mixing
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Mixing console pioneer Rupert Neve dies at 94
Rupert Neve, whose mixing consoles helped bring classic rock to life, has died at the age of 94.
‘Fuser’ is a complex music game that can still please newbies
Harmonix's new 'Fuser' game lets you live out your festival DJ dreams thanks to a robust set of music-making tools.
Rode's updated Rodecaster Pro proves software is the key to good hardware
This week, the Rodecaster Pro became a little more useful. When Rode released the Rodecaster Pro in 2018, it was a boon to budding podcasters. The Rodecaster Pro’s noise gate, for example, can be pretty aggressive.
Djay Pro uses AI to turn songs into acapellas and instrumentals on-the-fly
Algoriddim leveraged AI for an update to its djay Pro software a couple years back, improving its Automix capability. It seems the company has been developing some more interesting uses since then with today’s launch of Neural Mix, as part of the new djay Pro AI.
Algoriddim's djay Pro 2 adds AI for DJ cruise control
Algoriddim has been improving its DJ software consistently over the past few years for both mobile and desktop, with its most recent foray breaking ground on Microsoft's turf. Today, the company announced another step forward with an update to its Mac desktop app called djay Pro 2 (macOS 10.11 or higher). This is still a high-functioning hybrid with both music and video mixing capabilities, but new features along with various tweaks to the look and feel are welcome changes. The standout feature here is Automix AI, which leverages machine learning as part of its improved functionality. It may seem like a slight against practiced human ability, but as long as you're not trying to Paris Hilton your way through gigs, it's actually quite useful. You can let this feature take the reigns both selecting and blending tracks at small gatherings or house parties, while still being able to jump in for some mixes and giving it a nudge in the right musical direction.
Harmonix and Hasbro's new card game mashes up hit music
The heyday of music games may have passed, but that hasn't stopped Harmonix from experimenting with new ways for you to experience your favorite tunes. Sure, there's a new Rock Band coming to VR, but for those who prefer something a bit more old school, the company's developing a new card game with toy company Hasbro. Dropmix is a music-mixing game about outscoring your opponent, building an awesome song collection and creating the dopest beats.
Microsoft built Halo 5's weapons 'from scratch' for Xbox One
Halo 5: Guardians' soundtrack isn't the only aspect of the game's audio that got an overhaul -- the developers at 343 Industries had to reimagine what the Xbox One exclusive's weapons sound like, too. Because of the sheer amount of sounds happening at once during firefights, 343 had to figure out some creative ways to keep the aural calamity in check. It's quite a bit different in scale from 343's last outing, 2012's Halo 4, where there was a handful of characters on screen simultaneously, as opposed to 40 or 50 in the forthcoming sequel. "We have many more sounds and the mixing is a very challenging situation," 343 Industries audio director Sotaro Tojima said in a recent interview. "We're establishing pretty much all the weapon sounds from scratch again for Xbox One."
Native Instruments' open music format is designed for DJ mixes
DJ equipment has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years, but digital music formats? Not so much -- unless your software is clever enough, you usually have to mix whole tracks rather than just the parts that make sense for your set. Native Instruments aims to fix that with Stems, a free and open file format tailor-made for the DJ crowd. The tracks will play as usual in most music apps, but the right software lets you independently control the bass, drums, melody and vocals. You could drop singing if you don't want it during a transition, for instance, or apply effects to the beat without touching anything else.
Casio's new DJ controllers aim to upgrade your next house party setlist
Casio makes a lot of keyboards. That's the company's primary contribution to music, and while it's a pretty big one, it's also looking to adapt to, well, what the youth have been listening to (and making) in recent years. To that end, it's launching two different devices better suited to dance music, hip-hop, electronica and more. There's the XW-DJ1, with a 7-inch scratch disc, and the XW-PD1, which combines a 16-pad sampler with a synthesizer, sequencer and effector. Both run off batteries, have built-in speakers and connect to your iPhone/iPad, PC or Mac through a proprietary cable. The idea is that it should be all you need to "DJ" for a party, though we'd advise adding some speakers to the arrangement. The XW-DJ1 DJ Controller will launch this month, priced at $299, while the XW-PD1 Groove Center (we'd probably drop the "Groove" there), will be available in early March for a pricier $399. Those looking to upgrade their next party playlist might want to read into the details, which are right after the break.
