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Nile Rodgers working with David Guetta and Avicii

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:39:00 GMT

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Following his hugely successful collaboration with Daft Punk, disco legend Nile Rodgers has revealed that he's also been working with David Guetta and Avicii.

"Last night I was working with David Guetta writing a song," the Chic guitarist told The Official Charts Company. "It was unbelievable, we went until two in the morning, and Arthur Baker and Taylor Dayne popped by - it felt like it was if we were back in the 80s."

Of his hook-up with yet another electronic music artist Rodgers said: "I've been working with a super talented writer and producer Avicii. This guy is such a genius writer. We've already written three or four songs together and can't get enough of each other."

Discussing the phenomenal success of Get Lucky, which followed a battle with cancer, the guitarist revealed: "Maybe this could feel more special than any other Number 1 record simply because of that. I was facing life and death issues and then to get something so rewarding as a Number 1 record is pretty amazing."

Rodgers also confirmed that he's recently unearthed a collection of 'lost' recordings and that he has plans to release them.

"I basically call it 'the lost Chic album', even though it's really a Nile Rodgers record. Bernard Edwards, Tony Thompson, Alfa and Luci singing on it. They're just demos, but they're amazing. So now I get to jam with my best friends and I think that I'm going to complete these songs. They sound really good to me, after being tucked away in a vault for 35 years. I restored the tapes and they sound absolutely brilliant."

Could Nile Rodgers be set to define the sound of dance music all over again? We wouldn't put it past him.

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Madeon: "FL Studio is the most fantastic piece of software in the world!"

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:45:00 GMT

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French electro house prodigy Madeon has been discussing his love of FL Studio, telling Computer Music magazine that the DAW is "the most fantastic piece of software in the world!".

The producer, who's currently working on his debut album and has also collaborated with Lady Gaga, is evangelical about Image-Line's DAW, telling CM: "The FL synths - things like Harmless and Harmor - are as good as anything else in themarketplace. The audio editing power is mind-bogglingly brilliant. I'm not a fan of Windows computers, but I use them because of FL Studio.

"I'm not sure why it isn't recognised in the same way as Cubase or Logic, but I don't mind because it's become this secret weapon that only a few people know about."

Discussing his relationship with Image-Line, Madeon says: "One of the songs I've been working on for the album needed 150 tracks of music, so I rang FL up and said, 'Guys, I need more tracks, please.'"

Check out issue 192 of Computer Music magazine for the full interview, in which Madeon discusses his studio setup, influences, working methods, favourite plugins, that Pop Culture mash-up and - yes - Lady Gaga.

FL Studio was voted the best DAW in the world today by MusicRadar users in 2012 and FL Studio 11 has just been released.

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How should you perform your electronic music live?

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:23:00 GMT

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In 2012, DJ/producer Deadmau5 provoked a considerable amount of debate in the electronic music world when he penned a Tumblr post entitled We all hit play.

The thrust of his argument was that most 'live' electronic dance music performances amount to doing little more than that, and the idea that artists are producing tracks on the fly while they're on stage is fanciful.

"I think given about one hour of instruction, anyone with minimal knowledge of Ableton and music tech in general could DO what I'm doing at a deadmau5 concert," he wrote, the implication being that, well, it doesn't take an enormous amount of skill.

"It's certainly true that electronic music and live performances have never been the easiest of bedfellows."

It's certainly true that electronic music and live performances have never been the easiest of bedfellows; it's just not possible to recreate every element of a highly finessed production when you're in performance mode.

But is taking a laptop on stage and hitting play really your only option? We'd argue that it isn't.

Let's first consider the art of DJing, which itself is now a pretty broad church. At one end of the aisle you have the vinyl-based scratch DJs, but if you're looking to play some of your own productions 'out' in a manner that could be considered in any way creative, the chances are that you're going to use some sort of computer.

Lust for live

Once you've got that computer, a significant number of options present themselves to you. Let's consider Native Instruments' Traktor - arguably the most popular DJing software currently on the market - which, these days, enables you to do far more than simply mix one record into another and then sprinkle a few effects over the top.

Not only does it give you four decks to work with (as opposed to the more traditional pair), but it now includes Remix Decks, which are specifically designed for live remixing and rearranging of tracks.

The basic idea is that each of the 64 slots in a deck can hold either a loop or a one-shot sample imported from your hard drive or captured from your DJ set. Thus, the concept of a linear DJ set (in which one record simply follows on from the previous one) is consigned to the past, and the line between DJing and production software becomes ever-more blurred.

Predictably enough, NI isn't the only company experimenting with technology like this. Image-Line recently released Deckadance 2, which also does some rather clever things with sampling and effects processing, and supports 4-deck operation as well.

If you want to take your existing productions out on the road to do something different with them, advanced 'DJing' apps such as these are definitely worth investigating. What's more, you'd be advised to acquire a decent multi-output audio interface as well - you don't want the crowd to hear what you're cueing up in your headphones, after all.

Taking control

An audio interface isn't the only piece of additional hardware you're likely to consider, either: for the performing electronic musician, some kind of MIDI controller is pretty much essential.

To return to Traktor for a moment, you may have noticed that Native Instruments sells a total of five controllers that are designed specifically for use with the software - itself an indicator that it can be put to work in a variety of different ways - and that's before you even consider the juggernaut that is NI's Maschine.

Maschine, like so many of today's controllers, is based on a grid of pads. It's rare to see an EDM artist performing without at least one controller of this format - the likes of Skrillex, Flying Lotus and, yes, even the aforementioned Deadmau5, have all been spotted with pad controllers in the field. And it's hardly surprising - they're perfect for launching samples, clips and the like, particularly if you're using Ableton Live.

"It's rare to see an EDM artist performing without at least one pad controller."

Ableton Live, of course, is the very definition of a performance-friendly music production application. Indeed, many users actually 'perform' their tracks when they're arranging and jamming ideas - such is the ease with which it lets you work with and capture ideas rather than laying them out on a timeline.

However, it seems that Ableton is now adding another string to the software's bow with the new Push hardware controller.

On the surface, Push looks similar to many other pad-based devices on the market, but Ableton is actually pitching it as something rather different: a compositional platform that you can 'play' as an alternative to a traditional MIDI controller keyboard. So, you can use it to knock out melodies, chord progressions and more.

