Numark's iDJ Pro: Incredible technology, but still limited by some of iOS's more glaring limitations, such as no dual stereo outputs.
You’ve read the benefits and pitfalls of DJing on Apple iOS devices, so in this final “State of the Nation” piece we come to consider what can Apple do to improve its devices and mobile OS for DJs.
Exactly what amendments to iDevices or the underlying code could further unlock the potential of DJing on a portable Apple device? Here we list our top five…
1. Improve the audio output
As we’ve mentioned before, audio output is better from the 30-pin connector because it doesn’t perform the additional processing that occurs with the headphone jack. It also means that you can bypass the internal digital to analogue converter (DAC) chip of the device to use an external DAC of better quality.
So that bypasses the sub-standard headphones socket. So far so good, but the more pressing issue for DJs is the current single stereo output situation. Apple need to alter either the devices or iOS to allow for two independent stereo audio streams, one sent to the headphone jack and another (but different) to the 30-pin connector.
Resolving the single stereo output is the most important area to address…
Resolving the single stereo output is the most important area to address. If Apple did nothing but provided dual stereo audio stream functionality, a lot of consumers and app developers would be ecstatic. We know of several app developers and hardware manufacturers who have put pressure on Apple for a solution to this issue, and with improved specification for iDevices with each iteration, the hope is that this will come soon.
Interestingly, the latest incarnation of the iPad has the capability to output Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. Maybe this multi-channel capability could be utilised in some way by DJ app developers?
2. Remove restrictions on files in the music library
At the moment, for an app to play or manipulate a track in the music library, a local copy must be made. This leads to duplicate files across the device, eating up valuable storage space.
iTunes Match is a potential leap forward for all music fans, not just DJs, but there are more fundamental issues that need addressing in the way iOS handles music files.
Ideally, Apple would lift this restriction. I’ve put the audio files onto the device already, so why can’t the apps I purchase access those tracks directly?
Of course, there would need to be some restrictions on what those apps could do, to ensure the audio files are not corrupted and the files are still playable in the default music app.
This would allow DJ apps to set the BPM tag against the file directly rather than storing the BPM data in a local file specific to the app.
The storage of BPM metadata isn’t the issue here, it’s the duplication of files across the device. If Apple can overcome this in a sensible way or at least provide a mechanism for clearing out the audio file cache per app, then the storage space may stretch further.
Remember, what we’re after here is the clear down of the music file cache; we still want to keep the local database/file containing the BPM, waveform and beatgrid data to save the app from recalculating on the next load.
3. Improve the generic music library API
The majority of app developers are using a standard piece of code to give users access to the tracks in the music library. The generic approach is fine for casual browsing but when you need to access a track quickly then it is less than ideal.
The track list in DJ Player: if you're used to seeing the covers of your tunes, this may come as a bit of a shock... (Click to enlarge.)
My suggestion would be to still allow the current approach, but develop a new “pro”-style streamlined interface focusing on data, sorting and searching. The track screen of DJ Player is a perfect example of how this could be achieved.
The music library must display the usual detail of Song Title, Artist and perhaps Album Title, but should also include BPM, duration and comment (for harmonic mixing).
Tip: If you’re using a DJ app which doesn’t provide sorting by BPM data, then I recommend sorting the music library (of your iDevice) by BPM in iTunes while connected to your host machine – the generic library screen seems to display the items in the order which they were last listed in iTunes.
4. App Store refinements
Since the App Store is likely to be the method by which a user locates the app of their choice, the search, sorting and categorisation could do with some fine tuning. The “Music” category covers a multitude of flavours from music making to music playback but also fan-related apps. Perhaps a sub-category would be useful?
Navigating the App Store is less likely to feature high on a customer’s mind, however it does affect developers greatly.
