DJ Times March 2012, Vol 25 No 3

WINTER NAMM WRAP-UP: THE LATEST DJ GEAR AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988 MARCH 2012

$6.95 CANADA $4.95 US

O Canada!

Drama at the DJ Battle

AMON TOBIN’S

MEDIA MASSIVE How DJs Populate Their Sites With Content

www.djtimes.com

PLUS: * Dave Clarke * Year-End Festivals * Nero * Mixed In Key 5 * Stanton’s SCS.4DJ * Marketing Your Biz to the Reptilian Brain

The Pioneer DJM-T1 is your all-in-one TRAKTOR solution: a hybrid mixer, a controller and audio interface in one unit. Included in the box is a copy of TRAKTOR SCRATCH DUO 2 software, along with the control CD and vinyl needed for DVS scratch control. With it’s quick setup, new high quality fader design and high sound quality, you’ve found your TRAKTOR soul mate.

TRAKTOR SCRATCH DUO 2 Included

TRAKTOR series control allows access to TRAKTOR’s software without the need for an additional external controller

New high quality fader design

TRAKTOR SCRATCH Certified

High quality sound

Internal USB soundcard

DJM-T1 2-Channel TRAKTOR Mixer

INDUSTRY EVENTS…NOTABLES…MILESTONES

NEWS

NAMM ’12: HEADPHONES & CONTROLLER CRAZY Box controller/sample trigger and iDJ Pro iPad controller. Akai showed the MPC Renaissance production center and Alesis exhibited the iO4 audio interface. Stanton DJ, now part of the

The Hercules AIR controller.

Z-Trip & Rane’s Sixty-Two Z Mixer.

Tank “Street Series.” OmniSistem showed its Retroscan fixture and Aria centerpiece.

In studio-land, Casio showed its XW-G1 groove synth and XW-P1 performance synth. Dave Smith Instruments exhibited its Tempest analog drum machine. Moog broke out its Minitaur analog bass synth. Feeltune showed its Rhizome LE groove machine. BKE showed its Beat Thang portable production workstation.

Korg released its Monotron DUO and Monotron DELAY synths. SmithsonMartin showed the KS-1974 hardware control/visual display unit, for DJ and studio apps.

Roland unveiled its R-26 Portable Recorder and the BOSS RC-300 Loop Station real-time phrase looper.

JBL’s PRX400 speakers.

Gibson Pro Audio division, showed the SCS.4DJ, plus KRK’s KRK12sHO and KRK12 sub monitors.

DJ-Tech debuted the Dragon Two 4-channel controller, the U3 Station all-in-one DJ workstation, the HMP-2300 headphones and the eDJ500 headphones. Novation showed its Twitch Touchstrip controller. IK Multimedia unveiled the iRig Mix DJ mixer, tailored for iOS devices like iPad. The Hosa Beatport DJ Series product line offered several connectivity solutions, including Stereo RCA and USB cables and the USB 2.0 Hub. Yamaha showed the new DXR and DXS powered speaker line, offering the loudest SPL volume in its class.

Electro-Voice debuted the ZXA1-Sub active 12-inch sub. Line 6 introduced its StageSource L3t speaker series.

Yorkville showed its Paraline Series of active speakers.

JBL Pro debuted the PRX400 passive speaker series. AKG showed its DMS 70 digital wireless mic system. Peavey showed the PVX loudspeakers. Audio-Technica unveiled its AT2005USB USB/XLR mic.

Sennheiser showed its XS wireless series. Aerial 7 offered many headphone models, including its colorful

MARCH 2012

SmithsonMartin’s unique KS-1974.

DJ TIMES

Anaheim, Calif.—According to organizers, the 2012 Winter NAMM show set a new attendance record with 95,709 registered visitors. The show, held this past Jan. 19-22 at the Anaheim Convention Center, housed 1,441 exhibitors, including dozens with new DJ-related gear. Expect to see plenty of entries in 2012’s DJcontroller and headphone markets.

As usual, DJ Times was in the house, along with its publisher Testa Communications, which aired Convention TV @ NAMM, bringing up-to-date show coverage.

Rane kicked things off with three new mixers for Serato Scratch Live.

The Sixty-Two supports two computers, 2-deck digital vinyl simulation, SP-6 sample, software/hardware effects and record/playback channels. The Limited Edition Sixty-Two Z Mixer, co-designed by top jock Z-Trip, features a face-plate by noted artist Shepard Fairey. The Sixty-One features the same 20-channel sound card, but also MIDI mapable controls.

Distributor American Music & Sound broke out the Vestax VCI-400 controller and Allen & Heath’s Xone: DB2 FX mixer. Denon displayed its MC3000 controller and the DNMC6000 mixer/controller. Hercules showed its HDP DJ-Pro M-1001 and HDP DJ-AVV G501 headphones, and it debuted the DJ Control AIR controller.

American Audio debuted the VMS4 Traktor controller, the SenSeries of loudspeakers and XLT amp range.

Arriba offered seven new cases for lighting-related gear and American DJ showed several new lighting fixtures, including the Fun Factor LED, Jelly Par Profile Sys 4-unit lighting system, and the Mega Par Profile Sys LED par system. Elation Professional debuted two video products—the EVCMH Moving Head Video Camera and the EPV15 Flex Video Panel.

Chauvet Lighting debuted nearly 20 fixtures, including new additions to the Intimidator scanner range and the Scorpion laser family, plus the Impulse 648 strobe and the wireless Freedom Par and Freedom Strip Mini.

Gemini DJ introduced the FirstMix I/O and FirstMix Pro USB DJ controllers. Distributor Mixware debuted the Electrix Tweaker controller, the Reloop Terminal Mix 4 controller, UDG Protective Hardcases, Decksaver covers, and the Magma Control Stand.

Numark Industries showed the 4TRAK controller/mixer, the Drop

3

VOLUME 25 NUMBER 3

DEPARTMENTS 7 Feedback

As Always, the Answers to All Your DJRelated Questions

24 Making Tracks Mixed In Key Version 5.0

12 Media Massive Amon Tobin’s ISAM Tour Marries Audio & Video in Spectacular New Ways

BY NATE SHERWOOD

18 Closing Parties Massive & Lights All Night Events Finish a Huge Year for Festivals

BY ASHLEY SUSZCZYNSKI, JAY WEST & CALDER WILSON

20 O Canada!

American Battle Champ Big Once Found Out How Tough It Is to Win on the Road

BY JIM TREMAYNE

26 Sounding Off Stanton’s SCS.4DJ

28 Mobile Profile

Percussionist Finds New Beat

30 Business Line

Marketing to the Reptilian Brain

32 Gear

New Products from American Audio, Yamaha & More

38 Grooves

Phat Tracks from Skrillex, The Mekanism & More

40 DJ Times Marketplace

22 Digital Domain

Your Future Clients Live Online. Learn How to Say, “Hello!”

BY JEFF STILES

41 Club Play Chart

The Hottest Records, As Reported by Our Top U.S. Record Pools

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

SAMPLINGS

4

8 Dave Clarke On Techno & Integrity

10 In the Studio With…

Nero

Cover Photos By JC Jaress/Contents Photo By Nathan Seabrook

Shop Here for All Your DJ-Related Supplies

FROM THE EDITOR

editor-in-chief Jim Tremayne jtremayne@testa.com

The Next Wave: NAMM & Beyond

This past January 19-22, we hit Anaheim’s Winter NAMM show with a renewed level of expectation. It was pretty obvious that 2011 had been a big year for DJ culture, so we were curious to see which companies on the product side saw the same things we were seeing.

Luckily, there were plenty. Sure, the dedicated DJ outfits offered up scads of new digital solutions—MIDI controllers, mixers for iOS devices, software tweaks, etc. But we also saw proaudio companies like Electro-Voice and Yamaha tossing in some love for the DJ—in this case the mobiles—in their press conferences announcing new portable loudspeaker systems. And, oh yeah, we saw a lotta new headphones. Bottom line: We believe 2012 is going to be another banner year for the DJ and we’re officially excited. (And a big thanks to tech-writer Wesley Bryant-King for walking the NAMM floor with me and seeing a new demo every half-hour.)

Onto our cover subject, Amon Tobin: We’d long followed his recording career as another innovative artist on the Ninja Tune label, but it wasn’t until this past year that we were able to fully see his artistic vision in the guise of his very visual ISAM tour (supporting his album of the same name).This past October, I saw it at Moogfest in Asheville, N.C., and our writer Nate Sherwood caught the eyegasm of a show in Brooklyn. In a word, wow. So as Tobin prepared to present the ISAM experience at April’s Coachella festival in Indio, Calif.—with more than a little help from Vello Virkhaus’ V Squared Labs—we present Nate’s discussion with him and mine with Virkhaus.

“This past year’s been about trying to make a new kind of show altogether,” said Tobin, as he prepped for Coachella. “It’s somewhere between a live gig, a movie and straight-up sound fetish. Coachella is the first really, big festival I’m bringing this show to. So right now we’re working on adapting to all this bigness without losing what makes the thing special. It’s a weird and wonderful thing. It’s going to be even stranger in the desert—can’t wait!” Thanks, Amon.

This issue also takes us to Vancouver, B.C., where we hit the Red Bull Thre3style World Finals, a rather unique DJ battle with champs from all over the world duking it out with 15-minute sets that must include three different genres. That weekend in December, we tailed U.S. champ Big Once from Chicago and we now report some of the dramas he endured and much of the grace that he displayed in the face of adversity. Big up to Big Once.

Also, on the music tip we take a look at Lights All Night and Massive, two big EDM events that closed a huge year for festivals. We also connect in the studio with U.K. bass-bangers Nero and we sit with our old friend-in-techno Dave Clarke, who remains one of my favorite interview subjects in all of the DJ world. Read Innes Weir’s Sampling entry and see why.

On the mobile front, we find a Poconos percussionist who makes a living banging on the drum all day—with apologies to Mr. Rundgren. Also, Jeff Stiles asks mobiles how they populate their websites with valuable content, and in Business Line we reveal how “marketing to the reptilian brain” can help your DJ company. Enjoy.

editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@testa.com chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Jody Amos Joe Bermudez Wesley Bryant-King Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Justin Hampton Josh Harris Russ Harris Robert LaFrance Polly Lavin Michelle Loeb Lily Moayeri Phil Moffa Jonathan Novick Scott Rubin Jennifer Shapiro Nate Sherwood Jeff Stiles Emily Tan Phil Turnipseed Floor Vahn Curtis Zack Innes Weir President/Publisher Vincent P. Testa

FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TO ORDER SUBSCRIPTIONS, CALL 800-937-7678 VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.djtimes.com

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

Cheers,

6

Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ Times

DJ Times Sound & Communications The Music & Sound Retailer Sound & Communications Blue Book America’s Best DJ The DJ Expo IT/AV Report Convention TV News VTTV Studios

graphic designer/artist Janice Pupelis jpupelis@testa.com production manager Steve Thorakos sthorakos@testa.com promotions/web designer Fred Gumm fgumm@testa.com advertising manager Jon Rayvid jrayvid@testa.com art/production assistant Douglas Yelin dyelin@testa.com Circulation circulation@testa.com Classifieds classifiedsales@testa.com

operations manager Robin Hazan rhazan@testa.com Editorial and Sales Office: DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York, USA 11050-3779. (516) 767-2500 • FAX (Editorial): (516) 944-8372 • FAX (Sales/all other business): (516) 767-9335 • DJTIMES@TESTA. COM Editorial contributions should be addressed to The Editor, DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, NY, USA, 110503779. Unsolicited manuscripts will be treated with care an d should be accompanied by return postage.

