Glow¶

The Hercules DJ Control MP3 e2, MP3 LE, and Glow are USB controllers that have identical controls and share the same mapping. These controllers do not have a built in sound card, so a splitter cable or separate sound card is recommended for use with it. They are not class compliant MIDI devices. Older versions of Mixxx required using Hercules’ MIDI driver, but this driver can be a hassle to set up and maintain on Linux, so it is recommended only for Windows and Mac OS X. Another alternative is to use the user mode driver, or also upgrade to the latest version of Mixxx if you have not already. Support for using the MP3 LE and Glow as USB Bulk controllers without the driver on Linux is available in development versions of Mixxx and will be included in Mixxx 2.1, but the MP3 e2 was already supported in Mixxx 2.0.

The mapping is included in Mixxx and allows you to manipulate 4 decks, 2 at a time, switching Deck A (left) between Channel 1 and 3 and Deck B (right) between Channel 2 and 4.

New in version 1.11.

Mapping description (by function)¶

Shift / Supershift¶

Function	Control	number
Shift button to obtain more controls than those provided by Hercules. Press & Hold automix, then press corresponding button to obtain shifted behavior.	Automix	9
Supershift button to obtain a third level of controls. Press & Hold Automix, then press & Hold Scratch, then press corresponding button to obtain supershifted behavior.	Shift-Scratch	7
Switch deck A (left) between Channel1 and Channel3 (also apply to Sampler1 and Sampler3)	Supershift + Load A	18
Switch deck B (right) between Channel2 and Channel4 (also apply to Sampler2 and Sampler4)	Supershift + Load B	18

Library¶

Function	Control	number
Select prev/next playlist	Supershift + Deck A Jog Wheel	16
Toggles (expands/collapses) the currently selected library sidebar item	Folder	6
Go one track down	Up arrow	8
Go one track up	Shift + Up arrow	8
Select prev/next track	Supershift + Deck B Jog Wheel	16
Loads the currently highlighted track into the corresponding deck (A or B)	Load A/B	18
Loads the current highlighted track into the corresponding sampler (1 or 2)	Shift + Load A/B	18

Master/Headphones/Microphone¶

Function	Control	number
Microphone TalkOver	Down Arrow	8
Fades between left (channel 1 & 3) and right (channel 2 & 4) deck	Crossfader	19
Headphone volume	Shift + Deck A pitch knob	3
Adjust the cue/main mix in the headphone output	Shift + Deck B pitch knob	3
Toggles deck output to the headphones monitor on/off	Headphone monitor	20

Sampler¶

Function	Control	number
Loads the current highlighted track into the corresponding sampler (1 or 2)	Shift + Load A/B	18
Goto start & Play sampler 1/3	Shift + Folder	6
Stop sampler 1/3	Supershift + Folder	6
Goto start & Play sampler 2/4	Shift + Files	10
Stop sampler 2/4	Supershift + Files	10

Decks / Channels¶

Playing¶

Function	Control	number
Loads the currently highlighted track into the corresponding deck (A or B)	Load A/B	18
Starts or stop a loaded track	Play	14
Backward Play	Shift + Play	14
Toggle Repeat	Supershift + Play	14
Sets the cue point if a track is stopped and not at the current cue point. Stops track and returns to the current cue point if a track is playing. Plays preview if a track is stopped at the cue point for as long as it’s held down	Cue	15
Move Forward/Backward in track	Forward / Backward	12
Enable or disable the scratch mode on all four decks	Scratch	7
Seeks forwards and backwards in a stopped track. Temporarily changes the playback speed for playing tracks. Absolute sync of the track speed to the jog wheel if scratch mode enabled	Jog wheel	16

Volume / Equalizer / Effects¶

Hercules DJControl MP3 e2 (deck volume/EQ/FX)¶

Function	Control	number
Controls the deck output volume, with soft takeover on deck switch.	Deck volume slider	17
Adjusts the gain of the low/medium/high equalizer filter. No soft takeover.	Equalizer knobs	5
Filter Low Kill	Supershift + Pitchbend -	1
Filter Mid Kill	Supershift + Sync	13
Filter High Kill	Supershift + Pitchbend +	1
Adjust pregain	Shift + Forward / Backward	12
Quick Filter knob	Supershift + Pitch knobs	3
Brake Effect	Supershift + Forward (stops on release)	12
Spinback Effect	Supershift + Backward (stops on release)	12

Hotcues¶

Need to be in Hotcue mode (button Loop/Fx (4) lit up). If not, press Loop/Fx button to switch to hotcue mode.

