DJ controllers are devices used to help DJs mix music with DJ software using knobs, encoders, jog wheels, faders, backlit buttons, touch strips, and other components. [1]
DJ controllers are devices used to help DJs mix music with DJ software using knobs, encoders, jog wheels, faders, backlit buttons, touch strips, and other components. [1]
DJ controllers are microprocessor-based control surfaces used to provide easier and more precise control of the software than the computer keyboard and touchpad on a laptop, or the touchscreen on tablet computers and smartphones. [2] They do not mix audio signals like DJ mixers; rather, they send signals to a computer to tell the DJ software running on the computer how to mix audio. Many DJ controllers also have a built in sound card with 4 output channels (2 stereo pairs), which allows the DJ to preview music in headphones before playing it on the main output. Most DJ controllers use the standard MIDI or HID protocols to communicate with the computer via USB. [3]
Modern DJ controllers emulate two turntables/CDJs and a DJ mixer. However, DJ controllers are much cheaper than two turntables or CDJs plus a mixer. Indeed, the average price of a DJ controller is around $800. [4] Unlike turntables, controllers can take advantage of the flexibility of computer software, for example, by allowing the DJ to store multiple cue points with music files. Also, DJ software allows users to remap the components of controllers to perform different functions than the controller manufacturer intended. [3]
Some DJ controllers break from the conventional two jog wheels and a mixer layout and are designed to be easily mapped however the user wants. Some controllers are designed to be used either for live PA performances with software such as Ableton Live or with DJ software. A few DJ controllers, most notably the Novation Dicers, are designed to be used with timecode vinyl. Many of the DJ controllers that can be used with timecode vinyl can also be used as MIDI devices, or even as standalone devices. [5]
DJ controllers are usually designed to work with one or a few DJ software programs endorsed by the manufacturer. Most controllers use the standard MIDI or HID protocols, so other software can usually be made to work with them. However, it may take considerable effort to get a controller to work with software it was not designed for, and some controls may not make sense with other software. [6]
DJ controllers have gradually become as powerful as professional media players and mixers, including effects, LCD screens, and touch-sensitive performance pads. Modern DJ controllers usually include drum pads, fader tempo control, and may include motorized platters. With the exception of the classic look, feel, and operation of a vinyl turntable and mixer setup, DJ controllers are starting to be just as versatile and efficient for professional club DJs. [7]
Early examples of DJ controllers include the Hercules DJ Console released by Guillemot Corporation in 2004, which features a 6 channel soundcard with SPDIF and MIDI ports, traditional mixer-style faders, crossfader and EQs, jog wheels and CD DJ style button controls. In 2007 , Vestax produced a controller specifically designed for DJing, the VCI-100, that emulated two turntables and a DJ mixer setup and was built with quality components acceptable to DJs. [9] Many manufacturers saw the success of the VCI-100 and started selling their own similar devices. Unlike the original VCI-100, some of those devices had integrated sound cards.
In 2009, Pioneer DJ produced new models of their popular CDJ media players, the CDJ-2000 and CDJ-900, that could also be used as controllers to control DJ software via HID. [10] This way, CDJs can be used to control DJ software without playing a timecode signal into a sound card. Aside from their CDJ players, in 2011 Pioneer DJ has released their first two all-in-one DJ controllers - the DDJ-T1 and the DDJ-S1. Throughout the next decade up until today, Pioneer DJ has released over 40 different DJ controller models including fully standalone devices, making it one of the leading brands in the DJ equipment market [11] .
In 2010, Native Instruments released the Traktor Kontrol S4, which used high resolution jog wheels and a proprietary protocol rather than MIDI to achieve better performance of the jog wheels. [12] The Mk2 of the Kontrol S4, released in 2013, [13] uses standard HID signals rather than a proprietary protocol to communicate with the computer. [14]
Among other popular brands producing and distributing DJ controllers today are Numark DJ, Hercules DJ and Denon.
Beatmatching or pitch cue is a disc jockey technique of pitch shifting or timestretching an upcoming track to match its tempo to that of the currently playing track, and to adjust them such that the beats are synchronized—e.g. the kicks and snares in two house records hit at the same time when both records are played simultaneously. Beatmatching is a component of beatmixing which employs beatmatching combined with equalization, attention to phrasing and track selection in an attempt to make a single mix that flows together and has a good structure.
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs, club DJs, mobile DJs, and turntablists. Originally, the "disc" in "disc jockey" referred to shellac and later vinyl records, but nowadays DJ is used as an all-encompassing term to also describe persons who mix music from other recording media such as cassettes, CDs or digital audio files on a CDJ, controller, or even a laptop. DJs may adopt the title "DJ" in front of their real names, adopted pseudonyms, or stage names.
Scratching, sometimes referred to as scrubbing, is a DJ and turntablist technique of moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable to produce percussive or rhythmic sounds. A crossfader on a DJ mixer may be used to fade between two records simultaneously.
In the domain of digital audio, a control surface is a human interface device (HID) which allows the user to control a digital audio workstation or other digital audio application. Generally, a control surface will contain one or more controls that can be assigned to parameters in the software, allowing tactile control of the software. As digital audio software is complex and can play any number of functions in the audio chain, control surfaces can be used to control many aspects of music production, including virtual instruments, samplers, signal processors, mixers, DJ software, and music sequencers.
