Our forum is ablaze with information about a new controller they are guessing might be called the “Novation Slicer” for Serato Itch. As you probably suspect, I know a bit more than the general public, but we want to stay in the good graces of Novation’s lawyers. Many months ago, Dj TechTools worked with Novation when I designed the now ubiquitous dicer that is very popular in Serato Scratch circles. So, without giving away too many of the kings secrets, here are the facts that are public and a few that are not.
NOVATION SLICER
Nemonic, a forum regular with 3D visual powers has somehow deciphered this cryptic video into the actual layout of the controller. Kudos!
The mockup is remarkably close in a lot of ways, but he got a few things wrong. We can’t really tell you what they are but let’s just say that the bottom knob is probably a filter and the knob to the right of play has a good chance of being an encoder used for pitch and track search. Itch is a good guess, Serato Scratch – is not. Those touch strips? If I were to design a controller, they would probably be for needle drops, pitch bends and occasionally FX madness.
THE TEASER
Novation, following in NI’s usual marketing strategy, has released a cryptic club video showing a new 2-deck controller without jog wheels. They promise to announce the details on April 6th but in the mean time, some blown out screen grabs and heaps of speculation is all you have to go on. Check it out here.
It’s fun to look back at the comments and see how people speculate. Who could have known that the name of this controller was going to be “Twitch?” When the Twitch came out it made instant fans with the touchstrip and the 8 buttons beneath it. I’ve been very impressed with this controller and keep getting surprised that it already handles things I’m considering doing. I’m almost scared to think about what the scientists at Novation are dreaming up next.
I could see this being really fun im combination with a couple of turntables although the price due to the software and soundcard makes it a silly setup.
I could see this being really fun im combination with a couple of turntables although the price due to the software and soundcard makes it a silly setup.
I could see this being really fun im combination with a couple of turntables although the price due to the software and soundcard makes it a silly setup.
I could see this being really fun im combination with a couple of turntables although the price due to the software and soundcard makes it a silly setup.
I could see this being really fun im combination with a couple of turntables although the price due to the software and soundcard makes it a silly setup.
DJ Mixer, are equipments that concede you to rank enlargement tracks passion headphones besides monitors. Present also allows you to subsume digital effects to boom a folk before you stagecraft its final output. The DJ Mixer, allows you to crotchety languish or concrete between the sources of the songs. The DJ Mixer, is an important tool a DJ cannot field off-course.
Whoa.
Whoa.
Here’s me coining teh Slicer! 😀
Here’s me coining teh Slicer! 😀
Here’s me coining teh Slicer! 😀
Here’s me coining teh Slicer! 😀
Here’s me coining teh Slicer! 😀
Ah man I just bought the VCI-300!
Ah man I just bought the VCI-300!
Ah man I just bought the VCI-300!
Ah man I just bought the VCI-300!
Ah man I just bought the VCI-300!
Ah man I just bought the VCI-300!
In case you’re wondering this DOES include a built in soundcard.
How do you know this?
How do you know this?
How do you know this?
How do you know this?
How do you know this?
How do you know this?
In case you’re wondering this DOES include a built in soundcard.
This looks perfect for me – I want to use Ableton (the two rows of 4 buttons on either side of the crossfader could be start/stop clip launch) with 4 channels (drums, bass, synth/fx, vocals) on either side of two busses that act as summing channels. If this ends up being a good price this could be exactly what I have been looking for….
this product is very similar to the Vestax TR-1, new for $549 (no sound card). i haven’t seen many fans of the TR-1. It also doesn’t contain jog wheels. With Numark Mixtrack going for $149 ($99 open box how I got mine) and Mixtrack Pro (with soundcard) going for $249, Novation better seriously consider the price of this. Dicers are priced well.
can we just have a solid, somewhat universal, flagship, industry standard midi controller that does EVERYTHING we all need to do on it and be done with it just for two months? Pioneer has held it for a decade with the Cd decks…. I’m all for innovation but just hoping the manufacturers can really get this midi controller thing sorted out soon and stop with all the the teasing whenever they are on to another product. I agree…stop the mystery marketing madness and give us something to sink our teeth into without having to wait or feel what we already just bought is shit.
I agree 100%. All these products flooding the market lead to discontinued products. RIP M-Audio Trigger Finger, VCI-100 (orig) and too many others.
So what would that controller look like, exactly? You’ll probably find that everyone has very different ideas of what a good controller would be.
