djay is a digital music mixing software program for
Mac OS X
macOS (; previously OS X and originally Mac OS X) is a Unix operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc. since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. Within the market of ...
,
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
,
iPad
The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple Inc. The iPad was conceived before the related iPhone but the iPhone was developed and released first. Speculation about the development, operating s ...
,
iPhone, and
iPod Touch
The iPod Touch (stylized as iPod touch) is a discontinued line of iOS-based mobile devices designed and marketed by Apple Inc. with a touchscreen-controlled user interface. As with other iPod models, the iPod Touch can be used as a music pl ...
created by the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
company algoriddim. It allows playback and mixing of
digital audio
Digital audio is a representation of sound recorded in, or converted into, digital form. In digital audio, the sound wave of the audio signal is typically encoded as numerical samples in a continuous sequence. For example, in CD audio, sa ...
files with a
user interface
In the industrial design field of human–computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine f ...
that tries to
simulate
A simulation is the imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time. Simulations require the use of Conceptual model, models; the model represents the key characteristics or behaviors of the selected system or proc ...
the concept of "
two turntables and a microphone
"Two turntables and a microphone" is the basic concept of a DJ's equipment. This phrase describes turntables (phonographs) and a microphone connected to a mixer. The DJ uses the mixer's crossfader to fade between two songs playing on the turntabl ...
" on a computer. Before the commercial release in November 2007, djay had initially been released as
freeware
Freeware is software, most often proprietary, that is distributed at no monetary cost to the end user. There is no agreed-upon set of rights, license, or EULA that defines ''freeware'' unambiguously; every publisher defines its own rules for the f ...
in June 2006. In December 2010 the software was also released for the iPad, and subsequently for iPhone and iPod Touch in March 2011.
Its interface consists of two
turntables
A phonograph, in its later forms also called a gramophone (as a trademark since 1887, as a generic name in the UK since 1910) or since the 1940s called a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogu ...
, a
mixer and a music library showing songs and
playlist
A playlist is a list of video or audio files that can be played back on a media player either sequentially or in a shuffled order. In its most general form, an audio playlist is simply a list of songs, but sometimes a loop. The term has sever ...
s from
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
. It no longer supports Spotify integration.
djay for iPad received an
Apple Design Award
The Apple Design Awards (ADAs) is an event hosted by Apple Inc. at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. The purpose of the event is to recognize the best and most innovative Macintosh and iOS software and hardware produced by independent d ...
in 2011.
Features
iTunes integration
djay's iTunes integration allows the user to mix songs directly from the
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
library. It provides the option of browsing the library, for example by
Playlist
A playlist is a list of video or audio files that can be played back on a media player either sequentially or in a shuffled order. In its most general form, an audio playlist is simply a list of songs, but sometimes a loop. The term has sever ...
,
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, th ...
,
Album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
,
Genre
Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other for ...
, Key or History. Dragging songs onto the turntables in djay, transforms them into virtual records complete with album art.
Automix
Automix mode enables djay to automatically mix songs from the
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
library, and play them instantaneously with
DJ-style transitions. Using the Automix Queue the user can step in any time and immediately queue up tracks.
Transitions
djay's instantaneous
beat
Beat, beats or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area
** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols
** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men
* Battery ( ...
and
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
detection allows the user to match the BPM of two songs for a transition. On pressing the SYNC button the software automatically syncs the BPM of the two songs so that both are smoothly aligned.
Record live performance
djay allows the user record live mixes and save them in high-quality sound files. It also contains a built-in organizer arranges, previews or exports the recordings.
