Traktor DJ Review - almost there but playlist handling sucks.

I realize that it has been quite a while since I have postedon here. During that time The Red Bull BPM app grew into the super useful DJPlayer making my initial review look pretty lame.  My favorite Nanostudio devs went on hiatus due to injury (I hope you are feeling better!!!) and came back to release a small update and promises for the future. Tabletop surfaced, midi controllers started working with iOS, the amazing Algoriddim DJay app popped and all sorts of fun soft-synths made their iOS debut. But all of this pales in comparison to the release of Traktor DJ for iPad!!! It was enough to bring me out of lazy retirement!!!

With that said, was Traktor DJ worth me hastily selling my 1^st Gen device on ebay and running to an Atlanta deep (I mean really deep) discount electronics store to get a 3^rd Gen 64gb iPad? (Incidentally, I was so hasty in selling my 1^st Gen that I forgot it was 32gb and listed it as a 16gb. Some lucky guy is getting a surprise in the mail!!!). Initial impressions suggested the answer to my above question is yes. Traktor DJappears to be the most useable DJ application released for iOS to date.  I took it to my regular Saturday night gig to be sure…

Saturday was a weird night at GO Bar with Harouki Zombi putting on an amazing show right before I was to DJ bringing a troupe of dancing zombi hotties with them and basically taking over the bar. With so much going on that night I didn’t get on until 1:00am. We close at 2:00 so I only had an hour to put TDJ through its paces. One great thing about using an iPadto DJ is streamlined setup time. I was on and playing literally in seconds. The club already had a 1/8” lead ready to go and I had a stereo to mono to stereo splitter plugged in before you could blink. This type of situation is what TDJ is made for. If I used my full rig with a laptop and the Kontrol S2 it would have taken me 10 of the 60 minutes I had to DJ just to get ready.

Traktor DJ turned out to be a great tool to just get the DJ job done. With only 1 hour to DJ it was a perfect on the fly partner in the booth and everything just worked. Beatmatching is almost too easy and I actually felt compelled to do FX transitions between every song which is not my style but it was so fun using the X-Y pads! I felt kind of dumb staring at an iPad all night, but I usual have to stare a laptop screen anyway. So overall, yes TDJ works great for a quick jump in and party type situation. But it was far from perfect.

LIBRARY AND PLAYLISTS

As an engineer I know that it isn’t until actual field use that you discover a new technology’s weak spots. The main one I can point out with Traktor DJ is it’s handling of the music library and playlists. Since you can’t currently import Traktor Pro playlists into TDJ I was stuck with relying on the few rudimentary lists I threw together playing around at home. These were not sufficient. Add to that the fact that you cannot sort tracks by useful tags like ratings, import date or last date played and it was sort of like working blind. I have 8000 songs on the iPad and it was nearly impossible searching the music library to find anything useful. I had to rely on search, which worked fine, but I certainly would have come up with a better set on pro using all my playlists and configuration settings. I don’t plan anything ahead and my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants style is not compatible with TDJ. In order to fix this issue I have been spending a few hours a day since then creating specific playlists in TDJ. This is getting tedious. Its also not going to be perfect as I still crave sort settings and history playlists to make things work right.

TEMPO, SYNC and LOOPING

I also was disappointed in how TDJ handles tempo and sync. It really gives you two options: 1. Have the software sync every song for youwhile manipulating the master clock or 2. Turn off sync and try to adjust the tempo of the upcoming track without messing up the currently playing one. Neither one is ideal. TDJ syncs track via the flux mode so everything is on the downbeat leading to delayed starts while the play cursor plays catch up with the next song. Again if you turn it off you can start anywhere in the track you like instantly but there is no time stretching available. It gets really annoying when you are used to just dropping the digital needle and hitting play on Traktor Pro. It does time-stretch though, let's not forget it wasn't too long ago that iOS DJ apps couldn't do this. It sounds good enough, not as good as Taktor Pro, but certainly workable. 

Looping is a frustrating issue. The actual looping process, two-finger touch is amazing. Dropping a loop is so fun it is hard to stop yourself from doing it constantly. However “aiming” and getting the loop just right could be refined as could the innovative way you can drag loops to move and resize them. It really does work but you have to have huge balls todrop a loop and start moving it around while the track is playing. You almost have to jump way ahead and fine tune the loop before you are even near it in the time line.

