What is it?

You probably know what this is already - it's Nintendo’s wireless motion sensitive gaming controller, for the uninitiated - but what is it doing on this list? Yes it's a Wii controller, but at its most basic level it's really just a clever Bluetooth HID device. Bluetooth devices can be paired with most modern laptops, and can therefore be ‘hacked’ so that they become DJ controllers. Just go with us on this one.

WiiJing as it's become known, is the act of DJing using one (or more) Wiimotes to control your favourite DJ software. You will need at least one Wiimote, Bluetooth functionality on your computer, plus an extra piece of software that interprets the Wiimote's gestures. For more information on the technicalities of getting set up check out www.djwiij.com.

What can I do with it?

For all its gimmicky appearance, using Wiimotes can be surprisingly intuitive. There are plenty of videos online of people using them to mix tracks and control effects, which is all you really need. OK, so it might make you look like you are marshalling in an aeroplane, which could be a bit baffling for your audience, but we left convention behind some time ago.

There are pre-made configurations available, but unlike regular MIDI devices these take gestures and button presses, and use an additional layer of software (such as GlovePIE) to convert them into meaningful messages that can be understood by your DJ program.

Read how to use a Wiimote to control Ableton Live