The VMS4 MIDI controller is another entry into the newest rage for digital DJs: 4-channel controllers. The VMS4, however, offers a twist to the usual formula by serving double duty as a 4-channel analogue mixer. At a price of only $499, many DJs have asked: “Am I missing something? That sounds like a great deal.” DJTechTools investigates to find out if the first controller from American Audio is too good to be true.
Archive for August, 2010
Midi Fight Club @ Tresor, Berlin- The Report!
Written By: Alexander (HedgeHog)
Party-pictures by: Michael Andrew Martin
Editing and Article Structure by: Ean
After four years of steady growth here at Dj TechTools, everyone decided it was about time for a first official meeting of the DJTechTools community in Europe. This entry is a report about the event from the perspective of everyone involved and may also give you a few tips on how to throw your very own first epic party.
Continue reading Midi Fight Club @ Tresor, Berlin- The Report!
Fun Video Friday
It’s been a while since we had a light Friday, so here are some fun dj related videos that are light on the thinking but heavy on the fun. Above we have the worlds most excited dj ever (enthusiasm truly is contagious!) and after the break its DJ Shiftee having some fun with the S4 live @ the DJ expo plus a few other fun videos for your Friday!
Future DJ: A Brief History
When Thomas Edison introduced the phonograph to the world, I doubt anyone could have foreseen what a ground-breaking invention it would prove to be or what legacy it would spawn. Just like VHS vs Betamax or HD-DVD vs BluRay, a format war emerged; the cylindrical disc used on Edison’s machine against the German Emile Berliner’s format, a gramophone disc sometimes referred to as a phonograph disc or, as it is more commonly called, a record. Although Edison’s phonograph cylinder was both a storage and a playback medium (when using wax cylinders) as opposed to the disc’s mere playback ability, the record eventually won out in the late 1920s. We still, however, pay homage to both machines in the modern DJ world with the “phono” inputs on our mixers, and of course every musician wants an HMV-style gramophone in the guise of the prestigious Grammy award! Lets take a look back through time in order to understand where things might be headed.
Continue reading Future DJ: A Brief History
Midi Fighter Contest Winners and Videos!
After much delay, I finally found some time to pour over the entries to last month’s Midi-Fighter contest. The rules were simple: take any of the songs I used in my 10-minute rock video and mix them together in a unique way. There is no question that the resulting videos are a lot of fun to watch. Each person has collected their own special amalgamation of gear, techniques and sounds that makes every single DJ that entered very unique. That, in my opinion, is the power of digital DJing. Continue reading to be inspired, watch the winning videos, and pitch in your ideas for the next contest!
Continue reading Midi Fighter Contest Winners and Videos!
AMBER Modular Controller System
One of our readers has mocked up a modular controller system that allows you to custom-arrange your own knobs, faders and buttons for a personalized layout of physical controls. Last week’s red-hot multi-touch debate divided most DJs along real-vs-virtual controller lines. Would a flexible, inexpensive hardware version of the iPad make everyone happy?
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Traktor Kontrol S4 DJ System
The Traktor Kontrol S4 system from Native Instruments, one of the most anticipated DJ systems in recent memor, is going to be available this winter for $999 / 899 EUR. It’s a 1-to-1 DJ solution that combines a 4-channel hardware interface with a special version of Traktor Pro called S4, which is equipped with exclusive features like loop decks and a special loop recorder for building on-the-fly performances. Check out more photos and the exclusive DJ TechTools scoop after the break!
Touch Screen DJ Interfaces – Hot or Hype?
First came the insane press attention for the iPad DJ and now we have two more touch-screen DJ concepts making serious waves in the blog-sphere. It’s safe to say that the DJ world is fired up about DJing with touch interfaces and chomping at the bit for something mind-blowing. Even though Gizmodo seems to think so, are these latest videos really that amazing? After the jump, we will share the videos in question, talk to some creators and evaluate what the latest buzz in DJing really has to offer.
Continue reading Touch Screen DJ Interfaces – Hot or Hype?
How to Fix Glitchy Faders and Jog Wheels
A pretty common question I see on the DJ TechTools forum is about channel faders that are acting up, jumping around and not responding like they should. The normal answer is to clean and lubricate your cross-faders – that will usually fix the problem. However, when my cross-faders started to act up, I couldn’t find any good info on what exactly needed to be done. So as I was doing my maintenance, I shot some video and did a little walkthrough to make it a little easier for people who might be having the same problem. As a bonus, while I was inside the VCI I went ahead and lubricated my jog wheels as one of them felt like it was grinding a little when I spun it.
Self-Promotion Tools for DJs: Facebook Fan Pages, iPhone Apps, Outsourced Press Releases
One of the dirtiest jobs in the DJ business is marketing and promotion. If you already have a big following, you could probably hire a publicist to do the promo grunt work for you. But how do you get a following without promotion? There’s the catch. Although DJing is good work if you can get it, it is still work. You’ve got to be your own hype man before you hit the big time. Luckily, the wonders of the modern world – technology and outsourcing – have your back. Read on to discover tools and services that will help you spice up your Facebook page, create a personal iPhone app with no coding required, and blast a press release to the music media masses.
Continue reading Self-Promotion Tools for DJs: Facebook Fan Pages, iPhone Apps, Outsourced Press Releases
DJ Shiftee – What’s in your DJ bag? Performance And Tutorial.
Along with preceding turntable/controller demo by DMC champ Shiftee, we also have a tutorial explaining the performance and an exclusive look inside Shiftee’s DJ bag. Plus- if that was not enough, there is a contest where you can win a full Traktor Scratch Pro System, including a Traktor Kontrol X1 and three sets of control vinyl.
Continue reading DJ Shiftee – What’s in your DJ bag? Performance And Tutorial.