AUDIO QUALITY 

The final complaint I have is obvious, the audio on an iPad sucks. Especially when using a splitter so you can monitor cue. I have the S2and Native Instruments keeps hinting that they could actually get the audio on the S2working with TDJ since it supports core audio. However, that would sort of defeat the purpose of using TDJ since I could just bring my computer and have access to the entire controller. There are a few compatible interfaces from NI, but they are a bit pricey just to run audio out of an iPad. The obvious solution is for NI to release a Traktor Audio 2 interface with core support. I already own a Traktor Audio 2 DJ and I would be annoyed to buy another one but I would to have the boost in audio quality and volume.

GREAT THINGS

8 cue points are certainly awelcome feature. This appears to be the only data that really syncs with Traktor Pro. As I said earlier the FX are really fun to play with. The screen layout is also pretty great as you are basically looking at two touch controllable waveforms the whole time. The audio never skipped which is probably the most important feature of the software, as the bells and whistles don’t matter if you can’t get through a track. I would say it was one of the most solid audio experiences I have had djaying. Hopefully that stability is maintained as my iPad and the software mature.

The freeze function everyone is excited about is really cool. It allows you to lock a track and tap on each grid partition as a separate sample allowing you to sort of beat juggle by playing the song itself. At this point, I see it as more of a gimmick other than dropping the occasional tapped beat or sound effect. However, when you are doing that, the 2^nddeck is occupied perhaps causing trouble later when you have to quickly load and play the next track. Still, a cool feature which I am sure will evolve.

WRAP UP

The bottom line is that yes, Traktor Dj is the best DJ app for iOS, without question. The thought that went into it is apparent. It is fun, intuitive and exciting. It is perfect for a party or a short set at club. Using it all night might get a bit frustrating, but that could be fixed with fine-tuning of the playlist, sharing and library mechanics. If you are a controller freak who uses a lot of samples and FX, TDJ will probably bore you quickly. However, if you are a DJ who is more about the songs and the party, this could be the perfect solution as soon as a small, inexpensive 4in 4out core audio interface makes its way to market.

More DJ Apps - Red Bull BPM HD and Cue.Play.DJ

I noticed that there was some mention of a couple other DJ apps in the comments on here. I thought I would briefly take a look at them. One was pretty cool, one was really not...

UPDATE: The Red Bull App is now called DJ Player and it is awesome. The most comprehensive DJ app on the app store but I STILL WISH YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO CHANGE SCREENS ALL THE TIME ESPECIALLY ON iPAD!!!

It appears Red Bull BPM HD is just a rebrand of a previously released app. I can't remember what it was called, but I remember thinking it was kind of a let down upon its initial iPhone release. Now with a Red Bull brand and a $30.99 price tag, I am almost offended. To add insult, they are asking for another $9.99 to add wifi cue out, a feature that is also $9.99 on the recently released DJ Mixer 3 that is free to try and only $9.99 unlocked and has a much more useful interface (review coming soon). So the total package here is going to cost you $40.98. Seriously? There is a lite version so if you really have to see it for yourself, go check it out.

Whatever...

There are so many things wrong with this app for real use. It has no way to look at both tracks at the same time. Kind of crazy, right? I mean they have all that space on the iPad screen and they just blew up the iPhone version which requires 3 screens to mix. For real, Deck A, Deck B and the Mixer all have their own screens? They could have easily coupled the decks on the same page to at least give you an idea of what is going on. Seriously Red Bull, WTF? You are lucky I like RB and Vodka so much!

I will say the effects were always cool on this thing. Even in the non-red bull version. They use the accelerometer to control an XY pad. Very gimmicky, but kind of fun to mess around with for about 5 minutes. Other than that this thing is just shocking. I probably wouldn't use it for free, so there is no way I am paying to unlock the $30.99 access to my music collection.

Looking online I found all this stuff about the launch party Red Bull had for this thing. I guess they were  so stoked they had to party over it or maybe they have to charge $30.99 to pay for the party? Either way this is a combination of lame marketing and an attempt to create perceived value that have added up to blah. Kudos to the dev that sold this thing to Red Bull though. It is based on an early effort in the app store that at the time really wasn't all that bad. I just wish I could remember what it was originally called. Anyone who remembers please leave a comment.

