Point Blank Online has launched a new course DJ skills with Serato Scratch Live, a chance to get to grips with a staple of modern DJing; Serato Scratch Live.
Serato Scratch is an ideal platform for DJs who want to retain the feel and style of mixing with vinyl but don’t want to carry a big box of records or CD sleeve to every gig. Using one in a range of bespoke Rane USB interfaces, Scratch Live brings vinyl and laser disc into the 21st century, allowing full mix control of digital audio files via a conventional turntable or CDJ.
Now at the helm of this new course is DJ Blakey. The more discerning mix fans will already know that he is a DMC world champion and has hosted his own show on Radio 1 sister station 1Xtra. Other achievements you might not be aware of are his residency at Fabric in London and his 2007 tour with Jurassic 5. It’s fair to say that Blakey knows his stuff and that if you want to learn how to mix, particularly with software like Serato Scratch Live, you could not ask for a better tutor.
During the course you will learn how to utilize Scratch Live to its highest potential at every stage of the mix; from loading tracks, beat matching and scratching to multi-deck mixing, looping and adding effects. The course also details how to use various controllers in conjunction with Scratch Live including the Rane TTM 57 SL mixer.
If you want to play regular gigs as a DJ or already do, then you will undoubtedly benefit from using Scratch Live. Where better to learn these skills than with industry professional tutors at Point Blank Online? We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Point Blank’s DJ skills with Serato Scratch Live is 4 weeks in duration and costs £355 GBP (approximately $530 USD). The course is available to book now.
More information: Point Blank Online
Serato has released version 2.0 of ITCH, the DJ software for Windows and Mac.
Serato ITCH is an integrated software and hardware system, designed to give music selectors and DJs new kinds of control. Serato and ITCH partners have made award winning DJ systems that operate without CD players or turntables.
Using the ITCH software you can DJ music on your computer with accurate control from a range of purpose built ITCH hardware.
Changes in ITCH 2.0
- A fresh new look, with changeable Night & Day modes.
- New SP-6 Sample Player including Sample Sync.
- Multiple display modes to suit different styles of DJing – vertical, horizontal, stack and library views.
- Re-optimised Serato SmartSync engine for precise grids and locked grooves.
- Improved Library Management so you can easily copy crates & tracks to external drives for gigs.
- Smart Crates which auto-fill using keywords from your music library.
- Serato Playlists to share your tracklists either as you play, or online afterwards.
- Album Art Views for enhanced browsing.
- Improved Instant Doubles functionality, including support for 4 decks.
The ITCH 2.0 update is available as a free download.
More information: Serato / ITCH
Loopmasters has announced the launch of the Sonar Remix Competition.
The Sonar Festival in Barcelona has kicked off once again this Wednesday.
The line-up of artists impressive as always, the weather beautiful, the city inspiring. As this great event is well underway we are proud to announce the Sonar Remix Competition in co-operation with our partners: Ableton, Serato and Novation.
Prizes include 30 Sample CDs from Loopmasters, Live 8 from Ableton, Rane SL from Serato, Launchpad from Novation, Soundcloud Pro Account from Soundcloud, and the winning entry will get the option to release the track on http://www.publicrecordings.co.uk – the new website for unsigned music by Loopmasters.
Deadline for submissions is July 15th.
More information: Sonar Remix Competition
DJ TechTools has announced the release of the Midi Fighter Pro, a new series of MIDI controllers.
DJ TechTools MIDI Fighter Pro SeriesThe Pro series adds what Midi Fighter owners want most, well-placed analog controls with amazing mapping integration. The expressive and robust nature make them truly a controllerist’s controller.
For those who want to connect a controller to Serato or Ableton, the built in super fader functionality is clutch. They allow anyone to create amazing effects combos right out of the box without diving into Bomes coding or advanced MIDI mapping.
If you are looking for a super unique and powerful MIDI instrument, the Midi Fighter Pro is hard to beat.
Midi Fighter Pro features
- Robust metal casing.
- Chip proof surface.
- High performance arcade buttons.
- Bright blue LEDs.
- MIDI controllable mode buttons.
- Rugged faders and knobs.
- Smooth high performance surface.
- Analog controls send super knob values out of the box.
- Digital buttons send super combo values out of the box.
- Trade in program for existing Midi Fighter owners.
The Midi Fighter Pro is currently available in 4 models (Beat Masher, Cue Master, Super Knob, XX Fader) priced at $349 USD.
More information: DJ TechTools / Midi Fighter Pro
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Traktor Posted in
news on Apr 06, 2011
Novation has announced TWITCH, a new DJ controller co-developed with Serato.
Novation TWITCH is a DJ controller with a completely new take on DJing. It has Touchstrips to navigate tracks and you can slice-up your beats and mix them back together – totally on the fly. TWITCH has a built in audio interface which is absolutely rock-solid with high-level headphone and main outputs.
TWITCH has Touchstrips; simply grab your tracks and swipe them backwards and forwards like a touchscreen. The performance modes create totally new ways to manipulate beats and breaks. The control surface – with its 2 x 8 large Triggerpads and Fader FX – opens up awesome possibilities for digital DJs and the new breed of Controllerists.
It comes with Serato ITCH – powerful DJ software that only works with select hardware controllers. As well as being rock-solid and simple to use, ITCH has totally new performance tools that take digital DJing to the next level. TWITCH has been developed with Serato to put ITCH’s full potential right at your fingertips. It also maps to other DJ software like Traktor and Ableton.
TWITCH features
- TWITCH can put your music in time, leaving you free to get creative
- Serato ITCH software can beat match tracks so you can focus on performing
- TWITCH gives you hands-on control of some powerful performance tools
- Touchstrips for navigating tracks
- Swipe tracks backwards and forwards as if you were touching the screen
- You can instantly ‘Drop’ into a tune at any point in the track
- ‘Slicer’ Performance Mode
- Slicer allows you to chop-up beats in time and re-arrange them on the fly
- 2 x 8 large Triggerpads let you to play eight rolling beat slices in any order
- Tough and compact with a 2 in 4 out high-quality audio interface
- Designed for gigging: Compact casing, bus powered with LED buttons
- Balanced outputs, ultra-reliable audio/MIDI drivers and microphone input
- Master FX and ‘Fader FX Mode’
- Add different effects to either or both channels with TWITCH’s FX section
- Use both channel faders for super-fast FX moves and tricks
- Trigger Hot Cue Points and 2 different Loop Modes
- 8 large Triggerpads can fire off 8 cue-points anywhere in your track
- Trigger 8 different loop lengths and save them with your performance
The Novation TWITCH is scheduled to ship in July 2011.
More information: Novation / TWITCH
Rane and Serato have announced Rane SL 4, a revolutionary new five-channel DJ interface, designed for the discerning DJ.
The Rane SL 4 is the first standalone DJ interface with two high-speed USB 2.0 ports, for seamless DJ changeover and back-to-back performances, as featured in the award winning Rane Sixty-Eight Mixer.
Rand SL 4 features
- Supports four turntables or CD decks switchable in any combination.
- Two high-speed USB 2.0 ports for two DJs for uninterrupted performances.
- Aux Input for session recording or LiveFeed.
- Aux Output assignable to the SP-6 Sample Player and The Bridge.
- Four software-switchable analog Thru connections for regular vinyl or CD.
- 48 kHz and 96 kHz sample rate switch on the SL 4 rear.
- 10-in 10-out USB sound card with any software supporting ASIO or Core Audio.
- Bus power from either USB port or the included external power supply.
The SL 4 is shipping April, 2011 for US MAP $899 USD.
More information: Rane / SL 4
