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Forum: General Discussion

Topic: BPM Editor Questions in v2026i b9583
I've searched the forum and online manual with no success.

1) Are there a Keyboard Shortcut or the BPM Editor command of "Add Anchor"
2) Are there any Keyboard Shortcuts for Zooming?
3) Are here any Keyboard Shortcuts for Timeline Scrolling?
4) Are there functionality to zoom in to the sample level to inspect the accuracy of an anchor point?
5) Can VirtualDJ import Tempo Maps from Standard MIDI Files?

Thanks for any assistance,
Byron Santo
 
Posted 6 days ago @ 7:10 pm
VirtualDJ uses vdjscript, and that can be tied the Keyboard or any other controller that triggers MIDI.

So what you are looking for is VDJscript verbs that do the action you want, and pretty much all that you need has a verb that represents it.

So inlining the answers with that in mind:
Byron Santo wrote :

1) Are there a Keyboard Shortcut or the BPM Editor command of "Add Anchor"

set_firstbeat

This only really works for a stable beatgrid though. There is no command AFAIK for adding an anchor in the fluid beatgrid sense yet, but if you are going to do that, you're better off using the BPM Editor directly (right click accessible).

Byron Santo wrote :

2) Are there any Keyboard Shortcuts for Zooming?
4) Are there functionality to zoom in to the sample level to inspect the accuracy of an anchor point?


zoom, zoom_vertical, zoom_scratch for the main waveform (left to right), vertical waveform and scratch waveform respectively.

browser_zoom for maximizing the browser space


Byron Santo wrote :

3) Are here any Keyboard Shortcuts for Timeline Scrolling?

seek, goto (and its derivatives) for absolute positioning


Byron Santo wrote :

5) Can VirtualDJ import Tempo Maps from Standard MIDI Files?


No, but the question is, what benefit is there to that?
VirtualDJ is live DJing software, and normally DJs are concerned with the metadata info for the tracks being played. A MIDI performance with its tempo map doesn't really apply there.
If you can explain how you would use it for the live performance, then you
can ask for it as a Feature Request.
 
If you are asking about this from only the BPM editor perspective, the editor is very mouse/trackpad centric imo. Adding an anchor (fluid) is a right click on measure line action. Zooming is center wheel scroll (or the equivalent trackpad option).
Timeline scrolling is dragging the playhead or focus window to where you want.
 
Yes, my questions were pertains strictly to the BPM Editor functionality’s and thanks for the script info!

The reasoning for the Standard MIDI File Tempo Map question is that I’m highly proficient in a DAW creating complex tempo maps and the editing tools are extensive. I was hoping to create tempo map in my DAW and transfer to VDJ via the Standard MIDI File.

FYI, beginner DJ but 26 years working in DAW’s.
 
So in a conventional DAW, the focus isn't live manipulation of playback (the entire session is laid out already), so if you wanted to adjust the Tempo of the session at various points, a Tempo map would make sense.

The focus of DJing is live playback (the session evolves from DJ choices and manipulations).
The BPM editor's focus is understanding the tempo of a song and if it changes over a duration, to produce a grid for that info that can be used for things like syncing other songs and effect use to that track at a particular point in time.
If you wanted to achieve a "Tempo Map" then you would basically be asking for creation of action Points of Interest that change the tempo at various points in the track, on the deck it is playing. However, unless you permanently wanted to manipulate the track that way (which changes what it sounds like) that loses value for a full musical production, because then it's only one exact way you are manipulating it, and other songs you want to mix in with it would have to follow that.

What's more likely is you have an idea of the entire session mix, how all the tracks would be laid out, and how the Tempo matching should go according to the Master track.
There isn't a direct equivalent, but you could achieve something close to that by perhaps using a deck as the forced master with a click track at a particular BPM, but make sure its inaudible (maybe deck 3) then using decks 1 and 2 for playback (ensuring auto sync on load and beatlock are enabled for them) with the Event Scheduler and also changing the Tempo of the click track deck with the event scheduler too (which would drag the tempo of decks 1 and 2 with it).
I (personally) still think this is not the normal use case of DJ software, and this is a reason both DAWs and DJ software exist.

Not sure if I answered/clarified anything there, but maybe explain more what you're trying to do and we can help. Automation via scripts is possible and there are many VDJscript gurus that can help you (that includes some of the devs too).
 
I have been using my DAW to create tempo maps on commercially released songs for analysis reasons. I have been doing this for the past 3 years. I probably have close to 200 songs analyzed. This process is identical to what is being accomplished in VDJ except the tools are highly complex.

I actually want to take the results of my years of analysis and try it with DJing.
 
Byron Santo wrote :
I probably have close to 200 songs analyzed. This process is identical to what is being accomplished in VDJ except the tools are highly complex.


Given the small number of songs you are talking about, you should try the fluid analysis - the analysis actually AI based and pretty good most songs that have varying tempos.

If you have specific songs that don't work, you can report them for analysis improvement.

You can make your suggestion as a Feature Request regardless however for the BPM editor.
 
I’ve tested the fluid analysis algorithm and it’s not as precise as I need it to be. In fact it’s similar in its beat detection as the DAW I beta test for, that’s why I have created my own custom tempo maps of commercially released songs for my analysis.

Thanks for your help and advice!