I think the issue is that MIDI controllers are just too easy to produce, leading to all the me-too products. Whereas its very hard to design a CD drive mechanism with the quality of a CDJ-1000, or a turntable with the stable platter of an SL-1200…hence they became industry standards.
Mystery marketing aside, there’s no real technological innovation between any of these controllers…it basically comes down to what kind of buttons you like to press and where you want them located!
I think the problem with midi controllers is that our needs are different. vinyl and CD was easy. “I need something that spins and has a needle”, which changed to “I need something that acts like a turntable but plays CDs”. Digital DJing is so much more complicated. Some want to use software + Vinyl, Software + CD. Some just want buttons with scratch platters, some only want a wheel to pitch bend and scrub through tracks. and some want buttons, buttons and more buttons.
I think the problem with midi controllers is that our needs are different. vinyl and CD was easy. “I need something that spins and has a needle”, which changed to “I need something that acts like a turntable but plays CDs”. Digital DJing is so much more complicated. Some want to use software + Vinyl, Software + CD. Some just want buttons with scratch platters, some only want a wheel to pitch bend and scrub through tracks. and some want buttons, buttons and more buttons.
Quite interested in how it handles no jogwheels. I am increasingly seeing how no jogwheels needn’t be a disadvantage, and it’s good to see manufacturers thinking past the “me too” mentality of most recent controllers if this turns out to be so.
the Vestax TR-1 also has no jog wheels, and has a luke warm following at best.
Novation has been pretty good about their pricing so I would hope that they are pricing below the Pioneer controller…. can’t really tell much from this video though unfortunately..
Dbmlabs Brand Clothing
Well this could be the perfect go between Itch and Traktor. If it is a Itch
controller then you get Itch software, if it is midi i can map it to traktor,
8 cues is perfect, i see 4 knobs up top, perfect.
This avoids the whole platter issue of Itch controllers and Traktor.
All exactly what I was thinking!
I wish we could get civilized promo campaigns from this industry. I want clear pictures of new products, clear price points, and clear release dates. Instead we get pictures less revealing than paparazzi photos, price points that aren’t there or aren’t a number (just the word “competitive”), and release dates as accurate as the weatherman. It’s like everyone in marketing at dj companies wants to be making mystery movies.
ill stick to 2 turntables & a mixer, (w/ an X1), the next upgrade I make will b to maschine, whenever they fully integrate it with Traktor
I like the large cue buttons. Don’t care much for the mixer section as I prefer external mixers.
Thanks for the clues Ean!
I actually hope it’s for Traktor. I like the idea that it has no jog wheels as I still prefer having a motor & 12″ of vinyl. Not knocking the S4, but it’s good to have options.
I’m curious to see how Novation markets this controller to differentiate it from other similar products that are currently on the shelves. If this is an Itch controller, and it does not have a built in sound card, I would only assume they will be selling it at a much lower price point to steer buyers away from the VCI-300 etc. Very glad to see more choices for digital DJ’s. It’s all about finding what works for you.
If the mock up is right this is probably a Traktor controller because of the 8 hot cues (ITCH only has 5) and the effects section layout
+1, this
i looks like it would be better suited for traktor
I’m very interested to see the final version of this controller. If it’s not too expensive I’ll probably pick one up.
I have to say this new trend of “teasing” things is really getting out of hand. NOTE to all the manufacturers out there most of the products that have had teaser campaigns have had ho-hum reception when the final product shipped. If you want to build excitement get review units out, publish the specs, and set the price point in the sweet spot. All the blurred, out-of-focus pictures is just crap. Stop the madness!
The X1 and S4 have had ho-hum reception?
“There’s no such thing as bad publicity” a phrase that has a lot of depth. Think of TV ad’s you hate, even they are good at doing there job as one way or another shit sticks. I hate these bloody tease stunts, only because I’m a gear geek as I MUST KNOW. Yes on the whole many or maybe even the majority will be disappointed as we tend to get our hopes up. But the job of these campaigns is to build a hype that can be stretched over a number of weeks, if manufacturers just made a simple press release to various outlets the hype of a new products release would only last for as long as it takes to read a thread. Yes most of us will be left wanting and wondering what the fuss was all about, but lets face it, is there actually any existing product that doesn’t leave us wanting just a little bit more?
