Today, we’re looking at remixing songs using loops and cue points in Traktor DJ for the iPad. Follow along with the video above!
Cue points are markers that help us jump to specific points in tracks. In Traktor DJ, regular cue points appear in blue, while loop cues appear in green. As their name implies, loop cues jump to a section of a track and repeat a loop.
To create a loop cue, the first step is to set a loop. To do that, use two fingers to tap on a range in the scrolling wave form that you’d like to be repeated. Once a loop is set, call up the cue menu, and tap on an empty cue slot to save your new loop cue. From there, you’re free to navigate the track and can recall the loop by tapping the new green marker.
It should be noted that your loops will be recalled at the lengths you create them at. This has some really neat performance applications – for example, we can create our own beat repeater, or if you’re more adventurous, you can combine loop and regular cue points to remix tracks on the fly.
A final point: the quantizing grid changes depending on your zoom level, so if your loops aren’t locking in they way you’d like them to be, simply adjust your view by pinching or pulling the track’s wave form and try again.
For an illustration of all this, be sure to check out the video above.
Want to try this yourself? Both “Awake (Original Mix)” (free!) and “Into Ether (Original Mix)” are available on Bandcamp.
If you liked this video, please don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube! Enjoy!