Sure, DJ controllers might be the emerging force in spinning, but CDJs are still largely the club standard. Pioneer has always had thumbs in both of these pies, of course, but the new XDJ-R1 sees the brand uniting them for the first time. The all-in-one unit offers two CD players, USB media playback and MIDI controller functionality. Additionally, you can keep things moving wirelessly via an iOS device thanks to a new dedicated "remotebox" app. Wireless direct means that you won't need to worry too much about flaky connections while you wander into the crowd with your iPhone. You'll still be able to control almost everything directly in the app. Back on the physical (and built-in) two-channel mixer you can spice things up with the usual loop, sync, hot cue and sampling features, plus a choice of color effects. The inclusion of XLR outputs and booth out shows that Pioneer wants to see this in the DJ box, and at $1,099, it should appeal to anyone who'd been eyeing up the component parts. It's available in June, but in the meantime there's a video tour cued up past the break.

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Who'd have thunk it? Numark, at a music trade show with a new another DJ controller for your consideration. This time it has taken its popular Mixtrack console, and doubled down on the number of channels on offer. This now means between the Mixtrack, the Mixtrack II, the Mixtrack Pro II, and this, there's likely a Mixtrack for everyone. Evidently it's a format that works, so it only makes sense to offer a number of options based around the theme. As with other members of the Mixtrack family, the layout is fairly traditional, with two platters plus transport controls flanking a central mixer section. Above each platter is a set of eight MPC-style trigger pads and some rotary controls for FX and filters.

If the Quad looks like it's got an extra splash of color compared to its siblings, that's because it has. The pads and platters have have configurable RGB LEDs, which we first saw in the NS7 II (Numark is going strong on the colors generally, it seems). Again, as before there's a built-in audio interface, which is pretty much essential for a controller of this level. And what level is that? Around the $349 one, apparently, whenever it comes to market (no word on that at this point). While you're waiting to find out, however, you might as well scoot over the fold for the hardware impressions.

Gallery: Numark Mixtrack Quad hands-on

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A couple of years is a pretty good run in MIDI controller-land. It was 2009 when Novation's Launchpad turned the Ableton world onto its simplistic charms. It appears, however, the firm's decided it was long overdue a refresh, so that's exactly what it's done. Say hello to the Launchpad S. What does the S stand for? We're not entirely sure, but it could be for speedy, as Novation has ramped up the refresh rate to give a snappier response when you switch between modes.

It could also be for superior lights, as the brightness has been dialed up in response to user feedback. It's also worth noting these pads are entirely USB-powered, making it trickier than simply sucking down more juice. One other superficial change -- perhaps more to give it its own sense of identity than anything else -- is a change of color. It's out with the original's black, and in with an almost metallic gray. So far so good, but we're really thinking that S stands for "software." Why? Because thanks to standards compliant MIDI implementation, the Launchpad S is now plug-and-play with a whole host more applications, not least core-MIDI iOS apps such as the popular FL Studio Mobile. We took a few minutes to get to know the Launchpad S a little better, which you can see in our video past the break.

Gallery: Novation Launchpad S hands-on

Filed under: Misc, Peripherals

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MIDI might be a little long in the tooth as protocols go, but it's been the prevailing standard for getting music hardware and software to play nice pretty much since its inception. As such, the MIDI controller is a fairly established staple in professional and bedroom studios alike. The problem is they're generic by nature. They come in all shapes and sizes, but to be profitable, they need to appeal to a broad range of applications. Ableton clearly didn't think this arrangement was up to snuff, though, so it created Push -- a software controller built entirely for the latest version of its popular Live production software. While there have been Live-specific controllers before -- some even officially endorsed by Ableton -- Push is a whole new beast. It's one that hopes to unite hardware and software in a way that an all-purpose controller never could.

Ableton also has lofty musical ambitions for Push: it claims it designed the hardware as an instrument in and of itself; something that lets you close the lid of the laptop and use to make music with, while not looking like you are checking your email. And, given that Ableton makes the software that it's building Push for, integration is understandably expected to be airtight. But how well does it work? Is it an instrument? Will it replace all your other controllers? Do you want one? Is it worth the $599 pre-order price? Will it blend? We've pushed ourselves to explore the device fully in an effort to find out (apart from that last question, of course).