DJ Times (ISSN 1045-9693) (USPS 0004-153) is published monthly for $19.40 (US), $39.99 (Canada), and $59.99 (all other countries), by DJ Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 110503779. Periodicals postage paid at Port Washington, NY, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DJ Times, PO BOX 1767, LOWELL MA 01853-1767 Design and contents are copyright © 2012 by DJ Publishing, Inc., and must not be reproduced in any manner except by permission of the publisher. Websites: www. djtimes.com and www.testa.com March 2012

visit our website: www.djtimes.com

FEEDBACK

Winter nAMM PrevieW

AmericA’s First mAgAzine For ProFessionAl DJs estAblisheD 1988

FebrUAry 2012

$6.95 CANADA

$4.95 US

Steve Aoki’S WonderlAnd Droog: Underground Culprits Holiday Booking report: How Some DJs Survived $4.95 US

$6.95 CANADA

PLUS: Cosmic Gate * DJ Cam * iZotope’s Ozone 5 * ni’s traktor Scratch Pro 2 * Blogger Mania www.djtimes.com

This is Feedback, a monthly feature that fields questions from you, our readers, and funnels them out to in‑ dustry professionals. If you have any questions about DJing – marketing, mixing, equipment or insurance, any at all – drop us a letter at DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Ave, Port Washington, NY 11050, fax us at (516) 944‑8372 or e‑mail us at djtimes@testa.com. If we do use your question, you’ll receive a free DJ Times T‑shirt. And remember, the only dumb question is the ques‑ tion that is not asked.

DEAR DJ TIMES, What are some interesting, new items you saw at the NAMM show? Anything you can recommend?

– Several e-mails from several readers

Anaheim, Calif.—Having just re‑ turned from the Winter NAMM show, which ran this past Jan. 19-22 at the Anaheim Convention Center, we’re still shaking from the effects of DJgear overdose. All those new products mixed with all that hoofing around the showfloor put us in quite a state.

If you flip back to Page 3, you’ll see a more comprehensive rundown of what new items were shown for the DJ market, including products from the DJ/playback, pro-audio, studio, video and lighting sectors.

But here are five specific picks of inno‑ vative new products from the Winter NAMM show floor, collected by DJ Times’ Denver-based tech-writer Wes‑ ley Bryant-King: 1) iConnectMIDI from iConnectivity. Enables end-to-end MIDI con‑ nectivity among and between 5-pin DIN MIDI devices, USB MIDI devices, desktop PCs (Windows and Mac), and iOS devices. Available now.

2) OP-1 from Teenage Engineering. Retro meets tomorrow with this chic, portable mini-synth and worksta‑ tion to create, capture and experiment with musical ideas virtually anywhere.

Available now.

3) KS-1974 from SmithsonMartin.

This mind-bending concept marries

multi-touch hardware control and vi‑ sual display into a single, portable device via customizable software, for both DJ and production applications.

Available now.

4) iRig Mixer from IK Multimedia.

The first hardware-based mixer spe‑ cifically for iOS devices opens new doors and brings new possibilities for DJing from iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Available now.

5) iDJ Pro from Numark Industries.

Next-generation iPad DJing solution builds a professional-grade controller around your iPad, coupled with an updated edition of algoriddim’s “djay” app, for the ultimate in portability.

Coming later this year.

As can see from this short list and the full rundown on Page 3, which includes scads of headphones and controllers, 2012 looks to be another big year for the DJ market.

– Jim Tremayne, DJ Times

www.djtimes.com

www.djtimes.com/blog

SAMPLINGS

DAVE CLARKE ON TECHNO & INTEGRITY Dave Clarke, the legendary “Baron of Techno,” is back. One of the most uncompromising and electrifying DJs of his generation, Clarke returns this month with a thunderous new Fabric 60 mix CD and—like it or not— he’s back in the international spotlight all over again.

Famously describing himself as “established, but never establishment,” Clarke’s refusal to play the commercial game hasn’t hampered his career; his White Noise radio shows and decade-spanning residencies at Rex Club in Paris and Fuse in Brussels continue to set the global techno agenda.

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

Dave Clarke: Unwavering & opinionated as ever.

8

A determined futurist in every sense, the British-born, Amsterdam-based Clarke gave up playing vinyl 10 years ago and has been at the forefront of DJ technology ever since… but did he make the right call? Enter Dave’s DJ booth and find out.

DJ Times: First off, your Fabric mix is a typically dark and edgy listen—ever been tempted to play around with different genres?

Clarke: No, I’ve never been bothered about following music trends—that’s for weaker-minded DJs who think that money is more important than musical integrity.

Playing techno in a club just makes the most sense to me. I play real techno and real electro, not the bastardized “pop-electro” rubbish you hear in the charts. I play cuttingedge, non-commercial music with integrity.

What’s the point of putting a “big tune” on the mix that’s been tried and tested already?

That’s too predictable for me.

DJ Times: So what’s you’re preferred set-up these days?

Clarke: I use CD players, Serato Scratch Live through three channels—with a MacBook and SSD memory—and sometimes

I’ll bring out a Korg nanoPAD for triggering samples. The technology has to earn its place. It has to work, it has to be ultrareliable and it has to be exciting. It has to allow me new creative freedoms, too—and, for all of those reasons, I’ve found Serato to be a very solid platform. It doesn’t have a sync button—which I kind of like because you still need to have mixing skills—but that might not even matter in a few years anyway.

DJ Times: So what’s the future looking like for DJs? Clarke: Using Serato has meant having to take more equipment around with me again, but I think in the future DJs will just turn up with an iPad and a decent cable to plug straight into the mixer. The iPad will be the multi-channel audio “out” and there will be new, reliable DJ controllers to back that up.

DJ Times: Any issues with digital DJing at all?

Clarke: I still get frustrated with that tiny, little millisecond of delay that you get when you cue up a track with digital. You never had that with vinyl, because it was all

happening physically and instantly. Digital interprets what’s happening physically, so there’s still that issue of latency, but it’s gradually disappearing. Ultimately, it’s all about what works for you as a DJ; think slowly, see what works, and move on.

DJ Times: How do you think new technology has affected DJ culture?

Clarke: Some DJs out there will take on absolutely any equipment just because it’s new. They pretend they’re onto something when all they’re really doing is hiding behind the world’s biggest screen saver. Then there are other guys out there, like Stephan Bodzin, who I call the “Mad Scientists.” He can get new sounds, new uses out of equipment that nobody else thought of, and I think that’s brilliant. DJs these days split into two groups—the guys who play commercial music and want to go out with Paris Hilton, and the other guys who have integrity and a musical vision. These other guys are the ones that I can speak to and say, “Keep doing what you’re doing and hope for a lucky break.” Sometimes success as a DJ is all about getting that one lucky break.

– Innes Weir

MC3000:

Scan this QR code to find out more about the MC3000

THE ART OF SOUND

The MC3000 DJ controller from Denon DJ is an affordable professional MIDI controller packaged with Virtual DJ LE and fully optimized for Native Instruments® TRAKTOR™ 2 Technology Inside products.

4 Deck control and a high-quality internal soundcard at an affordable price means the new MC3000 Professional DJ Controller is suited for both the semi-pro DJ as well as those wanting to move onto a more professional setup. Featuring the Layer Function for Dual Deck and 2+2 4-channel mixer control manages to keep functionality but maintain an uncluttered and ergonomic layout.

• Optimized for VIRTUAL DJ – Virtual DJ LE Included* • Optimized for TRAKTOR™ 2 Technology Inside Products • Layer Function for 4-Deck and 4-Channel Mixer Control • USB Audio Interface 2 in / 2 out (Stereo) • Line to Master - 2 Analog Line Input Mixing Control • Professional-Grade Steel Chassis *Virtual DJ LE included for America’s & Canada *TRAKTOR™ 2 LE included for Europe and Asia Pacific

Watch the MC3000 in action at youtube.com/denondjtv

USE IT. LIVE IT.

“Like” us on facebook / “Follow” us on twitter more info and social media links at www.denondj.com

WWW.DENONDJ.COM

IN THE STUDIO WITH

NERO’S “WELCOME REALITY”

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

Nero: (from left) Dan Stephens, Alana Watson & Joe Ray.

10

While Skrillex and Bassnectar were busy claiming the States for dubstep, back overseas, a drum-n-bass production duo made good on its intuitive foray into dubstep’s low end. Indeed, Nero managed to dominate the discussion on the dubstep’s rise to the top, thanks to the U.K. Top-40 success of their single “Me & You.” The 2011 release of the group’s debut LP Welcome Reality [Interscope] built on the group’s bombastic, larger-than-life take on the dubstep’s towering basslines and pared-back rhythms, mixed in with lots of rock-inspired raunch and ’80s-era funk/synth-pop fetishes. The group—Joe Ray, Daniel Stephens and vocalist Alana Watson—even joined forces with Skrillex himself for a joint remix of the group’s “Promises,” which they nailed in one session.

“It was refreshing to hear a different BPM with more space in the mix,” says Nero co-founder Ray of the group’s introduction to dubstep. “Drumn-bass had got progressively faster and louder, so dubstep was this slightly more stripped-back, slower sound.”

Set in a future dystopia where the impoverished masses are anesthetized by a virtual-reality video game of the same name, Welcome Reality is a concept album, which derives its sound from several different bits of gear.

Sequenced on Cubase, the duo relies on Native Instruments soft synths such

as the dubstep mainstay Massive as well as FM8. The record also enjoys contributions from outboard gear, such as a Neve board, Roland Jupiter 8 and the Minimoog Voyager. The Jupiter 8, in particular, accounts for the retro touches present on “Reaching Out”—every bit as much as Daryl Hall’s vocal guest spot. In addition, Ray’s past experience in rock comes out with the Robert Fripp-inspired textures on “Scorpions.”

“We used an e-bow to create that ‘Scorpions’ sound,” reveals Ray. “We layered a few up, then layered with synths to create that ‘Blade Runner’ real/ digital effect.”

Similar to Pendulum, Nero’s Ray and Stephens can also pull double-duty as live act and as DJ combo. A recent set showed them jumping from their own tracks to Flux Pavilion, Hudson Mohawke and even Duck Sauce’s “The Big Bad Wolf” in a nod to the group’s house persona. They’ve already been booked to play Coachella, though it probably won’t be as big as the group’s entourage for their “Symphony 2808,” arranged by Joe Duddell and performed by the BBC Philharmonic. But they plan to keep it as accessible for the fans as ever.

“It’s definitely a culture shock to see all the attention, but why shouldn’t people get into this?” Ray figures. “It’s pointless to be elitist about music.”

– Justin Hampton

YOUR

IT’S

STYLE, YOUR RULES.

YOUR CHOICE

Serato? check. Virtual DJ? check. Traktor Pro? check.

Torq, Mixvibes, Mixx, Deckadance, djDecks? check!

The Vestax VCI-400 works with any DJ software that has a MIDI learn function. Having more than 200 assignable parameters (knobs, faders and buttons), you will have plenty of room to fit in all necessary controls of the software you use.

We understand creating a MIDI map from scratch can be time consuming, that’s why Vestax will have basic MIDI maps for a variety of DJ software available on www.vestax.com. If it’s your first time buying a DJ controller or if you’re seeking other DJ software, the VCI-400 comes bundled with Virtual DJ Le and compatible with Serato DJ Intro. The VCI-400 also includes 4 sets of overlays for today’s most popular DJ software.

