The Milkcrate

DJ Toys: Mixmeister Scratch for iPhone and DScratch for Nintendo DS

Posted By: Shagz
Date:

Was just having a quick look at the MixMeister Scratch a free app for your iPhone or iTouch, and DScratch, a homebrew app in beta for the Nintendo DS.

Both apps to similar things, allowing the user to load up an audio file and use the touch screen interface to interact with that audio and "scratch" it. (Audio scrubbing is probably more accurate) It doesn't look like either have the kind of accuracy that you'd really want, to do real scratching, and neither have a crossfader functionality, but there's still some cool stuff here, most notably with DScratch.

MixMeister could accurately be described as a toy. All you get is a glossy interface, a few default samples and beats, the basic scratch functionality and the ability to load up a beat and a separate sample and be able to solo over it.

DScratch has more potential I think. You can not only do the audio scrubbing, but DScratch comes with a bunch of other features like pitch and volume control, a couple of effects (a digital distortion called "Bit Crusher" and something called "Retrig"), and the ability to record some audio using the DS's built in mic and use that as your sound source.

The most interesting thing though is that you can send out midi signals via the DS' built in Blue Tooth, so you can use the touch screen to control other devices, turning your game machine into a pseudo-Kaoss Pad.

It's all neat stuff...and while I don't think the MixMeister has much to offer, DScratch offers just enough functionality (and just enough limitations) for someone to dig in and do some really cool stuff in a live environment.

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It's Finally Done...

Posted By:
Date:

After two years of thinking, planning, acquiring, compiling, mixing, tweaking, sourcing and designing... I finally have my 25th DJ Mix, Source Material, in my surprised hands.

Surprised 'cuz I didn't think I was ever going to get this mix done. It took several months to get the double discs in the can, and then over a year just trying to figure out what the design of the case was going to be like. I was ready to give up on the project many times, thinking I should just release as an mp3 and move on.

But I kept at it...and in a sudden, inspired burst of productivity, I finalized the design and made my first copy on monday night.

I had help, a muse that came at just the right time. She didn't have to do much, just let me talk myself into completing it. :) I think I had lost sight of why I was even doing this, and my muse helped me focus and rediscover the joy of sharing music with people. So thank you, Gen. :)

And thank you to all my friends, family and fans, who have supported me through 25 dj mixes and lots of shows. I especially want to thank Chriss and Byron, who were both there when this dj thing all began, in ernest, in 1999.

So, you can check out the track list (below) and if it strikes your fancy, request a copy by contacting me. Or...you can wait a few days and see if you can win one. Some of you already know, but I've been planning to do a contest around this release, almost as long as I've been working on the mix itself. More details will be posted soon, so stay tuned.

And now...I'm ready to finally move on. :)

Disc 1

Pizzaman - Happiness - Cowboy Records
Mo' Horizons - Fever 99 - Stereo Deluxe
Arman Van Helden - Flowerz - Armed Records
Fat Freddy's Drop - Hope (3 Generations Walking Remix) - Kartel
Central Living - Everyday (CP Remix) - Naked Music
CJ Bolland - Sugar is Sweeter (Armand Van Helden Remix) - Armed Records
Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You - Roulé
Tim Deluxe - We All Love Sax - Milk & Sugar Recordings
Olive - You're Not Alone (Oakenfold/Osbourne Remix)
Lustral - Everytime (Mike Koglin Remix) - Hooj Choons
Berri - Shine (Two Cowboys Mix) - Control
BT - Dreaming - Nettwerk Records
Albion - Air (Palefield Mountain Mix) - Platipus
Felix - Stars (CJ Bolland Mix) - Deconstruction

Disc 2

Loco Gringo - Watchuwanna - Finger Lickin' Records
Dreadzone - Crazy Knowledge (Soul of Man Remix) - Finger Lickin' Records
Fatboy Slim - Love Island - Astralwerks
Bassbin Twins & Fatboy Slim - Aaaaw Shut Up - Kickin' Records
Surreal Madrid - Girls of the Night (Elite Force Remix) - Fused and Bruised
The Crystal Method - Keep Hope Alive - Outpost Recordings
Cirrus - Break In (Transatlantic Move Remix) - Moonshine Records
Metisse - Sousoundé (Freq Nasty vs. Blim Remix)
Blame - Music Takes You (Blim Remix) - Moving Shadow
Omni Trio - Renegade Snares (Master Blaster vs. Aquasky Remix) - Moving Shadow
Prodigy - No Good (Start the Dance) - XL Recordings
Prodigy - Voodoo People (Pendulum Remix) - XL Recordings
Breakbeat Era - Ultra Obscene - XL Recordings
Coldcut feat. Jon Spencer- Everything is Under Control (DJ Kentaro Remix) / NIN - Perfect Drug - Nothing Records

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Broadcast is up!

Posted By: Shagz
Date:

My new broadcast mix is up! Check out Zeros and Ones on the Ones and Twos with Chris Wright and myself, flipping tunes back to back. I don't have a track list, but it's all good, running from electro house to disco to jacking house to breaks to dance rock. Even some broken beat in there for good measure. Enjoy!

PS - the title comes from the fact that we were flipping bits 'n bytes in the form of mp3s along with our vinyl records. For those who need to know, the first half of the mix are mp3s, the second half is vinyl.

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Broadcast coming soon

Posted By: Shagz
Date:

Just a head's up, I'll be posting up a new broadcast on the website sometime later this week. Featuring myself and Chris Wright on the one's 'n two's, we take a little journey around the musical universe, trading tracks. (as per the international dj standard, set down in the Chicago Protocol of 1971)

Watch this space!

Also, the release of my 25th Mix, Source Material, is likewise imminent! Those who were on the Gig List already have both discs in the mix, released to them last week. I almost have the cover done, and once it's out of the way, I'll finally be able to release this bad boy.

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Back, 'n dirty, sleezy rock beats from the UK...

Posted By: Shagz
Date:

Oi! I'm back! Suffering from jet lag, not quite coherent at the moment, so give me a few days.

In the meantime, you might want to check out my friend's band, Plastic Toys, out of the UK. Industrial-ish in origin, but firmly over on the "dance-rock" side of the line, oozing dirty disco beats, analog synths and dark vocals, Plastic Toys might be the funkier, hipper, British version 2.0 of old industral-rock bands like Stabbing Westward and Econoline Crush. Their new single, Let me feel the Love, just dropped and is available at all the usual suspects, including iTunes, HMV and Amazon (all UK only, I'm afraid).

Hit their site for a taster!

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