for taking your time and giving us in depth detail about the effects on the DJM-600..

[@djbolivia]

You're welcome, Terry.

[@cabanaslaspozasxilitla9280]

djbolivia really, thanks a lot for this...

[@djbolivia]

+Cabañas Las Pozas Xilitla Gracias!

[@evajansen3198]

Sooo glad i found your video about this mixer . Been starring at mine for a wile now, but had no clue. Thank you so much!!

[@djquantum]

Have used simple effects before (numark dxm06) Just got a djm600 and this was so informative on how to use the next level effects. Cheers!

[@darksidefarmer]

I preordered this mixer and have had it since it released. This video just came up on my suggestions. Wish I saw it all those years ago! Great video! I was hoping to see some stuff on the send/return function, but you skipped it! I really enjoyed the video though, thanks!

[@alwills1767]

cutting back on the bass EQ to avoid over peaking when using flanger...lightbulb moment! many thanks guvnor !

[@djbolivia]

Yeah, it's a really helpful way to make the flanger more usable.

[@GeniusStudios_ZA]

i watched this video when it came out. but ive been looking for it now. so happy i finally found it again.

[@annacespedes7009]

i really like your vdo, i know nothing about dj-ing but wants to learn and your vdo is sooooooooooo easy to understand , comparing to other vdos. thank you!

[@djbolivia]

+Anna Cespedes You make me blush. Thanks for the kind words :)

[@djbolivia]

I've just made arrangements to borrow a DJM-800 and a DJM-900 this weekend, so I can do vids about the FX on those two also. I do enjoy the look of the black mixers better.

[@ismailamenzou8009]

My respect is to you dj bolivia, I've learned a lot about DJing on DJM-600 , thank you.

[@djbolivia]

+Ismail Amenzou I'm glad to hear that, Ismail.

[@ismailamenzou8009]

+djbolivia Thank you a lot.

[@Deezer270]

why do you call dj bolivia?

[@djbolivia]

It was just a stage name that myself and my friends picked about fifteen years ago. I had always wanted to visit Bolivia, so I liked the name. Now, I would probably just use my own name. I think it is better to use your real name if you're starting out today.

[@djbolivia]

I wondered if someone would comment on that. If you usually use the faders at the "top" end of their scale, I guess it would make sense to flip it if you're trying to "freshen up" the faders. Someone has obviously done that with this mixer. This mixer actually belonged to a friend of mine from another province. We got them mixed up at a festival in 2004, but they both worked fine, so we never got around to switching them back.

[@jackmman1]

awesome video! been so much fun learning/playing around with the effects on my vinyl turntables!

[@djhaloeight]

I still rock a DJM-600 and 1200MK2s for my main setup, along with Serato so I can play digital files with my vinyl. No sync button here…lol. Nice video on the effects section of the 600. I plan on getting a DJM-750MK2 soon as an upgrade.

[@djbolivia]

That would be fun. I don't currently have either of those, but I might be able to borrow them in the fall when I'm back home. I'll try to look into that eventually. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@djbolivia]

That's a good question. I've got an Allen & Heath Xone 4D that I use frequently, but the 600 is a bit of a workhorse and it fits in my coffin-case, so I still use it quite a bit. It is getting pretty old though.

[@sleepee2happydaze]

Thanks for the time spent on breaking this down. Specially the filter pass stuff. All very helpful.

[@djbolivia]

+James Purvis Cool, glad it was helpful.

[@jonestung4518]

This tutorial is really helpful! I did not fully understand the effects before! But now, I understand more knowledge of the effects! Thank you very much! Good luck!

[@djbolivia]

Thanks, Ethan.

[@gordonlangley]

Thanks man - I've just bought a DJM600 on ebay, I wish I watched this before I bought it. I'm a little bit disappointed with the filter but hey ho. Really thorough tutorial. : ]

[@antwidouglas3035]

Thanks for helping those who love to be DJ.Also thanks for your advise to use ears as a beginner to learn beat-mixing.I really enjoy your lesson ,keep on Thanks.

[@NdamuleloNemakh]

"..back in the old days,there were no cars,so I just prefer to walk instead" LOl..thanks for the video

[@ronenit4580]

Best explanation ever.

