ZILCHIFIED : Music , DJing , Random Stuff

Diary of a (DJ) Gear Addict - The Never Ending Journey

2012-02-03T08:43:00.000-08:00

Quick Summary of My Gear Experimentation

I bought my first Turntables and vinyls in 2002 - my very first gear was a pair of cheap numark direct drive turntables and their shittiest mixer - These gear were terrible but it achieved one thing - got me to understand the basics of DJing the best way : thru vinyls

Over the time i have bought and sold more gear, as illustrated below (haha), if only I had more pretty pictures... These are the only ones I can find :)

First "PRO" setup back in... 2005??

Above is my setup when I got serious and got stable gigs in clubs, looking back that was a pretty bad-ass setup back in the days (2005??) , the CDJ800 MK1s , a pair of Super OEM turntable Decks (The HTD45), the Pioneer HDJ1000s , if i wasnt so crazy and such a gear addict i could probably have survived using these and solely these as my basic setup until today (ok maybe add Traktor on top)

I also had LOTS of vinyls - LOTS AND LOTS of them, cant imagine i spent so much money on music back in the days! People who complained about paying $2 for a song - We used to pay $17 - $20 for a piece of vinyl!!

I loved my vinyl so much that I used CDJs just because I was paranoid to wear down my vinyl - you see vinyls have a certain limited amount of plays before they slowly lose their quality, so i upgraded my CDJ800 MK1s to the MK2s when they came out later (no photo because i was too high/drunk/wasted during that time)

Unfortunately I had to relocate to Singapore in 2008, in which I had to sell all my setup (except for the vinyls coz they are priceless and have a serious sentimental value to me)

So as soon as I moved to singapore, I downgraded my setup to:

First I had the CDJ400 + DJM400 setup, I was quite happy with them for quite some time and then when the CDJ900 came out I decided to get one to sample the "REKORDBOX" Feature

The CDJ900/CDJ400 combo was not that good because the 400 does not support rekord box, and I did not want to sell a kidney to buy another 900 so i kept it like this for awhile... I also experimented with Serato and Also Traktor Scratch during this time, and then decided to stick with Traktor...

CDJ900 + X1 Combo - It works surprisingly well!!

Ok this above setup is a kinda hybrid timecode/ midi thingie , the CDJ900 controls both deck A and B in Traktor thru timecode (via the Audio 4 DJ Souncard) and the NI Kontrol X1 controls FX/hotcues etc, as weird as it might sound this was a rock-solid setup, firstly because I do not have that much desk real estate, so the above works kind of like a layered Deck A/B in many controllers, but the difference is the decks are both being controlled thru timecode cd by the CDJ900

Oh and I got myself a killer new skratch mixer - the Rane TTM-56S!!!

I would actually recommend this setup above for people with limited desk space, One CDJ + One Mixer + Audio Interface (either Serato or Traktor), because especially when you are new, a lot of people will kinda expect you to be able to use CDJs, so if you started on controllers it would be a good idea to pick up an old CDJ just to experiment. Both Serato and Traktor has 'amputate mode' / 'single deck mode' where you can use one timecode deck (be it vinyl or cdj) to control more than one deck in the software - many people dont know that this is possible - but it is!

However, after using this setup for awhile , Native Instruments introduced the Traktor S4...

The NI S4 with KBCOVERS Traktor Skin! Finally I have space for my Macbook!

As you can see the S4 saved up a lot of space in my desk, allowing me to finally put my Macbook pro in a stand next to it! So basically I had a 4 deck functionality with one single unit - Awesome! This would become my main setup for exactly a year, until I sold the S4 to get the S2 (See my S2 review HERE)

Oh and I kept my TTM-56s because I have *evil* plans for it - basically im going back to my roots and i will rebuild a setup of 2xTurntables, Rane TTM-56s + Traktor Scratch while the S2 will be my main midi controller unit :)

I mean Its always good to have a controller which you can take out to rock no?

Time to start saving on the Turntables! Technics arent cheap these days!!

What I Have Learnt from all this

Be Happy With What You Have! (or try to hahaha)

I mean yeah gears are cool and that but I realized from my vinyl/cdj days I do seem to crave more and more gear all the time!

It would really be wise to invest in quality gear that you rarely need to replace, in my case this would be my awesome Rane TTM-56s mixer, these things would probably last a lifetime and would very rarely need a replacement, I am also on the hunt for brand new Technics 1210 turntables, which would be a hard task to do given its cease of production but hey... Who knows

I might do another blog post on the audio production stuff that I have acquired over the years (Ableton/Cubase etc) , which is just as confusing hahaha :P

Sorry for the long post! :)

Native Instruments Kontrol S2 massive discount pricing!!!

2012-02-02T03:10:00.001-08:00

Always been wanting to buy the S2?

