Celebrating 1 Year of DJ.Studio - Happy Birthday!
It’s time to put on a party hat and a pair of dancing shoes, because today we’re celebrating our first birthday! 🎉
April 2024 marks DJ.Studio’s first anniversary of release, and what a crazy year it’s been…
This article reflects on our year of progress, looking back to the early days of DJ.Studio’s public release, and following the development of the project to today and beyond.
We’ll also do a before and after - showcasing images that show exactly how far the features and design of DJ.Studio have evolved.
And, you’ll get a sneak peak of some exciting features that we’re currently working on, that we are hoping to release soon!
But first…
A Statement From Siebrand Dijkstra, DJ.Studio’s CEO!#
“DJ.Studio’s first year has been nothing short of extraordinary.
I want to express thanks to all our users. Your enthusiasm, support, and creativity have been a driving force behind the success of DJ.Studio. Whether you're a seasoned DJ or someone just starting their musical journey, your passion for our app has made a significant impact with us, and we are grateful for your dedication.
A special shout-out to the incredible DJ.Studio team. Your talent and tireless efforts have been the backbone of our success. Each member has played a crucial role in bringing our vision to life, and I am fortunate to lead such a passionate and dynamic group of individuals.
For the first year, my expectations have been surpassed, and I am confident that the journey ahead will be even more exhilarating.
We are committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation in DJ software. DJ.Studio will continue to be at the forefront of cutting-edge technology, providing you with an unparalleled DJing experience.
Once again, thank you to everyone who has been a part of this incredible journey.
Here's to another fantastic year filled with music, creativity, and endless possibilities!”
~ Siebrand Dijkstra
Founder and CEO, DJ.Studio.
DJ.Studio’s Story So Far…#
So much has changed with DJ.Studio in one year. We continuously listened to our user community and developed the software: the dev team has consistently fixed bugs, added new features, and improved the design.
Some weeks we were pushing out new updates every day, sometimes even multiple times per day! It moves so fast that it’s hard to keep up - so I’ve put together this highlight reel of our most exciting achievements throughout the year.
Let’s start in early 2023, where DJ.Studio’s story began…
Feb & March 2023 - Private Beta#
At this time, DJ.Studio was in private Beta and was only being shared with a select group of DJs and industry members.
We used this to get feedback and input on the direction of the app’s development.
Thanks to all the beta testers who were there at the start! It’s encouraging to see how far the app has come since then.
April 2023 - Early Beta Build & IMS#
DJ.Studio launched officially at IMS Ibiza, in April 2023. Siebrand, Fleur, and Fred flew out to Ibiza to present DJ.Studio at the International Music Summit.
This was our first exposure to the wider public and DJ community, where DJ.Studio was well received!
It was the perfect opportunity for us to get the software in front of the industry, and start getting some serious feedback.
Even though the app was pretty rough back then (especially compared to how good it is now), we got a lot of interest and everybody saw DJ.Studio’s powerful potential. People loved the automix and timeline editor combinations!
We also got featured in Digital DJ Tips!
May 2023 - Music Visualizer & DJ Set Export#
In May 2023 we added the raw version of our music visualizer. This was basic, but it was still pretty revolutionary and made it easy for DJs to create audio-reactive, animated music videos for their mixes. We saw a lot of these uploaded to YouTube, and it was nice to be able to help people who wouldn't normally know how to make these videos.
The video engine has come a long way since then, and now has a timeline editor and thousands of mesmerizing 3D graphics from Shadertoy.
We also published our first Development Update Blog #1!
This month also saw the start of our DJ Set Export function. In this early stage, you could only export your playlist as an ordered M3U8 file. Now, it can include your transition markers when imported to rekordbox!
June 2023 - Ableton Live Integration#
An exciting feature that was added in June was the Ableton Live integration. This made it possible for users to export their DJ.Studio mixes to a multitrack Ableton project with all edits and automation.
This gave users the ability to further mix and master their set in Ableton, as well as add additional samples and voiceovers. As of March 2024, all of these processes can be done directly in DJ.Studio, but you still might want to use Ableton export for something.
