The Pajamahouse Studios crew has been busy since I last reviewed their debut DJ app for the iPhone, Sonorasaurus. They’ve updated the app a few times (number?) and have also come out with an iPad version of their iPhone app, dubbed Sonorasaurus Rex.
I had a chance to play around with the new app (version 2.0) today and really liked what i found. They’ve made some significant improvements since the first app on the iPhone was released, both in the actual DJing interface, as well as the back end interface for loading and managing your tracks.
On With The Review
The first point is quite obvious. The iPad has a larger screen, so there is more real estate to work with, making mixing and toggling the controls much easier. They’ve added a few new features since I last saw the program, including a BPM display and calculator, waveforms for each track, and a cueing options (with the ability to set multiple cue points within a track).
The BPM display and calculator is quite nice (especially for beginning DJs), as it gives you a good idea of what can mix together easily, tempo-wise. If the track you upload doesn’t have BPM info encoded in the track already, you can also use their BPM calculator to set the BPM yourself.
The cue option is also one I like, as it allows you to jump between points in a song with the touch of a button. I typically use this program when I’m on a plane or a subway, and the ability to practice a mix over and over with just a few touches has made practicing a lot easier.
Slight confession: When I learned to DJ, I learned on two turntables and a mixer. No computer, and no waveforms to guide me.
The waveforms in Sonorosaurus Rex are super useful! I adjusted the settings so that they displayed outward instead of inward, and they made it very easy to see where the tracks were going, as well as point out potential errors before they became noticeable to anyone that may be listening.
The iPad version also dedicates more space to the effects, and the buttons for the highs/mids/lows are also a lot easier to toggle. This is mainly due to the larger format of the iPad, but none the less it makes using the program a lot easier.
The only thing that truly bothered me about this version was the dot that pulses on the beat. For minimalist music its pretty accurate, but for more percussion-heavy tracks it ends up pulsing on more than just the beat, which tends to get visually confusing at times. Perhaps an option to have it pulse just on the beat in the next version would save some of the troubles (visually)?
Here’s a good overview of the 1.2 version (no 2.0 video yet)
Overall?
It’s a great program and the improvements I’ve seen since the first iPhone version have made me like it even more. I’m looking forward to seeing what they come out with next, and am hoping to hear that there is some sort of preview feature coming along, so that you can mix in your headphones before letting your audience hear what you’re up to. I know that feature is one that may be limited by the design and capabilities of the product, rather than anything code-wise, but it would still be nice to see.