Software | Digital DJ Tips

December 26th, 2012 Training

5 Reasons To Read Your DJ Gear Manual

by Phil Morse

Reading the manual is the smartest thing you can do when you get a complicated piece of new DJ gear…

So you’ve got a new DJ controller (and software), and naturally you can’t wait to start spinning tunes on it. Maybe you’ve bought a copy of How To Digital DJ Fast and are itching to start learning. The temptation is to read the quickstart (if that), get the software loaded, plug it in and start DJing away.

But there are loads of reasons why that’s not always a great idea. I know it’s boring, and it feels like work – but reading the manual is important, especially when it comes to complicated DJ gear and software. Here’s why:

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November 23rd, 2012 News & Opinion

DJ Player 5.5: DVS Arrives For iPad By Christmas

by Phil Morse

DJ Player 5.5 brings vinyl control to iOS software DJs, and is due to drop before Christmas 2012.

Rapidly becoming the iOS power user’s DJ software of choice, DJ Player is about to cement that position with the imminent release of v5.5, which brings digital vinyl control to users of the software on iPad, iPad Mini, iPod Touch and iPhone.

DJ Player 5.5 can be used with any timecode vinyl/CDs, and you can even have one turntable controlling both of DJ Player’s software decks simultaneously.

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November 2nd, 2012 Reviews

Review: Serato DJ 1.0.0 Software

by Phil Morse

New logo, new era: Serato DJ 1.0.0 is the direct replacement for Serato ITCH, and an upgrade path for Serato DJ Intro users.

Serato DJ is Serato’s new software for controller DJs. Serato DJ replaces the company’s previous flagship controller DJ software, Serato ITCH.

It is currently available in the box with the Pioneer DDJ-SX (see our Pioneer DDJ-SX review), as well as a Serato DJ upgrade for users of the Pioneer DDJ-Ergo, Numark Mixtrack Pro and Denon DJ MC2000. It will be rolled out for all current Serato ITCH and Serato DJ Intro users controllers over the coming months.

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October 24th, 2012 Reviews

Review & Video: Hercules DJ Console RMX2 Controller

by Phil Morse

The Hercules DJ Console RMX2 improves on the popular DJ Console RMX in a few vital areas, while adding some clear nods to current DJ controller trends like pads you can bash…

Hercules was one of the first companies in the digital DJing arena (the first DJ controller review I ever wrote was of one of its products, nearly 10 years ago).

But the Hercules DJ Console RMX was the model that really put the company on the map. Like the Vestax VCI-100, it was a controller that helped digital DJing get established. And now we have the DJ Console RMX2 (US$296 / £253), its direct replacement.

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October 3rd, 2012 News & Opinion

Bye Bye ITCH, Hello Serato DJ

by Phil Morse

Prepare for takeoff – Serato DJ is splashed across the company’s website, and is scheduled for November 1.

Serato today announced Serato DJ, the successor to its Serato ITCH controller software and the long-awaited upgrade path for Serato DJ Intro users. Headline features include Midi mapping, and all-new effects powered by iZotope.

The first DJ controller to be bundled with Serato DJ in the box will be called the Pioneer DDJ-SX, launched to coincide with the software on November 1. Meanwhile, the software will be made available to users of current Serato ITCH controllers in a rolling programme throughout winter.

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October 3rd, 2012 News & Opinion

Serato DJ Intro Users Finally Get A Software Upgrade Path

by Phil Morse

Serato DJ Intro users can finally unlock the potential of their DJ controllers by upgrading to Serato DJ, the new software that is to replace Serato ITCH.

Owners of Serato DJ Intro controllers finally have a software upgrade path, as Serato today announced Serato DJ, its new pro DJ software, which is to replace Serato ITCH.

For a one-off fee of $199 (although there’s an opening offer – see below) owners of any Serato DJ Intro-compatible controller can upgrade to the new software. Serato DJ will begin to become available from November 1, and be rolled out to all compatible DJ controllers over the winter.

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October 2nd, 2012 Training

Learning To DJ: Questions Beginners Always Ask

by Terry 42

Satoshi Tomiie rocks it, digital style. If you want to learn the skills that can put you in front of a crowd playing the music you love, today we answer some of your questions.

I’m one of the moderators of the busy Digital DJ Tips Forum. Because of this, I get a unique perspective on the thoughts, questions, fears and concerns of hundreds of people who are starting out learning to DJ, every single day.