A division of Jam Industries, Ltd

WWW.VESTAX.COM • INFO@VESTAXUSA.COM

By Nate Sherwood

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

Photos By JC Jaress

12

One of the most-discussed live-music events of the past year was Amon Tobin’s ISAM tour. Since its mid-year premiere at Montreal’s MUTEK festival, electronic-music lovers have been clamoring to see this spectacular show. And after a global jaunt that saw Tobin hit 17 tour stops in 13 cities, he’s set to melt more faces this April at the legendary Coachella festival in Indio, Calif.

So, what’s all the fuss about? Imagine a stage filled with a 25-foot-tall cubic sculpture enveloped in cutting-edge 3D visuals. With the use of projection-mapping technology, the geometric façade comes to life, engulfed with visuals ranging from gritty industrial machinery, to futuristic space travel, to eerie organic amber glowing blocks.

In the heart of the sculpture lies a customized DJ booth littered with an array of controllers and custom-designed techno-gadgets with Tobin at the helm. The show is a sonic journey—featuring “sound-sculptures” from Tobin’s 2011 ISAM album—that feels like a mixture between Tron and a full-on psychedelic acid trip. No matter the tour stop—whether it was MUTEK or Moogfest—the mind-bending optical illusions struck patrons slackjawed and kept them asking, “How did they do that?” (Editor’s Note: Please see Sidebar on Vello Virkhaus’ V Squared Labs.)

Amon is no newcomer to the music scene—he’s been DJing and producing for over 15 years. The Brazilian-born musician cut his teeth on the outskirts of London in the late 1990s, and was eventually signed to the seminal Ninja Tune record label. There he made a name for himself, infusing jazz and blues samples into modern breakbeats and drum-n-bass.

Eventually, Tobin set up shop in Montreal, where he quickly became a fixture in that vibrant

nightlife. There he produced highly acclaimed albums including 2000’s Supermodified and 2007’s Foley Room.

He also scored the popular video game “Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory” and contributed to the soundtracks of such major motion pictures as The Italian Job and 21.

Now living in the San Francisco Bay Area, Tobin continues to hone his craft by exploring new sonic possibilities. DJ Times caught up with Tobin after his show at the Masonic Temple in Brooklyn to talk to him about his newest tour, his transition from the DJ booth, and his ongoing audio/video adventures.

DJ Times: Your ISAM tour has created a lot of buzz—how would you describe it?

Tobin: As an electronic-music producer, I wanted to perform this album as a live performance in the traditional sense of a musician. I took this piece of work that I’ve been developing for years and decided to present it in a way that’s engaging. I didn’t want to compromise the music and make it something that it’s not, just for

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

Amon Tobin’s ISAM Tour Marries Audio & Video in Spectacular New Ways

13

V Squared Labs: Visuals for the EDM Stars

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

V Squared Labs’ Vello Virkhaus.

14

which can animate inanimate objects. It’s incredible eye-candy, representing the music in a way that is easy to follow.

DJ Times: Does the crowd dictate which music you play?

Tobin: No, this tour is more like watching a movie. I am not changing the direction of the movie based on the crowd. It’s a story, which is similar to the approach that I take with my DJ sets. I’ve never been the type of DJ who just showed up with records and could read the crowd; I take a much more dictatorial approach [laughs]. With ISAM, I’m not DJing at all, I am playing the music from the record with a lot of consideration of the pacing of the show, which drives peaks and valleys to create energy over the one-hour-20-minute event DJ Times: So, what exactly are you doing up on stage?

Tobin: Tetris and email! [Laughs] I have all of my tracks laid out in various segments and layers, which are triggered via MIDI. Specific parts of audio are set up to trigger specific visuals. I’m using some proprietary emerging technology. For example, there’s a part of the show where I use an infrared field to trigger different aspects of the visuals. Technologically, there are a lot of things that we have developed ourselves by trial-and-error. Every aspect of this show has been driven by curiosity.

DJ Times: Was it difficult going from a traditional DJ approach to being a different kind of performer?

Tobin: It was a challenge. People have high expectations for an event like this. I want everyone to enjoy the event, while being fascinated and intrigued. I didn’t know how people would react and there was no way for me to test the show ahead of time. I had a hard time with that. It was also a big risk for my record label, Ninja Tune. They were very brave and supportive of my crackpot idea.

DJ Times: When you first produced the ISAM album, did you intend on it becoming a visual performance?

Tobin: Not at all! When I make music, I don’t have much consideration for the listener. I don’t start out trying to go in one particular direction. I see music production as a personal exploration of things that fascinate me. When I finish the record, I do hope people like it, but I don’t focus on (continued on page 42)

Kiino Villand

the sake of creating a palatable live experience.

DJ Times: So technically, is it a dance event or a concert?

Tobin: Neither. It’s something completely new, like a mixture of a movie and a live performance.

When we first started the tour, it was misconceived. People were drawing comparisons to acts like Daft Punk and other musicians who’ve used emerging visual technology to present their music. That doesn’t really fit with my tour because the music is not dance music. This is about getting people to dive in with me and explore new things in a way that visually exciting and new.

DJ Times: What makes it so different?

Tobin: The concept started out with the idea of myself being integrated into something much larger, where I am the virtual representation of the music. We approached it as a visual score of the album, the same way someone would score a movie. I spent over two days with Vello Virkhaus at V Squared Labs, hammering out a linear storyboard, with a narrative aspect to it. Everything is linked together by the music. In terms of technology, we are using projection mapping which is a something that’s been used at large corporate events for years. It creates a visual illusion,

Hollywood, Calif.—The man most responsible for the eye-popping visuals on Amon Tobin’s ISAM show—plus several others like Skrillex’s recent Mothership tour—is Vello Virkhaus of V Squared Labs.

An established VJ/artist himself, Virkhaus and his V Squared Labs have visually enhanced shows from EDM stars and rock acts, clubs and festivals, corporates and fine-art studios. We recently caught up with him at his Hollywood studio, as he prepared another mindblowing show, this time for Israeli trance titans Infected Mushroom.

DJ Times: What was your vision for the ISAM show? What software/hardware are you using?

Virkhaus: The vision was to create a next-level, 3D-mapping experience, with a sci-fi abstract narrative. We are using V Squared Labs EPIC HD 3D-mapping software, written in Derivative Touch Designer.

The hardware is our own custom integration.

DJ Times: And for the Skrillex Mothership tour?

Virkhaus: Our vision for Skrillex really honed into effects programming and 3D-mapping content creation. We brought our experience in the field, software, producing and consulting to the table in a dynamic way.

DJ Times: With EDM branching out so much, especially in festival settings, how important is it for big DJs to have an engaging visual component?

Virkhaus: I think the visual component is extremely important to have custom-tailored to the sonic experience. DJ mixing is a fantastic journey through sound that begs to be interpreted in numerous mediums of visual representation. We have seen the development of increasingly more amazing shows for artists such as Deadmau5, Eric Prydz, Daft Punk, Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim. The visual experiences at these festivals have made long-lasting positive impressions on myself and numerous other fans that I know of. It engages people in almost all the senses.

DJ Times: Should the DJs worry that the visuals become the show?

Virkhaus: The visuals are a great part of the show, but truly support the sonic experience. I don’t think this is dangerous at all, but a forward movement towards synesthesia.

– Jim Tremayne

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

9

18

1

Tight Shot: Diplo at Lights All Night.

Jay West

2

Massive: Armand Van Helden!

Ashley Suszczynski

3

Tijs in Texas: Tiësto drops a beat.

Calder Wilson

4

Laser Lights: Moby in D.C. Ashley Suszczynski

5

Blast Off: A steam jet fires away.

Calder Wilson

6

Bubbly: Sidney Samson at Massive.

Ashley Suszczynski

7

B.C. Beats from Excision.

Ashley Suszczynski

8

“Thank You!” Girl Talk does Dallas.

Jay West

9

O Canada: MSTRKRFT gets crunchy.

Jay West

10 Boomin’: Paper Diamond onstage.

Calder Wilson 11 Martin Solveig says hello.

Ashley Suszczynski 12 T&A: Tittsworth shows off.

Ashley Suszczynski

13 Zed’s Dead with dancers.

Ashley Suszczynski 14 Satisfaction: Benny Benassi

in the mix.

Jay West 15 Bad Boy Bill bangs a beat.

Ashley Suszczynski 16 Vinyl, Y’all: RJD2 rocks records.

Calder Wilson 17 Skream gets a lift.

Ashley Suszczynski

10

Massive & Lights All Night Events Finish a Huge Year for Festivals

11

Dallas, Texas—EDM festivals became all this rage in 2011, so what could be a more fitting close to the year than another huge spectacle for a Texas-sized, dance-mad audience?

Presented by Highland Entertainment and MCP, Lights All Night rocked the Dallas Convention Center this past Dec. 30-31 with a slew of top-rated DJs and electronic-oriented acts. DJ Times was proud to serve as a media sponsor to the double-dose of dance-music activities that included performances from Tiësto, Diplo, Benny Benassi, Girl Talk, MSTRKRFT, Paper Diamond, RJD2 and more.

DJ Times also served as media sponsor for Massive, held at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Presented by Steez Promo and Ultraworld this past Thanksgiving weekend, the lineup included Moby, Armand Van Helden, Diplo, Tittsworth, Sidney Samson, Zed’s Dead, Excision, Bad Boy Bill, Skream & Benga and many more. Here’s what the two shows looked like…

– Jim Tremayne

12

14

15

16

17

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

13

19

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

Vancouver, B.C.—In the end, the home team won.

Playing to a very vocal, pro-local crowd at the Commodore Ballroom this past Dec. 17, Vancouver’s own DJ Hedspin took the Red Bull Thre3style World Championship with a set that survived an apparent technical malfunction.

Nonetheless, he pushed plenty of musical styles and dropped enough familiar national tidbits to endear himself to the room’s earnest “O Canada” vibe.

Beginning with Ray Charles’ “Hit the Road, Jack”—a jab certainly aimed at the evening’s other five finalists—Hedspin (aka Hedley Tuscano) blew through snippets

20

of rock, reggae, hip-hop and trance and added a few quick nods to Canadian pop-culture figures like Russell Peters and Nardwuar the Human Serviette. (Look ’em up, Yanks.)

Reportedly, Hedspin’s Akai MPC quit mid-set, but he gracefully moved on, with neither the judges nor the crowd paying much mind.

In fact, the audience did its best to fully participate, as one crazy Canuck surfed the crowd in an inflatable kayak (a la Steve Aoki), waving a Canadian flag attached to a hockey stick. Yes. As the Thre3style competition requires that each contestant play at least three genres in a 15-minute set, each of the six finalists was on his game with a slew of musical surprises and cinematic disses. Four of the finalists—Hedspin, France’s DJ Supa, Switzerland’s DJ Bazooka and Brazil’s Nedu Lopes—won preliminary rounds held earlier in the week

at four different Vancouver venues.

The remaining two finalists—USA’s Big Once and Spain’s DJ Bitcode— were entered as Wild Cards, announced the afternoon of the Final.

Judges for the title event included American hip-hop luminaries DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Young Guru, Canadian jocks Skratch Bastid and DJ Dopey, plus France’s DJ Karve—the 2010 Red Bull Thre3style World Champ.

Place & Show: Swiss jock Bazooka took second place, with an energetic set that included a confetti-cannon blast, crunching rock mashups, and enough audience support that some in the crowd thought he might win. Brazil’s Nedu Lopes, who finished second overall in 2010, took third this time with a set that included everything from buzzy techno to bossa nova.

