We are excited to announce Deckadance 2 is now available for your PC or MAC from just $79 USD. Deckadance 2 is perfectly suited to today's evolving 'remix-style' DJ performances and works as a stand-alone application or VST plugin in your favorite host such as FL Studio. Deckadance 2 is a free update for existing customers. Once you follow the 5 steps in the voucher, you have to enter in your Image-Line account and select 'My licenses' in the left column. Click on 'Deckadance v2 LE (Behringer OEM)' product and you will find a text about the Gibson acquisition of DD, some info about how to move your account to Gibson and you will find also a link 'Upgrade to Deckadance DVS for 49$'.

Deckadance (often referred to as DD) is a DJconsole and mixing tool developed by Image-Line software and acquired in 2015 by Gibson.^[1][2] Initially released in May 2007,^[3] it operates on Windows and Mac OS X, and comes in a House Edition and Club Edition. The latter has support for timecodedvinyl.^[4]

Deckadance can be used as a standalone application or as a VSTplugin inside VST-supporting software hosts^[2] like Ableton Live.^[5] It can host any VST-compliant effect or software synthesizer,^[4] and can be controlled by most Midi controllers.^[6]

History[edit]

Deckadance was created by Image-Line as a mixingapplication for DJs.^[7] Image-Line worked closely with DJ and programmerArguru to develop the first version,^[3] which was released for Windows in May 2007.^[3][7] After Arguru died in a car accident in June 2007, future versions were worked on by the Image-Line developers Arguru had been cooperating with,^[3] many of whom are also DJs.^[8] Deckadance was made compatible with Mac OS X after the release of version 1.20.0 in January 2008.^[3] The most recent release is version 2.43 from April 28, 2015.^[7]

Software overview[edit]

System requirements

As of version 1.9, the minimum system requirements for Deckadance on a PC are Windows 7, Vista, or XP (SP2). Hardware requirements consist of 512 MBRAM, 200 MB free hard drive space, and a DirectSound or ASIO compatible soundcard. Also required is either an Intel Pentium III 1 GHz or AMDAthlon XP 1.4 GHz processor. A Mac requires Mac OS X v10.4 (Universal binary), 512 Mb RAM, 200 Mb free hard drive space, and a sound card with CoreAudiodrivers. Processor must be either G4 1.5 GHz or Intel Core Duo family.^[9][10]

Versions

Deckadance is available in two different editions. The House Edition can host VST compliant effects and can be controlled via a MIDI controller. The Club Edition contains all of the features of the House Edition, in addition to support for timecodedvinyls.^[4][5]

Features[edit]

Among Deckadance features are iTunes integration,^[11] an audio synchronization engine that can work in tandem with other VST hosts such as Ableton Live, a detachable Song Manager (SM) that can integrate with iTunes, zPlane Elastique technology,^[7] a colored waveform with red to distinguish bass, the ability to time-code your own CD (Club Edition), beat detection, a 2-channel mixer with 3-band EQ,^[12] and headphone cueing. As of version 1.9 Deckadance has seven internal performance effects, including LP, HP, BP, Notch, Phaser, Echo, and Low fidelity.^[11]

• User Interface - Deckadance uses a GUI that slightly resembles that of Image-Line's digital audio workstationFL Studio,^[13] which consists of one main window that can expand to fill the entire screen. As of 1.3x there are 6 changeable user skins. As of version 1.9, the program no longer covers the start bar and the icons resemble those of Apple's Aqua graphics.
• VST options - Deckadance is designed to work either as a standalone program or as a VSTi 2.4plugin inside VST-supporting software hosts.^[10] For example, Deckadance can be used as a plugin in digital audio workstations such as FL Studio, Ableton Live, Cakewalk Sonar, and Cubase.^[14] Deckadance can host VST-compliant effects or software synthesizers,^[4] and the VSTs can be controlled with MIDI files, making Deckadance into an 8 track music sequencer.^[15]
• Samplers - Deckadance has eight integrated sampler banks that can save 1, 2, 4, or 8 beat patternloops from the decks. The sampling process works in conjunction with a beatdetection feature, meaning the samples can be automatically synced to tempo. There is a volume control for sampler slot output, and effects can be layered onto the sample banks.^[16] It also allows for the recording and looping of live audio.^[11]
• ReLooper - The ReLooper slices and re-arranges samples in the playback buffer for either Deck A or Deck B, with the looped region defined by beat markers. Master ReLooper effects include a wha-wha filter, panoramic LFO, ring-modulator, and track-coder that combines a vocoder and low-fi distortion effect.^[17]

