digital.dj

I just got a macbook – I’ll do a proper writeup later but for the moment I thought I’d customise it a little, and I did a bit of searching and found a few cool decals that you can add to your macbook to make it that little bit more individual

Loads more here @ ETSY

And don’t forget the DJ Tech Tools “Play” button:

Allen & Heath has unveiled its smallest format mixers to date, the ZED-10 and ZED-10FX. Part of the ZED range of USB-equipped mixers for live performance, recording and production, the new additions are simple, ultra compact mixers built to a professional standard, which will suit a wide range of applications including solo artists, bands, schools, houses of worship and conference facilities

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Welcome to the new site! We’ve just done a major overhaul – I hope you’ll fine it a lot nicer.  If you’re not seeing the artcile you were expecting, fear not, it’s still here, just do a search!

There’s loads of new content and more on the way – we’re want to  make this into a great community for Digital DJ’s just like you, so make sure to sign up to stay up to date.
Colly

This is the new Vestax TR1 – a MIDI controller designed Specifically for Traktor Pro by the legendary Japanese DJ Hiroshi Watanabe. Vestax are already popular with Digital DJ’s with their Vestax VCI-100 – but this is the first controller to be made speciaically for Traktor Pro Mapping most of the functions to individual buttons for most of the important things DJ’s want in a controller.

The TR-1 is a compact, user-friendly controller designed to emulate the touch and feel of a traditional DJ mixer while providing the features and usability that professionals demand in a laptop-based system.

The TR-1 features seamless command of Traktor Pro software for control of up to four laptops through two program channels. Key features include soft-push switches and smooth 60mm slide faders for high-precision mixing, with an adjustable Input Fader curve to adapt to any mixing style. A new Shift switch feature allows the user to customize control functions by assigning a second command to a single button.

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Native Instruments will very soon be putting on sale their mich anticipated X1 controller designed specifically for Traktor Pro. The Kontrol X1 will integrate easily into most DJ’s existing setup’s. It’s true Plug and Play for Traktor Pro – and offers a fantastic value way to expand inton the digital domain for people with an existing turntables/decks + mixer setup. If you put two of these together you an have an excellent 4 deck arrangement – for a lot cheaper than using Allen & Heath’s Xone:1D’s

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Turntableism is not longer just a man, a mixer, 2 decks and some records. Oh no, it has just got a lot more interesting. Scratching on Digital Vinyl Systems (DVS’s) is nothing new, but when native Instruments puts Traktor Pro, a Kontrol X1 and the Mashine in the equation, things get a lot more interesting.

Here are the video’s:

Video 1:

Rafik chops up the Chemical Brothers sample “Block Rockin’ Beats”, triggering individual cue points so he can re-create and re-structure the lick in his own way. On the other deck he runs a hi-hat a Gater and Filter (chained) and a Beatmasher controlled via X1. The result is a blistering performance made possible by TRAKTOR and the X1..

I’ve got together a big list of useful links and video tutorials on Traktor Pro form the various sources. There is plenty here to get anyone started on using Traktor, from the very basics up to some fairly advanced tricks also.

Native Instruments Tutorials:

Part 1 – User Interface: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXOZlK4veR4
Part 2 – Looping: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl21UN5XuEY
Part 3 – FX Setup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTd3i79-QFU
Part 4 – FX Demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQX0DoQNVpU
Part 5 – Crate Flick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiIV4qdHTmw
Part 6 – 4 Decks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4P9KTmPC68

Richie Hawtin on his Traktor (3) Setup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1H9W_iLff0

MrCuss
Midi Mapping Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQjJs…eature=related
Midi Mapping Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw9Y5gikiKc

Ean Golden – DJ Tech Tools:
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The Midi Fighter from www.djtechtools.com – Controllerist Ean Golden is the hottest new piece of self assembley MIDI kit around. Very very cool and super versatile piece of equipment, using actual Arcade Buttons to trigger 16 Midi signals into Ableton or Traktor Pro etc.

OK so its not the only Midi Controller out there – but its different and cool and fun and retro – so I like it. What’s really interesting about it though is the kit is sold DIY and even the software that controls it is Open Source, so you are going to find a load of djs/musicians/nerds/hackers and they are going to personalise it and make different variants possible building in more than just buttons but expand its usage significantly.

