MANUAL.md

Pioneer DDJ-SX2 MIDI Mapping for Mixxx - user guide

Most controls work identically in both Serato and Mixxx - refer to the official manual for these.

However, some of these controls work differently when using this mapping, the next sections detail these.

Browser section

The TRACK#, BPM, SONG and ARTIST sort the Library. (Song is the Title in Mixxx)

Pressing the rotary selector switches between the left and right panels of the Library. While also expanding crates/playlists.

The BACK button goes to the left panel of the Library.

VIEW (SHIFT + BACK) toggles between 8 view modes:

• two decks, waveforms in decks, mixer visible
• four decks, waveforms in decks, mixer visible
• two decks, stacked waveforms, mixer visible
• four decks, stacked waveforms, mixer visible
• two decks, waveforms in decks, mixer hidden
• four decks, waveforms in decks, mixer hidden
• two decks, stacked waveforms, mixer hidden
• four decks, stacked waveforms, mixer hidden

Stacked waveforms is a Deere-skin-specific setting.

The LOAD PREPARE button load infos about the song (BPM, Key and show wave preview).

AREA (SHIFT + LOAD PREPARE) expands the library, or collapses it if already expanded.

Deck section

SHIFT + KEY LOCK: change tempo range. the available ranges are:

• ±8%
• ±16%
• ±50%
• ±90% (Mixxx maximum)

The takeover indicators (the triangle LEDs in the tempo slider) turn on when the tempo slider is moved up or down.

AUTO LOOP starts a beat loop at the playing position. when beat loop is active, this button will disable it.

Loop SLOT SELECT (SHIFT + IN) has no effect since Mixxx does not have loop slots.

RELOOP/EXIT and LOOP ACTIVE perform the same operation.

Mixxx does not have Flip. I have assigned these buttons to key change:

• REC: one semitone down
• START: one semitone up
• SLOT: reset to normal key
• LOOP (SHIFT + REC): enable track loop

SAVED LOOP (SHIFT + ROLL) allows you to store loops. this is implemented by using higher-numbered hot cues as storage since Mixxx does not have loop slots.

SLICER changes performance pad mode to beat jump. an older version of this mapping had a basic, flawed implementation of a slicer, but I decided to remove it since it's not a native Mixxx feature.

SLICER LOOP (SHIFT + SLICER) does nothing. I may implement something in this mode in the future.

previous track (SHIFT + CUE): when pressed, playback position is set to the beginning of the track. if it's already on the beginning, it does nothing.

SYNC: enables sync lock mode. Mixxx's SYNC button only sets the tempo of a deck to match the other(s), but it does not enable sync lock unless long-pressed.

Beat Grid operation:

• ADJUST: allows you to change the beat grid tempo.
• SLIDE: allows you to slide the beat grid.
• SET (SHIFT + ADJUST): sets the beat grid to the playing position. Mixxx does not have the concept of beat markers, but oddly enough it supports variable tempo tracks with no configuration whatsoever...
• CLEAR (SHIFT + SLIDE): has no effect for now.

PANEL SELECT toggles between sampler, effects, both and nothing.

Mixer section

When this mapping is loaded, the filter resonance is increased to sound better.

Crossfader start is not implemented (?).

Sampler volume sets pre-gain on all sampler slots since there's no global sampler volume control in Mixxx.

Effect section

Mixxx's effect framework now has a "collapsed" mode which maps much better to the DDJ-SX2.

However, Mixxx still has an "advanced" ("expanded") mode in where every effect parameter is exposed.

This mapping only supports the collapsed mode, but I may revive the code for handling the advanced mode at some point.

The three effect knobs set the dry/wet level.

The ON buttons toggle effects.

FX SELECT (SHIFT + ON) changes the effect.

The BEATS knob sets the wet/dry level of the effect unit.

The TAP button underneath sets whether to mix as wet/dry or wet+dry.

FX MODE (SHIFT + TAP) allows you to expand or collapse the effect panel.

Jog Dial display section

The four red lights display the current beat or number of rotations (you can set this up by modifying the script).

Performance pads

These allow you to trigger:

• Hot Cue mode: set, seek to and clear hot cues. behavior is identical.
• Roll Mode: trigger beat loops. the first pad triggers the shortest loop and the last one triggers the longest.
  • parameter 1 allows you to select the duration of these (in beats). the available durations are:
    • 1/32 shortest; 4 longest
    • 1/16 shortest; 8 longest
    • 1/8 shortest; 16 longest (default)
    • 1/4 shortest; 32 longest
    • 1/2 shortest; 64 longest
  • the pads' color will change to reflect the selected durations.
• Slicer Mode: actually beat jump mode when using this mapping.
  • the upper buttons trigger forward beat jumps.
  • the lower buttons trigger backward beat jumps.
  • pads at the left trigger shorter jumps.
  • pads at the right trigger longer jumps.
  • you can set the length of these jumps with parameter 1. the available jump sizes (in beats) are:
    • 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 1/4
    • 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2
    • 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1
    • 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2
    • 1/2, 1, 2, 4
    • 1, 2, 4, 8
    • 2, 4, 8, 16
    • 4, 8, 16, 32
    • 8, 16, 32, 64
  • the color of the mode indicator will change to reflect the selected lengths.
• Sampler Mode: trigger samples.
  • parameter 1 allows you to choose between pages.
  • each page has 8 samples.
  • you can select one of 8 pages.
  • the Deere (64 Samplers) or Tango (64 Samplers) skin is necessary to view all 64 samples.
• Cue Loop: same function as hot cue, but starts a loop.
• Saved Loop: this allows you to store loops for later usage.
  • Mixxx does not have loop slots.
  • therefore this feature is implemented using hot cues as loop markers.
  • the parameter 1 button has no effect.
• Slicer Loop: nothing to see here yet.
• Velocity Sampler: same thing as sampler, except that the pads become pressure-sensitive and set volume when pressed.