The coming tide of Controllerism
The coming tide of Controllerism Posted on: 11.02.2012 by Sook Kitaoka Programs like Traktor Pro, Itch or Scratch Live, Torq and Virtual DJ are all great apps and they have all been pushing to become the "Best of the Best" in Digital DJing, which apparently means "offering a good product but also more bells and whistles than than the other guys" when it comes to music control (a.k.a. more than just two turntables and a microphone... which apparently, is "Where it's at"... thank you, Beck). If you've picked up a DJ program and a controller, you've probably heard about a really advanced controller or seen "sidecar hardware" that can do a bunch of neat things in addition to your standard controller needs (see "Where it's at" comment above). So yeah... Serato has formed a "Survivor-like" alliance with Ableton to make "the Bridge" but is it worth it? Could a person do just as well with a good controller and Maschine? How about the Red-Headed stepchild no one speaks about, Torq 2.0; it has a lot of what Bridge offers how does this rate? If you've been looking at hardware to control the software you too have probably been doing this and getting a headache trying to put the pieces together in your head (or even on paper). I happen to have a MacBook Pro and a Twitch playing on either Traktor or Itch. Sometimes I believe "Wow, I could buy another $500 worth of Hardware and get ready for Bridge (via Itch and that Lite version of Ableton Live that comes with the Launchpad or APC 40) or I could get a Maschine and go that route... or even get the Steinberg CMC piece-meal controllers to add on to what I have already ?" Can we get at least a hardware-with-software jamboree round-up of these attempts into crossing the divide between DJ and Producer, a place many might call "Controllerism Land?" | |
| Dorie Scelzo 17.02.2012 | Maybe, but honestly I doubt it. It's probably like Traktor (using a 32bit float internal representation) so that it's possible to make the channels clip, but it's really hard |
| Dorie Scelzo 17.02.2012 | Maybe, but honestly I doubt it. It's probably like Traktor (using a 32bit float internal representation) so that it's possible to make the channels clip, but it's really hard |
| Dorie Scelzo 17.02.2012 | Maybe, but honestly I doubt it. It's probably like Traktor (using a 32bit float internal representation) so that it's possible to make the channels clip, but it's really hard |
| Dorie Scelzo 17.02.2012 | Maybe, but honestly I doubt it. It's probably like Traktor (using a 32bit float internal representation) so that it's possible to make the channels clip, but it's really hard |
| Dorie Scelzo 17.02.2012 | Maybe, but honestly I doubt it. It's probably like Traktor (using a 32bit float internal representation) so that it's possible to make the channels clip, but it's really hard |
| Dorie Scelzo 17.02.2012 | Maybe, but honestly I doubt it. It's probably like Traktor (using a 32bit float internal representation) so that it's possible to make the channels clip, but it's really hard |
| Romelia Stankard 17.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by mostapha
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| Dorie Scelzo 16.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by DigitalTiger
Maschine doesn't do time-stretching yet (it's biggest fault), so anything that you can't split into individual hits only plays right at one tempo. It also takes longer to cut loops. And actually performing the same way would be weird. They're different tools, IMHO. One of them appeals to me much more than the other, mostly because I feel like I'd just use Live for everything if I were going to do the types of things that the new Sample Decks will be good at. But if I were going to perform like that, I'd also be using a bigger mixer and doing Live PA stuff with occasional tracks |
| Dorie Scelzo 16.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by oliosky
Basically |
| Johnetta Olewine 15.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by mostapha
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| Dorie Scelzo 15.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by oliosky
I want to play something, I throw it in iTunes, plug in my SL1, open SSL, and start playing |
| Dorie Scelzo 17.02.2012 | Maybe, but honestly I doubt it. It's probably like Traktor (using a 32bit float internal representation) so that it's possible to make the channels clip, but it's really hard |
| Romelia Stankard 17.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by mostapha
|
| Dorie Scelzo 16.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by DigitalTiger
Maschine doesn't do time-stretching yet (it's biggest fault), so anything that you can't split into individual hits only plays right at one tempo. It also takes longer to cut loops. And actually performing the same way would be weird. They're different tools, IMHO. One of them appeals to me much more than the other, mostly because I feel like I'd just use Live for everything if I were going to do the types of things that the new Sample Decks will be good at. But if I were going to perform like that, I'd also be using a bigger mixer and doing Live PA stuff with occasional tracks |
| Sook Kitaoka 16.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by scamo
I guess I'm asking for User ratings of how they like combining two (or more) software environments, what could be done better and how people feel their expanded kits satisfy their needs to what is already out there and alternatives to bridging two programs (like the upcoming version 2.5 of Traktor Pro coming in April). |
| Dorie Scelzo 16.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by oliosky
Basically |
| Monty Strauder 16.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by scamo
This is what people have to know and not "There is a laptop, this isn't a DJ". Controllerism is future! |
| Johnetta Olewine 15.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by mostapha
|
| Dorie Scelzo 15.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by oliosky
I want to play something, I throw it in iTunes, plug in my SL1, open SSL, and start playing |
| Janyce Henningson 15.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by scamo
Thought it was just me |
| Dorie Scelzo 17.02.2012 | Maybe, but honestly I doubt it. It's probably like Traktor (using a 32bit float internal representation) so that it's possible to make the channels clip, but it's really hard |
| Romelia Stankard 17.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by mostapha
