Recording a mix can be a stressful, having to carry a recorder, a pair of cables, extra batteries and then transferring it back on to your computer to fix levels and edit. Trust Pioneer to come in to aid you in the world of dark clubs, cumbersome cable cabling and usual DJ anxiety. Recording a set is sometimes even harder than playing one for some of them.

 

What is it ?

Pioneer announced their new DJM-REC iOS app today that enables you to record your mixes directly on to your mobile device in high quality stereo WAV files via the digital send return port found on the DJM-TOUR1, DJM-900NXS2, DJM-750MK2 and DJM-450 mixers.

Just plugin you lightning cable and you’re ready to go with one click on your iOS

With a quick firmware update on your mixer to support on device recording, you can even stream your mixes to social media via the app, whilst also giving you basic editing tools, an auto-limiter, peak volume based auto-recording, editable track-stamping and even a sub-bass enhancer.

What’s amazing about the app

This will radically change the way DJs record, share and distribute DJ sets. I for one always advocate DJs record as often as possible, it serves as a great way to track your musical evolution. Prior to this, the only way to record to a mobile device was through a TRRS cable, and only mono.

What the app can’t do

Since Pioneer has a selectable switch for send/return to toggle between analog and usb, this makes it impossible to record while using any external FX via the analog send returns or forego using external FX in lieu of recording on the app. Also, needless to say if you’re recoding on your device, you’ll have to get on Airplane Mode.

DJM-REC is available in the App Store at the price of $9.99 from 23 January 2018. We’ve outlined some of our favourite features

One cable, one click recording

Install DJM-REC on your iPhone or iPad, then simply plug into any DJM mixer which has the digital send/return feature using a single USB cable. The port is on the top of the mixer rather than the back, so connecting is a breeze even in a dark DJ booth.

No more clipped recording worries

DJM-REC can control the peak limiter in the DJM Mixer. Tap the button to enable this feature and alleviate digital clipping. Audio from a digital mixer can be recorded directly in digital format without the need for analogue conversion.

Go Live, Record and even edit

Effortlessly live stream your mix through YouTube, Facebook Live, Periscope, Instagram and Snapchat via DJM-REC. Easily upload your recorded mixes, digital recordings of your analogue tracks, and remixed tracks created using features and FX on DJM mixers to cloud services such as Mixcloud and Dropbox.

Time stamping for easier track index

Time-stamps for tracks are automatically created thanks to the information transmitted from the DJM mixer, such as the fader positions, to the app. The time-stamps are editable and making track lists is easy, as you can edit track information per time-stamp within the app.

Post processing

Swipe the Loudness slider on DJM-REC to easily increase audio pressure. Punchy, heavier, vibrant bass sound that can’t be obtained by simply raising the signal level of the low range is created when you swipe the Sub Bass slider, as this creates new signals based on the track’s input signals. Old tracks can be refreshed with a powerful club sound, just like the latest releases.

Analogue Recording

Capture it on the iPhone/iPad with an external microphone when your device isn’t connected to a DJM mixer.

 

Summary

While iOS uses rejoice, this may be a disappointment for most android users. However there are a few work arounds to record your set without investing in an expensive portable recorder. For example, you could use the additional output (channel 9/10) on the DJM900NXS2 through it’s utility to route the record output to that digital channel and have your favourite audio software capture it.

Having said that, this is certainly a boon for most DJs and I see myself using this extensively. The price point is fair at $9.99 with a 30-day trial. For the serious audiophiles looking for a mobile based solution, Evermix Mixbox 2 is a nifty interface that connects to your mixer’s analog record out and then into your iOS device.

 

DJM-REC Specifications

 

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