Playlist-specific hotcues

[mixxxbot]

Reported by: feek
Date: 2021-01-24T20:20:13Z
Status: Won't Fix
Importance: Wishlist
Launchpad Issue: lp1912959
Tags: autodj

---

I like to organize my DJ sets in playlists.

A track can appear in several playlists.

I use a track's hotcues to indicate when the next track is supposed to start in order to get nice transitions. Let's call these hotcues "indicators". For nice transitions, I look for nice "phrase matches" between the tracks.

Also, because a track can appear in several playlists, a track's indicators depend on the playlist: let's say I have a playlist "A" with tracks "1" and "2", and a playlist "B" with tracks "1" and "3". The indicator hotcues I set in track "1" to fit with track "2" in general don't match for track "3".

Right now, Mixxx only allows to have "global hotcues".

It would be great if Mixxx allowed to set track hotcues specific to a playlist.

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: Be-ing
Date: 2021-01-24T20:29:21Z

---

I disagree. This would add a ton of complexity to the code and the UX. I think your use case would be better handled by labelling the hotcues which allows arbitrary text (new in 2.3). We are also planning to add an ability to save arbitrary text notes in playlists.

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: uklotzde
Date: 2021-01-24T20:46:02Z

---

Interesting idea. Though it would limit interoperability with other applications that do not support such a relationship.

I agree with Be that the additional complexity might turn out to be hard to manage (didn't think of all the details). Features should be accessible to and relevant for the majority of users. Otherwise you confuse many by trying to please some.

In this case UI mockups should be done before even thinking about the implementation.

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: uklotzde
Date: 2021-01-24T20:50:40Z

---

I already though about introducing "transition items" with position/timing information for automatic crossfades between regular "track items" in a playlist. But I quickly dropped the idea when thinking about the additional complexity this would introduce.

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: daschuer
Date: 2021-01-24T22:21:15Z

---

The complexity is already there looking at the AutoDJ implementation. :-/

We have track bound intro and auto markers and a set of rules what to do with them when playing in Auto DJ. Currently we can only apply one rule at a time.
Ideally the Auto DJ may be controlled by a additional Playlist item that defines rule for the transition to the next track.

So there is a clear use case for data that sticks between two tracks.

These are related bugs:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/mixxx/+bug/1092655
https://bugs.launchpad.net/mixxx/+bug/1199105
https://bugs.launchpad.net/mixxx/+bug/1523252
https://bugs.launchpad.net/mixxx/+bug/1576530
https://bugs.launchpad.net/mixxx/+bug/1886726

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: feek
Date: 2021-01-25T00:06:14Z

---

@be.ing

I think your use case would be better handled by labelling the hotcues which allows arbitrary text (new in 2.3).

As I understand this statement, for my use case, this would mean to have several hotcues in a track for all my playlists using that track. But in some playlist's / DJ set's hurry, I'm not good in disambiguating which hotcues are currently relevant and which are to be ignored. I like to declutter my interface to stay focused on what's relevant :)

My controller has four direct access hotcue buttons. As an example, for a specific playlist I use hotcue 1 to indicate "start this track when the previous track rolls over its hotcue 4" ... and I use hotcue 4 to indicate "this is where the next track is to start with its hotcue 1".

Also, I like to use hotcue 2 to indicate "hey, this is a good point to make an 'interim double drop'" to introduce the next track for a couple of bars.

So, for my use case, already in a single playlist, three out of four direct access hotcue markers are used.

A workaround would be to encode "playlist-specific hotcues" by color. But that seems more like a workaround ("for this playlist 'foo', only consider the blue-colored hotcues - good look on finding the right hot cue number in the hurry").

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: Be-ing
Date: 2021-01-25T00:19:15Z

---

I understand what you're trying to accomplish and in general agree it's the start of a good idea, but I think coupling track metadata to playlists would be a bad way to implement it.

Macros would be helpful for the kinds of tasks you're describing #2989

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: foss-4
Date: 2021-01-25T11:06:37Z

---

Not seeing this happening. The added complexity is out of proportion for the added value. Although understanding your argument, I think the way forward is finding a system that accomplishes this e.g. using one color range for hotcues for certain setting and another color set for your other settings.

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: Holzhaus
Date: 2021-03-09T01:13:52Z

---

Yes, I also think we shouldn't implement this. The disadvantages outweigh the advantages by far IMHO.

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: daschuer
Date: 2021-03-11T08:05:23Z

---

Hi Eduard von Feek,

We have close this bug, because you describe a solution for your issue, which was rejected.

I am happy to receive a new bug which describes your issue more general.
I don't think we will have a solution for it soon, but we can consider this request whenever thinking about inter track metadata.

[mixxxbot]

Issue closed with status Won't Fix.