djharryg
In PCDJ Red I used to be able to load a bunch of songs into the playlist and the software would instantly tell me the time that the songs would last until. This coding was done 10 years ago.
In other words... if it was 8pm and I added 20 songs to the playlist, it would immediately display the time in which the songs would eventually run out.
This is a HUGE feature for a DJ that is trying to add enough songs for an event and have them timed to end at at the end of the event.
Is this possible in VDJ
In other words... if it was 8pm and I added 20 songs to the playlist, it would immediately display the time in which the songs would eventually run out.
This is a HUGE feature for a DJ that is trying to add enough songs for an event and have them timed to end at at the end of the event.
Is this possible in VDJ
geposted Sun 01 Jan 12 @ 3:07 pm
SBDJ
It already gives you the run time of the playlist at the bottom of the playlist window.
geposted Sun 01 Jan 12 @ 3:14 pm
djharryg
I see that it gives run time. So... it should be easy to show the end time. If its 8pm and the run time is 1 hour. The end time can be shown at 9pm. This would make timing music to the exact end of an event so much easier.
Sure you can look at the run time, and then do the math to figure out when the list will end, but glancing over at an end time on the screen seems much easier.
Sure you can look at the run time, and then do the math to figure out when the list will end, but glancing over at an end time on the screen seems much easier.
geposted Tue 03 Jan 12 @ 6:42 am
ProfLee
I've been hoping for more VDJ programmers to do more work on the playlist features. In addition to a notation of what time the playlist will run out, I'd like to see a way to determine at what time a specific song will play or even a time-laspe of how long before a song will play in the playlist. For instance, If I'm DJ at a wedding and the the bride or groom requests that I play a certain song in 20 minutes, it would be nice to see a notation of that rather than having to figure it out by adding and subtracting. I'm told other DJ software has this ability. One that comes to mind is OTIS AV.
I would also like to see a feature by which you could program a playlist to fade earlier. Let's say that the client requests that the DJ should keep all songs to around three minutes in length. No problem if the DJ stands at the booth all night but hey, what about a food break or a bathroom break? Getting it done in 3 minutes isn't enough time sometimes and I personally can't afford to have an assistant with me at every gig.
I would also like to see a feature by which you could program a playlist to fade earlier. Let's say that the client requests that the DJ should keep all songs to around three minutes in length. No problem if the DJ stands at the booth all night but hey, what about a food break or a bathroom break? Getting it done in 3 minutes isn't enough time sometimes and I personally can't afford to have an assistant with me at every gig.
geposted Thu 02 Feb 12 @ 3:02 pm
JoeyKJ
One of your requests is already available;
Description:
WatchDog is a simple plug-in that currently will allow you to use automix with a predefined fixed time interval.
In other words you can now "force" automix to always mix to the next song after a fixed time interval. The time interval is configurable from 2 to 4 minutes.
Available here http://www.virtualdj.com/addons/12817/WatchDog.html
Description:
WatchDog is a simple plug-in that currently will allow you to use automix with a predefined fixed time interval.
In other words you can now "force" automix to always mix to the next song after a fixed time interval. The time interval is configurable from 2 to 4 minutes.
Available here http://www.virtualdj.com/addons/12817/WatchDog.html
geposted Sat 04 Feb 12 @ 9:58 am
dillons
I agree. I am converting a long list of customers, mostly restaurants and clubs that will use the playlist continuosly throught the day and it doesn't seem like the calcaulation at the bottom of the playlist is accurate. I would liek to know what time of day the playlist is good until. Very important for me.
geposted Fri 01 Feb 13 @ 3:10 pm
groovindj
It can't be 100% accurate.
Why? Because the total playing time is calculated from the length of each song (file). But the software doesn't have ears.
The software has no way of knowing how much silence there is at the end of tracks for example. One or two seconds isn't much for one song, but add that up over the length of a large list and you soon end up with minutes extra.
If you've set up any auto mix configurations, that'll also have a bearing on the end result, because the software may bring in a song before the previous one has completely finished.