Pioneer announces DDJ-WeGO2 entry level DJ console with iOS support, onboard sound (video)
Pioneer's original DDJ-WeGO was an effort to secure some of the entry-level DJ-dollars (it does pretty well at the other end already). This time around, there's more of a focus on iOS, with a grip along the back that doubles as a stand for your iPhone or iPad (a lightning cable is included, too). This also means that as well as support for PC and Mac DJ software (Virtual DJ LE is bundled,) you can ride the fader with the fancy new Djay too. The rest of the hardware is pretty familiar ground, with two jog-wheels, effects and a tiny mixing console crammed-in to the small footprint. Learner DJs can improve their skills thanks to visual prompts provided by the LEDs (that flash with the beat etc.,) and USB power means one less cable to worry about. Importantly there's onboard audio, so you get the full DJ / headphone monitoring experience, and a decent audio line out. Prospective spinners will have to wait until October to get one, at a cost of $429. A shade more than the predecessor, but you do get three spiffy full-body colors (red, white and black) to choose from.
Pioneer XDJ-Aero review: a DJ controller that loves music, hates physical formats
Pioneer has enjoyed a fairly tight grip on the upper-end of the DJ market, but if you step out of the professional DJ booth, and into the bars and bedrooms, the competition starts to heat up. So when we heard about the XDJ-Aero and its curious new WiFi functionality, we were interested to see how this $1,399 controller would be received. That's not to say the DJ mainstay doesn't hold its ground in this busier market -- it does -- but as the far more frequent product release schedule will attest, the industry standard crown is still up for grabs. There's the other issue of software to consider, also. Pioneer has remained fairly neutral so far, releasing controllers for the big two platforms already, with the paint barely dry on its latest addition. The XDJ-Aero, however, hints at a new approach. One where you don't need to choose your software gang colors to be involved. This isn't the first bit of kit that lets you play direct from USB drives or skip the laptop, but it's the first from Pioneer that clearly heads out in its own direction. Ditch the Traktor, wean yourself of Serato, even forget CDs and just get on with the mixing. That seems to be what the XDJ-Aero is about, but does it hold its own? We popped a few of our favorite ditties on to find out.
Daily iPhone App: djay for iPhone 5 brings new features to the wider screen
Algoriddim's music-mixing djay app has been a hit on both Mac and iOS for a while now, so it's not brand new by any means. But the iPhone version has just been updated with some new features, including compatibility with the iPhone 5's wider screen. And while a lot of developers have been content to simply spread things out with the extra real estate, Algoriddim has gone the extra mile, and actually added in some functionality that takes advantage of the extra space. You can see the difference above: The new version has volume sliders on each side of the virtual turntables, and the BPM is represented for each track above those sliders. There are two other big changes in the app that take advantage of new features in iOS 6. The first is that audio can now be routed within the iPhone, which Algoriddim calls a "game-changer" this means that the iPhone can send one signal out of its Lightning dock adapter, and another out of the headphone port at the same time, which means that with the right setup, DJs can listen to one track while another is playing. The latest version of djay, obviously, supports this. And the other change is that you can now buy and display music from iTunes right inside the app, which means users can pick up new jams without ever stopping the beat. Both of these features are pretty impressive, and make a big difference in how djay can be used to play music from the iPhone 5. And as if all of that wasn't enough, djay for iPhone 5 is now also on sale for just $0.99, which is a crazy price for such a feature-filled app. Algoriddim has won multiple awards for this one already, and the new features with the wider screen and iOS 6 mean this one's a must-grab if you don't have it yet.
