Ever watched a DJ cutting channel faders in time with the music and thought it looked too difficult? That technique is called a “fader cut”, and while it looks cool, mastering the skill itself is pretty straightforward. We break it all down in this tutorial.
If you want to add some “flash” to your next DJ mix, the fader cut is your friend. Watch through the free training below, then refer to this guide as needed to lock in what you’ve learned.
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What’s a fader cut?
A fader cut is simply using channel faders to cut sound on and off in time with the music, creating rhythmic patterns. Works on any music – house, hip-hop, trance, wedding sets – and you don’t need special gear. If you’ve got channel faders on your mixer, you’re ready to go. Despite how impressive this looks, there are really just two approaches:
Full beat fader clicks: Moving the fader on every beat Half beat (double speed) fader clicks: Moving the fader twice per beat for added intensity
The key to both is returning the fader to the same position every time for clean, precise cuts. Done well, fader cuts add visual flair to your mixing and become another creative tool for building energy in your sets.
Fader cuts: from basics to double speed
Load up a track and get it playing – something with a percussive intro works well for this. Now move the channel fader down (off) and up (on) once per beat, in time with the kick drum. That’s it – you’re doing fader cuts. At first, this feels awkward. Just keep practising until it feels natural.
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Here’s the key: don’t do it through the whole phrase. Build tension by cutting for several beats, then drop the fader out just before the drop (release). If you’ve been near a dancefloor, you know that silence is what makes a crowd react.
Once you’re comfortable with full beat cuts, step it up to double speed – moving the fader twice per beat.
And here’s the trick with double speed: you don’t need it through the whole pattern. Try doing full beat cuts through most of the phrase, then switch to double speed towards the end. That acceleration creates serious tension.
The real skill isn’t speed – it’s precision. When you cut the fader down, bring it back to exactly the same position every time. Put a bit of pressure on the fader as you bring it back up so you can feel where the top position is. Your hand will learn the muscle memory, and with time, fader cuts will become second nature.
Follow-Along Practice Video
After watching through the main lesson, use this follow-along practice video to help master the patterns and 8-bar combo.
TracklistWeiss / James Hype – “Feel My Needs” (Extended Mix)Modjo – “Lady (Hear Me Tonight)”
This lesson is just one of 250+ exclusive deep dives and mixing tutorials available to All-Access Pass members.
Next Steps
With the fundamentals sorted, it’s time to build that muscle memory. Start with full beat clicks until the timing feels comfortable, then work on building patterns that create tension and release. Once that’s solid, add double speed at the end of your patterns.
The beauty of fader cuts is they work on any track, any genre – basslines, vocals, whatever sounds good. The more you experiment, the more you’ll find your own style with this technique.