Gallery: Ableton Push review

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Italian sound designer and producer Guiseppe Acito wanted to kick off his newly established blog with some fanfare. Naturally, that meant constructing a band from Lego Bionicle toys driven by an Arduino Uno and controlled by an iPad MIDI sequencer app called Nord Beat. Dubbed the Toa Mata Band, the musical group makes its tunes by beating on assorted drum pads, percussion instruments, synthesizers and even a Nintendo DS. Acito has published the ensemble's very first music video, and it seems like there are more to come as it carries an "episode one" label. Hit the jump for the footage -- which really starts cookin' around the 1:15 mark -- or hit the third source link for glamour shots of Toa Mata members and the whole setup.

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Via: Make

Source: Opificio Sonico (1, translated), (2, YouTube), (3, Flickr)

Music, MIDI and mobile? Seen that before, right? Well, yeah, but sometimes something comes along that surprises everyone. Artiphon's Instrument 1 is one such thing. And after all, there's more than one way to crack a nut. Artiphon's method involves creating a high-quality muli-instrument device that uses an iPhone or iPod touch as its brain. So, this is no plastic (bear with us) "appcessory." The Instrument 1 is made out of special quality African hardwood, and centers around an intentionally ambiguous design. There is a pair of high-quality custom speakers that give impressive 30W onboard sound. There is, of course, a line out and MIDI in / out too. The prototype we saw today doesn't have a built-in battery, but final production models will, making this a truly portable, complete solution. Dr Mike Butera, the firm's founder, was keen to explain to us that this is intended not to replicate one specific device (though it does a great job of guitar, violin, banjo and more), but rather to enable musicians to be able to work in a way they want to. The Instrument 1 works with any core MIDI enabled app, but there are plans to release a companion app for more detailed / custom mappings in the future. We got a private tour of the device, to tip-toe past the break for more.

Gallery: Artiphon Instrument One hands-on

Filed under: Misc, Handhelds, Peripherals

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You may have heard that the Musical Instrument Digital Interface protocol (aka MIDI) celebrates its 30th birthday this year. And where better than NAMM would the MIDI Manufacturer Association be able to fully demonstrate (and celebrate) the persevering protocol's coming of age? Part of the MMA's installation was a set-up destined to get geek hearts racing. A 1983 Commodore 64 connected to a Sequential Circuits Model 64 sequencer cartridge (with MIDI interface). From these vintage parts, the regular 5-pin MIDI cable heads out through the decades and into an IK Multimedia iRig MIDI, into an iPad, finally feeding its information into the Animoog app from equally longevous Moog. Watch old meet new in the gallery and video below.

Gallery: Commodore 64 and Animoog spans 30 years of MIDI (hands-on)

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NAMM is yet to open its doors fully, but we managed to sneak a hands-on with the freshly announced Orbit DJ controller from Numark at the press preview. As you can see, the wireless device looks like a game controller that crashed into a disco -- it's certainly distinctive. This is no accident, and the design is purposely built with quick and easy button access in mind, letting DJs (and any MIDI-based performers) step out from behind the DJ booth, and onto the stage. The portability of the Orbit is further amplified by the inclusion of a clip-mount on the rear, as well as lanyard-style strap hoops. It feels light yet solid, and the soft-touch finish means your hands won't get tired gripping this thing in the throws of a drum-pad solo. The name Orbit also evidently refers -- at least in part -- to the near-symmetrical design which lets you hold it either way with the same comfortable access to those brightly-lit, colorful controls. Those pads feel smooth, yet tactile -- and most importantly -- responsive. Tap past the break for more impressions.

Gallery: Numark Orbit hands-on

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We heard from our friends over at TechCrunch (thanks, John Biggs!) that a company called Zivix has been showing off a cool little MIDI guitar at CES, so here it is! Dubbed the JamStik, this digital instrument serves the same purpose as the already-available You Rock, except this one comes with real guitar strings, works wirelessly over WiFi, features a lower latency (under 10ms instead of about 20ms, according to Zivix's lab test), and it also has a shorter neck plus a much smaller body for the sake of portability -- even for some casual plucking on the plane. The JamStik also supports string bending thanks to the way it detects finger movement on the neck -- the rows of infrared lights and sensors under the strings make the magic happen.

Of course, you'd need a PC or an iOS device (with CoreMIDI-compatible apps like GarageBand and Animoog) to get the audio, and for the latter, Zivix will be offering three apps: JamTutor guitar teaching suite, JamHero game (very much like Guitar Hero and Rock Band) and Jam Live music remixer. We had a go using a wired prototype JamStik, and apart from the slight delay between our strumming and the audio output (which will be further fine-tuned before going retail), we had a lot of fun with it. Check out the demo videos after the break, and expect to see the JamStik hit the market this summer for somewhere around $249 to $299.