Function	Control	number
If hotcue X is set, seeks the player to hotcue X’s position. If hotcue X is not set, sets hotcue X to the current play position.	1/2/3/4 buttons	11
If hotcue X is set, clears its hotcue status.	Shift + 1/2/3/4 buttons	11

Loops¶

Need to be in Loop mode (button Loop/Fx (4) turned off). If not, press Loop/Fx button to switch to Loop mode.

Function	Control	number
loop-in	Button 1	11
loop-out	Button 2	11
Toggles current loop On or Off	Button 3	11
Clear Loop	Supershift + Button 1	11
loop 1/8	Supershift + Button 2	11
loop 1/4	Shift + Button 1	11
loop 1/2	Shift + Button 2	11
loop 1	Shift + Button 3	11
loop 2	Shift + Button 4	11
loop 4	Button 4	11
loop 8	Supershift + Button 3	11
loop 16	Supershift + Button 4	11
Double loop	Shift + Pitchbend +	1
Half loop	Shift + Pitchbend -	1

Pitch / Syncing¶

Hercules DJControl MP3 e2 (pitch / sync)¶

Function	Control	number
Temporary Holds the pitch 4% higher while pressed	Pitchbend +/-	1
Set deck as master clock. Led blink: master Fixed led: Follower Led off: none	Master tempo (MP3 e2) / Pitch reset (MP3 LE & Glow)	2
Adjust playback pitch / speed	Pitch knobs	3
Automatically sets pitch so the BPM of the other deck is matched	Sync	13
Enable key-lock for the specified deck (rate changes only affect tempo, not key)	Shift + Master tempo	2
Magnet (all cues, hotcues, loops, and beatloops will be automatically quantized so that they begin on a beat.)	Supershift + Master tempo	2
Adjust beatgrid	Shift + Sync	13
Enable or disable the scratch mode on all four decks	scratch	7
Seeks forwards and backwards in a stopped track. Temporarily changes the playback speed for playing tracks. Absolute sync of the track speed to the jog wheel if scratch mode enabled	Jog wheel	16

Mapping description (by knob/button)¶

Hercules DJControl MP3 e2 (schematic view)¶

Global controls¶

Number	Control	Function	shifted	Supershifted
8	Arrow up/down	Up : goes one track down Down : Microphone TalkOver	Up : Goes one track up Down : Nothing	Nothing
6	Folder	Toggles (expands/collapses) the currently selected library sidebar item	Play/Stutter sampler 1/3	Stop sampler 1/3
10	Files	Toggles (expands/collapses) the currently selected library sidebar item	Play/Stutter sampler 2/4	Stop sampler 2/4
18	Load A/B	Loads the currently highlighted track into the corresponding deck (A or B)	Loads the current highlighted track into the corresponding sampler (1 or 2)	Switch deckA between Channel 1 & 3 and deckB between 2 &4
19	Crossfader	Fades between left (channel 1 & 3) and right (channel 2 & 4) deck
9	Automix	Used as a master shift button to obtain more controls than those provided by Hercules. Press & Hold automix, then press corresponding button to obtain shifted behavior.
7	Scratch	Enable or disable the scratch mode on both decks	Used as a master supershift button to obtain a third level of controls. Press & Hold Automix, then press & Hold Scratch, then press corresponding button to obtain supershifted behavior