This means that it could certainly offer something a little different to the performing computer musician - you only need to head to YouTube to see that Push is already attracting its own particular brand of virtuoso.

Don't press play: play

Of course, many of us don't need Push as a keyboard alternative - we're perfectly happy with our existing black and white notes and will happily perform either alone or in a group using a laptop to generate the sounds. But even in this area there's scope for innovation: the new, ultra-expensive ROLI Seaboard is a squidgy silicon keyboard that enables you to control the pitch, volume and timbre of each note as you play it, while Eigenlabs' space-age-looking Eigenharp is designed for similarly expressive playing.

"Certain controllers position the computer-based live setup as a next-gen instrument that offers a different experience to anything else."

These controllers and others position the computer-based live setup not simply as something that can be used to recreate what's been made in the studio, but as a next-gen instrument that offers a different experience to anything else.

Finally, in this day and age it would be remiss of us not to mention the iPad, which, because of its touch screen, is practically a one-stop performance tool in itself. And with technology such as Korg's WIST, which enables you to sync the playback of supported apps on two iOS devices, it becomes an interesting option if you want to collaborate 'live' with a mate.

The options for anyone who wants to become a performing computer musician, then, are many and varied. Consider all of the technology available and how you might make it work for you. More than anything, we'd advise that if all you're currently doing is hitting play, there's plenty of scope for doing a little more than that.

This article originally appeared in issue 190 of Computer Music magazine.

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MusicRadar Deals Of The Week

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:30:00 GMT

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Killer bargains from our recommended retailers. Check out this week's deals.

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Video interview: Backstage with Sander van Doorn at Magnetic Festival

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:05:00 GMT

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Last week MusicRadar headed over to Magnetic Festival in Prague. In the video above we catch up with Dutch DJ superstar, Sander van Doorn and talk about DJ tech, adding visuals to the DJ set and the tracks he's playing out right now.

Also, don't miss our previous interview with Magnetic founder and DJ, John Culter. Plus, many more longer interviews from Magnetic coming soon; including Steve Aoki, Nervo, Tommy Trash, Showtek and Chuckie. All due for release as part of our online DJ Expo in June.

Read more about Video interview: Backstage with Sander van Doorn at Magnetic Festival at MusicRadar.com

Who is the greatest DJ in the world today?

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:08:00 GMT

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The inaugural MusicRadar DJ Expo is coming at the end of June. Ahead of the event kicking off, we want you to tell us who you think is the greatest DJ (or DJs) in the world today.

But what makes a DJ great? And for that matter - given the way that technology has blurred the line between DJing and live performance - how do you define what DJing is?

Ultimately, we'll leave it up for debate, but we'd suggest that nominations should be limited to artists who play sets made up of pre-recorded music, be it their own or that of other artists. They should be groundbreaking and influential too, either through their use of technology, their technical skill or just there totally on-point selections. Finally, we're only counting DJs who are still active and performing today.

Right now we're looking for your nominations, which we'll use to draw up a shortlist so that voting can begin. So let us know your suggestions for the world's greatest DJ in the comment section below or via Facebook or Twitter.

Read more about Who is the greatest DJ in the world today? at MusicRadar.com

Video interview: Magnetic Festival founder and DJ John Culter

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:01:00 GMT

Read more about Video interview: Magnetic Festival founder and DJ John Culter at MusicRadar.com

Last week Magnetic Festival in Prague, hosted one of the biggest EDM events in the Czech Republic. Check out the video above to see us talking to founder and DJ, John Culter about what it takes to organise such an event and how he manages to book some of the worlds biggest DJs.

Keep your eyes peeled for more video interviews from Magnetic Festival with Sander van Doorn, Steve Aoki, Nervo, Tommy Trash, Chuckie and Showtek all going one-on-one with MusicRadar.com

Read more about Video interview: Magnetic Festival founder and DJ John Culter at MusicRadar.com

New Daft Punk album streaming on iTunes

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:25:00 GMT

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The next stage of Daft Punk's meticulously planned release campaign for new album Random Access Memories has swung into action, with the whole record now streaming via iTunes.

You'll be able to buy the new long player from 20 May, but you can listen to it, in full, right now.

Daft Punk have also released a YouTube clip (see above) that sees them unwrapping a vinyl copy of Random Access Memories and playing the first few seconds of album starter Give Life Back To Music. Why? Because they can.

Listen to Daft Punk's Random Access Memories on iTunes and let us know what you think of it.

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What is bass music?

Mon, 06 May 2013 08:00:00 GMT

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Most musicians hate being defined by labels and genres, but let's face it: without them, discovering new music that we actually like would be a long and very slow process.

God knows how many tracks are released each week, but imagine having to wade through every one of them trying to find something that suits your tastes, without these helpful (if often overly simplistic) categorisations to narrow things down.

The main problem seems to be that all those labels, genres and categories have an innate imprecision - a sort of aesthetic flexibility that allows them to be shrunk, stretched and twisted to fit each listener's personal taste. Were the Beatles rock or pop? Was Gil Scott Heron jazz or rap? Are the Prodigy rave, techno, breakbeat, electronic punk, industrial? You get the picture.

Despite being an integral part of the everyday experience of music consumption - relied on by record shops, record labels, radio stations and, of course, magazines and websites - genres are neither unconditional nor absolute. And nowhere is this more obvious and troublesome than in the realm of electronic dance music.

Over time, all musical genres will fragment, fuse and grow to form new styles, but dance music seems to have embarked on a ceaseless, restive quest for the 'brand new sound'. Maybe it's because dance music is so closely linked to and guided by ever-developing and increasingly available technology, or maybe it's because dance music producers, DJs and listeners are a naturally inquisitive and easily bored bunch, but the pace of change and development has barely slackened since the days of the Atari and the Akai S950.

If anything, it's accelerating. Just look at the last few years. The huge dubstep explosion in the US; the glitch craze; Chase & Status appearing on the bill at the annual heavy metal fest, Download; an article on Baauer's Harlem Shake in the The Sun; and the almost weekly emergence of boundary-breaking, cross-fertilised tunes that are taking dance music into previously undiscovered territories.