July 2023 - Mixed In Key Integration#
In July we launched our Mixed In Key integration, giving DJs access to powerful harmonic and energetic analysis.
You can use Mixed In Key’s powerful key analysis tools to reveal the different energy segments of songs on the timeline, making it easier to create more impactful and flowing mixes.
Find out more here: DJ.Studio X Mixed In Key!
August 2023 - DJ.Studio V2.0: Carousel, UI Upgrades, Performance Boost#
In August, we released a huge update that we felt worthy of calling DJ.Studio 2.0. This featured a complete overhaul of the user interface, several new modes, and tonnes of performance and graphics upgrades.
Carousel View was one of the most notable new additions, giving users a streamlined, intuitive interface for putting together their mixes. We made this for newer DJs to be able to get into the software without needing to be very technical-minded, and for pro DJs looking for a quick and fun workflow.
We also added integration support for Virtual DJ and Traktor, expanded the video options, and improved the stability all around.
You can read all about it in our Development Update Blog #2!
Spotify DJing was another exciting addition, letting you make mixes with music from Spotify! This is one of the only pieces of software that provides this functionality.
September 2023 - 1001Tracklist, YouTube Mix Platform, UI & Automix Improvements#
September 2023 saw several improvements.
We integrated 1001Tracklists, collaborating with the platform to expand music discovery and experimentation inside our app. Users can now get inspired by their favorite DJs - finding their tracklists and adding songs directly to their DJ.Studio project.
As a solution for sharing your YouTube mixes. We launched our online mix-sharing tool, allowing users to share their YouTube mixes online! Our YouTube Mix Community Platform (which has recently seen a massive upgrade) gives users a place to upload and share their YouTube mixes, as well as interact with the DJ.Studio community to give and receive feedback on mixes.
See our Development Update Blog #3 for more details on this era!
October 2023 - ADE, DJ Carlo’s Review#
We attended ADE - Amsterdam Dance Event, where we hosted multiple demos, masterclasses, and dance events. It was great to see some familiar community faces, and meet some of our newest users!
Many of ADE’s highlights were captured on video, so make sure you check these out:
A masterclass with DJ.Studio collaborators, including Laidback Luke, Helen Sartory from Beatport, and Evan Sacks from 1001tracklists.
A masterclass with Siebrand Dijkstra, DJ.Studio’s inventor.
DJ Carlo’s DJ.Studio Review was another cool video from this month, where Carlo reviewed the app on his YouTube channel!
November 2023 - Sample Lanes, ADC, Discord, User Feedback Survey#
We were proud to deliver a massively requested feature - Sample Lanes! This gave you two extra audio lanes, so you could layer in samples, jingles, voiceovers, and other audio recordings - independent of the two main music tracks. Our users were very excited by this feature!
Our dev team made the journey to ADC (Audio Developer Conference) London. This was a great opportunity for them to connect with the audio programming community, and start learning some techniques to create the features that we planned on adding later, like stem separation, mastering, VST support, and performance improvements.
We also upgraded our Rekordbox Hot-Cue Integration, and added an offline mode, so you can make DJ.Studio mixes without the internet!
Our DJ.Studio Discord Server also opened; come and say hi!
Laidback Luke also featured us on his YouTube channel
December 2023 - Shadertoy, Beatport Beta#
Whether you were on the naughty or nice list, Santa Siebrand delivered a sleigh of exciting new features just in time for Christmas!
These gifts included:
Improvements to the effects and automation system
Expanded video creator with Shadertoy animations
The Beatport Streaming integration went into Beta! (More on that later…)
Find out more in our Development Update Blog #4!
January 2024 - Beatport Streaming Beta#
January saw the start of our adventure with Beatport Streaming integration, launching the feature in closed beta.
This new integration allows users to make mixes with any of the 12m+ tracks in the Beatport Streaming catalog - without needing to buy a single track! This is the perfect tool for discovering new music and experimenting with tracks in a mix.
We added a ‘Legalize’ feature, which lets you buy and download the tracks, opening more export options for Beatport Streaming mixes. This enables you to share your mixes on YouTube, or import your playlist into your live mixing software to use in a performance!