Cue.Play - A breath of fresh
air after that last one.

Cue.Play.DJ seems to have a lot more going for it. While not exactly the best DJ app out there, at least they put together a good package with a usable interface. Again, this is an iPhone app that you have to scale up on the iPad so it isn't really designed for the whole screen, but it does get some things really right.

This app uses stacked or side by side waveforms depending upon the orientation of your device. When I really think about it, Quixpin's  and DJ Mixer 3's waveform coupling are probably the best as they are right next to each other. Really the best way to do it. But Cue.Play works it out pretty well too as it is orientation sensitive. This is a great feature for use on the iPhone and certainly an innovation in the space.

This one gets 2 pics thanks to
orientation sensitvity

The mixer is really cool if you are on an iPhone as you double tap to open and close it which comes in handy on the small screen. I would assume a proper iPad version would just make it big on the main screen, but it doesn't really hurt on the iPad as is.  It also uses orientation to change functionality. The mixer and pitch adjustment seem to only be accessable in vertical orientation while horizontal orientation gives you more control over play location and beatmatching. Again, cool on iPhone but not necessary for iPad. As far as beatmatching goes, this one syncs by pitching so it kind of loses me there. Timestretching is an absolute requirement as I hate pitched songs unless they are keymatched to other tracks. Even that can annoy me as I like to hear songs in the state intended by the band. Again due to processing restrictions it makes sense that a lot of these iPhone aimed apps use pitch instead of a complicated, processor intensive timestretching algorithm.

With that said, Cue.Play is certainly is a useful iOS DJ app. At $9.99 the price is a lot better than some. Now that I have seen the lower end of the spectrum (read above) I have a lot more respect for the apps that at least try to get it right.

Red Bull BPM HD

Red Bull BPM Master Out

Cue.Play.DJ

Back to Basics - DJ App roundup

As you may have noticed this blog has taken a turn straight into music creation territory on the iPad and iOS devices. My original intention was to focus on DJaying but after I got an iPad I realized I did a lot more creation than DJaying with the iPad. One big reason was the possibility of spilling drinks on the iPad, something I have done more than I would care to admit with my computer. I have pretty much solved this issue by using a ziploc bag to protect the iPad. The other big obstacle has been a lack of physical buttons, knobs and sliders on the iPad. This isn't a deal-breaker for me like it is for a lot of other controller obsessed djays I work with, but it isn't ideal either. In any case, I thought it might be interesting to look at some of the iOS dj apps in a little more depth and compare some of the best choices out there.

Sonorasaurus Rex: Ready for Prime Time? Eh... Almost.

You may have noticed that in my Sonorasaurus Rex review I give it a great review but declare it not ready for prime time. As the best available DJ software out there Sonorasaurus Rex still not ready to be my stand alone solution for DJaying. I have used it a couple times in backup situations in the real world but haven't depended upon it yet. It would actually probably serve quite well for a wedding DJ or something less stressful, but for real dance parties, the response isn't fast enough and the beatmatching capability isn't there yet. Sonorasaurus Rex is still the best overall package as far as DJaying on the iPad goes.

Touch DJ: Awesome idea but blown out on the iPad

As far as the little devices go, Touch DJ is probably the best DJ App for iPhone/iPod, as it actually lets you timestretch and do real beatmatching. It also has the coolest interface of the bunch as the interface essentially is the waveforms. You pinch and stretch to timeshift and line up the waveforms to beatmatch. It lets you split the output to two channels for cue monitoring and has made the biggest leap forward in interface design of the bunch. It includes effects, EQ and is generally really cool. Unfortunately, there is no iPad version yet and the interface is clearly designed for the screen of the smaller devices. When stretched to the iPad screen it gets kind of awkward and unruly. Aside from that, it is a really cool little DJ app and if it ever grows up, probably has the most potential of any of the ideas floating around out there for the DJ app space. The existing interface coupled with access to critical controls on the iPad screen would make this one really useful.

