Get your hands on some vinyl and spin
your own tunes
If you’re keen to get involved with making
music, but learning an instrument doesn’t take your fancy, then one avenue you
could go down is to start producing your very own DJ mixes. The process itself
is a lot harder, however, but at the end you’ll have your very own mix you can
share with the world. It isn’t a cheap hobby, however, and the cost of some of
the necessary equipment will certainly set you back. Luckily, your Android
device is there to save the day. We’ve gathered a handful of some of the best
DJ-based apps available to see if it’s possible to create and publish your very
own DJ mix.
Can
you produce your own DJ mix with apps?
Know your LED from MIDI
Before getting stuck in with some of the DJ
apps, it’s a good idea to learn the lingo and basic techniques first. The How
to Be a DJ app is an insightful guide to the basics of putting a mix together,
as well as choosing the right songs to include. Although it lacks a little
information on perfecting the techniques and skills needed to become a DJ, it’s
a highly useful app all the same. We also took a look at the DJ Trainer
TechnoTrance app, which was essential in learning about the timing needed to
put a mix together, and gave us an insight on controlling volumes and tempos of
songs. After playing with the app’s built-in simulator, we felt ready to try
our hand at a spot of mixing.
Edjing
provides a simple interface for beginners
One scratch at a time
The Google Play store has a whole host of
DJ apps that you can try out, but we managed to find a few of the best ones. To
get started we had a go with edjing – not only does it include a simple
interface for beginners; it also includes a social aspect allowing you to keep
contacts posted on your progress. Once we started getting a real feel to how
these apps work and the overall mixing process, we delved a little deeper and
started using Pocket DJ Vintage, DJ Control and Master DJ PRO. All three apps
aren’t for the faint hearted as they each include a comprehensive and
sophisticated deck system that sounds brilliant. After creating a cheesy mash
up of two Eighties classics, we downloaded The Booth Rap Studio Pro to apply
some distinctly average vocals.
Master
DJ Pro is one for more experienced users
Time to release
No matter which app we tried, exporting our
mixed track took a while, and the Galaxy Nexus we were using soon heated up.
Distributing your own tracks is something that there’s a distinct lack of apps
for, but we did manage to use SoundCloud and YouTube to display our finished
products. Edjing also includes its own social share system, but this was quite
buggy whenever we tried to use it.
Get
more detailed in Pocket DJ Vintage
Tip
Make sure to use your fingers when
scratching decks, as a stylus will stop you pinpointing desired sounds.
Aside from Android apps, there are a wide
variety of websites that you’ll be able to upload your created mix to for other
fans.
Successful rating verdict: 55% Complete
Learning to become a DJ isn’t easy and even
more so on your Android device. There are some great DJ apps on the Google Play
store you can use, but they tend to be on the complex side, which might put off
potential casual users.