This is your chance!!!

Native Instruments is offering a special 30% off its uber awesome controller - the S2!

You can check out my very recent review of the S2 HERE

Yes - I am pretty angry that I just bought the S2 recently (and then the price dropped - BOO!) but the S2 is a great, full featured controller and is worth every cent, even without the discount (unlucly me), so this is a chance to buy one of the BEST 2 deck controller in the market at a very very low price...

It even Comes with the FULL Traktor Pro 2 software!!

The S2 is definitely destroying all the competition - with the discount price its features are unmatched by any other controller in the market at the similar price point (given the full feature Traktor Pro 2 included rather than LE!), I am not in any way sponsored or paid by Native Instruments to say this lol

The NI Kontrol S2 is now priced at USD $449 or even as low as $399 from retailers!!

Offer valid from now till March 31st 2012

Link: Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S2 - $399!!

Traktor Kontrol F1 Announcement and the massive Traktor 2.5 update!

2012-01-22T09:37:00.000-08:00

Just found this video on youtube:

Pretty much explains everything there is to know about the upcoming massive update and new hardware from Traktor / Native Instruments, and yes it is not called the X2 - It is the kontrol F2!

According to the video above, the new hardware (Traktor Kontrol F1) will be ready on 1st of April 2012!!!

Rane Sixty-One and Rane Sixty-Two DJ Mixers AnnounceD!

2012-01-19T10:06:00.000-08:00

Oh wow!!

Until today my Rane TTM-56s mixer remains one of the best purchases I ever made...

Today Rane announced the succesors to their 2 channel mixers:

Rane Sixty-One

Rane Sixty-Two

The Rane 61 (Sixty-One) and The Rane 62 (Sixty-Two)

The Rane Sixty-One is like an updated TTM-56s with Serato interface built in

The Rane Sixty-Two features dual USB ports for ease of transition between Serato Djs!!!

Here are some cool videos to tempt you to drain you credit card... :P

More info : Rane Announcement

Massive Traktor Update coming up soon!

2012-01-17T08:16:00.000-08:00

Holy SHIT!!

Im sure you have seen the new teaser video for the upcoming sample deck player update + New controller from Native Instruments:

Really looking forward to this new Traktor update!! I just hope that its not a paid update

From what it seems it will be a lot more "Ableton-ish" clip launching action...

Some observations:

Hmm volume faders and filters for each sample deck?

I have done some detective work myself on the teaser video and I am quite sure that each "kontrol X2" (or whatever they might call it) controls a sample deck (that's either deck C or deck D for most people, but definitely not both C & D!) and while previously each sample deck has 4 slots, now those 4 slots has 4 different slots within them - explaining the 4x4 buttons grid, I suspect this will work a lot like the clip launching in ableton

Each sample deck slot will seem to have its own volume faders and dedicated filters

4 x 4 on each sample decks? Yum!

This new controller will be an AWESOME addition to the Kontrol S2 - giving you near-maximum control over all the decks! This would also mean that two of these might be needed if you plan on using two sample decks (eg. deck C + D as shown on the teaser video)

Two of those and an X1 -> Maximum Impact, better save up coz you'd wanna get two!

Those who did their homework and beatgrid all their tracks will be rewarded here, I suspect all well beat-gridded traktor tracks can now be dissected into pieces and re-manipulated as needed very very easily - this is AWESOME! Currently it is already easy to copy loops from full tracks into the sample decks and build up sample deck library - with 4x4 slots for each sample deck the possibilities are pretty much limitless!

All those hours i thought i wasted beatgridding my tracks in Traktor finally justified itself!

Traktor Kontrol S2 Review (+ Traktor S2 VS S4 Comparison)

2012-01-15T04:46:00.000-08:00

So I Sold my S4 to get an S2...

The NI Kontrol S2 - S4's Baby Bro!

I Recently did the unthinkable - "downgrading" my Native Instrument Kontrol S4 (which i have owned and used for about a year) and instead bought the smaller, more affordable NI Kontrol S2. You might ask me... "Y U NO KEEP THE S4???" well the answer is... firstly due to portability issues, among others, but yes I am happy that I made the decision!

Many will be hard pressed to decide between buying the NI Kontrol S2 and the Kontrol S4 - I am hoping this review will help you decide which is best for you :)

The S4 was ALMOST perfect - but its rather massive size kinda limited me from actually taking it out for gigs, first it was difficult to find a bag that can fit it, and secondly once you took it out sometimes its hard to find a place to put it down (except if you can put turntable covers on the turnies and then putting the S4 on top - this could work, although not every club has the turntable cover ready!)

Plus the shiny S4 top plate means you dont really wanna take out the S4 and trash it because it is very very easily scratched and smudged (why did they make the top plate where the faders are shiny? OH WHY? FADERS ARE PRONE TO CONTACT which means SHINY turns to SKRATCHED UP very soon!)