Two of the most popular Midi Controllers on the market for the last number of years have been the Vestax VCI-100 and the M-Audio Torq Xponent. I bought the Xponent soon after it came out a few years ago and it served me very well for a long time. I then got the Vestax a few months ago and having had good experience with both of them, I thought it would be a good idea to tell the readers my thoughts on which is better. So, here it goes!

So, firstly the main points to mention:
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Serato were the first company to really bring Digital Dj’ing to the Mainstream. Their Serato Scratch Live product was undoubtedly a seminal peice of equipment in the history of DJ Software, as it was the first really usable DJ software and the first that any real DJ’s adopted and started using full time. SSL was a Digital Vinyl System (DVS) Designed to be used alongside Turntables, giving you the exact same mixing experience of spinnin wax, but with the convenience of Mp3’s so you no longer have to car around crates of Vinyl. Serato Scratch Live became the industry standard and is still very popular to this day (although Traktor pro seems to have beaten it to the forefront these days..)

The only thing is that now not that many people are bothered with the DVS setup anymore – there is such a wide selection of Midi controllers etc p which can get you the same results without having to bother with adding decks into the equation. So, Serato came out with ITCH – which is the Standalone software that is ready to work with your MIDI device of choice, but still giving you the familiar interface and rock solid build that Serato users are used to.

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Recently I needed some new headphones after my last ones got nicked (Grrrrr) – headphones are an incredibly important part of any DJ setup and like most things I took my time, evaluated all the options, talked to a lot of people, read a lot of reviews, listened to a lot of different models, and eventually settled on the Sennheiser HD 25-1 IIs – and wow am I happy with my purchase.

Sennheiser are very well known for their high quality audio equipment and they have been making this particular model, the HD25 for many many years. These are not actaully dedicated DJ headphones, they are actually Studio Monitoring headphones – so Sound Quality is by far and above the main aim of these headhones – something that I don’t think most of the other competitors models can really say…

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Allen & Heath in conjunction with Serato have released their new product –  Xone:DX, a new DJ controller and audio interface designed specifically for use with Serato’s new software, Itch (although I’m sure someone will release a Traktor pro Mapping and this could be The controller to have). It’s got almost everything you could want in one box with Allen & Heath’s Legendary quality. It’s basically fully digital equivelent of the Xone: 3D and Xone:4D – and I’m sure its going to be a fantastic…

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The internet was rife with rumours that Technics had announced that they were gong to discontinue their legendary 1200 and 1210 Turntables – Vinyl Purists were up in arms all over the place, and Digital jockeys were sninngering – Everyone knows Digital is finally flying the flag but no one thought that turntables would Die so quickly!

An Australian website www.inthemix.au released this story:

The DJing community and the greater dance music scene mourns the loss of a clubbing staple today. No, Steve Aoki hasn’t hung up his record bag, but rather news has emerged that iconic turntable manufacturers Technics will be stopping production on their universally loved Technics 1200s and Technics 1210s.

In a statement re-posted on dance board Global Hardstyle, the company behind the production of the Technics turntables Panasonic announced that they would cease the manufacture of Tehcnics turntables in February next year, citing an increasing decline in sales as the motivation behind the line’s demise.

The Australian arm of Panasonic issued a similar statement today, expressing their disappointment that the brand’s 35 years-and-running legacy was to be put to bed.

“It is a sad day today but due to low sales globally in analogue turntables a decision to stop production has been made on Technics Turntables,” Panasonic spokesman Ian North explained. “For Australia this means we will receive our last shipment in March.”

Everyone at this time believe it, I actually saw it first on Dubfire’s Twitter post. It turns out hwoever that all that was really happening was that they were going to stop importing the Mk2 into Australia, nothing is going to change with the Mk5’s – so all a big misunderstanding really. Dam.

In my hometown of Dublin, Ireland, something quite special happened recently. Out city’s tallest building Libberty Hall, a fairly old and tired looking construction, was recently transformed into a spectacular lightshow, when a local media company PlayHouse put thousands of LED’s on every window covering the entire building. These lights were then computer controlled to create any type of animation you want,  and for a few months before Christmas we had a previously pretty ugly building light up the city with some really funky animations. People were even able to design their own custom light shows and submit their designs and the best were showcased live on the building!

This though, is even more special. Super-duo Underworld were set loose on the design of a very special animation which would result in the music video for their new track with D.Ramirez – Downpipe.

Check out the PlayHouse site for more info on the project.