Complextro, moombahton, moombahcore, post-dubstep, future garage, afro-bass, drumstep, trap, trapstep, brostep, metalstep… the list is dazzlingly varied and occasionally bizarre, but it's here, in the midst of this mass of mixed-up modern noise, that we'll find bass music.

Definition indecision

As you can imagine, any sound that is born out of such madness will be almost impossible to pin down. If even the most commonplace genres like rock and pop require a little 'aesthetic flexibility', then where does that leave bass music? How can we define something that has put down its meandering roots in such a vast musical landscape?

"If you asked 50 people, 'What is bass music?', you would probably get 50 different answers," says Ben Hall, one half of UK production/remix/DJ duo Delta Heavy. "I suppose you could see it as an umbrella term to cover lots of different forms of dance music all being held together - and this might seem very obvious - by the predominance of bass.

"Over the last couple of years, the number of different sounds and styles of bass-related music that you could hear on the dancefloor has been growing so fast that I guess the industry started looking for something - a name - that could cover all bases.

"If you asked 50 people, 'What is bass music?', you would probably get 50 different answers." Ben Hall, Delta Heavy

"Some people were definitely getting confused by the different genres and BPMs. I often came across people in America who thought that drum 'n' bass was just fast dubstep!

"To be honest, I think that having loads of styles out there is really exciting and inspirational. As Delta Heavy, we've never tried to be just one thing - one genre. It's refreshing to be able to spread the net a bit wider and have the audience be receptive to what we're doing."

Perhaps one of the best examples of this new mix 'n' match approach is moombahton, brought to life in 2009 when Dave Nada slowed down Afrojack's remix of Moombah from 128bpm to the reggaeton speed of 108bpm. Moombah plus reggaeton equals moombahton!

And it didn't stop there - add a few soul samples and you've got moombahsoul; mix it up with breakcore and you've got moombahcore.

"Some people in the dance music world can get quite precious about it," Hall continues. "We had a few hate comments on the internet… 'What are you playing dubstep for? You're on RAM Records. You're supposed to play DnB'. But I really think that's just a small minority.

Ben Hall of Delta Heavy.

"Over the last 18 months, what's been happening is that artists have been borrowing influences from all over the place. You've got 128bpm house music incorporating sounds from DnB. You've got the 110bpm stuff and trap. Suddenly, DJs are playing and mixing all these seemingly disparate genres in the same live set.

"I remember back in 2010 when Sub Focus remixed Rusko's Hold On. That was the first time someone had done a tune at DnB tempo, but in half-time. Generally, the snare is on the 2 and the 4 in DnB, but this tune put it on the 3… like in dubstep. Back then it was quite groundbreaking, but now you can find tunes like that pretty much everywhere you look.

"You've only got to look at this year's Ultra Festival in Miami to see how open dance music has become. Delta Heavy are sharing a stage with Andy C, playing DnB, and Porter Robinson, playing progressive electro house. Audiences no longer have a problem with that eclectic mix!"

Was it absolutely necessary to have a name, 'bass music', for this new, all-encompassing sound? "I have no idea," smiles Hall. "But it's certainly made life a whole lot easier!"

Across the pond

That may be the case, but as Hall acknowledges, there are still artistic discrepancies between the UK, the home of bass music, and the US, currently the genre's biggest market.

That's hardly surprising. In the UK, bass music has been allowed to develop at its own pace, slowly maturing since the early days of DnB, with added spice from dubstep, UK garage, grime, electro and so on.

Meanwhile, DnB has only ever enjoyed limited success in the States, so when the likes of Skream and Rusko eventually took dubstep into the American mainstream in 2009/10 - via remixes of La Roux and Kid Sister, respectively - it was something of a revolutionary sonic shift. Or as Canadian producer DJ Datsik puts it: "Dubstep became North America's entry-level, ultra-bass-heavy, aggressive dance music. Obviously we'd already had bands like the Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers, but the reaction to dubstep was different. People were literally saying, 'What the hell is this crazy hybrid?'

"It was hip-hop meets breaks meets DnB meets heavy basslines - no one had done that before. And unlike DnB, dubstep really got a foothold in America. The EDM scene in the US became way bigger than it ever was in the days of Firestarter.

"Probably the most important difference was that dubstep was being played by mainstream radio stations. That was a huge game-changer in terms of the development of this thing we call bass music - as important as the introduction of punk in the 1970s. Punk was the bastardisation of rock music, and dubstep was the bastardisation of electronic dance music."

While bass music had been brewing in the UK for over 20 years, it took just a couple of years for it to grab hold of the dance market in the US. Such a rapid pace of change was bound to create a very different sound, tailored to the tastes of a very different audience.

"To start with, it was a much younger crowd in North America," recalls Datsik. "I suppose you'd call them candy ravers. There were certainly a lot of glow sticks.

"Things just weren't quite as sophisticated as they were in the UK," he continues. "Dubstep in Britain had come from the underground. The audiences were a bit more relaxed - not so… excitable. But the US skipped that spaced-out, backroom vibe and went straight into party mode. Dubstep became party dubstep, and party dubstep became brostep [a term that people like Rusko soon tired of].

"To start with, it was a much younger crowd in North America. I suppose you'd call them candy ravers. There were certainly a lot of glow sticks." DJ Datsik

"I'm not sure that the mainstream sections of the American music business ever fully understood dubstep in the early days, but they knew that if they put 'dubstep' above a show or an artist, audiences would be interested. As you'd expect, the mainstream became very good at exploiting dubstep and the emerging bass scene."

That was certainly noticeable on the lucrative US festival circuit. In fact, some would argue that it was the success of this new, bass-heavy sound at festivals that actually forced the mainstream American media to sit up and take notice. Almost every weekend there were 50,000 kids paying $300 for a ticket at festivals all over North America - the audience for Las Vegas's Electric Daisy Carnival in 2012 was estimated to be more than 300,000! At a time when the record industry was having serious financial difficulties – piracy, dwindling album sales – this new brand of weird, subsonic music looked like a surefire money-spinner.

And then there was Skrillex. "He really is responsible for the whole mass explosion in the US," reckons Hall. "He took the dubstep formula - which came all the way from Croydon - and he mixed it with dark, angry bass, chopped-up vocals and uplifting chords. If you're talking about bass music, you have to mention his EP Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites. It was a landmark release. It took that sound around America and then around the world."