Gallery: JamStik portable MIDI guitar lets you play and learn on the iPad wirelessly

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Whether you're the next Trent Reznor on a MIDI controller or simply get a warm fuzzy feeling in your tummy when hearing classic video game themes, there's no denying the impact of the Musical Instrument Digital Interface specification. Three decades after its creators decided to collaborate and listen on a brand new invention, MIDI technology is now being used by more than 700 companies in a wide range of devices ranging from electronic keyboards and drum sets to video game consoles and cell phones. To commemorate its birthday, the MIDI Manufacturers Association just kicked off its "MIDI Makes Music" 30th Anniversary campaign with a preview of the past, present and future of the technology at CES. The yearlong tribute fittingly continues later this month at the NAMM Show 2013 -- the same event where the technology was first demonstrated in 1983. For more details about the ongoing MIDI revelry, feel free to peruse the PR after the break. It doesn't have instructions on how to transform your MIDI controller into a guitar enclosure but, hey, we kind of got you covered on that one, too.

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Source: MIDI Manufacturers Association

End-of-year engineering school projects often pique our interest for their creativity. It's not every day that they can carry a bassline, however. James McVay's robot project for his honors year at the Victoria University of Wellington, the supremely well-named MechBass, wouldn't have much trouble keeping up with a favorite band. It centers on a custom, Arduino-compatible board that controls the plucking, fretting and damping of four strings to faithfully recreate bass guitar sounds from MIDI input. The design even accounts for the unwanted noises of actuators and motors, while virtually everything was either 3D-printed or laser-cut just for the task at hand. Sounds good? There's more in the pipeline: an upcoming Swivel robot will experiment with different playing techniques, and McVay ultimately sees his work teaching us about robotic music's interaction with human performers. For now, we'll be happy with the video after the break and hope that MechBass takes requests.

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Source: Hack A Day

Pioneer has enjoyed a fairly tight grip on the upper-end of the DJ market, but if you step out of the professional DJ booth, and into the bars and bedrooms, the competition starts to heat up. So when we heard about the XDJ-Aero and its curious new WiFi functionality, we were interested to see how this $1,399 controller would be received. That's not to say the DJ mainstay doesn't hold its ground in this busier market -- it does -- but as the far more frequent product release schedule will attest, the industry standard crown is still up for grabs. There's the other issue of software to consider, also. Pioneer has remained fairly neutral so far, releasing controllers for the big two platforms already, with the paint barely dry on its latest addition.

The XDJ-Aero, however, hints at a new approach. One where you don't need to choose your software gang colors to be involved. This isn't the first bit of kit that lets you play direct from USB drives or skip the laptop, but it's the first from Pioneer that clearly heads out in its own direction. Ditch the Traktor, wean yourself of Serato, even forget CDs and just get on with the mixing. That seems to be what the XDJ-Aero is about, but does it hold its own? We popped a few of our favorite ditties on to find out.

Gallery: Pioneer XDJ-Aero review

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Pioneer's had a little bit of a new-product spree of late, and it isn't over yet. The latest slab-o-buttons? The DDJ-SX. For those of you familiar with the firm's naming convention, this means it's a software controller with a Serato flavor. As such, integration with the popular DJ application is tight, and includes dual deck, slip mode, FX mode and hot cue functionality. The four-channel mixer section can be used with external hardware, which you can hook up via a pair of phono inputs, and, as usual, the DDJ-SX can be used as a MIDI controller with other software should you so desire. As for outputs, you've the choice between XLR and RCA, as well as a separate output for the DJ booth, and as it has its own audio interface, there's no need to bring anything else in there with you. The DDJ-SX will be ready to play in November for a bass-heavy $1,199, but if you're quick to the game, the first 10,000 buyers can snag a free license for the Serato Video plug-in. Nice. Bewildered by all those pots and faders? Then shuffle past the break for the official tour.

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Pioneer's CDJ-2000 took the spot at the top of the firm's CD turntable range a couple of years back, and has enjoyed a decent spell as the club standard. To ensure that its reign continues unchallenged, a new iteration in the form of the CDJ-2000nexus (no relation) has just been announced. The vast majority of the DNA remains the same, but there are some key new features such as WiFi (as we saw in the XDJ-AERO) for use with the rekordbox app, Beat Sync, Wave Zoom and Slip (a much wanted feature first seen in the CDJ-900). In total, you can now load tracks from CD, DVD, USB, SD, networked machines, and WiFi, meaning the player has essentially outgrown its "CDJ" labeling, becoming a true multimedia player. If you fancy taking one for a spin, you can do so starting from some time this month, for the upbeat price of $2,399. Laidback Luke demo video on rotation after the break.

