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Heavy Hits Record Pool & Atlantic Records present a DJ challenge for Skrillex and his brand new release “Pepper” featuring Flowdan & Lil Baby. DJs from around the world are welcome to enter the “Skrillex Pepper DJ Challenge” for a chance to win $1500 and an annual subscription to Heavy Hits Record Pool. The Heavy Hits crew will host and help judge the competition.

Prizes

• Grand Prize: $1500 and an annual subscription to Heavy Hits Record Pool.
• 2nd Place: $750 and a 6 month subscription to Heavy Hits Record Pool.
• 3rd Place: $250 and a 3 month subscription to Heavy Hits Record Pool.
• 4th/5th Place: 1 month subscription to Heavy Hits Record Pool.

How to Enter

• 1. Record a (1 to 2 minute) video routine of yourself DJing using Skrillex’s single “Pepper” and any other of his other hit singles listed in the playlist below. You can use original and remixes of the records in your routines as well as samples of other songs from Skrillex’s catalog on Atlantic Records.
• 2. Upload your video routine as an Instagram feed post (before Sunday, November 19th at 11:59pm EST). Make sure to use the hashtag #PEPPERDJCHALLENGE as well as tag @heavyhitspool and @skrillex in your Instagram post.

Routines will be judged on the following criteria.

a. 35 Points – Creativity and originality – use of wordplay, toneplay, or drumming.
b. 35 Points – Technical Skills – Demonstration of proficient turntablist techniques, overall flow, and execution of routine.
c. 30 Points – Charisma – Their DJ presence with their gestures, body language, body tricks, and online swag.

The top submissions will be announced on Tuesday, November 21st. 2023.

Rules & Additional Details

• – Contest is open to participants worldwide (no purchase necessary to enter). All videos must be submitted before Sunday, November 19th at 11:59pm EST and will be judged by the Heavy Hits crew based on creativity, charisma, technical skill, and originality along with consideration from follower feedback (comments, likes, etc).
• – Mandatory Hashtags to enter the contest #PepperDJChallenge @skrillex @HeavyHitsPool
• – Instagram videos must predominantly use the song “Pepper” and any other of his other hit singles listed in the playlist below. You can use originals and remixes of the records in your routines as well as samples of other songs from Skrillex’s catalog on Atlantic Records.
• – Videos must be no more than 2 minutes and no less than 1 minute in length and posted on the entrant’s Instagram timeline.

The post Skrillex #PepperDJChallenge – Enter to win $1500 & an annual subscription to Heavy Hits! appeared first on Heavy Hits.

2023

Pioneer DDJ FLX2 – $159
[to replace the DDJ 200]
2 channel controller with no smart functions
Looks very similar to the DDJ 200

Pioneer DDJ FLX8 – $1249
[to replace the DDJ 800)
4 channels
Same smart functions as FLX6
Sleeker body
Metal faceplate
Updated 48kHz soundcard
HighDPI displays on jogwheels
Phono preamps updated
Replaceable input faders
Crossfader cut in
Start/stop time adjust knob

2024

Pioneer DDJ FLX10 – $1899
[to replace the DDJ 1000)
4 channels
Smart funcions
Sleeker body
Metal faceplate
Updated 96 kHz soundcard
HighDPI display on jogwheels, more information displayed
Phono preamps updated
Replaceable high quality input faders
Crossfader cut in
Curve adjust knobs
Input fader cross switch
Start/stop time adjust knob
Color FX parameter knob
Link cue track preview
6 effects mixer
Rekordbox stems control

RMX 2000 – $899
Totally redesigned body
Support for Rekordbox

2025

XDJ XZ MKII
4 channels
Inherits all the body changes and features of the FLX10
Brighter display
Jogwheel mechanisms same as the CDJ 3000

XDJ-RX3 discontinued

XDJ RR discontinued

Unnamed standalone controller – $7000
Described as “2 CDJs 3000 and a DJM-900NXS2 fused together”
The main feature is the Infinity display, a big, touch-sensitive, sapphire display that goes from start to end points of the controller
Designed to keep pace with the trend of controllers replacing CDJs in clubs

The post Upcoming Pioneer Gear appeared first on Heavy Hits.