Time and bass

And this is where we find ourselves in 2013. In the space of three very short years, bass music has spread way beyond its dubstep roots, incorporating countless sounds, tempos, attitudes and artists. But are we any closer to answering the question, 'What is bass music?'

"The only thing you can say about bass music is that it has a different kind of bounce," says Josh Gard, aka Midwest US producer/DJ and horror/sci-fi fan Figure. "And it's no surprise that most of that comes from the bassline. It's become so important that it even takes the place of lyrics. The bass speaks for itself and becomes the hook for the entire song.

"With that as your compass, you can go almost anywhere. In many ways, that's what's so great about bass music. You can throw in whatever you want! Some of my stuff will go completely atonal, or I'll drop to some chopped up piano riffs or a movie sample. Sometimes there are no samples at all - no chords, even. There's just that bassline.

"The bassline has become so important that it even takes the place of lyrics. The bass speaks for itself and becomes the hook for the entire song." Josh Gard, aka Figure

"A lot of people talk about the aggressive sound of bass music, but, again, it's not crucial. If a song needs it, put it in; if it doesn't, don't worry. Certain keys and key changes will set the mood and lead you in a certain direction. Sure, I don't mind aggressive sounds, but there are times when, you can really catch the groove if you hold those sounds back."

For Hall, bass music is all about the bottom end. "If you look at something like house or techno, the lowest thing you'll find, sonically, is the kick, which will be sitting around 50f60Hz. On the other hand, in dubstep and DnB - which is where bass music came from - you've got the kick sitting at 100Hz and, underneath that, you've got a sub-bass. That's the thing that separates bass music from everything else."

Of course, there's certainly no lack of sub-bass on the average Skrillex track, but as Hall mentioned earlier, Skrillex also introduced mid-range bass noises.

"That totally shifts the focus of the bassline," explains DnB producer Tim Cant. "Yes, dubstep is based on sub-bass, but what we consider bass music today uses a full-frequency bassline. You've got the sub plus the octaves above, playing almost like a lead sound. The bassline becomes the central hook of the song."

That shift in frequency has obviously made a huge difference to the sound of bass music. Some have likened these squalling, distorted riffs to the introduction of a lead guitar, which attracted the attention of a massive, worldwide rock audience who were already used to the growling electronica of bands like Nine Inch Nails and Pendulum.

It didn't take long for the bass music umbrella to welcome new terms like metalstep, described rather beautifully by Urban Dictionary as "One fucking badass hybrid of dubstep and metal. Known to make the weak and unaccustomed cower in fear of its glory, until they implode into nothing."

As Lorin Ashton, aka Bassnectar, told Computer Music last year, "The first time I heard the second wave of dubstep - as opposed to the first wave, which had a more 2-step/garage feel - I thought, 'Hey, this sounds like doom metal'. Subconsciously, I started to draw lines between the two genres. My ears made the connection."

Once dubstep/bass music had been successfully pushed to such wild extremes, it was only natural that producers would start experimenting with every musical style and piece of software that was on offer. In the same way that, say, Stravinsky's Rite of Spring or Gershwin's jazz/classical hybrid Rhapsody In Blue had kicked open the doors of modernism in the previous century, producers and DJs were boldly marching towards a future where musical barriers no longer seemed to matter.

Back on this side of the Atlantic, producers like Doctor P and Aussie-born, London-based Rob Swire (Pendulum/Knife Party) had also been experimenting with chainsaw synths, noise, distortion and an altogether darker dubstep/ electro sound. In the same way that Skrillex brought aggression to dubstep, Swire gave electro a nasty makeover.

"In the last couple of years, it's sort of become bass music's signature sound," says Cant. "You've only got to listen to something like Doctor P's Big Boss. Rather than aspiring to virtuosity on an instrument, producers are trying to push synths, software and audio processors to the extreme, the idea being that you come up with the filthiest, most outrageous noise out there."

But such is the momentum built up by bass music that new beats and noises are already jostling for space on the dancefloor. "Over the last 12 months things have started to change," says DJ Datsik. "US audiences are definitely getting tired of that high-intensity sound [Datsik's mate Rusko described brostep as "someone screaming in our face for an hour"!] They've started looking for something a bit more sophisticated."

Caught in a trap

In the States right now, electronic dance music trendsetters are talking about nothing but trap, a stripped-down style of southern hip-hop that's been around for over 10 years but previously never made contact with the EDM world. Eventually, though, trap's scattered, minimal rhythms and full-fat bottom end proved too tempting to ignore, especially after the success of such tunes as TNGHT's Higher Ground and Chief Keef's I Don't Like.

Baauer performs at the 2013 Coachella Music Festival. (© MARIO ANZUONI/Reuters/Corbis)

"What trap has done is reintroduce some of the original minimal element back into dubstep," says DJ Datsik. "You've got the more laid-back beats - stuttered hats and 808 kicks - from trap, but they've been put together with the sharp laser sounds from dubstep.

"The arrival of trap means there's more of a dynamic to bass music now - more subtleties. And just for a change, trap is travelling from the US to the UK. In bass music, it's usually the other way round. Maybe it's a sign that the US bass scene is maturing and growing in confidence. Whatever the reason, trap is definitely going to blow up worldwide in 2013!"

"If the last three breathless years have taught us anything, it's that bass music doesn't stand still."

Baauer's trap anthem, Harlem Shake, has been featured in The Sun - thanks mainly to the hundreds of fan-made spoof videos - and has clocked up tens of millions of hits on YouTube. As Datsik says, trap is indeed blowing up in 2013. But maybe the real question is, where will bass music be in 2014?

If the last three breathless years have taught us anything, it's that bass music doesn't stand still. As we speak, its tendrils are probably poking around in some unsuspecting beat, sample, label, genre or tempo, looking for ways to bring together a handful of seemingly unrelated sounds and use them to create something new and exciting.

Maybe that's the best way to describe bass music - it isn't just one genre or one sound, and it never will be. It's made up of bits of many genres and sounds, and it's made up of the bits in between all of those genres and sounds, endlessly shifting through these random elements at will - a hectic, heaving, restless, ever-changing, glorious groove. In fact, the only thing we can say for sure about the future of bass music is that we can't possibly predict what it'll sound like.

