Can the DM2 Out-Turn the Turntables?

Todd asks: "The DM2 looks like it would be a nice interface for a Digital DJ, but is hindered by the software that comes with it. Anyone know of any projects that are going to try and use it or have great potential to use it. I think it teamed with a pro-audio card and some good open software could revolutionize the DJ industry." I don't know about its revolutionary properties, but it does look to be a nifty tool, and it looks to be the perfect thing to learn on. Basically, the DM2 is a turntable emulator not a real set of turntables. So you can learn a bit of the art without scratching your valuable vinyl on the real thing.

Comments

Where to begin...

[blahtree]

Ok, I am a dj. I play vinyl mostly, although I've played around with cd's, and playing stuff off MD. (blatent self-promotion: djrightround.zyx.com

First to correct Cliff's comment:

I don't know about its revolutionary properties, but it does look to be a nifty tool, and it looks to be the perfect thing to learn on.


This is actually a very poor platform to learn how to dj on. There are 2 keys to good dj'ing. 1) Beat matching...getting two tracks to sync up. 2) Track selection...choosing the tracks that get everybody dancing. I guess there is also a 3) which is scratching. Depends on your style.

The DM2 automatically beat matches everything, so that kind of rules out learning #1, and the DM2 will only play the tracks you can buy from mixman. Ouch. So much for track selection.

Now to get to what Todd was asking about. You might be able to get the DM2 to do some neat stuff. A far more interesting device, however, is Final Scratch. This is what Ritchie Hawtin has been using in his shows lately. It's basically a device that will map mp3's off your laptop onto a special piece of vinyl that slaps onto an ordinary turntable. Less gimicky, and no hacks required. Team this up with csound and/or reaktor, add a sequencer, and you'll really be cooking.

As an interesting side note, you don't even really need a pro audio card for this kind of thing. Most high end consumer cards have a relatively clean audio out. As long as you're not recording anything, which requires a quality analog to digital converter, you should be fine.

I use the DM2!

[merlin_jim]

Hi!

I use the DM2 in my DJing. First off, the DM2 software sucks. Studio Pro 4.5 is it for me. I use it mostly for remixing in the studio, though I have been known to bring it to the booth with me on occasion.

As far as the ability to use your own tracks with it, this is absolutely supported. There's a certain amount of monkeying required, but you can do it with the Studio Pro. One-shots are easy as pie. Just load in the WAV. For loops it's not quite so easy... you can do it the hard way (requires a good WAV editor, and a bit of time monkeying... e-mail me if you want details) or the easy way with a software program called Recycle.

It's made by the propellerheads (they did the Spy Hunter mix from The Matrix)... it takes WAV files and manipulates them into TRK files which contain metadata, allowing any supporting player to smoothly loop it, as well as change the tempo, pitch, and lots of other effects that would be hard without the metadata.

Blatant self-promotion: I just posted my first track on MP3.com... made entirely with the DM2. Check it out if you want to hear the capabilities.

Re:any dj that walked into the party/club w/ these

[merlin_jim]

I do have that problem occasionally. "Real" DJs poke a lot of fun at me when I walk in with this setup... I think once I get a rack-mount computer that'll help out a little. Plus I'm thinking of hacking the DM2 and putting it in a real case... brushed aluminum, that sort of thing.

Regardless, though... once the DJs see the kind of mixing I can do with it, they start getting real interested in it. The other thing is that I use this a lot in my studio, burn it to CD, and then do CD mixing at the club.