Novation Dicer Revealed
Today, Novation announced the ‘Dicer’ controller that we showed in this cryptic video last Friday. Dicer is a pair of button controllers that fit snugly onto a pair of Turntables providing DVS users with access to performance functions like cue points and loops right where they need them – on the turntable. Since Dicer was my invention, I would like to share a bit of history on the concept and why it was created in the first place. That and a review of how the controller actually turned out after the break!
THE PROBLEM
About 2 years ago, I started to carefully watch djs that had switched over to digital systems but were only using turntables and the keyboard to control their music. It seemed obvious to me that controllers could be used to great advantage by this group but few bought into the idea. The 2 main issues in the way of controller adoption were:
1) There is no consistently available space in the booth to put a controller in an ergonomic position other than on the laptop. Most booths are small by design and rarely have extra room to put controllers close to the turntables.
2) The only thing you could really midi map that was “performance oriented” in Serato were cue points and loops. Now with loop roll, effects and cue point juggling in regular use Serato djs are discovering they need controllers to access the full potential of their software.
To solve problem #1, I had to come up with a controller that would fit naturally into a djs existing workflow. Something that could be consistently placed in an ergonomic and stable position, regardless of which night club they entered. The only thing you can really count on in a dj booth is a Technics MK2-1200. So if you can only count on the turntable, where on that turntable could you put a controller? The 45-adaptor hole, which provides stability and some clear open space, was the obvious choice
FIRST PROTOTYPE
The photo above was my first cardboard prototype of what would become the dicer (it was originally named the MK-5 and our very own Midi-Fiddler helped develop the first circuit board designs). I took it around to all my Serato dj friends about 2 years ago and tried to convince them that they needed controllers. Not surprisingly, my handmade cardboard button-thingy was not convincing and no one really bought into the idea. The early prototype did prove 2 things to me though.
1) The core concept of controls on the turntable was worth exploring.
2) Due to the suspension in the turntables legs, I could whack on the buttons and not disturb the record.
Cool – no one wants it yet but its works, now how do we make it?
NOVATION ENTERS THE PICTURE
It became at the outset that in order for a controller like this to succeed, it would need to be produced in large quantities at a fair price and get into all the major stores. That certainly does not sound like a Dj TechTools product to me. We like to make specialized, hand made products that are sold directly to the customer. I genuinely believe a product like this will open up a new world of creative possibilities for turntable djs, so it was more important to get it into their hands at a fair price than sell it ourselves. With that in mind I set off to find a company that would buy into the crazy idea. After showing the concept to a few big names, Novation latched onto the design and really took it to the next level. Novation brought their expertise in manufacturing to the table and produced a controller we never could. Its well made, easy to use, tied directly to Serato and at $99 for a pair- a really good price.
The team at Novation also came up with some cool innovations of their own. They introduced the dice marking concept, which is universally readable from the standard and battle style turntable position. They also came up with the concept of making the 45 adaptor removable and including a pack of good old silly putty which allows you to stick dicers onto a laptop,mixer or CDJs- 3 more great places to put controllers in a crowded dj booth.
HOW DID IT TURN OUT?
I am very pleased with the results. All of my Serato dj friends that now want controllers have been bugging me for weeks to loan them pair. The buttons are responsive and find a happy medium between squishy and resistive. I wish they could have been arcade buttons, but that would have never fit on the turntable. To make up for the lack of spring loaded action, I made the pads the exact same size as our famous 20mm Sanwa arcade buttons so there is plenty of room for finger tapping.
The 3 modes are easy to understand and with 2 different LED colors, easy to see which is on at the current moment. I have also been pleasantly surprised to find that the dicer does not really impede any access to the turntable. The djs I watched use it were able to scratch and pitch bend easily. Now we just need to find someone that can combine finger taps and scratch actions all in one expressive movement.
Because USB ports are just as limited as booth space, the dicers are designed to link up with each other using a common 1/8th inch cable which transfers data and power – meaning you only need one USB to power 2 units.
With 5 buttons and 3 modes (cue points, loop roll and loop) the dicer packs a lot of functionality into a small space. The direct integration with Serato is very cool, although I am excited to come up with a more impressive Traktor mapping that brings FX controllerism directly to the turntable. Your probably thinking, “Hey Ean, what other designs do you have hiding over in the dj TechTools labs?” Well…. lets just say 2010 is going to be a great year for controllers.
for additional information visit the Dicer product page at Novation.com
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June 3rd, 2010 at 1:41 pm Quote
Bravo Ean, I am sincerely impressed. And thanks for sharing the “cardboard to product” story, I’m sure many of us wonder how certain ideas like this evolve into the products we use.
..
Phil.
June 3rd, 2010 at 1:59 pm Quote
It’s an interesting piece but this is what happens when a bad idea reaches it’s logical conclusion.
Sorry everyone, I still do not see these as either a “game-changer” or really anything more than a novelty item.
First off who puts items on your turntables that you have to hit at in order to make work…I would be very surprised if a club DJ that’s busy can get through a night without bumping the table excessively or hitting the side of the chassis reaching for it…especially after a beer or two.
Secondly there are a lot more options and functions needed to really control SSL than are available here. If you’re going to get a midi controller, these just don’t offer enough options.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say they are a toy…but I find it difficult to see exactly who the target market for these are…certainly not any club Dj that I know of.
Great article covering it however.
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:01 pm Quote
I like hearing your version of the idea.
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:07 pm Quote
really nice integration of form and function. uber portable too.
nice work mr. golden! i think the only thing that would be holding me back at this point is seeing how well it integrates with “the bridge” and also seeing what else DJTT has up their sleeves this year!
controllerism taking over yayeaaaah!
