Hercules DJ CONTROL MP3 User Manual

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................ 2

2. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS............................................................................................... 2

3. INSTALLATION ................................................................................................................. 2

3.1. First installation ........................................................................................................... 2

3.2. DJ Control MP3 and your PC’s sound card ................................................................ 4

4. OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................4

4.1. The shoulder strap ...................................................................................................... 4

4.2. The top face ................................................................................................................ 5

4.3. USB connector............................................................................................................ 6

5. USING THE DJ CONTROL MP3 AT A PARTY ................................................................ 6

5.1. Overview ..................................................................................................................... 6

5.2. Configuring your DJ Control MP3 ............................................................................... 7

5.3. Previewing with headphones ...................................................................................... 7

5.4. Speeding up or slowing down a piece ........................................................................ 8

5.5. Creating cue points ..................................................................................................... 9

5.6. Creating loops........................................................................................................... 10

5.7. Switching from one piece to another ........................................................................ 10

5.8. Adding effects onto a piece....................................................................................... 12

5.9. Scratching ................................................................................................................. 12

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6. MIDI STANDARD SUPPORT .......................................................................................... 14

7. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ............................................................................. 16

8. TECHNICAL SUPPORT .................................................................................................. 16

8.1. Warranty information................................................................................................. 17

8.2. Additional warranty provisions .................................................................................. 17

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION RECOMMENDATION....................................................... 18

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1. INTRODUCTION

DJ Control MP3 is a powerful piece of hardware that opens up the doors to mixing and scratching
digital music on your PC. Intuitive and fun to use, DJ Control MP3 lets you put your own mark on
your favorite music and share it with your friends to host great parties or make creative mixes.

DJ Control MP3 functions with digital audio files, including MP3s. We would like to draw your
attention to the fact that musical creations are protected by copyright and that you must comply
with all applicable legislations. We strongly encourage you to support artists by acquiring their
works legally.

2. MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

 Desktop/laptop PC with Intel Pentium III/Athlon 800MHz or compatible
 256MB RAM
 Operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 and XP SP1
 Available USB port (USB 1.1 or USB 2.0)
 Headphones or amplified speakers
 CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive (CD-DA support recommended)
 16-bit, 800x600 video resolution
 Internet connection + 100MB free hard disk space for some applications

3. INSTALLATION

3.1. First installation

You should install your DJ Control MP3’s drivers before connecting it to your

computer.

Note: your installation screens and procedure may vary slightly from those described in this
manual.

Because drivers and software are constantly being developed, the ones provided on your
CD-ROM may not be the most recent versions. You can visit the Hercules website
(ts.hercules.com) to verify this and, if necessary, download the very latest versions.

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3.1.1. Installing drivers and software

- Insert the installation CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.

The DJ Control MP3 installation menu automatically appears.

If the installation menu is not launched
automatically:

- Double-click My Computer.

- Double-click the CD-ROM icon.

- Double-click Setup.exe if necessary.

- Click Install your product.

- Follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: If you do not have the latest version of DirectX installed
on your system, you will be guided through the installation
procedure to install it. Once DirectX has been installed, you
will be prompted to restart your computer. Once your
computer has restarted, restart the installation procedure by
re-inserting the installation CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.

A dialog box appears, prompting you to connect the DJ
Control MP3 to your computer’s USB port, or to disconnect
and then reconnect it.

- Connect the DJ Control MP3 to one of your computer’s USB
ports using the USB cable provided; or, if it is already
connected, disconnect and then reconnect it.

Windows automatically detects your DJ Control MP3 and installs the required drivers.

A progress bar appears, depicting the progress of the installation. Please note that this may take up to 30
seconds, depending on your computer.

- Let the installation procedure run its course and do not do anything until you receive a message indicating
that the installation has completed.

- Click Finish.

You will be prompted to enter your VirtualDJ serial number, found on a piece of paper in your DJ Control MP3
box.

- Enter the serial number and click OK.

VirtualDJ is launched automatically. The VirtualDJ icon now appears on your desktop.

Windows may prompt you to reboot your computer at the end of the driver installation.

For information on configuring your DJ Control MP3, please see section 5.2. Configuring your DJ Control
MP3.

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3.2. DJ Control MP3 and your PC’s sound card

DJ Control MP3 must be used in conjunction with your PC’s sound card, speakers and/or
headphones; it is your sound card that will actually play the music on your PC. You will use your
DJ Control MP3 to manipulate the music being played on your PC. You can connect and
disconnect your DJ Control MP3 at any time, even when the computer is switched on, thanks to
its USB connection.

4. OVERVIEW

4.1. The shoulder strap

Your DJ Control MP3 also features a shoulder strap for easy transportation. To install the
shoulder strap:

- Thread the Velcro flaps through the two buckles on the DJ
Control MP3.

- Attach the flaps to the Velcro band.

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4.2. The top face

Your DJ Control MP3 has a variety of controls allowing you to interact with DJ software. There
are two sets of these controls, as the left and right sections of the DJ Control MP3 each
correspond to a separate deck in DJ software applications. Descriptions of the default function of
each control are provided below.

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1. Cut or boost Bass/Medium/Treble frequencies

2. Change music speed (pitch/master tempo)/tweak volume in real time

3. Add effects, cue points (song positions), loops on the fly

4. Mouse emulation or special DJ FX control

5. LEDs indicating the current mode at a glance

6. Headphone monitoring button

7. Speed up or down for accurate mixing

8. Previous/next track or rewind/fast forward

9. Vinyl-style jog wheel

10. Swift cross fader for seamless mixing between the 2 decks

11. Automix your entire playlist

12. Play/Pause song or mark a song position

Note 1: These are descriptions of the DJ Control MP3’s default functions, which may vary
according to the application you are using.

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Note 2: Mouse emulation is enabled via the Device Manager (please see section 5.2. Configuring
your DJ Control MP3).

4.3. USB connector

DJ Control MP3 has a USB connector on its back face, allowing you to connect it to your PC. As
DJ Control MP3 is USB bus-powered, no external power source is required.

Back face

USB connector for

connection to PC

5. USING THE DJ CONTROL MP3 AT A PARTY

5.1. Overview

You are now about to learn everything a DJ needs to know to host his or her first parties. Let’s
start at the beginning, namely setting up the party: no DJ would allow himself to arrive
unprepared, which is why he would have organized his material and selected his records
beforehand.

You should do the same by sorting through your music. Have a good look through your collection
of CDs as well as your MP3 and WMA files and select the songs you are going to use. In order to
be able to mix tracks effectively, you must know the pieces perfectly.

Once this is done, make sure that you have all the hardware you will need. Got your computer,
DJ Control MP3, a pair of speakers and some headphones handy? Perfect, then you’re ready to
go!

You’re probably asking yourself: and now, how do I get started? By way of introduction, here are
the basic principles of DJing: a DJ works with two decks (or turntables). The first deck plays one
part of the musical piece, while the DJ uses the second deck to get the next part ready. He can
then work on this second part (speed it up so that it is at the same tempo as the rest of the piece,
etc.) before playing it out loud. At the end of a part, the DJ plays the part on the other deck by
doing a mix, which is to say a blending of the two parts creating a perfect transition.

In concrete terms, you will launch the VirtualDJ software and program pieces onto each of the
decks.

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