It must be said that the Vancouver locals were, to put it mildly, rather discourteous to the American champ Big Once. Before his stage introductions at both his Friday and Saturday performances, he was booed. During his sets, some tried to heckle. But, with the spirit of a true battle jock, Big Once gave it right back. Technically adept and artistically sharp—he cleverly used dramatic silences to accentuate his selections—Big Once earned respect from the haters, as he blazed both evenings. Closing his Finals set, he dropped the “Team America” theme (the jingoist satire, “America, F*** Yeah!”), playing up the appointed villain role, as if to say, “Take off, hosers!”

Also, as a “value-added” to those who attended the Finals at Commodore Ballroom—a legendary venue that’s hosted everyone from Sammy Davis, Jr., to The Clash— Red Bull presented smashing sets from Vinyl Ritchie, DJ Nu-Mark and Z-Trip (2009 America’s Best

Left: Rise Up: India’s DJ Dippy drops a beat.

David Seetoh Lang/Red Bull Content Pool

New Champ: Canada’s DJ Hedspin takes the title.

Dale Tidy/Red Bull Content Pool

DJ Bitcode: Spain’s champ gets busy.

Dale Tidy/Red Bull Content Pool

No Love: Big Once blazed, but found a rough room.

Kris Krug/Red Bull Content Pool

Glowing Hearts: Hedspin gets his props.

David Seetoh Lang/Red Bull Content Pool DJ titlist). And lest we forget our established turntable heroes, we were quickly reminded why they’re true masters all.

– Jim Tremayne

o All Lit Up: Columbia’s DJ Pho in the mix.

David Seetoh Lang/Red Bull Content Pool

During our long weekend in Vancouver for the Red Bull The3style World Finals this past December, we tailed U.S. champ Big Once.

Looking to experience some of the stresses and dramas that a turntablist goes through during a big-stage DJ battle, we found plenty—much to his chagrin. After the event, we caught up with the Chicago-based jock (aka Ian Osborn) to re-live some of his week.

DJ Times: Did the antagonistic fervor of the Canadian crowd at your two events surprise you?

Big Once: Honestly, I was not surprised at all. I knew that, just being from the U.S., I would probably be the most hated guy in the battle. And it really had nothing to do with myself—it’s just that I was representing “big, bad, tyrannical America.” So it comes with the territory. Every night, when the host would mention my name onstage— even nights where I wasn’t competing—the entire crowd would boo.

DJ Times: Do you think it was all genuine animosity?

Big Once: I think a lot of the Canadian fans booed me kind of light-heartedly. They wanted to let me know I was in their house, and they booed with a smile on their face. Can’t be mad at that.

DJ Times: You seemed to revel in the role of the “American villain” at the event.

Big Once: Aside from being American, part of my whole battle strategy is that I’m extremely aggressive. I diss everyone really hard,

from Vancouver. When I saw that he took out Drastik—the previous year’s champ and a huge influence on my Thre3style sets—to win the Canada title, I knew I would really have to dust him to have any chance at all.

DJ Times: But, as it turned out, you had to sweat out the wildcard process. No disrespect to the other DJs or judges, but I thought your set during the prelim was the best one that night.

Big Once: Well, after the events of the prelims the previous night, I knew there was no way I stood a chance of winning the overall title... which was really discouraging, but it is what it is. Judging is indeed subjective, especially when you get to that level. You can’t please everyone—and if one judge doesn’t like you, it’s pretty much a wrap for your title hopes.

DJ Times: What was the overall experience like that week?

Big Once: The entire experience was unbelievable. All the DJs were awesome people and I now consider them all my friends. There were no egos, no attitudes, just a bunch of DJs from around the world all experiencing something great together. And Red Bull put together an entire week of events and activities that was just firstclass all the way. I’m so thankful to have been a part of it.

DJ Times: Was there a “big takeaway” for you?

Big Once: Just being a part of the experience and being able to

and I act like I’m the baddest dude on the planet. And to people that “get it,” they know it’s obviously done very humorously and it’s not serious. I mean, come on… I’m a scrawny, 30-year-old white dude with gray hair acting like I’m going to stab my competitors. I want people to laugh when they see that.

DJ Times: By the very nature of these events, the judging is very subjective. Even though you made it to the finals, you had to know that the final night could be an uphill battle.

Big Once: I knew going into the World Finals week that I would have a very slim chance of winning it all. First of all, Hedspin is an amazing DJ. Second of all, he’s

represent an entire country has had a profound impact on me.

Meeting my heroes like Z-Trip, NuMark, The Rub, and DJ Premier was incredible beyond words—getting props from them was even better.

Before my set, I was getting pep talks from Z-Trip and Shortkut, two of the main reasons why I DJ like I do. Just being in that environment was a dream come true for me, and it really made me realize how lucky am to be able to do this for a living at such a high level. A lot of DJs take this life for granted. That is something I will never do.

Big Once will perform at the Red Bull Thre3style SXSW showcase March 17 in Austin, Texas.

MARCH 2012

Tough Crowd: Big Once faces the masses.

Dale Tidy/Red Bull Content Pool

Big Once: American DJ Abroad

DJ TIMES

Canuck Crazies: Vancouver shows its colors.

David Seetoh Lang/Red Bull Content Pool

21

When New York City’s Raul Chiriboga of Ultrafonk Entertainment decided this past year to make the most of his e-traffic presence by blogging, the popular Latin jock figured it might be a good way to provide new information to potential new customers—opening communication to his clients and researching what’s relevant for his target audience.

And what this DJ actually discovered was . . . a gig!

“I created a blog post titled ‘Your Wedding, Your Music’ about playlists—how to set them up and how to make them work— and whenever I write a blog post I send the link through Twitter,” explains Chiriboga.

“Four days later I got a call from Cristina for a consultation for an event to be held in a tent at a private residence in Nutley, N.J. “After I sign a contract, I usually ask my clients how they found me, and this

particular client mentioned my blog post, saying, ‘I really liked what you wrote and felt that you had the experience needed for my wedding.’”

We asked today’s DJs how they are utilizing content, either written or video, on their websites, and what are the benefits they’ve observed so far in terms of generating business.

“I’m a firm believer that content is king, and the more quality information we make available to our potential clients the better it is to establish a business relationship,” says Chiriboga, who has 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, but only recently began maximizing his Internet presence. “On my website I have videos, a blog, client testimonials and music demos,” he says. “All four work together as sales tools for me, because my potential clients can now experience what I do before they

even get on the phone with me.

“Blogging has become a good way to inject new information into my website. I’m always researching what’s relevant for my target market and I try to write something about it.”

As far as vlogs (video logs), Chiriboga claims they actually account for nearly 80-percent of his bookings. “If my clients see my videos before they get in touch with me, it allows them to create an idea of what I do and how I provide services,” he says. “When a potential client contacts me, one of my first questions is, ‘Did you have a chance to see my videos?’

“If the answer is no, I suggest taking a look at my videos. Not too long ago, for one potential client I was able to send them a link to a video that showed all three services they desired, and after they saw the video they were ready to sit down and

Your Future Clients Live Online.

Learn How to Say, “Hello!”

By Jeff Stiles

Digital Domain 22

tional tool after continually hearing potential clients ask if they could come see him at one of his events.

“Vlogs were the perfect answer to this sometimes-awkward question posed by a potential client,” says the Belmar, N.J.-based Jani.

“Video logs are a great way to bring clients into your events. This way, people can get a clear behind-the-scenes look at how we pull the overall celebration together.

“Seeing the party unfold in a couple of minutes by capturing the highlights and unique touches of the event allows a person to virtually attend one of our events. We have many types of spins on video blogs, and they’ve recently become the No.-1 marketing tool at SCE.” Of course, Jani’s guys don’t merely record action on the dancefloor. In order to maximize the impact of the videos on their site, Sound Connection captures the raw emotion of events on their website by adding extra elements such as landscaping design and atmosphere affects—sometimes making it appear that couples are dancing on the clouds or that it’s snowing at their reception.

“We don’t record to simply record,” he explains. “I feel like you have to kind of know what you’re looking to get out of the project before you actually start filming, and of course cutting together a video blog in Final Cut or iMovie.

“We have short demos of our team and the different services available for people to see, and this, too, has assisted us in selling our enhancements. What if you’re trying to sell a couple uplighting for their wedding, but you don’t have any pictures or video of one of your past events?

“Now, imagine having the specific ballroom that a couple has selected for their wedding with different service options available in video format for them to see. Wow, your sales process has just become a lot easier, because they can envision their room with your services.”

Since Sound Connection began using vlog testimonials they’ve created over 433 videos that can be found on Vimeo.com/SCE and on their YouTube channel.

“YouTube is the second-most popular search engine in the world, so if you’re not already using video you really need to,” stresses Jani. “Today’s teens—who are the brides of tomorrow—are so tech-savvy, they live on social sites and the culture embraces it. Today’s bride will do her homework before she decides on her entertainment for the most important day of her life.

“Allowing someone to see what we did, how we did it and the impact on the overall celebration: That’s what it’s all about.” n MARCH 2012

“On our pricing page we’ve actually included short videos of each of our wedding packages, showing exactly what is included in each,” he says. “I’ve had so many couples tell us that this is what got them to book, because each package is totally explained, step by step.”

On his pricing page?

“There’s a never-ending debate in the DJ community about putting prices on our websites,” says Moody, “but I can say in all honesty that business has gone up dramatically since we posted these videos and prices directly on the site.

“There’s no haggling over price when the phone rings or when the e-mails come in, as prospective clients are already well aware of what we charge and what they’ll receive. It’s been presented to them in a non-confrontational way, on their own terms and at their own time, so it’s much more comfortable from their perspective.

“The current generation of brides is all about getting the info on their own. We receive very few phone calls these days, as most all of our bookings begin with e-mail.”

The best part of using vlogs, according to Moody, is that since he began using them he’s been attracting more and more of his ‘target’ brides due to his web-based videos—brides who are willing to party, and willingly offer a video testimonial of what a good time they had with the assistance of Steve Moody’s Entertainment Connection.

“The stuffy ones who don’t care for what we do don’t even bother to call,” he says. “But the ones who really like to party see what we do and are ready to make the commitment. We give them an option in the contract to opt out, but to this point we’ve never had anyone say they didn’t want us to do it.

“In fact, the couples actually come up on their own during the reception and ask when they get to do their testimonial.

They’ve seen the videos and know the drill, and I hardly ever have to approach them for the testimonial—and when I do they are always very eager, as this is why they booked us in the beginning.

“Offering brides an opportunity to ‘meet me,’ hear my voice and see my performances on video has opened so many doors.

They get to see the way we dressed the room in lighting, how we got guests on the dancefloor, and then, of course, hear a candid testimonial from the newlyweds at the end of the video.”

Moody credits the idea of producing video blogs to Sound Connection Entertainment’s Jason Jani, who says he began using video as an Internet-based promo-

DJ TIMES

book. In fact, the always-feared ‘price’ question did not even come up until they were already ready to sign the contract.”

Similarly, Steve Moody in Maryland says video content on his website (stevemoody. com) has been an amazing help for his bookings.

“As a service that primarily provides wedding entertainment, I think the most important aspect of this has been including video testimonials from our previous clients,” says the owner of Steve Moody’s Entertainment Connection. “We have video throughout our entire site, beginning right on the main home page.”

Moody says that when clients are searching for a DJ who can accommodate their pricing and particular requirements, many times they click on websites that all look the same—merely listing the services a company offers.

23

MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…

MIXED IN KEY’S HARMONIC MIXING

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

By Josh Harris

24

For those of you DJs who may be unfamiliar with the term “harmonic mixing,” it means mixing from song to song without any tonal clashes, or dissonance. And if you’ve heard “mixes” with those unwanted embellishments, you know how valuable proper harmonic mixing can be.

