Roland DJ-505

The Roland DJ-505 is an all-in-one USB MIDI controller with an integrated audio interface. It has controls for 2 decks that can be toggled between decks to play with 4 decks. It also features a TR-S step sequencer with sounds from the TR-808 and the TR-909 drum machines (TR-606 and TR-707 are available via firmware update).

Neu in Version 2.3.0.

Geändert in Version 2.4.0: Added Saved Loop mode and improved Cue Loop Mode.

Drivers

You can download the latest Windows & MacOS drivers and firmware from the manufacturer’s website. Since the DJ-505 is a USB class compliant MIDI and audio device, the device is plug-and-play on Linux.

Audio Setup

The mapping relies on the following channel assignments (for line/phono input support, applying effects to the TR-S output, etc.):

Output Channels	Assigned to
1-2	Main
3-4	Headphones

Input Channels	Assigned to
1-2 (CH 1 Line/Phono)	Vinyl Control 1
3-4 (CH 2 Line/Phono)	Vinyl Control 2
5-6 (Mix)	Record/Broadcast
7-8 (TR-S output)	Auxiliary 1

The microphone, TR-S drum machine, and external inputs are mixed together in input channels 5-6, so Mixxx can record and broadcast them.

The knobs for MASTER LEVEL, BOOTH LEVEL, PHONES VOLUME, MIC LEVEL, TR/SAMPLER LEVEL and CUE/MASTER MIXING are controlling the hardware mixer of the built-in audio interface. Hence, turning the knobs will not change values in the Mixxx GUI and you’ll need to set the Mixxx knobs to their default values when using the controller:

Set the main/booth/headphones/microphone/aux channel levels to 100% (knob center position)
Set cue/main mixing to cue-only (leftmost position)

Bemerkung

You should assign the Vinyl Control input channels even if you do not intend to use timecode vinyl. These channel assignments are also needed to make the CH 1/2 PC/LINE/PHONO switches work (i. e. passing through line or phono input to the left/right deck).

Controller Mapping

The control numbering in the schematic drawings matches the those found on the specified page in the Owner’s Manual.

Browser Section (p. 4)

No.	Control	Function
1	LOAD buttons	Load song into deck.
1	SHIFT + LOAD button (left)	Sort library by BPM (press repeatedly to toggle ascending/descending order).
1	SHIFT + LOAD button (right)	Sort library by key (press repeatedly to toggle ascending/descending order).
2	Rotary Selector	Turn to move tracklist cursor up/down. Press to load and play/pause currently selected track on preview deck. Hold and turn to seek in track on preview deck.
2	SHIFT + Rotary Selector	Turn to move sidebar cursor up/down. Hold and turn to change track color of currently selected track.
3	BACK button	Not yet mapped.
3	SHIFT + BACK button	Sort library by title (press repeatedly to toggle ascending/descending order).
4	ADD PREPARE button	(Un-)Maximizes the library view.
4	SHIFT + ADD PREPARE button	Sort library by artist (press repeatedly to toggle ascending/descending order).

Deck Section (p. 5-6)

No.	Control	Function
1	Jog Wheel (top surface)	Perform scratch operation.
1	Jog Wheel (outer edge)	Rotate to lower/raise playback speed and pitch if key lock is off).
1	SHIFT + Jog Wheel (top surface)	Search fast through the track location.
2	SLIP button	Hold to turn on slip mode temporarily or double press to turn it on permanently.
2	SHIFT + SLIP button	Toggle vinyl control mode.
3	SHIFT button	Hold down to access other functions.
4	SYNC button	Short press to match tempo and phase of other deck once. Long press to enable Sync Lock.
4	SHIFT + SYNC button	Short press to disable Sync Lock. Long press to toggle quantization.
5	CUE button	Specifies, plays or recalls temporary cue point.
5	SHIFT + CUE button	Returns to the beginning of the song.
6	PLAY/PAUSE button	Plays or pause the song.
6	SHIFT + PLAY/PAUSE button	Hold to play backwards.
7	Pad Mode Select	See Performance Pads.
8	Performance Pads	See Performance Pads.
9	PARAMETER area	See Performance Pads.
10	LOOP area: AUTO LOOP button	Set a beatloop at the current play position.
10	LOOP area: SHIFT + AUTO LOOP button	Toggle looping.
10	LOOP area: 1/2X/2X buttons	Set the loop playback length to half/double.
10	LOOP area: SHIFT + 1/2X button	Move the loop by it’s length toward the left.
10	LOOP area: SHIFT + 2X button	Move the loop by it’s length toward theright.
10	LOOP area: IN/OUT button	Specify loop-in/loop-out points.
10	LOOP area: SHIFT + IN button	Toggle beats quantization.
10	LOOP area: SHIFT + OUT button	Toggle looping, go to loop-in point and resume playback.
11	DECK 3/DECK 4 buttons	Switches the deck (left: decks 1 and 3, right: decks 2 and 4)
12	KEY LOCK	Toggle key lock.
12	SHIFT + KEY LOCK	Cycles through tempo slider range (8%, 16%, 50%).
13	Tempo slider	Adjust song playback speed (and pitch if key lock if off).

