VirtualDJ, on the other hand, automatically analyses regular stereo files before clever code separates the tracks into groups that can be manipulated almost instantly. Native Instruments tried to get something similar off the ground with its STEMS format in Traktor but the tedious process of exporting finished songs into individual multitrack MP4 format stems meant that it never made a major impact. Stem separation allows users to isolate and remove elements of any audio track loaded onto the decks. It was even the program that sparked this writer’s desire to start mixing and scratching back in 2010.Ītomix got pulses racing in June when it released its new VirtualDJ 2021 and announced that the software features real-time stem separation, opening up a new frontier for DJs. The software has helped millions of newcomers get their first taste of DJ’ing and VJ’ing without having to spend a penny, and boasts an approachable interface along with all the advanced features you’d get from competing software. It has been downloaded more than 100,000,000 times and has been endorsed by heavyweight DJs such as Carl Cox, Qbert and David Guetta. The reality, though, is that VirtualDJ is the most popular audio and video mixing app in the world. Atomix’s VirtualDJ isn’t often included in the roster of industry-standard DJ’ing software, with Traktor, Serato and Rekordbox usually hogging the decks.