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:07 pm Quote
great lil thing :)
love the last sentence: Well…. lets just say 2010 is going to be a great year for controllers.
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:08 pm Quote
oh, and i’m officially changing my name to “DJ PUTTY”…. ;B
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:15 pm Quote
Great post explaining the whole process, great job developing the idea, great final product. Congrats Ean!
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:34 pm Quote
Cool Ean.
Just amazing….
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:37 pm Quote
great story, great lookin product, but it seems somewhat pointless to me. if you reached a point where you outgrow your turntables and are seriously needing more control then this piece alone is just a stepping stone, cuz at that point continuing to stick with vinyl youre just crippling yourself. while the combination of vinyl plus controller may seem like a good idea, i think in practice it will instead put you in a spot where youre neither using vinyl to its full potential nor the controller.
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:41 pm Quote
This is going to be a very successful product if you are able to mass-produce it and keep the price down! One of the main downfalls of going to vinyl is the fact that beat-juggling and looping is much more complicated than that of a pure controller situation. This combines the best of both worlds in one small product, amazing.
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:42 pm Quote
The only thing I don’t like is the dice look… I would pick blank buttons over the dice look -.-
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:43 pm Quote
Man…i’ve been checking these out on the internet all day today. I love this idea…and it suits me as a DJ more than standalone midi controllers that are too big or just no better than using my laptop keyboard. To me, this product is a no nonsense, to-the-point, effective, and performance oriented (to my style). Thanks Ean!
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:55 pm Quote
they make good fun sense, cool!!
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:56 pm Quote
In my mind the full potential of vinyl is using it as an musical instrument (percussive or melodic) and live juggles (in effect remixing songs). And, the full potential of the controller is in essence to be a modern day – live producer.
I feel what you’re saying, and understand your position. But, not everyone is going for “DJ Q-bert” or [the controllerism equivalent]. There are many DJs that work in the middle. They play music for people to party, and they do it creatively. I think this product is good for that middle ground, which in my mind, is in no way a compromise the art of turntablism or controllerism.
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:59 pm Quote
Interesting idea Ean, great to see it worked out into a real product, my compliments. I can see this fitting in well into the more traditional dj-ing Serato crowd.
Although I’m not complaining at all with my Kontrol X1, I wouldn’t mind having a similar Dicer controller pair specifically designed for Traktor as well. Is that something we can expect in the near future?
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:03 pm Quote
…
Cool job Ean I will repost at my blog (in spanish).
;)
…
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:06 pm Quote
you can change the mapping, no? the other video on novation’s site had the dj use serato’s effects instead of loop-rolling/loops.
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:18 pm Quote
now this is exactly what i am looking for. best part is it is super small nice for travelling
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:19 pm Quote
when can we buy this?
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:39 pm Quote
Hey Ean. First off, congratulations. Nice work on the Dicer. Did you ever pitch it to Vestax? Seems like they owe you one.
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:43 pm Quote
I disagree with some that say it’s useless. I just think that there’s some conflict about who would use it. It sounds like the driving force behind the design was a desire for space in the club. Hence leading us to believe that it’s geared more towards the serious turntablist.
However, I think this product is in more of the casual/budget crowd. There’s a limited number of controls, and the device is fairly cheap. This is for those that simply don’t need lots of controls, or are short on the cash. However, I think the vast majority of DJs out there would be much happier with something like the X1.
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:46 pm Quote
Congrats on the product launch!
Happy to see you goin “next level” with your controller ideas!
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:57 pm Quote
intersesting stuff, and good price! BUT WHAT ABOUT VIBRATIONS WHILE PRESSING BUTTONS while the controller is on the deck? (will needle be stable in rly long routines while pressing rly hard those controller buttons?)
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:59 pm Quote
some ppl aren’t getting the idea..
ean was trying to make a cue point/loop product for Turntablists, not Controllerists.
Maybe it doesn’t offer all that a controller can do, but i completely respect the fact that its for ppl who dont want to leave their turntables.
And I’m DEFINITELY excited for the new product yet to be revealed!!!
June 3rd, 2010 at 4:20 pm Quote
very nice…
i didn’t realize that it was $100 for 2 units… that’s ace.
now i’m tempted…
June 3rd, 2010 at 4:32 pm Quote
Where did you find the price? But anyway, ean, you have to come up with a sweet new creative tsi. file for traktor….
June 3rd, 2010 at 5:15 pm Quote
I like the idea and I’m excited to try it out. I love my Denon DN-HC1000 and can’t imagine gigging without it now. Similar concept, different form factor. My concern is since I run my decks battle style, I might bump them frequently. Serato users..if you’re not rockin the Denon I highly suggest trying one out. I haven’t mapped it for efx yet but I prefer post fader efx on my Pioneer, so until I feel I need them I’ll just keep rockin this setup. Great job Ean.
June 3rd, 2010 at 5:18 pm Quote
Not to crazy about the dice marketing motif, but I can really appreciate the time and effort and result. If anything, this helps turntablism survive…and apparently some didn’t peep the vid where even with pretty violent percussion on the triggers, Serato didn’t seem to flinch an inch. The gamble of the condition of the decks and booth and how well they work there? Time will tell. But for 100 bones I can actually see people trying the thing out. Won’t be for everyone, but probably more than we expect…I have two Traktor friends in mind now that will probably see the light with this. Plus, if they get it on their rigs I might do some guitarist left hand stunting to see if I can blend the triggers and deck technique – who doesn’t love a challenge?
In short, cheers on seeing it through Ean, and respect to Novation for teaming up. Can’t wait to see what’s in the pipeline. Keep up the great work.
