GrandWizard Smartphone DJ by Yu Hiraoka is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2016 A' Design Award d'Argent in Electronica Grand Public Competition Category.

ArgentElectronica Grand Public· 2016

GrandWizard Smartphone DJ

by Yu Hiraoka

Client: Yu Hiraoka Design

A' Design Award d'Argent Winner in Electronica Grand Public Category

24,255

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #38833

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About GrandWizard Smartphone DJ

Lo smartphone GrandWizard espandís las capacitats musicalas dels smartphones convencionals en transformant l'aparelh en una estacion portadissa de mixatge DJ. De comandas intuitivas a esquèrra e a drecha, caduna dedicada a una pista separada, permeton lo mixatge en temps real e la creacion de remixatges. Lo sistèma integrat permet de mesclar e remesclar la musica a tot moment e en tot luòc que l'inspiracion se manifèsta.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award d'Argent

GrandWizard Smartphone DJ a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award d'Argent, una reconeissença extraordinàriament prestigiosa acordada a de designs d'ort de gamma, esplendids e impressionants. Los ganhaires de l'Argent son d'òbras terriblament brilhantas e extrèmament creativas que illustran l'experiéncia, lo talent e la finessa excepcionals de lors designers. S'espèra que GrandWizard Smartphone DJ siá una òbra meravilhosa e de referéncia, notablament professionala e prigondament innovanta. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award d'Argent es una invencion fòrça notabla e admirada, que fa un ben e fa avançar las frontièras de l'art, de la sciéncia, del design e de la tecnologia. GrandWizard Smartphone DJ es una creacion immensament envejada que desrevelha de desirs, aduch de sentiments positius e fa néisser l'estonament e l'esmaiment.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: GrandWizard smartphone goes beyond the MP3 playing functionality of other phones, turning the user into a real life mixmaster DJ!
Sure, there’s an app for that… but this is way more fun! The portable mixing station makes it possible to manipulate and produce remixes using intuitive right and left controls, each dedicated to a track. Make your own remixes while you’re on the go or at any time you’re inspired!
Bring it to a club or a party, or anywhere and play the remixes.
Dimensions & Packaging: Size: (close) 165 x 60 x H16 mm / (open) 165 x 115 x H16 mm
Tags: Smartphone, Dj, Music, Sound, Contemporary, High tec
Production Technology: Material: aluminium
Design Challenge: The trend of digital devices is less physical switches, and more utilisation of touch panel.
However, these things make users feel less dynamism of utilisation. In order to realise more authentic djing performance, I designed the interface and layout based on a real dj turntable, but the interface is not as complicated as a dj turntable and they are very interactive with click wheels and touch panels. Since a dj set consists of three components and each of them has different function, I also designed this device which has three different components and three different main screens. It is a combination of both classic and contemporary interfaces, and it gives users a pleasure to learn and master it.
I made a mock-up model and had DJs to try it out. Based on their feedback, I modified the design in the process of development.
Research: In the beginning of the project, I did research about new smartphone concepts and smartphone technologies for music.
Inspiration: Smartphones have taken the cell phone industry by storm. Coming packed with apps and features that make things seem just a touch away, it’s becoming an integral part of our life with each passing day. All these gadgets come packed with a great music player and speaker options, and many users enjoy listening tracks with them when they are out. And now there are even djing apps for music lovers to play remixes.
But there was one question which came to my mind. Do those apps really satisfy authentic DJs?
I have many DJ friends and they are all heavy smartphone users, but none of them play any of those djing apps even though they love performing in front of people.
I asked them why and they said they don’t like djing with smartphones because they don’t get the dynamic and authentic feelings of djing with them. But they wish to have a portable djing device to bring it to parties instead of bringing a big and heavy djing set.
Project Duration: This work was developed in Milan in 2013.
Operation Flow: Click wheels can be used for mixing, while the screens on the side will lay out tracks for you to edit. There’s also the touch panel at the bottom that can bring an equalizer. This is basically a portable mixing station and if you slide the fader to the left you will manipulate one track on the left screen and doing that on the right will take your music making to the right side. And, the middle screen is where the magic of remixing happens.
GrandWizard is a great item for people who want to show off their expressions and stand out!
Even though the shape specialises in djing, it still is fully functional as a smartphone with touch panels on the upper body.
Also, these three screens enable you to manipulate three different applications at the same time.
Image Credits: Yu Hiraoka Design