Navigating the App Store is less likely to feature high in a customer’s mind, however it does affect developers greatly. Understandably, Apple wishes to control the apps loaded onto its devices to ensure a level of quality is met and that malicious code is not implemented, but unfortunately, sometimes the manner by which Apple manages changes in core code can result in functionality becoming obsolete and apps getting rejected during the approval process without much warning.
For example, iOS 5 Apple depreciated a piece of commonly used code (Unique Device Identifier or UDID) and replaced it with a centralised object (CFUUID), to address privacy concerns. Apple is now using the app approval process to instantly reject any app which is still using the old code. The communication of major changes like this could be improved, minimising the resulting effects.
5. Allow access between apps via a shared area
I’m going out on a limb with this suggestion since it only applies to those with more than one DJ app on their device. Music-making apps have the ability to use audio copy/paste and Virtual Midi as a means of sharing data, so why can’t DJ apps share data too?
Virtual Midi allows iOS Music apps to share data, so why not DJ apps?
For instance, if I load a track on a DJ app, the process tends to calculate BPM, waveform (for display), and beatgrid. If there was a generic and approved way of doing this, then the data could be stored to a central file on the device for recall by any other DJ app when loading the same track.
The data would only be calculated on the first load of the track by any DJ app (using the agreed approach). It would save recalculation of the same data over and over again. This idea could be extended to cover the storage of cue points and loops; again it would require an agreed approach to work.
It would need Apple to sanction a “sandpit” area for apps to share access to the central file, but would also take a change in mindset between app developers to employ a centralised method of vital metadata calculation, storage and retrieval.
Conclusion
While tablet devices are not currently the most obvious choice of technology for the digital DJ and also not suitable for all DJ styles, with a few tweaks to the underlying code and possibly the product as described above, I believe the adoption of iDevices for DJing purposes would increase.
After all, laptops aren’t made specifically for DJing, but digital DJing has done well enough so far. Are you listening, Apple?
Do you think Apple will address any of these issues? Is the situation on Android any different? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Now go to:
5 Reasons Why iOS Is Great News For DJing
Review: DJ Player 4.0 For iPad, iPhone & iPod Touch
Review: DJay For iPad
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Tags: apple, ios djing, iPad DJing
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ATTN Apple
[ link ]More personal customization to your software and devices and less dictatorship of a take it or leave it workflow. This includes iTunes, amount of usb ports (macbook pro? PRO – 2 usb ports really?), logins, 3rd party integration (only facetime can access camera?? really????), ITunes, iTunes is already in every DJ software library access standard but we cannot make changes to our iTunes library while using the software. iTunes still has not found a way to to have playlist changes made on devices sync up with macbook iTunes but Android has some apps that will – GO FIGURE! What is iCloud? It seems imaginary so far? I thought iCloud would compete with sugarsync but is so far a disappointment and only seems as if the features are “coming soon”.
OK thanks for letting me sound off
I must say thought at least Apple aims at media entertainment ease of use. Only problem is it is always aimed at consumers and only seems to have ONE WAY of doing things. THEIR WAY. We need more DJ app developers and options.
iirc ios segregates each app and the files/memory it has access to. same reason there’s no proper multitasking or copy+paste between any apps. things may have changed since i learned this, but its eems doubtful…
[ link ]Well, apple is a well-designed prison. They want you to use only there products so they can raise the price on there stuff even more.
[ link ]i don’t like the fact that if you use apple products you are forced to only use their products. when you download music from i-tunes you get it in their aac format music file. so if you decide to get a android phone or tablet in the future you cant use your music, unless you to convert it to mp3 which is very time consuming. Im sure this is a great business model but not everyone want to use apple products.
[ link ]Let me correct and answer some things:
“Interestingly, the latest incarnation of the iPad has the capability to output Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. Maybe this multi-channel capability could be utilised in some way by DJ app developers?”
iPad 2 could do this as well. It’s available for the built-in video player only, for specifically encoded videos (AC-3 pass-through). So the answer is no.
