Being able to control a device (music related or not) using gestures and natural hand movements is something that is already integrated into our living rooms.  The Nintendo Wii is a prime example of using gravity and accelerometers to simulate the swing of a bat using an object the size of a pepper grinder.  Although this seems revolutionary, and it is to some extent, the idea of using a wireless gesture of the hand has been explored before.  The Etherwave theremin was a neat device created for such a purpose.  Using the disruption of a magnetic field an operator could essential create music and control the pitch and tone of a note – and this was build over 40 years ago. [embed width="656"]http://youtu.be/3OxvV7qxDVQ[/embed] New apps for are beginning to capitalize on this idea, using it as a way to compose music with much more freedom than a mouse or keyboard can offer.  The need for a percussive action such as striking a MIDI pad is completely removed and the gestures of the human hand are physically sensed in the air.  Sound Wand performs exactly as the name suggests, allowing you to physically compose notes by waving a wand around the air.  You might look a little crazy to bystanders but little do they know what you’re actually capable of. http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2013/01/01/free-app-sound-wand-midi-turns-movements-into-music/

Keith McMillen’s QuNeo has not been forgotten about.  His kickstarter campaign to fund the project not only allowed this controller to be created according to the general public’s want, it also showed the gear community that items could be created from the bottom, up – rather than just the top down.  Aside from manufacturing difficulties that come with any sort of production, it proved that public demand could actually create a product, instead of it being forced upon us by well known brand names.  McMillen has many other projects besides MIDI controllers to worry about, but he hasn’t stopped trying to innovate new ways to give controllers a more “human” touch. [embed width="656"]http://youtu.be/ikB4MocFReE[/embed] His QuNexus was his following project which attempted to push innovation on the technological side, rather than just the design side, but it also gave us a clue into the mind of McMillen and how he tackles the issue of MIDI controllers.  At NAMM 2013 he brought back his old buddy, the QuNeo, but this time he added a new feature that might make potential buyers jump at the offer: wireless connectivity.  Following the trend of many other manufacturers, his QuNeo is now freed from the typical USB cable needed to connect it to the computer. http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2013/01/quneo-rogue-talkthrough/  

Wireless devices are becoming a reality for folk who enjoy technology and audio devices.  This isn’t limited to DJ controllers either, the idea of using wireless signals to transmit audio has been around since the first FM transmitters were attached to portable CD players.  The trouble, however, has always boiled down to consistency problems and latency issues.  Take the FM transmitter that is used in your car, for example.  If you need to play songs off of your iPod without wires, it is a decent tool – but you already know that this audio will suffer from quality problems as well as clean signal issues. For those who use their WiFi router to send audio around the house, the issue of quality as gotten slightly better, but it has not disappeared.  When a DJ needs to use wireless commands to control a DVS or another type of action, the tiny bit of lag between the device and the computer adds up to a lot.  It is not idea for the DJ who needs to be precise with their timing and mixing.  Using a wireless DJ controller seems like a good way to rid yourself of wires – but it comes at the cost of latency. http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2013/02/your-questions-how-can-i-use-my-dj-controller-wirelessly/  

It is odd that wireless MIDI controllers and USB decks are getting all the attention when it is Bluetooth that is doing the heavy lifting here.  Anyone who plays out or gigs out knows that their home setup is not the same as their road setup.  They would very much like it to be the same, but that is not possible.  We aren’t going to haul or desktop computer to a gig if we don’t have to, and we aren’t going to bet on the wifi signal at the club to band-aid our performances with the internet is needed in a pinch.  Touch OSC and other cool wifi innovations are great at home – but if we can’t depend on them on the road, what are we left with? Bluetooth is great, not because it allows two devices to connect without a middle man, it is great because it is easy to use.  That is the key here.  In the early days of wireless routers, even intermediate level users had a hard time understanding why their computer or laptop would not connect to the internet, so routers were made easier to use.  Bluetooth enabled speakers are a giant step towards making wireless audio painless. http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/divoom-bluetune-solo-portable-bluetooth

