Not kosher with getting a handset tailor made for DJing? How's about transforming your existing iPhone into that very device when the mood strikes you? Hailed as the first true DJ MP3 iPhone / iPod touch app in the world, Amidio's $19.99 Touch DJ program (available now) enables users to independently manipulate two MP3 or M4A files, including scratching, looping, positioning, equalization, effects and pitching. The "visual mixing" requires all sorts of tapping and sliding, but the on-screen UI seems pretty elegant from what we've seen. The only real knock on this is that there's currently no way to get music from the iTunes library into the program; instead, you'll be forced to reload tracks into the app's own MP3 library. Still, for those looking to ditch the hard case and waltz in with a pocketful of boogie, this ain't a half bad option. Check the demonstration vid after the break.
At 435$ (Amazon price as of 11/23/09), it had better be more powerful than a 20$ app (or a 220$ app if you buying an iPod Touch for this and this alone).
Okay, I can accept that you need a dedicated library. Truth is, most tracks in an itunes lib will not be suitable for DJ play, just as most DJ track releases are not in a format that sounds good as an ipod playlist. The real library issue is that track profiles, tempo and key information typically need to be processed ahead of time and are a data stream running in parallel to track play. Now, the single output thing is a huge negative pushing this into the 'toy' category, despite their 'bass beat matching' profiles. Really, the reason a DJ needs to hear the cue of a track is to get the phrasing correct, which sets the 'groove' of a mix. Get the phrasing wrong and clear the floor in a hurry...
I don’t know much about the Android OS for mobiles. It is said that Android is the market leader however I think no one can take place of Microsoft. Microsoft is leader in OS and with the invention of Windows Mobile 6.5 they have proved themselves as number one. Windows Mobile is very easy to use even for first time user.
I loved the idea of this software so I bought it and tested it with the preset tracks two hours ago. Worked without a single crash. But visual mixing seems to be a bit of a joke. I Could not get the beat of different songs to match. Maybe I just need to get use to it. And I am DJ by the way. And for the pro. Yes you can have two outputs for previewing. you need a cheap Left/ Right sound splitter. You ll be working in Mono. Who cares about mono sound in a party, right? Note to developer of this software if they read this blog: ur software won't break the chart until you can get a one button beatmatch function... Also There is a need for BPM counter.
@jakseth I used the cue and loop points to sync up the two sides.. not impossible to do visually but will take some practice. BPM counter would be awesome.. but I wonder if there is a patent that locks that down? There is not a single auto-magic BPM counter in the app store.. Everything is tap tempo.. an ID3 tag with bpm would be enough. There is a really good tap tempo database tool made by scion(yes, the car company) as an advert.. I like because it has a visual reference as you tap as well.. and works with your itunes playing.. meh. I wouldn't buy a 64GB ipod ONLY for this app, but I'd drop a $20 any day if I already had one.. I've got a fat list of improvements for the dev though--and dude will take and implement any that can be done, that's what these awesome iphone music app devs do.. it's for the love of it.. You'd never have apps this sweet if it was entirely for the $$.
Hmm, conceptually a nice toy for teens but to seriously use this instead of a proper DJ set up seems pointless. Why fiddle with a tiny touch screen? I'd hate to mix like that.... No proper DJ will use this.
As a DJ myself, I can't help but feel that they're being a little ridiculous by portraying this 'visual mixing' method as a selling point, rather than admiting that the only reason you don't use headphones, is because it's impossible with only one output on the iphone! They say that their 'visual mixing' system is not available on any other hardware, however, any digital vinyl system will include a waveform view where you can line up the two tracks' waveforms to beatmatch. This is nothing new to the DJ world, but could be great if there was the possibility of cueing the incoming track through headphones. Hopefully they can work out a way of doing this! :)
This app is sweet--I'm always amazed at how cheap some app buyers are! If $20 breaks your bank, you should consider the free flip phone your carrier offers or maybe a sansa/rca mp3 player. Spending $20 here goes a lot farther than.. a crappy blueray movie you'll watch twice.. or maybe a night seeing twatlight2 and a bin of fake-flavored popcorn..
For those of us with a few bucks to spend--this app rocks! they got together with the iphone-browser util people (who make a iphone/touch filesystem viewer) so that you can just drag and drop your whole library in one shot! I dropped in some beastie boys acapella's from beasieboys dot com/remixer and q-berts breaktionary 1-4 and had a LOT of fun mixing with the free tracks. Visual mixing is hard, but not so much if you're familiar with your tracks. I DO wish I could save sets and cue points... some other foibles, but this is 1.0.. most iphone apps grow exponentially after release. Also, this is amidio so should be able to share with beatmaker, jr hextone, and noise.io.
