Multitouch DJ table lets you swipe to rock
By Donald Melanson 
posted August 9th 2010 1:07PM
posted August 9th 2010 1:07PM
We just recently got a glimpse of one possible future of DJing, but our world has now already been turned upside down once again with this multitouch-enabled rig built by Gregory Kaufman. The big difference with this one, as you can probably guess, is that it employs a gesture-based interface that lets you spin the virtual turntables and use a variety of taps and finger swipes to replicate the main functions of a regular DJ deck. What's more, Kaufman says that the only gear a DJ would have to carry is a USB drive with their own music and settings, which they'd simply plug into the multitouch table at a club -- assuming the idea catches on, that is. Top top things off, the system would also be able to accommodate regular DJ gear for some added flexibility, and even provide enough room for two DJs if you're looking to battle or share the stage. Head on past the break to check it out in action.
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@Relief2010 & I am going to downrank you for that.
Evolution baby yeah
mp3hustke.com did a story on this
hmm...cant say anything
check that out and follow:
http://stuffcoolstuff.tumblr.com/
@stuffCoolStuff I dont take too kind for lame promotions. Spam!
price?
I think it won't get close to replace vinil.
@felipead To be fair vinyl is already being replaced by Traktor and Final Scratch etc. This thing however won't replace anything. Looks cool, though, maybe for a funky pub jukebox?
@sofaofthedamned
*Coughcoughseratoisbettercoughcough*
No but really though, you're right. Vinyl isn't very big anymore because you have touch sensitive CD and MIDI decks that can basically replicate the experience of using Vinyl without the need for milk crates.
@felipead
it said that you could plug a vinyl dj system into it
These things cost so much, Even after I mortgage my house & car, I'll have to mortgage my body parts also.
This is SHIT I would NEVER trade my turntables for some virtual fuckrey smh
@killasmitty Agreed in some sense... I've gone from vinyl to DN-S3500's back to vinyl to CDJs, and I have to say, the CDJs were the best. (For me anyway.) Multitouch DJs will never leave the bedroom.
@killasmitty
lol yeah, this seems more fitting for an iPad.. I use Serato and some basic turntables, so I'm a little more digital, but nothing ever replaces physical touch
@bohoy2k
Then all you need is some haptic feedback. Piezoelectrics aren't all that expensive relative to the overall cost of these systems.
I think this is a good direction for music manipulation in general, but give the people touch. Music is intuitive. Make the interface match.
@s2m0
My only problem with computer DJ's is they never seem to get the proper ear for it. Like I did with vinyl the hard way.
There's a reason that djs still use analog turntables: precision.
@Shalabi no. they do it because change is hard. but even so, most have moved to cd players by now, much more precice. personally, i moved to traktor / ableton live with midi controllers since a while and can never look back.
vinyl is awesome for the experience (really see and feel the music), but to dj, it's just cumbersome, inaccurate, and low quality.
the video is ridiculous anyways. haven't seen a dj having to take his own turntables and mixers with himself since.. ever? :)
@davepermen its obvious you have never DJed, or have never left the bedroom
@Shalabi
I thought vinyl was used because it sounds sooooooooooooooo much better. Of course you need good speakers to hear it on.
@Someguyperson I think you're confusing audiophiles (which basically believe in magic) and DJs who like vinyl because of the feel and precision that it offers.
See, at first I thought this was amazing.
Then after watching a bit I realised it was cool, but useless. Why? Because you can only change one parameter at a time - EQ, BPM, whatever. If you've ever twiddled knobs on a mixer you'll know that sometimes you'll want to do 2 things at once.
Therefore - cool, but useless.
@sofaofthedamned
I was thinking of this too. But still, its another concept that could eventually lead to an amazing result that combines all the strengths into one product and minimizes the weaknesses.
@sofaofthedamned Definitely cool but yes, it lacks the dexterity of individual knobs and, as Shalabi points out above, precision. I also wouldn't want to use one for more than about 15 minutes.
There seems to be a serious touch-screen fever lately and people are just DYING to put them in places they don't belong. Touch screens are great for two things: 1) applications where needs/controls change and 2) applications that are used only ocassionally. A mall/public kiosk is a perfect example. You're not locked into a set of hardware buttons or controls so when the needs change, the interface and controls can change along with it. Also, no single person is going to sit and use the kiosk for six hours a time. Typing on a phyiscal keyboard for hours at a time may not be a picnic but it beats the hell out of trying to do it on a touch screen.
