Free Workshop :: Pioneer CDJ-900 & DJM-800 & Traktor
Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 6:55PM 
Dubspot DJ instructors Lars & Endo present a workshop focused on the new Pioneer CDJ-900 and the rock-steady DJM-800, the compatibility of the two (pieces of equipment, not instructors) with Traktor, and the various functional options available for DJs when these powerful pieces are united.
Traktor now supports HID control for Pioneer's CDJ-2000 and CDJ-900. This means that when you're now getting ready for a gig its possible to leave your control CD's, as well as your audio-interface, at home: the CDJ's internally generate the control signal and have a sound card built-in. So, when you get to the club, simply connect each CDJ to your laptop via USB, press the link button and the rotary controller on the CDJ, and your are ready to rock. Everything is already mapped out. And, because you're using the CDJ's sound-card, you can easily switch to CD or hard-drive without having to unplug any cables. Top-notch stuff.
February 25th, 6:30 - 8:30pm @ Dubspot
Please be sure to rsvp -- rsvp@dubspot.com
Cntrlrs // Moldover v Elijah B Torn :: Ableton User Group NYC @ Dubspot
Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 6:00PM 
The February meeting of the NYC Ableton User Group will feature two cutting-edge musicians who both use Live in the most unique of ways. The focus of this months meeting: CONTROL
Matt Moldover has long been known, especially inside the electronic music world, as one of the most creative controllerism gurus around. We loved having him speak during our San Fran tour stop, and welcome him to Dubspot for more. His past hardware creations have impressed, and his newest is actually available to the public, satiating the desires of musical control freaks everywhere.
At present, in addition to touring and producing, Moldover is overseeing the release of his first commercially available controller. Assimilating ideas from traditional instruments, DJ hardware, and game controllers, the Mojo combines ergonomic elegance, rapid-fire tactile responsiveness, and bullet-proof construction… definitely worth checking out.
Elijah B. Torn is a life long musician who was, according to all reports, was born with a looping device in-hand. His devotion to electronic music, and his unique blend of sounds created from a variety of sources, including but not limited to the bass guitar and video games, have been well established. His use of Ableton Live on stage and in the studio has led him to a developed and articulate mastery of the program. Torn's heavy focus on the use of "dummy clips" combined with the looper plugin have helped him to push beyond conventional sound on sound looping and hone his distinct style. Thus, this is what he will discuss, following his mantra: "don't be stupid, learn your dummy (clips)!"
The meeting will happen Sunday, February 21st, from 1:30 to 3:30pm, at Dubspot. Please contact us to reserve your spot, rsvp@dubspot.com.
Instructor Spotlight :: Neil Armstrong :: Adidas / Star Wars / New Mixtape
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 5:42PM Congrats Neil! An integral part of Dubspot's early days, 5th Platoon founder Neil Armstrong has had a long break from teaching at Dubspot and for good reasons (we miss you Neil). In 2008 he was tapped to become Jay-Z's tour DJ, has since travelled the globe with the mogul and has been catapulted to the top of the DJ food chain. Not bad for a 'turntablist'. But, let's not forget, this did not happen overnight -- Neil was grinding it for many years prior. His succeess is proof that hard work can really pay dividends.
And now - Global Spokesperson for Adidas! Adidas is releasing a Star Wars Edition -- the........ Skywalker Shoe! --- and now Neil has found himself at the center of a crazy promotional campaign along with a few other names you might of heard before - Snoop Dogg and Daft Punk!! Say What?!
The official Release party is planned for February 4th, at the SOHO Adidas Originals Store, 136 Wooster St. Theres an 'Imperial March' beginning at 10:45am (Broadway and Houston), with Neil providing the soundtrack. Check it! This shiz is serious....
Check out Neil's latest infamous 'gourmet mixtape': “THE DNA of the Blueprint”:
In Neils own words "If in January of 2008 you told me that I would travel the world with Jay-Z, perform at the Olympics in Beijing and at President Obama’s Inaugural Ball with the Roc Boys, have bagels on Damien Hirst’s boat, represent the elements of hip-hop alongside Kanye and Coldplay, perform at MSG for the firefighters and police lost in 9/11–and now be featured in a global TV campaign for Adidas and Star Wars (with David Beckham and Snoop Dogg nonetheless)–I would have said, “yeah right.” Didn’t you know: I’m just a turntablist?"
Inspirational dude...!
Dubspot @ SXSW & WMC :: "Beats Build Hope!"
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 11:51AM 
Dubspot will be hitting South By Southwest (SXSW) and the Winter Music Conference (WMC) this March, bringing a taste of the Dubspot Experience.
At SXSW, we are posting up in the Gear Alley of the Music Trade Show, March 17 - 19, giving mini-tutorials, talking shop, and showing off the finest in music production and performance technology from the best manufacturers in the world.
On Thursday night, March 18th, we will be co-hosting a special musical showcase with our friends from Wax Poetics at the Scoot Inn, from 9pm to 2am. The event will see performances from Ocote Soul Sounds, Black Dynamite, Chico Mann, Rich Medina, J-Boogie, and DJ OBaH, and our Austin friends on the ground Papa Chop and Jeff Strange - this is shaping up to become one of the funkiest events of the festival!