Every piece of music in a DJ’s music library is in a key, and in order for harmonic mixing to work, DJs need to know the keys of their tracks ahead of time. This approach to mixing is nothing new, but how do you figure out what keys your tracks are in?

One method is to sit down at the piano and bang out the notes until you find the proper key.

Some DJs have a good enough ear where they don’t need to take this approach and they just naturally gravitate towards this style of mixing. If only there was a piece of software that could competently calculate the keys of recorded music?

In late 2011, Mixed In Key released Version 5.0 of its award-winning software. Version 1.0 was first released in 2006 and, within a five-year period, Mixed In Key has garnered testimonials from the likes of David Guetta, Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold, and dozens of other top-name DJs. The premise is simple: Mixed In Key scans your entire music library and provides you with a list of keys for every song. Then, use your favorite DJ software to mix your tracks. Obviously, this is helpful for live apps or for creating mix comps.

System Requirements: The Windows version can be installed on Windows 7, Vista, or XP. The Mac OS X version requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher. An Internet connection is required to analyze new songs Analyzing Songs: To begin the analysis process, simply click on the “Analyze Songs” tab and start adding your tracks. Mixed In Key will display the song name, the artist name, the key result, BPM, and analysis status. The waveform display allows for playing and audio scanning of each track.

Once all files are analyzed, you can access your library of songs by clicking on the “Browse Collection” menu tab.

By accessing the “Personalize” tab, users can literally personalize how Mixed In Key stores common tags for the tracks like key result and/or BPM, as well as where it should place these

tags (i.e., before the artist name or after the song name).

These tags can be updated in DJ mixing programs such as Ableton Live, iTunes, Pioneer rekordbox, Serato Scratch Live, Serato Itch, and Native Instruments Traktor.

Mixed In Key offers an option to rename your analyzed files with both BPM and song key. Song keys notation can be displayed in the Camelot Easymix Wheel format, Flats or Sharps. Mixed In Key is also able to display BPMs of songs that are at tempos such as 128.13, etc.

The Camelot Easymix Wheel: Camelot Notation facilitates the harmonic mixing process by looking at the different keys as hours on a clock. For example, 12B is at the twelve o’clock position and represents the key “E Major.” 12A represents D-Flat minor. The letter B denotes a major key and the letter A denotes a minor key. And, the notes that are in the scale for the key “E Major” are the same notes that are in the scale for the key “D-Flat Minor.”

You’ll see in the layout of the Camelot Wheel, the outer circle shows all of the major keys and the inner circle shows all of the minor keys. Mixed In Key suggests moving around the clock by adding or subtracting one hour as you mix from one song to another. In musical terms, you are simply moving around the “Circle of 5ths.” It will also work to mix between the inner and outer circle, like 6A to 6B or vice versa.

In Action: I was a bit skeptical when I imported my first track into Mixed In Key—but sure enough, it calculated the correct key. So I dropped in another track, and then another, and so on. Every song’s key and BPM were correctly determined by Mixed In Key, and so I had to set aside my doubts and smile for a minute. It was pretty cool how fast and seamless the process was. I decided to have my song keys displayed in Sharps. For those of you who may not have a lot of music theory under your belts, I would choose Camelot for song-key notation.

Time vs. Money: When you think about the amount of time it takes to log in the musical keys of an entire DJ set, let alone a DJ’s entire song library, spending $58 on Mixed In Key is beyond a no brainer, in my opinion. The classically trained musician in me still believes that all DJs should push themselves to develop their musical ears and not rely on the computer to do the thinking for them.

But I cannot dispute the efficiency of using a program like Mixed In Key. (It’s also available as a licensed product to Allen & Heath’s Xone series.) Whether you’re a DJ mixing live in front of an audience or creating a mixed compilation of tunes for official release or just promotion, Mixed In Key is extremely useful software.

If you have any questions for Josh Harris or Making Tracks, please send them to djtimes@testa.com.

Weighing-in at just 19 and 46 pounds respectively, the 8” two-way ZXA1 and new 12” ZXA1-Sub combine to offer heavyweight performance in a featherweight package.

• Rugged, lightweight, low-profile construction • Powerful onboard 800-W (ZXA1) and 700-W (ZXA1-Sub) Class-D amplifiers • Custom-designed woofers and drivers deliver legendary EV sound quality • Size-defying 126-dB maximum SPL • Intuitive input panel for easy control and connectivity

www.electrovoice.com

SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING

By Wesley Bryant-King

STANTON’S “ALL-IN-ONE” SOLUTION

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

It wasn’t that long ago when “being a DJ” meant using a pretty specific array of hardware—a pair of turntables and a mixer.

The emergence of digital DJing added a laptop and audio interface to the mix. Gigging always felt like a good substitute for bench time at the gym—first with a pile of records, then CDs, and today, with a bunch of high-tech gear.

But there’s clearly a move afoot among some manufacturers of DJ hardware to lighten the load a bit.

The venerable Stanton DJ offers up a solution that’s the subject of this review: the new SCS.4DJ. Part of a new breed of truly all-in-one, “DJ-in-abox” products, the SCS.4DJ is a digital DJing rig that combines the functions of a DJ mixer, control and DJ software in one unit—no laptop required.

First Impressions: The SCS.4DJ makes a nice out-of-the-box impression. Measuring roughly 11- by-18-inches and standing just 3-inches tall, it’s designed for easy portability, with a total weight that’s just right. The all-plastic construction allows for a nice design aesthetic. The layout is entirely traditional (a good thing for the learning curve), with transport controls—dominated by two large jog wheels—on each side, looping and effects for each deck immediately above, and in the center, mixer faders closest to the DJ; EQ above that.

What you don’t notice so much until you turn it on is the nicely sized, color LCD display positioned just above the EQ knobs in the center section. Think scaled-down laptop screen; it provides a really nice, slick-looking visual interface to your tracks, including selection and what’s playing, as well as access to system settings, and so on.

Speaking of power-up, the process takes roughly 15 seconds—perhaps not immediate, but then again, far better than a typical laptop.

In terms of input and output, the unit has a ¼-inch microphone jack on the front, making it useful for mobile jocks (where MCing is as much a part of the job as DJing); in use, the microphone provided adequate overall gain, though I would have preferred a bit more kick to it. On the back are both ¼-inch master outs and RCA master

26

The SCS.4DJ: Portable, Intuitive & Feature-Rich.

outs. (No monitor or booth outputs are provided.)

Additionally, the back panel has a USB Type B connector, allowing it to be connected to a computer and used as a MIDI-based DJ controller. (I did not test this functionality; given that the unit is designed for standalone use, it seemed a peculiar function to include, but it’s available if needed.)

On the front panel, you’ll find not only that mic jack, but the microphone level control, the master gain control, then to the right side, dual headphone jacks (one 1/8-inch and one ¼-inch—a nice touch), headphone gain, and the master/pre-listen level. All the knobs are thoughtfully chunky for quick and easy adjustment, which I particularly appreciated.

Set-up & Use: The SCS.4DJ is designed to work with various types of USB mass storage devices, and there’s no shortage of places to plug them in. A total of four Type A connectors are available: one on top, one on the back, and two under a cover on the bottom of the unit—an ideal place for connecting devices on which you want to store a “base” library of material.

Interestingly, the manual claims the unit supports USB media with FAT (DOS and Windows), NTFS (Windows) or HFS+ (Mac) formatting; indeed, both FAT-formatted media (most common for basic USB media like memory keys), and an NTFS-formatted hard disk, worked perfectly. This wider-than-typical file system support is particularly welcome, since most devices like this support only FAT. Not unlike conventional, computer-based DJ applications, the SCS.4DJ needs to analyze your media and create a database (stored on your media alongside the tracks) before it displays BPM information, or is able to show waveforms on the display during a set.

This one-time-per-media-device process does require some time. One option is simply to plug in a media device, and allow the unit to sit and do its thing. The second is to use Stanton’s QuickGrid software, which leverages the power of your PC to do the analysis, and to prepare your USB media for the SCS.4DJ. Analysis results are stored on the PC, greatly stream-

lining the process of setting up additional USB media with some or all of the same music.

Regardless of the method used, because analysis data is stored on the media device itself (so the unit can utilize it), you’ll need to ensure that you don’t completely fill up the device with music, so there’s plenty of room for the music databases.

Once media is connected and analysis is complete, actually using the SCS.4DJ proved intuitive and simple, once I got used to the user interface (UI) for selecting and loading tracks. Navigating the UI does take a little practice at first. On each side of the LCD display are four buttons, which correspond to button legends shown sideways on the left and right margins of the screen. Below the screen is a small jog wheel to move the cursor up and down, plus an Enter button for moving forward in a sequence (i.e., making a menu selection), and a Back button (for, obviously, returning to the previous step).

On initial testing of the SCS.4DJ, I found the unit to leave a bit to be desired in the performance department. Some operations seemed relatively sluggish. Stanton has been working to further polish the unit’s firmware, and a later update provided for testing provided dramatic improvements on all fronts, making the unit considerably more satisfying to use than I found initially. Does it match the performance a multi-core desktop or laptop computer? Perhaps not, but at least with the tweaks Stanton has made, I found the SCS.4DJ to have a nice “feel” with good usability.

The actual process of DJing on SCS.4DJ was much like it is with more traditional gear. The CDJ-like controls for pitch and playback will be immediately familiar to the majority of jocks. The Scratch button engages the equivalent of a CDJ’s Vinyl Mode, while the Touch button enables a mode where touching the top of the jog wheel returns playback to the last cue point for specialized scratch effects. While the jog wheels are not as chunky as the typical CD deck, they have a nice feel, and a good tactile contrast between top control and side control.

Everything else is as one would expect. Every controller or deck has its unique feel and type of response, and the SCS.4DJ is no different. But all that’s really required is 10 or 15 minutes of handson time, and the brain rather quickly adapts to whatever subtle differences there are between it, and the controls you’re used to. (continued on page 42)

POWER TO THE PEOPLE Yamaha’s new DXR/DXS Series active loudspeakers offer superb high-definition sound and class-leading sound pressure levels— in compact designs that provide a level of versatility and value unmatched by any speakers in their class today. With the perfect balance of raw power and innovative speaker technologies, you can depend on DXR/DXS Series speakers to deliver the full power of your performance at prices that everyone can afford.

2-way Full-Range Loudspeakers: DXR8, DXR10, DXR12 and DXR15

• Output Levels up to 133dB SPL with 1100W of power • Intelligent onboard 3-Channel mixer with flexible IN/OUT connectivity • Versatile design for front-of-house sound, monitors, instrument amplification, rigged applications and more

High-Power Subwoofers with Built-In DSP: DXS12 and DXS15 DXR8

• Output Levels up to 132 dB with 950W of power • Powerful D-XSUB DSP processing with NORMAL, BOOST or XTENDED LF settings • Compact, efficient and acoustically optimized band-pass type enclosures

DXR10

DXR12

DXR15

DXS15

Sound interesting?

Download the PDF brochure at 4wrd.it/dxrdjor scan the QR code.

Then get an extremely impressive demo at your local Yamaha Live Sound dealer.

DXS12

MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES

By Vern Delahunt

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

DRUMMER TAPS A DIFFERENT BEAT FOR DJ CLIENTS

28

Stroudsburg, Pa.—John Donovan is looking to buy a house with his wife in The Pocono Mountains for a simple reason: “I can get to New Jersey and Long Island. Going south, I can get to Philly, and locally I’ve been able to build up the concept in Lehigh Valley, which has been really nice, too.”

The “concept,” is one that has been going on for 30 years, started in 1982 by Richie Hart at Long Island’s Hart to Hart: live percussion at a DJ gig.

John Donovan is the Party Percussionist.