[@carlosantovito185]

This video is so usefull, very very usefull. Effects are explained very well and in deep, thaks for sharing this, really apprectiate it.

[@djbolivia]

You probably have it connected properly, if you can hear that the effects are affecting both CDJ's. Try looking at your channel selector knob on the bottom right. It's probably set to "master". If you set it to one of the numbers, it will only put effects onto that channel.

[@arzzuahmed9432]

thank you very much,i'm following your all videos,its very awesome effects, exclusive and mind blowing :)

[@djbolivia]

Thank you, Arzzu!

[@arzzuahmed9432]

you are welcome

[@arzzuahmed9432]

your perfect DJ

[@djbolivia]

Thank you Arzzu.

[@fatib]

really i like your video. it gonna teach me many things on DJ's, specially for the beginner. i dont know how to thank you. Great job Mr Jonathan Clark #djbolivia.. with my respect.. bonne continuation

[@djbolivia]

Thank you, Fati.

[@cheekycharlie1978]

great little bit of info on the fx built into the djm 600, thanks for that ;)

[@djbolivia]

Thanks Charlie ...

[@hannesmatthiessenakadjscar2681]

Useful tips, man! Awesome stuff! Thumbs up!! :)

[@djbolivia]

Thanks Hannes!

[@djbolivia]

Thanks. Logic 9, yes, but it would be a while. I'm running out of time before my summer forestry contract starts, and I've got 21 other videos planned out that I'm trying to get through. So a video on Logic 9 probably wouldn't happen until the fall. But I'll add that to my list, thanks for the suggestion.

[@tatianakarim1349]

Wow this is a great video. Thank you!

[@lioneljorgerochasemedo7328]

I have seen a couple of your videos and men, thanks a lot!!

[@OhItsOkay]

Your tutorials are AWEsome! Thank you a heaps of a lot and more often times for it. Though you need to work on your maths, G-frequency is 491.998, not 391... :) Never mind, we got it. Love your "live" mixing video, too.

[@RogerCimon]

I learned things, today. Thanks for your generous contribution, my friend! :-P

[@djbolivia]

Thanks for the comments, Roger.

[@Rodgigo]

these tutorials keeps getting better and better, could you do a video on the allen & heath db2 and the new midi fighter spectra? the midi fighter could be a great tool for djing with ableton

[@lorisgarbin4389]

intersting video never mind would you have a tip for the filter, which is an auto filter but one of the worst i've ever known. got some tip for it ?

[@hugo33100]

Nice, I have a Numark M6 I use as a secondary mixer I use a DJM-400 Mixer and a question, very nice information! but is it the age of the technology or just the way it was made?, when you used the "Pitch" effect, i know it as "Robot" on the 400, It sounds like you lose quality when you shift up and down, and a slight 'tangy' 'rumble' is it because of the technology or that its trying to do it in real time?

[@imtrjii1275]

Wow Amazing Tutorial keep going im learning rapidly

[@djbolivia]

+CaptS KC Cheers.

[@djbolivia]

Glad you're finding some of them to be useful. I'm trying to finish up a pair about beat-mixing right now, hopefully they'll be online by the end of the weekend.

[@djkadakamc1889]

@28.12 You couldn't find the right half size because u should use the tap button for set the synth bpm using the bpm of the deck 1 song. BTW very nice and complete tutorial

[@ansito2840]

awesome video, thank you...

[@bootloader-records]

Great explanation! It realy helped me with getting starter with My setup! I realy want to use a high and low pas filter with My setup becouce u used to mix with these effecten on My older MIDI mixer and I kinda cant live withouten this option! Is this possible with a djm-600 !? To set the knob in middle position to leave it dry.. But turn the knob to the left for a LPF and right for a HPF!? Kind Renards Kevin !

[@mailwoy3348]

@djbolivia unlike the djm 800 this model doesnt seem to have individual color control for each channel. does this mean that when you use the djm 600 you can only apply an effect to one channel at a time?

[@djbolivia]

Yes, unfortunately. This was an early model of the mixer, so it wasn't as complex as the modern models that Pioneer produces.

[@peterduris8314]

What is your opinion on the sound quality of the DJM600 compared to the DJM700 and higher? or DJM600 vs DENON DN-X1600? Thankyou

[@djpockofficial5471]

Thank you for this tutorial.It was well explained!

