Hello, I’ve started learning to DJ using djay Pro on my iPhone 12 mini. Everything works really well, but the two issues I’m encountering make me think the device might not be powerful enough—could you confirm this?
I mix using my Spotify playlists, and everything runs smoothly for hours. However, if I try to mix using local files (320kbps MP3s), the app glitches. Also, if I switch away from the app (even just to use the web browser) while a Spotify mix is running fine, djay completely crashes when I return to it, and I’m forced to restart my phone. I’m currently on iOS 18.3.2; I’m hesitant to update because I’ve read reports about potential battery life issues.
Hi @j0lindien, welcome to the Community! Your iPhone 12 Mini should work fine with djay as it supports 100% Neural Mix Quality:
I recommend that you start by reviewing my personal tips for DJing on iOS devices and see if that helps. If not, please let me know and we can do some more targeted troubleshooting with your specific setup. Thanks!
Thanks for the help. Which software or app can I use to back up my iPhone? However, I don’t think that will have a direct impact on my problems. Do you have any other ideas about what I could do? Thanks.
Sorry, but… Slack Jaw’s tips and tricks mention that backing up via iCloud isn’t recommended—that’s why I’m asking. I don’t really know much about it; in fact, I’ve never done a backup before. But I think I’ve found the solution to my problem. I switched to hardware mode in Djay, and it seems to be working without any bugs now. Does that sound right? Is it recommended to use this mode when connected to a controller? I’m using an FLX4… Thanks.
Yes, use hardware mode when connected to that, and most importantly don’t try and use the phone for anything else when DJing with it, if you really need to use your phone for other things, consider using a laptop or tablet for Djay Pro to free up your phone for phone use.
In fact as useful as the phone is, a laptop is infinitely better as a device for DJing with.
Maybe that came across the wrong way… sorry! But what kind of backup are we talking about here? Are we really talking about a full iPhone backup? There’s no better way to do that than through iCloud, which is by far the most reliable option. If @Slak_Jaw actually advised against it, I’d be interested to know why.
Or is this perhaps a backup of the Djay database after all? It might actually be a good idea to create a separate copy of it so it can be quickly accessed if needed.
“Hardware Mode” is ultimately just another view, just like “Classic” or “Pro” - it’s simply tailored to the controller you’re using. It’s an option - I use it too - but it really depends on personal preference.
That shouldn’t actually have any impact on the problem you described. If it does, in my opinion, that points to an internal issue - which doesn’t necessarily have to be caused by Djay, but could also be due to other programs, apps, or even system components. And unfortunately, there are many possibilities. I would probably go to the trouble of completely resetting the iPhone and setting it up from scratch.
Basically, I agree with you when you say that you shouldn’t use your iPhone for other things whilst DJing. In theory, that shouldn’t be a problem, but it naturally carries risks – though that’s always the case, regardless of the device you’re using, even with a laptop.
And whether a laptop is generally the better choice is certainly open to debate. I find it very pleasant not to have to work that way anymore, and many others feel the same – and ultimately, that’s exactly what drew many people to Djay in the first place. But – and here we’re on the same page again – I’d also tend to recommend an iPad, simply because the screen is bigger and therefore offers additional options.
Ultimately, though, everyone can - and should, of course - use it in whatever way suits them best. As for me, at any rate, my laptop days are well and truly over, in other areas too.
I keep gravitating back to my laptop for DJing with (when im using any kind of software), the laptop is still thin and light and works with a single cable (due to USB-C PD) and offers a much larger screen, much more power, more internal memory, a physical keyboard, better cooling etc.
Taking an iphone as an example, to spec one up with the same memory as my laptop, i might as well buy a cheaper phone and a laptop.
But yes it is quite a cool feature to be able to DJ on your phone, just ergonomically not so much.
I would say that the risk is far higher with a phone trying to do other tasks though as you’re essentially leaving the app to use another one, due to not having windowing of apps. Although ive never used any device for anything else when im DJing, i think it goes completely against the whole ethos of what DJing is about, i.e. focusing on the music.
Thanks for your replies—I’ll see what I can do to optimize my iPhone.
I made this choice because I’m just starting out; I don’t have a computer and don’t want to buy one. If I enjoy DJing, then I’ll switch to an iPad or a standalone controller.
Good idea Chris, an important wider message around using DJing as a form of escapism from all the distractions a phone can offer too, it’s a perfect out from all that for a few hours.
For example I’ll be on my decks tonight to forget about Englands woeful exit from the World Cup
I’m not sure what @j0lindien, is referring to here. I don’t believe I’ve ever suggested not using the built-in iOS iCloud Backups. Perhaps something related to keeping an additional offline backup that doesn’t get automatically overwritten so you can roll back to a previous version of djay if needed.
My FLX4 is plugged into the wall via USB-C, and my iPhone is connected to the FLX4 via USB-C to Lightning—it’s charging just fine.
I’ll try to take a screenshot if the problem comes back, but as I mentioned, it seems to have been resolved since I changed the mode, even if it’s apparently just a coincidence…
"Backup before Updating: before updating your OS or App, perform a full system backup that allows you to rollback to a version you know is stable. a. Don’t rely on iCloud backups as these are automatically overwritten and you’ll lose your stable backup version."
Hi @j0lindien, what I meant by this, is it’s unreliable as a way to roll back to a specific version of djay if you want to as the backup is automatically overwritten. For your use case, iCloud backups are perfectly fine.
