Hot Cue Banks: Multiple Performance Options

Hello! Welcome to your seventh lesson in the "DJing for DnB release" course.

Introduction

In our last lesson, you learned how to deconstruct tracks into their fundamental components—acapellas and instrumental loops—by setting precise beat grids and cue points. This was akin to creating a library of reusable functions in software development; you now have a collection of high-quality, performance-ready audio assets.

Today, we will focus on organizing and deploying these assets for maximum creative potential. The learning outcome for this lesson is to: Master the use of Hot Cue Banks to prepare multiple performance options for a single track.

We'll start by establishing a systematic way to set Hot Cues on individual tracks. Then, we'll unlock a powerful Rekordbox feature, Hot Cue Banks, which allows you to build custom palettes of your favorite loops, vocal stabs, and effects, accessible at any time, regardless of the tracks you are playing. This moves us from preparing single tracks to building a cohesive, personalized performance system.

1. A Systematic Approach to Hot Cues

Before we get to Hot Cue Banks, let's refine how we set Hot Cues on a track-by-track basis. A consistent system is crucial for muscle memory and quick decision-making during a live set. A popular and effective method is to divide your eight performance pads into two distinct layers: one for structure and one for performance.

To summarize the system:

• Layer 1: Phrasing/Structural Cues (Pads 1-4 / A-D)

  • These are set chronologically to mark key sections of the track.
  • Cue A: First beat of the track or main intro element.
  • Cue B: Start of the first major breakdown or build-up.
  • Cue C: The first beat of the main drop.
  • Cue D: Start of a secondary breakdown or a good mix-out point.
  • This layer acts as a navigation system, allowing you to jump between sections predictably.

• Layer 2: Performance Cues (Pads 5-8 / E-H)

  • These are for creative use and are not necessarily in chronological order.
  • They can be isolated vocal stabs, single drum hits, short melodic phrases, or saved loops.
  • These are the elements you'll use for finger-drumming, live mashups, and creating new rhythms over another track.

Adopting a consistent system like this is similar to following a code style guide; it makes your work predictable, easier to debug, and faster to execute under pressure.

For even better organization, you can color-code and name your Hot Cues in Rekordbox. For example, you could make all your "Drop" cues red and all your "Vocal Stab" cues yellow.

2. Beyond the Track: Introducing Hot Cue Banks

The standard Hot Cue system is powerful, but it has a limitation: the eight cues are tied to a single track. What if you want to trigger a vocal sample from Track X over your mix of Tracks A and B? Or what if a single track has more than eight elements you want to use?

This is where Hot Cue Banks come in.

A Hot Cue Bank is a collection of eight cue points, independent of any single track, that you can load onto your performance pads. Think of a track's Hot Cues as local variables, accessible only when that track is loaded. A Hot Cue Bank is like a global library or a singleton service; it's a pre-configured palette of sounds you can call up at any time.

To get started, you first need to make the Hot Cue Bank List visible in Rekordbox.

The key takeaway is that a single Hot Cue Bank List can contain cues pointing to many different tracks.

3. Strategies for Using Hot Cue Banks

Now that you know what Hot Cue Banks are, how can you use them effectively in a DnB set? Here are two primary strategies.

Strategy 1: The "Global Toolkit" Bank

This approach involves creating a bank of your go-to sounds that you can use across your entire set. This is your signature sound palette.

• How to build it:

  1. Create a new Hot Cue Bank List and name it something like "DnB Toolkit".
  2. Load a track with a classic amen break. Set a 1 or 2-bar loop and save it to a Hot Cue. Then, transfer this Hot Cue to the first pad of your "DnB Toolkit" bank.
  3. Load a track with a foghorn or another iconic DnB sound effect. Set a Hot Cue on it and transfer it to the second pad.
  4. Find a track with a clean vocal chant (e.g., "Bo!", "Rewind!", "Original nuttah!"). Save this to the third pad.
  5. Continue this process with risers, bass stabs, or any other elements you frequently use.

• How to use it:
  During your mix, you can load the "DnB Toolkit" to a deck's pads. Now, you can instantly trigger these signature sounds over whatever tracks are currently playing, adding a layer of live production and personality to your set.

Strategy 2: The "Track-Specific Superset"

Sometimes, a single track is so rich with elements that eight Hot Cues aren't enough. You might have multiple vocal phrases, several drum loops, and a few synth stabs you want to play with.

• How to build it:

  1. For your chosen complex track, use the standard eight Hot Cues for your primary structural and performance points, as per the two-layer system.
  2. Create a new Hot Cue Bank List and name it after the track (e.g., "Noisia - Diplodocus Cues").
  3. Go back to the track and find additional elements—an alternative vocal chop, a different percussive loop, a sustained bass note. Set temporary Hot Cues on these.
  4. Transfer these new Hot Cues into your track-specific bank.

• How to use it:
  When you're playing this track, you can start by using its default Hot Cues. Then, at a key moment, you can load the dedicated Hot Cue Bank List to the pads. This effectively gives you access to 16 (or more) performance points for a single song, allowing for incredibly detailed and varied live remixes.

4. Practical Exercise

Estimated Time: 25 minutes

Let's put this into practice.

1. Systematize One Track:

   • Choose a DnB track from your library.
   • Apply the two-layer system: set four structural Hot Cues (A-D) and four performance Hot Cues (E-H).
   • Give each cue a relevant name and color. For example, make the drop (Cue C) red and your vocal stabs (e.g., Cue F) yellow.

2. Build Your "Global Toolkit":

   • Create a new Hot Cue Bank List named "My DnB Toolkit".
   • Find at least three different tracks in your library.
   • From Track 1, save a drum loop to the first slot of your toolkit.
   • From Track 2, save an impactful sound effect or bass stab to the second slot.
   • From Track 3, save a short, clean vocal sample to the third slot.
   • The instrumental loops and acapella stabs you prepared in the last lesson are perfect for this!

3. Create a "Track-Specific Superset":

   • Using the track you prepared in step 1, create a new Hot Cue Bank List named after that track.
   • Find 2-3 additional interesting points in that same track that you didn't already set a cue for.
   • Save these new points to your new track-specific bank.

4. Test in Performance Mode:

   • Load a simple, rolling DnB track on Deck 1.
   • On Deck 2, load your "My DnB Toolkit" to the pads. Practice triggering your toolkit sounds over the track on Deck 1.
   • Now, load the track from step 1 onto Deck 2. Play with its default Hot Cues. Then, load its track-specific Hot Cue Bank and explore the new performance options you've created.

Conclusion

You have now moved beyond simple track preparation and into the realm of building a comprehensive performance system. By organizing your cues systematically and leveraging Hot Cue Banks, you can prepare multiple layers of creative options for your sets.

Key Takeaways:

• A systematic approach to setting Hot Cues (e.g., the structural/performance split) is essential for a fast and intuitive workflow.
• Hot Cue Banks are a global feature in Rekordbox, allowing you to create palettes of sounds from any track in your library.
• The "Global Toolkit" strategy gives you a consistent set of signature sounds to use throughout your mix.
• The "Track-Specific Superset" strategy expands the creative possibilities for a single, complex track far beyond the standard eight Hot Cues.

Next Lesson Preview

In this lesson, you've mastered the art of organizing your performance elements within Rekordbox. The next logical step is to get these preparations out of your computer and onto the hardware you'll be performing with. In our next lesson, we will prepare a 'gig-ready' USB drive with multiple playlists, backup tracks, and personalized CDJ settings. This will cover the crucial final step of exporting your meticulously prepared library, including your playlists and Hot Cue Banks, for a flawless performance on CDJs.