ATTIGO TT elegantly integrates touch panels into DJ setup

Just after seeing how the Nintendo DS's touch panel could be used to scratch things up, along comes a full-blown turntable setup that relies heavily on interactions with touchscreens. Dreamed up and designed by Scott Hobbs, the ATTIGO TT enables DJs to manipulate sounds via sensors, and the added visual effects are fantastically beautiful, if not useful. Check out a video of the creation being used after the jump -- just make sure one earcup is firmly planted around the ear first, alright?

[Via Coolest-Gadgets]

Final Product // ATTIGO TT from Scott Hobbs on Vimeo.

[PsychOfMSE @ May 24th 2008 1:02PM]

Pretty cool. I don't see this technology replacing vinyl (or time-encoded vinyl) any time soon tho.

[Bjarke @ May 24th 2008 1:12PM]

Cool. Reminds me of the Lemur (http://jazzmutant.com)

[gabe @ May 24th 2008 1:19PM]

this DJ sux~!!!!!

omg get him off the stage

[PsychOfMSE @ May 24th 2008 1:27PM]

Why would you say he sucks?

Beat juggling and scratching are often times forms of music that cannot be properly enjoyed by the general public. Often times it sounds like musical gibberish but you just have to realize what the DJ is doing.

[ThreeDee912 @ May 24th 2008 1:37PM]

He's just showing off the touch-panels, not actually trying to DJ-ing (I think). But still, those beats were obviously not synced very well.

Still a cool use for touch screens.
Next up: iPhone scratch panels?

[Ant @ May 24th 2008 1:53PM]

the dj doesnt suck.your knowledge of beat juggling does though.


you can tell this wont work right for scratching though since you have no feel on the movement of the song.

[Robo KOK @ May 25th 2008 12:26PM]

I understand beat juggling and DJing, and that set sucks. I agree though that it is a demo and I hope he wasn't actually trying.

[Jeremy Gray @ May 24th 2008 3:43PM]

@PsychOfMSE - it doesn't take a musical expert to tell that this DJ in the video has either horrible timing, is being defeated by poor technology (early vinyl contol systems often resulted in shite juggling like in the video, for example), or both.

@ThreeDee912 - as many vendors of DJ-related products have learned, you can't sell a product by demoing it with such a poor performance. None of this "He's just showing off the touch technology" crap, please. To show off the technology, HE SHOULD BE JUGGLING EXTREMELY WELL WITH IT. To do otherwise is to simply _failing_ to be "showing off the touch technology".

@Ant - As I said to PsychOfMSE, either the DJ sucks and/or the technology does. As for whether or not this kind of technology would work right for scratching, I doubt "feel on the movement of the song" would be a problem. If the waveform is displayed and synced accurately with the playback (which you'll notice it isn't in the video, because the waveform is lagging behind his hand movements), you'd be able to cut very accurately. The larger problem would be that you'd be fighting the screen, in that you could either have high waveform accuracy but only showing a brief period of time (which would make it hard to do some things) or you could have low waveform accuracy but show a longer period of time (which would make it hard to do a different set of things). Waveform visualization is great as a DJ. I know, as I am one (are any of you other posters DJs? I somehow doubt it.) However, you'd be losing out on the directness of input by having positions within the track mapped directly to positions on the vinyl as you do with both real vinyl and vinyl control systems, and you'd be losing out on the ability to cover arbitrary ranges of time within the track with full accuracy simply by cueing arbitrary distances (and rotations relative to the label) that you have committed to memory.

[gabe @ May 24th 2008 3:47PM]

are u serious? i certainly hope he's not trying to make a beat because some of u have no sense of rhythm.

he's off beat and i'll give him the benefit of the doubt that he's simply demo'ing the overpriced touch panels.

The nintendo DS demo was FAR more impressive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ May 25th 2008 12:51AM]

@ Jeremy Grey, I know alot about Djing and beat juggling. You are all wrong because he was trying to "Beat Match" actually. Juggling is such a more difficult art form. Ever hear of Scratch Bastid? Beat Juggling champ? Good friend of mine. This is nice in the limited preview but with work could be a much better technology than most other E Music device's. A force feedback tactile function would make this nice. Until that day I 'spose.
What was your Dj name? I'll go search the torrents for ya....

[Joe @ May 25th 2008 8:23PM]

The quality of DJing does matter. If you're selling a project on the grounds that it is cool, at least find a DJ who can make it look and sound good. He couldn't even get the volume right on the scratching, which has been made several times easier thanks to the technology.

[strangemusic @ May 24th 2008 1:27PM]

Anyone know the song around the 1:00 minute mark? It is from a ski movie that I enjoy... Skimatic by Plehouse... and I have absolutely no idea what it is. And here it is!

[austin @ May 24th 2008 5:34PM]

skimoviemusic.com should help answer your question.

[oliver hart @ May 24th 2008 1:29PM]

now paul oakenfold can play pre-recorded sets in style

[AJ @ May 24th 2008 1:40PM]

Um... didn't Daft Punk already do this in their Alive concerts?

[nxtiak @ May 24th 2008 3:23PM]

Ya, they use the Lemurs (someone above already mentioned/linked to it).
They're much better than whatever this thing is.

[Phoenix @ May 24th 2008 4:20PM]

The good thing about the Lemurs is they can be used to do pretty much anything if you mod it a little.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ May 25th 2008 12:52AM]

Don't forget "The Advent", I saw them do it in 2001. so Nah Nah!