For a wealth of bass music tutorials and software buying advice check out Computer Music Special 59 - Bass Music Production Guide - which is on sale now.

Read more about What is bass music? at MusicRadar.com

iPhone/iPad iOS music making app round-up: Week 82

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:58:00 GMT

Read more about iPhone/iPad iOS music making app round-up: Week 82 at MusicRadar.com

This week has already seen the unveiling of a couple of notable new iOS music making tools.

We've seen the new iPad incarnation of Sugar Bytes' multi-effects app Turnado, along with Native Instruments' ultra-compact DJ app Traktor for iPhone.

Here we round-up a few of the other major music making releases to hit the App Store.

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First look: Native Instruments Traktor DJ for iPhone

Thu, 02 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

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Native Instruments has released a version of its iOS DJing app Traktor DJ for iPhone and iPod touch.

Traktor DJ for iPhone has a feature set almost identical to its excellent iPad sibling - which was released back in February - but reformatted for easier navigation on the device's smaller screen. As with the iPad version, you get two channels to mix with, each with an EQ section, filter and eight touchpad-controlled effects. There are also the same hot cues, the Freeze mode for on-the-fly beat slicing, the well-designed beat grid system and the recommendation engine.

All these features - in our tests at least - appear to function in exactly the same way as those of the iPad version, so rather than delve into them here, check out our hands-on investigation and video test of Traktor DJ for iPad to see each in action.

What does differ in this version, however, is the way in which Native Instruments makes use of the touchscreen real estate.

The most noticeable difference to the interface is the deck selector along the left side of the main window. This is used to switch between the main window - in which both decks are displayed - and close-up views of each deck. Unlike the iPad version, the pop-up EQ and effects windows are only accessible from each deck's close view, and only one pop-up window can be viewed at any one time.

As a result, it takes a few more taps and is a little trickier to, say, use filters or effects on two tracks at once. As such, the app does feel a little restricted compared to its bigger sibling. It makes sense that NI has gone with this approach though, as although it takes a little more navigation, the app doesn't feel particularly fiddly or too cramped. It's easy to make fairly subtle tweaks to EQ and effect levels, or correct beat issues, without getting all finger-tied. In particular the Freeze beat slice mode - which enlarges when you're zoomed in on one of the two tracks, as below - makes great use of the phone's screen space.

On the whole, it seems that NI has done a stellar job of transferring Traktor DJ to the smaller screen. In our test we found that (understandably) it took our iPhone 4 slightly longer to process track info than our more powerful and up-to-date iPad, but for the most part the app ran smoothly and was exceptionally easy to use. Plus, just like the iPad version, users can hook the device up to a class compliant audio interface using Apple's Camera Connection kit.

Traktor DJ for iPhone is available from the App Store now. And at £3.50/$4.99 it seems like a bargain entry window into the world of Traktor.

Read more about First look: Native Instruments Traktor DJ for iPhone at MusicRadar.com

MusicRadar DJ Expo 2013 is coming

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:11:00 GMT

Read more about MusicRadar DJ Expo 2013 is coming at MusicRadar.com

The MusicRadar DJ Expo is two day online show covering all things DJ related, and it will be kicking off on 19 June.

Produced in association with Beatport, DJ Expo 2013 will feature video demos of the latest DJ gear, expert seminars and tutorials, plus a host of artist features going in-depth with world renowned DJs.

Keep your eyes peeled for further updates and announcements ahead of DJ Expo 2013, and don't forget to mark the date down in your diary - this is an essential event for any DJ.

Read more about MusicRadar DJ Expo 2013 is coming at MusicRadar.com

Sasha's favourite music software

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:43:00 GMT

Read more about Sasha's favourite music software at MusicRadar.com

The globe-conquering progressive house hero tells us the five pieces of software he couldn't be without

Read more about Sasha's favourite music software at MusicRadar.com

Live Scarlett Etienne Ableton Live seminar

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:50:00 GMT

Read more about Live Scarlett Etienne Ableton Live seminar at MusicRadar.com

If you're free at 4pm this afternoon, Point Blank Music School is inviting you to watch a free Ableton Live seminar from DJ/producer Scarlett Etienne.

This will focus specifically on the techniques she uses to produce playlists and mixes for catwalk shows and will be streamed live via YouTube.

You can watch the session at the top of the page.

Read more about Live Scarlett Etienne Ableton Live seminar at MusicRadar.com

Jon Rundell talks INTEC, production, DJ technology and more

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:05:00 GMT

Read more about Jon Rundell talks INTEC, production, DJ technology and more at MusicRadar.com

Talk about the new Pure Intec Two album and the concept behind it. What can people expect from it?
"Pure Intec was originally released around nine years ago and essentially contained all the labels releases up to that point, with a few forthcoming tracks too. For this next edition we took a slightly different approach where the mixes contain forthcoming material that so far, people might have only heard in a club. Carl's mix is all about the remixes we got in for his last artist album, from people like Loco Dice, Guti, Ben Sims, Nicole Moudaber for example, and my mix is all about the forthcoming releases we have lined up through out the year from the likes of Carlo Lio, The Junkies, Pirupa, Daryl Stay to name just a few. It's to whet people's appetite, so to speak."

"The same level of work goes into releasing music now as it did before, the difference was that perhaps the margins were better back then overall."

Do you think it's easier or harder now to make a dance label work?
"It's all down to how organized you are in my opinion, whether that was back then or now. I think if you are clever about your overheads and your margins you can make it work still, in order for it to essentially pay for itself. The same level of work goes into releasing music now as it did before, the difference was that perhaps the margins were better back then overall."

What are your thoughts on the wide variety of 'DJ' now and what it means. Has technology impacted heavily on the DJ Booth?
"It's all down to personal preference. It took me a little while to feel comfortable with things like Traktor for example, so much so, that in the end I reverted back to my true self and use USB sticks with Rekordbox, I felt it gave me back more of who I was and how I liked to play, and still also embraced a forward thinking way of doing things. Technology has played a huge part in the evolution of it all though, and I'm glad because it means no more excess baggage and a bad back carrying the vinyl!"

What's on your Tech Rider?
"Minimum of three Pioneer CDJ-2000's, either a Pioneer DJM-2000 mixer or a 900, but to be honest I can use whatever is put in front of me. Monitors where possible I prefer Function One but this isn't always possible. If I can get four CDJ's I could easily be in that booth for 12 hours."