[@coldfives5]

Really nice clear video! Would it be worth matching this djm 600 with a pair of cdj 850ks or a allen and heath 23?

[@robertstorer]

Great tutorial

[@djbolivia]

Thanks, Robert.

[@chrisohare2437]

U just make a lot of sense thanks

[@djmacdeep9403]

ey DJbolivia tnxs for that bin following ur tutorials

[@djbolivia]

I'm glad that you're finding them to be useful.

[@bigevilcorp2010]

Nice tutorial :o !!! thanks!!!

[@djbolivia]

+Mariano Tantera You're welcome.

[@djbolivia]

Yes, it's a bad sounding effect. Remember that it's a pretty old mixer, first produced in the late 1990's, maybe 1998. The re-sampling algorithms that they use to shift the pitch are quite primitive compared to some of the modern mixers. And add to the confusion, I was actually playing C chords rather than a single note (C2, C3 ,C4, E4, G4) on a Roland FP-7 and I may have even had the reverb turned on, on the keyboard, so the source audio was already muddy to start. I don't use the pitch much.

[@Question_By]

Thanks for your vide< wished to know better about pioneer effects. Good Job

[@djbolivia]

Yes, I've seen a lot of mixers where those selectors don't work anymore, or you need to press quite hard to make them work. I'd be worried that it would be hard to get replacement parts for them a couple years after they've gone out of production.

[@djhaloeight]

Mine were quite fiddly…I even bought new ones to replace them with but what ended up working for me is DeOxit. Couple sprays into the buttons and they started working perfectly again!

[@elvin33321]

Thank You Awesome Human Mate!

[@moyousef86]

Can you do a similar tutorial for the xdj rx? Would be helpful to have one with the new controllers / mixers. Great tutorial though. Very helpful.

[@djbolivia]

+Mohammed Yousef Hi Mohammed. I can try, but I have a pretty big backlog of other video tutorials that I want to tackle first. It's hard, only having three months in my studio each year to be able to make videos (I work in the forest for the other nine months).

[@moyousef86]

Thats fine. Great tutorial and would be happy to learn more if possible. Keep it up

[@markseale3235]

can you apply these techniques on a dj controller? ddj sr Pioneer

[@djbolivia]

Hm. Techniques could be similar if you can map the controller to similar effects in your DAW or DJ software. But the effects on this mixer are pretty specific to Pioneer mixers. You'd be able to find similar effects in software, but there would be slight variations. And it would be tricky to set up the controls to be similar, because of the level/depth knob and timing and so on. I wouldn't try to do a complete emulation. However, I'd use the same sort of concepts when I set effects up with a controller.

[@shwartinio5298]

12:36 but why it’s on “mic” and no on disk 2?

[@hugo33100]

Thanks for answering and yeah cause on the 400 it has a higher quality pitch shift, and just a small question again, is using the matrix selector at the top of the fader constantly, like a Trans., could that wear out the selector?

[@djsmore]

great tutorial. thanks!

[@karfoma1]

one video of ddj-sx!!nice work!!!:)

[@djbolivia]

Yeah, old technology. The pitch-shifting sounds better on the newer mixers. I'll try to do an effects vid on one of the newer mixers next week, which would show a good comparison.

[@sectormentor6265]

Hi DJbolivia, how many minutes can one sample music using the sampler function? I just invested in a DJM-600 and only seem to be able to sample a few seconds of music only. Thank you

[@djbolivia]

I don't have mine set up right now to double check, but I think it was only about eight seconds. Or possibly six seconds. It was pretty short, but a lot of people were sampling fairly short duration sections of music, rather than long segments of a track. I remember occasionally wishing that it was a bit longer, but it wasn't something that really annoyed me a lot.

[@sectormentor6265]

djbolivia Thank you!

[@conorsullivan1101]

Hi i've been trying to move away from computer djing with Traktor to using cdj's. Could you recommend some spec on some good cheap cdj's and a mixer? Great vid by the way i found it very helpful.

[@princebharath1440]

AMAZING

[@adriannunez8868]

Do you know of any analog/digital/ DJ mixers that have pitch shift? Learned how to use my 600 from you. Thanks :)

[@enriqueescobedo15]

Thanks/great job!

