Hands off Pioneer’s Future DJ concept. Literally.

Getting hands on DJ gear at a trade show is cool. But Pioneer DJ do not want you to lay your hands on their new gear at all. Their Future DJ concept shown at Ceatec 2014 is a gesture based system for controlling music and effects. Not so much waving your hands in the air... more a little to the left and right but not too far because you'll overbake the effects.

Hands off Pioneer's Future DJ concept. Literally.

Every manufacturer at some point dabbles with some left field ideas. And sometimes this foolishness actually changes the way things work. Pioneer DJ (for that is what they are now) entirely changed the game once before with the CDJs. And after a number of other hand-on gear revolutions in DJing that they we’re involved in, they seem to be dipping their toe in new tech once again, but this time it’s decidedly hands off.

Pioneer DJ future DJ gesture concept
I’m glad the Pioneer Future DJ concept is gesture controlled because I wouldn’t put my hands on that filthy thing.

Ceatec 2014 held in Tokyo played host to the latest and greatest from the world of tech. The BBC amongst others was there to cover the event, and alongside the usual curiosities that are unlikely to be seen outside of Japan anytime soon, this Pioneer “Future DJ” concept was also on show. Looking like a cross between Leapmotion and Wipeout/Tempest, this appears to be taking DJing into a simplified near gaming sphere where single gestures allow you to select and play tracks, and your other hand controls effects.

Hands off Pioneer's Future DJ concept. Literally.Hands off Pioneer's Future DJ concept. Literally.

For all we know, it might be a Leapmotion in a fancier box (I doubt it though), and it seems to be a clear case of throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks. Time has shown that DJs don’t take to kindly to using anything but hand-on techniques — even touch technologies have had a rough ride in the scene. So I’m not sure how an entirely hands-off methodology will be received. That said, I always welcome some boundary pushing as it encourages fresh thinking that can bring smart news ways of doing things, or at least cherry-picking the best bits of crazy ideas and turning them into something practical.

Obviously we’ll post more on this should anything arrive, but I suspect it’ll be a while before this concept turns into anything real.

Gallery

Top image courtesy of wearabletechnologies.co.uk
Other images courtesy of BBC Click (iPlayer link)

Big thanks to Sam Randell for the original BBC Click link too.

Mark Settle
Mark Settle

The old Editor of DJWORX - you can now find Mark at WORXLAB

Articles: 1228

28 Comments

  1. Good luck bringing any camera based motion detection technology into a club. We were experimenting with this in 2011, and club lighting made it totally unreliable. Of course you can have LED fixtures, but camera based tech is very unreliable in clubs, still. Devices like the MYO armband seem the best way for now.

  2. Meh, I mean, this isn’t the worst thing ever, but touch control has barely been made efficient for general use. No-touch control is more of a gimmick. Glad they are trying new things, cause these weird ideas are what usually lead to really solid products.

  3. This is perfect for the pre-recorded set EDM DJs for a couple reasons. 1) It solves the problem of needing to push the Play button before their set. 2) They can use their favorite hand gestures to control the music! For example, the Jesus Christ pose drops the bass, the Hand Heart triggers an epic breakdown, Pointing To the Sky activates an otherworldly buildup and The Cake Toss….well, you’ll have to wait and see. Can you say Game Changer!

  4. I can’t imagine an instance where this gains any traction but in the consumer market of gaming – a combo of Just Dance and DJ Hero. so lots of money to be had if they marketed it well i guess – I’m jumping to some big conclusions. Having tried Kinect/xbox games, I don’t think I would ever want to buy a piece of dj gear for gestured DJing. one word: WACK

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