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Heavy Hits Record Pool & Atlantic Records present a DJ challenge for Burna Boy and his smash record “Last Last.” DJs from around the world are welcome to enter the “Last Last DJ Challenge” for a chance to win $1000 and an annual subscription to Heavy Hits Record Pool. DJ Poizon Ivy and Burna Boy’s Tour DJ, Spaceship Billy along with the Heavy Hits crew will host and help judge the competition. Don’t forget to check out Burna Boy’s new album “Love, Damini” on all music platforms.

Prizes

• Grand Prize: $1000 and an annual subscription to Heavy Hits Record Pool.
• 2nd Place: $500 and an 6 month subscription to Heavy Hits Record Pool.
• 3rd Place: $250 and a 3 month subscription to Heavy Hits Record Pool.
• 4th/5th Place: 1 month subscription to Heavy Hits Record Pool.

How to Enter

• 1. Record a (60 second or less) video routine of yourself DJing using Burna Boy’s single “Last Last” and any other of his other hit singles listed in the playlist below. You can use original and remixes of the records in your routines as well as samples of other songs from Burna Boy’s catalog on Atlantic Records.
• 2. Upload your video routine as an Instagram feed post (before Sunday, August 7th at 11:59pm EST). Make sure to use the hashtag #LASTLASTDJCHALLENGE as well as tag @heavyhitspool and @burnaboygram in your Instagram post.

Routines will be judged on the following criteria.

a. 35 Points – Creativity and originality – use of wordplay, toneplay, or drumming.
b. 35 Points – Technical Skills – Demonstration of proficient turntablist techniques, overall flow, and execution of routine.
c. 30 Points – Charisma – Their DJ presence with their gestures, body language, body tricks, and online swag.
The top submissions will be announced on August 17th. Winner will be chosen by Burna Boy’s DJ – Spaceship Billy and our Afrobeats connoisseur, DJ Poizon Ivy along with the Heavy Hits crew.

Rules & Additional Details

– Contest is open to participants worldwide (no purchase necessary to enter). All videos must be submitted before Sunday, August 7th at 11:59pm EST and will be judged by the Heavy Hits crew based on creativity, charisma, technical skill, and originality along with consideration from follower feedback (comments, likes, etc).
– Mandatory Hashtags to enter the contest #LastLastDJChallenge @burnaboygram @HeavyHitsPool
– Instagram videos must predominantly use the song “Last Last” and any other of his other hit singles listed in the playlist below. You can use original and remixes of the records in your routines as well as samples of other songs from Burna Boy’s catalog on Atlantic Records.
– Videos must be no more than 60 seconds in length and posted on entrants Instagram timeline

The post Burna Boy #LASTLASTDJCHALLENGE – Enter to win $1000 & an annual subscription to Heavy Hits! appeared first on Heavy Hits.

Rekordbox Professional Plan – Unlimited Cloud Storage!

This one is a doozy – I’ve long been an advocate of storing your whole music library in the cloud, as I explained in this article. I use Serato, and favour Dropbox for this task.

Rekordbox has taken this to the next level, and their latest pro plan update means you can save and access your library, with up to 8 devices allowed access! The plan features unlimited storage, Dropbox smart sync, automatic device library backup, and it supports PC, Mac, iOS and Android devices.

Its not cheap – $29.99 paid monthly, or $299.99 per year, but I am a firm believer that if you are a professional DJ then you should spend a little money safeguarding the most important tool you have – your music library.

Rane Seventy A-Trak signature edition

This one came as a bit of a surprise when A-Trak teased a picture of the mixer online. But it actually makes a lot of sense that one of the most influential and talented DJs of our time should collaborate with Rane, makers of many legendary DJ mixers. The Seventy was already regarded as a hell of a mixer, but A-Trak has made a few interesting tweaks to it, creating his own spin on the battle mixer.

