In November 2009 Cycling 74 and Ableton dropped a bombshell on the public known as Max for Live. This is possibly one of the biggest leaps in music software technology we have seen in a while. Max for live fuses together the worlds of commercial grade music software (Ableton) with a commercial grade visual/programming software(Max/Msp). This fusion leads to something that is much more than the sum of the parts. While Max for Live is not exactly the latest news, we are finding many djs dont understand what Max for Live is and how they could use it. In this article we will be looking at what Max For Live (M4L) will allow djs to accomplish and what new possibilities may be in store for those that explore this exciting new world.
Author Archive
Echo AudioFire4 Reviewed
Finding the perfect soundcard is a never-ending battle for most digital DJs, especially for the DJ on a budget. Echo has been putting together rock-solid devices for years and is definitely not a newcomer to the scene. Echo is well-known for its very reliable drivers that will seldom let you down no matter what system you are running. We previously reviewed the Echo AudioFire2, so now it’s time to take a look at how its bigger brother, the Echo AudioFire4, stacks up.
Read on, and we’ll answer all the questions you should be asking yourself when you’re searching for a soundcard for DJing.
SCS-3d “DaScratch” Reviewed
By: BentoSan
The DaScratch controller from Stanton is a one of a kind and truly innovative controller. We have seen a lot of new devices aimed at the digital dj recently but not many manufacturers have been willing to think outside of the box and innovate on a software and hardware level. Developing such a device seems to have paid off for Stanton, as after several months of playing around with the controller I am happy to report its a pleasure to use and surprisingly fun!
Continue reading SCS-3d “DaScratch” Reviewed
Smart Mixing Explained
On Monday we published a article introducing Bento’s new smart mixing pack to the Dj TT community. The smart mixer is a very powerful tool that can make basic mixing very smooth and super easy. The concept of smart mixing may be easy to grasp but the actual mechanics behind this technique are a bit more complex. Dj TechTools prides itself on teaching your the fundamentals of new concepts so here is the 2nd half of that article where we will go into the nuts and bolts of creating and modifying a smart mixer on your own.
Smart Mixing Setup for Ableton
Do you find yourself needing 4 hands in the middle of a set? The fundamental principles of mixing tracks are; balancing the EQ and keeping volume levels even through a transition. This may sound simple, but often in the heat of a mix several of these factors need to be handled at the same time. The most frequent problem is trying to turn down the bass on one track while raising the bass and volume on the other and somehow managing to keep everything in time. Considering that the average DJ only has 2 arms and usually about 3 drinks in him, there has to be a way to make that process easier right? Yes- and the answer is smart mixing.
Gosh darn those pesky cables
Has your DJ equipment ever stopped working and your left scratching your head wondering why? Did you drop $500 on a midi controller and still get irregular performance? Well, don’t throw in the towel just yet, chances are that it is probably a problem with the cable connecting your equipment to your computer. We have had many reported instances of gear dropping out in the forums and in particular the VCI-100. While Vestax did a great job with the quality of the VCI-100 they skimped on the quality one area, the USB cable.
Lets take a look at what goes into choosing a cable that you can rely on.
Upgrade Your VCI-100 CrossFader
Those who do a lot of heavy scratching and crossfader tricks on their VCI-100′s have some minor complaints about weight of the fader being too light. Luckily however one of the users of our Forum going under the name of PaddyDj has successfully integrated a Pro X Fade into his VCI-100. We were able to get hold of PaddyDj who was kind enough to make a wiring diagram that will make doing this mod just that much easier.
EKS Otus has a little brother? (Updated)
EKS, the creators of the Otus, have told us about their plans for another version called the EKS Otus Raw. While the devices are very similar there are some notable differences you might be interested in. EKS has also released a series of videos that take a closer look at the EKS Otus than the original video Ean shot which introduced this space age controller to the world. Baring any un-foreseen obstacles, you might be able to try one out as soon as September.
The last time we looked at the Otus it was still very much in development and the final controls were still not decided upon. Now everything is in place so lets look at the what the Otus will look like and then how the RAW will differ.
Update: EKS Otus in action Video, the fate of HD-midi for the Otus and production status !
How to Hack a Keyboard
Moldover has made an appearance on MTV’s “How To Show”, showing off you how to turn an oxygen 8 or any other keyboard into your own expressive controllerist musical instrument. With only a handful of items you can easily find around the household and using the similar techniques to that used on his own Novation Remote-25 SL keyboard, Moldover shows in three simple steps how easy it is to become a controllerist armed with just a oxygen8 and a copy Ableton live.
DIY TouchScreens
There are a lot of very pricey touch screens on the market that are out of reach of most musicians, the Lemur for example will set you back around $3000- enough cash to buy several of the best dj controllers on the market. Fortunately, it is very possible to turn your existing screen into a multi touch monitor for under $50. In this article we will be looking at the different DIY methods that turn common, in-expensive equipment into touch screen interfaces.
Bomes Midi Pro for Mac Beta
Bomes Midi Pro is an excellent piece of Midi translation software originally designed for the PC and now a beta has been made available for Mac users. DjTechTools has been working with Florian, the lead developer of Bomes midi pro, to help bring some exciting new functionality that will no doubt make Bomes Midi Pro an even better piece of software than it already.
We will be posting tutorials to help everyone to get to know this wonderful piece of midi translation software as time goes on so this is certainly one piece of software to keep a close eye on.
There are many things you can do with Bomes Midi Pro including creating smart-knobs to control your VST’s and change between midi presets thats are similar to, but more powerful than Traktors page functions.
If you were subscribed to the Bomes Midi email list you would have recently received this in your mail box:
