It’s a transition planner for DJs that lets you choreograph how one synthesized track hands off to another. You can control it by clicking and dragging with your mouse or trackpad, or by using your computer keyboard once you learn the key mappings. The experience work the same whether you choose to go with a mouse/trackpad or not, both methods feed into the same audio engine.
It looks like a dual deck setup with a mixer in the middle. On the left is deck A playing a track in E minor. On the right is deck B playing a track in G major. Both tracks is set to play at 124BPM so they match in key.
How to Use the DJ Transition Planner
In the middle you have your level meters and crossfader. The crossfader allows you to blend the two deck manually. Below that you have the little readout indicating how much gain each channel has.
The planning area below the decks is where you establish the transition structure. You get to decide how long the transition should of last using the term runway. Selecting 8, 16 or 32 beats allow for this.
Using the blend curve selector establishes how the volumes shift from one deck to another. Equal power glide offers a smooth fade. Bass swap cut adds a harder handoff. Late B reveal keeps the second track quiet until the phase ends. This way you can choose when each track comes in and goes out of the mix.
You can set an entry marker for where Deck B will join the phrase. And you can set an exit marker for where Deck A exits. They split the phrase up into 4 quarters. Dragging these around alters how much of one track overlaps another.
On screen, this is visualized on the timeline so you can see what’s playing during each phase before you launch the audio.
There are volume controls to adjust the output. There’s a transition master slider that determines how loudly the whole rehearsal will play. Then there are channel level sliders for each deck. These allows you to even out the perceived volume levels of each track.
And then there are the low shelf sliders, which serve as high pass filters. These drop the bass frequencies on each deck so that when it’s time to swap, the low ends won’t sound muddy.
Run/reset are the command buttons used to control the simulation. Rehearse executes the entire phrase handoff based off your settings. It plays harmonic tones and a kick drum of the desired length. Cue isolates each deck separately so that you can hear how it sounds. Abort cuts off both decks instantly. Center returns the mixer to its default configuration, with Deck A fully in action.
For checking your low frequency mix, there’s a dedicated feature for that. It is called Bass Audit. Bass audit toggles on a monitor filter which removes everything over 190 Hz. This allows you to hear only the interaction between the bass and kick. So if you’re wanting to make sure that the low end is clean it comes in handy. When the audit is running, the readout will say so.
If clicking isn’t your thing, keyboard shortcuts will make you fly through a mix. To cue, press A to cue Deck A and press B to cue Deck B. To start the rehearsal sequence, hit T. Cut both decks simultaneously with X. Toggle the low end audit mode with L. When the markers or sliders have focus, use the arrow keys to tweak the numbers in precise detail. No need to reach for the mouse.
Experiment with various curve forms that match your style. For example, the equal power glide is nice for mixing smooth house music. The bass swap cut works better for more energetic genres.
Mark where you want the songs to enter and exit. You can make it so the song will have a longer or shorter overlap. A short overlap gives a sharp transition. And with a longer overlap, you give yourself more time to blend the two tracks together.
Control frequency clashes with the low shelf filters: To do this, reduce the low frequencies of the incoming track if it has too much bass. As the outgoing track reduces, bring the other one back up. That way the low end won’t distort. You can use the audit mode to check what you are doing. That turns off the mid and high frequencies allowing you to concentrate on the bass and the rhythm.
Runway is a great way to imagine it in time. During the rehearsal, watch for the phase indicators lighting up. These indicate the moment of exchange, release, trade, and finally alignment. Move these markers so that they coincide with phrases in your music. That way the change occurs at a naturaly occurring place within the song. The mix will sound like it was intended this way, which it was!
You can expand the widget to fullscreen for a clearer view. This is handy if you’re using a smaller screen or wish to have more room. There are also extensive notes about how things work within the help panel. Key mappings and audio conventions is explained here. If you forget what filters do, or keyboard shortcuts, this is where to check.
Begin with the phrase length set at sixteen beats. For your first try, select an equal power glide. Set the marker for the entry and exit so that there is a moderate amount of overlap. Hit the execute button and listen to the transition. If the bass is sounding cluttered, adjust the low shelf filters. Perform a bass check to verify the clarity in the low end.
Play around with the remaining curves to see their effect on the energy. Use the keyboard shortcuts to quickly make changes.
The transitions are a great way to learn the technical aspects of mixing. They offer a safe place to experiment with your ideas. Have fun exploring all of the transition options available.