NI’s new Traktor Kontrol X1, up close and personal….

This is a video introduction to Native Instruments’ Traktor Kontrol X1, a new DJ controller designed by the team behind Traktor DJ.

Dj TechTools meets up with MSTRKFT to find out what they have hiding in their dj bag!

via eangolden:

Marco Kuhn’s Play Box is a multi touch user interface, which, along with his Play Live software, can control Ableton Live.

Play Box Features:

• multi-touch and object interaction
• 22 ” TFT display , 1680 x 1050 pixel
• robust
• plug`n play

Play Live Features:

• GUI Elements support multitouch interaction
• you can control 32 tracks and 127 scenes, that are 4064 clips
• track controls mute, solo, record, send1, send2, pan, level

Kuhn hopes to build and sell Play Box & Play Live. No availability or pricing information has been announced.

More details at the Hi-Pi site and at CDM.

Vestax, in collaboration with Hiroshi Watanabe, have introduced the Vestax TR-1 DJ controller.

Description:

The TR-1 is a collaboration of Vestax and DJ HIROSHI WATANABE, one of the pioneers who established laptop based DJing in Japan.This radical MIDI controller has been designed from a professional’s point of view, making it compact and extremely useful when you’re in the mix.

Features:

• New soft push switches for tireless mixing.
• Smooth 60mm slide input faders or high-precision mixing.
• Selectable deck control (Max 4channels. A&C controlled by PGM1, B&D controlled by PGM2).
• New SHIFT switch feature to customize deck control functions.
• Adjustable LED light volume.
• Can control up to more than 160 parameters of compatible software.
• A compact, durable and easy-to-operate body design that ensures excellent reliability on tour .
• Traditional Vestax white gold face plate and knobs.
• Bundled software: Native Instruments Traktor LE.

This is an intro video for the new Pioneer CDJ-2000.

The CDJ-2000 is a DJ controller that features a 6.1 inch screen and a touchpad controller. It can be used a CD deck and also as a DJ MIDI controller.

The CDJ-2000 retails for $2,150. Details below.

If you’ve used the Pioneer CDJ-2000, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Here’s the info from the press release for the Pioneer CDJ-2000 & CDJ-900:

Prepared For Any Performance

Adapting to today’s variety of media formats, the CDJ-2000 and CDJ-900 enable playback of MP3, AAC, WAV and AIFF audio files from CDs and USB memory devices, and from DVDs and SD cards as well on the CDJ-2000. A USB port located on top of the turntable enables users to quickly connect an external storage device such as a Tonium Pacemaker™² or a hard drive packed with music files, minimizing the need to bring a laptop computer to performances.

Both the CDJ-2000 and CDJ-900 turntables include rekordbox™, Pioneer’s proprietary music management software that organizes and catalogs a DJ’s entire music library. When music files are imported to rekordbox, the software analyzes each file and prepares them for use specifically with the new CDJ turntables. Key elements of Pioneer’s rekordbox software:

• Analyze:
  • Beats Per Minute (BPM) Data – BPM / Tempo information for each song is identified and processed into rekordbox for use by the DJ in preparing and performing a set.
  • Waveform Data – The waveform of each song is identified and then displayed on the bottom screen for quick data visualization and for use with the needle search function on the CDJ-2000 turntable.
• Customize:
  • Tag Info & Artwork – Edit and customize the file information to performance needs.
  • Hot Cues, Cue Points, and Loops – Prepare and customize cues and loops as well as create and manage hot cue banks.
  • Playlists – Create, edit and manage customized playlists for various performances.
  • Beatgrid – Utilizing the new Quantizing feature, cue points and loops can be set perfectly on-beat. The Quantize feature ensures cue points are set accurately and automatically, correcting and synching beats during manual looping or a real-time cueing, preventing off beat mistakes.

Users can then transfer analyzed music files to their preferred storage media and play them directly from the new CDJ turntables. The software offers song information that can be viewed easily during performances on the CDJs’ large displays to quickly search and access content by genre, title, BPM, etc. Also, as analyzed tracks are played through the CDJ products, the turntables automatically create and save a play history enabling users to review past performances on their PCs.

