Where the blend begins
Mark the start of a useful intro or drum passage. Listen for a pickup before the main beat.
Creative mixing & performance
Hot cues and loops for live DJ mixing
Prepare reliable entry points, extend a groove and control the exit. Build a repeatable performance routine in edjing Mix.
Give each cue a purpose
A hot cue recalls a track position. A loop repeats a passage. Together, they let you prepare musical decisions before the set and act on them while mixing.
Use a consistent role for each available cue slot. The labels below are a preparation method, not preset names in the app. You do not need to fill every slot.
The part you want to play
Locate the hook, vocal or drop that gives the track its role in your set.
Where the next track enters
Find a phrase with room for the next arrangement. Note how much time remains before the current track changes.
Place and test your hot cues
In edjing Mix, move to the intended position and set a hot cue using an available slot. Return to it and listen. Cue access and controls depend on your version and offer.
A waveform helps locate a section, but a visible peak is not always the downbeat. Count into the phrase and check the first sound you need to preserve, especially with vocals that begin before beat one.
Trigger the cue several times over the same backing track. If the entrance consistently feels late, check both the cue position and when you press it. Adjust one at a time.
Reopen the track and verify the cue before a set. Avoid relying on an untested point or assuming it carries over to a different file or version of the song.
Choose the loop for the phrase
A short loop can repeat the groove, but it may cut a vocal or chord change in half. Start with a clean instrumental passage and listen across several repeats.
4 beats
One bar in 4/4. Useful for a compact drum groove; often too short for a full melodic phrase.
8 beats
Two bars in 4/4. More room for a rhythmic variation while keeping a short repeat.
16 beats
Four bars in 4/4. Try it where the passage needs more time to resolve.
Choose a length offered by your controls. An eight-beat loop is two bars in 4/4, not eight bars. Shortening the loop changes the repetition; it does not automatically improve the build.
Rehearse a 16-bar handover
Use two tracks in 4/4 at a shared tempo. On A, find a clean eight-beat drum loop. On B, choose a 16-bar intro leading into the section you want to feature.
- Prepare A: activate the eight-beat loop and check its timing across several repeats.
- Bars 1–8: start B from its entry cue on a planned downbeat. Keep B’s bass reduced and introduce its other parts.
- Bar 9: transfer the bass from A to B. Listen for a steady level through the exchange.
- Bars 9–16: fade A out while B approaches its next section.
- Reset A: once it is inaudible, stop it, disable the loop and restore its EQ before loading the next track.
The two-bar loop repeats eight times during this 16-bar handover. Count the full transition rather than treating each loop restart as a new phrase.
Practise the loop exit as a separate skill
If you want the looping track to continue, release the loop at its boundary and check where the arrangement goes next. Rehearse the exact moment; do not assume it will jump to a new section.
If the other deck is taking over, complete the fade before stopping the loop. This gives you a controlled exit without exposing an unwanted passage.
When a loop drifts, shorten the overlap and return to one clear rhythm. Recheck the loop start and beat alignment before trying again. Repeated cue triggers rarely fix an entrance that was placed incorrectly.
Add one variation at a time
Repeat the routine with a four-beat loop, then a longer passage. Keep the entrance and bass exchange fixed to hear what the loop changes.
For a live mashup, use the instrumental loop as a backing and introduce a vocal with Stemz on supported files. Check both the phrase length and harmonic fit before extending the performance.
Questions & answers
Frequently asked
What is the difference between a hot cue and a loop?
A hot cue recalls a track position. A loop repeats a passage until you release it. They serve different roles in preparation and performance.
How long is an eight-beat loop?
In 4/4, it lasts two bars. Eight bars contain 32 beats. Check whether you are counting beats or bars when planning the transition.
Do I need lots of cue points?
No. A few tested points with clear roles are more useful than a full bank you cannot identify quickly. Available slots depend on your version and feature access.