|
| Dorie Scelzo 16.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by DigitalTiger
Maschine doesn't do time-stretching yet (it's biggest fault), so anything that you can't split into individual hits only plays right at one tempo. It also takes longer to cut loops. And actually performing the same way would be weird. They're different tools, IMHO. One of them appeals to me much more than the other, mostly because I feel like I'd just use Live for everything if I were going to do the types of things that the new Sample Decks will be good at. But if I were going to perform like that, I'd also be using a bigger mixer and doing Live PA stuff with occasional tracks |
| Sook Kitaoka 16.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by scamo
I guess I'm asking for User ratings of how they like combining two (or more) software environments, what could be done better and how people feel their expanded kits satisfy their needs to what is already out there and alternatives to bridging two programs (like the upcoming version 2.5 of Traktor Pro coming in April). |
| Romelia Stankard 16.02.2012 | To be fair you couldn't scratch hot cues 20 years ago. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlQuh-fsWE0 I would also like to point out this is the first video I have ever seen of a DJM-800 with levels in the green. |
| Dorie Scelzo 16.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by oliosky
Basically |
| Monty Strauder 16.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by scamo
This is what people have to know and not "There is a laptop, this isn't a DJ". Controllerism is future! |
| Rey Holubar 16.02.2012 | I disagree with the "what you hear from controllerism that is good these days you could do 20 years ago with turntables" statement. Yes, if a controllerist performance is good, you shouldn't hear anything but a good roll of music, just like you would from a record. However, what is done to put that mix or track together "on the fly" could never ever be done with two turntables. For instance, some of Ean's performances like the S2 NI demo video could never have been done with two turntables. Never ever. I could come up with a several more examples too. And those who believe controllerism isn't the future of DJing, is missing the bus completely IMHO, because as soon as the controllerist tools are mastered more and more by the manufacturers and the controllerist DJs themselves and their performances become more of a cool and different dance experience due to the really well "twisted" music, then the guys and gals with just their turntables and CDJs will be wondering why they didn't catch the controllerist bus. Controllerism is raising the level of the game. Just my 2 cents. scamo |
| Johnetta Olewine 15.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by mostapha
|
| Dorie Scelzo 15.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by oliosky
I want to play something, I throw it in iTunes, plug in my SL1, open SSL, and start playing |
| Janyce Henningson 15.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by scamo
Thought it was just me |
| Johnetta Olewine 15.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by mostapha
|
| Dorie Scelzo 15.02.2012 | I prefer Maschine to Ableton for what I want to do. But I could do it with an MPC. I maintain that I still haven't seen anything in controllerism land that I'd ever want to do or listen to except for things that could have been done 20 years ago with a pair of turntables and an MPC. |
| Cristian Carmona 15.02.2012 | i believe the 1st post was auto generated by a spam bot. |
| Rey Holubar 15.02.2012 | I don't get your question, to be honest. scamo |
| Sook Kitaoka 15.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by photojojo
Even so, I'm really eyeballing the Novation ReMOTE 25 SL MkII and the Launchpad to round out my Controller kit (for Bridge). Some reasons being that I like hardware up-faders for individual (loop) tracks and the ability to assign "ploops" and samples to the keyboard does interest me... the X-Y pad is just a nice bonus. I know the APC 40 has up-faders and a 5 x 8 row of buttons (which are smaller than the Launchpad's buttons) and it's less expensive, but it seems to be a good, solid choice. Another pressing question: Noting that Native Instruments Maschine is out, how will the F1 measure up? |
| Leeanna Ayla 12.02.2012 | Yeah I believe NI nailed it by giving you the bulk of what the bridge does without needing another piece of $500 software. |
| Rey Holubar 12.02.2012 | @DigitalTiger You seem to be concentrating on a "Producer/ DJ" type of performance. Have you missed what NI is bringing out with Traktor 2.5? I believe they are trying to get exactly that into one hat, uh.....ehem....software. scamo |
| Sook Kitaoka 11.02.2012 |
Originally Posted by Eizhauz
Most people don't get that there are 4 "Mode buttons" under each touch strip which acts like a "voice bank" for a MIDI Keyboard which effectively makes the 8 buttons below each "side" of the controller into 32 buttons per Deck, multiply that by 4 decks and you're looking at 128 different trigger buttons (albeit most are already pre-assigned, but you can re-assign buttons in modes you don't like). In Itch, you can grab a loop and pinch or expand it like you would with an iPhone, making the loop smaller or larger... I'm still trying to implement that mode in Traktor. I can tell you I am really enjoying the (Needle) Drop mode on the touch strip... it's even better than I remember Vinyl to be. I've reassigned the loop buttons to "PLOOP" (as per DJ Shiftee, whom I highly recommend) and I've reassigned to sample triggers on deck C and D. I've taken the Twitch to a couple clubs and made real-time mash-ups, glitch and "extended versions" of songs when I saw people really wanted more out of the song I was playing... and it's kinda' fun knowing I was the only one able to do that at the club (that evening ). I have nothing bad to say about the effects, they're all good, I just wish there was the option to use 4 at once per side (in Itch), the EQ is great and so is the Filter. Nothing wrong with the up-faders or cross-fader despite other people's claims that it felt loose or cheap. |
| Juliette Vensel 11.02.2012 | I am interested in The One software as well, that we still have not seen reviewed as of yet. Regarding your Twitch, it integrates like magic with Itch (correct?), but how do you rate it with TP2? I love the idea of the Twitch, so portable and seems really keen on fostering creativity. |
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