Pro DJ Link

The new turntables feature Pioneer’s Pro DJ Link that enables up to four CDJ-2000/900s to be connected via the Link Port to share a single music source, whether it is a hard drive, USB and/or SD memory card. Once linked, users have the ability to quickly find, display and choose the music file from a connected source through the CDJ’s built-in display and control knobs. A quick turn of the knob lets users scroll through created files and folders and a push of the knob confirms the song choice.

Advanced Connectivity

The new turntables feature a 24-bit/48 kHz sound card and HID and MIDI control compatibility via USB port. Up to 35 controls on the surface of each player can be used to trigger other devices, such as DJ effecters and software by way of HID and/or MIDI.

The HID controls were implemented into the players for superior interfacing with software, faster communication speed over MIDI, audio/visual streaming and two-way information on displays. HID enables easy, precise and native control of DVS systems such as Serato™ Scratch Live³, Native Instruments’ Traktor⁴ series and MixVibes Cross⁵ without the need for time-coded discs.

CDJ-2000 Enhancements

• LCD panel and Graphic User Interface – The flagship CDJ-2000 features a large WQVGA 6.1-inch full-color 480 x 234 LCD panel for displaying song titles and jacket art as well as detailed track information so DJs can select songs at a glance. The wave data of each song is also illustrated on screen, showing high and low amplitude to further assist DJs.

• Needle Search – Helps DJs instantaneously get to a specific part of a song with a simple touch of the Needle Search pad. Found directly below the CDJ-2000’s high resolution LCD panel, the touchpad lets the DJ “place the needle” and jump quickly to a specific part of a music track.
• Jog Dial – Adjustments for tension were enhanced from previous models allowing the DJ to further customize the feel of the jog dial from a light to heavy sensitivity. Four illuminated areas on the sides of the Jog Dial aid the DJ in finding the desired spot on the plate in dim lighting environments.

CDJ-900 Enhancements

• Slip Mode – When activated, Slip Mode silently continues song playback during a loop, reverse or scratch and continues audible playback at the exact time when the loop, reverse or scratch is ended creating smoother transitions.
• Advanced Auto Beat Loop – The CDJ-900 generates a four-beat loop at a touch of a button creating a customized sound to provide more time for DJs to blend in transitioning music.

The Extras

For more accurate tempo control while mixing, each player is enhanced with increased frame increments of 0.5 frames that allow the DJ to set a cue point or loop point with more precision.

To achieve the highest sound quality, both the CDJ-2000 and CDJ-900 were equipped with the audio industry’s highly respected Wolfson DAC processors, delivering a very transparent, accurate audio signal resulting in a highly improved signal-to-noise ratio and increased headroom.

Armin van Buuren discusses the benefits of Pioneer’s new CDJ-2000.

In this video, djmagtv takes a look at the Vermona Cross Filter.

The Cross Filter is a desktop version of the Action Filter with some extra features. It’s designed for live musicians, DJs and remix producers, but is also suitable for studio use.

The Cross Filter can either work as notch- or bandpass-filter (24dB per octave). Each flank has its own controller for cut-off frequency and resonance, so you can easily vary the bandpass or notch range.
There’s an additional cutoff-controller that influences both flanks at the same time for sweeping the band through the whole frequency spectrum.

The Cross Filter is equipped with two trigger buttons and a fader for getting rhythmical effects. The buttons trigger the bypass function whereas the fader smoothly fades it in and out the effect. Inputs and outputs are available as RCA and 1/4-inch jacks.

The Vermona Cross Filter retails for $535.

More details are available at the Vermona site.

Livid Instruments has announced that their new Ohm64 MIDI control surface is now available.

All controls can be custom-edited to send a variety of MIDI commands, while LED lighting can be controlled with user-defined MIDI commands. The Ohm64 is USB-powered for plug-and-play capability on Macs and PCs.

The Livid Ohm64 retails for $599 a the Livid Instruments site.