I am NOT a Traktor user because of their stupid viral hype campaigns. I refuse to buy anything that relies on hype marketing. I find it insulting that companies can’t just make a great product and put it out there. The hype campaigns cause people to become emotionally invested in the product release, that’s why there are flame wars about the S4 but not over the new Reloop controller. Anyway, I’m rambling, but like I was saying I refuse to buy anything that has to be hype marketed.
I am NOT a Traktor user because of their stupid viral hype campaigns. I refuse to buy anything that relies on hype marketing. I find it insulting that companies can’t just make a great product and put it out there. The hype campaigns cause people to become emotionally invested in the product release, that’s why there are flame wars about the S4 but not over the new Reloop controller. Anyway, I’m rambling, but like I was saying I refuse to buy anything that has to be hype marketed.
I am NOT a Traktor user because of their stupid viral hype campaigns. I refuse to buy anything that relies on hype marketing. I find it insulting that companies can’t just make a great product and put it out there. The hype campaigns cause people to become emotionally invested in the product release, that’s why there are flame wars about the S4 but not over the new Reloop controller. Anyway, I’m rambling, but like I was saying I refuse to buy anything that has to be hype marketed.
I am NOT a Traktor user because of their stupid viral hype campaigns. I refuse to buy anything that relies on hype marketing. I find it insulting that companies can’t just make a great product and put it out there. The hype campaigns cause people to become emotionally invested in the product release, that’s why there are flame wars about the S4 but not over the new Reloop controller. Anyway, I’m rambling, but like I was saying I refuse to buy anything that has to be hype marketed.
I am NOT a Traktor user because of their stupid viral hype campaigns. I refuse to buy anything that relies on hype marketing. I find it insulting that companies can’t just make a great product and put it out there. The hype campaigns cause people to become emotionally invested in the product release, that’s why there are flame wars about the S4 but not over the new Reloop controller. Anyway, I’m rambling, but like I was saying I refuse to buy anything that has to be hype marketed.
they got u talking about it and spent enough time to make a paragraph rant about it… so I guess they win
I agree complete. This kind of teasing really only annoys press and potential customers. To me- it’s also a total waste of marketing momentum. Apple for example- avoids pre-launch leaks at all cost and ships a product shortly after announcement.
i am a big novation fanboy but this seem not up to par to some of other novation products or videos
then again it in the dark and you only see about 3-4 times throughout the video
As long as if I can map this with Traktor Pro 2 easily and it isn’t a ridiculous price, then I may have found my ideal controller. Yes! Might even trade up Kontrol X1 for this puppy if it doesn’t disappoint. So pumped! BUT PLEASE DON’T BUST THE BANK!!! ($400-700 please?)
no jog wheels??? lame.
If you ask me jogs are overrated. If your well prepared a pitch and cues are all you need (beatjump is even more useful ;D)
A fader is a fader, a button is a button, and a knob is a knob. Jog wheels are the only thing that really separates DJ controllers from any other midi device. If a device’s jog wheels suck or are non-existent you’re basically paying 2-3x more for a “DJ layout” that was marketed to you.
It’s about time someone brakes the VCI alike mold and makes something a little different for once, there’s already f loads of jog based controllers. This looks really interesting and could be a great complement to my DVS set up where I don’t need to add jogs.
Vestax vcm100, vcm400 and vcm600.
I hear ya, but thats still only 3 “all in one” non jog type controllers that are a mere spek compared to the near never ending massive list of controllers that are very similar to one another. It’s just nice to see something a little different thats seems geared towards actually being a tactile instrument with spacious and different types of controls.
Vestax VCM range offered very little for dj’s who like to use physical skill and speed in there performance, more designed for dj’s who like to tweek controls and/or launch clips, you gotta respect Vestax for giving the market more options but the buttons on all the those controllers aren’t much fun to play with.
Where as this Novation thingie bob looks to be geared towards the the physical aspect of controllerism being that it has 8 “decent” playable sized buttons close and either side of xfade which will mean a far better realistic cue point juggling will be pos where the xfade can be included just like real beat juggling.
Agreeing with PaulHolland, the Slicer looks extremely fun. One thing is that I think it will help break the mold for standard controllerim controllers (lol). One think is that we gain more desk space for other buttons, if you need to physically adjust a track, I think that there is a touch strip that can do that.
hmmm is this the ‘sampler’ add on for itch?
mm if its a two sampler deck expansion for itch that will be the only way im going to show this product any more attention
humble as usual…
MORE!!!! … but in all reality its really cool to see what the new features are and to what they entail.