Gizmodo Australia » djs

Novation Launchpad Lights Up Ableton Live DJ Sets

Danny Allen — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:25:00 +0000

Seriously, some of the coolest-looking gadgets coming out these days are for electronic musicians. The latest example: this USB MIDI controller that has a 64-button grid specifically designed to trigger audio clips in Ableton’s Live music creation/performance software.

Similar to the open-source Monome project (though a little more refined), and smaller and cheaper than Akai’s APC40, the Launchpad’s LED buttons change colour as you launch audio samples in and out of the mix.

The controller also works with other music software, but as you can see in the video below, its big drawcard is that tight integration with Ableton Live. It supports Macs (natch) and PCs, and hits stores later this month for $US200. [Novation via Create Digital Music]

The Scratch Deck (The Other DJ Controller)

Mark Wilson — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:35:00 +0000

This is awkward. We just got a glimpse of DJ Hero’s mixer, and now we see an entirely new peripheral for an entirely different game called Scratch: The Ultimate DJ (for Xbox 360 and PS3).

The peripheral, dubbed the Scratch Deck, is a collaboration between real mixer manufacturer Numark and electronics manufacturer Genius. It allows for realtime turntable mixing, while five promised-to-be-authentic Akai Pro MPC-style drum pads trigger various samples. A crossfader, USB mic and right/left-handed controls round out the options while the game allows players to battle it out “in distinctive urban environments.”

Available this fall, I’m just praying that Harmonix announces a new DJ game of their own at E3 so my turntable trifecta pays out. [Press Release]

Tonium Pacemaker Portable DJ System for Aspiring (and Novice) DJs

Dan Nosowitz — Sat, 02 May 2009 16:00:00 +0000

The Tonium Pacemaker, contrary to its name, will not maintain your heart’s natural beat from the inside. It’s a portable DJ system, packing a 60/120GB HDD, that simplifies the DJing process in a pocket-sized package.

Compared to the previous version, this year’s Pacemaker brings a “completely reworked” UI that promises to be more user-friendly, along with some nice beat-matching features to make it easier to keep the flow going. A one-click “auto beat match” function and a visual beat graph takes the guesswork out of matching BPI, and the new version will also let you bend pitch without changing tempo, and vice versa.

The solid file support is still there, and the Pacemaker comes in 60GB as well as the standard 120GB versions, and the 60GB is available now for $US500. We’re sure it won’t be a substitution for a full DJ system, and experts will no doubt look down their noses at it, but for an experienced beginner who wants to be able to fit his rig in his pocket, it’s probably a solid choice. [Product Page]

Portable Cross Fadin’ Cassette Will Make All Your Spontaneous DJ Dreams Come True

Elaine Chow — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:30:00 +0000

Once, while walking down the street, a man suddenly approached me screaming “QUICK! We need someone to DJ!” If only I had had this portable cross fader—who knows how differently my life would’ve turned out.

The Urban DJ portable cross fader has been ultimate retro hipster designed into a cassette shape. It has three inputs up top, two for connecting to anything from an iPhone to a mobile phone (with the appropriate jack) and one for connecting into… well, I’m not sure what that middle one is for. The bottom has a separate input for connecting into a speaker set or headphones.

Move the slider to mix and crossfade between your two chosen music players. Alas, because all I had on me at the time was one measly iPod, the man sneered and approached the person standing next to me and that guy went on to become one of the most famous DJs in the world. True story.

Available for roughly $US48. From Japan. [Gizmodo JP]

Wacom Dips Toe In Club Scene With Nextbeat Wireless DJ Controller

Jack Loftus — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Wacom, the tablet and touchscreen company that’s made a name for itself in graphic design circles, is about to enter the club scene.

The entry is called Nextbeat, a music controller that lets prosumer DJs mix and manipulate their beats with a variety of touchscreen controls and a portable “pod” that docks with the main unit. In theory, it could allow DJs to leave the booth and enter the dance floor maelstrom, if they so choose.