Quixync? Cool function, awful name

Another app with some potential for a DJaying solution is Quixpin DJ.  It also has a good interface for beatmatching that uses overlapping waveforms to really facilitate visual beatmatching. It even has a feature called "quixync" which while sounding gross actually is auto-beatmatch that is pretty accurate. It is also a iPhone centric app, but it is a little less awkward scaled up on the iPad than Touch DJ. However, it isn't quite as intuitive or innovative as Touch DJ so it is sort of a toss up between the two. I really like playing with Touch DJ and Quixpin and could see either of them fitting in my DJ setup prominently if they scale up to iPad size. 

A new player on the block which wasn't really up to par until its latest 3.0 release is DJ Mixer. It is an iPad app and FREE download totally worth checking out. I will review DJ Mixer in a later post as I have just started playing with it.

Sonorasaurus Rex
Touch DJ
Quixpin DJ
DJMixer 3 FREE!

NanoStudio Tips

Here are a couple of new things just pointed out to me by the devs at Blip Interactive that have expanded the potential for song creation in NanoStudio.

One thing I have been trying to figure out is how to change synth patches on a track midsong. It didn't seem possible but the functionality is in there, deep in the menu tree.

In song patch switching:
1. Go to the song editor
2. Select a part and tap More -> Properties
3. Select the Preset tab
4. Tap Enable
5. Pick the preset for that Part

This allows patch switching midsong which means you could have a completely different set of sounds on the verses and choruses. Seriously useful...

Another cool function is hidden in the same properties menu. It is pattern conversion and allows you to convert a part to a pattern and vice versa. Patterns have several useful properties: Patterns loop when their ends are stretched, changing a pattern in one instance changes all of the instances of the same pattern (like FL Studio), and since they are repeated events they save on part number limits. You can even go back to a part after conversion to a pattern. This all at once answered a bunch of gripes I had about the song sequencer. Here is how to make it happen.

Convert to pattern:
1. Go to the song editor
2. Select a part and tap More -> Properties
3. Select the Pattern tab
4. Pick a pattern number with the Using Pattern field
4. Touch Convert to pattern
5. To convert back to a part simply hit Convert to part

iPad Workstation Showdown!!!

The top of my wish list for the iPad is an all-in-one app that lets me completely produce a track inside the iPad. I don't necessarily need to record anything external, that is best left to a computer and some decent preamps. I just want to produce electronic tracks that can provide the actual basis for a song. I tried to accomplish this feat on 2 workstation apps: iSequence and Nanostudio. I attempted to record a complete 2-3 minute track on each app and here is what happened:

iSequence for iPad - and one and two and...

iSequence for iPad - BeepStreet
iSequence was really the first full-blown iPad studio app that let the user import samples and offered control over the sounds inside the application. This is an absolute must in my workflow so when it came out I was VERY excited.

The Good
There is a lot to love about iSequence especially considering how early in the iPad's life the app came out. I used the original version on my iPhone a little and was impressed even back then. It is reminiscent of the old tracker software for PCs that I used before softsynths and other such awesomeness was developed. The sounds are certainly some of the best heard on the iPad and the interface is innovative as its 8-track limit was compensated for by the ability to use more than one instrument on each track. The inclusion of the on-screen keyboard and/or drum triggers was innovative at its release and has become indispensable in the format. The inclusion of in-app purchases for more sounds, while annoying, is a life saver as the initial set is a little limited and most users will find themselves scooping up at least the Synthology and one or two other additional banks. All of which are very useful except for the strangely out of place Funny Farm soundset.

This is me screaming into the iSequence sampler.
I looped it too.

One of the best functions of the app came in the first update, sample import and use either as hits or synth waveforms. This turned the app into an actual sampler and really opened up new possibilities. Drum sounds were opened up and everything was right in the world. A new 2.0 update promises to bring even more goodness including more effects in addition to the 2 channels of reverb and 2 channels of delay included now and flexible audio routing. It will be very interesting to see how much of a change 2.0 is from 1.7 and you can be sure to find a review here as soon as it is available.

The Bad
As it was the first all-in-one app I bought I have spent countless hours working with iSequence and, much to my chagrin, I have yet to show anything useful for it. I have produced a lot of really cool loops that could probably be worked in to a song, but nothing complete that is ready for the backing track in one of my synth bands. It is unfortunate and may have more to do with me than the app itself. I really love this app and the devs are really cool and responsive. The one big problem I have is the hard-quantized grid. I can't seem to get it to sound natural. Every track I have made on here sounds like a SNES game soundtrack. While that isn't the worst thing in the world, it is not really what I am going for.

