Music Tech

After years of not releasing any DJ equipment, Native Instruments returned to the game in October and unveiled its Traktor Pro 3 software. It also announced two updated controllers: the Traktor Kontrol S2 and S4.

On this week’s Tips and Tricks, Mojaxx delivers his long-awaited review of the S4 and looks at Traktor Pro 3.

Related: Pioneer DJ Announces XDJ-RR Controller

Mojaxx loved Ortofon’s MkII range of Concorde cartridges when he reviewed them earlier this year. But not all DJs want or can use plug-in style cartridges like Concordes.

On this week’s Tips and Tricks episode, Mo looks at the company’s OM series of cartridges, which are designed to fit on a traditional headshell.

Related: Review: Ortofon Concorde MkII Series

Black Friday is a sh#t show. Who wants to wait in line for hours or fight crowds to save 10% on something they don’t need? Nobody, that’s who. Luckily, we’ve saved you time by compiling some of our favorite BF deals.

GENRE BNDR
Your favorite DJ’s favorite clothing line is giving 25% off of its entire catalog. Use code “BFRIDAY25.”

Mega DJ Center
The Houston staple is offering sweet discounts on select 7″ vinyl.

Orbit Concepts
The company is offering free shipping and customization of its JetPack Prime and Prime XL backpacks.

Jesse Dean Designs
The king of custom gear has cut costs on a slew of portablist accessories.

DJ TechTools
Our favorite DJ tech gurus have slashed prices on a ton of products and accessories. You need to log in to see the deals, but it’s worth the effort.

Serato
The leading DVS manufacturer is offering 50% off select control vinyl as well as discounts on software and merch.

Related: DJcity Teams With GENRE BNDR for New T-Shirt Collab

Back in 2017, Mojaxx reviewed MK Stands’ isolation boots for the Technics 1200 and 1210 turntables. While Mo and turntablists like ESKEI83 love the boots, they’ve also been critical of them because they raise turntables slightly higher than the mixer.

As a result, MK Stands released an updated version in October called the Pro DJ Isolation System. The new boots put the mixer and turntables at the same height while offering better stability and protection from vibration.

On this two-part episode of Tips and Tricks, Mo gives an updated review of the original isolation boots and takes a look at the new system. ESKEI also makes a cameo.

Watch above.

Related: The Best Keyboard Covers for DJs

Last month, SoundCloud announced that its Go+ streaming service would be integrated into a variety of DJ software, including Traktor Pro, Virtual DJ, and Mixvibes. Serato DJ Pro was also on the list, but the integration wasn’t expected until 2019.

However, in a surprise move, Serato has introduced SoundCloud integration into the latest build of the Serato DJ Pro 2.1 public beta.

To play SoundCloud tracks with Serato DJ Pro, users will need a Go+ subscription. The service costs $9.99 a month, but those looking to experiment with it can sign up for a free 30-day trial. The tracks are available for streaming at 256kbps AAC quality.

The Serato DJ Pro 2.1 public beta can be downloaded here.

Watch Mojaxx‘s first look at the public beta below.

Related: Watch: Chris Villa Drops Routine for Serato

All major DJ software have keyboard shortcuts, but memorizing the shortcuts isn’t easy. That’s where keyboard covers come in.

On this week’s episode of DJcityTV’s Tips and Tricks, Mojaxx discusses his favorite brands: KB Covers and Editors Keys.

Watch above.

Related: Improve Your Laptop’s Performance by Cleaning Its Fan

As with any modern digital DJ device, it’s important to keep up with firmware updates. On this episode of Tips and Tricks, DJcityTV’s Mojaxx takes a quick look at the beta firmware update for Rane’s SEVENTY-TWO mixer. The update was recently released in conjunction with the public beta of Serato DJ Pro 2.1.

Related: First Look: Serato DJ Pro 2.1 Beta With TIDAL Integration

Following their announcement last week, Serato has released the Serato DJ Pro 2.1 Public Beta. This version sees the return of music streaming to the software, among other additions.

With the update, TIDAL subscribers are able to play songs from their playlists within Serato. This feature also works with the Serato DJ Lite 1.1 Public Beta.

Another notable feature in this beta is the Serato Play expansion pack. This builds off of the practice mode feature by enabling control over four virtual decks with pitch sliders, faders, and effects using keyboard shortcuts in place of hardware.

Watch Mojaxx‘s first look at the Serato DJ Pro 2.1 Public Beta above.

Related: Serato to Launch Streaming Integrations With SoundCloud and TIDAL

With all the record pools and digital music services available today, it’s tempting to download as much music as possible. But as your music library grows larger, it can become more difficult to find tracks.

On this episode of DJcityTV’s Share The Knowledge, DJ TLM talks about how you can organize your library.

Related: DJ TLM: DJs Should Learn How to Play Longer Sets

Released in 2016, the TORAIZ SP-16 is a sampler and step sequencer by Pioneer DJ that can be used for music production or as a stand-alone device for DJ sets. Designed in collaboration with Dave Smith Instruments, it is Pioneer DJ’s first piece of music production equipment.

On this week’s episode of Consejos y Trucos, DJcity Latino‘s Luis Martinez gives an in-depth review of the SP-16 to examine its many capabilities.

Watch it above.

Spanish translation (traducción en español):

Lanzado en 2016, el TORAIZ SP-16 es un sampler y secuenciador por Pioneer DJ que se puede usar para producción musical o como dispositivo independiente para sets de DJ. Diseñado en colaboración con Dave Smith Instruments, fue el primer equipo de producción musical de Pioneer DJ.

En este episodio de Consejos y Trucos de DJcity Latino, Luis Martínez nos da una revisión del SP-16 para examinar su versatilidad.

Míralo arriba.

Related: Consejos y Trucos: Pioneer DJ DDJ-1000 Review