This is a copy and paste review from our blog enjoy 
So as we have mentioned a couple times before, we now have the M-Audio Torque software in our studio and have used it on several mixes now. So, I thought I would write a review on it since it is fresh on the market recently released last month.
For anyone that has used the Rane Serato software, the M-Audio Torque will be a breeze to pick up. It functions almost exactly like Serato. In fact, the skin even looks like the Serato skin. Don’t worry though, M-Audio packed it full of preset skins to change the look of the program, you can even color match it to your lap top
If you are unfamiliar with Serato or other programs like it, let me briefly explain the idea behind this new technology. For some time now DJs have been crossing over from traditional vinyl records on turntables to the new CDs played on CD turntables. This has many advantages, namely the fact that a DJ can play any MP3 they own on the CD turntable and mix it into their mix. There has always been a faction of DJs who have rejected this new style of mixing for various reasons. In all honesty, most of the DJs who reject the CD turntables, do so simply because they are too used to the vinyl mixing to even try CDs and thus, they make up reasons why CD mixing is inferior, when in fact they have never even tried it. There is however, some truth in their complaints. For most DJs it is easier to mix with actual vinyl. There is a record spinning there that can be touched and moved in order to match the beats and phrases, as opposed to a little wheel you have to move on the CD turntables and a cue button to phrase and beat match. The programs such as Serato and Torque bridge this gap. They allow you to spin any MP3 file stored on your lap top via an actual vinyl record. So DJs can now take their entire MP3 library with them to a gig and mix it on a vinyl record with all of their real vinyl records. Sound too good to be true? Maybe… but that’s how it works
As many of you are aware, or at least those who have seen pictures of the studio, Elucidate sets are mixed on 3 turntables with all vinyl. That includes the use of Serato for many of the tracks. We would sometimes run into problems when using Serato though. Even with a very fast processor in a lap top running only the Serato program, we would get some major lag. When recording a mix for the radio even 1 lag stutter would ruin the whole mix. So we quickly ditched Serato, or at least used it very little. Then we heard about the new M-Audio program. From what we had read, it was said to use far less processor then any of its contemporaries and supported VST effects to boot! Furthermore, the week it was release we reserved a copy of the program at Guitar Center.
The night I picked up the program was crazy. I was in SF meeting with the other half of Elucidate and we were at a Guitar Center looking at synths. I had planned to purchase the M-Audio product that night and test it out at a gig I had later that night in another city. After perusing the synths at Guitar Center I went to purchase the M-Audio. Sold out. Not good news considering I had a gig in 3 hours in another city. With some quick thinking I had the sales associate at the SF Guitar Center call their store in Sacramento (the city where my gig was) and reserve their last copy of the program. I smashed down to the Sacramento Guitar Center in about an hour (normally travel time from SF to Sacramento is about 2 hours by car). I picked up my new M-Audio Torque and busted it open in the car. By the time I was at the gig setting up I had the program up and running. Being familiar with Serato I had the program down within minutes, and as people started pouring into the club I was rocking it on 2 turntables with all MP3s from my lap top. I switched to regular vinyl with ease and back to the lap top with not hiccups. I played for 5 hours that night without a single lag issue. This was my new best friend. Where Serato failed me, the M-Audio was a workhorse, running smoothly in a hot club environment for 5 hours straight.
For the next week or so I played with it and really learned the ins and outs of the program. One of the best features of the Torque is its support for VST and midi controllers. Elucidate is all about live production in cooperation with mixing records, and this program fits that bill perfectly. With the VST effects dropped into the program, when my partner is not creating synth leads or pads live from his lap top midi set up, he can mess with another midi controller connected to my lap top which controls a VST with effects to add flange, reverb, tape echo, phasing etc. to the records I am mixing live. In addition to this, since I am spinning MP3s on vinyl, I can mix all of the Elucidate remixes in on vinyl. For us, this program is perfect and performs amazingly. I recommend it to anyone looking at purchasing Serato, or Final Scratch… you will be pleasantly surprised with M-Audio’s program
Hope this review helps everyone!