Today I’d like to answer some of the questions that come up again and again among beginners on the forum. How can I learn to DJ? what gear should I buy? What about scratching? What’s the minimum I need to start? Where can I get help choosing DJ gear? Should I be learning to DJ on “pro” DJ gear? Here is our take on these and other common queries among new DJs:

25 Comments »

September 13th, 2012 Training

Review: MixVibes Cross DJ 2.0 Software

by Phil Morse

Capable, professional, and versatile… MixVibes Cross 2.0 DJ software may just be better than one of the more popular DJ programs for you, depending on your particular needs. Find out why in today’s review…

It’s not all about Traktor, Serato and Virtual DJ when it comes to DJ software. PC and Mac users do have other choices out there, and one such choice is Cross DJ from French company MixVibes, which has recently reached its landmark v2.

Since we last looked at Cross DJ (see our Cross DJ 1.5 review), the software has acquired better effects, a four-channel mixer and sample decks – oh and a shiny new black paint job. But should we care? Yes, as it turns out…

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April 9th, 2012 News & Opinion

The One Big Mistake Nearly Every New Digital DJ Makes

by Phil Morse

You can DJ on any old controller, but the software you choose will probably stay with you for life. Pic: Peter Kirn, courtesy of Create Digital Music

There’s one mistake that nearly every new digital DJ makes. Sometimes, there’s not much harm done. Sometimes (by fluke rather than by design), the DJ gets it right without realising it. But too often, this mistake adds a big delay to the new DJ actually starting to enjoy their DJing – or worse, it costs them a lot of money.

It all starts innocently enough. The number one question we get asked here at Digital DJ Tips is this: “What DJ controller should I buy?” Crazily, though, most times the hapless new DJ has, at this point, already made the mistake! So what the hell is it?

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April 5th, 2012 News & Opinion

Video: Virtual DJ 8 Alpha Talkthrough

by Phil Morse

Coloured waveforms are an obvious development, but under the skin there are many much more profound changes to the software.

We’ve already looked at the new features of Virtual DJ 8, but we managed to grab Heiko from Virtual DJ at Musikmesse 2012 (early one morning before it was too noisy) to give us a really in-depth video talkthrough.

Virtual DJ certainly does things differently; whereas other companies might keep things out of the public eye until they’re totally ready, Virtual DJ’s team is happy to share its thinking and thought processes with us. As such this video is not for the casual viewer; it goes into a lot of detail at nearly half an hour long.

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February 20th, 2012 News & Opinion

Denon DJ Announces SC3900 Player & Engine DJ Software

by Phil Morse

The Denon SC3900 digital turntable and media controller.

Denon DJ today launched an all-out assault on the modern DJ booth by announcing the SC3900 digital turntable and media controller, and Engine, a completely new DJ software package.

The player takes off from where the company’s critically acclaimed SC3700 reached. As well as a nine-inch real vinyl, high-torque spinning platter (endorsed by DMC scratch champ DJ Switch), it offers Denon’s widest-yet range of DJing options. Meanwhile, the software adds direct PC support with potentially innovative hardware / software load-sharing, plus iPad wireless network control.

56 Comments »

February 6th, 2012 Reviews

Review: Until AM, Virtual Turntables In Your Browser

by Phil Morse

You'll be DJing in five seconds when you try Until AM, and I defy you to disagree that it's a very cool web app.

You simply have to try this. This kind of thing is quite possibly the future of digital DJing. Not today, or next week, or even next year – but have a go and tell me you don’t see how easily it could all head in this direction.

Basically, two Finnish designers have come up with Until AM, which is a web-based DJing app (currently in beta) that combines the music on your hard drive with music on SoundCloud, and lets you mix on a simple, two-deck, online interface seamlessly with the lot.

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January 20th, 2012 News & Opinion

The One DJ Software Officially Announced

by Phil Morse

The One: DJ software rethought. Read on for a summary of its main features...(Click to enlarge.)

EKS has officially announced The One, a new type of DJ software that promises several innovations for the creative DJ.

Launched today at NAMM, the software – from Audio Artery, a subsidiary of Finnish DJ equipment company EKS – radically rethinks the way DJs play live, offering the ability to turn player decks into “powerful and easy to use audio edit stations, in which you can chop or combine tracks or even create complete DJ mixes while the track is still playing”.

18 Comments »

November 17th, 2011 Reviews

Review: djay 4.0 For Mac

by Phil Morse

Behind the deceptively simple exterior, djay for Mac just got some pretty advanced features.

The djay software platform has come on in leaps and bounds in recent months… if you’re an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad user, that is. The poor old Mac version got left well behind as Algoriddim, the software’s producers, clambered over themselves to keep up with iOS’s rapid advances.