Things to note: not turntable style scratching, CD deck style scrubbing.. don't compare to a turntable. but.... HA! there's an app for that.. in a wasteland of silly toys that pretend to scratch, there is an app called FLARE.. if you've ever had your hands on a high-torque direct drive turntable.. you'll pee your panties at how sweet of a job it does at scratching.. If you're a turntablist (not just a party/club-bot request taking playlist boy) you'll dig it, bigtime.
Then, if you're dig that 'chopped and screwed' sound there's chop-dj, a lot of fun on the run for a fiver..
Lump the above apps together on a couple ipods, and I (anyone semi-talented, which is not the majority of dj's unfortunately which good dj's know all too well..) can outmix/outproduce a lot of suckers running pro equipment.. (you know.. they got their tunes and tools on demonoid and they think they know a thing or two...)
If you want to know the calibre of the typically threatened DJ out there who couldn't handle an app like this, seek out 'DJ domination' or other talentless slobs of the like on youtube.
Also.. comments out app piracy.. how pathetic.. haven't all the excuses been used up by now? ableton too expensive so get a hacked copy.. ok how much was your controller? Is $20 for beatmaker or this app too much $$? Try before you buy? How long you gonna try that app out for? Amidio does have free trials for star guitar, star melody, and noise, wouldn't be supprised to see a trial for this.. but still. ------------>>>>$20
@lookadeez You're trying to load your itunes song into it? PC/Mac? the EASIEST (least complicated) way on either platform if your stuff is DRM protected is to burn the songs you want to a CD, then use winamp, windows media, (et al, download.com) to rip them back as MP3's. Then use the bulk loading tool on the devs website to dump them into the iphone. Or--ask a friend who has the same tunes as you do.. but already in mp3 format.. Watch that you don't take your device under 100MB of free space.
Otherwise, there are some itunes library ripper tools out there for either windows or mac. You can also pay to upgrade your itunes collection (at freakin' 30 cents a pop, ouch) but a ripping tool would be cheaper. It's all fair use if you already bought the songs IMO.
Check out the devs youtube channel, anyone there can help too.
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posted November 22nd 2009 4:06PM
Very cool! But it sure can't beat a Pacemaker:
http://www.pacemaker.net
The pacemaker definately has this app beat hands down. I've personally was sent one to test and this device is insane!
Amidio came close - but not able to use itunes library - you just defeated the purpose. You should never restrict a DJs creative flow.
Even if the pacemaker is much better, it is much more expensive.
At 435$ (Amazon price as of 11/23/09), it had better be more powerful than a 20$ app (or a 220$ app if you buying an iPod Touch for this and this alone).
If you are into apps that use BPM , check out Cadence. Simply organizes your music by BPM and puts it on a slider for you to select.
cadenceapp.com
Okay, I can accept that you need a dedicated library. Truth is, most tracks in an itunes lib will not be suitable for DJ play, just as most DJ track releases are not in a format that sounds good as an ipod playlist. The real library issue is that track profiles, tempo and key information typically need to be processed ahead of time and are a data stream running in parallel to track play. Now, the single output thing is a huge negative pushing this into the 'toy' category, despite their 'bass beat matching' profiles. Really, the reason a DJ needs to hear the cue of a track is to get the phrasing correct, which sets the 'groove' of a mix. Get the phrasing wrong and clear the floor in a hurry...
Why are people so f**king stupid.
Why don't you actually watch and f**king LISTEN before you start your whining.
I'm pretty sure the narrator SAID 2 audio outputs are possible with an adapter.
And Kris you're the FAIL— the guy SAYS you can use your import and own tracks— just not from iTunes.
And Lucas, the title TELLS you it's an article on a iPhone app yet you STILL moronically open it and read— what just to post a useless grip?
There are people who find the post pretty interesting, why do we always have to step over the grief of trolls, and troglodyte?
Bunch of of losers.
I don’t know much about the Android OS for mobiles. It is said that Android is the market leader however I think no one can take place of Microsoft. Microsoft is leader in OS and with the invention of Windows Mobile 6.5 they have proved themselves as number one. Windows Mobile is very easy to use even for first time user.
I don't know why you've started talking about Android, but I feel compelled to state that no, Windows Mobile is not very easy to use.
I loved the idea of this software so I bought it and tested it with the preset tracks two hours ago. Worked without a single crash. But visual mixing seems to be a bit of a joke. I Could not get the beat of different songs to match. Maybe I just need to get use to it. And I am DJ by the way.
And for the pro. Yes you can have two outputs for previewing. you need a cheap Left/ Right sound splitter. You ll be working in Mono. Who cares about mono sound in a party, right?