One of the thing that led me to sell my S4 is that - during the one year that I owned my S4 - it became my main setup, leaving my trusty skratch analog mixer Rane TTM-56s tucked away in a box for about a whole year!

You see I have this particular fondness to this particular TTM-56s mixer (ZOMG the buttery faderz that is almost unbreakable!!!), I love the way the EQ sounds, i like having things still borderline analog (with DVS turntables that is) rather than full digital, the S4 was almost perfect to the point that I was starting to feel the loss of connection to my music, It was more on the gear and what the gear can do rather than just the music.

Having the S4 and the 4 deck layer is cool - i can do a lot more, simple 2 deck mixing becomes so horribly boring and easy that I started to use all 4 decks to do crazy things, but after awhile I kinda miss the old school "2 deck and a mixer" setup, and especially I MISS MY TIMECODE VINYLS! Timecode vinyls would have to be the greatest invention in DJ history - it combines the awesome digital library management with old skool vinyl feel... FUCK YEA!

At the same time... the S4 such a great experience to the point that I was reluctant to sell it off... PLUS I happened to know a shop in Singapore (where I am currently) that sells the S2 for a crazy low price (About USD $480??? holy fuck that is cheap)

So the solution became apparent... Sell off the S4 and buy the S2 and get back into the timecode (with the addition of the NI Audio 6 sound card) so i can have the best of both worlds - S2 can be my portable controller (and fits into bags easier) and i can also rock my trusty analog mixer with timecode!

Compared to The S4
(Photos Courtesy of Engadget!)

My previous S4 reviews can be found HERE and HERE

The S2 is like the baby brother to the S4 - although unlike the ipod shuffle to real ipod comparison, the differences are rather minimal, as you can see from the pictures below~ But it does, make a world of difference, in looking for bags. The S2 can almost easily fit into laptop bags suited for 19 inch laptops (and there are quite a lot of those around!), unlike the S4 with its borderline monster case and needs some specialized bag or case to carry around - in my hunt for a S2 bag i found it was much much easier (and having more options) to find a bag for the S2 than the S4.

For example, the popular MONO EFX 365 which would be impossible to fit an S4 into, somehow fits the S2 rather snuggly (but still fits!). Also its similar size to the AKAI APC40 means most cases that fit the APC40 can also fit the Traktor S2 - neat huh?

Other than the overall size, the S2 loses 2 decks (obviously, but you still have access to extra sample decks) and you also lose the dedicated filters on each channel and the dedicated sample deck buttons (now shared with the hotcue buttons). The LED showing the loop / beatmove size is also ommitted in the S2 due to size restrictions, but the loop size / loop move encoders are still there so no worries!

No Filters?
The big main thing here is the filters - I LOVED the S4 dedicated filters - you can like filter anything on any deck just like that, that is like UBER EPIC - this is the thing I missed the most from the S4 that is not on the S2. You can use the shift function + Gain encoders on the S2 to perform filters, but the clicky endless encoders dont feel too good to do smooth filtering, they sound rather robotic since the increments of the encoder are not exactly linear / smooth , but bonus points for at least including this as a shift function - not perfect but the filters are there!

Faders & Pots
Everything else on the S2 is is pretty much the same with the S4 (including the shiny, fingerprint-prone top surface!!!) , same mid length pitch sliders (not full 100mm sliders) and same volume faders and xfaders, and same nice rubberized pots, just like the S4.

The s2 xfader is nice and smooth while the upfaders have some resistance to it - nicely done! In fact the pots and faders layout feel a bit better on the S2 - being only a 2 deck controller there are exactly 2 decks and 2 channels of control, rather than the 4 deck layared style of the S4 which can be really confusing sometimes ~ in the S2 with the default mapping its just like 2 cdjs and a mixer - each controls correspond to each channel and the layout is not cramped at all - just right!

S2 (Left), S4 (Right) Not THAT Smaller You See...

But it is smaller...

Explanation of 2.1 Decks
The ads for the S2 kept on mentioning "2.1 decks" - what does it mean exactly? well other than the 2 full decks, you also have shared controls for the sample decks using the hotcue buttons, there is also a single knob that controls the volume of BOTH sample decks (channel C+D at the same time) this means when you raise or lower the red "sample deck knob" , both decks C+D faders move correspondently. A good way to save space yes, but not exactly good as you lose dedicated controls to both sample deck, my solution is to add another controller like the X1 (or the upcoming X2 that seems to be able to remedy this perfectly!) if you really need more than 2 decks.