Mixer Section (p. 7)

No.	Control	Function
1	TRIM knobs	Adjust the deck gain (prefader)
2	HI/MID/LOW knobs	Adjust the high/mid/low-frequency regions of the song.
3	FILTER knobs	QuickEffect superknob (filter by default, can be changed to a different effect in Mixxx preferences)
4	Channel CUE buttons	Toggle PFL for each channel.
4	SHIFT + CUE buttons (short press)	Adjust beatgrid so that the closest beat is set to the current cursor position.
4	SHIFT + CUE buttons (long press)	Adjust beatgrid to match another playing deck.
4	SHIFT + CUE buttons (tap repeatedly)	Set tempo by tapping on each beat.
5	Channel faders	Adjust the output level for each channel.
6	Cross fader	Fades between left and right deck.
7	MASTER LEVEL knob	Adjusts the main output level.
8	BOOTH LEVEL knob	Adjusts the output level of the BOOTH OUT jacks.
9	MIXING knob	Fades between PFL and main output in headphones
10	TR/SAMPLER LEVEL knob	Adjusts output of the TR-S (Aux 3) and Samplers 1-16.
11	TR/SAMPLER CUE button	Toggle PFL of the TR-S (Aux 3) and Samplers 1-16.
12	Level indicator	Indicate the output level of each channel and main.

Effects Section (p. 7)

No.	Control	Function
1	CH ASSIGN area	Toggle effect units 1/2 for decks 1/2 (3/4 if SHIFT is pressed) or the TR-S (Aux 3) and Samplers 1-16.
2-5	Various	See Standard Effects Mapping.

TR-S Section (p. 8)

No.	Control	Function
1	VALUE knob	See Owner’s Manual.
2	SHIFT button	Hold down to access other functions.
3	Display	See Owner’s Manual.
4	SYNC button	Match tempo of playing deck (phase matching is not implemented yet, use the NUDGE button instead).
4	SHIFT + SYNC button	Currently not mapped.
5-17	Various	See Owner’s Manual.

Front Panel (p. 8)

No.	Control	Function
1	PHONES jacks	Connect headphones here.
2	VOLUME knob	Adjust the volume of the headphones.
3	CROSS FADER switch	Switch the cross fader response curve.
4	REVERSE switch	Switch cross fader reverse (hamster) mode on/off.
5	CH1/CH 2 switches: PC	Selects Mixxx deck as input source (Unmute the Mixxx deck and mute Aux 1/2).
5	CH1/CH 2 LINE/PHONO	Selects Line/Phono input source (Mute the Mixxx deck and unmute Aux 1/2).
6	MIC LEVEL knob	Adjust the microphone volume.

Performance Pads

You can use the Pad Mode Select buttons to select a mode for the performance pads.

Control	Mode	LED Color
HOT CUE button	Hot Cue Mode	White
SHIFT + HOT CUE button	Cue Loop Mode	Blue
SHIFT + HOT CUE button (press twice)	Prepare Mode	Red
ROLL button	Roll Mode	Light blue
ROLL button (press twice)	Saved Loop Mode	Green
TR button	TR Mode	Red
SHIFT + TR button	Pattern Mode	Green
TR button (press twice)	TR Velocity Mode	Orange
SAMPLER button	Sampler Mode	Magenta
SHIFT + SAMPLER button	Velocity Sampler Mode	Purple
SAMPLER button (press twice)	Pitch Play Mode	Green

Most pad modes are similar to those found when used with Serato. Modes that are described in the owner’s manual (Slicer, Slicer Loop, Flip) but not listed below are currently not mapped.

Hot Cue Mode

Bookmark positions in the track and jump to them.

No.	Control	Function
1-8	Pad (unlit)	Save current position as hot cue.
1-8	Pad (lit)	Jump to hot cue. If the track is stopped, holding the pad will preview the hot cue until the pad is released.
1-8	SHIFT + Pad (lit)	Clear hot cue.
9	PARAMETER - button	Change color of last used hotcue to the previous color in the palette.
10	PARAMETER + button	Change color of last used hotcue to the next color in the palette.
9	SHIFT + PARAMETER - button	Move beatgrid left.
10	SHIFT + PARAMETER + button	Move beatgrid right.