June 3rd, 2010 at 5:19 pm Quote
Nice! not for me but good to see another gap filled rather than more variations of the same old same old..
June 3rd, 2010 at 5:46 pm Quote
At first I thought, “wooow i need this. but its fitted for 1200s and I got TTXs!” but then I saw JFB rockin them on TTXs!! Did he use special mounting pieces, or what? If I found out I would definitely be interested in purchasing these
June 3rd, 2010 at 5:50 pm Quote
Hey DjBK, you put “dj putty” on the back and it sticks to things….
June 3rd, 2010 at 5:55 pm Quote
A hundred bucks for both I’ll give it a try.. some awesome ideas are coming down the pipe..
June 3rd, 2010 at 6:26 pm Quote
I definitely think this is a great solution for serato users. I think it really keeps the essence of serato in mind. It’s simple and is exactly what Ive been looking for. Ean, I commend your knowledge in designing something that is no-nonsense (dj mouse) and very innovative. I will be buying at least one set of these.
and
For the people that use dedicated midi controllers instead of turntables, this isnt for you so stop hating. you already have a million buttons to control shit with so stfu and gtfo. i dont need all that extra b.s., and to be completely honest, 90% of you don’t either.
June 3rd, 2010 at 7:01 pm Quote
For those of you that think this is a waste or dont get it, its not part of your workflow. This is designed for dvs dj’s that want to keep their hands on or as close to the decks as possible. I’ve been using my lpd8 and sitting it in front of the mixer, or on my laptop stand with my laptop, but this makes MUCH MUCH more sense to me. Controls exactly the functions I use my lpd8 for without having to switch layers for the control of the 2 decks. Bravo on the design of this Ean and Novation
June 3rd, 2010 at 8:48 pm Quote
Hey, get a bunch of these and we can play Dominoes!
June 3rd, 2010 at 8:49 pm Quote
VJ Justin Allen – > you are a numskull. Clearly you have never seen a turntablist.
This is not for ‘Paul Van Dyk trance club dj carbon copy’ who does nothing but beatmatch 2 tunes, this is for people who use their turntables as an instrument and want to add functionality (i.e. make beat juggling more reliable and solid, albeit easier, not to mention other sampling/looping performance functions.)
What sir, would you add in terms of functions? I can’t think of much else you’d want on there.. not much else belongs on the side of your turntable anyway.
June 3rd, 2010 at 8:50 pm Quote
Great idea but it probably should have been left there.
Vibrations from hitting the side of the turnie would worry the hell out of me! And what about if you dont own Techs? Wont fit Vestax, Stanton, Citronic, American Audio, Numark, Gemini, Kam and the list goes on….Probably should have been released with some sort of “raiser” option to get it above the start/stop triggers that most of these turnies have in place of a 45 adapter hole. Could have tripled the sales!
As for “No one had really discovered cue point juggling yet” cmon… this has been around as long as DVS systems themselves.
June 3rd, 2010 at 8:55 pm Quote
Edit above… I see it sits across the sunken play/stop trigger on the TT500….
June 3rd, 2010 at 9:09 pm Quote
Seriously folks, I am a bit amused at all these people waffling about controllerism.
Unless you’re running Ableton Live clips or something to the equivalent, you’re most likely controlling an audio track. ONE track.. which means you can only do a few things with it. Slow down, speed up, start, stop, reverse, 33/45, maybe timestretch it, perhaps keylock. Most of which, if you’re actually changing in realtime, doesn’t sound remotely good or interesting. And yes, of course there are FX but this is not an FX controller, so you shouldn’t be doggin’ it because it doesn’t have that stuff.
I bet none of you use all that shit and probably just trigger loops anyway, just like this thing is designed for. This takes the one DJ MIDI control that is by far the most desirable over all others (besides tactile control of the record itself) and puts it at lightning trigger speed by where your hands are already going to.
Props Ean, I am floored at how aesthetically pleasing and yet utilitarian this design is.
June 3rd, 2010 at 9:13 pm Quote
Everybody’s a hater when they’re secretly jealous that they didn’t come up with it themselves.. I’ll openly admit I wish I had come up with this idea!
Those who are concerned w/ vibrations, did you actually WATCH the video? The guy is hitting them pretty good, and frankly if you hit your TTs harder than that you might want to get checked out by a neurologist cuz yo ass is CLUMSY!!
June 3rd, 2010 at 9:31 pm Quote
Ean…you are the fucking Steve Jobs of controllerism.
Brilliant
June 3rd, 2010 at 9:58 pm Quote
Ean, you are the Grandmaster Flash of controllerism.
You are truly so great.
To maybe innovate the idea, maybe what can be done to make it usable on other turntables would be to kind of rubberise/rubber suction cups at the bottom or something.
June 3rd, 2010 at 10:08 pm Quote
Ive seriously read like ten comments that talk about it “not fitting” on other turntables. READ ABOUT THE PRODUCT BEFORE YOU COMMENT. it can fit on anything with the ”putty” that comes with it. cdgay’s, and all turntables.
June 3rd, 2010 at 10:26 pm Quote
Nice little Toy but I’m not sure it’s worthy of the Tag “Game Changer” ?
Other than for the way it can be placed in a Dj setup.
June 3rd, 2010 at 11:28 pm Quote
dude that is dope! i started using my launchpad with serato last month freaking awesome now with this man ill as it ever gets!
