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Harmonix’s next music-making game puts your DJ skills to the test
Harmonix, the developer behind Rock Band and Dance Central, is back with a new music-making game: Fuser. Players will become music festival DJs, mixing vocals, bass lines, beats and riffs from artists like Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, 50 Cent, The Chainsmokers and Imagine Dragons. They'll earn points for timing and crowd feedback, and they'll be able to share their mixes with friends.
Numark's DJ2GO2 Touch is made for aspiring DJs
Numark's controllers are ubiquitous in the world of professional DJing, and the company is hoping to get more amateurs in on the action with its DJ2GO2 Touch. The device easily fits in a backpack alongside a laptop, but it still packs cueing, looping, sampling and scratching functions. The Touch is an upgrade from 2017's DJ2GO2, with the biggest update being its capacitive jog wheels. These are the same type of touch sensitive wheels that are found on most professional DJ units, but in a much smaller package.
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Serato's DJ software is ready for macOS Catalina
One downside about using your Mac to DJ is that every system update carries some risk of incompatibility or error, and the recent change to Catalina was more drastic than others. That's because Apple forcibly ejected iTunes in favor of splitting duties between more iOS-like Music, Podcasts and TV apps. While most people could move on with a few adjustments, DJ software that linked to iTunes for indexing and creating playlists of music needed an update to deal with the new system. Now Serato has announced that DJ Pro 2.3 and DJ Lite 1.3 are compatible with macOS Catalina, ready to load their libraries automatically from the new Music app. Separately, the company said that its Studio 1.3.1 software is also supported on the new OS,but Serato Sample and Pitch 'n Time Pro and LE are "actively being worked on."
Pioneer's DDJ-XP2 brings 16 pads per deck to Serato DJ Pro
A couple of years ago, Pioneer released the DJ DDJ-XP1, a controller full of touchpads and slide controls that DJs could use along with other equipment when they wanted to focus on live remixing and loop-based performances. While it improved on its predecessor, the DDJ-SP1 with more controls and modern features, a major limitation is that it only came out of the box programmed to work with Rekordbox software.
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How female characters in FIFA led to a diversity movement at EA Dean Takahashi, VentureBeat Discussions on diversity and equal pay have taken over in the week following the 2019 Women's World Cup, especially in the US. EA game designer Katie Scott explains how her work on FIFA's "The Journey" story mode lead to improving representation of female characters -- work that eventually kickstarted company-wide change.
McCormick's concept grill plays music based on what you're cooking
As someone who won't turn down an invite to a barbecue, the one thing missing in my life is a grill. That's the part about living in New York City that saddens me. So, when McCormick invited me to check out its new concept grill, the SUMR HITS 5000, you know I couldn't say no. Much to my disappointment, because the event was indoors, there wasn't any actual grilling involved. Still, it was a good opportunity to see the SUMR HITS 5000 in person, which features a built-in DJ station that can play music based on what you're cooking. The grill uses a mix of capacitive touch sensors, computer vision and machine learning to do this, and McCormick says it custom developed the hardware and software to show how to "combine the fun of music and act of grilling together."
Spotify might let users build and listen to playlists together
Spotify appears to be working on a "Social Listening" feature that will let multiple users control a playlist from separate devices. They'll also be able to listen to the same songs in real-time. The company hasn't announced the added capability yet, but researcher Jane Manchun Wong spotted a prototype and shared images on Twitter -- where she's previously leaked other updates. The group DJ feature could work like Dubtrack.fm and the former Turntable.fm. It will likely allow users to listen to the same songs while they're apart or collaborate on a playlist when they're together.
Beatport's streaming service for DJs sends music directly to decks
DJs are used to lugging their music around on vinyl and less back-breaking external drives, but they soon might not need to bring much of anything for their next gig. Beatport recently introduced its $15 per month Link service that streams tracks directly to DJ hardware and software, including Pioneer's entry-level WeDJ app and now Denon's Prime Series decks. So long as there's an internet connection, you can play Beatport's newest releases without hooking up your laptop or some form of storage. And if there's no reliable broadband at the festival, don't panic: You can store 50-100 tracks offline with the Pro and Pro+ versions, including directly on Denon's gear.
NYC's hip-hop museum will include iPad graffiti and a VR theater
Hip-hop and rap were not only instrumental in defining modern music, but in defining the technology behind that music. It's only fitting, then, that a major museum dedicated to the genres will be shaped by tech. New York City has confirmed that the Universal Hip-Hop Museum will start construction in the Bronx at 65 East 149th Street in winter 2019, and tech-driven exhibits will play a central role. The creators (including rap legend Kurtis Blow) plan on a virtual graffiti station that translates iPad drawings to an external building projector, holograms and a VR theater to "put you at the center of the show."
