The Spank! Records Blog

Hooray. Pioneer gear now available at Spank! Records.

Just in time to get Mark all excited before Christmas, the debut shipment of pioneer CDJ's and Mixers have arrived in our diversifying little store. Excellent timing for a quick-last minute christmas gift or a new toy for the new year.

Pioneer CDJ's and Mixers are amongst the most popular selections for the club fit outs, with the CDJ1000 and the DJM800 representing the modern club standard in mixer/CDJ setup. We're all super excited to be able to offer these high quality products to our customers for all your creative and good-times usages.

We're now happy to stock the DJM800, DJM700, DJM400 mixers and the CDJ1000mk3, CDJ800mk3, CDJ400 CDJ consoles.

All these units are available in store or online here.

Thanks,

Matt.

Spank! Records.

Deckadance DJ Software available now.

 

Originally leaked to the internet as a Beta, Deckadance DJ software, from the makers of FL-Studio (Fruityloops) has arrived in our charming little store in its completed incarnation, ready to shake some cages as the first truly open-source Virtual DJ program. With a number of innovative little features that push the boundaries of what you can expect your software platform to do, Deckadance is a program that the digital DJ should stop and have a good look at.

So, here's the run down. Firstly, you’ve got a layout/DJing features in the mold of your Traktor/Serato’s. You can use the control vinyl from any other Digital DJ platform, with preconfigured settings to read the time-code off msPinky, Stanton FinalScratch, MixVibes, Serato Scratch Live, Virtual DJ, PCDJ Reflex & Torq. There are also pre-mapped configurations for the all the big Midi DJ controllers (list here). You can load the whole program as a VSTi in a master program like Ableton and the program accepts VST input for extra FX processing. There is also an 8 channel sampler/re-looped that comes as part of the program for live deconstruction/reconstruction of tracks. You can even control the lighting rig with DMX controls installed as part of the program. Interested yet? Thought so. You can find a full run down at the Deckadance website here.

Early reviews of this product are looking good, it doesn't just talk big but actually delivers on all of its features at a seriously competitive price! You can check this product out in store or online here.

Thanks,
Matt.

Belkin Go-Studio Ipod Recording Device.

Hooray for useful Gadgetry! Bringing your iPod up to speed with your day to day recording needs, the Belkin GoStudio is a cost effective, easy to handle way to make clear room recordings using either your own or built-in microphones.

Recording directly into your iPod at 16-bit, 44kHz digital audio quality there are two combo (XLR and 1/4 Jack) inputs, a 3.5mm mini-jack microphone input or two built in microphones on either side of the unit to choose from. Master gain/level and monitor level adjustments allow you to quickly and accurately gauge that you're getting an audible recording without any unnecessary noise or clipping.

Once the recordings have been made on your iPod you can transfer them back and forward off your computer as you would any other mp3! Check them out in-store or online here.

Thanks,

Matt

Spank! Records.

Numark X6 and X9's instore.

We have two new mixers from Numark in-stock, introducing the X6 and X9. In a revised format the Numark X6 and X9 include

•  24-bit, no-noise, no-distortion digital mixing with Alesis technology
•  Digital effects interface with 12 BEAT SYNC effects with wet/dry control
•  Vocoder, Tape Echo, Echo, Flanger, Phaser, Filter, two type of Reverbs, and more
•  Microphone channel with gain, EQ, on/off switch, and aux input
•  Three-band rotary EQ, three-band push-button Kills and gain on each channel

These mixers come in Two-channel and Three channel flavors, each channel including a switchable phone/line input and a dedicated line input. Both of these mixers would make either an excellent introductory unit for the new DJ or a flexible, portable mixer for the more advanced, guaranteed to give you all the features you need to put life into your set.

You can check them out instore or online here.

Thanks,

Matt.
Spank! Records. 

Kaossilators in store now!

Expanding on it's already formidable KAOS line of products, we're proud to introduce the Korg KAOSSILATOR into the Spank! stable of synthesis products. Offering fast flexible controls on a super responsive X/Y pad (no classical training required, all you need is your ears and sense of pitch!). Built in to this product you will find

•  Synth, sound-effects, and drum sounds, for a total of 100 powerful sound programs.
•  31 scale patterns let you easily play a wide variety of “always perfect” phrases.
•  50 types of gate arpeggiation help you perform complex rhythmic patterns.
•  Loop Recording allows multiple phrase overdubbing to create complete grooves.

To quote the great Mark Murphy himself, the KORG Kaoscillator is a veritable 'band in your hand'.

I've had a play with one and I was very impressed. Looping is quick and easy, the ability to change the scale on the arp and tap tempo means you can very quickly get things in sync with other midi devices/live players (who uses those anymore!?), the X/Y controls are really accurate so you can zone in on pitch very naturally to "play" the pad and even though it's only an 8 beat loop there is so much variation in the tones/FX you can add it's easy to keep loops varied, flowing and interesting.

You can pick one up in-store or online here.

Thanks,

Matt.

Spank! Records.