"Personally I'd never make a track with any other thought than making it sound as good as I can for the underground clubs."

The gap seems to be widening between 'proper' dance music and the mainstream even further. Do you have any ambitions to make Intec and your own tracks 'big in the USA' for example?
"To be blunt, no! Intec stands for International Techno, if the people in the USA decide to embrace what we do without us having to change then great, it's another option of music for them to listen to. Personally I'd never make a track with any other thought than making it sound as good as I can for the underground clubs, it's what comes most naturally."

Which artists are doing for you at the moment?
"I've been supporting Carlo Lio for some time now, we meet years back after I picked up a remix he had done, we got on and it went from there with getting him onto Intec, we play a few gigs together from time to time and always have a good time. Everything Carlo does I can honestly say I will be sure to play.

"Tomy DeClerque is another good artist with his own unique sound and I've supported him for a good few years now too. He has this ability to make the most intense breakdowns that crash back in, seriously kicks the crowd into shape."

What do you look for in a new signing? What advice would you give to new producers? What's the biggest mistake most people make in your opinion?
"These days its all about uniqueness, we get so much music that sounds like everything that is already out there, and some of it is good for sure, its just why make something others already are doing as a label? I would say to new producers too to really focus on the mixdown too, it'll be what separates you from the rest. This is the biggest mistake I feel most people make in the early days, myself included. You just turn everything up thinking it sounds great but it totally ruins the vibe of the track and the elements than people can vibe off through the sound systems can't be heard."

Talk about your own productions, how do you produce?
"My own music has morphed and evolved over time to where it is now, sometimes I go in thinking I'll make a Techno track and then end up with a Tech House track, it's just the way it goes. There is so much varied music out there that has influenced me too that some days I just feel like giving some DnB a go, or some house, or some guitars or whatever.

"You never stop picking things up as long as you're open minded enough to keep learning."

"I use a reasonably basic set up at home to produce, I use Logic, (although I just got Ableton 9, so I'm getting my head around that) and my G5 is rammed to the hilt, loads of software plug ins inside it, got my keyboard to play parts in with and I run it all through a Focusrite Saffire Pro 10 into my Mackie eight-channel desk and out of a pair of Mackie HR824 Monitors. I then take tracks to Alex Tepper's studio and we mix down, rearrange, add in, take out, etc, in a nice treated room. I've also been working on some alternative stuff of late and went over to New York not so long ago to work further on that with Neil Mclellan, and must of made him about a thousand cups of tea but learnt a lot at the same time. That's the thing with production, you never stop picking things up as long as you're open minded enough to keep learning."

What does the rest of the year have in store for you and Intec?
"The Pure Intec 2 compilation is out now. After this we have releases lined up from Pirupa, Carlo Lio, Tomy DeClerque, The Junkie, Marco Bailey and EP from Digital Primate and myself. Then there is an EP I have done for MB Elektronics as well as another on my label Etch to come. Plus loads more time in the studio working on ideas, fitting a few gigs in between at places such as Awakenings in Holland, in Vienna, Space in Ibiza, Fabrik in Madrid, Spartacus in Aix En Provence, Tomorrowland in Belgium, Global Gathering in the UK, Ultra in Split and plenty more."

The Pure Intec Album is out now - http://www.pureintec.com/

Read more about Jon Rundell talks INTEC, production, DJ technology and more at MusicRadar.com

Record Store Day: what's the best record player for you?

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:09:00 GMT

Read more about Record Store Day: what's the best record player for you? at MusicRadar.com

Tomorrow is international Record Store Day - an annual celebration of independent music outlets and all-things vinyl.

We've already brought you a run-down of our pick of the exclusive releases for this year's event, but what's the point in getting up early and spending your hard earned cash if you've got nothing to play your purchases on?

To that end, here's our quick guide to record players. We've rounded up five different record players for five different types of music fans; from hi-fi nerds, to the fashion conscious to the no-nonsense DJ.

Read more about Record Store Day: what's the best record player for you? at MusicRadar.com

Daft Punk release new single Get Lucky

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:09:00 GMT

Read more about Daft Punk release new single Get Lucky at MusicRadar.com

After weeks of speculation and teaser videos Daft Punk have finally released Get Lucky, the first single to be taken from their new album Random Access Memories. Nile Rodgers and Pharrell Williams both feature on the track.

Those who've heard the earlier clips of the song will find that the full version contains few surprises. Rodgers' distinctive guitar playing, Williams' trademark falsetto and Daft Punk's robotic vocals are all present and correct.

You can buy Get Lucky now on the iTunes Music Store and it's also streaming on Spotify.

Daft Punk's Random Access Memories is available for pre-order now on the iTunes Music Store and is scheduled for release on 20 May 2013.

Read more about Daft Punk release new single Get Lucky at MusicRadar.com

Nile Rodgers talks Daft Punk, hits, guitar style and more

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:35:00 GMT

Read more about Nile Rodgers talks Daft Punk, hits, guitar style and more at MusicRadar.com

In the latest in a series of interviews with the collaborators on Daft Punk's forthcoming album Random Access Memories, guitar and production legend Nile Rodgers has discussed his working relationship with the duo.

Commenting on his studio experience with Daft Punk, the Chic guitarist says: "The best collaborations in my life are when the people you work with are as good as you expect and then better than that." So we're guessing he enjoyed it.

Rodgers also discusses his many other collaborations with artists including David Bowie, Madonna and Duran Duran, and even treats us to some of his most famous guitar licks.

In other Daft Punk news, it's rumoured that next week might herald the arrival of the first single from Random Access Memories, with Lifelike Tweeting that it'll air on French radio next week. We shall see…

Read more about Nile Rodgers talks Daft Punk, hits, guitar style and more at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: Stanton updates turntable cartridges

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:40:00 GMT

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Stanton updates turntable cartridges at MusicRadar.com

MUSIKMESSE 2013 PRESS RELEASE: Stanton®, part of the Gibson Pro Audio division and an industry leader in the design and manufacture of professional audio products for DJs, is pleased to announce that all future production of the industry-leading ST.150 and STR8.150 turntables will include new cartridges, the TrackMaster V.3 and SM V.3.

