Cutting-edge DJ app ships for iPhone, iPod touch

Jonny Evans
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November 21, 2009
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Apple has at last managed to approve Touch DJ, a serious-seeming application for digital DJs.

Developed by Amidio the app sat for eight weeks waiting in the approval queue. Now the wait is over and you too can get started with what seems pretty impressive DJ-ing, all on your iPhone.

The app seems to realise the potential of Apple’s handheld computer to deliver real-time independent precise manipulation of two pitched MP3 files – simultaneously…or DJ mixing, by any other name.

From the developers, “This application is not a toy, it’s a completely new way to create stunning DJ mixes whenever you like. You can touch and feel your tracks, move around them, scratch them, EQ them, loop them, pinch them, and mix them without cueing – only by visual control. All the tracks are frequency-coloured to make beat-matching even easier.

We think the app looks pretty impressive, so here’s a few more demo videos showing some of what it can do. Touch DJ costs: £11.99 (UK) or $19.99 (US).

Comments (15)

Spinner (not verified) | November 21, 2009 - 6:32am

Total deal breaker- it cannot use your iTunes library, only the 25 bundled tracks that come with the app. What good is that? It's a $20 toy (or worse, demo).

Don't toss your CDJs yet.

Captain Chaos (not verified) | November 21, 2009 - 7:42am

Music to be used in the program isn't limited to the 25 tracks. If you visit the site you will find that it is possible to use your own music, but it has to be loaded separately from itunes. They even provide tooling for both mac and windows to get them onto your iphone / ipod touch!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 21, 2009 - 10:39am

If you want a more CDJ-like thing, then i recommend You to check this app.

Marc Trowsdale (not verified) | November 21, 2009 - 9:14am

Im sure this will entertain many people on a boring sunday afternoon, however i cant ever see this taking off in a club and who ever wrote the script to the Video clip cant have DJed to anything more than a bedroom wall...

Toyo (not verified) | November 21, 2009 - 10:40am

... which I assure you have taken place not in my bedroom ;)

Anyway many thanks for the post and your attention! We have tried to make the app interesting to both beginners and professionals. Visit http://amidio.com/dj for the companion programs (pc/mac) to transfer your mp3 tracks into Touch DJ.

Toyo // Amidio Inc

ion (not verified) | November 21, 2009 - 11:05am

Ok.LEt's just say that the DJing skills might not be as great but let's look into it a bit closer. First it's in visual mode and from experience, visual is very unforgiving. There's no way you can get things spot on visually. Headphone cue is very very very important. Second, there's no clip of a mix made the proper way,i.e. with headphones. Third, the app doesn't seem to have anything missing but the proof is in the pudding so a hands on trial should be showing the real capabilities of an app that costs a mere $20.

I for one, would definitely give it a go. After all I've been mixing since I was 12 yo and now nearly 40 I 'think' my experience is enough to get to the bottom of it.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 21, 2009 - 11:44am

No monitoring, no DJ'ing

Toyo (not verified) | November 21, 2009 - 12:21pm

There is an option for split monitoring (left channel -> master, right channel -> cue). So, monitor if you like, many of the clubs have mono sound systems anyway ;)

But it is really possible to mix visually, just some training needed. It differs from visual mixing on the computer, because here you can touch the tracks, they respond to your jestures, and the overall "feeling" of the music is much bigger here. That's why on the iPhone visual mixing is more enjoyable.

 

Toyo // Amidio Inc

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 21, 2009 - 2:50pm

"Serious-seeming", perhaps, but not for any serious DJ.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 21, 2009 - 3:48pm

what happens when you get a call/txt/reminder mid set?

streather (not verified) | November 24, 2009 - 7:45pm

Put the phone into airplane mode before going on, voila no calls or texts

Oflife (not verified) | November 21, 2009 - 4:04pm

Most interesting, this is the first time I have ever seen the iPhone referred to this way. It's a valid description - in fact, IMHO, the iPhone (iPod Touch in my case) are way more intuitive, robust, fun and productive than any device or computer I have owned before. (The original Palm Pilot is the only other device that was so well conceived.)

Anyway, this DJ app does seem very futuristic and will possibly lead to great things on a large screen tablet like device...

 

Marc Trowsdale (not verified) | November 21, 2009 - 8:52pm

If you want to use your Iphone/pod to DJ with seriously then get your hands on TouchOSC and Ableton Live 8...

 

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 22, 2009 - 3:14am

who here has heard of the pacemaker?

DJLove (not verified) | November 23, 2009 - 6:32am

I'm a wedding DJ that does not beat mix.  Of coarse I line up beats to top 40, disco, motown, for smooth transitions.  Would this work for my application?