#ipad dj

new song!!!! i made it on my iphone usin Korg Gadget 3. its in the chillhop/house genre

We were recently pleasantly surprised to hear that Numark got the go-ahead to produce the iDJ Pro, which was on display at the latest NAMM convention.  For those who haven’t heard, the iDJ pro was remarkable for its complete integration of iPad and controller into a single unit – meaning no more need to mount a vertical screen somewhere in your setup.  Digitaldjtips.com has now had their chance to give you the low down on what they think of the unit. Aside from the obvious implementation of the iPad into the controller itself, Numark has made some changes to their controller “philosophy” by adding such features as the ability to download firmware updates directly through the iPad, and they have even thought ahead to find ways to incorporate newer iPad editions like the iPad mini. http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2012/09/review-video-numark-idj-pro-2

I’m almost convinced that I could purchase an iPad and readily be able to DJ with it – almost.  There are still many factors that seem to convince me otherwise.  For one, I actually like having a big bulky laptop to run programs off of.  I feel secure knowing that I have a rather large battery as well as a multitude of ports to plug whatever it is I need, into my computer.  I like that fact that I can fold down the screen and easily adjust the viewing angle – and the best of all is that it is design to sit there without needing something to prop it up.  Users of the iPad may disagree with everything I’m saying there.  They may like its light weight and the ability to lay it flat or hold it in one hand – but when it comes time to start plugging things into it they have to actually tweak it or buy accessories that allow that to happen. Given these constraints, the guys from Numark and other companies have been working around these issues and finding ways to better incorporate the iPad into the DJing system.  So far, the iDJ Pro seems to have done the best job of it. http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2013/02/news-roundup-for-ipad-iphone-ipod-touch-djs/  

The iPad that was once only seen as a toy for those who were away from their desktops and laptops, is quickly becoming an actual replacement for both – even with its limitations like the inability to store large files or the lack of input connections on the device.  And now that NI has released their version of Traktor for the iPad, you can expect that other developers will be taking the idea of iPad based DJing seriously.  Although the iPad fits neatly in your hands or at your desk, there is still the issue of having access to music.  The internal storage on the iPad is rather pitiful when compared to the storage provided on a flash drive. Of course, there is no way to plug in a flash drive directly – so there needs to be another way. Cloud storage may be the simple, yet complicated answer to this problem.  Creating remote access to a library of music means that the DJ doesn’t actually need to physically own (in his possession), the music that is needed to DJ with for the night.  This idea is not without its limitations, since offline access to music is still impossible with this method, but it is a protocol that can be worked on and perfected. http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2013/02/dj-player-to-bring-deezer-support/  

If you want to try your hand at creating a viable iPad app, then you’re going to have a long hard road ahead of you.  It begins with an idea; what it is exactly that you want to accomplish.  The next step is to really take a look at your resources and seeing if it is worth your time.  Creating an app that is needed and utilitarian is everyone’s goal, but such apps have already been explored by big name developers and teams of programmers who are getting paid to code.  Creating an app on your own could take countless hours, maybe even years. This is why a lone developer will struggle trying to make a popular synthesizer app when there are hundred to choose from.  On the other hand, a lone developer might have an easier time making an eccentric app that hasn’t been thought of before.  There won’t be a huge market for it (if any), but you can be assured that few competitors will be vying for the buyers’ attention.  Whichever road is chosen, there are difficulties and problems that will occur down the line, and even the best app makers find themselves working through bugs and glitches.   http://www.musicradar.com/news/dj/iphone-ipad-ios-music-making-app-round-up-week-82-574768/3

I would venture to say that female DJs, even skilled ones, have a harder time being accepted alongside their male counterparts.  Of course sexism is alive and kicking, but it works both ways.  A club would hire a beautiful female DJ over a talented male DJ, simply because of the novelty factor of having a female in a traditionally male role.  But this works both ways.  That same female DJ will have to fight off the exact same sexist labeling in order to prove that she is also a DJ of merit.  So in this case, nobody wins.  As a male DJ, I believe there are many of us who are bitter that imagery can trump skill in many cases. The trouble is that all it takes are a few bad seeds and a few misplaced comments to cause hell within the community.  The DJ community is already plagued with a bad reputation of what DJs actually really are, and this is of course market or commercially driven.  I believe the much needed change of culture begins from the inside, by DJs who are willing to accept that life simply isn’t fair for them.  Once they become more accepting of the circumstances they can begin to change them. http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/06/ipad-dj-rana-june-one-year-100-performances-later/

I’m fairly certain that adding an iPad to your life won’t drastically change your living conditions.  By all means, it is still a discretionary purchase, and a costly one at that.  The ones who get the most out these computers are the ones who take time to embrace the new technology and implement it into their daily lives.  It is not as easy as it looks, especially for a digital musician since; everything that can be uploaded to the iPad is essentially just a toy.  Powerful apps give you options and ability to do more with what little you have – but it is the user’s ability to tweak these apps that make them usable in a music production setting. One of the most basic problems with iPad has not been corrected since their birth.  They have a single headphone out jack and there is no possible way to split cue that audio signal without using aftermarket hardware.  Even when you do find a way to have two audio outs, you’ll need a program that can take advantage of the new hardware configuration.  So there you have it.  There is much that can be done with a tablet for musicians, but there is also much that needs to be learned.  http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/subscribe-dish-ipad

Tablets and mobile computers have a good spot right now in computer industry.  Most desktop computers aren’t replaced every year and are upgradable, so sales in this market have slowly tapered off.  Meanwhile, the market for mobile devices and tablets has been rising without stop.  What’s even better is that consumers aren’t stuck with purchasing only the high prices iPad or Windows Surface, there are many other lower level options that run the same basic operating system.  This allows everyone to get a piece of the pie and a decent tablet can be had for less than the price of a laptop (which isn’t too expensive either these days). The next generation of computers will represent a hybrid of multiple technologies, and I dare say that DJs played a part in their development.  DVS is one of the driving forces behind better touch screen technology.  Something that relies so much on precisely timed movements is a great candidate for new touch screen technologies.  Computer companies are also wise to cater to the DJ crowd who will actually make use of a hybrid computer, rather than using it passively to look at picture or books.  Acer has taken the plunge into clever artist ad placement.  It might just work. http://www.musicradar.com/news/dj/acer-adds-exclusive-tisto-content-on-to-all-windows-8-touch-products-575893