Some would say that vinyl music has never died, and it hasn’t.  It has become less popular as the main type of media for listening to music, but it has also had its small comeback and resurgence as an alternative means of music media.  The turntable has a place in the hearts of many, and for producers the turntables is one of the only means of sampling some seriously old and outdated music.  What about compact discs?  Did we just forget they existed?  I would bet that there are just as many CD DJs as there are vinylists out there.  The difference between them is the amount of media that they own.  For the same vinyl DJ who owns a thousand records, there is a CDJ who owns many times that amount. After all, a CD can be made at home, so there is naturally going to be more of them left in circulation.  Although CDs are digital forms of media, it doesn’t make it any simpler to convert them back into mp3s.  This is a logistical problem that controller companies have been trying to mitigate.  Instead of ignoring the CDs, why not incorporate them into newer controllers, so at least they have the option to be used? http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2013/05/pioneer-xdj-r1-all-in-one-dj-controller-remotebox-ios-app-launched/

Manufacturers have different ideas on what a good sales strategy is, specifically when it comes to designing the instruments.  The simple approach is not as common as we would like, and in terms of simple the most basic instrument you can get these days is a turntable.  But even the turntable has implements for MIDI control as well as all sorts of pitch locking and key locking features.  MIDI controllers are a better example of the different styles and strategies that are built into controllers.  Some, like the Behringer line of modular controllers, take a simple approach to making customized controllers for any setting.  They each come in the same form factor but with a different button layout. [embed width="656"]http://youtu.be/CYpgXJZVCIU[/embed] Moving beyond button based controller, MIDI decks are even more sophisticated with capacitive features and easy integration with a tablet.  Newer models also have slots for USB sticks and even the outdated compact disc.  On the top layer of all of this comes cloud connectivity – which Pioneer is working hard on.  In its final form, the ultimate controller will have almost any kind of connectivity, iPad support, as well as a way for it to communicate wirelessly with music hosts and other compatible equipment. http://www.residentadvisor.net/news.aspx?id=19989

DJs have to sort through and organize their cables and wires; there is no question about that.  The idea of avoiding wires completely in a setup is just as foreign as not having to plug your mixer into a wall.  Even if we had wireless audio, wireless power, and devices that communicated with each other, it would not be that simple.  There would still need to be transmitters and receivers attached to each other and there would most certainly need to be protocols that were able to manage the many different devices.  Wireless audio is sort of a scary idea for a DJ, since between the receiver and transmitter; there is a lot that can go wrong. Just running the microwave and using your home phone can be a problem when interference is introduced. Now, imagine trying to transmit data from your tablet to your mixer.  You can easily see where problems might occur.  This is not stopping manufactures from trying out their ideas and Pioneer is of course working their hardest to make it a reality.  Wireless MIDI controllers already exist, but not without the help of programming tools and communication devices like OSCUlator.  If this were achieved without such programs, it might be a hit. http://www.djbooth.net/index/dj-equipment/entry/video-pioneer-xdj-r1-tutorial-series

Here is an amazing idea that has been thought of before, but was never possible until now.  Imagine that you have your regular DVS system in front of you.  For most of is it will consist of a laptop, a controller of some sort, a mixer, and even a few turntables if you still use digital vinyl.  When we get deeper into the system we realize that most of what we need to do is controlled by hand movements on your controller or key inputs into your computer.  No matter how much of the system we try to automate by using hand gestures – it still does not eliminate the fact that we need to use keyboard to type in information. Imagine if we could just look at a song with our eyes and the computer would know to select it.  Imagine if our facial gestures like an eyebrow moving up and down could scroll this list of songs up and down for our choosing.  This still sounds like science fiction to me – but one day this will be possible and it will also be considered normal.  When this finally happens, we can completely eliminate the need for a standard keyboard. http://www.loudat.com/pioneer-native-instruments-gesture-controlled-dj-system