“It’s a term I started using loosely in the spring of 2008,” says, “and some people were making fun of me, telling me that the term was corny and people would never catch on to it. Now I’m hearing that term used everywhere.”

Indeed, Donovan, born on Long Island and raised in The Poconos, has been a drummer since he was four, and by the time he was a teenager he had joined the drum-and-bugle corps, intrigued by the physical prowess needed to accomplish that style of drumming.

After moving back to Long Island to put his wife through school, he began to see guys were successful playing with DJs as Latin-style percussionists.

“That’s when I decided to tap into my drumcorps roots,” he recalls. “I first started working with a DJ company on Long Island, and the owner told me to start soliciting myself to all the DJ companies in the area.”

So Donovan started dialing and e-mailing, built a website with some demo videos online, and started his service at $225 and, as more companies started seeking him out, the market guided him to where he needed to be, price-wise. And he hasn’t stopped.

“I have my Facebook posts with my existing audience,” he says. “I’ve been developing relationships with DJ companies, private communication with company owners to get to know them as people, and I’m able to augment that audience by attending DJ-related networking events. Funny, everyone thinks that people who work on the weekends don’t have anything to do during the week, but I’m constantly on the computer, on the phone, in order to work on the weekends, which, from March to New Years Eve I’m booked pretty regularly, although it’s slow in the winter.”

Of course, like any DJ, Donovan fields the typical questions from callers. “If someone calls me up and the first thing they ask is, ‘How much do you charge?’ that’s a turnoff,” he says. “And I’ve learned from the DJ Expo seminars that you have to have

Bang On: Party percussionist John Donovan.

that mindset, and it’s been working. When they ask that, I ask them where they heard about me, and then I ask if they’ve seen what I do. I try to show them my videos, and try to show them what I’m doing in the DJ industry, and only then I’ll let them know what my rates are.”

A DJ might think a live percussionist is an extravagance, and it’s an obstacle that Donovan has grown accustomed to dealing with. “The benefit to the DJ owner is a live entertainment aspect with DJ entertainment, to synergize a relationship between the audience and myself,” he says. “They get four hours and I perform my act with the DJ during the dance sets—it’s something that’s really unique.”

And how does he do this?

“The first thing I think about is I make sure I’m always with the DJ in the mix; in the combo, the DJ is now the drum set player, responsible for keeping the beat, making sure everything’s properly mixed and beat-matched, and I have to make sure I keep my volumes below the MC; I have to make sure that I’m not becoming too flashy all the time.

“But there’s that moment when the dancefloor is cooking and I’m able to support the melody and do visual tricks that people respond to, percussive trade secrets that I learned in drum corps, that I’m able to do with my multi-tenor instrument. When I’m doing a drum fill, I’m able to do these visual, Jedi tricks, something very unique, and it brings people forward. I approach things like somebody that

would be composing for advanced drum ensemble for university or drum-and-bugle-corps level.”

Donovan says he learned perfection from drumand-bugle corps, and in the multi-op and singlesystem companies that he subs out from—“I’m an equal opportunity depositor,” he says—he loves working with DJs who approach it the same way.

“As time has gone on, I’m able to slowly start to really find the right connections that I need, like [New Jersey-based mobile] Marcello Pedalino— he’s amazing. I’ve never seen an individual who has that much control over everything that’s going on, and I find that level of commitment inspiring.”

Donovan is a full-time party percussionist, and for that he feels blessed. “Music to me has always been full-time,” he says. “Before I was doing party percussion, I did the best I could playing in bands, most of which ended up in epic failures, to be honest, but the fact that I’m able to do this full-time is amazing. Between that and raising my son, there’s not much time for anything else.”

And where does he see this going?

“I keep working on my local relationships,” he says. “I have an academic skill set for composition, and who knows? Maybe I can complement Tiësto on tour. Can you imagine what that would do for my marketing? When I was raised in The Poconos, I learned two things: DJs were the devil and private events were hokey. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. I love this market—I really do.”

BUSINESS LINE SALES…MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…

By B.C. Carney

HOW TO MARKET YOUR DJ BUSINESS TO THE REPTILIAN BRAIN

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

Ask yourself: When users see your website, newsletter, or flyer, do they see themselves?

30

New York City—At the recent National Retail Federation convention at New York’s Javits Center, there was a bevy of seminars designed for small and medium-sized business owners, we recently and dropped in on Amy Africa’s “Neuromarketing and the Influence on Buying Behavior” program. She related an interesting anecdote.

A middle-aged man, walking into a San Francisco restaurant, passed a deteriorating, disheveled woman on the sidewalk; she was holding a brown cardboard sign marked with black lettering, “Homeless…Please Help.” Seeing an opportunity, he stopped and asked her permission to alter the language on the sign. She handed it to him, and the man scribbled a sentence on the other side of the cardboard. Returning it to her, he said, with a whiff of confidence, “I’m going inside for an hour, and when I return I want you to give me $5.”

A curious request—considering the average homeless person in San Francisco earns a mere $6 per hour. The woman, nonplussed, shrugged and took her new sign to the curb and parked herself.

An hour later, as the man exited the restaurant, the woman, looking revived, approached him and tried to press into his hand $20. She told him the new sign had generated $60 in handouts and donations. The man, of more than modest means, refused her offer, and told her

to keep her money, and the new message. What did the homeless woman’s original sign lack? What was wrong with its messaging?

“Homeless…Please Help” lacked a motivating factor to prompt a passerby to “buy.” There is no intrinsic value that resonates with a user, or reader, or buyer, since the “buying” brain is the reptilian brain, and it always asks the question, “What’s in it for me?” And that was the appeal of the new message the man designated on the sign, which generated 10 times the customary income: “What would YOU do if you were homeless?” The emphasis in language shifted, and the same should be true for your content, be it on your website or in a brochure you’re displaying at a bridal show.

Ask yourself: When users see your website, newsletter, or flyer, do they see themselves? Are there pictures of people? If there are pictures of people, do they all look like Hollywood models? Or are there (wisely) some shots of people who look like the rest of us?

It all comes down to the reptilian brain, and the more you understand it, the better you’ll be able to customize your messaging to accommodate it.

So what is the reptilian brain?

The brain stem is the oldest and smallest region in the evolving human brain, dating back hundreds of millions of years and is more like the entire brain of present-day reptiles. Various clumps of cells in the brain stem determine our level of alertness and regulate the vegetative processes, such as breathing and heartbeat.

It’s similar to the brain possessed by the hardy reptiles that preceded mammals, roughly 200 million years ago. It’s “preverbal,” but controls life functions—the all-important fight-or-flight mechanism. Lacking language, its impulses are instinctual and ritualistic, concerned with fundamental needs such as physical maintenance, hoarding, dominance, preening and mating.

The basic ruling emotions of love, hate, fear, lust, and contentment emanate from this first stage of the brain. Over millions of years of evolution, layers of more sophisticated reasoning have been added, of course, but you’d hardly know it, despite the growth of our intellectual capacity for complex rational thought, which has made us theoretically smarter than the rest of the animal kingdom.

When we are out of control with rage, it is our reptilian brain overriding our rational brain components. If someone says that they reacted with their heart instead of their head, what they really mean is that they conceded to their primitive emotions (the reptilian brain-based), as opposed to the calculations of the rational part of the brain. This can help us excel at games such a roulette and chess.

This can impact your brand messaging in a few important ways. When this reptilian brain is looking at your website, it will ask itself: “Have I seen this before?” It’s the brain processing the possibility of a threat, which we do all the time, every day. For example, have you ever been walking along in the outdoors and see a stick that you thought looked like a snake? That’s your brain processing familiarity versus threat.The reptilian brain suspects it’s a snake because it had been accustomed, on the plains or in the caves, to process threat and prepare the body to accommodate it. Today, however, since the beginning of the industrial age, chances are it’s not a snake, but a stick.

One other legacy of the reptilian brain that you can take into account when designing your web presence is its preference to make decisions quickly. This is where knowledge of contrast in design comes in handy. In other words, our brains process in black and white—we don’t like gray areas.

So, the more you understand our brains’ past, the more boldly you can move your marketing into the future.

If you have any questions for Business Line, please send them to djtimes@testa.com.

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

32

Encore Performance

Speaker When Spoken To

American Audio 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 582-2650 www.adjaudio.com

Yamaha Corporation of America PO Box 6600 Buena Park, CA 90622 (714) 522-9011 www.yamaha.com

American Audio introduced two “all-in-one” CD/MP3 player/mixer units, the Encore 1000 and Encore 2000. Both models come with two playback decks, line inputs for hooking up external CD players, a mic input, an auxiliary mini jack input and a built-in two-channel mixer.

The Encore 2000 comes equipped for use with computers as well, thanks to a MIDI controller and two USB inputs for thumb drives or hard drives. The Encore 2000 is bundled with Virtual DJ LE software.

The Yamaha DXR powered speaker line features three-channel signal inputs on the speakers’ back panel, including XLR, phone and RCA jacks.

The units come with a Link function that lets users configure a stereo or dual-mono system, as well as DSP-assisted EQ that “tailors the frequency response when used as floor monitors,” according to the company. The line also includes the DXS subwoofer, which comes with the D-XSUB feature that dynamically controls the low frequency range.

All Hands on Deck

Night of the Livid Dead

Numark Industries 200 Scenic View Drive Cumberland, RI 02864 (401) 658-3131 www.numark.com

Livid Instruments 3108 Industrial Terrace Austin, TX 78758 (512) 582-7272 www.lividinstruments.com

Numark’s N4 is a four-channel DJ controller with a built-in mixer the company says can be used with or without a computer. Users have the option of controlling four decks of software or controlling two decks of software and two channels of external source. The N4 features loop and effect controls on each of the four software control decks, plus it mixes from external sources like turntables, CD players and MP3 players.

Livid Instruments, in collaboration with electronic music pioneer Richie Hawtin, has introduced CNTRL:R, a universal solution for creating drum beats, mixing tracks, sequencing, and live performance. CNTRL:R comes with 24 rotary knobs, 12 push button rotary encoders, eight faders and expansion jacks for connecting foot pedals, faders, accelerometers, sensors and rotary knobs. CNTRL:R is compatible with Native Instruments Traktor and includes a Max For Live step-sequencer that integrates seamlessly into Ableton Live.

IT’S AN ELECTION YEAR! MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT facebook.com/DJTimesABDJ

|

americasbestdj.net

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Case the Joint

Hang on to Your Ergo

SKB Corporation 1607 N. O’Donnell Way Orange, CA 92867 (714) 637-1252 www.skbcases.com

Pioneer Electronics 1925 E. Dominguez Street Long Beach, CA 90810 (310) 952-2000 www.pioneerdjusa.com

The 1SKB-R102 is a 10U slanted top and 2U front facing rack case from SKB that’s made to accommodate small, compact audio or DJ systems. According to the company, the 1SKB-R102 has “enough space to mount the AV-8 computer shelf with the lid closed.” It’s made from linear medium density polyethylene and features side access ports for cable routing and TSA locking SKB patented trigger latches on the hard lid.

Pioneer’s DDJ-ERGO DJ controller comes bundled with the Virtual DJ Limited Edition software by Atomix Productions, and is equipped to work with other MIDI compatible DJ software, including Native Instruments’ TRAKTOR. Sporting a large 115 mm platter, the DDJ-ERGO features a built-in audio interface and integrated Pulse Control. The DDJ-ERGO is designed to accommodate a laptop computer below it and comes with removable legs for use in angled or horizontal positions.