DJ Soo has put together this great review here, and here’s a video of A-Trak himself showing off what the mixer can do! As a special bonus from DJ Soo, check out his interview with A-Trak here!

Ableton Live 11 Lite

Ableton is now a solid fixture on the laptops of many DJs and producers, and has long been my go-to tool for making tracks, edits, mash-ups, and editing mixes. Its an incredibly versatile, remarkably powerful piece of software, and arguably the most popular one out there in its class.

Many pieces of hardware come with Ableton Live Lite bundled in, introducing people to that universe, and version 11 is out now, and free to those who want to upgrade to it. I’ve been using the full version of 11, and it is great – if you are eligible for the upgrade, I highly recommend you accept it with open arms!

Mixxx – 2.3.0 version update to the free software

While working on a project with some friends a couple of years ago, I had to get familiar with a tiny Numark controller, and found that it worked best with a completely free piece of software called Mixxx. I was blown away by the level of functionality and ease of use for something that cost zero dollars and zero cents, and they have recently updated to version 2.3.0.

For a full breakdown of the new features, you can head here. Hotcue colors & labels, mark intro/outro sections, add track colours to help navigate your library, and much more!

While this software might not be something that the sort of pro DJs who use Heavy Hits need, it is a brilliant, free way to introduce friends and family to DJing.

So that’s all for this round up, so head over to the Heavy Hits pool to get the best new music, and head over to our socials on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and give us a follow!

The post DJ Tech News – August 2021! appeared first on Heavy Hits.

Depending on where you are reading this from, you’ve most likely had some form of lockdown for at least some of this year, or at the very least have been limited in what sort of social activities you can take part in – with nightclubs and festivals a pipedream for most of us for most of 2021.

In some ways this led to an interesting phenomenon amongst DJs playing in online streams – without the procession of requesters to ask for whatever is hot, and without owners and managers there to put pressure on to play the hits, a lot of DJs were able to explore and express their own tastes in ways that were almost impossible in normal times.

Obviously, it would be great if a decent chunk of that individuality and self-expression made its way to venues as countries re-open. But there is also a practical reality – venues need punters, and punters tend to want “the hits”. As a gigging DJ, it pays to at least be familiar with what is hot, even if you don’t play all of it, so that you can bend your sets towards what will keep the dancefloor full and the people paying you happy!

Well – as always, the Heavy Hits record pool has got your back! We tasked our brilliant playlist compilers to come up with the best of various genres in 2021 so far, featuring all the biggest hits and hottest dancefloor heat! So if you’re like me and spent the first half of 2021 listening to weird techno b-sides and suddenly have to deal with people asking for the latest drill sensation, you are in luck! Like I say – nobody is saying you have to play these songs, and every DJ should be encouraged to express themselves in their sets where appropriate, but it is extremely good practice to know what is popping off in tha clurrrrb.

Electronic/Dance

We’ve got the electronic/dance selection here, taking in some brilliant remixers from the Heavy Hits crew (including this phenomenal JEKEY flip) as well as originals from heavyweights such as Afrojack, David Guetta and Joel Corry (who I am actually DJing with later tonight in London!).

Latin

Current Latin music is something I am always in a battle to stay on top of for a couple of venues I play at – and here’s the ultimate cheat sheet for DJs like me! There’s a lot of familiar names – Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Karol G etc – and a fair few that I don’t recognise as well. I will be making sure all these tunes are in a folder ready to go, for when I’m playing at venues that have a big latin clientele!

Hip-Hop/R&B

Hip-Hop/R&B is probably the most popular genre on Heavy Hits, so maybe you are already on top of this one – but maybe there’s a few gems you missed out on, or maybe you spent the first half of the year blasting 1991-93 New York boom bap on Twitch, and now have to work out who Lil Who-the-hell-is-that and Lil Wotsisname are. Well – here you go! A comprehensive round up of the biggest new rap tracks – everything from Migos to Moneybagg Yo.

