Virtual DJ licenses
Before going into the details of this guide and explaining yourself in detail how to use Virtual DJ, let me tell you what the differences are between the various versions of the software.
At the time of writing this guide, the latest version of the software is Virtual DJ 8, available free of charge for both Windows PC and Mac. Depending on the use that the user intends to make of it, it is possible to purchase paid licenses that also allow you to increase the functionality of the software by downloading additional add-ons.
The free license, called Home free, is dedicated to users who intend to use Virtual DJ at an amateur level without the possibility of adding external tools, such as mixers, consoles or other external controllers. Those who have different needs, however, can purchase one of the program's paid licenses. You will find everything illustrated in detail below.
- VirtualDJ Home Plus: for users who do not use Virtual DJ at a professional level but who need to connect an external device (eg a mixer). The cost fluctuates between 49 and 199 dollars depending on the controller to be connected.
- VirtualDJ Pro: is dedicated to users who intend to use Virtual DJ on a professional level. It costs $ 19 / month o dollars 299 lump sum.
- VirtualDJ Business: is the license dedicated to companies, useful for those who need to provide access to the software to more people. It costs $ 99 / month.
Furthermore, it will be useful to know that it is also possible to subscribe to other services connected to Virtual DJ, such as iDJPool ($ 9,99 / month) which gives you access to a rich catalog of music and DigiTrax ($ 19,99 / month) for karaoke fans.
Download and install Virtual DJ
Once we have clarified the differences between the various versions of Virtual DJ, we can take action. To download and install Virtual DJ on your computer, if it is a Windows PC, connected to the official website of the program, click on the item Download and, in the new open page, presses the buttons PC version e Download now.
Once the download is complete, double-click the file install_virtualdj_ [version] _pc.msi, pigia sul pulsating Run, put the check mark next to the item I accept the terms in the license agreement and click on the button install, then wait for the progress bar to reach 100% and press the button Launch Virtual DJ to start the program and close the window.
I invented, I used a Mac, start the Mac App Store, write Virtual DJ in the field Search at the top left and presses the button Submit on the keyboard to view the search results, then click the buttons Get e Install present next to Virtual DJ 8 per avviarne il download e l'installazione.
Alternatively, you can click here to directly view the Mac App Store page dedicated to Virtual DJ or you can download the program from its official website by clicking on the buttons Download, Mac version e Download Now. Once the download is complete, open the file install_virtualdj_ [version] _mac.pkg just got it, presses the button Continue twice in a row and click on the button Accept to accept the terms of the software license.
Press, therefore, on the buttons Continue e InstallI inserted the Password of your Mac administrator in the appropriate field and click on the button Install software to start the installation. Finally, click the buttons Close e Move to close the window and complete the setup.
Create an account on Virtual DJ
When starting Virtual DJ for the first time, set the In your lenguagen language (or the one of your interest) via the drop-down menu Language at the top right and choose whether to create your own account, which is useful for using all the program's features (eg the ability to broadcast on the Internet and create podcasts), or not.
Then choose whether to register by connecting your existing account (Facebook, Microsoft, Google e WeChat) or whether to create one from scratch using your email address. In the latter case, click on the option Email, insertion il tuo email address in the ready field and the pulsating pigment Next, then access your inbox, locate the email received from Virtual DJ, copy the Password contained within it and enter it in the field Password.
Finally, make sure there is a check mark next to the option Ricordati di me to avoid logging in every time the program starts and click on the buttons Next e To close to link your account to Virtual DJ.
If, on the other hand, you prefer to use Virtual DJ without registering, click the button X to close the registration window and press the button Yes to confirm your intention to use the program without an account.
Using Virtual DJ from a computer
At first glance, the Virtual DJ interface could leave you a little confused due to the numerous commands available. However, analyzing it in detail it is easy to use: in the upper part, they are present two readers with relative commands, useful for playing songs and setting effects; in the lower part, however, the cartelle of the computer in use, useful section for quickly choosing the songs of your interest.
You must know, however, that you can also modify the main Virtual DJ interface by choosing the number of players to use or preferring the tablet mode. To change it, click on the entry 2 readers present at the top left and choose the option of your interest among 4 readers, 6 readers e Tablet mode. Also, choosing the item Show some blank buttons, you can add a series of custom buttons which, once clicked, allow you to create customized actions.
Having made this necessary premise on the Virtual DJ interface, locate the box Local music on the left, select the folder of your computer that collects the music files and choose the one you are interested in to view the songs contained within it. Now, choose the song of your interest and double-click on it (or drag it) to add it to one of the players above.