Connections
The S2 also loses its timecode function. While you can hook up decks to the S4 and do timecode on them, due to the smaller size and feature wise, this is not available on the S2. I personally think using an analog mixer + NI soundcard is better, but i have seen people who use the S4 with timecode and be very very happy with the setup. The inclusion of booth output with a separate gain at the back of the S2 is very nice, this feature was not in the S4 and i suspect it was added to the S2 due to the complaints by people regarding the unavailable booth output in the S4.

Almost Perfect?
As I have said many times with the S4 , the S2 is also, almost perfect. It comes nicely priced, and also comes with a full version of Traktor Pro 2 - no LE or limited version here, you get to legit, full blown, full featured stuff - no gimmicks!

The S2&S4, being built ground up by Native Instruments the creator of Traktor, offered arguably the best Traktor Experience for controllers. The S2 and S4 offers jogwheel response unmatched by any other current TRAKTOR controller out there - with the Company's deep understanding of its own NHL native protocol, meaning the jogwheels of the S2 & S4 are REALLLY GREAT - other than the size limitations these jogwheels really ROCK~ great german precision movement (lol?) and response, razor sharp accuracy, and almost no latency, and compared with some other controllers - no mapping required! just plug and play! You dont even need to import any TSI file as the device is coded into Traktor - working perfectly as soon as you plug it in!

The only things that prevent the S2 from being perfect - is firstly , the non inclusion of dedicated filters - sure the layout is nice and not cramped but i am sure there is a space somewhere on the S2 for dedicated filter knobs - and secondly - just like the S4, the faders are not user replaceable, meaning you will definitely need to send in your unit to Native Instruments should any of the faders (or anything else) fail - for those who are far away (like me - I am in Singapore!) This is not very practical and means we will have to part with our equipment for 2 weeks to up to months! (according to stories on the NI forums)

The jogwheels are perfect for scratch mode (although super small) but are VERY high resolution and very touchy for pitch adjustments, this is fine after you get used to it but if you come from CDJ1000's feel, the kontrol S2/S4 jogs might feel a tad too touchy / sensitive for manual beatmatching, by now I am used to it and i think its fine, but some might need to get used to this.

For manual beatmatching the jogs and pitch sliders perform really really well in time, once you adjust to the sensitivity of the jogs - so well that i included a special outline on my Traktor entitled CDJ MODE where the phase meters are removed , moving waveforms removed, and BPMs removed - for an old skool 2 deck beatmatching session without any visual or bpm aid!! Try it! Its fun!

No AC Adapter No Problem!
One thing that i would like to point out is... I have never used the included power adapter with my NI S2 and it works damn fine!!!

The less channels (and less lights) of the S2 means It allows the whole unit to be fully bus-powered (actually the S4 too - but i really dont recommend doing it!!), although I'd recommend plugging in the power for stability, I have yet to use the Kontrol S2 with the AC Adapter!

And the gain of the output both on the headphones out and the main out is sufficiently loud enough for most cases - if you are going to plug the S2 into another mixer (club's own or your own) then the gain output is perfectly fine, the headphone output is loud enough to damage your hearing - if you need any louder headphone gain without the ac adapter then you might want to get your ears checked for hearing damage!

This is great so if you ever forget to bring the ac adapter (intentionally or not) you'd still rock out without a problem! There are some controllers out there that will ALWAYS require ac adapter to be plugged in so keep this in mind as well - if you forget the ac adapter with other controllers you might run into major problems, but not the S2 - no ac adapter no worries! (tested on Macbook pro 2010 13 inch), you still get a powerful loud output both on the headphones and the other outputs - the LEDs get slightly dimmer but that's about it - nice!

Conclusion
I'll keep it nice and short - im not sure whats gonna be introduced on next week's 2012 NAMM , but currently and as of today the NI Kontrol S2 delivers one of the best 2-deck Traktor experience and value than any other controllers in the market - PERIOD. The inclusion of the FULL Traktor Pro 2 is another bonus, rather than paying close to $200 for the full blown software, it is included with the S2 package, this is something you would have to put in consideration when purchasing controllers - does it include any software or do you have to buy more on top?

If you use Traktor - or are looking into Traktor/controllers, you should definitely consider or at least try the NI Kontrol S2 - It is perfectly priced, fully featured, and worth every $$$ you spend on it , perfect for both new and seasoned DJs

Native Instruments Kontrol S2 Review By Ivan Zilch @ Zilchified

Link: Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S2

New Year - New Traktor Controller :)

2012-01-13T00:29:00.000-08:00

Im sure everyone has seen this from Traktor's new Twitter :

Just when I was about to go out and buy another Kontrol X1 to add to my system - I saw this pic...

WOW! All I can say is I am excited with the development of this whatever thing this is, I mean Traktor hardware has always have 1:1 mapping which means there would probably new features added to traktor to correspond to those bright multi-colored pads !

Definitely looking forward for this new product!

Leaked Numark 4Trak Controller? The Traktor Version of the NS6?

