Numark Cue

If music and video clips are to play together during a DJ set, the software needs suitable decks, transitions and effects for both media. Numark CUE processes audio and video in parallel and is designed for DJ sets where you want to mix, scratch, loop and sample.

Four interfaces adapt the workspace to different tasks: Basic, Power Audio, Full Video and Audio, and Internal Mixer. This lets you tailor the view to audio or video mixing and to operating the internal mixer. Playback runs via virtual decks; you can control the software with a mouse or compatible MIDI controllers.

The media library supports common audio and video formats. These include MP3, WMA, AAC, OGG, WAV, AVI, MPG, VOB, DivX, DVD and karaoke files in CD+G format. The coloured waveforms can be enlarged and help you prepare transitions visually. BPM Sync and Automix help with matching and playing tracks; for manual adjustment, pitch ranges of 8, 12 and 32 per cent and Keylock are available.

For spontaneous input, each deck has three Hot Cue points and a 12-slot sampler and loop section with direct recording. EasyLoop adds Smartloop and Shift functions. You can record the session internally to the hard drive as MP3 or WAV, burn it to CD, or stream audio and video over the internet.

You can also customise the video output during the set. The software includes effects such as Boom, Camera, Negativ, Slideshow, Strobe and text overlays; a webcam can be integrated using the Camera effect. Transitions such as Cut, Fade, Flip, Slide, Wipe and Zoom are available for changing images. Audio effects such as Backspin, Flanger, Brake and KeyChanger are also included; CUE additionally supports VST plug-ins.

The Power Browser manages songs in a local database. You can search for tracks quickly, create playlists and save them as M3U files, as well as read and edit ID3 tags. Freely assignable keyboard shortcuts let you tailor the controls to your workflow. Other features include networking, a CPU performance display and the stated access to Napster Global Database, Yahoo! Music Unlimited and Virgin Music.

Audio and video DJ sets with effects, transitions, recordings and sampler use are the software’s main focus. It is suitable for computer-based performances where media management and audiovisual playback come together in one DJ application.