Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Ever set a hotcue you're never meant to press? Sounds weird - but it's one of the smartest ways to use your performance pads...

In this quick DJ tip, I'll show you how to use "marker" hot cues to flag safe points in long tracks where you can jump to the outro and shorten a track on the fly. No more letting an eight-minute house track run its full course when your dancefloor's ready to move on.

You'll see how to colour-code your marker cues so you can tell at a glance which pads are "press me" and which are "just look at me" - plus an example of how to label them so they show up right on your hardware.

This is just one of the creative cue point techniques we cover in our brand new Transitions Toolbox course - 50+ done-for-you transitions you can drop straight into your next set. Mashups, acapella mixes, quick mixes and more, all using the features already built into your DJ gear.

Learn more about Transitions Toolbox here: djtips.co/toolbox

How do you use marker cues in your sets? Drop a comment and let us know.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Why set hot cues you never press?
00:42 How marker hot cues work
01:30 Shortening a track on the fly
02:18 Colour coding and labelling
03:15 Transitions Toolbox course

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