2011-12-31T08:43:00.000-08:00

Came across these pictures on the web...

I am pretty sure that this is the new "Numark 4Trak" - a New Traktor Controller that has a mapping already on Traktor 2 Pro 2.1.2 - It is listed as one of the controllers supported by Traktor

From these pictures it appears that the 'Numark 4Trak' is basically the NS6 repainted and some minor modifications for Traktor - This could be great news because I had an extensive play with the NS6 the other day and was really really impressed with everything, nice jogwheels, nice overall Tank build, except maybe the rather stiff buttons (could be just the demo unit) and many reporting of fragile power adapter brick, other than that the NS6 is a solid controller - if they can have the same kind of jogwheel response in Traktor as in Serato Itch then the 4Trak would be a killer controller!

Other than BAX.NL not many websites has these pictures (update: they have now been removed from the original website which was hosting the pics) so here they are, notice the weird mounting method of the FX unit? I dont quite understand the purpose of why they are detached, anyways here they are! (Click to Enlarge!)

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T08:36:00.000-08:00

Hi there people, just want to say Merry Xmas and Happy New Year 2012!!

If the maya predictions are correct then perhaps this could be our last year on this planet so live life like its 2012!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Audio Engineering Tips for Audio Engineering Students (And Hobbyists!)

2011-11-05T01:49:00.000-07:00

So I just Got My Diploma in Audio Engineering...

Hey that wasnt so bad! I Finally got through with it! I went to SAE Institute Singapore (currently doing the degree for Bachelor of Arts - Audio Production). Looking bad I am thinking If I was to have a time machine and go back to before I started the diploma - what would I say to myself to prepare for the course ahead?

Of course I made some mistakes (and learnt along the way) but It was perhaps something we had to get through to be better, but anyhow I just want to share this to people who are thinking of studying Audio Engineering / Electronic Music / Audio Production / Or just like to have fun messing about with Audio (those with DJ background will have this in mind)

Have a Good set of reference speakers!
This is probably the most important - Do not skimp on this, you must have at least a proper reference monitors with a pretty accurate sound - yes those logitech or creative labs speakers with a sub wont do it!
My biggest mistake was to rely on headphones too much in the past, and never really cared for 'PROPER' monitoring - you should never get used to mixing on headphones (at least not for doing final mixing and tweaking - for rough sketches it is okay though)

You shouldnt worry too much about acoustic treatment at this stage (as you would probably be setting them up in your bedroom/livingroom etc) but just as long as you point the tweeters of the reference monitors to your ears and you are pretty much set - for the time being

Recommendations: Yamaha HS50M (I got these - nice speakers, pretty accurate and not too expensive!)

Build Yourself a Comfortable Working Space!
This is equally important - you are going to sit down for a LOOONG time in front of your computer, listening to stuff over and over and tweaking them to perfection, you would at least need a very comfy chair with a back support (ESSENTIAL!!!).
Your table should have sufficient space to lay out some basic equipment and if you can afford it (optional but helps a lot!) - a dual monitor setup (left side can be set to view the arrangement view and the other window can be set to mixer view). This will make sure you have maximum productivity compared to working on a laptop in starbucks (lol)

You will also need, in addition to a computer (a Mac preferably?) A very simple midi keyboard preferably with some knobs/encoders - these will come in handy when doing automations later on! Any will do, M-Audio, Korg, Akai, whichever you can get for the cheapest!

Master one - But Be Expert with Many
Be aware that most production companies will require you to work on the "INDUSTRY STANDARD" DAW software (ok that sounds lame but its kinda the truth). These would likely be Protools, Logic Studio, or Cubase. Believe it or not in most recording studios (at least the average ones) dont track with Ableton Live (Because yes you can do it, but they are not really made for it). Studios still equipped with PCs will likely to be setup on protools (most likely) or Cubase while on studios equipped with MAC computers it could be any of the three.

You should try to at least MASTER one - logic or cubase or protools, when I said master I mean you should know all the hotkeys, you should be able to pull out xxx number of new tracks and set them in a bus group in just a few key strokes instead of looking around the menu trying to find out where to go and what to click - being able to punch in a recording for retakes, stuff like that
mastering a particular DAW software goes a long way, especially when you have very limited time in the studio and you have a client waiting for you

But that doesnt mean you should stick to just one software!!! Different studios (and different people) use different things, so you should also be an EXPERT (or very very very familiar as in not only having to used it for the first time) with the others, they all do have the very same basic principle, they all work a lot like the analog mixers , so just as long as you fully understand the concept you shouldnt have much problem. PRactice practice practice!

I Personally use Cubase 6 and Ableton Live Suite 8 - But I also have Logic 9 and Protools 8 (which I am fortunate to have used quite a lot in my studies in SAE!)