Š Testa Communications

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Vocal Majority Future Loops www.futureloops.com Vox Dance 01 is Future Loops’ latest collection of royalty-free female vocal loops, each labeled by key and recorded at 128 BPM. The loops range from ad-libs to hooks and work well in such dance music genres as house, electro, trance, progressive and funky house.

All the files in Vox Dance 01 include the lyrics in the filename. The collection works with a variety of programs, including Digital Performer, Logic, Acid, Cubase, Nuendo, ProTools and Reason.

Cream Cheese & Novation Gotta Guetta App algoriddim GmbH Veterinärstr. 2 80539 Munich Germany www.algoriddim.com Germany’s algoriddim teamed up with EMI Music to create the djay David Guetta Edition App for iPhone, featuring 12 exclusive signature sounds, six synth and six drum beats that were built in for live mix integration. The djay app lets users mix directly from iTunes on a dual-turntable interface. Features include live recording, Automix mode, looping, pre-cueing and automatic beat and tempo detection. In addition, the David Guetta Edition App also includes five songs from the deluxe version of Guetta’s newest album, Nothing But the Beat.

Focusrite Novation 840 Apollo Street, Suite 312 El Segundo, CA 90245 (310) 322-5500 www.focusrite.com Automap 4.1 brings the full-featured version of Automap control software to all Novation controllers, including Nocturn, Launchpad, UltraNova, ReMOTE SL, Nocturn Keyboard and the SL Compact. Automap software allows for instant access to DAW and plug-ins and features a re-designed GUI and a notification system that tells the user what they are controlling when moving a knob, slider or button. That information is also available graphically on the software edit page.

iZotope Kit & Kaboodle 1 Kendall Sq Cambridge, MA, 02139 (617) 577-7799 www.izotope.com Audio technology company iZotope has released six licensable iOS software developer kits, including: Audio Repair for de-noising and audio clean up; DJ FX, which offers time and pitch control for single voiced instruments; Vocal FX, featuring pitch correction and vocal remover; and Core FX with EQ, dynamics, delay and reverb. The line also includes Fun FX with tape stop, loudspeaker and other vocal effects, and Trash FX, which includes nine different box models and 11 distortion types.

Action Star

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

D.A.S. Audio of America 6816 NW 77th Court Miami, FL 33166 (305) 436-0521 www.dasaudio.com

36

D.A.S. Audio Action Series loudspeakers come in both active and passive models designed for use by musicians and DJs. The six models in the line all feature an EQ boost-flat switch, level control, mic/line switch, a logo on-off switch, and three status LEDs for limit, signal present, and power on. In addition, the subwoofer models in the line come with a 100-160 Hz variable low-pass filter, a deep-loud EQ switch, a polarity inversion switch, and stereo outputs that can be switched between two modes.

GROOVES TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS

“BANGARANG” EP

remixes pack a punch. Knife Party adds electro elements with their dub, while SHM keeps it true to their big-room sound. Tommy Trash adds unique spice by throwing in tweaky bits and really concentrating on that vocal. No dancefloor should be without this track for a lo-o-ong time.

u Skrillex u Big Beat/Atlantic

– Jim Tremayne “ANTIDOTE” (REMIXES)

u Swedish House Mafia vs. Knife Party u Astralwerks/EMI Aptly titled, SHM’s latest banger is the perfect solution for re-energizing your sets, and these

– Natalie Raben “30 MILLION” Ashley Suszczynski

Perhaps not as crunchy as Scary Monsters, but that’s alright—check out the thrilling, ascending whopper “Right On Time” (with 12th Planet and Kill the Noise) and join the party. Stompers like the title track (feat. Sirah) and “Right In” still pulverize in that familiar monster-rock fashion, while the gorgeous “Summit” (with Ellie Goulding) sneaks us over to a blissful, back-to-mine wind-down.

He’s done it again, kids.

COLUMBIA

u SubVibe & Fuzion u Feided The intro on “30 Million” starts with smooth, rolling beats laced with light female samples before unleashing the fury—massive drops loaded with thick, coiled, distorted, wobbly bass and sick synths. A breathless production.

– Jen Shapiro

u Need for Mirrors u Metalheadz The title cut is a fast energy builder that sets the tone with an intoxicating vibe, while “Odd Future” is a slammin’ tune with a steady kick drum and beat madness. “Sharp Teeth” runs a bit faster, erupting with ripping bass and “DFTF” feat. MC DRS is a chill track with killer vocal hooks.

– Jen Shapiro

MPIRE u Moguai u Mau5trap An impressive follow-up to 2010’s We R Lyve, this artist album’s standout track here is undoubtedly “Deaf

By Stereo,” marching the listener across a well-timed journey of blips and beats. Next comes “Hush Hush,” which channels that Nintendoinfluenced Mau5trap sound. And if you’ve got to have words, vocalist Polina will tell you to get lost on “Invisible.”

“U TURN” u Dawn Tallman u Diva Down Davidson Ospina bangs out a thumping, peak-hour dancefloor sizzler with a dark, heavy bassline, emotive keys and Tallman’s sweet, soulful vocals. Blaze’s Josh Milan brings us some classic house flavor, which has a totally different vibe from the other mixes, and Menakeys’ house mix brings a copious kick and some luscious, choral keys. The instrumentals are all nice here as well.

– Shawn Christopher

– Natalie Raben “CAN’T BELIEVE” EP

u The Mekanism u Needwant Nice house EP. “Can’t Believe” has a smooth, funky bassline, techy effects and cool, retro vibes, while “Missing Love” has a soothing, soulful vocal matched with uplifting keys.Tight production all around.

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

Download

Corner

38

– Shawn Christopher

Each month in this space, DJ Times digs through the virtual crates to give you a quick sample of the plethora of extraordinary tracks available exclusively on legal download—care of our favorite next-generation “record” stores (e.g. Beatport, iTunes, etc.).

“We Bring The Music” (Jimpster Remix) by Freak Seven [2020 Vision]: Deep and soulful, yet modern and funky, this remix delivers house music at its most musical. Swirling atmospheric delays and silky synths add a polished sheen. Found at beatport.com.

“Lovery” (Original Instrumental Mix) by Tuccillo & Kiko Navarro [King Street Sounds]: Yet another gorgeous, mellow, house gem. Oodles of acoustic percussion surround minorchord keys and form a simple, but addictively effective groove.

Found at beatport.com.

“Moon Cinema” (Original Mix) by DisCemi [My Favorite Robot]: Extraordinarily unique, picture a detuned and circuit-bent Casio toy from the ’80s. These random, dissonant outbursts and sub-bass somehow produce a cohesive groove over which a falsetto male vocal beckons you into the darkness.

Found at beatport.com.

– Robert LaFrance

GET IT ON THE GO...

FROM THE EDITORS OF DJ TIMES

THE INSIDER

AMERICA’S MOST UP-TO-THE-MOMENT

NEWS AND INFORMATION

FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs & CLUBBERS To sign up, go to www.djtimes.com For sponsorships contact INSIDER @ 800.937.7678 or jrayvid@testa.com.

© Testa Communications

For advertising rates and deadlines...

Call 800-YES-7678 x507

MARKETPLACE SUPPLIES

Ad Index Company

Pg

American DJ

CIV

American Music & Sound

11

Bosch

25

Chauvet 15 Cold Harbor Recordings

31

Denon

9

Dixie Dance Kings

38

Gator

34

2 0 1 2 D A T E S A N N O U N C E D A U G 1 3 - 1 6

Hercules 7 JBL

CIII

Pioneer CII Rane

5

Sirius

3

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

SXSW 37

40

Thunderball 29 Ultra Music

16-17

Yamaha 27

DOUBLE YOUR LEADS, SALES & PROFITS For advertising information, please phone Jon Rayvid at 516.767.2500 ext. 507 or email at JRayvid@testa.com.

DEBUT

New products to a keen and targeted market.

EDUCATE

The DJ market on why your products are the best.

EXPAND

Your business into an established, but still fast-growing, market.

INCREASE

Brand recognition with DJs of all kinds.

While every care is taken to ensure that these listings are accurate and complete, DJ Times does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors.

SELL

Equipment & supplies to an audience that is ready to buy.

Compiled As Of January 19,2012

National Crossover Pool Chart 1 Katy Perry 2 Chris Willis 3 Erika Jayne 4 Beyonce 5 Wynter Gordon 6 David Guetta F/ Nicki Minaj 7 Rihanna F/ Calvin Harris 8 Coldplay 9 Enrique Iglesias F/ Pitbull & Wavs 10 Britney Spears 11 Swedish House Mafia Vs Knife Party 12 Anjulie 13 September 14 Nervo 15 Jess Sutta 16 Kristina Korban 17 Dev 18 Flo-Rida 19 Leona Lewis / Avicii 20 Florence And The Machine 21 Rihanna 22 David Guetta 23 Julissa Veloz 24 D’Manti 25 Emii 26 Zarkana 27 Kim Leoni 28 Deborah Cox 29 Penny Foster 30 Gloria Estefan 31 Speakers 32 Body Lingo 33 Benni Cinkle 34 Bag Raiders 35 Kelli 36 Laura Michelle 37 Route Too Far 38 Craig Smart 39 Linda Clifford 40 Candi Lynn

The One That Got Away Too Much Love Party People Countdown Buy My Love Turn Me On We Found Love Paradise I Like How It Feels Criminal Antidote Brand New Bitch Party In My Head We’re All No One Show Me This Is Your Night In The Dark Good Feeling Collide Shake It Out You Da One Without You F/ Usher Mayhem Tonight Stilettos Whenever Around And Around If It Wasn’t For Love Castles Hotel Nacional (remix) Bass Yum Yum Can You See Me Now Way Back Home Gave Up On Love Pose Night To Remember Tooty Fruity How Long Lunatics

National Urban Pool Chart

Capitol Veneer Pretty Mess Columbia Big Beat Capitol Def Jam Capitol Universal Republic Jive Capitol Universal Republic Robbins Astralwerks Hollywood Dauman Universal Republic Atlantic Sony Universal Republic Island/Def Jam Astralwerks Carrillo D’Manti Slippery Eel White Palace Robbins Verve Robbins Verve Capitol Gatorbait Less Than Three Modular Big Mgmt.