Ohm64 Features:

• USB Powered
• Bi-Directional MIDI communication
• Class-compliant: no drivers needed
• 75 Programmable backlight buttons for talk-back and interactive performance
• Programmable MIDI mapping allows you to change the MIDI settings on the hardware
• Immersion Gold Platted Circuit Boards
• Anodized Aluminum Faceplate
• Open Source software tools to create your own LED talkback interaction
• Ohm Core software included for MIDI editing, and LED talkback programming
• Cell DNA video performance software included
• Standard MIDI IN and OUT jacks
• Made in the USA by humans
• Available in Aluminum and Wood models. Wood is available in blue, red, natural, and unfinished so you can stain or paint it any color you want.

Description:

Delivering the exact same audio quality and performance as the acclaimed AUDIO 8 DJ and AUDIO 4 DJ interfaces that are used by professional club DJs worldwide, the AUDIO 2 DJ offers users of TRAKTOR and other DJ software a unique new balance of quality, size and price.

With a footprint no larger than a deck of cards, the bus-powered AUDIO 2 DJ literally fits in a pocket. At the same time, it can accommodate the most demanding club systems due to its studio-grade 24bit/96kHz Cirrus Logic converters and its special high-power output amplifiers capable of delivering a pristine +9.7dBu audio signal. Robust low-latency drivers for Windows and Mac OS X enable the responsiveness that DJs need for tight mixing.

The dual stereo outputs of the AUDIO 2 DJ provide the necessary connectivity to route two decks separately into an external DJ mixer, or to output independent master and cue signals when mixing in software. Two included RCA break-out cables make set-up fast and convenient, making AUDIO 2 DJ the ideal audio interface for travelling DJs who don‘t want to compromise on performance and quality.

AUDIO 2 DJ is available for purchase for a suggested retail price of $119 USD / 99 EUR.

Roland has announced the SP-404SX, an update to the Roland SP-404.

The new model offers enhanced sound quality with 16-bit linear sampling, improved DSP effects, smooth FX switching, a more versatile pattern sequencer (with a new shuffle feature), and easier data management with SD-card compatibility.

SP-404SX features

• Sample anytime, anywhere with the built-in mic and battery power.
• 29 DSP effects, including filter, delay, unique voice effects, subsonic, and looper.
• 3 control knobs, 12 trigger pads, and Sub Pad for rapid repeat triggering.
• Seamless effects switching for smooth, perfect performance.
• Pattern sequencer with quantize mode and new shuffle feels.
• 1GB SD card included; expand sample storage up to 32GB with SDHC.
• Import audio files from computer, assign samples to pads with bundled software (Mac/PC).

Details below.

If you’ve used the Roland SP-404SX Performance Sampler, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Description:

The SP-404SX includes 29 DSP effects — including filter, delay, unique voice effects, subsonic, and looper — that switch seamlessly for a smooth performance. Twelve trigger pads, three control knobs, and a Sub Pad for rapid triggering allow DJs, musicians, and sound engineers to trigger samples and jingles and apply effects on the fly at the club, gig, or theater.

The built-in microphone, simple user interface, and optional battery operation enable recording with the SP-404SX anywhere inspiration strikes. It is also easy to import samples and utilize the high quality effects onboard for sound design or unique live performance purposes. The more versatile pattern sequencer now includes an improved quantize mode with new shuffle feel for intuitive, non-stop loop recording.

The SP-404SX will be available in October with an MSRP of $465.50.

Technics SL-1200: Repairing Turntables At Deltronics

via gearwire:

The Technics SL-1200 is preceded by its excellent reputation, and admittedly, these things last if they’re well cared for. Unfortunately, the club lifestyle lends itself to many accidents, and the SL-1200 isn’t immune from being the victim.

DJ Tech Pro has introduced “the most powerful mouse in the world – the one that you’ve always dreamed of.”

The promo video for the DJ Mouse is pretty laughably bad.

But you know what? The time has come to transform your PC or Mac into an ultimate dance machine.