Manage Your Audio Files and Samples!!!
This is also very very important, if you are like me then you probably have a huge library of sounds, drum one shots, loops, FX etc, its so easy to get distracted and let your collection be extremely messy, you need to organize your files so that whenever you need, for example, a kick drum, you can open up a specified location and it will all be sorted there ready for auditioning - all the different kicks that you have in many different flavours, instead of having to browse through some folders and not being able to find any!

Start with the basics!
Yes Waves plugins are cool but if you dont even know the principle of how a compressor works, how would a $10,000 worth of plugin benefit you? Do some research, start with the simple built-in plugins that come with your DAW Software - they go a long way! Once you have the basic principle right then you can experiment with other stuff. Adding an expensive plugin to your track without knowing how to does not necessarily make it sound better - Trust me I learnt this the hard way!

Loading way too many plugins into your computer will often confuse you - you have so many compressors so many reverbs and when you are new how would you decide which one to use? Keep those for later , keep it simple for now :)

Thats It For Now?
That is all I have for now, as you can see they are pretty basic (and common sense) but believe it or not, it is easy to overlook them ( I DID!). Most important of all is make use of what you have, dont be too stressed on what you DONT have, and just mess around! Have fun and dont forget to watch your levels as Audio Engineers are very prone to hearing damage from the prolonged listening!

Vestax VCI-400 overview video!

2011-10-11T08:16:00.001-07:00

Just saw the video above on digitaldjtips...

Damn the more I look at it the more I want it!!!

RIP Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T22:43:00.000-07:00

I wont bore you with this as I am sure your facebook / twitter / whatever is probably filled with news of Steve Jobs's passing away, just wanna share something quick

My typical day consists of waking up in the morning to the sound of my iPhone's alarm...

Checking my email on my iMac as I have my coffee...

Pack up my Macbook Pro into my school back as I make my way to Uni...

On the Way to Uni, I pump up some tunes while browsing the web using my iPhone...

When I arrived at school, I would either be on my Macbook Pro or the school's own Desktop Mac Pro stations, or the Mac Pros in the school studios...

After school, make my way home, again my iPhone is always in my hand coz i would either listen to my playlists or just do some random browsing online...

At home I would use my iPad 2 to catch up on episodes of Breaking Bad, The Big Bang Theory, and other awesome TV Series that I follow

Plus when I get the time, I would hook up my DJ Gear to my Macbook Pro running Traktor Pro 2 and spend some time jamming!

Yes I am an iAddict, iFanboy, iWhore, whatever you call it!

The whole point of this post is that, I am sure I am not the only one with a similar pattern on their Daily Lives. Apple products have become a part of our lives so much!

Steve Jobs definitely has changed the world, and sadly now the world was left without him, as he passed away...

RIP Steve Jobs :(

Vestax VCI-400! - The Potential Traktor S4 Killer!

2011-10-05T06:43:00.000-07:00

Vestax VCI-400!

Ok now the Traktor Kontrol S4 (and everything else in that matter) has a serious competition - so good that I am considering to sell my Kontrol S4 off onces this comes out to purchase it - even pre-order it!

This is pretty much a hybrid successor of the VCI100/VCI300 series, its interesting because it comes with 4 deck Virtual DJ LE , and also supports the new software Serato DJ Intro. I am very sure that this will be very popular for Traktor Pro 2 users as well, as Ean Golden of DJTECHTOOLS will probably make their custom SE version with their own awesome mapping - this controller is gonna be huge!

User replaceable faders!
Ean Golden did say on the dj techtools video that the back panel is easily removable to allow access to the cross fader and line faders - this is really awesome news because in most controllers (even the Kontrol S4!) the crossfaders aren't really as accessible - requiring you to open up the whole unit (versus just opening the bottom panel specifically made to access the faders on the VCI-400).

This would definitely give the VCI-400 a much longer lifespan as the most common wear and tear is - the faders!

The only bad thing that i can think of is that it doesnt come with a full version of Traktor 2 - if you dont have it already you'd have to hell out $200 or so , unless you plan on using the included Virtual DJ Le (ha!) or Serato DJ Intro (which is not too bad at all, just kinda feature limited)

RRP: USD$999, available around the end of 2011 / early 2012 (To Be Confirmed!)

New Software! Serato DJ Intro - It's like Serato... LE version??

2011-09-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

From Serato Website:

Serato introduces their "LE" edition of Serato Scratch Live DJ Software - "Serato DJ Intro"

For now, Serato DJ Intro 1.0.1 supports the following controllers free of charge:

Numark MixDeck
Numark MixDeck Express
Numark MixTrack Pro
Vestax Typhoon
Vestax VCI-100 Mk II
And more

Which means if you own any of those controllers, you are able to use Serato DJ Intro FREE! (Which is pretty cool - serato used to be 'exclusive' and full functionality only unlocked by plugging the SL1/2/3 hardware which acted as a 'security dongle')

The software itself seems to use the above controllers as the new dongles to unlock the functionality of the Serato DJ Intro software.