Pioneer CDJ-2000nexus updates the flagship DJ player, brings WiFi and slip mode (video)
Pioneer's CDJ-2000 took the spot at the top of the firm's CD turntable range a couple of years back, and has enjoyed a decent spell as the club standard. To ensure that its reign continues unchallenged, a new iteration in the form of the CDJ-2000nexus (no relation) has just been announced. The vast majority of the DNA remains the same, but there are some key new features such as WiFi (as we saw in the XDJ-AERO) for use with the rekordbox app, Beat Sync, Wave Zoom and Slip (a much wanted feature first seen in the CDJ-900). In total, you can now load tracks from CD, DVD, USB, SD, networked machines, and WiFi, meaning the player has essentially outgrown its "CDJ" labeling, becoming a true multimedia player. If you fancy taking one for a spin, you can do so starting from some time this month, for the upbeat price of $2,399. Laidback Luke demo video on rotation after the break.
Pioneer announces DDJ-WeGO two-channel DJ controller, provides entry-level jams
Remember that fancy-looking DDJ-AERO we saw from Pioneer recently? Well if that was a bit too "buttony," or perhaps just too expensive for your beginner DJ pockets, how about that which you see above? Announced today, this is the DDJ-WeGO an (or is that another) all-in-one DJ controller -- squarely aimed at the cheaper end of the market. With a suggested retail price of $399, it's Pioneer's cheapest controller to date, and comes bundled with Virtual DJ LE software. For your money, you get two platters and a mini-mixer, FX buttons, a choice of five colors (white, black, red, green or the pictured violet), as well as some built-in LED effects that help you learn to mix (the lights get brighter as the pitch of the two songs gets closer, etc.). On a more practical level, the unit is compact, USB-powered, and has a built-in audio-interface (no extra sound card required for headphone monitoring). You can get your spin on from next month, at the aforementioned quad-benjamin price-point, or tease yourself with the PR past the break.
Denon launches MC2000 DJ controller, invites prospective spinners to 'own the party' (video)
Load and start track A. Load, and start track B on the next down beat. Adjust pitch / speed of track B to keep in time with track A. Now you know the very basics of DJing, you might want some hardware to practice it on. Fortunately, for you beginners, Denon has just released the MC2000 DJ controller. An entry-level device that should get you (and your tracks) up to speed. Along with the plug and play USB device, you'll get a copy of Serato's DJ Intro mixing software (for which it was specifically designed) to get you started. If that's not for you, or perhaps you've already earned your spinning stripes, and are looking for something compact, no problem -- full MIDI output means this can work with other software options too. There's a basic two-channel mixer snug between the pair o'wheels, and all the usual buttons for hot-cues and loops etc. As is fast becoming standard, the audio interface is built-in, making the hook-up at parties and gigs a much simpler -- and less computer-bothering -- affair. If has ticked your boxes, it'll be available from October, commanding an estimated £269 / €325 / $299 out of your record budget when it does so. In the meantime you can cue-up the promo video after the break.
PSA: Pacemaker DJ app for BlackBerry PlayBook drops into the mix today
What started as hardware, back in 2008, has since been superseded by advances tablet-tech. Logical then that the team behind Pacemaker has remixed the idea for 2012. We've already had a sneaky peek at the PlayBook app, but that was back in beta-land. Today, it launches proper. The official unveiling will be at Barcelona's Sonar festival, but if you didn't get a ticket (or even if you did) you can get your hands on it today from BlackBerry App World for $19. A little more than Cut the Rope, sure, but small change compared to the original hardware's $850 price tag.