Should this thing be dismissed on the basis of its horrifically bad promo video, or do you think there might actually be something here worth checking out?

Leave a comment with your thoughts!

Details on the DJ Mouse below.

DJ Mouse Features:

Left Click Functions:

• Drag and Drop songs from the play list
• Play 4 different CUE points
• Access to the Effects
• Play Samples
• Play Loops
• Play the 3 Reloopers
• Activate Effect
• Preview song
• SYNC and downbeat

Vertical wheel:

• Rewind and fast forward effect
• All faders and knobs control
• Scroll Playlist

Right click:

• Memorize 4 CUE points
• Toggle Loops
• Toggle 3 Reloopers
• Reset Effect
• Lock the SYNC : get a perfect and permanent beat match

Jog wheel:

• Control faders and knobs
• Control Crossfader
• Scratch or rewind Effect

Scratch Knob:

• Activate the digital Scratch mode with any position of the DJM
• Lock the control of the X,Y parameters for the effects
• Lock control of Fader/knobs without clicking

DJ-Software:

• Real time Mixing and Scratching on MP3’s
• 6 effects with X and Y Control pads
• AUTO BPM , AUTO MIX
• Works with Windows XP & Vista , MAC
• Real Dj’ing with real time Monitor function

DJ Mouse:

• Heavy weight 120g laser mousse for Dj Application
• Multi Function jog wheel with blue ring specially for dark area
• Scratch Direct access Memory
• Optimized for Deckadance Dj software for MAC and PC
• Aluminumfeel and mini jog wheel for controlling fader and Scratch
• USB powered

DJ scratch mat:

• Turntable design
• Optimizedfor Scratch Performance

How to Create Dynamic Buildups In Traktor Pro

via eangolden:

This is a technique we have used in our VCI-100SE mappings that combine 3 effects to make dynamic buildups on the fly. more information can be found here: http://www.djtechtools.com/2009/08/13/how-to-create-exciting-build-ups-in-traktor/Download the TSI file here: http://www.djtechtools.com/midi-map/

This video looks at how you can streamline your Mac for DJing with one click, including quitting out of programs, shutting off Airport, Adjusting your Energy preferences and audio preferences and more.

via eangolden

Times are touch, life is hard, and if you’re like me, you’re making your gear choices very carefully.

New technology, though, offers an alternative to expensive gear, effectively letting you laser print your music gear.

Check out ARDJ (Augmented Reality DJ) – an experimental DJ control system. By choosing which printed symbols are placed in the playing area, and how they are placed, you control the playback of audio loops.

See our previous post on augmented reality DJ scratching, for another example of how computers and cheap video cameras are changing music-making.

via djayuh:

ARDJ is a system designed to put creative control of DJ-style performance into the hands of the viewer. This work incorporates a simple, and virtually no-cost interface into a digital music workstation making use of Augmented Reality technology. Along with the technological aspects, the work challenges conventional ideas regarding performance, song structure, and interactivity between music consumer and producer.

http://dorkbot.org/dorkbotsea/events/pdstwe4/

DJ Mike Flores explains the basics of how to DJ with a laptop, in this two part video that looks at laptop DJ basics.

Click here to view the embedded video.

via mike71flores

via the Synthtopia Flickr Group

djsheldon’s Akai APC40 unboxing interview, without much unboxing and with a lot of Bourne-o-vision.

This is a demo of the Denon DN-S3500.

The DN-S3500 CD/MP3 player offers a 12-pole Direct Drive motor, 7 on-board effects and intuitive controls.

Features:

• High Torque Direct Drive Motor
• 7 On-board Effects: (Echo, Echo/Loop, Filter, Flanger, Brake, Dump, & Reverse)
• 15 Sec. On-board Sampler w/ Sampler Copy Feature!
• Next Track Reserve With Crossfade

via gearwire:

I am not entirely certain what that title means either, but rest assured that Bill Holland makes use of the Denon DN-S3500 direct drive turntable, among many other fine features, in this demo. He also shaves with his left hand, but unfortunately that’s offscreen.