APP REVIEW: REMOTE BOX

As far as digital DJing is concerned it seems as though the iPad’s time has finally come, with various manufacturers releasing apps to expand the functions of their devices via that gorgeous touch-screen. Pioneer have been leading the charge into mobile device connectivity and have been rather generous by giving their pro DJ apps away free. Pioneer’s Remotebox App is designed specifically for use with their XDJ-R1 and expands the reach of this controller as well as providing wireless control of the mixer and deck sections away from the DJ booth.

Remote Box gives complete control of the deck and mixer sections of the XDJ-R1 controller via Wi-Fi as well offering a rather tasty new way to control effects via a nifty X-Y touch-pad that combines beat and colour effects into one control.

When an iPad is in portrait mode, the app is divided into four main screens that are used for track browsing, effect control, deck control and mixer functions but when the device is flipped into landscape, the mixer, X-Y pad and loop cutter controls are combined on one screen to really open up possibilities for creative trickery.

This app really does offer complete control of all but a few of the XDJ-R1 functions as well as opening up further functions not found on the hardware, such as the X-Y effect controls and the ability to strip-search tracks. The user interface design is clean and user-friendly, managing to pack a lot of functions into the screens without being overwhelming.

App: Remote Box
Developer: Pioneer
Format: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
Price: Free

8/10