Deck / Channel specific controls¶

Number	Control	Simple function	Shifted function	Supershifted function
1	Pitchbend +/-	Temporary Holds the pitch 4% higher while pressed	+ double loop - half loop	+ Filter High Kill - Filter Low Kill
2	Master Tempo	Syncs the BPM and phase to that of the other track (if BPM is detected on both). Led blink: master Fixed led: follower Led off: none	Enable key-lock for the specified deck (rate changes only affect tempo, not key)	Quantize (Magnet)
3	Pitch knobs	Adjusts playback pitch/speed	Deck A: adjust the headphone volume Deck B: adjust the cue/main mix in the headphone output	Quick Filter knob
4	Loop/Fx	Toggle the Loop/Hotcue mode for the keys buttons. When the button is not lit up the loop buttons are enabled, when the button is lit up the hotcue’s buttons are enabled
5	Equalizer knobs	Adjusts the gain of the low/medium/high equalizer filter
11	1/2/3/4 buttons	Loop mode: 1 - loop-in 2 - loop-out 3 - Toggles current loop On or Off 4 - Loop 4 Hotcue mode: 1, 2, 3 and 4: If hotcue X is set, seeks the player to hotcue X’s position. If hotcue X is not set, sets hotcue X to the current play position.	Loop mode: 1 - Loop 1/4 2 - Loop 1/2 3 - Loop 1 4 - Loop 2 Hotcue mode: If hotcue X is set, clears its hotcue status.	Loop mode: 1 - Clear loop 2 - Loop 1/8 3 - Loop 8 4 - Loop 16 Hotcue mode: Nothing
12	Forward \ Backward	Fast forward/backward	Adjust pregain	Forward: brake effect (stay pushed) Backward: spinback effect (stay pushed)
13	Sync	Automatically sets pitch so the BPM of the other deck is matched	Adjust BeatGrid	Kill Mid
14	Play	Starts or stop a loaded track	Backward Play	Repeat
15	Cue	Sets the cue point if a track is stopped and not at the current cue point Stops track and returns to the current cue point if a track is playing. Plays preview if a track is stopped at the cue point for as long as it’s held down
16	Jog wheel	Seeks forwards and backwards in a stopped track. Temporarily changes the playback speed for playing tracks Absolute sync of the track speed to the jog wheel if the scratch mode is enabled		Deck A: Select prev/next playlist Deck B: select prev/next track
17	Deck volume slider	Controls the deck output volume. There is soft takeover after deck switch (1/3 or 2/4) to prevent wide parameter changes when the on-screen control diverges from the hardware control. Manipulating the control on the hardware will have no effect until the position of the hardware control is close to that of the software, at which point it will take over and operate as usual.
20	Headphone monitor	Toggles this deck output to the headphones monitor on/off

Troubleshooting¶

Jog wheels not working or controller not responding¶

If your jog wheels doesn’t work, or nothing works on the controller even when you have carefully read all other resources, you should be aware that this controller stores at least two configuration options in the controller:

Enable/disable Jog Wheels
MIDI channel to use

and maybe a third one: Jog wheel sensitivity

With factory default settings, the jog wheels are enabled and the MIDI channel used is channel 1. The mapping is made for channel 1 only. If your controller is configured for another channel, nothing will work and if you launch Mixxx with -`-controllerDebug` parameter, you will have lines like this one showing in the logs when you press a button on the controller :

Debug [Controller]: "DJ Control MP3 e2 : 3 bytes: B3 38 38 "

note the B3 here. it’s B<MIDI Channel # - 1>. So this controller is configured on channel 4. controller configured on channel 1 will show B0, which is correct.

To change these parameters, you have to use the configuration tool that comes with the Hercules driver on on the Hercules support page. Unfortunately, the configuration tool is only available for Windows and Mac OS X. We are not aware of any solution for Linux. So if you normally use Linux, you will have to find a computer with Windows or Mac OS X, install the Hercules driver, plug-in the controller and change configuration. You will only need to do this once, then the controller should work with Linux.

Controller not recognized as bulk controller¶

It has been reported that when the Hercules drivers are installed on a Windows, the driver takes over the bulk communication with the controller so it cannot be recognized by Mixxx as a bulk controller. Uninstall the Hercules driver and use it as a USB bulk controller.