We have some fantastic new things to talk about today, so lets get right to it!
Mixed In Key 10
First up, the respected Mixed In Key software has released a v10 update, promising even more accurate key detection. Users of this software (which includes me) will be well aware that it is more accurate than rival key detection provided by Serato etc, and with key detection, accuracy is everything. It claims to be at least 10% better than its nearest rival, and 95% as accurate as a pitch perfect musician, even with difficult songs. I don’t know exactly how they reached those numbers, but I do know that it has long been my preferred key detection software, and I have already paid for the upgrade. The cost is $58 for first time users, or $39 as an upgrade
Beyond this important aspect, it now supports exporting cue points to Rekordbox, marks the energy levels of tracks from 1-10, and has a remodelled user interface. It also has metatagging functionality, for tidying up the tags on your collection.
I also highly recommend their (now relatively old) Platinum Notes software for evening out volumes on your music collection – especially if you DJ using Rekordbox/USBs.
Algoriddim DJ AI
We’ve talked about Algoriddim on previous Tech News updates, but this time we have the kind of news DJs might not be entirely comfortable with… They have released an update for iPhone and iPod which claims to have significantly improved Automix AI and Neural Mix AI – the former having been totally rebuilt. By combining the two, it enables your computer to “deconstruct two songs into their original components, and easily apply effects and filters to each, like adding a reverb to wash out vocals, as if it were being reconstructed by a professional sound engineer.”
Smart DJs will have known that this sort of thing arriving on the scene was just as inevitable as the sun coming up in the morning – the key here is to find ways to use this technology to your advantage, and bring human qualities in your DJ performances that an AI like this can’t replicate!
Bitwig Studio 4
The exciting music production software Bitwig has releaves v4, promising some really cool features! They have a new thing called “Comping”, which is all about taking the best bits of your performances from multiple takes to create the ideal final composition, plus “Operators”, which allows you to insert randomness into your programming, leading to fascinating and unexpected creations!
Bitwig isn’t as well known as some of its competitors, but is very highly rated by many reviewers – it may be worth checking it out.
Denon LC6000
Denon have been working hard to make inroads on Pioneer’s dominance of this corner of the market, and their latest product looks set to continue that challenge. The LC6000 looks to add extra layers to your DJ setups – there is a handy infographic on the page I just linked explaining the various different ways it can be used, both alongside Denon’s existing controllers, and alongside compatible DJ software programmes, including Serato, Virtual DJ and djaypro. You can control multiple software decks with just one controller unit, which will be extremely useful for DJs who want to build a pro-quality set-up, but don’t have the budget to do it all in one go, up front.
Virtual DJ Summer 2021
The growth of what used to be consider the budget end of DJ software continues apace, with this latest version of Virtual DJ including some juicy features! You can now add effects to the individual stems that the software allows you to create from original tracks, and even scratch individual sections (for instance the vocals) while the rest of the track plays! Truly, we are living in the future!
It also features the ability to export to USB for use on CDJs, including the ability to export stems – opening up the possibility of live mashups on CDJ sets in ways that were previously far harder to achieve. It also introduces a hashtags feature, for categorising and searching for songs.
That’s everything for today – in the meantime, head over to the Heavy Hits record pool to check out the best music online, and head over to our socials at Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.