DJ Tech : Spanish Promotion Agency WIP Bans Traktor From Events

WIP, a Barcelona-based agency and label that throws parties, books events and manages artists, has issued a strong statement on Facebook that they’re no longer going to allow Native Instruments’ Traktor DJ software to be used at events that they throw in the future.
In their statement (Editor’s Update 4:40Pm PST: looks like their Facebook note was taken down or deleted!) the group bemoans not the technology itself, but the type of DJs and performers use the software as some type of a crutch:

“The real issue is with “artists” who swear they can play any format be it CD, vinyl, usb and or Traktor but whose Traktor sets are nothing but stale, bland and outright insulting to a paying crowd and promoter.
We’ve  also grown tired of the endless issues with missing cables, problems with timecode (learn how to use your gear before you play out), taking up the previous Dj’s time to set up your gear (cause you didn’t want to come to the club early and set up your Traktor), how is it you play 5 times a week and still don’t know how to set it up right?
And, more importantly we’re fed up with the general laziness shown by 99% of “artists” that we’ve seen and heard playing Traktor.”

While we’re absolutely not going to pretend like we haven’t seen performers with a lazy style in the club, it’s odd to see this agency point the finger at Traktor. What about performers who cycle through the same CDs every single gig, whose set lists look identical every night? You don’t need to use Traktor to be a bad DJ – Ableton, Scratch Live, ITCH, CD, and even vinyl DJs all are capable of sitting back and not putting on incredible sets if they’re not into it.
Banning Traktor seems a bit excessive – why not instead make sure that the artist puts on great shows? A little bit of research can go a long way, and that’s something that a connected agency and clever event promoter should have a responsibility to do.

Credit : DJ Tech Tools

DJ Tech : Traktor Pro 2.5 and Kontrol F1 Launch

Native Instruments has finally announced the release of Traktor Pro 2.5 and the Kontrol F1 this morning, with an expected in-stores date of May 30th. We’ve got all of the details on the launch, including Native Instruments official promo video with DJ Shiftee. We even landed an interview with Shiftee himself, read on to see his take on the Kontrol F1!

Traktor Kontrol F1

Release Date: May 30th
MSRP: $279 / 249 Euro
What’s Awesome: Integrated LED workflow into Traktor 2.5′s new Remix Decks
Not Quite There: No velocity sensitive pads will limit expression on the pads

Traktor Pro 2.5 Software

Release Date: May 30th
Upgrade: Free for owners of Traktor Pro 2, Traktor Scratch Pro, Traktor Kontrol S2, Traktor Kontrol S4
What’s Awesome: New Remix Decks (pictured above) allow for serious clip launching loop and one shot activation.
Not Quite There: Being able to wire these Remix Decks into a DAW natively (as with The Bridge for Serato) would have been huge.



Credit :DJ Tech Tools

DJ Tech : Traktor Kontrol S2 digital DJ system

Look, last year's Traktor Kontrol S4 was pretty damn awesome but, at $1,000 and about the size of your average Williamsburg DJ, it wasn't exactly for everyone. That's where the S2 comes in. Instead of four channels, it's a "2+1" setup that supplements the two standard audio ones with a dedicated sample channel. You still get the same high-resolution jog wheels and integrated 24bit / 96kHz sound card, but Native Instruments managed to shave a few inches, pounds and bucks off its predecessor. At $669 it's much more affordable -- still not exactly an impulse purchase, but within the range of most serious hobbyists.

Traktor Kontrol S2

Press Release

Native Instruments Announces TRAKTOR KONTROL S2
DJ System
New "2+1" DJ system based on TRAKTOR PRO 2 provides the professional qualities of KONTROL S4 in a compact two-deck format

Berlin, August 25th, 2011 – Native Instruments today announced TRAKTOR KONTROL S2, a versatile integrated DJ performance system that was designed to set a new professional standard in the two-deck category. Based on a compact version of the market-leading KONTROL S4 hardware, the KONTROL S2 provides a "2+1" setup with sample decks as well as comprehensive mixing and effect features, all based on the included full-featured TRAKTOR PRO 2 software.

To offer DJs a more portable alternative to the professional 4-deck TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 system, the KONTROL S2 is centered around a new compact controller hardware. It provides the same patent-pending high-resolution jog wheels, combined with ergonomic controls for cueing, looping and effects. The integrated 24bit/96 kHz sound card with its dual stereo outputs is based on the award-winning technology of the TRAKTOR audio interface range, and provides the same acclaimed sound quality with its supreme clarity and especially high output volume.

The two full-featured playback decks of the TRAKTOR KONTROL S2 are complemented by the versatile Sample Decks of the latest TRAKTOR PRO 2 software, which can add up to eight simultaneous one-shot samples or beat-synced loops to the mix. This effectively equips the KONTROL S2 system with a third channel that opens up a wide range of additional creative performance techniques beyond the typical two-deck paradigm in its product category.

TRAKTOR KONTROL 2 benefits from the same seamless bi-directional software-hardware integration as the KONTROL S4, featuring convenient plug&play configuration, dynamically backlit control elements and the high-resolution NHL protocol, for maximum efficiency both during the setup and the actual DJ performance.

Pricing and availability
TRAKTOR KONTROL S2 will be available in October for a suggested retail price of $669 / 599 EUR.

Further product information and press material
Additional information on TRAKTOR KONTROL S2 is available at www.native-instruments.com/s2
A digital press kit including picture material is available at www.native-instruments.com/press.info

Dj Tech : Battle of the 1s and 0s. Traktor Vs Ableton Vs Serato

It’s tough to compare digital DJ equipment nowadays – wildy different feature sets, approaches and, of course, price tags, mean that one man’s trash really can be another’s treasure. Let’s take a look at four of the big ones and try to figure out your ideal partner…

Put very simply, Ableton Live is the curveball, Scratch Live ( its brother Itch) and Traktor are the major league players caught at loggerheads, and Virtual DJ is the everyman underdog. But, of course, nothing’s ever simple nowadays… There are a variety of flavours of each to suit various tastes and it’s important to get to know what they can each do for you.