[rich @ May 24th 2008 2:21PM]

D.I.T.C.R.I.P.

[Nando @ May 24th 2008 2:31PM]

pretty cool, i've been dreaming about theese since i saw the original multitouch tech video a few years ago.

[Tyler Keesling @ May 24th 2008 3:28PM]

uhmm watching daft punk live i saw them using this kinda technology a while ago.. whether it be scratcing or manipulating sounds-bits

[staffybull @ May 24th 2008 3:33PM]

Song - The Red
Artist - Jaylib

[adam dworak @ May 24th 2008 3:53PM]

Meh, check out mine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTuvy2uetgk

[Mark @ May 26th 2008 5:16AM]

pretty interesting setup, adam. you might wanna try mixing two tracks which are in key for a demo though, my ears are bleeding :-|

[KEROLiUKAS @ May 24th 2008 4:03PM]

LOL whatever you guys say, this DJ sucks balls...


Tiesto, now that's a DJ..

[diem @ May 24th 2008 8:50PM]

tiesto ain't nothing but a trancecracker:

http://www.ishkur.com/articles/trancecracker.php

[ugg.tryptophan @ May 28th 2008 12:22AM]

Tiesto is a trancecracker; Justice is the second coming; Bling Crosby has the summer jams; and any Dj can succomb to sucking hard in their music career; okthnxbye ; )

[Fernando Arias @ May 24th 2008 4:17PM]

The idea is crazy. But the "control resolution" is horrible. All he did was back queue and reverse. When he tried scratching he didn't have any accurate control of the record. It isn't precise enough.

[blizz @ May 24th 2008 6:34PM]

thats pretty sweet. as a dj i would like to see something like that but maybe just for effects and looping. the biggest problem with that is when someone spills a drink or candle wax on it and your whole set is ruined. ive seen touch screen lighting controls and a drop of condensation from a water bottle fell on it and blacked out the whole club. its a step in a pretty sweet direction though.

[duggy @ May 24th 2008 9:11PM]

ill stick with my vinyl decks thankyou. I hate digital DJ's they're amatures its becoming easier and easier to become a DJ now even if youve got 0 talent, saying that they do look pretty neat .

[PsychOfMSE @ May 24th 2008 10:04PM]

That is completely untrue. Many of the time-encoded vinyl solutions are just as accurate as true vinyl. So how about live PA acts? Does using digital software such as Ableton make you an amateur? I love vinyl as much as the next guy but the digital DJ is the new revolution. When I travel cross country to DJ all I have to bring is my laptop, serato box, and 2 records. Before I was carrying 50-75 records with me, many of them being dubplates that I felt very uncomfortable taking on a plane with me.

Quit being an elitist and get with the program.

[duggy @ May 24th 2008 9:14PM]

and nice comment jeremy gray I also DJ and found your insight to be completely true and thanks for setting some of these idiots straight

[eddy96 @ May 24th 2008 9:35PM]

yea daft punk used for there live concert http://www.jazzmutant.com/ the two images on the front page... which of course are significantly better than the one we just saw in the video.

heres there setup
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1017/cb71d2fee5b66d79c7f7298ze1.jpg

[JJ @ May 25th 2008 1:00AM]

His skills are'nt mega, but that's not the point of the video is it.
He's probably quite good, but for demo sakes held back?

This WILL replace vinyl. It's bound to happen.
The art of DJ'ing is about tactile control of music. This will allow DJ'S endless options...

Really cool. Really cool.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ May 25th 2008 1:01AM]

Seeing as how the comments has turned into the best dj contest at Engadget, I nominate Lisa Lashes because she puts everyone else you all mentioned here to shame.

[Guerrilla Mason @ May 25th 2008 2:22AM]

Haven't watched the video because I'm in a quiet room, but this dude rocks simply because he's rocking a Fila vest. I haven't seen Fila in who knows how long! Major props on the kicking of it in old school mode.

[Thomas @ May 25th 2008 4:29PM]

Yo boys. Lets set the record straight...

The video's not about the DJ, he's merely demonstrating the concept. So...I'd like to introduce you to DJ Barry On Safari. If you actually want to judge him, listen to this:

http://www.myspace.com/barryonsafari

And watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOg7FrI1kwo

As for the technology, you have to understand that this is a student project done in 4 months with the cheapest touch-screens available. It's just a prototype demonstrating the control of mp3 songs with a touch-screen... You can see the projects' developement over the 4 months on Scott's website - www.scotthobbs.co.uk

So ladies, if you don't have anything worth while saying, sit down and/or shut the f*ck up

Peace

[Hanuman @ May 26th 2008 2:57AM]

nice prototype but kinda off because it would be cooler if the graphics were to be in a form of a disc rather than waveforms.

[itzshai1 @ May 31st 2008 10:06PM]

that is not a DISC jockey. There is no disc to manipulate, its sound wave manipulation.

[nick @ Jul 17th 2008 7:30AM]

i cant believe people are sayin this dj sucks or the technology sucks etc....this guy designed the product BY HIMSELF while at university and is looking for a manufacturer to help work out the kinks and make the system more reliable. jesus at least he trying to do something different. i remember when people laughed at the idea of a cdj and now everyone has them. come on.....