DJ digital controllers are MIDI controllers or USB-to-analog

Analog signal

An analog or analogue signal is any continuous signal for which the time varying feature of the signal is a representation of some other time varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time varying signal. It differs from a digital signal in terms of small fluctuations in the signal which are...

 devices used for controlling computer based DJ software, installed on a PC or laptop.

Operation

The DJ digital controllers aim to emulate the traditional mixer/turntable/CD turntable set up. Most controllers come with shuttle jog dials that mimic turntable control of an audio file, though with slightly less accuracy.

The use of DJ digital controllers with DJ software allow for a more mobile and compact system. Usually, the use of a DJ digital controller lets the DJ not have to transport more expensive, fragile, heavier, analog equipment. With the use of the controllers there is no need to use CDs or records. This is particularly beneficial to Mobile disc jockey

Mobile disc jockey

Mobile Disc Jockeys, also known as Mobile Discos in the UK, are disc jockeys that travel or tour with mobile sound systems and play from an extensive collection of pre-recorded music for a targeted audience...

s who are increasingly using computer based DJ set ups for this particular reason.

A problem with controllers had been their latency

Latency (engineering)

Latency is a measure of time delay experienced in a system, the precise definition of which depends on the system and the time being measured. Latencies may have different meaning in different contexts.-Packet-switched networks:...

; that is, the time between manipulating the jog shuttle controllers and the effect on the audio file. However, this does vary with computer speed, sound card latency and MIDI latency. By either changing configuration settings or upgrading hardware, latency problems can often be easily resolved. Currently, with the newer PCs and Macs, better software and newer controllers, latency has become negligible if not non-existent.

An advantage of controllers is that the processing power of the computer can be used to manipulate the sound, giving a wide range of effects and sampling options. Native Instruments Traktor

Traktor

Traktor is a DJ software package developed by Native Instruments. The most recent version, Traktor Pro, offers seamless looping, effects, automatic beat-gridding of tracks, advanced beat detection and Sync Lock for automatic synchronization of tracks, a 4-channel mixer, emulating the Xone:92...

 software was among the first DJ applications to take advantage of this. Also, controllers are often platform-independent, allowing for highly customized setups. A DJ can choose and configure the software and use a variety of controllers with it. Some DJs even use two or more controllers for different applications during a set.

Manufacturers

• Numark Industries
• Native Instruments
  Native Instruments
  Native Instruments is a technology company that develops software and hardware for music production and DJing. The company has originally been identified mostly with software instruments, but has also expanded to various other music equipment segments in recent years.Current products of Native...
  
  
• Denon
  Denon
  is a Japanese electronics company that was involved in the early stages of development of digital audio technology, while specializing in the manufacture of high-fidelity professional and consumer audio equipment. For many decades, Denon was a brand name of Nippon-Columbia, including the Nippon...
  
  
• Behringer
  Behringer
  Behringer is an audio equipment company founded by Uli Behringer in 1989, in Willich, Germany. Behringer was listed as the 14th largest manufacturer of music products in 2007. Behringer is a multi-national group of companies, with direct marketing presence in 10 countries or territories and a...
  
  
• Vestax
  Vestax
  The Vestax Corporation of Japan began in 1977 as a designer and manufacturer of electronic guitars. In the 1980s Vestax introduced a series of cassette based multitracks to challenge established products from Fostex, Yamaha and Tascam's portastudios...
  
  
• Allen & Heath
  Allen & Heath
  Allen & Heath is a company based in Penryn, Cornwall, England, specialising in the manufacture of audio mixing consoles...
  
  
• Pioneer
  Pioneer
  A pioneer is a soldier employed to perform engineering tasks. The term is in principle similar to sapper.Pioneers were originally part of the Artillery branch of European armies. Their primary job was to assist other Arms in tasks such as construction of field fortifications or military camps...
  
  

See also

• Mobile disc jockey
  Mobile disc jockey
  Mobile Disc Jockeys, also known as Mobile Discos in the UK, are disc jockeys that travel or tour with mobile sound systems and play from an extensive collection of pre-recorded music for a targeted audience...
  
  
• Disc Jockey
  Disc jockey
  A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
  
  
• Electronic music
  Electronic music
  Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
  
  
• Hip hop music
  Hip hop music
  Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
  
  
• Nightclub
  Nightclub
  A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
  
  
• VJ
  VJ (video performance artist)
  VJing is a broad designation for realtime visual performance. Characteristics of VJing are the creation or manipulation of imagery in realtime through technological mediation and for an audience, in synchronization to music. VJing often takes place at events such as concerts, nightclubs, music...
  
   (Video Jockey)
• Turntablism
  Turntablism
  Turntablism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating music using phonograph turntables and a DJ mixer.The word 'turntablist' was coined in 1995 by DJ Babu to describe the difference between a DJ who just plays records, and one who performs by touching and moving the records, stylus and mixer...
  
  
• Record player
• Gramophone record
  Gramophone record
  A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
  
  
• Disc or disk (spelling)
• VirtualDJ
  VirtualDJ
  VirtualDJ is a range of audio/video mixing software developed by Atomix Productions Inc. for use by mobile and club DJs. The software is also exclusively repackaged for Numark, called Numark CUE....