Previously people only have the option of using the very limited Traktor LE and the Virtual DJ Le - now if you really must use Serato (for some reason)- You Can!

Serato Scratch Live is a very very popular DJ software, personally in Singapore I have observed many of the local resident DJs using Serato as the majority, as Traktor Scratch starts to become more and more common, these two companies are really going head to head with each other!

More Info and FREE Download (for supported controllers) HERE

So there you go

Expect to see the lower end gear like Mixtrack Pro and Vestax Typhoon selling like hotcakes now that Serato can be used on them!!

New Steinberg Midi Controllers for Cubase!

2011-09-23T01:03:00.000-07:00

Just saw this:

WOW! Looks Great! Priced at USD$149 - $199 each this could be an AWESOME investment for Cubase users!

Dont we all hate doing volume automations with the mouse? Yes it sucks! So depending on what you need, you can add one (or a few - or ALL) of these modular mini midi controllers and build up the "Perfect Controller" - tailored to suit your needs!

This is a really really great IDEA from steinberg! Ableton has many controllers built just for it (The Akai APC series, the Novation Launchpad), now its time for Cubase to get some love as well!

Really excited about these products!

More Videos:

Macbook Pro 8GB Ram Upgrade Review!

2011-09-19T03:03:00.000-07:00

RAM UPGRADE TIME!

Okay today I just decided that I'm going to max out my 2010 Macbook Pro's Ram - To 8GB!

So I went to the local electronics market (Sim Lim Square in Singapore!) And picked these up - just for SGD $70!!!

It's the Strontium MAC high-performance Memory - specially made for Apple Products!
I got 2 x 4GB DDR3 1066mhz for $35 a piece - so totals at SGD$70!!!

What A Bargain!!

So now my Macbook Pro's info page shows this:

2010 Macbook Pro 13 Inch

And Did I notice significant improvement in 8GB vs 4GB?

Honestly, and surprisingly, yes!

I was a bit skeptical about it because most of the programs I run are still pretty much running in 32 bit mode (Traktor Scratch 2, Ableton Live Suite 8) While some others support full 64bit mode (Cubase 6 , Logic 9)

Truth is - Even Traktor runs noticeable smoother now with 8GB ram - I really dont understand why, seeing that Traktor is supposedly a 32Bit native program that can only support 4GB Ram max?

The same with Ableton Live, I tried loading my final project session file (my Raise Your Weapon Remix I did for my school - previous post) which is very very resource heavy, The Ableton Live session file opened faster than before and I did not get as many spinning beach ball waiting icon as much as before!

So those of you who have always been thinking of upgrading your ram to 8GB - DO IT NOW! It is very well worth the price! Ram prices are lower than ever these days, just make sure you dont upgrade from Apple directly as you will get ripped off!

I would definitely recommend the Strontium MAC Memory!

Oh and...

What Did I do with the 4GB of Ram that was originally in the Macbook Pro...?

My iMac 2009 accepts the spare RAMs from MBP!! No wastage! :D

I put it on my iMac! So now both my iMac desktop and my Macbook Pro has 8GB of DDR3 Ram!!! All for one low price of $70 :D

Yes as long as the speed matches (and they use the same socket - check first! my iMac is 2009 make and my MBP is 2010) - Macbook Pro rams are interchangable with iMac Rams!!

Deadmau5 - Raise Your Weapon (Ivan Zilch Remix) - My Cover!

2011-09-13T01:19:00.000-07:00

Hey guys check out my cover/remix of Deadmau5 - Raise Your Weapon!
this is my final project for my audio engineering diploma at SAE Institute

and yes - I re-recorded the vocals with a vocalist here, the drums are also recorded/sampled on SAE Institute Singapore

Raise Your Weapon Cover/Remix (V5 Mastered) by Ivan Zilch

Native Instruments MASCHINE Mikro - The mini maschine drum pads!!

2011-09-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

Maschine now has a smaller version!
I dont know if i would buy this, as it seems to have much smaller screen and much less knobs - If i am going for a maschine I guess I would go for the full sized one?

But hey priced at just $399(USD) this is really a great deal!!
Comes with Komplete 7 elements as well!

Zelda : The Lost Woods Dubstep Rap version! This is so cool!

2011-09-05T06:59:00.000-07:00

First of all, I LOVE THE LEGEND OF ZELDA!
So im pretty much a Zelda die-hard fan, i even named my daughter Zelda! (lol seriously)

Remember the lost woods theme in Ocarina of Time? Well you've never heard it like this!

Eh? Another Pioneer midi controller? (+Videos!)