[@luisdepeche]

Thank you so much. My new virtual tteacher :))

[@djbolivia]

+Luis Depeche Thank you, Luis!

[@creativemanufacturing6002]

very nice! Thank you!

[@groovecatmusic2499]

thanks bolıvıa for all great vıdeos ıts very helpfulll.......

[@wallas10]

Could you do an example (or comment me back) on how to connect (2) cdj 1000 to a djm mixer. when I use effects it goes through both cdjs. Seems like my connections are wrong lol. Thank you . Great videos!

[@djbolivia]

Yeah, when I go through these videos to add the annotations, I sometimes burst out laughing at my own accent.

[@FrattaTV]

Hey man great videos! Maybe they are a bit long, but they are very useful Thanks!

[@flosdraad]

I still have got my djm 600, the black version.

[@mrcrazymoon1]

Excellent. ty

[@djbolivia]

You're welcome.

[@ConkersSquirrel]

can you do some DJing videos specifically for Trance music? thanks

[@djbolivia]

Sure, except it'll have to wait for a few months until I'm back home to my studio. I've been on the road since February.

[@alorsetarstyle]

Pretty steady

[@yashkarkera7008]

hi djbolivia i am the basic learner so which setup should i take????

[@djbolivia]

There are so many options that it would be hard to answer that. It depends what you want to do? What kind of music do you want to play? What kind of people do you want to entertain? Do you want to play with computers, or do you want to learn with CD players or vinyl? Even if you answer all of those questions, there are still hundreds of options depending on your budget and commitment.

[@djbolivia]

"Bolivia - Global Underground (Gregg Morrish Remix)" I've got a free download link to it in the text description under the video.

[@greenman8340]

Amazing

[@eronsadiku8189]

whats the song you re using as an example

[@eronsadiku8189]

+Eron Sadiku Nevermind i found it

[@iliyanbahchevanski862]

what if you cut the bass, use the echo on some vocal passage of the track and then just stop the cdj. i suppose you will hear the echo fading away nicely while entering with the other track you want to mix in. more of a vinyl nerd myself :)

[@djrepercussion]

very good tutorial sir, easy to understand. Can you do one on Logic 9?

[@indigodeville]

Thank you!!!!

[@djbolivia]

You're welcome.

[@djbolivia]

Yes.

[@hugo33100]

I see that you installed the fader panel upsidedown.

[@TSBKmusic]

Your Faders are returned ?? (3:12)

[@djbolivia]

Yeah, they're reversible. If you're having problems with them at one end, it's possible to flip them. This can apply either up/down or left/right. So for example, if you have broken EQ knobs on channels 3 or 4, and also problems with your faders on 1 or 2, you can flip it so your good faders are on the same side as your good knobs. Also, maybe one of the faders is having a short at the low end and crackles and you don't want to deal with it, you can flip it so it ends up on the high side of one of your channels, and just avoid using that channel. I don't see it happening often, but sometimes it's an easy way to make a quick fix if you don't want to spend money on new parts for proper repairs.

[@TSBKmusic]

djbolivia Okay, I shall make it if one of mine does not work any more!

[@techcell3124]

nice Video! I just wrote an c++ Programm for the calculation of the ms/b. At the moment without any visuals but this will come. So if someone is interested I will upload it.

[@GenijeBRE]

Thanks man ;)

[@ruby0004val]

bel video

[@RogerCimon]

Too bad the pan effect disappeared on new mixer models, though.

[@djbolivia]

The pan was amazing. I used to love putting an incoming track that had fast hi-hats into one channel, with the lows and mids dropped out, and then have it in a slow pan. It sounded amazing when done properly in a big venue.

[@lightswitchlarry]

Track at around 33:00?

[@JaredvanHeerden]

"out" gave it away haha

[@TheLavrushin]

Thank you so much that was great information an help. I recently stopped using digital controllers that's where I started got quite good at it but just the sync button made me feel like I was cheating in the dj world so I bought me a set of cdhs an dim 600 its hard to get down but it will take practice and ill know its the real way :)

[@AlfredoSegundo-fu4rk]

Hola soy dj de Bolivia yoshimar Dj