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Load and start track A. Load, and start track B on the next down beat. Adjust pitch / speed of track B to keep in time with track A. Now you know the very basics of DJing, you might want some hardware to practice it on. Fortunately, for you beginners, Denon has just released the MC2000 DJ controller. An entry-level device that should get you (and your tracks) up to speed. Along with the plug and play USB device, you'll get a copy of Serato's DJ Intro mixing software (for which it was specifically designed) to get you started. If that's not for you, or perhaps you've already earned your spinning stripes, and are looking for something compact, no problem -- full MIDI output means this can work with other software options too. There's a basic two-channel mixer snug between the pair o'wheels, and all the usual buttons for hot-cues and loops etc. As is fast becoming standard, the audio interface is built-in, making the hook-up at parties and gigs a much simpler -- and less computer-bothering -- affair. If has ticked your boxes, it'll be available from October, commanding an estimated £269 / €325 / $299 out of your record budget when it does so. In the meantime you can cue-up the promo video after the break.

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The advent of digital DJing removed the jumps and skips of vinyl, while introducing a bad case of cable spaghetti, as spinners bring their own kit to the party. Pioneer saw that, and has finally cut them free with the new XDJ-AERO. The WiFi-enabled DJ controller lets you load up the next Moombahcore banger direct from a smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC -- with support for four connected devices at once. This also means that the audience can get involved in the track selection -- a la Nexus Q -- but you might want to keep that fact quiet. The XDJ-AERO is designed to work with Pioneer's own rekordbox application, but can also be use as a MIDI controller for other popular software. On the actual hardware-side of things, there's a built-in 24-bit audio interface, two-channel mixer (which can be used standalone) plus the usual array of cue-point triggers, FX and filters we've come to expect. What price does the cutting of cables command? £869 (about $1,399), and the beat can begin some time later this month. Can't wait 'til then? Drop past the break for the ridiculously cool video (and slightly less cool press release).

Filed under: Misc, Home Entertainment

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Onyx Ashanti has sent us over a demo of his beatjazz controller, and we have to marvel at the direction he's taken with this custom electronic music machine following more modest efforts. Onyx's 3D-printed interface receives inputs from a voice / breath-operated synth in the headgear, while the two handheld controls incorporate accelerometers, joysticks and pressure-sensitive buttons. Using this kit and his own software, Onyx is able to create live digital music with an amount of control you would only expect from desktop-based production software. We've embedded two videos for your attention after the break -- a demo of his latest flashy build complete with lightsaber-like effects, and an earlier live performance that really shows what the beatjazz controller can do.

Filed under: Misc, Wearables

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Remember Miselu's Neiro -- that prototype app-based Android-powered synth we last played with at SXSW? Not only is it being showcased at Google I/O 2012 here in San Francisco, but we got an exclusive first look at some of the apps being developed for the new platform ahead of the event. The company's been on a roll since our meeting in Austin, gaining (ex-OQO CEO) Jory Bell as CTO and building relationships with partners like Korg and Yamaha.

Now on its second iteration, the laptop-like synth has evolved from the hand-built prototype we saw at SXSW to a more polished reference design -- complete with breakout board for SD card and Ethernet support. As before, the device runs Gingerbread on a dual-core TI OMAP processor and features a two octave velocity and pressure-sensitive keyboard, a capacitive multitouch widescreen, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, audio and MIDI I/O, plus USB and HDMI ports. This version even adds XLR and quarter-inch audio jacks -- just keep in mind that those specs have not been finalized.

What's really exciting about the synth is the apps. The company's ongoing partnership with Retronyms to create a suite of touch-controlled, cloud-enabled musical apps has evolved beyond the drum-machine demo we covered at SXSW. Called nStudio, the suite now also includes a pad-based sampler / sequencer and a mixer. Plasma Sound is a touch-based musical instrument that's part theremin, part keyboard / sequencer. It's already available for other devices on Google Play, but was easily tweaked to run on the Neiro -- sight unseen -- thanks to Miselu's musicSDK and OS X-based emulator.

Miselu will be showcasing two more apps on its synth here at Google I/O: Korg's Polysix and Yamaha's Vocaloid. The Polysix app faithfully recreates Korg's legendary 1981 synth -- known for its rich, thick analog sound. A real, mint-condition Polysix was even available for comparison during our brief time with the app (see our gallery). Vocaloid takes full advantage of the NSX-1 DSP chip that's built-into the Neiro. It's a singing synth app produced by Yamaha that "uses concatenative synthesis to splice and process vocal fragments extracted from human voice samples."