Attendees will be able to get in-person demonstrations of the new cartridges at Musikmesse 2013 (Hall 5.1, Stand B65). The new cartridges, which are among Stanton's top offerings, provide users with improved performance.

As part of this new offering, the Stanton ST.150 now includes the TrackMaster V.3 cartridge, which features high-output, low-cue burn and a four-coil pick up. These features make it perfect for any club or scratch performance, while its integrated design does not require a headshell. The Stanton STR8.150 will also now include the SM V.3 cartridge, which offers superior stereo imaging and the ability to align the cartridge on its included headshell. This alignment capability allows for improved tracking response.

"The new included cartridges offer a substantial upgrade to our bestselling professional turntables," says Gus Jursch, General Manager of Gibson Pro Audio, a division of the Gibson Guitar Corporation. "The Stanton ST.150 and STR8.150 turntables continue to deliver the level of performance today's DJs demand, and these new cartridge solutions will help to augment that further."

Suitable for digital vinyl systems, traditional vinyl mixing, archiving and home audio use, the Stanton 150 series turntables have everything today's DJs need and more. The Stanton ST.150, with a standard S-shaped tone arm, and the Stanton STR8.150, fitted with a "skip-proof" straight tone arm, offer durable construction designed to minimize feedback, an industry-leading torque motor—up to 4.5 Kgf-cm—and an ultra-stable platter and tone arm. They also provide such professional-grade features as key correction, reverse, up to 50% pitch adjustment and phono/line plus S/PDIF digital outputs.

Information on the Stanton TrackMaster V.3 and Stanton SM.V3 cartridges is available from the Stanton website now.

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Stanton updates turntable cartridges at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: Stanton announces iZotope Music & Speech Cleaner bundles

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:21:00 GMT

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Stanton announces iZotope Music & Speech Cleaner bundles at MusicRadar.com

MUSIKMESSE 2013: DJ specialist Stanton has revealed that it will be packaging a free copy of iZotope's Music & Speech Cleaner software with all of its new T.92 and T.55 USB turntables, essentially offering a mix recording/audio clean-up solution out of the box.

Take a look at the video below to see what iZotope's Music & Speech Cleaner software can do and head down the page to read Stanton's full press release.

Stanton/iZotope Music & Speech Cleaner press release

Stanton®, part of the Gibson Pro Audio division and an industry leader in the design and manufacture of professional audio products for DJs, is pleased to announce at Musikmesse 2013 (Hall 5.1, Stand B65), that all future versions of the T.92 USB and T.55 USB turntables will include the revolutionary iZotope* Music & Speech Cleaner software.

Adding iZotope's Music & Speech Cleaner to these popular USB turntables gives users an out-of-the-box, high-quality solution for correcting a recording and/or track.

iZotope Music & Speech Cleaner provides all the tools of a complete audio cleanup suite with the same advanced noise-reduction technology the experts use, at a non-expert price point. With this included application, T.92 and T.55 users have a professional and intuitive way of easily removing unwanted noise and enhancing their vinyl recordings.

Music & Speech Cleaner's intuitive step-by-step interface guides users clearly through the cleanup process. The software works with a range of compatible file types, many of which are associated with popular editing software, such as Apple iMovie or Adobe Premiere Elements. Cleaned files can also be imported into iTunes (or other music library software) to create MP3 or AAC files and then be burned to an audio CD.

"We are thrilled to continue the relationship with iZotope," says Gus Jursch, General Manager of Gibson Pro Audio, a division of the Gibson Guitar Corporation. "The Music & Speech Cleaner software offers an increased value to our users and does an incredible restoration job."

The Stanton T.92 USB and T.55 USB professional turntables offer USB connectivity and analog-to-digital converters, making it easy for DJs and music enthusiasts to digitize vinyl recordings. Features such as dual start/stop switches and the included 500.V3 cartridge allow both turntables to fit into any DJ or archival setup effortlessly.

iZotope Music & Speech Cleaner operates with Microsoft Windows (XP, x64, Vista and Windows 7) and Apple Mac OSX 10.4 or later (universal binary).

Information on the Stanton T.92USB and T.55 USB turntables is available from the Stanton website.

Information on iZotope's Music & Speech Cleaner software is available from the iZotope website.

*"iZotope" is the trademark or U.S.-registered trademark of iZotope, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Stanton announces iZotope Music & Speech Cleaner bundles at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: Pioneer unveils the DJM-750 mixer

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:10:00 GMT

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Pioneer unveils the DJM-750 mixer at MusicRadar.com

MUSIKMESSE 2013: Announced at Musikmesse 2013, the DJM-750 replaces the existing 700 mixer and upgrades the feature set with new effects, Isolator EQ and a four-channel audio interface.

Check out the video above to see Rik Parkinson from Pioneer explaining the new features and showing off the new effects.

For more Musikmesse videos check out Future Music's YouTube channel

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Pioneer unveils the DJM-750 mixer at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: Numark unveils Mixtrack Edge

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:33:00 GMT

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Numark unveils Mixtrack Edge at MusicRadar.com

MUSIKMESSE 2013:Numark has launched a super-portable new DJ controller, the Mixtrack Edge, featuring aluminium controls, USB-power and a design that's less than an inch thick.

An impressive looking (mini) beast, the Mixtrack Edge the latest in a long line of interfaces and controllers to sneak a leaf out of Apple's design book, covering its ultra slim profile in brushed aluminium and back-lit buttons.

The portability is obviously the main sell here, but the controller features all of the usual sync, cue and loop controls, while two trios of miniature metal platters control the cue mix and two FX for each of the two channels.

Obviously such a slim design might not make for the most ergonomic control interface, but Numark is keen to position the Mixtrack Edge as a portable solution to "pre-gig prep" and "cocktail hours".

Check out the full press release below.

Numark Mixtrack Edge press release

Cumberland, R.I. (April 8, 2013) – From the beginning, Numark's Mixtrack Series has given DJs the perfect mix of essential utility and professional capability. Mixtrack Edge brings the same spirit, offering advanced technology in a sharp design built for DJs on the go. Numark will unveil Mixtrack Edge at Musikmesse 2013 in Hall 5.1 at Booth B45 on April 10th in Frankfurt, Germany.

