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VirtualDJ Native Effects Reference

Comprehensive list of all native audio and video effects, video transitions, and visualizations included with VirtualDJ.

Audio Effects

Time & Rhythm Effects

Effect Description
BackSpin Simulates a vinyl record spinning backward
Beat Brake Applies a brake/slowdown effect synchronized to beats
BeatGrid Beat-synchronized slicer effect using the beatgrid
Brake Simulates slowing down/stopping like a turntable brake
BrakeStart Jump start effect for track beginnings
Flippin Double Doubles every beat for rapid-fire transitions
Loop Out Creates a loop that fades out
Loop Roll Temporary loop that releases back to original position
Mobius Continuous reverse/forward time manipulation
Mobius Saw Sawtooth wave time manipulation effect
Mobius Tri Triangle wave time manipulation effect
Recycler Rhythmic stuttering and repeat effect
Riser Pitch rise effect typically used for buildups
Scale Down Pitch-shift down effect
Scratch DNA Automated scratch patterns
Slicer Chops audio into rhythmic slices
Slip Roll Loop roll effect in slip mode
Spiral Spiraling time manipulation effect
Stutter Out Stuttering effect that fades out
VinylBrake Vinyl-style brake effect with customizable parameters

Delay & Echo Effects

Effect Description
Down Echo Echo with pitch-shifting downward
Ducking Echo Echo that ducks the dry signal
Echo Standard delay/echo effect with beat synchronization
Hold Echo Echo that holds and repeats a section
Low Cut Echo Echo with high-pass filtering
MT Delay Multi-tap delay effect
Pitch Echo Echo with pitch shifting
Rev Delay Reverse delay effect
Up Echo Echo with pitch-shifting upward

Modulation Effects

Effect Description
Cyclone Rotating modulation effect
Flanger Classic flanging effect with feedback
Helix Spiral modulation effect
LFO Filter Low-frequency oscillator controlled filter
Matrix Complex modulation matrix
Pan Auto-panning effect
Phaser Classic phaser effect with multiple stages
Ping Pong Ping-pong delay/echo effect

Filter Effects

Effect Description
Filter Resonant high-pass/low-pass filter (Color FX)
Pumper Rhythmic volume pumping/ducking effect
Sweep Filter sweep effect
Wahwah Auto-wah effect

Pitch & Tone Effects

Effect Description
Distortion Adds distortion/overdrive to the signal
Noise Noise generator effect
Pitch Pitch shifting effect
Pitch Down Dedicated pitch-down effect

Special Effects

Effect Description
Cut Beat-synchronized gate/cutting effect
MergeFX Merges/combines effects together
Mute Mute/unmute effect
Reverb Reverb/room ambience effect
Rider Side-chain style ducking effect
Stems Stems-based effect processing
Stretch Time-stretching effect
Vocals Vocal isolation/processing effect

Video Effects

Transforms

Effect Description
Blur Blurs the video output
Blur Black Bars Blur with black bars overlay
Boom Zoom/boom effect
Boom Auto Automatic zoom synchronized to beats
Colorize Changes video colors/hue
Negative Inverts video colors
Shake Camera shake effect
Spectral Spectral visualization effect
Strobe Strobe light effect

Overlays

Effect Description
Karaoke Karaoke display overlay
Lyrics Lyrics text overlay
Screen Grab Screen capture overlay
Text Custom text overlay
Title Title card overlay

Sources

Effect Description
Camera Webcam/camera input source
Cover Album cover art display
Lottery Random visual lottery/picker
Shader Custom shader effects
Slideshow Image slideshow display

Video Transitions

Transition Description
Additive Additive blending transition
Blinds Venetian blinds wipe
Cloud Dissolve Cloud-based dissolve
Color Swap Color channel swap transition
Cube 3D cube rotation transition
Doors Door opening/closing transition
Drain Drain effect transition
Drain Light Lighter drain effect
Droplets Water droplet transition
Extreme Cut Hard cut with effects
Fade Standard crossfade
Fixed Grid Grid-based transition

Effect Parameters

Most effects support multiple parameters that can be adjusted:

Common Parameters

  1. Strength/Dry-Wet - Controls effect intensity (usually 0-100%)
  2. Length/Speed - Controls timing, usually in beats (e.g., 1bt, 2bt, 4bt)
  3. Feedback - Controls effect repetition/resonance
  4. Additional Controls - Effect-specific parameters (filters, stages, modes, etc.)

Use the effect introspection helpers when building a generic control surface:

effect_has_slider 1 1
get_effect_slider_label 1 1
get_effect_slider_text 1 1
get_effect_slider_default 1 1 0.5
effect_has_button 1
get_effect_button_shortname 1

Those helpers are safer than assuming every native effect has the same slider count, button count, labels, or default values.

Observed Parameter Examples

These examples are known working forms from local reference pad pages and built-in pad pages. They are not a complete native effect parameter map.