June 3rd, 2010 at 11:45 pm Quote
This is a perfect item for turntable djs who want to get more out of their software. Zero intimidation factor in the midi mapping and pricing depts. Perfect placement for easy access. In my opinion this one of those slap yourself in the forehead blatantly obvious, eureka ideas, that no one had the insight to see before. And def. starts to bridge the divide between turntablism and controllerism. Plus big buttons and pretty lights! good shit, Ean.
June 3rd, 2010 at 11:52 pm Quote
Damn Ean, taking over the DJ scene one controller at a time.
June 4th, 2010 at 12:02 am Quote
+1
good stuff ean. even for people that are using pure midi set-ups this would have uses imo, a few extra buttons for $100? good deal i think, especially for vci300 users, you can get 2 pairs of these for the cost of a vfx1 to use with itch.
June 4th, 2010 at 2:08 am Quote
a month later an technics announces new tables with midi pads on it.. haha.. dope idea ean… can’t wait to get my hands on one..
June 4th, 2010 at 2:44 am Quote
tbh i’m surprised that hasn’t already happened…
and if it does the market will still be there for this as, a) midi hybrid deck would be expensive and b) anyone with TT already won’t want to spend out shed loads on an upgrade when this is available and much more portable
June 4th, 2010 at 2:44 am Quote
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Novation-Dicer/101950939854808
June 4th, 2010 at 2:51 am Quote
ean, awesome! keep on doin this.
question: will the cables be long enough so that u can connect em to a macbook which stands on a laptopstand say left to the setup? and no problems with vibrations? if both good, get them shops to sell them asap!!
June 4th, 2010 at 2:51 am Quote
You are gonna be Bill Gates rich when this drops… LOL
June 4th, 2010 at 2:58 am Quote
Not being a vinyl guy, its difficult to see the real benefit of this controller, over say a midi fighter or other pad based controller.
On the plus side, its designed to fit right where you want it, next to your decks, but on the minus side, because that very space is so limited, it has few buttons.
I think it will find a spot in some peoples setups and a huge gratz to ean for pulling this off, but for me personally, I’m not sure its really any different to a host of other pad controllers out there.
June 4th, 2010 at 4:57 am Quote
Thanks Ean for creating this awesome controller! will definitely get a pair for Dj-ing!
June 4th, 2010 at 5:13 am Quote
Chuffin brilliant, feel like a proud parent/fan, finding out this desirable piece of kit come’s from Ean’s efforts, massive respect to you!
I’m so stunned at some of the truly short sighted comments tho, people really need to open there minds and try to see beyond there own personal needs and taste!
+++++
I have two different Traktor set up’s. A vci by itself for internal mixing and for external, vci combined with Technics, battle mixer and a pair of nano pads infront of each deck. I’m a turntablist at heart but quickly fell in love with adding controls to my old Traktor 3 setup many years ago which is why I still find it amazing to read products like these are still sold with the mantra ” now you don’t have to reach for your computer ” what! are these people insane, why on earth are there still so many dj’s scared of controllers, especially considering they’ve already taken the biggest jump to relying on there laptop to dj.
+++++
First I had an mpd next to my left deck and then I moved on to nano pads when they came out, but In the last three years as a turntablist the combination of having cue and fx controls right up close to the platter is a dream come true and I find it shocking jus how many SERATO dj’s I’ve seen reaching across to bash there keypads!! Sorry but I’m really not trying kick off yet another serato v traktor bitch fest, but most serato dj’s from a turntablist background that I know of, don’t seem very keen to embrace technology. But thanks to purposely made hardware aimed at deck dj’s, X1 and Dj Craze’s recent vid case and point, I’m sure we’re finally going to see alot more epic routines popping up. I for one can’t live without buttons in front of me decks, the only reason cdj’s ever tempted me was for the 3 hot cue’s and now I’ve got 8!
+++++
The Dicer will be flying off the shelves, now I won’t have to take a piece of ply wood with me to gigs with tight dj booths, as to gain some where to place my nano pads in front of my 1210’s I trap a thin piece of wood under the decks which gives me a little extra space in form of a shelve.
+++++
The most exciting thing for me is Techtools part in this, I hope there’s some techtools branding somewhere on the box for the dicer?! Techtools is rapidly becoming an industry name, which means more dosh behind Ean to design and make us more forward thinking products!
++++++
Hey Ean, is there any chance you’d think about making a Techtools esq arcade button controller, that would look like a giant lego brick, same height as a turntable with a shallow profile and it would run along the length of a turntable in battle position, the thought of having 10 or so arcade buttons running along the front of my decks gets me a little excited. Hmmm, it could be made as a giant L shape, meaning arcade buttons down the front and side mmmmmmmmm!
++++++
If any one’s interested in hearing lots of good examples of hot cue and scratching combinations, click on my name to find one of mix’s that simply wouldn’t be possible if wasn’t for having midi buttons up close to the platter. The best example is around the half way point and onwards.
June 4th, 2010 at 5:45 am Quote
10 buttons x 3 pages = 30 buttons for around $100 and it can attach on to the corners of your laptop under the keyboard. got a few hot keys mapped that this could easily replace, x-fade assignment, with a ‘punch button’ on fifth button would be very handy :D
June 4th, 2010 at 6:00 am Quote
not exactly a nice place to put on a cdj…
June 4th, 2010 at 6:03 am Quote
great article and a really respect for the invention ean!!!
it is nice to see how things can happens :)
June 4th, 2010 at 6:21 am Quote
nice Ean!
Can’t wait to see the new scratch routines videos!
June 4th, 2010 at 7:58 am Quote
great job ean! i also already own the denon 1000s but for the price and my style of play I am definately going to be picking a set of these up. otherwise, i think most of the posts above really sum it up.
