{"id":4222,"date":"2024-03-23T01:00:31","date_gmt":"2024-03-23T00:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deejayplaza.com\/en\/?p=4222"},"modified":"2024-12-02T22:33:51","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T21:33:51","slug":"djay-pro-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deejayplaza.com\/en\/articles\/djay-pro-review","title":{"rendered":"Algoriddim DJay Pro review & performance tests"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is DJay Pro?<\/h2>\n\n\n

DJay Pro is software for DJs to perform gigs with digital music.
There is are desktop versions for Mac & Windows, and mobile versions for phones and tablets (iOS and Android).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this review I’m testing the desktop version for Windows.
To be honest, it’s nice to have an iPad version, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
The limited screen real estate, limited storage space, the hassle with getting-tracks-on-your-iPad …
Some things are just better on a laptop than an iPad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can analyze your music for BPM<\/a>, beatgrid<\/a> and Key<\/a>.
The music you are currently playing is displayed on the top of the screen.
Your collection is displayed at the bottom and playlists on the left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Throughout this article I use screenshots, you can click on these screenshot to enlarge (only works on desktop).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

User Interface and usability<\/h2>\n\n\n

What a breath of fresh air is the User Interface of Algoriddim DJay Pro.
Clean and uncluttered with big buttons for sticky mouse surfaces in clubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You know that a user interface is designed properly when you don’t need to read a 100 page manual before you can get started.
By just clicking around, I mastered the software within minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What I don’t like is the fact that you can 100 extra panels that makes your interface immediately like a pinball machine, as you can see here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nevertheless, I still think that Rekordbox <\/a>and Serato <\/a>can take a take out of the “effective GUI design”-book of Djay Pro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I don’t like, is the options screen.
Instead of a full-screen easy-to-navigate options screen, they opted for a sort-of weird mobile approach.
A menu on the left and constantly clicking “back” to go to another screen.
Those are unnecessary clicks … not a fan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Importing & analyzing<\/h2>\n\n

Importing<\/h3>\n\n\n

To get your tracks in DJay works a bit weird.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I tried to drag-and-drop my same 1000 tracks (that I use for all my DJ software reviews) in the “collection” item on the left.
But that doesn’t work.
I can drag a bunch of tracks in the software, 25 or so works fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can also add a folder to the “my files” section on the left.
But then the search feature is broken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I tried to drag-and-drop files from the “my files” section to the “collection”-item, but that doesn’t work either.
(The “my files” section is a folder that is watched by the software and automatically imported).<\/p>\n\n\n

Analyzing<\/h3>\n\n\n
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When you import tracks it reads the artwork and the tags.
But it doesn’t analyze the BPM and key<\/strong> for most tracks (some it does) on importing.
You need to trigger that manually by clicking on a button.
The BPM and key is also analyzed when you load the track into a player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it reads the tags and artwork, it doesn’t show a progress bar.
So it is really hard to know when DJay is done importing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem with this “lazy” approach is, that you miss information when you haven’t analyzed after importing.
When you want to find a track that is compatible with your current (based on key or BPM), your playlists won’t help you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I do like is the automatic detection of Hot Cues\/Memory Cues … when it feels like it.
It doesn’t always detect any.
And it doesn’t always detect Cues in the most useful places, but I prefer to delete some, instead of adding cues manually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Importing and analyzing needs some work.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

Automix<\/h2>\n\n\n
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A feature that I definitely can appreciate is the automix feature.
Automix is a separate screen that you can use to play a lot of tracks, without actively DJing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes you just want to put on a playlist while you are cleaning the venue or whatever.
This feature makes it super easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With automix DJay Pro fades into the next track completely beatmatched <\/a>when the BPM is in range!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Rekordbox <\/a>need to set 150 options in the options screen, which you always forget to set back.
The next time you are DJing your track doesn’t stop automatically!
And the audience thinks you are a bad DJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A handy feature is skipping to the next track (you can’t do in Rekordbox<\/a>)
Someone really thought this through!
Love it!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Free DJ tips in your inbox?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a bonus gift I will send you a FREE <\/strong>E-book on how to kick-off your DJ career!<\/p>\n\n\n\n