The Electrix Tweaker is an enigma. It isn’t quite laid out like a traditional DJ controller, with two jogwheels and a mixer section. It doesn’t quite have the form of an Ableton controller you’d expect from something like the Novation Launchpad or Akai APC40. So, what’s it for? That is [...]
DJs’ long-time favorite Technics 1200 turntables are no more. Does that mean the “traditional” form of DJing has died out? As much as DJs gravitated away from turntables and toward CDJs, and eventually to laptops and controllers, over the past 15 years, many still have a soft spot for the [...]
LIVKONTROL, by Imaginando, is an app designed to control Ableton Live remotely via an iPhone or iPad. The beauty of LIVKONTROL is in its simplicity, and I love the fact that it focuses on doing a handful of things perfectly instead of trying to do everything mediocrely. LIVKONTROL connects with [...]
After sitting through multiple gear workshops at the Winter Music Conference, we found that the industry has changed its overall attitude to DJing: It’s not what you use, it’s how you use it – unless, of course, you use iTunes for your set. This sentiment expressed during the Pioneer workshop [...]
In Numark’s extensive product line, the Mixtrack controllers, which include the original, the Pro, and now the Pro II, have been a consistent value product: solid, if not professional-looking, construction for the price, ease of use, and decent integration with Serato software. The latest, the Numark Mixtrack Pro II, essentially [...]
When it comes to the entire DJ setup, from the decision to use a laptop or turntable to the gear itself, the most cumbersome part is the headphones. And, most DJs make this no secret. Look at any lengthy DJing gig (or even an hour-long festival set), and the headphones [...]
Do you remember when Prince changed his name to a symbol and everyone referred to him as the “artist formerly known as Prince”? Well, that situation reminds me of the recent iPad DJ app from the German company “Zerodebug”. The app doesn’t really have a name, just a symbol: d(- [...]
Any DJ, regardless of stage, knows there’s a thin but noticeably divisive line between quality and junk pieces of affordable gear. While nothing exceptional features wise, the Stanton DJC.4 Virtual DJ Digital Workstation falls into the former as the result of its design and excellent variety of MIDI controllers. Solid construction and ease of use [...]
I’ve been using Mixed In Key for years and absolutely love it. If you’re not familiar with this software, it basically “dumbs down” harmonic mixing so that anyone can do it. After using Mixed In Key to scan your music library, the key of each track is identified, then assigned [...]
For any recording artist or producer starting out, one of the toughest decisions is how exactly to capture live sound. The built-in microphone on your phone, tablet, or laptop simply won't do – especially when recording something like guitar or synthesizer. Luckily, Focusrite has launched the iTrack Solo: a simple, [...]