When
Pioneer DJ debuted its DDJ-REV series, the company delivered a flexible
tool optimized for battles. While the DDJ-REV5 is a shoo-in for any
battle, its array of versatile, cutting-edge performance features will
guarantee victory in any musical arena. Sixteen performance pads provide
a slew of opportunities, from the standard likes of Hot Cue, Roll Saved
Loop, and Sampler functions to impressively flexible musical tools. The
all-new Piano Play mode, for example, transforms the 16 pads into a
series of cue-point triggers that are arranged by semitones and mapped
to the buttons like the white and black keys of a piano. With three
different scales available, you’ve got a completely new way to envision
how your tracks and parts relate to one another. Furthermore, Combo Pad
mode splits each deck’s eight respective pads into a customizable
combination of performance modes.
Stem separation for uninhibited remix possibilities
The
DDJ-REV5’s onboard compatibility with Serato DJ Pro and rekordbox isn’t
just for seamlessly moving between two USB-C-connected computers across
both pieces of software. Dedicated, backlit pads are designed to
provide instant access to stems from any track, broken out by vocals,
drums, basses, and melodies when using Serato DJ Pro. With rekordbox,
stems are separated by vocals, drums, and a more-inclusive instrument
category. You’re even able to adjust the volume of and mute stems
individually for dynamic, real-time mixing and mash-ups. Deck Move and
Dual Deck modes grant even more flexibility: the former allowing you
quick, one-button deck movement; the latter lets you control the two
decks of each side simultaneously. Taken together, your creative
potential for mind-melting remixes and mash-ups is virtually limitless.
Advanced transition control and inspiring arrangements
With
the DDJ-REV5, Pioneer DJ sought to blend the tactility and ethos of
analog-style open-format scratching with cutting-edge control. Each
large jog wheel is textured to resemble a vinyl record, while the
hyper-precise Magvel crossfader is constructed from rugged metal to hold
up to the most aggressive beat juggling. The jog wheels can even be
customized via the Jog Feel feature, allowing you to dial in the perfect
weight for your style. With so many onboard performance tools to
explore, you might find yourself wishing you had more hands.
Fortunately, Pioneer DJ has yet another innovative tool to help with
that: Auto bpm Transitioning. All you need to do is cue the number of
bars for the transition to take place, select the starting point of the
next track, and DDJ-REV5 does the rest, automatically adjusting the
tempo at a rate consistent with the gap. Plus, Stems, Auto Loop, and Key
Lock controls can be implemented with these transitions so you can get
hands-on with the three dedicated FX slots, lever FX, per-deck 3-band
EQ, multimode filters, or any other performance tool for complex,
detailed, and explosive transitions.