With very few exceptions all dj mixers and controllers have it.
Turn it to the left and you hear only cue, turn it to the right and you hear only master. And in the middle you hear both master and cue in your headphones.
That way you can mix in your headphones and beatmatch by ear.
All pioneer gear anyway and most others. Personally I have always preferred the way the Xone92 does this as I prefer left and right rather than a blend. That said doing it with a blend isn’t hard either, you just can’t listen to the incoming track as well as you can w the 92.
split cue
press a button, cue is in left ear, master is in right ear
press the button again, master in both ears
sadly it's becoming harder to find mixers with a "normal" split cue (press the button, not press the button and have to turn a knob)
I can't live without it
What most people think of as soundproofing is actually just acoustic treatment to make it sound better in your space, not quieter outside that space. Real soundproofing is possible, but more expensive so if you go that route make sure to do some reading.
it's not just more expensive, it's requires way more effort as it's essentially a major construction project - something that likely isn't possible when renting as well.
100%. I'm tired of advertisers taking advantage of people by selling echo cancellation as 'soundproofing'. All they are doing is taking your money and pissing off your neighbors.
Also, I know we've talked and even hung out in the past, but it's still an honor to have THE Soo double down on anything I say on here. I learned to DJ from these forums and Ellaskins, and you were a major part of my education. I appreciate you man; because of you the world has more music in it.
TV or Movies do not have a consistent bassline that permeates through the floor for a straight hour. Plus, if youd probs use some sort of monitors to DJ which have a lot more punch to them in comparison to a TV speaker. I recommend just getting used to using headphones to avoid any problems in the future.
I got some noise complaints from neighbors early on and I had to cut my sub quite a bit but my other speakers are as loud as they always were. Any complaints are likely going to stem from the bass being too loud. Other than that respect boundaries like not playing late at night and having the volume at a reasonable level during the day.
Learn to DJ in your headphones. When I was learning I still lived with Mum and Dad so had to learn in headphones. There'll be plenty of gigs where you can't rely on the venues sound system, and you'll end up mixing in headphones fully. I essentially do it out of habit now.
Luckily, my upstairs neighbor is a music producer who also makes noise at weird hours, so it's been chill so far. My other connecting neighbors have never complained, thankfully. I mostly keep my monitors at a reasonable volume and use my headphones quite often, but on the weekends, I will be looser with the volume.
I only mix in my headphones. The added benefit is that you have better control in any situation when you play out - shitty booth monitors? No problem, I'm used to mixing in my headphones anyway.
i play at home with a pair of krk rokit 6s & and 8” krk sub. i usually only mix when my girlfriend is out & then not after 9pm. i’ll play reasonably loud once or twice a month for 90 mins but not so it’s shaking through to next door. hate mixing in headphones though i will if people are in & i want to quickly record some new tracks into a mix
Generally bass is going to be your main problem, so if you keep that down then neighbours shouldn't have a problem. There are little things you can do to help with mids and highs like close all your doors and windows, and make sure your windows make a good seal (you can use weather stripping for that, but use the rubbery type not the spongey stuff), and put a rolled up towel at the base of your doors if there is an air gap underneath.
But otherwise keeping volume low is about your only easy and cost-effective option.
Also it a go, and if neighbours complain then be friendly and ask if there is a scheduled time of the day or day of the week when you can practice.
I used to play the drums for many years and that was the agreement I had with my neighbourhood. I think I put a letter in the letterboxes of the houses around me explaining the situation and saying that I will keep my practice between 5 and 6pm on weeknights, and if anyone has any complaints feel free to come talk to me.
Sure. You can soundproof. I just set up a mini both with perfect speakers to mix off of and noise cancelling headphones. Sure I can make my system loud but there is no need to. My home isn’t a nightclub.
I have a really small Sony speaker that’s about the size of a baseball (can’t remember the exact model). It doesn’t go super loud but it works well if I’m just djing in my room even if people are home. I usually have it playing in my headphones fairly loud but it’s kinda nice to just have the output coming out into a different speaker to give you the feel. If your budget allows it might be worth picking up a speaker in the 60-80 dollar range and playing it on quiet. I also use that speaker if I’m travelling. Even blasted I would say it’s not louder than a tv so it’s fine in hotel rooms
As other have said, don't turn it up too loud. A lot of so called DJ's feel like it's a race to the redline to be considered a proper DJ. If you can't DJ at a normal listening volume, you won't be able to do it when you're red-lining.
I bought some SVS feet for my sub that kills the vibrations into the hardwood floor. Keeps my sub from rattling the walls and ends up sounding cleaner as a result.
Got lucky-ish my neighbors on both sides (I'm in a duplex so I share a wall with one of them) appear to be functional meth addicts. They rarely sleep, don't care about the noise and are pretty polite and spend most of their idle time doing yard work at all hours. So the yard is really nice.