Pop/Top 40

Gonna be playing to a pop/top 40 crowd, but not been paying attention to the charts this year? No problem! Here’s a comprehensive selection of the major hits of 2021 to date – from the K-Pop of BTS to the alt-pop of Billie Eilish, and all sorts of points inbetween. Some real pop heavyweights in this playlist.

International

The International playlist is always a fascinating smorgasbord of goodies from all sorts of regions and styles, and this 2021 So Far playlist is no exception. Burna Boy – Kilometre is one of the anthems of the year in London, and this playlist takes off from that excellent launch point! French, German, even Swiss with the absolute banger Oh Digga by Loredana!

Dancehall/Reggae

And finally we have the Dancehalll/Reggae playlist. I’m always pleased to see playlists on Heavy Hits for this genre – I love playing it, but don’t follow the scene closely enough to know what’s what, and its very tempting to fall back on the same old hits from 10+ years ago. Keep it fresh! There’s the familiar names you’ll definitely know if you have a passing interest in the genre, but then a whole host of music that will quite possibly be new to you – check it out!

So there we go – plenty of music to get stuck into, and maybe some of it will make it into your sets!

In the meantime, follow Heavy Hits on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!

The post 2021 So Far! appeared first on Heavy Hits.

Why is that? Because one of the foundational instruments of modern music is the Roland TR-808 drum machine, famous for its huge, booming kick drum. The basis of electro, hip hop, house, techno – music as we know it simply wouldn’t exist without the influence of this instrument.

First released in 1980, this drum machine was initially not much loved due to the unrealistic representations of drum sounds. But pioneering use by the likes of Afrika Bambaata and Marvin Gaye broke the sound out to the masses, and before too long the distinctive sounds were everywhere. Now it is reckoned to be on more hits than any other drum machine, and still features prominently in a huge number of genres and styles.

And this being Heavy Hits, we’ve compiled some of the best of those many, many hits into one brilliant playlist, which you can find here.

If you want to take your DJing to the next level, how about this insane Pioneer controller, the DJ-808! Skratch Bastid really puts it through its paces here!

Of course you could always buy an original unit, but they are a little bit pricey these days…  if you don’t have $5000 sitting around to drop on an original vintage unit, but want to have a play around with the sounds of an 808, check out this awesome online emulator here.

In the meantime, follow Heavy Hits on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!

The post 808 Day! appeared first on Heavy Hits.

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.

The post DJ Tech News – May 2021! appeared first on Heavy Hits.

Feels like yesterday that the Heavy Hits Podcasts mix series kicked off, and now here we are – with the incredible DJ Perly dropping an awesome 100th HHP.

DJ Perly is a member of the world famous Heavy Hitters DJ crew, and in 2017 became the first female DJ to win the USA DMC championship. She has dropped a superb open format mix, featuring tracks from Crooklyn Clan (we recently interviewed DJ Riz right here), Eve, Eric B & Rakim, Kaytranada, Stardust and more. Check it out below, and give the Mixcloud a follow!

There have been some incredible mixes along the way, and a whole host of great new ones coming up.

I thoroughly enjoyed doing one of the early podcasts (#16), and indlgging my cheesy pop side with what we called the “Ultimate Office Party”! Check that out below!

Lots of the Heavy Hits team have contributed mixes, and we’ve had DJs from all over the world – Brazil’s Nedu Lopes, Scotland’s DJ Big Al, Germany’s DJ Say Whaat, Jamaica’s DJ Chemics, and many more, giving a truly global flavour to the podcast series!

Keep your eyes peeled for the next 100, there’s some great DJs involved, and I will be adding a new one before too long…

But we want to take a moment to say a huge thank you to all the DJs who have contributed to this incredible selection of mixes, showcasing their amazing talents, as well as the great music available on the Heavy Hits pool. We couldn’t have done this without their time, skills and creativity – so to every single DJ that was featured, we salute you, and we appreciate you!