A MIDI controller is any hardware or software that generates and transmits Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) data to MIDI-enabled devices, typically to trigger sounds and control parameters of an electronic music performance. They most often use a musical keyboard to send data about the pitch of notes to play, although a MIDI controller may trigger lighting and other effects. A wind controller has a sensor that converts breath pressure to volume information and lip pressure to control pitch. Controllers for percussion and stringed instruments exist, as well as specialized and experimental devices. Some MIDI controllers are used in association with specific digital audio workstation software. The original MIDI specification has been extended to include a greater range of control features.
Traktor is DJ software developed by Native Instruments. It is also used as a sub-brand for Native Instruments' associated DJ hardware products.
Native Instruments is a German company that develops, manufactures, and supplies music software and hardware for music production, sound design, performance, and DJing. The company's corporate headquarters and main development facilities are located in Berlin, with additional offices in Los Angeles, Tokyo, London, Paris, and Shenzhen.
Final Scratch is a DJ tool created by the Dutch company N2IT with input from Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva that allows manipulation and playback of digital audio sources using traditional vinyl and turntables. It seeks to cross the divide between the versatility of digital audio and the tactile control of vinyl turntablism.
A DJ mixer is a type of audio mixing console used by disc jockeys (DJs) to control and manipulate multiple audio signals. Some DJs use the mixer to make seamless transitions from one song to another when they are playing records at a dance club. Hip hop DJs and turntablists use the DJ mixer to play record players like a musical instrument and create new sounds. DJs in the disco, house music, electronic dance music and other dance-oriented genres use the mixer to make smooth transitions between different sound recordings as they are playing. The sources are typically record turntables, compact cassettes, CDJs, or DJ software on a laptop. DJ mixers allow the DJ to use headphones to preview the next song before playing it to the audience. Most low- to mid-priced DJ mixers can only accommodate two turntables or CD players, but some mixers can accommodate up to four turntables or CD players. DJs and turntablists in hip hop music and nu metal use DJ mixers to create beats, loops and so-called scratching sound effects.
Vestax Corporation was a Japanese musical instrument, turntable and audio equipment firm founded by Hidesato Shiino in 1977. The company started by designing and manufacturing electronic guitars. In the 1980s, Vestax produced multitrack recorders and later moved to making DJ mixers, professional turntables, compact disc players and signal processors. Debt troubles led to the company's bankruptcy at the end of 2014.
Vinyl emulation allows a user to physically manipulate the playback of digital audio files on a computer using the turntables as an interface, thus preserving the hands-on control and feel of DJing with vinyl. This has the added advantage of using turntables to play back audio recordings not available in phonograph form. This method allows DJs to scratch, beatmatch, and perform other turntablism that would be impossible with a conventional keyboard-and-mouse computer interface or less tactile control devices.
Stanton Magnetics, doing business as Stanton, is a business unit of inMusic Brands that designs and markets turntables, cartridges, DJ mixers, DJ media players, and DJ controllers.
A CDJ is a specialized digital music player for DJing. Originally designed to play music from compact discs, many CDJs can play digital music files stored on USB flash drives or SD cards. In typical use, at least two CDJs are plugged into a DJ mixer. CDJs have jog wheels and pitch faders that allow manipulation of the digital music similar to a vinyl record on a DJ turntable. Many have additional features such as loops and beat analysis that are not present on turntables. Additionally, some can function as DJ controllers to control the playback of digital files in DJ software running on a laptop instead of playing the files on the CDJ.
Mixxx is free and open-source software for DJing. It is cross-platform and supports most common music file formats. Mixxx can be controlled with MIDI and HID controllers and timecode vinyl records in addition to computer keyboards and mice.
Deckadance is a DJ console and mixing tool developed by Image-Line software and acquired in 2015 by Gibson. Initially released in May 2007, it operates on Windows and Mac OS X, and comes in a House Edition and Club Edition. The latter has support for timecoded vinyl.
xwax is an open-source vinyl emulation software. It was initially developed in 2006 as proprietary software. In May 2007 xwax was licensed under the GPL-2.0-only, making it the first open source software of this kind.
Controllerism is the art and practice of using musical software controllers, e.g. MIDI, Open Sound Control (OSC), joystick, etc., to build upon, mix, scratch, remix, effect, modify, or otherwise create music, usually by a Digital DJ or Live PA performer, often called a controllerist. Controllerism is also a nod to traditional musicianship and instrumental-ism paired with modern computer sequencing software such as Ableton Live and Native Instruments Traktor. However a working knowledge of scales and chords is not necessarily required as the performers typically focus their efforts more on sequencing events, software effect and instrument manipulations using buttons, knobs, faders, keys, foot switches and pedals than on instrumental notes played in real time. With recent developments in music technology, particularly in software instruments, a USB MIDI controller enables musicians almost unlimited possibilities to control a wide variety of sound types.
Cross/CrossDJ is a digital vinyl and DJ mixing software developed by the French company Mixvibes. This software provides DJs with a digital platform with which they can mix and perform their music. Since its release in 2008, it has become Mixvibes primary focus.
Maschine is a hardware/software digital audio workstation developed by Native Instruments. Maschine consists of a controller that connects to the included sequencing software, which can be installed on any compatible computer or laptop.
VirtualDJ (VDJ) is audio and video mixing software for Microsoft Windows and macOS, developed by Atomix Productions.