Thompkins Media Robbins Trippin’ Out Nu & Improved IM Records

1 Beyonce 2 Red Cafe F/ Rick Ross 3 Drake F/ Nicki Minaj 4 J Dash 5 Drake 6 Beyonce 7 J. Cole F/ Trey Songz 8 Big Sean 9 Rosco Dash 10 Chris Brown 11 Ledisi & Jaheim 12 Laura Michelle 13 Fat Man 14 Big Sean 15 T-Pain F/Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen 16 Timberland F/Pitbull 17 Estelle 18 Lil Wayne & Bruno Mars 19 Nicki Minaj F/ Rihanna 20 Robin Thicke 21 Jennifer Hudson 22 Jill Scott F/ Paul Wall 23 Dj Drama F/Fabolous 24 Rick Ross F/ Nicki Minaj 25 T.I. F/ Big Krit 26 Wale F/ Miguel 27 Rihanna F/ Calvin Harris 28 Mary J Blige 29 Monica 30 Travis Porter 31 Birdman F/ Nicki Minaj & Lil Wayne 32 Mary J Blige & Drake 33 Waka Flocka Flame 34 Flo-Rida 35 Beyonce F/Andre 3000 36 Ophishal 37 Drake & Lil Wayne 38 Melanie Fiona 39 Young Jeezy F/ Jay Z & Andre 3000 40 KC Jockey

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Route Too Far David Guetta F/ Avicii Dance Mafia F/ Raquela BT F/ Jes Linda Clifford Kristina Korban Penny Foster Raquela Body Lingo Kascade With Rebecca

Night To Remember Sunshine R.E.S.P.E.C.T. The Light In Things How Long This Is Your Night Castles Tell To My Heart Yum Yum Turn It Down

Love On Top Fly Together Make Me Proud Wop Headlines Countdown Can’t Get Enough I Do It Good Good Night Strip Stay Together Pose Jig It Dance (A$$) 5 OClock Pass At Me Thank You Mirror Fly Love After War Don’t Look Down So Gone Oh My (2011) You Da Boss I’m Flexin’ Lotus Flower Bomb We Found Love 25/8 Until It’s Gone Ayy Ladies Y U Mad Mr. Wrong Round Of Applause Good Feeling Party American Way The Motto 4 AM I Do Girl You’re Free

Columbia Interscope Universal Stereofame Cash Money Columbia Columbia Island/Def Jam Geffen RCA Universal Thompkins Media SOW Def Jam Jive Interscope Atlantic Universal Universal Interscope Arista Reprise E1 Def Jam Atlantic Warner Brothers Def Jam Interscope J Records RCA Universal Interscope Warner Brothers Atlantic Columbia Megablast Universal Universal Island/Def Jam Sweet Sadies

Most Added Tracks Robbins Capitol ISV Planetjes Nu & Improved Dauman Robbins ISV Gatorbait Ultra

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Travis Porter Gabriel Slick Jennifer Hudson BSB B.O.B. F/ Lil’ Wayne Diggy Simmons F/ Jer Ophishal Rihanna Tyga Jay-Z & Kanye West

Ayy Ladies Rhodes I Got This She Shakin Ass Strange Clouds Do It Like You American Way You Da One Rack City Gotta Have It

RCA Soul Shift RCA Swess Records Atlantic Atlantic Megablast Island/Def Jam Universal Republic Atlantic

Reporting Pools ✦ Lets Dance / IRS - Chicago, IL; Lorri Annarella ✦ Next Music Pool - Los Angeles, CA; Bob Ketchter ✦ Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo ✦ OMAP - Washington, DC; Al Chasen ✦ NW Dance Music - Shoreline, WA; John England ✦ Philly Spinners Assoc. - Bensalem, PA; Fred Kolet ✦ Pittsburgh DJ - Pittsburgh, PA; Jim Kolich ✦ Soundworks - San Francisco, CA; Sam Labelle ✦ Dixie Dance Kings - Alpharetta, GA; Dan Miller ✦ Rickett’s Record Pool R - Saddle Brook, NJ; Bill Rickett ✦ Pacific Coast - Long Beach, CA; Steve Tsepelis ✦ NE Record Pool - Boston, MA; Justin Testa

Looking for these titles?

You can hear them and buy them at www.dancekings.com.

Just click on the links in the chart.

DDK has limited memberships available for qualified DJs in the US. We service CDs and MP3s in dance and urban formats. Feedback and membership dues required. 770-740-0356

45791

Amon Tobin

(continued from page 14) that. That can be very destructive.

DJ Times: Sonically, how does this album differ from your previous work?

Tobin: There has always been a common thread amongst my musical progression. I’m focused on the transformation of existing things. I believe it’s impossible to actually create anything from scratch. We are merely rearranging things that are already there. Back in the ’90s, I was taking genres like jazz and blues and putting them into different contexts of the electronic-music world. That type of sample-based production has been explored to death at this point.

When I got to albums like Supermodified, I was more involved in actually twisting sounds until they became something completely different. The original sounds became less important that the end result. When I did Foley Room, I was focused on finding sounds that were not musical and infusing them into music. For ISAM, I became very interested synthesizing sounds myself, rather that just manipulating wav files. This allowed me to create a strange marriage between synthesized music and field-recorded sounds. The ability to take recordings and turn them into playable instruments was a very big step for me, which pushed the creative process for ISAM. DJ Times: What motivated you to get into production?

Tobin: It all started at about age 13 when I saved up all of my money from a summer job at the car wash to buy a twin-cassette recorder. I wanted to find a way to edit out annoying bits of songs that didn’t appeal to me, so I could have a new track made up of only the parts that I did like. I used the recorder to do some edits. At this

time, my father was teaching English as a second language and he was using audio tapes with his teachings. I started taking his tapes and editing the words and phrases to say funny things. It was quite basic, but I really enjoyed it.

DJ Times: How did you get more professional about it?

Tobin: Eventually, I bought a sampler and that really got me into making music. Over the past 25 years, my studio has grown from this same type of curiosity. I crossed over into software-based systems and now I create a lot of my own stuff from the ground up. I don’t try to buy gear and learn all of the functions anymore.

I know what I am trying to do and I will create or modify and existing program or piece of equipment to do what I need.

DJ Times: How did you end up DJing?

Tobin: When I was first signed to Ninja Tune, they told me that I needed to start going out on tour to perform. I didn’t know what I was doing and my first few performances were pretty hilarious—I was basically booed off the stage! At my very first gig, I didn’t even know how to use the mixer! I had to have Ollie Teeba from The Herbaliser stand next to me to show me how to use the faders. It turned out to be a very wobbly set, to say the least! It was a very rocky road, but we were using turntables back then and I ended up falling in love with them.

DJ Times: Do you still play with vinyl?

Tobin: Not anymore . When I started off, I loved vinyl. It’s a selfish thing—I just love the feel of turntables. I went through different vinyl platforms like Final Scratch and Serato. Now I use Traktor, but I find

the time-codes to be redundant.

I’ve been through so many different manifestations of digital gear. I have a fetish for gadget-type stuff—I can be a bit of a nerd that way. But that’s what drives our ability to manipulate sound and I’m really into that.

DJ Times: Will you go back to DJing after this tour?

Tobin: I will always have a soft spot for DJing. Right now, I’m working on a new Two Fingers album [a collaboration with U.K.-based producer Doubleclick], which is all about the beats and the dancefloor. It’s the exact opposite of ISAM, and I intend to DJ that stuff out. I thoroughly enjoy the club experience and I don’t know if I could ever stop doing that.

DJ Times: Do you think it’s important for producers to DJ and vice versa?

Tobin: I don’t think so. That really transitions into the overall state of the music industry’s evolution since the internet. Producers are under a lot of pressure to perform. No one can survive just selling music. There is a lot of music that is not intended for live performance, and today it’s very hard to make that kind of music. I think that performance has to do with the entertainment industry, while production is more of an artistic expression. I love performing, but I also love music and the endless possibilities it can deliver.

DJ Times: Any advice for up-andcoming DJ/performers?

Tobin: Don’t listen to too much advice! Honesty is smart—be honest about your music. Don’t focus on making money and being successful.

Staying true is much more rewarding, no matter how corny it sounds. Get into your passion, and in the end you’ll have something that you’re proud of. n

Sounding Off

(continued from page 26) Set above the platters are four loop-control buttons. One engages (or disengages) a loop, using whatever default length you’ve set in the system options; two let you control loop size; the fourth (reloop) returns to the start point of the previously set loop. Simple and straightforward, indeed.

Above those loop buttons are the SCS.4DJ’s effects controls—one for each deck, including filter, flange, slice and delay. One knob controls the effect rate from 1/16th of a beat to 16 beats, and is continuously variable (vs. notched at each beat count). The amount knob is as the name suggests. My only real quibble with the controls is with the filter. With the amount knob full left, it’s a low-pass filter full-on; full right, it’s a high-pass filter full-on. But there’s no notch or detent at the 12 o’clock position to find the exact center, thus requiring a little trial and error. For most DJs’ needs, however, the controls are more than adequate.

Conclusions: The SCS.4DJ delivers on its promise of providing a compact, portable, easy-to-use and feature-rich, all-in-one DJ solution. It has virtually everything needed for the newcomer and pro alike, whether for mobile or club use. And with its wide media compatibility and no shortage of places to plug them in, it offers great flexibility that’s affordable, too—around $500 street price.

Popping the unit into a small case, along with its small power brick, and you truly do get a “DJ-anywhere-youhave-power” solution that leaves the weightlifting workout for the gym.

If you have any questions for Wesley Bryant-King or Sounding Off, please send them to djtimes@testa.com.

12th Planet’s Identity Crisis But as you can tell from my t-shirt…

DJ TIMES

MARCH 2012

I may not be America’s King of Dubstep.

42

And they loved me in Vegas…

I am The Greatest.

12th Planet, Next Month in DJ Times

KEITH SHOCKLEE As a founding member of Public Enemy Keith Shocklee has been defining and defying musical genres for over 30 years.

“The future is the past! We’re taking new music to the streets in New York… it’s how we did it before Public Enemy and it’s happening again today - very organic and powerful.”

Keith and his mobile DJ’s, Power5, trust their PRX600 speakers to deliver devastating grooves night after night.

“PRX’s bang hard! We record on JBL LSR4300 monitors and when we perform live our PRX’s sound identical, just ten times louder.

And, at 3:00 am after the smoke clears, their lightweight is heaven.

JBL is the bomb!”

Photos by: James DeMaria

Learn more at jblpro.com/prx600 Check out Keith at keithshocklee.com

POWERFUL. RUGGED. VERSATILE.

© 2012 Harman International Industries, Incorporated

PERFORMANCE YOU CAN TRUST

Add More To Your Show...And Take Less From Your Budget With ADJ, Your Affordable Reliable Source For: • LED Solutions • Moving Heads & Scanners • • Variable White Fixtures • Pars & Follow Spots • • Wireless & DMX Control • • Lasers •

NEW!

VIZI BEAM 5R

MEGA TRIPAR PROFILE

Pro Moving Head with Phillips® Platinum 5R lamp, 12 Colors, 14 Gobos, Frost Filter, 12 DMX Channels.

Ultra bright slim flat black Par with 5x 3-Watt, 3-IN-1 TRI LEDs (RGB).

Unique “sit-flat” design is perfect for uplighting.

$1,499.99*

$149.99*

ADVANTAGE POINTS 1400 ADJ for details visit www.americandj.com

150

ADJ ADVANTAGE POINTS for details visit www.americandj.com

NEW!

MICRO HYPNOTIC

Unique mini laser that projects red and green “web type” patterns. Includes RF Wireless Remote.

$119.99*

120

ADJ ADVANTAGE POINTS for details visit www.americandj.com

NEW!

ROYAL SKY

Blue & Green Laser Effect With Multiple Patterns & “Liquid Sky” Effect; DMX-512.

Check Out Product Demo Videos Of These Fixtures @ www.americandj.com!

$599.99*

600

ADJ ADVANTAGE POINTS for details visit www.americandj.com

SPHERION TRI LED

Similar to a modern Mirror Ball–features 5x bright 3-Watt TRI LED. Project sharp beams of light from 116 lenses.

$299.99*

TM

® 000 0001

DJ SPARKY B

Charter Member 2005

300

ADJ ADVANTAGE POINTS

Follow Us On These Social Media Sites:

You Tube

for details visit www.americandj.com

www.americandj.com

Check out video footage of the effects in action, Get Product Details & User Manuals, Join the ADJ Forums & ADJ Advantage Program & Stay up-to-date with ADJ by signing up for the monthly E-News!

Contact us today for an authorized American DJ Dealer in your area or a free catalog: 800.322.6337 / info@americandj.com ©2012 American DJ® • Los Angeles, CA 90040 USA www.americandj.com • Kerkrade, Netherlands www.americandj.eu *Price & Specifications subject to change without notice. Dealer price may vary. Pricing in U.S. Dollars.

Distributed in Canada by Sounds Distribution - Toll Free: 800-26-SOUND • Local: 905-428-9062 • www.soundsdist.com

Quality, Affordable & Reliable Products From A Company You Can Trust!