February 2024 - Stem Separation Beta#
One of the most popular feature requests was Stem Separation. In February 2024, we finally managed to launch our stem system in Beta!
This enables users to isolate elements of any track, and create new loops, samples, and transitions - making it the perfect tool for unique DJ edits, mashups, and mixes.
You can create vocal acapellas, isolate instrumental loops, or copy out a drum break!
We compared this to many leading stem separation products on the market, and checked that our algorithm competed with (or beat) them. Judge the results yourself!
Video Lane Editing was also added, making our video editor system more robust and customizable. You can now use the timeline to change how the video progresses throughout your mix.
Beatport Streaming also came out of beta this month, and our Beatsource integration went into public beta!
March 2024 - Variable Beat Detection, Improved Library#
We made some huge Improvements to the Stem Separation functionality, giving users a cleaner interface and more ways to use our stem algorithm.
We also made enormous upgrades to our Beat Detection system. Making sure that the beat grid is always perfectly on point, even if your track has variable tempo and doesn’t have a consistent BPM! This unique feature makes it easy for DJs to make beat-matched mixes with older music that wasn’t quantized to a perfect grid.
The Upgraded Music Library Management features make it easier for users to explore their PC’s folder system and files without needing to import all their music. This improves performance and streamlines the file management experience.
April 2024 - VST Beta, Transition UI Upgrades, Mastering#
The effects system got an upgrade, adding new effects, and even the Mastering section. This makes it easy for users to limit and compress their mixes, creating a more consistent volume, and competitive output level.
Sharp-eyed DJ.Studio users might have noticed the start of an exciting new feature added to the software. It’s only in the very early days, but have you noticed the new VST integration? Keep your eyes peeled for more info on this soon!
We also won a bunch of awards - read our 5th Development Update Blog to find out more!
New transition tab: The transition tab has been upgraded, and now you can combine stem separation, EQ and effect transitions together - giving you an unlimited range of transition combinations. Your custom transitions can be saved as quick presets, which can instantly be applied to any mix, or used as automix transitions.
What’s Next for DJ.Studio?#
Wow! What a packed year it’s been. I’m pretty sure I missed a load of developments out - but at least you can get a taste of how busy we’ve been.
For 1 year of development, that’s a pretty impressive list of features. Even in the last 4 weeks, we’ve added so much!
Now that you’ve got an up-to-date history of the project, it’s time to look into my crystal ball to see what the future holds for DJ.Studio’s second year…
Here are some of the upcoming features we’ve been working on, and should be sharing with you soon:
We’re working on a Mobile Application. So you can listen to your mixes wherever you are.
We are extending the YouTube Mix Community Platform so that you can also share mixes that you uploaded to Soundcloud, Mixcloud or YouTube within that same community. Because that's what it is all about - getting people to listen to your mixes!
Phrase Detection, which highlights various phrases of the arrangement of a track, and will be used in the automix calculations to automatically shorten your tracks if you want.
Beatsource integration : this has been in closed beta and is waiting for the AI beatgrd to be officially released.
It’s super exciting to think about where the app will be on its second birthday. (Although let's not wish the time away)!
Before and After Photos#
Let’s have a look at DJ.Studio’s early versions compared with the same features today.
I guess you could call these DJ.Studio’s baby photos? It’s all grown up!
Split Playlist View#
Feb 2023
April 2024
Transition Editor#
March 2023
April 2024
Timeline Editor#
March 2023
April 2024
Automation Window#
March 2023
April 2024
Automix#
March 2023
April 2024
Export#
March 2023
April 2024
Video Creator#
March 2023
April 2024
Carousel / Smart Mode#
March 2023
April 2024
Enjoy The Party!#
From the whole team here at DJ.Studio - thanks to everybody who has used our software, given us feedback, and been by our side on this exciting journey. We are overjoyed to have created software which has helped so many DJs achieve their best results.
Keep using the software, keep giving us feedback, and keep sharing DJ.Studio with your DJ friends!
Let us know what your highlights have been so far for DJ.Studio.
Thanks again, and here is to another fantastic year! 🥂
~ The DJ.Studio Team 💛