iLounge

21

this is an interesting concept that numark has come up with.  however, “where the heck is the pitch control?” was my first reaction when i saw it.  i have two ipods already and this device would be great.  but i wouldn’t spring for one if it didn’t have pitch control.

Posted by dj_mixfreak on July 26, 2005 at 10:31 AM (PDT)

22

Will they add pitch control coz with it i think this would be awesome.

Is this out yet or if not, When is it coming out?

Posted by Richard Moorhouse on July 27, 2005 at 10:28 AM (PDT)

23

Hey, here’s an idea… Pitch control in your head! Why not do it the good old fashioned way and DJ using nothing more than a good knowledge of music and the capacity to “know” how to put together songs that already have similar beats?? I know there might be an art to it and it a bit more complicated than twiddling a knob, but hey, could be possible!

Posted by Bazza on July 28, 2005 at 5:38 PM (PDT)

24

In response to “Pitch control in your head”:

I don’t think so. No two tracks have the same BPM which is why pitch control was created. No pitch control is the equivalent of a radio DJ who talks and uses commercials to fill in the gaps between songs. Why spend the $400 for a crossfade feature that has already been implented in iTUNES for free.

Posted by danmaldesign on August 7, 2005 at 10:58 AM (PDT)

25

“I don’t think so. No two tracks have the same BPM which is why pitch control was created.”

Sorry, not quite right…

It’s called a “Time Signature” and every piece of music has one, with the most common being the 4/4 signature which is found is most rock, country and jazz music. Blues and doo-wop music will most commonly have a 12/8 time signature.

The other key ingredient is tempo, tempo is the measure of how many times the signature is repeated in a minute, so (signature * tempo = BPM.)

I agree that lots of music sounds different and hence the “beats” sound different, but there will be a time signature to them all that you can match if you listen for it. Most dance music uses the common 4/4 signature, and it’s the tempo that will be the only difference in most cases. Pitch control merely alters the tempo, the “beat” is in the signature.

The art is in knowing the signatures of your music, and using matched signatures with tempos that crossfade or complement each other to make transitions between pieces appear seemless and natural…

Try it sometime, it is possible!

Posted by Bazza on August 8, 2005 at 7:12 PM (PDT)

26

Most dance music uses the common 4/4 signature, and it’s the tempo that will be the only difference in most cases. Pitch control merely alters the tempo, the “beat� is in the signature.

Even with basic house (4/4) music there is a world of difference between segueing between tracks (ala old-style “DJing”, and actually *mixing* two or three records together to make a dance music. The first is simple mechanics, the last is performance art—and demands pitch shifting.

And your analysis addresses nothing regarding breakbeat or jungle/drum and bass, which features syncopation and time-shifted signatures.

Posted by Demosthenes on August 9, 2005 at 7:27 AM (PDT)

27

Demos,

I know that it’s not all quite as black & white as my last post - music is complex, artists who make it will always seek to bend the rules, that is how music evolves. Without this, Jazz would never have transpired and we would still all be listening to basic rock!

A musical evolution thread this is not, to put it back into context, you are right, there is simple “Wedding DJ’ing” as opposed to “Mixing DJ’ing” and the equipment required for the two are world’s apart.

I could see a wedding DJ using the iPod mixer, and see it meeting those needs very well. I couldn’t see any sort of professional club DJ who is into mixing, using the iPod mixer… Nothing will beat vinyl on turntables for that purpose!

Posted by Bazza on August 14, 2005 at 6:31 PM (PDT)

28

Your blog is very interesint

Posted by Anelia on September 1, 2005 at 8:06 AM (PDT)

29

quite simply, THIS NEEDS PITCH-CONTROL. without this it is just another “bandwagon” product.

Posted by essbee in london on September 19, 2005 at 4:07 AM (PDT)

30

i wanna buy iDJ mixing console where pay for that please tell me

Posted by tio danny on October 5, 2005 at 10:13 PM (PDT)

31

I’ve been reading the comments here and I will not get this over price kids toy.  But anyways can you just hook up two ipod to a mixer using adapters and cables….can anyone answer why this can’t be done and what are the pros and cons.

Posted by mattlouie on March 5, 2006 at 8:18 AM (PDT)