Slot FX presets:

Effect Working form Source
Echo effect_select 1 'Echo' & effect_slider 1 1 75% & effect_slider 1 2 50% Local test: examples/Pads/Reference - Slot FX.xml
Echo Out effect_select 1 'Echo Out' & effect_slider 1 1 80% & effect_slider 1 2 50% Local test: examples/Pads/Reference - Slot FX.xml
Reverb effect_select 2 'Reverb' & effect_slider 2 1 45% & effect_slider 2 2 50% Local test: examples/Pads/Reference - Slot FX.xml
Delay effect_select 3 'Delay' & effect_slider 3 1 75% & effect_slider 3 2 50% Local test: examples/Pads/Reference - Slot FX.xml
Flanger effect_select 4 'Flanger' & effect_slider 4 1 50% Local test: examples/Pads/Reference - Slot FX.xml
Loop Roll effect_select 1 'Loop Roll' & effect_slider 1 1 50% Local test: examples/Pads/Reference - Slot FX.xml
Phaser effect_select 1 'Phaser' & effect_slider 1 1 50% Local test: examples/Pads/Reference - Slot FX.xml
Beat Grid effect_select 1 'Beat Grid' & effect_slider 1 1 75% Local test: v2026-m b9482; the no-space selector 'BeatGrid' did not replace the previously selected effect

PadFX presets:

Effect Working form Source
Cut padfx 'cut' 50% 0.5bt Local test: examples/Pads/PUSH FX.xml
Cut padfx 'cut' 40% 1bt Local test: examples/Pads/PUSH FX.xml
Flanger padfx 'flanger' 70% 1bt Local test: examples/Pads/PUSH FX.xml
BeatGrid padfx 'beatgrid' Local test: examples/Pads/PUSH FX.xml
Echo on vocal stem padfx 'echo' 50% 1bt 65% 75% 'stemfx:vocal' Local test: examples/Pads/PUSH FX.xml
Reverb on vocal stem padfx 'reverb' 55% 2bt 'stemfx:vocal' Local test: examples/Pads/PUSH FX.xml
Echo Out on vocal stem padfx_single 'echo out' 80% 1bt 'stemfx:vocal' Local test: examples/Pads/PUSH FX.xml
Echo Out on vocal stem padfx "echo out" 80% 1bt "stemfx:vocal" Built-in pad page: pads_stems+fx.xml
Reverb on vocal stem padfx "Reverb" 80% "stemfx:vocal" Built-in pad page: pads_stems+fx.xml
BeatGrid on instrumental/melorhythm stem padfx "Beat Grid" "stemfx:MeloRhythm" Built-in pad page: pads_stems+fx.xml

These padfx forms are good quick-trigger examples, but they do not imply private pad ownership. User-provided local testing found that another pad using the same effect/stem target can alter the active pad-FX parameters, and that effect_disable_all 'padfx' should be kept as a separate cleanup action rather than chained immediately before new padfx calls.

BeatGrid also has a plugin-specific UI command surface in the built-in plugin XML:

effect_command 'set 00'
effect_command 'get 00'
effect_command 'cur 0'

Treat those strings as BeatGrid-specific until another plugin UI or local test proves otherwise.

Effect Usage

VDJScript Control

Effects can be controlled via VDJScript:

effect_select 1 'Echo'
effect_slider 1 1 50%
effect_slider 1 2 1bt
effect_active 1 on

Mix FX Routing

Mix FX is not a separate native effect name. It is a crossfader-linked control path that can select native effects for assisted transitions.

Official VDJScript exposes:

effect_mixfx_select 'Echo'
effect_mixfx_select 'Loop Roll'
effect_mixfx_activate

The Denon Prime 4 Deluxe skin uses Mix FX buttons for:

  • Filter
  • Echo
  • Loop Roll
  • Reverb
  • Noise

Those names should be treated as native effects/presets usable through the Mix FX selector, not as proof that every native effect is Mix-FX-compatible. Test candidate names in VirtualDJ and record results in Published Skin Findings.md.

Beat Synchronization

Many effects support beat synchronization:

  • 1bt = 1 beat
  • 2bt = 2 beats
  • 4bt = 4 beats
  • Negative values possible for some effects (e.g., -1bt)

Effect Slots

VirtualDJ supports multiple effect slots:

  • FX1, FX2, FX3 (deck effects)
  • Master FX (master output effects)
  • Each slot can have its own effect with independent parameters
  • effect_select_multi can keep more than one effect instance in the same slot/channel; query/toggle a specific instance with effect_active <slot> '<effect>'

Pre-Fader vs Post-Fader

Effects can be processed:

  • Pre-Fader: Before volume fader and crossfader (default)
  • Post-Fader: After volume fader and crossfader (requires supported hardware)

Set in Options: fxProcessing - pre-fader or post-fader

Stems Effects

Effects can be applied to individual stems:

  • Vocal
  • HiHat
  • Bass
  • Instru
  • Kick

Activated via Stems FX Pad on the Stems Pad Page.

Effect Lists

VirtualDJ allows organizing effects into custom lists for easier access:

  • Create multiple lists for different genres or use cases
  • Manage lists via Audio Effects List Editor
  • Access by scrolling to bottom of Effects List and clicking "More..." or "Manage..."

Notes

  • All native effects are included with VirtualDJ (no additional purchase required)
  • Additional effects can be downloaded from VirtualDJ's plugin directory
  • Effect availability and parameters may vary by VirtualDJ version
  • Some effects have graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for advanced parameter control
  • Effects can be combined and chained for complex sound design
  • Exact slider/button maps are only partially documented locally. Prefer tested examples for effect-specific pad presets, and record new parameter findings with the VirtualDJ build and effect version when possible.

Additional Resources

  • VDJScript Verbs: See VDJScript reference for programmatic effect control
  • Pads Editor: Customize pad pages to trigger effects
  • Effect GUIs: Click effect name or gear icon to open detailed controls
  • VirtualDJ Forums: Community-created effects and tips
  • Plugin Directory: https://virtualdj.com/plugins/