June 4th, 2010 at 8:06 am Quote
Nice article Ean, great product. As i already own the Novation Launchpad, I’ll be using this for my cue point / loops in Serato.
Look forward to the new controller setups in 2010.
Cheers
June 4th, 2010 at 9:04 am Quote
Just ordered mine from DV247.com. Free shipping, and they’ll have ‘em in stock from 17th June.
BO.
June 4th, 2010 at 9:10 am Quote
Glad your hard work is finally paying off Ean! I am sure I will see these in many DJs DVS setups along with devices like the X1. Too many Serato DJs are still using laptop hot keys.
June 4th, 2010 at 9:31 am Quote
It’s great to see that it’s built for tt’s in battle orientation. In this day and age, you only really need tt’s if you are scratching… <<>>
June 4th, 2010 at 9:34 am Quote
Nice job. I guess someone will find a use for it. Seems like it has many cables attached…
June 4th, 2010 at 9:47 am Quote
First, great work Ean! To reiterate what many have already said, this is exactly what old school serato users have been looking for (myself included).
I have been reading this blog for close to two years, and have learned a great deal of information. I would not be the DJ I am today without these articles and comments. Thanks!
For the most part, I am mobile DJ. My buddy and I lug all our gear to house parties, bars, halls and where ever else. We use his laptop and I bring an external harddrive. We have our gear (two tech 12’s and a DJM-800) in a flight case with no extra room for controllers. I found the app for the iPhone (iTouch Midi) on here a long time ago, and started using it for looping and cue points. I loved using this cause it was small and would fit right beside the crossfader on the DJM-800(I use only the channel faders). The issue was, everytime my buddy would dj he would shut off my phone, so when I would turn it back on I would have to wait for the wireless signal to restore and usually have to restart the software for it (wastes sooooo much time!!!). Needless to say I got tired of it, and stopped using it all together. This product is exactly what I need. Something that will fit on the tables, or the mixer, and allow me to cue tracks and create loops on the fly without having to look for the right keyboard button. Great product, great price, I am definitely getting a set!
June 4th, 2010 at 10:59 am Quote
Dope!!!!! I had an idea that utilized that 45 adapter slot a while back (94) but it was supposed to be a button controller used to hack the pitch control where you could play a record like notes on a keyboard. Of course I was just a kid with an idea and no avenues to make it a reality. Someone ended up releasing a turntable with that sort of function built in and of course now we can do that with most software daws. Ingot tons of controller ideas but I don’t know crap about building electronics I’m just a art concept guy.
June 4th, 2010 at 11:32 am Quote
Mad props Ean!!! You’re a fuckin’ genius!!!
I ordered my pair allready yesterday and don’t give a damn about all the haters who simply don’t get the idea. This will speed up a lot of my routines.
June 4th, 2010 at 11:55 am Quote
i want!
June 4th, 2010 at 12:00 pm Quote
there should be a DJTECHTOOLS mapping done for traktor pro!!
June 4th, 2010 at 1:36 pm Quote
I know the feeling =/.
June 4th, 2010 at 2:53 pm Quote
I like this best of all the Serato controllers so far due to the convenient size / mounting options. i’d put ‘em on my laptop, tho, not only cuz i set up house-style but cuz i prefer the controller centralised, either near the computer or on the mixer, but this will give best of both worlds (for me), alloqing me to use a nice, uncluttered analogue mixer of my choice without needing more rackspace for a controller. That 17″ MPB has plenty of lip for a pair of these.
Looking forward to more thinking like this, and especially (speaking just for myself here) Serato controllers that allow discrete control of 3 decks (or 4, if/when they decide to make an SL4). So far all the ones i’ve seen have been “Left/Right” oriented and that’s why i’m still on the KB. So i think i’ll see what “2010″ holds (checking my Mayan calendar for Serato prophecies) before investing in these, but i definitely like where this is going.
June 4th, 2010 at 3:01 pm Quote
Congrats Ean!
I know how long it takes to go from idea to mass production.
A Dicer for hot cues would fix the X1 small button issue along with the lack of controller space in the booth.
“Well…. lets just say 2010 is going to be a great year for controllers.”
I would love a “Road Ready” Midi Fighter sealed tight in a nice box please.
June 4th, 2010 at 4:31 pm Quote
This is pure genius. 2 for $99? That’s a sure shot. I’ll be grabbing these and I still might get a MIDI Fighter because it’s a fresh product and because of those arcade buttons…can’t beat em. Like Lock Mess said, cases would be nice!
June 4th, 2010 at 5:54 pm Quote
don’t you have to buy an expensive rane mixer that works as an sl4 (effectively) to get 4 decks?
June 4th, 2010 at 8:17 pm Quote
Ma$ter Gee wrote-”its not my fault you went and bought yourself technics knockoffs with two start/stop buttons that are raised half an inch. ”
I owned 1200s for 7 years, sold them and UPGRADED to str8150s about 8 years ago..They are a superior turnie, like it or not. May not be industry standard but thats another matter.
June 4th, 2010 at 10:09 pm Quote
Haha! The concept of Stanton being better than Technics. Love it. Yeah, while we’re at it, I really like my Behringer gear more than the Mackie stuff. :D
June 4th, 2010 at 10:30 pm Quote
Yes, congratulations on the product. When can we buy these in the DJTT Store?
June 4th, 2010 at 11:08 pm Quote
Stantons are better that Techs, deal with it. The term “industry standard” is a joke.
June 5th, 2010 at 12:40 am Quote
I’ve used Stantons enough and beg to differ. Do they have some newer features a Tech doesn’t have? Yes. Better build and life span? Not a chance.