Note to developer of this software if they read this blog: ur software won't break the chart until you can get a one button beatmatch function... Also There is a need for BPM counter.
@jakseth I used the cue and loop points to sync up the two sides.. not impossible to do visually but will take some practice. BPM counter would be awesome.. but I wonder if there is a patent that locks that down? There is not a single auto-magic BPM counter in the app store.. Everything is tap tempo.. an ID3 tag with bpm would be enough. There is a really good tap tempo database tool made by scion(yes, the car company) as an advert.. I like because it has a visual reference as you tap as well.. and works with your itunes playing.. meh. I wouldn't buy a 64GB ipod ONLY for this app, but I'd drop a $20 any day if I already had one.. I've got a fat list of improvements for the dev though--and dude will take and implement any that can be done, that's what these awesome iphone music app devs do.. it's for the love of it.. You'd never have apps this sweet if it was entirely for the $$.
Hmm, conceptually a nice toy for teens but to seriously use this instead of a proper DJ set up seems pointless. Why fiddle with a tiny touch screen? I'd hate to mix like that.... No proper DJ will use this.
As a DJ myself, I can't help but feel that they're being a little ridiculous by portraying this 'visual mixing' method as a selling point, rather than admiting that the only reason you don't use headphones, is because it's impossible with only one output on the iphone! They say that their 'visual mixing' system is not available on any other hardware, however, any digital vinyl system will include a waveform view where you can line up the two tracks' waveforms to beatmatch. This is nothing new to the DJ world, but could be great if there was the possibility of cueing the incoming track through headphones.
Hopefully they can work out a way of doing this! :)
This app is sweet--I'm always amazed at how cheap some app buyers are! If $20 breaks your bank, you should consider the free flip phone your carrier offers or maybe a sansa/rca mp3 player. Spending $20 here goes a lot farther than.. a crappy blueray movie you'll watch twice.. or maybe a night seeing twatlight2 and a bin of fake-flavored popcorn..
For those of us with a few bucks to spend--this app rocks! they got together with the iphone-browser util people (who make a iphone/touch filesystem viewer) so that you can just drag and drop your whole library in one shot! I dropped in some beastie boys acapella's from beasieboys dot com/remixer and q-berts breaktionary 1-4 and had a LOT of fun mixing with the free tracks. Visual mixing is hard, but not so much if you're familiar with your tracks. I DO wish I could save sets and cue points... some other foibles, but this is 1.0.. most iphone apps grow exponentially after release. Also, this is amidio so should be able to share with beatmaker, jr hextone, and noise.io.
Things to note: not turntable style scratching, CD deck style scrubbing.. don't compare to a turntable. but.... HA! there's an app for that.. in a wasteland of silly toys that pretend to scratch, there is an app called FLARE.. if you've ever had your hands on a high-torque direct drive turntable.. you'll pee your panties at how sweet of a job it does at scratching.. If you're a turntablist (not just a party/club-bot request taking playlist boy) you'll dig it, bigtime.
Then, if you're dig that 'chopped and screwed' sound there's chop-dj, a lot of fun on the run for a fiver..
Lump the above apps together on a couple ipods, and I (anyone semi-talented, which is not the majority of dj's unfortunately which good dj's know all too well..) can outmix/outproduce a lot of suckers running pro equipment.. (you know.. they got their tunes and tools on demonoid and they think they know a thing or two...)
If you want to know the calibre of the typically threatened DJ out there who couldn't handle an app like this, seek out 'DJ domination' or other talentless slobs of the like on youtube.
Also.. comments out app piracy.. how pathetic.. haven't all the excuses been used up by now? ableton too expensive so get a hacked copy.. ok how much was your controller? Is $20 for beatmaker or this app too much $$? Try before you buy? How long you gonna try that app out for? Amidio does have free trials for star guitar, star melody, and noise, wouldn't be supprised to see a trial for this.. but still. ------------>>>>$20
@vdrumpro to hell with these guys, I'm ON IT... just don't know how to load my own songs into it. Can ya help me there?
@lookadeez You're trying to load your itunes song into it? PC/Mac? the EASIEST (least complicated) way on either platform if your stuff is DRM protected is to burn the songs you want to a CD, then use winamp, windows media, (et al, download.com) to rip them back as MP3's. Then use the bulk loading tool on the devs website to dump them into the iphone. Or--ask a friend who has the same tunes as you do.. but already in mp3 format.. Watch that you don't take your device under 100MB of free space.
Otherwise, there are some itunes library ripper tools out there for either windows or mac. You can also pay to upgrade your itunes collection (at freakin' 30 cents a pop, ouch) but a ripping tool would be cheaper. It's all fair use if you already bought the songs IMO.
Check out the devs youtube channel, anyone there can help too.