While we’ve been busy this week in pre-production for our summer-release DJ video course – the How To Digital DJ Masterclass – we’ve also had time to uncover some essential DJ-related articles from around the web, which this week are part “future”, part “now”.
Our first of two “future” articles asks if Windows touchscreen computers (laptop or tablet) are about to give Apple a run for its money in the DJing and music worlds. The second had us wondering whether – with the new Traktor Kontrol S4 likely imminent, and Traktor DJ on the iPad pushing “touching the waveforms” over jogwheels – NI will at some point ditch the jogs in its gear entirely (the article has a great mock-up image of a “Traktor Kontrol T4”). And the third brings us back to practicalities: Just how do you find new fans for your DJing on Twitter?
- Are Windows touch tablets and ultrabooks the next big thing for DJs? – Imagine “real” DJ software running on your tablet – Traktor Pro, Serato, Virtual DJ, Ableton. With USBs and stuff. That’s what the new breed of touch tablets potentially offers that Apple, with its dual OSes, doesn’t – and at least in one manufacturer’s case, Tiesto’s behind it. All the benefits of touch, but on a full operating system. Create Digital Music has been in Taiwan investigating… Read more
- Traktor Kontrol T4: Would Native Instruments ever ditch the jogwheels? – Alan at Traktor Tips has uncovered an amateur mockup photo of a “Traktor Kontrol T4”, basically an S4 without jogs and with waveform displays. But it raises the question – if you could touch the waveforms on that mockup in the same way you can touch the waveforms on Traktor DJ on the iPad, would that be enough nudge/scratch control to then ditch jogs entirely? Because using such waveforms (like touchstrips on the Novation Twitch) might mean no need for jogs at all – and the fact that NI doesn’t have its own media player in its range suggests to me that longer term, it feels jogwheels are history. What do you think? Read more
- How to find new fans for your DJing and productions on Twitter – Be honest, do you use Twitter for promotion? Because while Facebook and your own blog are great for engaging with your existing fans, Twitter is the best place to finds new ones. Whether it’s your DJ gigs, online mixes or mashups / productions that need the push, Twitter can give you the edge – and this DIY Musician article shows you how to do it. Read more
Is a controller like the “Traktor Kontrol T4” ever likely to happen? And will Windows hybrid computers start making inroads into Apple territory? Please share your thoughts below.
Phil Morse
