Top 10: Creative tasks with an iPad

5: DJing

Even small parties or events can benefit from someone cueing up tracks to fit the mood, so why not use your iPad to help you get the most from your MP3s.We’ve seen lots of DJing software for the PC, but without the help of specialist hardware, trying to perform professional staples such as scratching and beat mixing (where one track blends seamlessly with another) is extremely tricky to achieve with a mouse. Everything changes once you move to the iPad, where you can keep one hand on the ‘vinyl’ and the other on the crossfader.

The djay app by algoriddim (£13.99) isn’t cheap but it’s extremely capable and polished. It’s even better with help from the Griffin DJ Cable (£18), which splits the left and right signals from the headphone socket – sending one to your speakers and the other to your headphones – so you can cue up the next track.

Thanks to the iPad’s multi-touch interface, this is as close as DJ software gets to the real thing

The app faithfully emulates the Technics turntable experience, right down to the red power LED that can be pushed for authentic brake effects. The tactile spinning discs make it easy to perform scratches or to cue up the start of a track, and it’s even possible to pick up and move the needle. Accurate tempo detection and automatic synchronisation make it easy to beat mix, and tracks – taken from the iPad’s standard music library – are shown with their tempos when browsing. Three-band EQ, comprehensive looping facilities and cue points complete an impressive line-up of features.

We’re not sure that the sound quality and durability of the iPad’s headphone output is up to the demands of professional use, but the Alesis iO Dock (see page 10) looks set to address that issue. With the Griffin DJ Cable, we can’t imagine a better setup for parties. The djay app is a class act and the touchscreen provides a rewarding tactile experience. It’s also more resilient than a laptop to beer-soaked fingers.