Multi-Touch trackpad control
Mac has a tool called the
Multi-Touch
In computing, multi-touch is technology that enables a surface (a touchpad or touchscreen) to recognize the presence of more than one somatosensory system, point of contact with the surface at the same time. The origins of multitouch began at CER ...
trackpad. djay can dynamically utilize this trackpad to fully control the software with versatile
Multi-Touch
In computing, multi-touch is technology that enables a surface (a touchpad or touchscreen) to recognize the presence of more than one somatosensory system, point of contact with the surface at the same time. The origins of multitouch began at CER ...
gestures. For example, a rotating gestures can adjust the EQ, while two finger swipe gesture can scratch the record and operate the
crossfader
In audio engineering, a fade is a gradual increase or decrease in the level of an audio signal. The term can also be used for film cinematography or theatre lighting in much the same way (see fade (filmmaking) and fade (lighting)).
A recor ...
.
Live sampler
There is a built-in sample pack featuring 20 high-quality sounds made by ueberschal, a company in the sampling industry. In addition, djay allows the user to create custom samples from the turntables or the microphone.
Mixer and EQ controls
djay consists of a 3-band equalizers, gain, line faders, and a
crossfader
In audio engineering, a fade is a gradual increase or decrease in the level of an audio signal. The term can also be used for film cinematography or theatre lighting in much the same way (see fade (filmmaking) and fade (lighting)).
A recor ...
that provide the user with the necessary tools needed for a
DJ setup to seamlessly blend one song into another.
Harmonic Match
The software can automatically detect a song's key and matches it to songs of the same key within the
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
music library. It also allows the user to transpose songs into different keys, and even sort the entire music library by key.
High-quality audio FX
djay includes three FX control panes for different mixing styles: a one-touch panel for instant FX, a custom pane, and a 2D touch interface. Effects include Flanger, Phaser, Echo, Gate, Bit Crusher, Filter (High Pass, Low Pass), as well as six preconfigured instant effects: Absorb, Drift, Sway, Crush, Punch, Twist are bundled in with djay.
Beat-matched looping & cue points
djay has a range of different looping styles: Auto, Manual and Bounce. The use can manually set loop in and out points, use Auto-Loop to continuously loop part of a song, or remix live using Bounce-Loop to mash up the song, all in perfect sync with the beat.
iCloud integration
The program can work with
iCloud
iCloud is a Personal cloud, cloud service from Apple Inc. launched on October 12, 2011 as a successor to MobileMe. , the service had an estimated 850 million users, up from 782 million users in 2016.
iCloud enables users to sync their data to t ...
(and
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
Match), meaning the user can sync it with the iTunes library in the cloud. In other words, tunes are synced between every
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
device connected on the cloud. All of these devices can run djay, and cues and BPM information edited or added in will appear immediately in all of the others. There is a remote control available for iOS to control the djay app on the
MacBook over WiFi.
Pre-cueing
djay allows the user to preview and prepare the next song through headphones before playing it on the main speakers by simply connecting a
USB
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables, connectors and protocols for connection, communication and power supply (interfacing) between computers, peripherals and other computers. A broad v ...
audio interface or splitter cable. The software offers different audio hardware configurations.
Live microphone
djay allows the user to add live
microphone
A microphone, colloquially called a mic or mike (), is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and public ...
input into the mix. Using Echo or Pitch-Changer effects once can transform vocals for an appropriate MC performance.
MIDI controllers
djay supports controllers such as
Vestax
Vestax Corporation was a Japanese musical instrument, turntable and audio equipment firm founded by Hidesato Shiino in 1977. The company started by designing and manufacturing electronic guitars. In the 1980s, Vestax produced multitrack recorder ...
,
Numark and other manufacturers. In addition, djay features a
MIDI
MIDI (; Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard that describes a communications protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers, and re ...
learn system allowing users to configure and map any controller to their preference.
See also
*
DJ
*
Deejay (Jamaican)
Toasting (rap in other parts of the Anglo Caribbean), or deejaying is the act of talking or chanting, usually in a monotone melody, over a rhythm or beat by a reggae deejay. It can either be improvised or pre-written.
Toasting developed in ...
*
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Official djay for Mac websiteOfficial djay for iPad websiteOfficial djay for iPhone websiteOfficial djay for Microsoft Windows
MacOS software
Windows software
DJ software
Audio mixing software