We'll be spending some time with the Vocaloid app and its creator -- video game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi (of Sega and Lumines fame) -- later today. In the meantime, check out the gallery below and watch our hands-on video with the other apps after the break.

Gallery: Miselu Neiro Google I/O update

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Microsoft has applied to patent a free-space gesture controller for a MIDI interface that could see you kicking out jams on invisible instruments. Using a Kinect-style depth camera, individual movements would be mapped to notes and played out by the games console observing the action. The company actually teased a similar function in its Kinect Effect advert, where it showed cellists, violinists and pianists all miming in front of the sensor, although we doubt the technology is at a sufficiently capable stage just yet. If granted, it means we could see plenty of intentional arm-waving in future music games, or an even more outrageous stage show from the world's most beloved Gallic synth maven.

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Wherever there's a teaser video, full product info is sure to follow. Denon's decided to stop being so coy, and got its new SC2900 DJ media player fully out in the open. We pretty much got to see most of what's on offer, including that 7-inch non-motorized platter, and slew of format-playing options (mp3 / audio CD, USB drives, direct from laptop,) but we didn't know when, and how much. The answers to those questions? For Europeans, July, and €800 plus tax. That's about $997 by conversion, but the actual US price will come as and when availability here's confirmed.

Gallery: Denon SC2900

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As the world of digital DJing offers those who spin increasingly individual configurations, there's still a dedicated crowd who like to keep it strictly "ones and twos." Denon hears this, and is hoping to snag some of those faithful with its latest SC2900 DJ media player. From the tease video (after the break) it looks like it's pitting itself against Pioneer's CDJ900 and CDJ2000 models. There's a 7-inch platter (Denon's first without a motor,) jazzed up with LEDs for cue and marker points. This can be used to get hands on with CDs (audio and MP3,) USB drives, music direct from the companion "Engine" software (i.e. hosted on a Mac or PC,) and shared media from other compatible networked players. Other goodies include four hot cues, native support for Traktor (and other) DJ software over MIDI, a "slip mode" made popular by the CDJ900 for keeping tracks in the mix even when scratching, and library browsing via iPad (though we're not sure if it's anything more than that). Pricing and availability should get played out soon, in the meantime you might want to start boning up on those old DMC routines.

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Should the robots ever form an alliance and turn against us, all we need to do is call on people like Anand Jin to save us. Why? Because it's folk of his ilk that are the pied pipers of the machine world. We've seen disk drives coerced into recreating Daft Punk, and Bo-Rhap extorted from an Atari 800XL. Now, we can watch the aforementioned Anand eke the theme from Game of Thrones out of eight floppy drives. There's more info on his YouTube channel if you're curious to know the hows and whys. Much as we enjoy the performance, hearing the theme again just brings up bad memories of last week's ending.

Filed under: Alt

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Filed under: Alt

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This is the Miselu Neiro, a "portable, net-enabled social music device" which was announced this weekend at SXSW. We were able see and handle the first-ever prototype fresh off the lab bench at the SoundCloud Open House in Austin. The app-based, Android-powered synth features a two octave velocity and pressure-sensitive keyboard, a capacitive multitouch widescreen, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity and even a webcam. Battery life is expected to be in the five to six hour range. The laptop-sized instrument features audio I/O, MIDI I/O, two USB ports, an HDMI port and an SD card slot. It currently runs Gingerbread on a dual-core TI OMAP processor -- although those aren't the final specs.

While the silicon valley startup is mum on pricing and availability, it's teamed up with Yamaha to outfit the device with an NSX-1 DSP chip (for high-quality synthesis and effects) and with Retronyms to create a powerful suite of touch-controlled, cloud-enabled musical apps in time for launch. The instrument also includes a dock area for accessories (such as a speaker bar) and the company plans to license the interface to third-party manufacturers.

Beyond the Neiro prototype, Miselu also showcased its older, larger, proof-of-concept device (controlling Ableton Live via MIDI / OSC over WiFi) and a USB-powered digital speaker cabinet built in partnership with Onkyo that integrates Trigence's Dnote technology for high-quality audio reproduction using only 500mA of power. Check out the pictures in our gallery below, then hit the break for our hands-on video -- complete with a walkthrough by CEO Yoshinari Yoshikawa and a drum-machine demo.

Gallery: Miselu Neiro at SXSW 2012

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