Controllers[edit]

Deckadance can be controlled using a mouse, keyboard, CD system, MIDI controller, or in the case of the Club Edition, timecoded vinyl.^[8] The program uses a MIDI auto detection system.^[11] Deckadance works with several timecoded vinyl and CDs.^[4][18] Through an 'autolearning system,' Image-Line claims the program can use essentially all CD and vinyl controllers on the market.^[11] When using vinyl, the program distinguishes between 'absolute mode', which allows for needle dropping and jump track position from the vinyl, and 'relative mode', which doesn't. Both modes allow for scratching and the manual control of playback speed and direction.^[18]

Version history[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'Image-Line Deckadance'. Music Radar. October 23, 2007. Archived from the original on September 18, 2012. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
2. ^ ^abGolden, Ean (May 1, 2008). 'Review: Image Line DeckaDance 1.2'. Electronic Musician. Archived from the original on November 26, 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
3. ^ ^abcdefg'Deckadance Version History'. Image-Line. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
4. ^ ^abcdef'Deckadance 1.31.3'. Tucows. October 14, 2008. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
5. ^ ^ab'Deckadance Features List'. Image-Line. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
6. ^ ^ab'Midi Control'. Image-Line. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
7. ^ ^abcd'Deckadance 1.9'. Image-Line. May 24, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
8. ^ ^ab'Overview'. Deckadance. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
9. ^'Download System Requirements for 1.9'. Deckadance. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
10. ^ ^ab'Deckadance'. Image-Line. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
11. ^ ^abcde'Features'. Deckadance. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
12. ^Manish (September 26, 2010). 'Deckadance 1.3 - Ready to Rock?'. DJ Tech Tools. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
13. ^Simmons, Todd (August 30, 2007). 'Deckadance Review: Image-Line's New DJ Mixing Software'. Internet DJ. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
14. ^'Deckadance as VST Plugin'. Image-Line. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
15. ^'VST Host'. Image-Line. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
16. ^'Samplers'. Image-Line. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
17. ^'Looping'. Image-Line. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
18. ^ ^ab'Vinyl Control'. Image-Line. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
19. ^'Image of Deckadance process in the Activity Monitor running on a MacBook Pro'. Image-Line. Retrieved 2011-06-30.^{[permanent dead link]}
20. ^'Deckadance v1.30.7 Release Candidate'. Image-Line. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
21. ^'Deckadance v1.30.8 Release Candidate'. Image-Line. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
22. ^'News: Deckadance Version 1.40.3'. Image-Line. December 28, 2008. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
23. ^ ^ab'News: Deckadance Version 1.7'. Image-Line. July 27, 2010. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
24. ^ ^ab'News: Deckadance Version 1.8'. Image-Line. November 21, 2010. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
25. ^'Deckadance 2'. www.image-line.com.

External links[edit]

Deckadance2 Version 2.51 marks the release of Deckadance under the Stanton DJ Brand. With both DVS and Standard versions available, Stanton's site claims that Deckadance2 will be useful for professional and bedroom DJs alike. The Deckadance2 DVS edition includes all the features of the Standard edition plus Vinyl/CD timecode support and the ability to generate a timecode file to be burned to CD. Would this software program really be able to stand up to the rigors of live performance? I loaded up my digital library, and I took a look under the hood...