It will be useful to know that you can also create a quick link to the folders of your interest by dragging them into the box on the right (the one above the buttons Sidelist, Sampler Automix etc.). Also, by selecting the item Sidelist and by dragging the single songs of your interest into it, you can create a list of songs to use for your music session with Virtual DJ. In both cases, by doing so, you will be able to quickly access the folders and audio files of your interest without wasting too much time in searching for the songs to be played.
After dragging the song of your interest to the Virtual DJ player, you can view its main information, such as the song title, artist name, elapsed playing time, playing time remaining and BPM (beats per minute). In addition, the waveform viewer, useful not only to visualize the progress of the playback of the piece, but also to visually understand its structure and, consequently, the presence of only vocal parts and any pause points.
To start playing a song, press the ▶ ︎ button relating to the player of your interest and start using the related commands to apply the effects you want to the song being played. By clicking on the icon of the freccia rivolta verse il basso present in the box Effect, you can choose one of the available effects (backspin, Cut, Delay, Distortion, Echo, Noise, Reverbe, Spiral etc.) and adjust its parameters using the knobs visible at the bottom, which vary according to the effect chosen.
To understand better, let's take a practical example: to apply the echo effect to the song being played, click on the icon freccia rivolta verse il basso in the box Effect, select the option Echo and click on the entry Echo to use the effect in question. By pressing the button STR, you can set the intensity of the effect instead.
If, then, you want to apply a loop (i.e. an uninterrupted repetition of a part of a track), first choose the size using the arrow keys present in the box loop, click the button IN to establish the starting point of the loop and press the button O to define the end point and start the repetition which you can stop by clicking on the button again O.
To make one scratch, you can hold down the left mouse button on the virtual plate and move it over it, while acting on the cursor present to the right of the platter (if you are using the player on the left), you can adjust the i BPM of the song being played and, consequently, increase or decrease its speed.
While playing a song, you can also apply additional audio effects by clicking on the voice Sampler at the bottom right and choosing the category (Istruments, Famous, Audio FX e Video & Scratch) and the effect (Sax, Hands up, Air horn, Siren, Explosion, Applause, Synth, Kick-start etc.) of your interest.
If, on the other hand, you are wondering what the commands in the central box are for (the one that separates the various readers), it will be useful to know that with the cursor present under the heading Gain you can set the volume of the track (with the possibility of adjusting the bass, medium and high tones of the player by using the knobs High, Medicare e Netherlands), while the cursor below is useful for making a "crossfader“, Ie mixing the tracks being played on the two players: placing the cursor on the right, you will hear the track playing on the right player, placing it on the left you will hear the left player, while placing it in the center will mix the signal from both players. To learn more, you can take a look at my guide on how to mix with Virtual DJ.
Once you are familiar with the Virtual DJ interface, if you feel ready to record your first mixed track, click on the rotella d'ingranaggio present at the top left to access the Settings program, then select the item Register in the left sidebar, enter the name of the recording in the field File name, choose the output format via the drop-down menu next to the option Size e pulsing sul pulsating Start registration.
In addition to starting a recording, give it Settings of Virtual DJ you can also access other options by selecting one of the available items.
- Audio: is the section dedicated to the audio configuration, in which, in addition to setting speakers, microphones and sound cards integrated in your computer, you can set any external mixers.
- Interface: to choose the skin to apply to Virtual DJ.
- controller: allows you to create customized keyboard commands.
- options: For the main Virtual DJ options, such as language setting.
- licensing: in this section you can buy one of the paid licenses that I mentioned in the chapter dedicated to Virtual DJ licenses of this guide.
- Extensions: is the section to download new interfaces and additional effects for use with Virtual DJ.
- Broadcast: to create live broadcasts on the Internet, including on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, Vimeo and Periscope.
Also, by accessing the section Tutorials, you can find a series of video tutorials in English to help you learn more about how Virtual DJ works.
Use Virtual DJ from smartphones and tablets
Virtual DJ is also available as an application for Android and iOS devices at a cost of € 10,99. However, the app in question (called VirtualDJ Remote) can only be used to wirelessly control the version of Virtual DJ for computers.
Are you interested in the thing? Well: after purchasing VirtualDJ Remote from the store of your device, start the application in question by tapping on its icon (the writing Virtual DJ on red background) making sure you have activated the Wi-Fi connection, then open Virtual DJ on your computer, click on the rotella d'ingranaggio at the top left to access the Settings software and select the item Remote present in the sidebar on the left.
Make sure, therefore, that there is a check mark next to the item Virtual DJ Remote search and wait for your mobile device to be recognized by the software, then click on it and press the button Connect to connect.
Now all you have to do is start controlling Virtual DJ from your smartphone or tablet by putting into practice the instructions I gave you earlier in the paragraphs dedicated to the operation of Virtual DJ for computers. In fact, the commands and functions are the same as the desktop version of the program and the songs that you can play and mix are those available on your computer.
How to use Virtual DJ