The Nextbeat is slated for release in Europe (surprise) and Japan in the next few months. No pricing info was available, nor was there any mention of this portable beat box making an appearance Stateside. It will be on display, however, from March 24-28 in Miami Beach at the Winter Music Conference. Pacifier and glow sticks are not included [technabob]

Mattel Ucreate Music, Games Capitalises on Your Kids’ Creativity

Elaine Chow — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:00:30 +0000

Mattel’s hanging its hopes on kids making their own fun with its Ucreate brand. Ucreate Music turns your tweens into amateur djs while Ucreate Games gets them started on creating their own gaming empire.

The Ucreate Music can record samples, mix and match loops and use an assortment of rifts, instruments, runs and backbeats to create new music tracks. Creations can be shared with friends on Ucreate Music’s website. Unless you count holding the recording mic near a speaker, there seems to be no way to actually mix current pop songs on this. Probably a good thing–the less your six-year-old knows about the RIAA the better. It’ll be available for $US40 in Fall.

Ucreate Games is kind of an amalgation between a tablet and rudimentary videogame making software. Kids draw their designs on the tablet and then use a library of game components, sound effects and what not to turn them into their own games. The package includes a drawing table, folding camera, USB connection, software, dry erase drawing supplies and a game template booklet. Also out in Fall, but for $US60.

I’ve Got Two Kuka Robot Arms and a Microphone

John Mahoney — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:30:00 +0000

I learn something new about robots every day. These Kuka industrial robot arms have been used to power amusement park rides, and apparently, make fine German avant-garde electronic DJs.

Kuka robot arms are nearly ubiquitous in heavy automated manufacturing plants for cars, airplanes, IKEA–everything. These two particular Kuka DJs are from an installation called juke_bots from a few years back. They can select any number of records from their nearby crates, and play selected parts of them by lifting them up to waiting styli. Grandmasters they are not, but they’re also, er, machines. [robotlab via Bot Junkie]

Dreams DJ Speaker Is Really Just a Fake Turntable for Tiny People

Jesus Diaz — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:15:00 +0000

I long for the days of pops and hisses and scratches of turntables and analogue sound. Nah, I lied. I’m too lazy for vinyl, unless we are talking about vinyl bras. And while most of you probably haven’t ever seen a long play, if you want to buy yet another piece of craptabolous plastic that says you once wanted to be a DJ and live in Ibiza raving all day, the Dreams DJ Speaker has to be yours. Because nothing says “I’m a Cool DJ” better than a tiny $US45.99 speaker shaped like a turntable, specially one with a built-in battery which can be recharged using the USB port. David Guetta will be proud. [Audio Cubes via Random Good Stuff]

Red Bull Gives Your DJ Table Wings (and Balls)

Sean Fallon — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:15:00 +0000

Red Bull has teamed up with Canadian design company Cocoon to develop a functional DJ table that represents “Red Bull’s sponsorship of an actual nightlife experience.” The table features a backlit logo panel, ventilation for laptops and slots for vinyl records and large CD booklets. As you will see in the image after the break, it also features a curious cutout on the undercarriage where you feed your cords. I am shocked and appalled that a wholesome product like Red Bull could be the catalyst for such immaturity.

[Cocoon via Designboom via Josh Spear]

$US56,000 Four Arm Turntable is an Octopus DJ’s Ticket to Fame

Jack Loftus — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:30:00 +0000

DJs or other beat mashing fiends with more than two arms are being held back by today’s traditional turntables, so it’s a good thing Highwater Sound is around to create $US56,000 four arm Frankensteins like this thing. The table is built around a TW-Acoustic Raven AC and implements three motors. The arms were assembled from parts from Breuer Dynamic, Graham Engineering, Triplanar, and Ortofon, and the cartridges are the work of Dynavector, Ortofon, and Miyabi. We imagine that if you’re a DJ, that last sentence caused the ol’ heart rate to increase just a tad, among other things. [Highwater Sound via DVICE]