Akai Force is for DJs and producers that want to ditch the laptop
Akai made its name around the early 90s thanks to its line of relatively affordable S-series samplers and the (now legendary) MPC. Since then, the company has continued to release new spins on those mainstays, the latest of which is the all-in-one Force workstation.
Serato adds SoundCloud, Tidal and more to your DJ toolbox
Serato DJ's latest Pro 2.1 and Lite 1.1 software updates have been in public beta for a couple of months, but today those final versions go live. Included with these updates are the addition of SoundCloud and Tidal streaming services right from your library, which is a big step forward for expanding your repertoire on-the-fly. The Serato Play expansion pack ($39) is also now an option, which provides controller-like tools on your keyboard, four decks, a row of filter knobs and headphone splitter capability, so you can finally do proper sets without connected hardware (if you really need to).
Roland's latest iOS app syncs music with video clips
If you're a dance music fan, you know that the videos of DJ gigs are sometimes as important as the performances themselves. They capture the electricity of the set and might just convince you to attend the next show. But how is an up-and-coming DJ supposed to stand out? Roland might help. It's launching a Beat Sync Maker app for iOS that links scene changes and visual effects to the beat. You don't need a computer-based editor and the expertise that goes with it -- you just need to have a feel for the timing and effect intensity you're looking for. You can also introduce another video from your camera roll if one isn't enough.
Native Instruments’ latest performance controllers do beats on a budget
If you're into digital DJing or music production, you'll be very familiar with Native Instruments. For disc jockeys, Traktor (software) in combination with the Kontrol S series of hardware is about as comprehensive as it gets. For tunesmiths, it's Maschine (production/performance) and Komplete (studio) -- both also a watertight combination of hardware and software, for whatever your preferred style of songwriting is.
Idris Elba's Netflix show is 'Charles in Charge' with turntables
Netflix just scored a comedy coup. The service has unveiled Turn Up Charlie, a comedy series starring and partly executive produced by Idris Elba. The half-hour show has Elba playing a "struggling" single DJ (fitting given his extensive DJ background) who gets another chance when he becomes the caretaker for a famous friend's rebellious daughter. Basically, it's Charles in Charge with mixing and scratching. There's no release date yet, but production on the first eight-episode season starts in May.
Pioneer’s latest DJ controller adds push-button ‘scratching’
With the advent of more powerful software and controllers, modern DJs really don't need to learn as much about spinning tracks as they used to. Now beginners are treated to automated cues, loops and beat matching software that take some of the art out of DJing. The latest bit of automation comes from Pioneer and its $249 DDJ-SB3 DJ controller. The unit adds a Pad Scratch feature that gives aspiring club monsters the ability to imitate eight different scratch techniques that were recorded by DJ Jazzy Jeff. Whatever track you're playing, the scratch will automatically match up with the right tempo with a simple tap on a performance pad.
Apple Music adds exclusive DJ mixes from Steve Aoki and more
Spotify and Apple Music partnered up with Dubset, a rights-management and distribution platform for DJs and remixers, a couple of years ago. Sony Music and independent record company Merlin also partnered with the company to make sure samples in remixed songs are monetized, as well. Dubset's MixBANK system makes sure both artists being sampled and those creating mixes get the royalties they deserve. Now, the company is bringing hundreds of DJ mixes to Apple Music, with three exclusive DJ sets from Steve Aoki, Sigala and DJ Suss One.
Pioneer's new iOS app can power your next DJ livestream
Pioneer's DJ mix recording app is now available for your iPhone and iPad. Cleverly named DJM-REC, the free-to-download app connects to any mixer with a USB send/return channel to record, archive and even livestream your mixes. The app gives you a 30-day trial, after which you'll need to purchase the full app for $10.
A robot arm is Prague's latest star DJ
Never mind the debate over whether digital or vinyl is better for DJs -- the real question is whether or not a human should be there in the first place. Prague's Karlovy Lazne club has started employing an automotive robot arm as one of its DJs after its management challenged a robotics company to make it happen. The bot uses custom software to pick songs, and grabs CDs with its pincers to queue up tracks. It can dance and even scratch records. That'd make it more involved in the mix than some DJs we've seen.
Algoriddim's djay Pro 2 adds AI for DJ cruise control
Algoriddim has been improving its DJ software consistently over the past few years for both mobile and desktop, with its most recent foray breaking ground on Microsoft's turf. Today, the company announced another step forward with an update to its Mac desktop app called djay Pro 2 (macOS 10.11 or higher). This is still a high-functioning hybrid with both music and video mixing capabilities, but new features along with various tweaks to the look and feel are welcome changes. The standout feature here is Automix AI, which leverages machine learning as part of its improved functionality. It may seem like a slight against practiced human ability, but as long as you're not trying to Paris Hilton your way through gigs, it's actually quite useful. You can let this feature take the reigns both selecting and blending tracks at small gatherings or house parties, while still being able to jump in for some mixes and giving it a nudge in the right musical direction.