Down in Miami the next week, during WMC, Dubspot's DJ OBaH & G OV will be two of the selectahs at NextAid's massive benefit - "Beats Build Hope". Those details will be coming around soon, so be sure to keep checking the blog on that one, along with more info on all the other events.
Want to get involved - hit us back info@dubspot.com ....
Apple In-Store Demo :: Traktor, Maschine & Twitter DJ
Monday, February 1, 2010 at 1:46PM 
Mike Henderson, aka DJ Endo, will be taking over the Apple Store down in SOHO this Thursday, February 4th, to break out some top-notch digital DJing knowledge.
His workshop will feature two of Native Instruments' most widely used and respected products, Traktor Pro & Maschine, while giving the crowd an introduction to the technology and techniques of digital DJing. Plus, he'll touch on the intriguing Twitter DJ application, which broadcasts playlists live!
Apple Store SOHO
103 Prince St
New York, NY
(212) 226-3126
Time: 6:00 - 7:00pm
NI's Traktor Kontrol X1 :: Videos & DJ Endo Breaks it down
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 8:15PM Mike Henderson, aka DJ Endo, is the newest addition to Dubspot's world-class DJ instructor lineup. He has been a DJ for a decade, Native Instruments' DJ product specialist for 3 years, toured with Richie Hawtin, and is the tour manager for Dubfire and Nic Fanciulli...
Finally, what the digital DJ world has been waiting for: the Traktor Kontrol X1 has been unleashed and is scheduled for its official release on February 1, 2010.
For years, DJ’s have been using a variety of MIDI controllers to control Traktor Scratch Pro and all of its brother and sister programs (Traktor Pro, Traktor Scratch, Traktor 3, Traktor Duo, Traktor LE, etc). Some controllers work better for some functions, and others work better for other functions, but to this day there has never been an official “Traktor Controller”. Well now its here!
Native Instruments did such an amazing job with the controller, and mapping that you can really take the controller right out of the box, plug it in, and it is instantly working and mapped out for you. Any DJ, no matter how they play (internally, with Timecode Vinyl or CD’s) can simply plug and play with the X1 and have instant access to almost every feature inside of Traktor.
Booka Shade on Native Instruments' Maschine
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 7:32PM Booka Shade has some love for Native Instruments' Maschine. In a new video released this month by our friends @ NI, you can catch Arno Kammermeier and Walter Merziger talk about their integration of the controller into their live set. How they for years they resisted the pull of DJing during their live performances, yet finally decided, out of a desire for new avenues of artistic expression, to approach their shows from a different angle. Maschine was an integral part of the transformation.
The influence of the new gear on their artistic repertoire has since then proceeded to transcend the stage and enter the studio. Of course, this is a natural home for Maschine, but indicative of a common, larger, and incredibly important theme in the 21st Century electronic music world… Increased integration, and blurred lines of what defines a performance.
DJ Shiftee's New Mix for URB
Monday, January 25, 2010 at 4:08PM 
Artwork by Shiftee's talented sister Hannah ZornowDJ Shiftee is everywhere right now. As this blog is posted, he's nursing some jet lag after a jaunt of gigging in Asia, celebrating his immortalization on the cover of January's DJ Times (the emotion of which he so eloquently described on our blog), and teaching turntablism and DJ classes here at Dubspot.
But that's hardly it for the 2009 DMC World Champ. He just dropped a new mix for the crew over at URB, all ripe and ready for download as you read these very words.
Electro Boat House flows through a variety of popular party genres, opening with some sharp, rock n' roll electro, then moving through new disco and dubstep. The whole experience is a headbanger's delight, indicative of a DJ who carries crowds to the brink of ear-bleeds and insanity, while making 'em smile the whole way through. With songs from the likes of Boys Noize, Major Lazer, Jack Beats, Hot Chip, and The Rapture, its a whole hour of good time party music galore, perfect for either a Friday night, or a Monday morning when you've just run out of coffee.
A full tracklist is below. Grab the mix now off URB's website.
DJ Kiva's New Album :: Created on PSP w/ Beaterator?!
Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 5:06PM 
DJ Kiva has dropped a new mix, with all new, originally composed tracks. Its ripe for the picking off his SoundCloud page. Its fresh, sounds dope, and produced on a platform you would never expect: a Playstation Portable, and the Beaterator game.
BTR8ION…NYC artist/producer DJ Kiva presents the world’s first album written & produced entirely on the Sony PSP Beaterator. Created while traveling streets, subways, and skies from Brooklyn to LA and laid out mixtape style…Beateration for the Nation!
Game doesn't really articulate what Beaterator is though. Beyond the standard, easy to use, intro mode, which features Timbaland being all cool, is actually a fully functional DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), with production powers far exceeding its size and price.
The size of the PSP allows for a level of portability that producers have never experienced, and the functionality of the program is so comparable to a computer-based piece of software that many of our instructors now use Beaterator as their movable sketch pad. Some, as in Kiva's case, have produced full songs and mixes on the platform.