June 5th, 2010 at 5:10 am Quote
I just wish there was a Silver Dicer with black buttons for 1200’s… :-(
June 5th, 2010 at 11:29 am Quote
Id beg to disagree, i read this story where one guy dropped a STR8 150 Stanton turntable on his foot – it broke his big toe but the turntable was still fine :)
I own a pair of 150’s and they are rock solid reliable – i would recommend them over 1200’s personally. They stay in time better than 1200’s, have nearly 3x the torque, weigh a ton, fully metal chassis, more extreme pitch settings, have a reverse function, adjustable start/stop times and are super reliable.
Anyway, the solution to 150 issue is simple ! Theres two choices, bulk it out with blue tack (the start button is only raised about 4mm), or get a piece of acrylic cut the same size at the dicer, then make a whole the same size as the start stop button. The device will only be raised a little bit. Ima try the blue tac/dj putty approach first and if that doesnt work as well as i would like then ill make an acrylic template – either way its gonna fit !
June 5th, 2010 at 2:21 pm Quote
Maybe the Stantons I tried were a different model, but despite looking cool, felt cheap to me.
I’ve had nothing but bad luck with their mixers, so I suppose I’m a bit biased.
June 5th, 2010 at 6:53 pm Quote
So where’s the best place to pre-order these things in the USA?
June 5th, 2010 at 7:57 pm Quote
“i can be like aphex twin. ‘haha’ “
June 6th, 2010 at 1:04 am Quote
Let this finally put to bed all those critics who think Ean is a stooge for Native Instruments. This takes Serato Scratch Live to another level! Remember there are two programmable User modes and I saw that other demo on YouTube that showed off Midi control over SSL efx! These are truly worthy of the “Game Changer” moniker. Congratulations Ean on a job very well done!
June 6th, 2010 at 10:25 am Quote
Very well said..!
I hope to see some Serato DJs getting very creative with this.
Get those cameras recording fellas.
June 6th, 2010 at 11:07 am Quote
And even if four years later SL now offers effects and a sampler, I’ll be rocking Torq with my Dicers ;) Can’t wait, got the perfect mapping and want to work out some new routines.
June 6th, 2010 at 11:26 am Quote
Just saw a great write up about this on Engadget great to see it getting some press maybe one day soon we can expect to see a pair sold with every set of tables :P
June 6th, 2010 at 11:43 am Quote
ooohhh gosh whats next ?!!!! :)
June 6th, 2010 at 1:54 pm Quote
Msngr415: ‘I got tons of controller ideas but I don’t know crap about building electronics I’m just a art concept guy.’
If Ean can get Novation to listen to his product ideas (and no doubt to remunerate him appropriately), what’s stopping you? They’re getting good at this.
June 6th, 2010 at 2:31 pm Quote
Clocks ticking – looks like I’ll be waiting ’til around the 18th/19th June before mine lands on the doormat…
June 6th, 2010 at 4:08 pm Quote
Well done, really nice invention.
June 7th, 2010 at 2:46 am Quote
It might even end up pulling some die-hard turntablists over to the dark side of midi… surely after they get their toes wet with something like this it’s going to make them wonder what else is out there.
The Gateway midi controller! haha…
June 7th, 2010 at 10:57 pm Quote
@Marnis Yeah you’re right…I haven’t even considered buying into Serato or Traktor till seeing Dicer in action. I’ve messed with the NI Kontrol X1 but wasn’t into it at all. I’m big on keeping my setup not cluttered and Dicer seems to be perfect for me. I guess I’ll just have to get used to having my setup connected to my computer.
June 8th, 2010 at 12:26 pm Quote
I’d like to hear more about how you pitched this idea to Novation. How did you protect your idea? Sorry if this seems pessimistic, but what was to stop them from just straight up stealing your idea?
I have some controller ideas that I could do artistic mockups of, but I don’t have the skill (yet) to develop a prototype. How did you go through the process of covering yourself and working with Novation?
June 8th, 2010 at 4:53 pm Quote
awesome development!! EAN CONGRATS
June 9th, 2010 at 2:09 am Quote
For all those concerned with the vibration if you run Serato in Relative Mode your needle can skip without any problems.
Here are some words directly from the manual:
“rel mode observes the relative forward and
backward movement of the record, but does not
take into account the position within the record.
rel mode disables needle dropping, but allows
skip-free scratching.”
So, if you have it in Relative Mode you can hit it as hard as you want. If the needle comes off the record, when it drops back down it’ll start playing right where it left off. Honestly I can’t see anyone making the needle skip for a long time, no matter how wasted you are… Although I don’t think you should play at any reputable club while being so wasted that you’re sitting there hammering the deck with a bunch of loop rolls and playing a really annoying set ’cause you decided to have one too many Jägerbombs.
FTW.
June 9th, 2010 at 5:18 am Quote
too many dj’s spoil the dancefloor
June 9th, 2010 at 6:31 pm Quote
i read a story from the dmc website:
“To this day, DJ David’s 1991 routine is still renowned for creating the most flamboyant trick in the Championships history. Mounting an SL1200 atop four coca cola cans whilst the lower deck played a looped vocal, David climbed onto the top deck supporting himself in a one arm B-Boy stance as the mighty Technics turntable took his entire weight and spun him like a human record. Beneath him the 12″ played the Jungle Brothers ‘I’ll House You’ and spat “Round and round and round and round and round and……” – the audience erupted.”
ill stick with my technics.
June 9th, 2010 at 8:24 pm Quote
Two quik questions
1. Will it work with the offline player?
2. With Numark TT (elliptical buttons) do we need DJ putty?
June 9th, 2010 at 9:49 pm Quote
Where can we order this thing?