I learned to tell the time when I was a young child. If someone asks me to play a certain song in 20 minutes, I use my watch. :-)
I also have no problems finishing at exactly the right time at the end of the event, again by using my time telling skills and my watch.
It amazes me how much some of you guys seem to rely on the software to do these things for you!!!
Why? Because the total playing time is calculated from the length of each song (file). But the software doesn't have ears.
The software has no way of knowing how much silence there is at the end of tracks for example. One or two seconds isn't much for one song, but add that up over the length of a large list and you soon end up with minutes extra.
If you've set up any auto mix configurations, that'll also have a bearing on the end result, because the software may bring in a song before the previous one has completely finished.
I learned to tell the time when I was a young child. If someone asks me to play a certain song in 20 minutes, I use my watch. :-)
I also have no problems finishing at exactly the right time at the end of the event, again by using my time telling skills and my watch.
It amazes me how much some of you guys seem to rely on the software to do these things for you!!!
geposted Sat 02 Feb 13 @ 6:50 am
djdad
Even though as an old school dj i completely understand what Groovindj needs to say here, i still think that a software could and should calculate the exact duration of a Playlist depending on the selected type of Automix.
geposted Sun 03 Feb 13 @ 6:02 pm
PhantomDeejay
To be honest most of the features discussed here are aimed to radio automation software rather than dj software.
"DJ" Software titles usually expect that a "DJ" will control them most of the time. They have some "automation" features available but usually they are very limited.
On the other hand "Radio Automation" software titles usually expect that they will run unattended for long periods of time. Even when someone will interact with them it would be usually for programming/scheduling rather than "live" manipulation. They have rich automation options and utilities but their "live" mixing abilities are very limited.
The way I see it, extended playlist management and scheduling abilities belong to radio automation.
As "Digital DJ's" we're constantly being accused that our laptops do the jobs for us and that "everybody" can do that. I don't like it when we (the very same digital dj's) give them the right to accuse us!
PS: Calculating the exact duration of a playlist (depending on the selected type of automix) would require the software to "run" a "virtual playback" of the whole playlist in order to be able to do the maths and it would need to re-calculate every time you add/remove or even re-arrange a track. I don't know how much "resource friendly" such a task would be, but I rather prefer my system resources to be used for other reasons.
PS2: I'm not bashing anyone or anything. I'm just sharing my point of view.
PS3: Even the old PCDJ would "estimate" the time the playlist would run-out. It was not accurate and every time a song was played it was recalculating. However since it's "automix" was a plain fade with a global duration between tracks it was much more easier and accurate to calculate the length/end time than any type of "smart" automix ;)
"DJ" Software titles usually expect that a "DJ" will control them most of the time. They have some "automation" features available but usually they are very limited.
On the other hand "Radio Automation" software titles usually expect that they will run unattended for long periods of time. Even when someone will interact with them it would be usually for programming/scheduling rather than "live" manipulation. They have rich automation options and utilities but their "live" mixing abilities are very limited.
The way I see it, extended playlist management and scheduling abilities belong to radio automation.
As "Digital DJ's" we're constantly being accused that our laptops do the jobs for us and that "everybody" can do that. I don't like it when we (the very same digital dj's) give them the right to accuse us!
PS: Calculating the exact duration of a playlist (depending on the selected type of automix) would require the software to "run" a "virtual playback" of the whole playlist in order to be able to do the maths and it would need to re-calculate every time you add/remove or even re-arrange a track. I don't know how much "resource friendly" such a task would be, but I rather prefer my system resources to be used for other reasons.
PS2: I'm not bashing anyone or anything. I'm just sharing my point of view.
PS3: Even the old PCDJ would "estimate" the time the playlist would run-out. It was not accurate and every time a song was played it was recalculating. However since it's "automix" was a plain fade with a global duration between tracks it was much more easier and accurate to calculate the length/end time than any type of "smart" automix ;)
geposted Mon 04 Feb 13 @ 11:39 am