Features:

Slim low-profile design with integrated cover to protect control surface
Sync, hot cue, loop controls, and 2 effects controls on each channel
Built-in audio interface for headphone cueing and PA system output
Metal platters for pitch bend, pitch fade, song select, and cue mix
Brushed aluminum control surface with bright backlit buttons
Class-compliant with both Mac® and PC, no driver required
Standard MIDI for use with most popular DJ software
USB-powered, no power adapter required
Virtual DJ LE® software included

Mixtrack Edge's slim low-profile design features an integrated cover to protect the control surface and a full array of bright backlit controls surrounded by brushed aluminum, including sync, hot cue, loop, and two effects controls on each channel. An audio interface is built in for headphone cueing and PA system output. Slim metal platters control pitch bend, pitch fade, song selection, and cue mix.

"This is a controller for every DJ," said Chris Roman, Numark Product Manager. "Mixtrack Edge incorporates capabilities and design elements that make it a perfect go-to controller for cocktail hours, minimalist setups, or to keep with you all the time to work on or use for pre-gig prep."

Mixtrack Edge is class-compliant with both Mac® and PC and operates via standard MIDI, making it compatible with virtually any DJ software. It's also USB-powered, so no power adapter is required. Numark will display Mixtrack Edge, along with another addition to the Mixtrack Series, Mixtrack Quad, a new four-channel controller that features a stunning array of colors on its platters and pads, giving DJs a fully interactive control surface.

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Numark unveils Mixtrack Edge at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: Numark launches Mixtrack Quad

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:15:00 GMT

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Numark launches Mixtrack Quad at MusicRadar.com

MUSIKMESSE 2013: Numark has announced the arrival of the Mixtrack Quad, a colourful four-channel DJ controller.

It's certainly easy on the eye, with a variety of backlit colourful controls, including 16 rubber drum pads, touch-activated platters and dedicated mixer controls for each of its four channels. What's more, those platter colours can be customised and assigned for each track.

If that wasn't enough, the Mixtrack Quad adds 16 effects controls and, fairly astonishingly, is powered via USB. Read the full press release below.

Numark Mixtrack Quad press release

Cumberland, R.I. (April 8, 2013) - Mixtrack Quad is Numark's latest offering in an evolving family of professional four-channel DJ systems that began with NS6 and N4 and expanded at this year's NAMM show to include the groundbreaking NS7 II. In addition to its four-channel capability, Mixtrack Quad incorporates a stunning array of colors on its platters and pads, giving DJs a fully interactive control surface. Numark will display Mixtrack Quad for the first time at Musikmesse 2013 in Hall 5.1 at Booth B45 on April 10th in Frankfurt, Germany.

"DJing is all about interaction - interaction with the music and interaction with the crowd," said Chris Roman, Numark Product Manager. "With Mixtrack Quad's unique fusion of dynamic colors and professional capabilities, we're giving DJs a powerful and immersive experience."

Features:

4 channels of software control and built-in audio interface
16 backlit RGB rubber drum pads with Loop Mode, Sample Mode, and Hot Cue Mode
Touch-activated illuminated platters with customizable color per deck
Complete mixer section with a crossfader, 3-band EQ, and music library navigation controls
16 dedicated effects controls to add and manipulate flanger, phaser, echo, and more
Dedicated mixer controls for all 4 channels
Virtual DJ LE® software included

Utilizing a palette of 16 vibrant colors, Mixtrack Quad gives DJs immediate visual feedback, allowing them to easily differentiate between the four decks and between Loop, Hot Cue, and Sample Modes. Lighted pad and platter animations signal transitions when loading tracks or moving between modes and configurations.

Mixtrack Quad is the only four-channel controller in its class to have dedicated mixing controls for all four decks. The low-profile platters are dual-zone and touch-activated, allowing DJs to effortlessly stop, scratch, and pitch-bend tracks. Virtual DJ® LE software is included and 16 dedicated effects controls are built in to the control surface to add and manipulate flanger, phaser, echo, and more. Mixtrack Quad is class-compliant, USB-powered, and also has built-in audio, making setup and configuration as simple as possible.

Mixtrack Quad will be exhibited along with Numark's other addition to the Mixtrack Series, Mixtrack Edge, the world's thinnest DJ controller with integrated audio. Upon release, Mixtrack Quad will have an estimated street price of $349. Product images and information can be found at inmusicbrands.com/musikmesse-2013

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Numark launches Mixtrack Quad at MusicRadar.com

Frankfurt Musikmesse 2013: live highlights

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:15:00 GMT

Read more about Frankfurt Musikmesse 2013: live highlights at MusicRadar.com

MUSIKMESSE 2013: Musikmesse 2013, Europe's biggest music equipment gear show, is now in full swing. Our team is on the floor in Frankfurt, seeking out the big stories and hottest products, while our UK office is handling the latest news as it comes in.

So where do you get the pick of the Musikmesse 2013 content in one place? Right here: click on for the story so far and keep checking back for the biggest news, eye-catching photos and revealing videos.

If you want to catch absolutely every Frankfurt-related article as it's posted be sure to bookmark our Musikmesse 2013 event page.

Read more about Frankfurt Musikmesse 2013: live highlights at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: Numark unveils Mixtrack Edge

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:33:00 GMT

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Numark unveils Mixtrack Edge at MusicRadar.com

MUSIKMESSE 2013:Numark has launched a super-portable new DJ controller, the Mixtrack Edge, featuring aluminium controls, USB-power and a design that's less than an inch thick.

Obviously such a slim design might not make for the most ergonomic control interface, but Numark is keen to position the Mixtrack Edge as a portable solution to "pre-gig prep" and "cocktail hours".

Check out the full press release below.

Numark Mixtrack Edge press release

Features:

Slim low-profile design with integrated cover to protect control surface
Sync, hot cue, loop controls, and 2 effects controls on each channel
Built-in audio interface for headphone cueing and PA system output
Metal platters for pitch bend, pitch fade, song select, and cue mix
Brushed aluminum control surface with bright backlit buttons
Class-compliant with both Mac® and PC, no driver required
Standard MIDI for use with most popular DJ software
USB-powered, no power adapter required
Virtual DJ LE® software included

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Numark unveils Mixtrack Edge at MusicRadar.com