The other thing that is a little disappointing is the song sequencer. Songs are sequenced by pattern using the little field in the upper left hand corner of the screen. Only 9 steps can be shown at a time and each step is a 4 bar pattern. This allows you to only see 36 bars of a song at a time and they are represented simply by numbers. It makes it difficult to sequence a song with any real control.

The Music

iSequence for iPad demo
Above is an example of what I created with iSequence. The sounds are great, but there is a real lack of humanity in what came out and it left me a little disappointed (can't you just see Mario walking to this in the Atari version of Donkey Kong?). Like I said, I have spent a lot of time with this software and have still not come up with anything that is ready for prime-time. As I write this I am rendering a track and it is pretty crazy, the whole track plays at accelerated speed in the background. It is apparently really rendering the sequence down directly to .wav. It also allows HSQ (native format) and Midi export as well as HSQ import.

NanoStudio - Blip Interactive Ltd

The Nanostudio Sequencer - like FruityLoops without the fruit

Of all the apps to come across the appstore, I would have to say that Nanostudio was the one I anticipated the most. The promise of a fully programmable sampling synth with control over almost every parameter was one thing, but its incorporation into a fully functioning sequencing application and inclusion of a sampling drum sequencer was too exciting. One thing to keep in mind is that Nanostudio is an iPhone/iPod Touch app that is scaled up on the iPad.

The Good
There is a lot of good things to say about Nanostudio. The interface is beautiful, flexible and useful. The included Eden synth allows total control over the synth engine and allows import of sample waveforms. Up to four instances of this synth powerhouse can be used simultaneously. It seems sort of limiting when compared to PC or Mac software like Ableton, but when you realize it is all happening inside the iPad it is pretty amazing. The included presets are great, but they can be tweaked endlessly to give infinite sound possibilities and prevent the soundset from becoming outdated or played out. The double keyboard configuration while recording is amazing, in fact, the fact that you can play a song and access every parameter of the app is pretty astounding in its own right.

Touch MPC - Probably worth the price of admission

As for the drum machine, it also does the trick. The TRG-16 can be used in two instances for a total of six tracks. The MPC-like programming interface is a great addition and will make a lot of hip hop producers feel right at home. An autobeat function insures that drums are programmed on the beat and comes in handy when throwing down a 4 on the floor kick or other repetitive patterns. Drums can be routed to 3 separate effects buses and up to 16 hits can be used including full on samples and drum loops.


The sequencing environment is the best I have seen on the iPad. It is very similar to the FL Studio track view but allows some flexibility that is not available in its grown up cousin. Patterns are drawn right on the grid and every pass of a looped pattern can easily have variations giving diversified dynamics that are easy to program.
 
The Bad
There is very little bad to say about Nanostudio. This early in the life of the iPad the devs have really come up with a winning environment that looks, sounds and works great. However, there are a few things that I keep running into that slow workflow a touch and could be improved upon. Since there are so many screens and levels to the program there are certain functions such as undo, metronome, loop length, etc. that have to be dug out at times. There is a great floating transport bar on the top of the screen that due to its native iPhone resolution cannot be expanded. With that said, if an iPad version is ever crafted putting some more of these often used functions on every screen would be very useful.
 
The Music

Nanostudio on iPad demo
I have actually created several tracks in Nanostudio that are going to make it to prime time as backing tracks for my band. This is one of my favorites and it really shows off the flexibility of the sounds and sequencer included in Nanostudio. Most of the drum hits are from my own collection and the synth sounds were all tweaked at least a little before final render. The ability to record naturally and off beat really helps with the natural feel of the sound as does the analog nature of the synth patches.

The Wrap-up

Nanostudio Wrapped Up, Ziploc-ed and Ready to Go

Clearly, Nanostudio won a landslide victory in this competition. However, iSequence is still a brilliant, well designed application well worth the $14.99 Beep Street is asking. Also, with the release of 2.0 quickly approaching, I am guessing we will see a lot of the issues mentioned here addressed and some great new features appear to be in the pipe.

