Hybrid DJ/DAWless Features in Alpha 2
This past week we hit a HUGE milestone after nearly 12 months of work: bringing Zero’s core functionality - synced file playback - online. The key systems are functional and ready to work together:
DJ-quality time-stretching – sync two files with different BPMs without affecting audio quality or altering pitch.
Low-latency control input processing – ensures faders and knobs react instantly.
Internal signal routing/DSP engine – DAW-like routing/bussing/FX-stacking system for creating custom mixer setups.
Items 1 and 2 are largely feature-complete as a result of earlier work on Zero’s SDK, however the internal signal routing system saw some exciting new development work this week. This system controls how signals from Zero’s I/O are combined with signals from the internal playback decks.
For example, imagine a DAWless/hybrid DJ setup involving a drum machine, a synth, and a couple external effects stompboxes. Audio from the drum machine and synth can be routed into one of Zero’s playback decks, through that playback deck's EQ/FX chain, routed out to the external effects stompbox chain, then back into Zero’s crossfader.
Alternatively, the drum machine, synth, and external effects can each be assigned to individual audio busses, and sent directly into the main L/R mix. Each of these individual audio busses get their own EQ/FX chains, and each audio bus can be individually controlled with an external knob controller (all parameters – gain, EQ, FX settings, etc. are mappable).
Additionally, signals can be individually mapped to the PFL/headphone cue bus – for previewing sounds during live performance – and at the same time can be individually mapped to the recording bus, capturing everything to a WAV file on the internal drive.
All this customization is managed within Zero’s Soundcard UI, giving control over all routing, DSP, and external control mapping settings. The Soundcard UI can also store and load an unlimited number of customized routing/mapping/settings configurations. It is designed to allow users to save and recall configurations for specific gear/control setups.
This system design has been knocking around in my imagination for years now, so seeing this begin to come together over the week has been a huge thrill.
A great way to start the new year! Up next: working on more of the DJ workflow feature set for Alpha 2 release (EQ, mixing, library integration).