June 9th, 2010 at 10:24 pm Quote
We are going to be selling Dicers here in the Dj TechTools store. They will also be the only dicers available in various colors!
June 10th, 2010 at 1:05 am Quote
Are you going to be setting up a pre-order? I have my credit card armed and ready for these things!
June 10th, 2010 at 4:17 pm Quote
great idea Ean. the fact that Novation was willing to hear your idea and work with you to create a new product is a testament to your hard work and building a name for yourself. much respect.
anything more you’d like to say about 2010 and controllers? even just how long do we have to wait?
June 12th, 2010 at 7:08 am Quote
Different colours??? What different colours? I might cancel my order at DV24/7 if you’re getting Silver Dicers!!!
June 13th, 2010 at 8:52 pm Quote
Great job Ean!! I have been looking for controller that design to trigger the hot cues (the buttons on DDM 4000 is not good enough for that) and I’ve even came out with my own design but can’t push the development further (I’m a poor student lol )….
My question is how the dicer would stick on a mixer?
I am using Traktor pro and controlled by my DDM 4000 on Hybrid (Audio + Midi) mode if the dicer could fit perfectly on my DDM4000 then I think the combination could easily kill Xone 4D since that is sooooo expensive.
June 15th, 2010 at 8:02 am Quote
Wow…that is a freakin’ hot looking little device! Ean, excellent industrial design!! Compact and efficient use of space, an easy to “read” interface…a perfect controller for people who aren’t into controllers. :)
June 15th, 2010 at 9:42 am Quote
So what are these DJTT exclusive colours then? Should I cancel my order at DV247 and wait for the exclusives???
June 15th, 2010 at 11:24 am Quote
spoken like a true reatrd who has never used a stanton st150…
This product looks really dope.
June 16th, 2010 at 9:19 am Quote
@DasGood: from the novation product page…
I was concerned about the same thing, but thankfully it’s just another controller that we can configure manually if we need to as well.
@Ean Golden: this couldn’t have come at a better time since I’ve recently started using Traktor Scratch Pro (after using Traktor controller-only for years) and was trying to figure out the best controller to use in conjunction with turntables. I think I’ve found the right product now (Korg nanoPad was in the forefront until this announcement).
I just have to be patient and wait until they’re officially available (I’m not usually good at that), but it will be worth the wait!
Thanks Ean and Novation. Great work. I can’t wait to try it out.
June 17th, 2010 at 12:28 pm Quote
great work Ean …perfect …. please make another simple usefull design for triggering traktor effects & knobs …and can work with dicer to …something like the new faderfox but with novation price …it would be super perfect ….
June 18th, 2010 at 7:56 am Quote
Dicer hits the streets today. Anyone got their mitts on one yet?
June 19th, 2010 at 4:49 am Quote
Got my hands on some today…just happened to be in the local store and they had them on the shelf.
They need scratchlive 2.1…..it’s not out yet?!?!?!?!
I think it’s only private invite beta.
:(
June 19th, 2010 at 4:52 am Quote
ARGH! Mine hasn’t turned up yet. Waiting…
June 20th, 2010 at 6:34 pm Quote
The dicer is not in any stores (that I know of) in the states yet and wont be until the end of the month. Dj TechTools will be the first folks that actually get units in and we will be taking pre-orders this week.
June 20th, 2010 at 11:04 pm Quote
Hello all; just my 2 cents as a rookie DJ/controllerist/et al – I’ve just recently purchased Traktor Pro and have spent lots of time figuring out an ideal controller setup (for the record – I’m a musician/engineer who’s dabbled in DJing over the last few years; never any “proper” controllerism though). I already have a MIDI keyboard and a firewire audio interface, and as I’m new to this I’m trying to find a hardware setup that is not (frankly) too overwhelming.
What I’ve been looking at – Novation’s ZeRO SL MkII, the VCI-100, Numark’s Stealth/Omnicontrol, the APCs from Akai…something that is versatile; however I don’t see myself diving into 4-deck madness for a bit. After reading up on the Dicer, I’m thinking a pair of these in tandem with a Nocturn (maybe eventually 2?) might be a nice starting point..I know the Dicer is a brand-new product that hasn’t been out “in the wild” very long, but anyone care to comment on this idea?
I’ve read all of the previous comments and gathered a great deal of knowledge. Anyone have an opinion on my proposed course of action? Bear in mind – I’m not trying to be a scratch DJ, and I have a lot to learn. It seems to me this would be a flexible setup that wouldn’t be too hard to get to grips with, but would be fairly flexible going forward…I look forward to all opinions/suggestions/etc…cheers!!!
June 21st, 2010 at 10:08 am Quote
Man…I just ordered it from Sweetwater. They said they will have it on 6/20 but now it was just pushed back to 7/04.
June 21st, 2010 at 10:28 am Quote
DV24/7 in the UK told me specifically that they’d be getting them on 17th June. I pre-ordered, and they’ve already taken my money.
Buggers!
Ean – what colour Dicers will you be selling here at DJTT? I might cancel my order at Digital Village if DJTT are getting silver Dicers… (Would look sweet on 1200’s…)
June 24th, 2010 at 9:08 pm Quote
hey ean, when can i purchase or be put on the list for a pair of your dicer. also will there be mapping as soon as you start selling them.
June 28th, 2010 at 1:21 pm Quote
Dj TechTools is now taking orders for black dicers which will be shipping within a few days:
http://techtools.myshopify.com/products/novation-dicer
I would recommend grabbing yours from us because:
a) we are way cool :)
b) we will get them first- and out to you faster.
