Brought to you by the makers of Mixed in Key, Platinum Notes (PN) is the tool you need to put that extra polish on your mp3s to make them really sizzle in the clubs. Some of the things you can expect are:
Automatically adjust the tracks volume, so that every track has the same perceived loudness.
Repair clipped peaks
Adjust the dynamics of the music if needed
Adjust the pitch of the tracks if needed, to make perfect harmonic mixes.
So, does it work as advertised? I’ve tried the software on numerous tracks, like Beatport MP3, ripped CDs, and on various musical genres, from pumping techno to disco. Let’s take those features one by one:
I know, I know- there have been a lot of posts on the vci-300 lately. Some of you are probably wondering if you should be thinking about selling the vci-100. Don’t worry, there is a video on the way that will break down the real differences between the 2 in a clear manner. Here is a new video that demonstrates a cool tempo trick that anyone can use but is easy to perform out of the box with a vci-300.
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.
Last week we reported in this article that the VCI-300 would not be working with programs other than Itch. Good news, it didn’t take long to figure out a work around and we now have a solution that allows you to use the high resolution midi with any program.
We have jumped far into the deep end of the digital pool. There is no lifeguard, no floaties on your arms and no grab holds in site. Time to figure out how to swim. Developing cool technology is the easy part, thats well under way. Figuring out how to use it in an artistic and emotionally compelling manner is another thing all together. Once that is complete then boom, all those nay-sayers will line up in droves. Until its complete digital djing or “controllerism” is just a term that loosely describes our direction not a cohesive creative movement.
A jog wheel may be good for cuing up a song but the top does not serve much of a purpose after that. So why not double assign it to another function that works when you hold down a shift key? Its a logical conclusion but finding something that actually works well with the jog wheel’s pitch bend type message is another story. Last week I may have found something that fits perfectly.
Perhaps you decided to hold off buying a new controller in hopes of waiting for the Vestax VCI-300? While not exactly a “better” controller than the VCI-100 it did have a few specific upgrades that could mean big performance gains. Namely, high resolution faders and jog wheels. Well, sorry to be the first bearer of bad news but you should not wait around any longer.
If your the guy who needs to get a little more midi control without sacrificing precious booth space or beer money you may have reason to rejoice. Korg has announced a clever line of midi controllers that will fit right in front of your laptop and theoretically perhaps sit on the same laptop stand
There is currently a heated debate about the use of the Sync button. Some say it’s cheating, some say: as long as it sounds good for the audience, it’s ok… I think that everyone is missing the point. Learning to beatmatch by hand is a skill that any DJ should learn. The only reason he should learn it is to have at his disposal a broader way to express himself artistically.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with using the sync button. It saves time and allows you to do something else, it can also be a lifesaver when you have lost it while in a mix. I’m really glad to have that function at hand, and I use it often, even if I’m able to beatmatch two records by ear in a short amount of time. So, what’s the big deal with learning to do it by hand? Well, I think that the perfect mix in term of phase and speed doesn’t really exist. It is all a matter of what you want to express artistically. Hand beatmatching techniques can be used to breath life and spontaneity into your mixes, and have been used this way by all the best DJs since the beginning. And it sounds really different from automated matching. No judgment of value, there, both can be useful.
I now need to show you a trick to prove my point. It’s a very old and cool trick, which has a lot of practical applications, among them being able to teach you how to beatmatch by hand, or get better if you already know how.
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