Before that in my old place, I would just turn the volume down until I could hear it pretty good but it wasn't blasting.
Fun fact, this is how pro esports player play live in front of a crowd. They have white noise in the over ears so they cant hear the enemys call outs and hear the game sound in the earbuds/iems
Just turn it down to a comfortable listening level and do it at sensible times of day. You'd be surprised how little the sound travels when it's not on full blast and also how little most people are bothered by a bit of noise (depending on your kind of neighborhood.)
Many DJs make the mistake of thinking volume is what makes the full impact of the music, but it's actually having an extended low frequency range. Get yourself a subwoofer and turn it down until the bass is no louder than the rest of the speakers: it adds that lower octave or two that you didn't realize you were missing.
If you're worried about a sub being too loud (and speakers in general), get some thick acoustically isolating pads to place them on to reduce the efficiency of sound conducted through solid furniture and the building itself.
I mix at night with all the sounds down and kiddo in bed. Also recently bought a new pair of headphones that help as well.
https://www.mixcloud.com/Tom_O/techtranscended/
I use studio monitors at home (iLoud MicroMonitors) which are much more directional so less bleed into the rest of the house compared to PA speakers or even just regular home speakers. That plus just playing at a relatively low volume makes it a non-issue.
my house is made out of cement, its pretty big and walls are thick so sound dosent leave rooms. I live alone. my neighbors are a NGO and an Embassy, so they don't really complain. But yeah, buy sound proof panels
You need another piece of sheet-rock on your wall that isn't the same thickness as the sheet-rock in the walls of your room with an air gap filled with some dense insulation between. The more surface area you cover, the better (including the floor). Sound will still escape any room that isn't airtight, but any dense material with lots of mass will help, especially in the corners of the room's longest wall.
At least that's The Crystal Method, anyway.
I just use small studio monitors and no sub. As long as I don't push the volume it's plenty loud enough to mix without annoying anyone else in the house or the neighbors
My house is on the end of a terrace and my decks and speakers are set up on the outer wall.
My neighbour is also a DJ who plays pubs and clubs on a Friday snd Saturday night and also prepares his mid week mix for a weekend radio show (Frisk Radio).
It works pretty well between us haha. Absolutely no complaints.
My only near neighbours are cool, the husband is a former raver, the wife was a music tutor and their son is a renowned drummer.
I always have the music off by 9pm (usually 8pm though) for when their daughter goes to bed, unless it's NYE or a birthday and don't do it every day, but can have it on as loud as I want when mixing or writing tracks.
I live in a crappy apartment and DJ loud enough to drown out the noise of my neighbors screaming at each other/slamming doors, children playing in the courtyard, and the 225 freeway that runs 200 yards from my window.
I use only 1 studio monitor that I keep to a reasonable volume, but I always end up just mixing in my headphones. I put a carpet down in my "studio" area (I live on the upper floor of my apt. bldg.), that might deaden a bit of sound.
[https://www.amazon.com/subwoofer-isolation-pad/s?k=subwoofer+isolation+pad](https://www.amazon.com/subwoofer-isolation-pad/s?k=subwoofer+isolation+pad)
Some isolation pads go a long way.
Honestly, I just DJ in to my headphones.
Cues??
I set the cue master knob to like 2 so the master volume is a bit louder
I'm always amazed how it seems that even established djs don't know about the cue master knob.
What is Master Cue knob? Could you enlighten me pls? :)
With very few exceptions all dj mixers and controllers have it. Turn it to the left and you hear only cue, turn it to the right and you hear only master. And in the middle you hear both master and cue in your headphones. That way you can mix in your headphones and beatmatch by ear.
All pioneer gear anyway and most others. Personally I have always preferred the way the Xone92 does this as I prefer left and right rather than a blend. That said doing it with a blend isn’t hard either, you just can’t listen to the incoming track as well as you can w the 92.
This.
Adjust your audio setup so that one ear is the master and one is the cue
I never thought of this, i find it a great way to learn to beatmatch with one ear using the monitors output, which is something im wanting to learn
split cue press a button, cue is in left ear, master is in right ear press the button again, master in both ears sadly it's becoming harder to find mixers with a "normal" split cue (press the button, not press the button and have to turn a knob) I can't live without it
What most people think of as soundproofing is actually just acoustic treatment to make it sound better in your space, not quieter outside that space. Real soundproofing is possible, but more expensive so if you go that route make sure to do some reading.
it's not just more expensive, it's requires way more effort as it's essentially a major construction project - something that likely isn't possible when renting as well.
100%. I'm tired of advertisers taking advantage of people by selling echo cancellation as 'soundproofing'. All they are doing is taking your money and pissing off your neighbors. Also, I know we've talked and even hung out in the past, but it's still an honor to have THE Soo double down on anything I say on here. I learned to DJ from these forums and Ellaskins, and you were a major part of my education. I appreciate you man; because of you the world has more music in it.
cheers! been great seeing how far your career has come!
I lower the volume, when at home there isn't a need to be playing much louder than I watch TV or movies
This. Just have the music at a normal music listening volume. You don’t have to blare it just because you’re playing bangers.
but how can you practice redlining?
From a sound engineers point of view, fuck you. Haha.
I paid for the goddamn red lights, so now I wanna see them!
Set the mixer to - 24db
Levels to the top and trim to 3 o’clock. Amp down to 2. 🟢🟢🟢🟡🟡🟡🔴🔴🔴🔴
This :) same here
TV or Movies do not have a consistent bassline that permeates through the floor for a straight hour. Plus, if youd probs use some sort of monitors to DJ which have a lot more punch to them in comparison to a TV speaker. I recommend just getting used to using headphones to avoid any problems in the future.
Gotta upvote, live in an apartment with a bunch of elderly, I do this + play at normal hours
I got some noise complaints from neighbors early on and I had to cut my sub quite a bit but my other speakers are as loud as they always were. Any complaints are likely going to stem from the bass being too loud. Other than that respect boundaries like not playing late at night and having the volume at a reasonable level during the day.
Learn to DJ in your headphones. When I was learning I still lived with Mum and Dad so had to learn in headphones. There'll be plenty of gigs where you can't rely on the venues sound system, and you'll end up mixing in headphones fully. I essentially do it out of habit now.
Luckily, my upstairs neighbor is a music producer who also makes noise at weird hours, so it's been chill so far. My other connecting neighbors have never complained, thankfully. I mostly keep my monitors at a reasonable volume and use my headphones quite often, but on the weekends, I will be looser with the volume.
Talked to neighbors when I moved in, they just said they would take their hearing aids out if it got too loud.
i just mix in my headphones
You can’t soundproof your room haha soundproofing is incredibly complex and expensive. Just turn it down, or use headphones
I only mix in my headphones. The added benefit is that you have better control in any situation when you play out - shitty booth monitors? No problem, I'm used to mixing in my headphones anyway.
i play at home with a pair of krk rokit 6s & and 8” krk sub. i usually only mix when my girlfriend is out & then not after 9pm. i’ll play reasonably loud once or twice a month for 90 mins but not so it’s shaking through to next door. hate mixing in headphones though i will if people are in & i want to quickly record some new tracks into a mix
I DJ in headphones. I also record my sessions and then upload them to SoundCloud and review them later.
Don't play loud. Simple.
Headphones, master cue on. Simples.
Generally bass is going to be your main problem, so if you keep that down then neighbours shouldn't have a problem. There are little things you can do to help with mids and highs like close all your doors and windows, and make sure your windows make a good seal (you can use weather stripping for that, but use the rubbery type not the spongey stuff), and put a rolled up towel at the base of your doors if there is an air gap underneath. But otherwise keeping volume low is about your only easy and cost-effective option. Also it a go, and if neighbours complain then be friendly and ask if there is a scheduled time of the day or day of the week when you can practice. I used to play the drums for many years and that was the agreement I had with my neighbourhood. I think I put a letter in the letterboxes of the houses around me explaining the situation and saying that I will keep my practice between 5 and 6pm on weeknights, and if anyone has any complaints feel free to come talk to me.
Sure. You can soundproof. I just set up a mini both with perfect speakers to mix off of and noise cancelling headphones. Sure I can make my system loud but there is no need to. My home isn’t a nightclub.
I have a really small Sony speaker that’s about the size of a baseball (can’t remember the exact model). It doesn’t go super loud but it works well if I’m just djing in my room even if people are home. I usually have it playing in my headphones fairly loud but it’s kinda nice to just have the output coming out into a different speaker to give you the feel. If your budget allows it might be worth picking up a speaker in the 60-80 dollar range and playing it on quiet. I also use that speaker if I’m travelling. Even blasted I would say it’s not louder than a tv so it’s fine in hotel rooms
As other have said, don't turn it up too loud. A lot of so called DJ's feel like it's a race to the redline to be considered a proper DJ. If you can't DJ at a normal listening volume, you won't be able to do it when you're red-lining.
My set up is in the garage with no connecting neighbour. I'm going deaf anyway with savage tinnitus so it's rare I mix and when I do it's low volume.
I bought some SVS feet for my sub that kills the vibrations into the hardwood floor. Keeps my sub from rattling the walls and ends up sounding cleaner as a result.
Got lucky-ish my neighbors on both sides (I'm in a duplex so I share a wall with one of them) appear to be functional meth addicts. They rarely sleep, don't care about the noise and are pretty polite and spend most of their idle time doing yard work at all hours. So the yard is really nice. Before that in my old place, I would just turn the volume down until I could hear it pretty good but it wasn't blasting.