Until then, make sure you stay on top of the latest music with the Heavy Hits pool, and follow us over on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Catch me streaming regularly on Twitch.

The post Keep It 100! appeared first on Heavy Hits.

Hailing from Dublin, Irland, Annie MacManus joined the station as a production assistant in 2002, and her broadcast career started out in 2004, with her Thursday night show “Annie Mac’s Mashup”. She was at the heart of the explosion of electro, blog house, dubstep, indie dance and so much more in that incredible time. She has hosted various shows in her time with the station, including the flagship Friday night dance music show, which will be taken over by Danny Howard.

I was lucky enough to play with her many times over the years, from sweaty basements to huge festival stages, and she always tore the roof off wherever she played, with an uncanny knack for knowing what trends were coming round the corner. She was also great fun to DJ alongside – on one particular occasion, a New Year’s Eve, she had been partying hard enough at her Bristol show that she arrived at Stealth nightclub in Nottingham without her headphones, and had to borrow mine. And naturally, she smashed it, before handing me back my ‘phones and heading off to her next show that night!

For so many producers and bands, getting a play on one of her shows was a huge moment in their careers, an endorsement from one of the biggest DJs on arguably the biggest radio platform in the world. Many anthems got their first play on her show, and went on to dominate clubs and festivals. She started the Annie Mac Presents mix series and events, and her sound and style evolved over the years, reflecting and shaping the tastes of different eras. The Mini Mix format that she popularised, a 5 minute megamix by the biggest names in music, is often a brilliant crash course in a genre or artist. She also championed female DJs, in a male-dominated business – in other fields where a woman has broken through, they are often accused of pulling up the ladder after themselves. Not so here – she gave breaks and support to a whole host of colleagues, really helping to normalise the sight of women behind the decks, and give inspiration to the next generation of DJs. She even put her name behind a campaign to push for gender parity.

The timing of her move makes sense – Radio 1 is squarely aimed at youth music, and while plenty of more experienced DJs exist in this realm, it is logical for the station to lean towards younger hosts, and as she puts it in this Twitter post

“I also love the idea of leaving the party (and make no mistake working at Radio 1 does feel like a party) with a huge smile on my face, when I’m still having the most fun I can have. I will be coming back to radio broadcasting when the time is right”

Annie Mac has a family with her husband Toddla T, and also wants to pursue other aspects of her career – having launched a great podcast (Changes with Annie MacManus). She is also about to have her first novel published – Mother Mother.

Clara Amfo will take over her Future Sounds show, which runs Monday-Thursday 6pm-8pm. Diplo is also leaving the station at the same time. Funnily enough – that’s who was DJing off-camera in the photo above!

If you want to get yourself better prepared to rock parties the way Annie always has, head to the Heavy Hits pool now! And check out the socials – Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. You can find me streaming regularly on Twitch.

The post Annie Mac to leave Radio 1 – the end of an era! appeared first on Heavy Hits.

You may have been testing the 2.5 Beta over the last few months, especially if you have Phase (I have been doing so, and it has improved the performance of Phase dramatically). It hasn’t been perfect though – its a Beta version after all, really only intended for testing purposes, not professional use at gigs.

Well, the Beta is done now, and the official release of 2.5 is out – which Serato users can download here!

Phase is now an Official Serato Accessory, with improved accuracy, reduced latency, and no need for phono cables when plugged in via USB (which will simplify things for DJs taking Phase to gigs!).

2.5 bring a whole host of new features, and crucially, it supports the latest Mac OS, Big Sur, and also provides support for the new generation Apple M1 chips.

This one is an essential upgrade for all the Serato DJs out there!

After you’ve done that, head over the the Heavy Hits pool to grab the best new music to play on it, and check out our socials over on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! You can catch me streaming regularly on Twitch!

The post Serato 2.5 is out now! appeared first on Heavy Hits.