2011-09-02T01:09:00.000-07:00

DJ Gear companies have started to resolve to a new kind of marketing, teasing the consumers with well-hidden teaser videos while keeping most in secrecy (the S4, the twitch and the list goes on!)

This time its a new... Pioneer controller! And to make way for this Pioneer has dropped the prices of their DDJ-S1 and DDJ-T1 controllers, now the DDJ-S1 is priced at just $999 USD in the states! (Not sure about worldwide though)

Those who always wanted the DDJ-S1(Serato Itch Controller) and though it was too expensive should seek out the $999 lowered price in the stores! It sucks that in Singapore the price is not reduced at all ! Over here its still about SGD$1850 (around USD$1400 in US currency !). If the DDJ-S1 was priced $999 from the start I think it would have enjoyed a much bigger popularity and fanbase than they do now!

If you havent seen the videos... (Update! 2nd New Video showing it in action!)

Oh and some still photo captures!

Future Music: In The Studio With Marcel Woods (and WALT!)

2011-08-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

I just found these videos on youtube, pretty much its the trance maestro Marcel Woods (and his studio sidekick Walt AKA Walt Janssen from SHOWTEK, yeah the Hardstyle producer!) doing their thang in the studio, explaining their workflow, how they process stuff when making hit trance tunes etc

I was a very big fan of Marcel Woods' productions in the past, and also some of Walt's hard-dance production were kick-ass! So this video is very informative and interesting, especially if you are into production and trance music!

Traktor Kontrol S2 - So It is True!

2011-08-24T23:19:00.000-07:00

See? I Told you something was coming!

If you remember about two posts ago I kinda predicted (from years of owning Native Instruments products) that there will be a new product to fill in the gap between the Kontrol S4 and the Kontrol X1

Well this is it? Kinda dissapointed that it is pretty much an S4 put into a chopping block and made into 2 decks, was hoping at least larger jogwheels or something? I hope they also introduce a new X2 or something?

More news here from a dutch website!

UPDATE! Now We Have a Video!

More Info from Native Instruments' Official Site! Click HERE for all the juicy details!

Deadmau5 - ALL CAPS RAGE! Smashed a Kontrol X1 into pieces XD

2011-08-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

What happens if a Kontrol X1 doesn't work? Well deadmau5 goes on an ALL CAPS RAAAAAGE

Wait till the end of the first video to see him pick up the controller and going crazy! LoL!

KBCOVERS Traktor Pro 2 Overlay!

2011-08-21T23:55:00.000-07:00

Holy Crap! Look at what I just won!
So I was checking out the all-new KBCovers Traktor Pro 2 Overlay online, and went to their facebook page, it must be my lucky day because i was the #2000 person to click "Like" (see screen cap below!!)

What did I win? The uber-awesome new Traktor Pro 2 OVERLAY!!

Review is coming up when I receive the item! This is so cool!

If you guys wanna check it out this is the link to KBCOVERS where you can buy the high-quality macbook pro overlay for Traktor Pro 2, pretty much useful because everything is NEATLY labelled with ALL the Traktor Pro 2 hotkeys!

KBCovers on Facebook

Free Traktor Pro 2 Software with every Kontrol X1 purchases! New hardware coming?

2011-08-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

As you may already heard, Native Instruments is giving away FREE Traktor Pro 2 software to those who purchase The X1 until September 30th...

The question is... Does it mean...

WILL THERE BE NEW TRAKTOR CONTROLLER Soon??? X2?

If you see the patterns of Native Instruments product release, they tend to do massive sales just before they discontinue a product or introduce a product that is superior to the older one, EXAMPLES:

Traktor Scratch Pro / Duo 50% off sale before discontinuing the Audio4/Audio8 DJ interfaces along with discontinuing the older Traktor Scratch Sets and then introducing the new Audio6/Audio10 soundcards?
Komplete 7 Upgrade 50% Off sales (VERY RECENTLY!) before they introduce the new KOMPLETE 8 sets

See the pattern here? Does this mean we will see a cool new Traktor controller?

If my guess is right then pretty soon we will see some teaser videos (well edited and produced to show off just the right amount of hint but not enough to be totally clear - remember that Dubfire video with the S4? LOL!) and then they will introduce some new gear - Who knows? Maybe?

Either way I can't say Im not excited to see new if there's any new NI Hardware, with the launch of Twitch 2.0 perhaps they feel the need to step their game up even further and introduce some cool new gadgets - perhaps a compact 2 deck controller to compete with the popular Novation Twitch??

Currently the Traktor S4 is their top-of-the-line, fully loaded 4 deck controller, and the X1 is a supplementary controller designed to be used with additional gear, not really to be used by itself, perhaps they would introduce a controller that fits between these two gaps? As I said before, maybe a fully featured 2-deck controller with a smaller size footprint with no jogwheels? Hey We are all speculating here hahaha