I DJ by myself most of the time and my sets have to be between 4 and 5 hours long. I think I'd kill myself if I had to use that thing all night.
@franktronic BUT IT IS BRAND NEW TECHNOLOGY!!
(actually I agree 100% with what you said.)
hiphop is no rock
DJ'ing now went super digital! Now 1 more awesome reason to go to da club!!!
slow news day? This will never work guys way too complicated
we should use this in the Engadget Show
DJ table and Rock are two things that don't go well together.
@berbar Never heard of Z-Trip?
Some interesting UI concepts presented here, but there is no way that DJs would go for this. It sort of looks at computer based DJing and vinyl DJing and takes the worst of both worlds in some ways. I think that this could be significantly refined and turned into a useful product, however. I'd love to use VirtualDJ with a skin and interfaced optimized for multitouch in addition to a real mixer and hardware controllers, perhaps.
It's exciting to see this sort of stuff come out, but remember that most DJs have been reverting back to 30 year old turntables to control their MP3s (and no, I'm not exaggerating) with the advent of Serato and Traktor. (Although part of me thinks that this is a bit of a fad and will go away when MIDI controllers get really good and start being used by more ultra-famous pro DJs).
@Supacon I'm with you. I use CUE (just a repackaged VirtualDJ) and I can't wait till the day when something like an Allen & Heath XONE or a Torq controller are standard instead of a set of 1200's.
This guys got a lot of good ideas but I think a nice MIDI controller with real knobs is more likely to catch on than something like this.
@franktronic Yeah, especially when you consider that a MIDI controller can be built for a small fraction of the price of something like this. Granted, that could change due to economies of scale. If you had something like an iPad, producing millions of them could be cheaper per unit than producing a few thousand specialty DJ controllers.
@franktronic Midi controllers are already becoming the standard. Check out the XONE:DX. Ships with Serato Itch Software which works pretty well. I use a Vestax VCI-300, and it can do 90% of what Serato Scratch Live can do, the portability makes up for any lapse of feature that is missing.
nows a great time to be a fuckin dj. im signing up for this.
wow. this is the best setup I've seen. They've definitely given this some thought.
Oh, the white background will make the DJ blind. So, now he won't be able to interact with the crowd b/c of that.
They're not the only ones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVD_Lvv4UOI
Interesting from a technology point of view. Not sure if DJs would be up for it though. Also, as someone said, this has got to be expensive tech. Not sure clubs would be willing to throw that much money on something completely unproven.
BTW: "Top top things off, the system would...."
Assuming it should be "To top things off, ...."
Definitely some interesting ideas here. I'm not too sure about the way the pitch control or beat matching works. I don't trust a computer to get my Jungle tunes matched correctly (maybe it'll be ok for House music).
I'll probably stick with Serato or Mixvibes.
Oh yeah, and I agree with @Erdbeerkuchen, the white background would be a disaster in a club.
Spin Again!
Interesting concept, but w/o physical faders/EQ, not practical, IMO.
HOLD UP!!!!
Did that dj just complain about carrying gear to a show and setting up? Isn't that the point? What if actual musicians felt that way? guitars and drums on touch screens? OH POOR YOU.. having to CARRY RECORDS and all those cords and boxes... Dude, that is YOUR career, you chose it, you play other peoples music for enjoyment.. Now your job should be made easier? When you show up to a venue, we can all say, "damn that DJ MUST be good, he has his flash drive with him in his front shirt pocket"....
Screw it, lets just hire robots...eliminate your position altogether. I mean, i'm all for technology, but complaining about how gear is heavy, expensive and difficult to set up is just foolish.
What is it with all this touch-screen DJ bullshit? Sure, it'll be great for all the new comers with touch screen laptops and will probably replace a lot of the low end DJ equipment market, just as Virtual DJ has, but Serato and high end hardware isn't going to be replace by some shit like this, which has absolutely no tactile feedback, anytime soon.
It's not going to happen. Get over it. You already have the convenience of an entire music collection one one laptop with Serato and all the wonders of both a MIDI controller and a CD deck with Pioneer's CDJs. This will never have a place among professional DJs. Or at least not anytime soon.
This is by far the best dj concept I've seen. I donno what better words can describe how good this concept is!
Don't think this will catch on for a good couple of years until this generation of DJs are old wrinklies!
they have one of these at the santa monica hot topic
That a ridiculously complex series of hand/finger motions. I thought the other touch DJ set up was cooler. It gave the crowd something to look at and you didnt need an instruction guide to play a song.