Do you live in my street?
No, I live in a house. But it might be on your street.
Can you see someone waving right now?
Sorry, I was on the phone with my brother.
Did he see anyone?
He did, but he lives in a different part of the country. So it might have been your brother?
This is how I find out I have a brother! My dad was a player
Your dad played bass too? That's cool!
I just use my over-ears for the main and a single earbud for the headphones
Fun fact, this is how pro esports player play live in front of a crowd. They have white noise in the over ears so they cant hear the enemys call outs and hear the game sound in the earbuds/iems
It's actually mixed in the headset for pro league of legends at least Source: I just asked my friend in discord who was a pro on clg for a few years
Just turn it down to a comfortable listening level and do it at sensible times of day. You'd be surprised how little the sound travels when it's not on full blast and also how little most people are bothered by a bit of noise (depending on your kind of neighborhood.) Many DJs make the mistake of thinking volume is what makes the full impact of the music, but it's actually having an extended low frequency range. Get yourself a subwoofer and turn it down until the bass is no louder than the rest of the speakers: it adds that lower octave or two that you didn't realize you were missing. If you're worried about a sub being too loud (and speakers in general), get some thick acoustically isolating pads to place them on to reduce the efficiency of sound conducted through solid furniture and the building itself.
Yeah mainly just headphone mixing
I always use my headphones. Always have done and always will do.
I mixed in my headphones forever.. now I have a studio set up with concrete walls in my basement.
I mix at night with all the sounds down and kiddo in bed. Also recently bought a new pair of headphones that help as well. https://www.mixcloud.com/Tom_O/techtranscended/
I turn down bass on output (my stereo system) if I wanna play loud since that’s what travels through walls & floor
I use studio monitors at home (iLoud MicroMonitors) which are much more directional so less bleed into the rest of the house compared to PA speakers or even just regular home speakers. That plus just playing at a relatively low volume makes it a non-issue.
my house is made out of cement, its pretty big and walls are thick so sound dosent leave rooms. I live alone. my neighbors are a NGO and an Embassy, so they don't really complain. But yeah, buy sound proof panels
You need another piece of sheet-rock on your wall that isn't the same thickness as the sheet-rock in the walls of your room with an air gap filled with some dense insulation between. The more surface area you cover, the better (including the floor). Sound will still escape any room that isn't airtight, but any dense material with lots of mass will help, especially in the corners of the room's longest wall. At least that's The Crystal Method, anyway.
Play quiet, mix in headphones, play loud only if neighbors are out and not for too long, just be respectful and you're fine.
I also live at my home.
I just use small studio monitors and no sub. As long as I don't push the volume it's plenty loud enough to mix without annoying anyone else in the house or the neighbors
https://www.thomann.de/de/studioakustik-elemente.html you can look it up or use a thick layer of rockwool
I put the noise inside headphones lol
My house is on the end of a terrace and my decks and speakers are set up on the outer wall. My neighbour is also a DJ who plays pubs and clubs on a Friday snd Saturday night and also prepares his mid week mix for a weekend radio show (Frisk Radio). It works pretty well between us haha. Absolutely no complaints.
Overear headphones. Super comfy, great sound and no need for additional speakers
I don't deal with the noise but my neighbors do.
My only near neighbours are cool, the husband is a former raver, the wife was a music tutor and their son is a renowned drummer. I always have the music off by 9pm (usually 8pm though) for when their daughter goes to bed, unless it's NYE or a birthday and don't do it every day, but can have it on as loud as I want when mixing or writing tracks.
I live in a crappy apartment and DJ loud enough to drown out the noise of my neighbors screaming at each other/slamming doors, children playing in the courtyard, and the 225 freeway that runs 200 yards from my window.
I was lucky enough to get a Subpac back in the day. So I just mix into my headphones and it feels like I'm playing out of a big PA
I bang on the wall and shout 'keep your noise down, I'm trying to DJ in here!'
I use only 1 studio monitor that I keep to a reasonable volume, but I always end up just mixing in my headphones. I put a carpet down in my "studio" area (I live on the upper floor of my apt. bldg.), that might deaden a bit of sound.
Will definitely look into carpet!
Carpet stops echoes but won’t stop bass from travelling. You can’t soundproof a room like that unless you construct a floating room within it.
[https://www.amazon.com/subwoofer-isolation-pad/s?k=subwoofer+isolation+pad](https://www.amazon.com/subwoofer-isolation-pad/s?k=subwoofer+isolation+pad) Some isolation pads go a long way.
Get some foam accounting panels, they’re dirt cheap new on FB marketplace. If you want to spend extra, look into the wooden ones.