“Duplicates”
It is possible to just “stream-read” from the library, but that’s not fast enough for DJing applications, so they have to duplicate. A read-only audio file access would be the best.
BPM and other metadata should be stored in the music library’s database, not the files itself, this is Apple’s way. A write access would be cool, with automatic iTunes sync back to your computer.
“Generic and cross-app waveform, beatgrid, etc.”
There is no standard to store them even on the desktop, all apps are doing it differently, with different resolutions and quality. Due business decisions, this is unlikely to happen.
[ link ]Thanks for the corrections Gabor, great to hear a developer’s point of view with some of these limitations. So ideally, we’d like Apple to allow Read-Only audio file access
and write access to metadata on the Music Library database. I wonder if anyone’s approached Apple directly on these?
Apple appear to be cracking down on marketing text during the app review process – one developer recently tweeted that the latest version of their app was rejected because it stated that an Android version was also available…despite this text being present on the current version!
[ link ]Yes, multiple developers sent feature requests to improve all.
[ link ]I have been an android supporter for years now, and it is SO far away from an OS-wide support for audio programs. Maybe one specific model will have the hardware to support DJ software, but still cannot stack up to the CURRENT state of iOS.
[ link ]If improvements are made, Apple can really succeed with DJ’s and music production software in general. Android really has a long road ahead for support on different hand sets and tablets being unified enough to support applications in this style.
A touch interface is a nice idea for interface, but it’s not so nice that everything doesn’t have to perform well… and (right now) they don’t. Honestly, the iPad isn’t ready for this kind of battle and I wonder why people keep trying to push-back coming up with excuses why it is.
To be clear, I do want to use a multi-touch interface as part of my equipment, but not right now, touch controllers are known for inaccurate buttons, sliders and knobs and lack of tactile feedback. Numerous tests have been made to see if physical interfaces improve performance (for speed and accuracy) and (for the most-part) they do. The only thing a virtual interface improves is versatility in a small place… yet we already have that and it’s called a laptop (optionally with a controller), which; are faster, are more versatile, and have more customizable interfaces than a touch pad would offer by itself.
Laptops offer the choice to integrate touch as part of it’s universality, touch pads do not offer the choice to integrate much of anything in their specificity. The Conclusion (clearly) is that touch pads (such as the iPad) cannot offer at least on-par performance and flexibility to top-tier laptops and their interfaces.
[ link ]The honest truth is, Apple could sit on their ass for 5 years waiting for the rest of the tech world to catch up. Caring about a small ecosystem like this is not on their priority list. As much as it should be. Too bad no developers are giving Android any love. Hell, make your own custom ROM that is solely for DJing.
[ link ]The only thing holding back the Android platform, for music production and DJ-ing, is a lack of quality, low latency audio. It seems to be low on the developers list of priorities though, given that it is a Linux kernel at the core and it’s possibly to run very low latency on Linux systems, I think that soon a solution will be found and the floodgates will open. There are some keen app developers who already have quality apps available, awfull latency is all thats holding them back.
[ link ]I’m lucky to have the new ipad and have to say the Red Bull BPM app is good enough for playing at parties now, using an old iphone to provide the headphone monitoring.
Personally I would like to use an iPad in conjunction with my Traktor S2. It would be great for scrolling through the library, selecting a tune and adding it to a deck. Thinking about it would using an iPad make the F1 redundant?
One major gripe for me is the inability to plug an external drive into an iPad. Also a thunderbolt port to connect a controller is a must.
Last point. Apple should bite the bullet and buy algoriddim (?) the people that make DJay and make it part of iLife. Then manafacture a entry level and professional level software and hardware. Apple have more money the scrooge mcduck so why not.
[ link ]I agree with DJ Ross
[ link ]I won’t buy one till they make it with a USB
Port . So you can connect a hard drive ,
It’s a great product , I don’t understand why
With this new release why they didn’t !
Cheers from Tasmania