With that said, Nanostudio is quickly becoming my favorite audio software period. The fact that one can carry all that magic around in an iPad or even an iPhone is pretty amazing. I have written new songs on it everywhere from the dentist's office to the airport. It has also made its way into my live setup as my go to keyboard replacement and sampler. If there ever is an iPad specific release of this app I will probably instantly explode.

Nanostudio

iSequence for iPad

Seline HD Review

I thought I would do my first review on the newest addition to my iPad music arsenal. Seline HD from Amidio Inc. is a performance instrument I was really hoping to use last week when I played a show using my iPad in place of a keyboard. Unfortunately, the combination of its minimal soundset and its interface designed for solo/ambient performance made it a little awkward for integration into a live band.

The Interface

The interface on Seline is certainly unique. The main performance area consists of two sets of 8 rectangles that are configured to provide logical access to the notes of the selected scale. Amidio, the creators of this app call this the ioGrid. This is perhaps the best feature of the app as like Bebot or MorphWiz every note on the screen is in the scale so it is hard to make a disastrous mistake. It is also set up so the area of each note is large enough that mistakes are less frequent than in the aforementioned apps. A touch in the center of each rectangle gives the loudest signal while moving to the edges diminishes the volume. It is a pretty cool setup designed to take logical advantage of the real estate on the iPad.

Aside from the main note triggers, there are a bunch of controllers around the screen that have functions that are not obvious on first glance. There is a button under each note cluster that bends tones up to the root note above the currently playing notes. Likewise a single button on the bottom of the screen does the same thing down to the lower root. Sort of useful for playing around but usually useless for live performance in a band as you could only bend to the next note in the scale. Bends to other notes in the scale were not possible with these buttons. A single pitch/vibrato joystick is used for regular bends. It is kind of awkward to use but will do the job once you get used to it. The controls are rounded out by two controllers for attack, one for each set of notes. Again, not as useful as one would hope for live performance in a band.

In addition to the main playing surface, there is a drone generator that automatically creates accompanying parts based on the key and melodies played on the ioGrid. I kind of found this feature annoying as the drones change slowly and I often find myself playing over a drone that did not really match my melodies. This feature clearly is aimed at improvisational composition which is something I am not a huge fan of so if you like that kind of thing you might like this feature. Luckily, you can disable this feature so I just leave it off.

Sounds

The sounds in Seline are actually pretty good. Unfortunately, there aren't very many of them and there is no control over the generation engine and that is another major drawback that keeps this app in the toy category for me. There are only 20 tones that can be played and 9 drone sounds. The 20 playable tones are really clean and sound great. On the downside, they sound very similar and really limit the flexibility of the app as an instrument. The inclusion of synth settings or sample import would have really opened Seline up as the sound processing is quite impressive. There are reverb and delay effects that sound great and enhance the limited soundset but they are not enough to add the much needed diversity to the palette of the instrument.

Other Features

Amidio has also included a recording function that allows export of performances to .wav. This functionality even includes rudimentary multitrack capability which is a really nice bonus that a lot of similar apps could take a cue from. This feature could actually prove useful in using the app for song creation or as the often touted "musical sketchpad" people love to attribute to the iPad. There is also access to a simple mixer in the settings menu that allows some more influence over the sound of the overall app. Another nice addition that could stand a little refinement.

Wrap Up

Personally I am looking for two specific types of iPad audio apps; either a complete production environment or a usable performance instrument. Seline HD appears to be aiming for the latter and it's recording functionality allows it to creep into the territory of the former. However, it falls short for performance as its design is clearly aimed for improvisation and not use as a normal musical instrument. Lack of control over the sounds and a limited soundest also limit it's usefulness as an instrument.

The unique ioGrid interface and high quality sound engine lend Seline HD a very professional overall sound. Coupling the grid interface with a control over Amidio's Crystal Clarity sound engine would likely result in the performance instrument I was hoping Seline HD would be. Perhaps future updates will expand functionality in this direction, but even more exciting would be the development if an entirely new app which takes the best parts of Seline and puts them in a true synthesizer type environment. Seline is clearly targeted at improvisation and creating "pretty", albeit limited, soundscapes. If that is what you are looking for, Seline delivers.

Seline HD