So while the iOS versions are pretty much universally respected, the Mac incarnation (this is strictly an Apple product) has come in for a bit of stick, with “no waveforms!” being the enduring criticism. Well, it’s been a long time coming, but today djay for Mac got one hell of an update. And the launch price is US$19.99. Bear that figure in mind as you read our word-exclusive first review of djay 4 for Mac…

43 Comments »

September 29th, 2011 News & Opinion

New Serato DJ Intro Software Set To Shake Up Entry-Level DJing

by Phil Morse

Serato DJ Intro software: Set to shake up the bottom end of the market. (Click to enlarge.)

Serato, makers of pro DJ software Serato Scratch and Serato ITCH, has taken a show across the bows of both Traktor LE and Virtual DJ LE with its latest DJ software launch, Serato DJ Intro. (Update Nov 1 2012: It’s now also possible to upgrade this to Serato DJ.)

The new software, announced today, is designed to be packaged with beginner DJ controllers, a market that Traktor LE, but especially Virtual DJ LE, currently cater for.

30 Comments »

August 1st, 2011 News & Opinion

Serato ITCH 2.0 DJ Software Finally Available

by Phil Morse

Serato has finally released its much-anticipated ITCH 2.0 DJ controller software with a free download from its website and a launch video, after a short period of public beta testing.

With a powerful sample player, a simplified sync engine, better display options and improved file handling, the software aims to be simpler to use yet more powerful than its predecessor.

17 Comments »

July 19th, 2011 Reviews

First Review: Serato ITCH 2.0 DJ Software

by Phil Morse

If it looks a bit more like Serato Scratch Live, that's probably deliberate, as SSL's features have been what many ITCH users have been asking for for a while now. (Click to enlarge.)

New DJ software is big news, especially when it is a new version of one of the big programs. After a long wait, Serato has just released the first public beta version of ITCH 2.0, and so this is the world’s first chance to see the software the trade first saw at the Musikmesse Show in April, as reported by Digital DJ Tips at the time.

What follows is our first review of the ITCH 2.0 public beta, including some background for people who may be aren’t familiar with ITCH, a look at the new features, and our thoughts on whether – with the onslaught of Traktor Pro 2 – Serato has done enough to keep ITCH as a contender at the forefront of professional DJ software.

27 Comments »

June 1st, 2011 Software

Review: Stanton Scratch DJ Academy MIX!

by Phil Morse

Stanton Mix! lets you plan a mixtape, mix by mix, recording the results only when you're happy.

Scratch DJ Academy MIX! is an intriguing new piece of DJ software from Stanton, the company that made a legendary reputation for itself through its DJ record deck cartridges, but which has recently been releasing innovative DJ products such as its SCS.1, SCS.3 and forthcoming SCS.4 DJ digital controllers, as well as a range of DJ turntables including the heavyweight contender, the STR8.150.

MIX! is aimed at beginners or those dabbling with DJing who want to make mixtapes rather than perform live. As such, it is in the same ballpark as software such as Mixmeister and Mixtape. Rather than doing your mixing in real time, with Mix! you work on your mix to get it right before finalising it.

3 Comments »

Digital DJ Tips1>

Learn How To DJ With Digital DJ Gear

5 Reasons To Read Your DJ Gear Manual

by Phil Morse

DJ Player 5.5: DVS Arrives For iPad By Christmas

by Phil Morse

Review: Serato DJ 1.0.0 Software

by Phil Morse

Review & Video: Hercules DJ Console RMX2 Controller

by Phil Morse

Bye Bye ITCH, Hello Serato DJ

by Phil Morse

Serato DJ Intro Users Finally Get A Software Upgrade Path

by Phil Morse

Learning To DJ: Questions Beginners Always Ask

by Terry 42

Review: MixVibes Cross DJ 2.0 Software

by Phil Morse

The One Big Mistake Nearly Every New Digital DJ Makes

by Phil Morse

Video: Virtual DJ 8 Alpha Talkthrough

by Phil Morse

Denon DJ Announces SC3900 Player & Engine DJ Software

by Phil Morse

Review: Until AM, Virtual Turntables In Your Browser

by Phil Morse

The One DJ Software Officially Announced

by Phil Morse

Review: djay 4.0 For Mac

by Phil Morse

New Serato DJ Intro Software Set To Shake Up Entry-Level DJing

by Phil Morse

Serato ITCH 2.0 DJ Software Finally Available

by Phil Morse

First Review: Serato ITCH 2.0 DJ Software

by Phil Morse

Review: Stanton Scratch DJ Academy MIX!

by Phil Morse

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