Cheers,
Elucidate
the original post can be viewed here: http://elucidatemusic.blogspot.com
So as we have mentioned a couple times before, we now have the M-Audio Torque software in our studio and have used it on several mixes now. So, I thought I would write a review on it since it is fresh on the market recently released last month.
For anyone that has used the Rane Serato software, the M-Audio Torque will be a breeze to pick up. It functions almost exactly like Serato. In fact, the skin even looks like the Serato skin. Don’t worry though, M-Audio packed it full of preset skins to change the look of the program, you can even color match it to your lap top
If you are unfamiliar with Serato or other programs like it, let me briefly explain the idea behind this new technology. For some time now DJs have been crossing over from traditional vinyl records on turntables to the new CDs played on CD turntables. This has many advantages, namely the fact that a DJ can play any MP3 they own on the CD turntable and mix it into their mix. There has always been a faction of DJs who have rejected this new style of mixing for various reasons. In all honesty, most of the DJs who reject the CD turntables, do so simply because they are too used to the vinyl mixing to even try CDs and thus, they make up reasons why CD mixing is inferior, when in fact they have never even tried it. There is however, some truth in their complaints. For most DJs it is easier to mix with actual vinyl. There is a record spinning there that can be touched and moved in order to match the beats and phrases, as opposed to a little wheel you have to move on the CD turntables and a cue button to phrase and beat match. The programs such as Serato and Torque bridge this gap. They allow you to spin any MP3 file stored on your lap top via an actual vinyl record. So DJs can now take their entire MP3 library with them to a gig and mix it on a vinyl record with all of their real vinyl records. Sound too good to be true? Maybe… but that’s how it works
As many of you are aware, or at least those who have seen pictures of the studio, Elucidate sets are mixed on 3 turntables with all vinyl. That includes the use of Serato for many of the tracks. We would sometimes run into problems when using Serato though. Even with a very fast processor in a lap top running only the Serato program, we would get some major lag. When recording a mix for the radio even 1 lag stutter would ruin the whole mix. So we quickly ditched Serato, or at least used it very little. Then we heard about the new M-Audio program. From what we had read, it was said to use far less processor then any of its contemporaries and supported VST effects to boot! Furthermore, the week it was release we reserved a copy of the program at Guitar Center.
The night I picked up the program was crazy. I was in SF meeting with the other half of Elucidate and we were at a Guitar Center looking at synths. I had planned to purchase the M-Audio product that night and test it out at a gig I had later that night in another city. After perusing the synths at Guitar Center I went to purchase the M-Audio. Sold out. Not good news considering I had a gig in 3 hours in another city. With some quick thinking I had the sales associate at the SF Guitar Center call their store in Sacramento (the city where my gig was) and reserve their last copy of the program. I smashed down to the Sacramento Guitar Center in about an hour (normally travel time from SF to Sacramento is about 2 hours by car). I picked up my new M-Audio Torque and busted it open in the car. By the time I was at the gig setting up I had the program up and running. Being familiar with Serato I had the program down within minutes, and as people started pouring into the club I was rocking it on 2 turntables with all MP3s from my lap top. I switched to regular vinyl with ease and back to the lap top with not hiccups. I played for 5 hours that night without a single lag issue. This was my new best friend. Where Serato failed me, the M-Audio was a workhorse, running smoothly in a hot club environment for 5 hours straight.
For the next week or so I played with it and really learned the ins and outs of the program. One of the best features of the Torque is its support for VST and midi controllers. Elucidate is all about live production in cooperation with mixing records, and this program fits that bill perfectly. With the VST effects dropped into the program, when my partner is not creating synth leads or pads live from his lap top midi set up, he can mess with another midi controller connected to my lap top which controls a VST with effects to add flange, reverb, tape echo, phasing etc. to the records I am mixing live. In addition to this, since I am spinning MP3s on vinyl, I can mix all of the Elucidate remixes in on vinyl. For us, this program is perfect and performs amazingly. I recommend it to anyone looking at purchasing Serato, or Final Scratch… you will be pleasantly surprised with M-Audio’s program
Hope this review helps everyone!
Cheers,
Elucidate
the original post can be viewed here: http://elucidatemusic.blogspot.com