Cue Loop Mode

Set beatloop from a hot cue point.

No.	Control	Function
1-8	Pad (lit)	Set a beatloop at the position of the hotcue.
1-8	SHIFT + Pad (lit)	Set a beatloop at the position of the hotcue and jump to it.
1-8	Pad (unlit)	Save the current position as hot cue and set a beatloop.
9	PARAMETER - button	Halve the size of the current loop.
10	PARAMETER + button	Double the size of the current loop.
9-10	SHIFT + PARAMETER -/+ buttons	Currently not mapped.

Prepare Mode

This mode allow you to prepare tracks by setting intro/outro cues.

No.	Control	Function
1	Pad (unlit)	Set current position as intro start.
1	Pad (lit)	Jump to intro start position.
2	Pad (unlit)	Set current position as intro end.
2	Pad (lit)	Jump to intro end position.
3	Pad (unlit)	Set current position as outro start.
3	Pad (lit)	Jump to outro start position.
4	Pad (unlit)	Set current position as outro end.
4	Pad (lit)	Jump to outro end position.
5-8	Pad	Currently not mapped.
9-10	SHIFT + PARAMETER -/+ buttons	Currently not mapped.

Bemerkung

This mode has been added by the Mixxx developers and is not available in Serato.

Roll Mode

The Roll Mode provides quick access to rolling loops and beatjumps.

No.	Control	Function
1-4	Pad (hold)	Play a rolling loop with the beatlength that is assigned to the pad.
5	Pad (press)	Beatjump left.
6	Pad (press)	Decrease beatjump size.
7	Pad (press)	Increase beatjump size.
8	Pad (press)	Beatjump right.
9	PARAMETER - button	Halve the size of the current loop.
10	PARAMETER + button	Double the size of the current loop.
9-10	SHIFT + PARAMETER -/+ buttons	Currently not mapped.

Saved Loop Mode

Save and restore saved loops.

No.	Control	Function
1-8	Pad (unlit)	If a loop is enabled, save that loop into the hotcue slot. If no loop is enabled, set a beatloop from the current position and save it.
1-8	Pad (lit)	Enable saved loop.
1-8	Pad (blinking)	Disable saved loop.
1-8	SHIFT + Pad (lit/blinking)	Enable saved loop and jump to the loop start position.
1-8	SHIFT + Pad (lit/blinking, long press)	Delete saved loop from hotcue slot.
9	PARAMETER - button	Change color of last used hotcue to the previous color in the palette.
10	PARAMETER + button	Change color of last used hotcue to the next color in the palette.
9	PARAMETER - button	Halve the size of the current loop.
10	PARAMETER + button	Double the size of the current loop.

TR/Pattern/TR Velocity Modes

These modes are hardcoded in the device firmware, so they work exactly as described in the Owner’s Manual.

Sampler/Velocity Sampler Play Modes

The sampler modes allow you to load, play and stop samples in the first 8 sample slots.

No.	Control	Function
1-8	Pad (unlit)	Load currently selected track into the sample slot associated with the pad.
1-8	SHIFT + Pad (lit)	If the sample is playing, stop the playback. If the sample is not playing, eject the sample from the sample slot.
1-8	Pad (lit)	Play the sample in the sample slot associated with the pad. Velocity Sampler Mode: The playback volume of the sample depends on the pressure (velocity).
9-10	PARAMETER -/+ buttons	Currently not mapped.

Pitch Play Mode

Play the track from a hot cue position and change the pitch in semitone steps. Pads right of the white lit pad raise the pitch, pads left of it lower it.

No.	Control	Function
1-8	Pad	Play currently selected hotcue with modified pitch.
1-8	SHIFT + Pad (dimly lit)	Select hot cue for pitch play. The pad of the currently selected hotcue pad is lit.
9-10	PARAMETER -/+ buttons	Cycles through semitone ranges (Up, Mid, Down).

Known Issues

TR-S Syncing currently works at the BPM level, but phase syncing is not implemented yet. As a workaround, the NUDGE button can be used to adjust the phase. This depends on MIDI clock I/O (Bug #5682).
Some performance pad modes are missing (Slicer [Launchpad Bug #9660], Slicer Loop, Flip [Launchpad Bug #9271])
Some buttons are not mapped yet (e.g. BACK)
LEDs on BACK/ADD PREPARE do not work (this seems to be a hardware/firmware bug and does not work in Serato either)
Controller does not send current cross fader value on Serato SysEx Message (this seems to be a hardware/firmware bug and does not work in Serato either)