Daily iPad App: Algoriddim's vjay brings real-time video mixing to the iPad
If your creative expressions include mixing and cutting videos, then you're going to love vjay, the latest app from the folks at Algoriddim. The company's known for its popular djay app, and it has brought a similar experience to video with vjay. The vjay app leverages the processing power of the iPad (current or previous-gen; it does not work on the iPad 1) and lets you mix two video clips on the fly. The app ties into iTunes and lets you select videos and audio clips from your library. You can also record your own source video using the camera on the iPad. If you don't want to bother with all that, Algoriddim includes a handful of stock clips for you to use. Once you select your video and audio, all the mixing is done in real-time, so there's no worrying about splicing at the right frame or picking the perfect transition. The app uses two scratch pads, one for each video, and has a center mixing window where all the action happens. Each scratch pad has a variety of effects that you can add to your videos on the fly. You can add a strobe, twirl, fisheye, and crush. Moving your finger on each video scratch pad will adjust the effect as well as let you speed up or slow down the clip. You can also run the clip in reverse. The mixing window also has several transitions that control how the final, mixed video appears. You can blend the two videos and use a slider to adjust the blend from one video to the other. There's also cube, grid, swap, push and mosaic transitions that let's you get creative with the your final clip. While mixing, you can record the video and save it to your camera roll. For live VJ sessions, you can output the app's mix to a TV using an HDMI cable or stream it to an Apple TV using AirPlay. You'll spend $9.99 to get vjay; it is available now in the iOS App Store. If you have even the slightest inclination towards playing with video, you're going to love vjay. Not only is it a blast to be able to mix videos on the fly, the performance is amazingly smooth on the iPad 3. I didn't see any perceptible lag and any stuttering was from user error. More than once in the middle of a mix, I clicked on the wrong effect or slide the mixing slider too far to the left or right, but that's all part of the fun. You can see how vjay works in the video below and read more about it on Algoriddim's website.
Pacemaker and RIM announce exclusive DJ app for PlayBook
We loved the original Pacemaker, and were sad to hear of its eventual discontinuation. News just in this morning, however, is that the DJ tool is back as a PlayBook app thanks to an exclusive collaboration with the tablet's maker. Details are sparse right now, as the information spilled at RIM's event this morning at MWC, but we do know that there will be auto beatmatching, vinyl mode with scratching, digital mode, looping, loop travel, pitch control, beat skip and "pro level" effects. All we have in terms of availability is that it will be out this spring, with no word on price. In the meantime we're going to start prepping up that music collection.
JVC Kaboom adds a guitar input, dares you to get the band back together
New audio input capabilities are nothing new for JVC, but soon you'll be able to show off your guitar chops alongside whatever bands you choose to idolize -- so long as you're kosher with rocking a boombox atop your left shoulder, of course. The company has announced that the 2011 offering from its Kaboom line will showcase a guitar / microphone input (1/4-inch) with mixing capabilities to allow for gigs to be played from anywhere you darn well please. The RV-NB70 will have all the key ingredients of previous models, including an iPod dock (updated to be both iPod and iPhone compatible), a USB host that enables use of a mass storage device, an audio input and CD / radio playback. True to the original's design, this fellow features much of the same look while promising 40 watts of guitar soloing power. Your next box 'o fury can be had right now for $299.95, and if you're eager for an encore, the full presser (as well as a demo vid) is just past the break.
Gemini's FirstMix USB DJ controller now available for novice mixers
Seasoned DJs have plenty of ways to hone their electronica acumen, but for less experienced audiophiles, Gemini has just unleashed FirstMix -- a USB-based controller designed to help the everyman get in touch with his inner Pete Tong. The device's layout is simple enough, with two scratch wheels, rotaries and a cross fader. All you have to do is connect the panel to your laptop, select the tunes you'd like to mash up from your iTunes library and use FirstMix's touch-sensitive jog control to scratch the night away. To help you get started, Gemini will ship its new controller with MixVibes' Cross LE DJ software, but it's compatible with Virtual DJ and other mixing programs, as well. If you're interested in taking FirstMix for a spin, you can find one at retailers like Musician's Friend, for about $100. Otherwise, you could just head past the break for a demo video, along with a full press release.