New Features

Deckdance2 has many updates, perhaps many of these are a result of the new partnership with Stanton. Version 2.51 features four decks (DJs can select between either 2 or 4 deck mixing mode), Smartknobs, Grossbeat 'glitch effects', Smart Utility Panels, beat matching, and supports a variety of audio formats, including MP3, FLAC, M4A, WMA, WAV, AIFF and Ogg. There's also a Sampler, an audio recorder that records in .wav format, automated gain control for tracks and a VST host and client, which allows users to use Deckadance2 in DAWs or use your VSTs inside the software.

Installation and Layout

Deckdance2 has a demo version on the Stanton DJ website and both Mac and PC versions are available for free download. The software is laid out in a familiar style; it looks as though it’s modeled after Traktor. DJs can switch between 2 or 4 deck mode easily by clicking in the top left-hand corner. Beside the Deck mode are buttons for the Preferences, Full Screen Mode, Record and Snap and Quantize.

Playlists can be created in Deckadance2, or you configure the software to display your iTunes library. Tracks can be loaded by dragging and dropping and played using the large Play button. There's a Master/Sync button in the right-hand corner of each deck, and the beat grids seemed to be fairly accurate, although not quite as perfect as some of the more expensive DJ software programs.

Utility Panels

Deckadance2 gets a little bit creative with its advanced utility panels, which are on the left-hand side of each player. Each of the creative functions, such as Loops, Cues, Grids, DVS, Key, SmartKnob, EQ, Gain and Filter, Mix & Isolator, Effects and Grossbeat can be individually selected and turned on. The number of visible panels can be selected and changed, making the layout of Deckadance2 up to the individual's preference.

My favorite of the utility panels are the Smartknobs, which are user programmable envelope controls over multiple interface targets. DJs can select the interfaces (e.g., EQ, Filter, Dry/Wet, Volume, VST On/Off) and draw in envelope curves. The Smartknobs can be used to sweep over the track; if these are setup carefully in preparation for a set, it’s possible to create some pretty slick sounding one knob sweeps. Overall the effects in Deckadance2 sounded very clean. I wasn't quite as keen on the new Grossbeat effects, which are programmable glitchy FX. I felt that these FX changed the song too radically, and didn't sound professional enough to be used in sets.

Center of Attention

Stanton Deckadance Dvs 5

In the center of the software is a switchable panel that displays either the mixer, FX, samples, waveforms, VSTs and the Grossbeat effects. The panels can be displayed by clicking on the buttons at the top. One section I really enjoyed using is the Sampler, which allows you to load samples in from either deck or the library and play them on the 16 pad grid—It's worth noting that Deckadance2 is MIDI compatible, so the grid buttons could be assigned to a MIDI controller. This type of switchable layout does help to clear up screen space, but requires a lot of clicking back and forth between different sections during sets.

Summary

Deckadance2 is completely useable, functional DJ software that allows DJs to mix and add creative effects. Considering its layout and my experience with its beat gridding, I see it being a little more useful for bedroom, beginner, intermediate and mobile DJs. Given its price point, ($49 for the Standard version, $79 for the DVS version) Deckadance2 offers good value and features that you'll find in professional DJ programs. It works well and gives DJs creative control over their tracks and mixes. Not a bad deal at all for under $100!

Stanton Deckadance Dvs Pro

Price: 49 for the Standard version, $79 for the DVS version

Pros: 2 or 4 Deck Mixing, Smart Knobs, Sampler, Nice GUI layout, Affordably priced.

Cons: Deckadance 2 requires more 'clicking' around to access functions and parameters that I need to access quickly during sets. I prefer to have more controls accessible to me on the screen at any given time. I thought it was interesting that the software offers the ability to use VSTs within it, although I don't know many DJs who would use this feature in a live performance. The automatic beatgrids did not seem to work perfectly; perhaps they would with more time spent tweaking them, but the automatic ones on even simple songs were not spot on to my ears.

Stanton Deckadance Dvs Edition

Web: http://www.stantondj.com/deckadance-2.html

Stanton Deckadance Dvs 4