A lot of DJ hardware has the 8 pads on 2 decks layout. This suggestion is an idea that revolves completely around those pads. As of now, what the pads do is entirely dependent on the hardware, and there is mostly no way to change them, unless you midi map every pad one by one, so I’m proposing a new system to replace and customize your pages. There IS a Neural Mix Pad Mode that is hidden in a limited amount of DJ gear with some button presses, but this idea expands on that.
In Serato, they let you replace a pad page with stems (depending on the hardware) via the settings menu, and in VDJ, they let you go absolutely crazy with pads with new preset pages, user made pages, and customizing pads with codes. For DJay, I think something in the middle would be a great addition to the software. (Also I have no idea how Recordbox handles pads)
DJay could have a good amount of pre-set pad pages, and it looks like there are already foundations for some I’ll give some ideas in a moment. But the idea would give users two options: make a single profile of up to 8 or 10 pad pages, and every piece of hardware would adapt those pages in the same order. OR, make multiple profiles for each piece of hardware to have different pad pages. I have no idea how possible either of those options are, I’m sure it depends on the hardware, but I think it would be great if, for example, the third page of both my Rev-7 and my DDJ-1000SRT were both Neural Mix Pads.
Ideas For Pad Pages:
Cues Points
Saved Loops
Pitch Cue
Slice
Auto Loop and Beat Jump/Skip
Instant FX - there are already 8 on each deck!
Manual FX - many DJ hardwares have on-board effects already, so a pad page for DJay’s manual effects can be a good addition. Top row could be the on/off for each effect, and bottom row could be FX routing for neural mix.
Neural Mix Pad Mode - this is already made, but hidden behind shortcuts for a limited amount of DJ gear. I would also propose a change: replace top row with channel muting, and bottom row with Mute FX controls. Pad 5 can be on/off (or Mute FX selector if there are more in the future ), and pad 6 to 8 can be how many beats the echo out is.
Neural Mix Bounce - I think similar to how the Rane One MK2 does it with their Stem Roll, shown here at the at the 2:14 mark. Bottom row are 4 bounce pads, top row is neural mix channel selector.
Crossfade FX - you can choose 8 (or 16 with shift) preselected crossfade effects.
Beatgrid Editing
Sampler
Looper
Customizable pad pages with midi mapping, that can be saved, and maybe shared?
@Slak_Jaw This is exactly what I was referring to pity I could not find it when searching. So ideally yes it would be great if DJAY has a user defined pad or the preset pad mode to replace a specific pad mode on hardware i.e Sampler or Slicer. This eliminates the need to midi map each hardware with Neural Mix + Instant Fx on a pad mode (This is how it is handled in Serato and Virtual DJ for stems) as the user defined (Virtual DJ) or preset replacement pad mode (Serato) will have Neural Mix + Instant Fx.
Use case? So this will allow DJ’s to go to a gig etc without the need of carrying their MIDI mapped controller and be able to connect to the venue hardware and either make use of the user defined pad (Virtual DJ) or preset pad mode (Serato) to switch to Neural Mix + Instant Fx (which is equivalent to stems in Serato and Virtual DJ) having this at a few clicks will eliminate the time required to MIDI Map the hardware upon connection.
I know DJAY was probably designed with the use case of having your laptop/phone/tablet and hardware carried to perform but imagine if the laptop/hardware/phone/tablet could connect to any hardware and have Neural Mix + Instant Fx just by altering the pad more or having the user defined selection saved and applied to any connected hardware.
I hope the above makes sense and if it needs more clarity I am happy to provide more info - @djmikelujan did a great job explaining the feature as well as need for it. I have voted for this as well.
the request still remains for hardware that doesn’t support Stems/ Neural Mix either via dedicated buttons or a pad mode. Serato DJ allows a pad mode to be changed to Stems. Can this be done for Neural Mix? Swop a pad mode instead of MIDI Map?
Use Case: As a DJ playing at various bars/clubs etc if the gear is provided it is much easier to swop the pad mode to access neural mix instead of having to midi map it while trying to DJ.
Hope this is at least considered in 2026. Thank you
), and pad 6 to 8 can be how many beats the echo out is.
