LEVELS DONE RIGHT PT#1 / SERATO DJ/SCRATCH LIVE SETTINGS

[@DJXcalibur]

Number one if anyone is using scratch live in 2024.. update your laptop! That program is 10 years out of date. Most of us use Serato DJ Pro! You may have to pay for the program, but that is the standard software for most worldwide! If you have a laptop older than 2019, you may have to buy a new laptop as well! Most current mixers (as well as Serato DJ Pro) require a current laptop for it to connect properly. Older laptops are not compatible with Serato DJ Pro or many mixers/controllers made after 2019! Second, mek sure yuh set the gain fi each chune inna yuh library! Each song has a very different dynamic range. You need to set di gain on each song to be in the yellow on your output levels. Not on the track level. Some songs may require you to be in the red on the track level, but will be in the yellow for the master output level. Again you want yellow showing in the main output level. You need to do this to every single song individually! There is no shortcut to that! Setting the db level does not help as every song has a different studio recording level. Some are heavier in bass. Some have more high end. So you can’t use any blanket method to level each song properly. You want to make sure you have your mixer output meter levels in the yellow as well. That should also show in the yellow on any external mixer board that is running to the speaker output for the audience. This will keep you out of the red and protect the sound system from overdriving. Keep your master output level at 12 o clock! This is where most professionals keep their master output settings. One o clock will cause distortion as the sound system amplifies that sound. Once amplification is added it usually distorts in the high end or bass tends to drown out the other elements of the song. Using auto gain will not help! Auto gain will try to match the last song set, but it is software based. It can not give account for songs with heavy bass or excess treble. So individual setting is again required! The biggest issue is DJs/Selektah dem don’t watch the levels on all mixers as they mix. Many times you can try to set levels prior to a show. Many times you will need to slightly adjust some levels as you mix. This is because some songs have louder areas within. The hook/chorus of the song may be loud and the verse quieter. If you set levels based upon the quieter verse, it may distort once you reach the hook. This is why you may need to adjust on the fly. It’s never a for sure thing once set. My final suggestions is ease off di paper shot dem! No need for a million sound effects! Once or twice at the start of the song and verse is good enough. Once you start hitting it while the artist is in the verse of the song, you’re over hyping di chune! You also prevent listeners from hearing the song. It’s 2024! No one has any songs you must stamp with a sound effect every other second! No one is playing an original Bob Marley dub weh only dis yah sound caan play! So stop with the massive sound effects. If you have the right music and can mix properly all should be well! This also applies to di screaming on di mic. Leave dat out! Most people don’t want to hear that crowding the song. Nuff ah unuh chat cross di chune. So much that the song is barely heard. All you hear is di mic man screaming! These all play a part in how you sound as a DJ/Selektah! That person yelling is taking away from the dynamic range of the song. The louder they are, the quieter the audio of the song needs to be to prevent distortion. Otherwise it sounds like everything all at once. Mic man should only speak at certain points of the song. Also mic man needs to know every song just like di DJ/Selektah! This helps them know when the song is quieter and better for chatting over. Also helps them know where the hook is so they know where they should talk on di mic. This will free up the most important areas of the song so the listener can hear it! Hope some ah unuh tek weh mi seh an apply accordingly! I’ve done this for over 30 years. Over 20 years using Serato. I am also certified in this field as I went to school for it. So my information can be extremely helpful if you use it right! Ignore it and you will see down the road why I was right!

[@MightyAction]

Will most definitely address this in my next video

[@DJXcalibur]

@@MightyAction Hope it helps!

[@ganjafarmer1572]

Long comment, well said !

[@ganjafarmer1572]

@DJXcalibur I don't live in the US or Europe, where the latest version of DJ Pro is easily available, and easily paid for. I have never used Virtual DJ. Ever tried downloading a massive file with a 2g connection , especially when the power might chip out at any moment? Up until last month 2g service still existed. I see content every day where I am blocked for "geographic reasons ". My bank card (in US $) has been refused.This might seem laughable to you , but it is a reality in parts of the planet. Parts and service are not available, so a man uses what he has , even it's out of date. With your many years in the business you will remember when Peavey was THE amplifier; BGW was a big deal, and Crown ? Only rich sounds had that. Piezo tweeter was the standard.....stepping up your game and working on your craft is great, but doesn't come overnight.

[@ganjafarmer1572]

UP UP UP , real sound man talk.

[@MightyAction]

Bless up, thanks

[@waynebradley2702]

Ah tru, me used to fold up inside scoop box to reach to dance with my sound in the truck brother... man dont know bout carrying 30 crates of records, none the less carried a spool of wires.. a pure laptop bag dem a carry now😂😂

[@ganjafarmer1572]

Dem a laptop man, we a sound man. We lift box, string sound, first pon di ends, last fi reach home. SLEEP ON TOP OF BOX TILL DAY LIGHT OUT AND DI TRUCK COME. NEVER FORGET WHERE YOU COMING FROM

[@MightyAction]

lol

[@13bcoffee]

The system sounds so much better if the levels are set correctly. This is especially true now that we have all gone digital. As he stated you need to stay out of the red ...