June 28th, 2010 at 4:04 pm Quote
is this true? it doesnt appear like there are any colors other than black in the dj techtools store
June 28th, 2010 at 5:32 pm Quote
what are the other colors . i dont want to buy now and not get a better colo later.
June 29th, 2010 at 1:03 am Quote
Trakor mapping Ean! Then i’m in.
June 30th, 2010 at 6:34 pm Quote
Will The dicer map automatic in Traktor.
July 1st, 2010 at 8:25 am Quote
Looks great! I can finally get the lost functionality of the auto loop and loop roll functions back on my CDJs! Qestion: Will they fit well on CDJ-800MK2s? There’s less gutter between the platter and and tempo slider… :/
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:20 am Quote
Got my Dicers today and allready mapped them for Torq.
Of course no needleskipping no matter how hard I punch on the buttons. LEDs aren’t working in Torq, Novation doesn’t use a standart mini-USB cable and with a small battlemixer like Vestax PMC-06 my right hand allways gets in trouble with the conection and cable of the right Dicer.
But so far they work fine for me.
July 3rd, 2010 at 10:45 am Quote
Ha, finally CDJ’s 900 lacking hot starts/cue points will work fully as CDJ’s 2000… take that Pioneer!
July 9th, 2010 at 3:33 pm Quote
Got the dicer in today. Big suprise…it doesn’t work! After much digging…
“The Scratch Live 2.1 public beta version, (required for ‘plug and play’ integration of Dicer), is only available via the Serato.com website.”
That’s a little shady. Do I want to be using a beta software for my gigs…no.
July 10th, 2010 at 10:00 am Quote
Got them yesterday. Do Not work with Traktor. Downloaded tsi files, Import it to Traktor, NADA. It does not work with Traktor.
July 15th, 2010 at 8:34 am Quote
Dont get me wrong, i love the idea and im getting a pair ASAP but it seeams like there was something overlooked in the design process.
I find i bit strange that the dicer’s are not mirrored.
On the left deck the button 1 is on the top left, on the rigth deck its on the bottom Left wich is strange.
Dont know if i explained myself rigth, so here a photo:
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb162/soundone1/cr59u13y.jpg
Let me know what yall think.
July 17th, 2010 at 8:18 pm Quote
I bought this unit thinking it would not need the Serato box, like they say on Novation web site no need for anything just connect and it will recognize the Dicer.
To my surprise it has not work and no one from Novation will answer a message I left four days ago. Only the guys from Serato was please to answer me and let me know I still need the Serato box.
I copied the notes fro Novation web site and post it from the reply I got from Serato and I know they will be laughing and at this point I am looking for a refund as this is a real joke if this is the case.
July 19th, 2010 at 9:27 am Quote
Hi ChrisQuest,
Sorry to hear of the trouble that you have had. We will always get back to any answerphone messages that are left here at Novation and help out the best we can so it’s unusual that you did not hear back from us. Could you confirm how you contacted us?
If you wish to contact us again, we can be contacted either via email on answerbase@novationmusic.com or via phone on +44 1494 462246
If there’s anything we can do to help please let me know.
Best regards,
Chris
Novation support
July 19th, 2010 at 9:27 am Quote
Just to correct the email address above, it should read: answerbase@novationmusic.com
Chris
Novation
July 21st, 2010 at 7:08 pm Quote
Here are my settings for Traktor:
http://german-bash.org/~macfly/Novation_Dicer_Traktor_Settings_by_Mac_Fly_1.0.zip
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:33 pm Quote
@ChrisQuest – I get your point on your photo, but if it was mirrored, everything would be off.
The Right control would be perfect, but the left would be in the placement of where the start/stop button for the turntable would be, thus the whole idea would be off. . .
But back on (partial) subject. . .Anyone attempt an arcade button mod for this yet? cuz if it can, I’m SOOOOO getting these!
July 23rd, 2010 at 7:03 pm Quote
As a Traktor Scratch Pro user and former Vinyl DJ I think this is a winner. I was considering purchasing a Traktor Kontrol X1 but the space issue in booths is a real problem. Setting up your Laptop and Audio Interface is enough of a hassle without having to squeeze a large controller in there too. A couple of years back I spent ages custom mapping a Novation Remote Zero SL only to rarely take it to gigs due to the lack of space. Obviously the X1 suffers from this problem, I see people having to place them in totally non ergonomic positions every weekend. Also, and I think many of the DVS guys agree with this, Cue Points and Loops is enough as I’m not really into effects when DJing.
Nice work Ean this looks like an excellent, well designed and marketed product, I shall be testing it out in clubs A.S.AP.
Btw. I’m not gonna name and shame but some of these comments are written by absolute chodes. Try properly reading an article before spouting your unnecessary tripe. Then step away from the keyboard and leave the house, that’s right actually out the door, the internet will be fine without you.
July 28th, 2010 at 3:12 pm Quote
These arnt a bad idea because these are made for serato and remember serato cant skip in the right mode so how would this be a bad thing?
August 3rd, 2010 at 4:26 am Quote
Why can’t this thing be bluetooth? I have too many usb devices!!! I would buy it if it were bluetooth!
August 9th, 2010 at 9:03 am Quote
I have used these for about 3 weeks now and I think these controllers are great. They are small and fit right into any turntable setup you already have. If you are just DJing off of your laptop, then maybe these are not for you.
Over all, these are very sturdy, and the buttons are nice and snappy. Great response and for the price, you cannot beat it. Please check out my full video review on NYCelectro.com:
http://nycelectro.com/2010/08/09/novation-dicer-a-video-review/
Or just the youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_As3Jv_LuY
Peace
DJ Color TV