[@markacheampong909]

Mr.Action this video has solved my biggest problem.

[@MightyAction]

Glad I could help

[@user-wn9su6zo5s]

Thanks for the lesson 💯. I'm having understanding some of the adjustments on the x32 rack, can you do a video at your convenience

[@MightyAction]

Next video

[@ozzytrait4777]

I like the most recent update action pack 👍🏿 🇱🇨🇲🇸🇬🇧

[@MightyAction]

Respect me boss

[@selectorerwin1don12]

Me deh and a laugh cause me like how u put it over Bro me guh borrow da word n use it pon some ah dem

[@MightyAction]

😂 a real talk

[@laughingmiz8193]

True man when you analyze the songs you get a better playing from it less work

[@MightyAction]

💯

[@badazz12r]

your track bitrate has a lot to do with how your music sounds through the system PA. 320kbps is ideal, some of us can tell where the tracks come from due to audio playback.

[@MightyAction]

True to a point, but mostly true

[@JAHMALCHRIS06]

💯💯💯💥💥💥

[@keronfrancis47]

Aint nothing wrongg with using virtual dj it can be used just like serato i dont use it but i see alot of djs use virtual you have to buy the program though its better when you purchase it.Also your db is supposed to be on 89 especially when you are playingg on a big sound.Its better that way because you have way more room for your machine to breath

[@MightyAction]

Not knocking virtual DJ, don’t know enough about it to talk about it. I know some of my selectors love it because it’s easier for them. Less work. As for the 89 that should be fine as well. As long as you’re not going too high or too low.

[@perfektindustries8952]

Analyzing your library is definetly important. But don’t get caught up too much on the lights. These controllers can play into the red with no measurable distortion. And I mean solid red. The problem comes because it overdrives the equipment down the chain. The first component after the controller/ mixer should be a compressor. It will eliminate a lot of that by keeping those inputs under control.

[@DJXcalibur]

If your controller is in the red you are already distorted my friend! Also this distortion can not be compressed out of the mix! Once present, that distortion travels all the way out to the speakers! Again, play in the yellow! Red is always danger zone and will harm your equipment! The controller has a pre amp as well as a sound card. You can damage these when playing in the red! This is well before any audio leaves the controller!

[@MightyAction]

This one too

[@perfektindustries8952]

@@DJXcalibur so I guessed you missed everything I said. So I’ll say it again.. The red lights do not measure distortion. They simply refer to the signal strength. Clip lights alert you to distortion. The reason you want to avoid being in the red is that it means there’s no headroom left. And that any peaks now will most likely put you into clipping.Just because a signal is hot does not mean it is distorted. What I’m saying is based on actual test. Have you ever measured the output of a controller at different levels of output to determine the clip point? It’s science and easily proven. I’m more than willing to demonstrate it.

[@DJXcalibur]

@@perfektindustries8952 Respectfully I know what I said was absolutely correct as I have done this for over 30 years professionally! If your levels are in the red that means you are clipping. If you are clipping, this means you are distorting! The two work hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other! Ever! As I stated preamps within this equipment will output that audio (which is already red lining) at a much higher level. The sound card in most controllers can’t handle that. You will either destroy the sound card or blow out the preamp. Both are sensitive to those higher levels. Test all you want. If your controller is in the red while you mix, you are distorting the audio being output. You are also harming your equipment! Again, I’ve done this for over 30 years! From studio construction, to nightclub sound reinforcement, to doing sound reinforcement at public events. Many times I’ve even done all of this during boatrides. So I think I know what I’m talking about! I handle all types of audio setups everyday!

[@PerfektSoundLighting]

@@DJXcalibur red lights do not mean distorted. You’re talking about what you think. I’m I’m talking about science. When the signal is in the red it is most likely overdriving the components behind it in the signal chain. Because if your gains are set for playing around unity, and then that signal is increased or even doubled as is possible with pioneer controllers it will sound distorted but that doesn’t mean the controller is putting out a distorted signal. Get a powered speaker plug it directly into the output of a controller. Turn down inputs. Play music while increasing the output of the controller. See how high you have to go before you hear distortion. Last I personally did was on a sx2. At unity gain the controller put out around 4 volts. The controller was able to put out almost 9 volts before clipping. At there is an incredible of headroom in these modern devices. But like I said it’s a test that easily repeatable. All you need is a signal generator and an oscilloscope. With your years of experience in all levels of audio these things would be readily available to you….

[@JAHMALCHRIS06]

BRO‼️ 2:58 POUCHEY

[@MightyAction]

😂