BEFORE WE BEGIN…

Something that everything in this article will rely on and assume is that you have a reasonably powerful computer. What ‘reasonably powerful’ actually constitutes is a bit of a contentious issue, as what one user is prepared to put up with at a pinch could be a dealbreaker for another. I would suggest (but by no means ‘recommend’) that a 2ghz Core 2 Duo or equivalent and at least 2GB RAM is a good low-end solution… your mileage may vary!

A good audio interface is important for digital DJing, as minimal latency is required for accurate manipulation and usually multiple channels are required for sending audio to external equipment and monitoring. Serato and Traktor Scratch products have an advantage in their inclusion of an audio interface; you will need to research appropriate interfaces for other software.

Finally, all the products below have a few different versions, from the ‘light’ version all the way to the full fat, bells and whistles “pro” one. There’s a link to each manufacturer’s comparison page at the bottom of each section. I’ve also drawn up a comparison chart of the various software detailing their functionality for some important features below.

Serato Scratch Live/Itch

Serato make both Scratch Live and Itch. Itch is similar in many ways to Scratch Live, but at its core it is the software that drives integrated solutions such as the Vestax VCI 300 and the Allen & Heath Xone DX. Scratch Live is a DVS – it’s founded on the principle that it can be added to an existing turntable/CD setup to bolster a user’s options and complement their existing work flow.

Both Scratch Live and Itch are closed box systems; without compatible, licensed hardware neither will run. Scratch Live only runs with certain Rane hardware, and the product you pick will give you different options, from the basic SL1 box to the world beating Sixty Eight. Itch is a bespoke solution for the product it is paired with, and customisation isn’t really possible.

Serato have a couple of unique tricks up their sleeve – their visual aids are second to none, with transients from audio sources displayed in a stalagmite/stalagtite view that dynamically alters as you change the speed to align the spikes, allowing blazingly fast tempo matching. The GUI is also very no-nonsense, and Scratch Live’s approach to MIDI is a very simple Learn function. Serato also implement a Loop Roll (that grabbing the sound and then returning to the song later effect) feature that nobody else does (in that form), and a sampler too.

SL1 vs SL3 comparison

Scratch Live Pros

• Straightforward interface
• Simple MIDI Learn
• Sampler
• Supports VideoSL video mixing via addon

Cons

• Interfaces with most options (SL3, TTM57, Sixty Eight) are expensive
• No beat gridding

Itch Pros

• Beat grids and sync
• 1:1 hardware control
• Straightforward interface

Cons

• No customization/expandability

Native Instruments Traktor

Traktor is a highly tiered piece of software – there’s an entry level, a mid level, a fully featured level, plus several DVS versions to boot. Whereas Serato have created two products to distinguish a core difference between users who want to use traditional DJ equipment (CD/Turntable) to control the transport and mixing of their audio from those that are more interested in ‘in the box’ mixing, NI have put everything DJ under the Traktor umbrella, and this gives Traktor advantages both in customization and expandability.

MIDI control is perhaps Traktor’s forte, and whilst it lacks an on screen learn function, it does have what basically amounts to a scripting system which allows complex modifiers and multiple commands per control. It has a greater number of cue points available than Scratch Live, and its beat gridding and syncing options facilitate super tight mixing. The current version lacks a sampler and doesn’t have a loop roll function ala Serato, but it can emulate both of those features with creative use of its effects. (the newest version of traktor that this site recently reported appears to have both samples and loop decks)

The Traktor Scratch timecode is also recorded at 2kHz compared to Scratch Live’s 1kHz signal – doubling the accuracy at which the system can calculate the stylus position on the record.

Traktor LE/Duo/Pro comparison / Scratch comparison

Pros

• Powerful MIDI scripting
• Traktor Scratch has most accurate vinyl timecode emulation
• Beat grids and syncing

Cons

• No MIDI learn means it’s more awkward to make spur of the moment changes
• No Sampler (not counting the S4 edition)

Atomix Virtual DJ

Designed as a much more open piece of software than Traktor or Scratchlive, Virtual DJ encourages personalization through skinning, custom effects, and freedom over audio routing. It also comes in three tiers – a totally free version (for non commercial use) Home, Pro Basic and Pro. The main difference between Pro and Home are audio routing options. With the Home version, everything must be done ‘in the box’, and channels can’t be routed to different audio interface outputs to go into an external mixer. Pro Basic also removes MIDI and timecode from the feature set. All versions feature effects, a sampler, and internal EQ, but lack any beat gridding or syncing options.

Virtual DJ is a solid piece of software, and things like its ability to use any time code and up to 99 tracks with restrictions over their output/input routing mean it may give you the options you’ve always dreamed for your zany outside-the-box setup – for those with really wild imaginations, it even acts as a ReWire master. Alternatively, if you have more limited, keyboard and mouse aspirations for your foray into digital DJing, it’s a very cost effective way to get in the game.

Virtual DJ is also what’s really under the bonnet of a few custom branded DJ solutions – these OEM versions have varying feature sets, often less routing solutions but some MIDI compatibility.

Version comparison

Pros

• Home version is free
• Unrivalled input/output routing
• Highly customisable interface
• Video mixing option

Cons

• No MIDI control until the full priced Pro
• Less simultaneous effects

Ableton Live

Live is the preeminent example of the hybridisation of DJing and production. There are high profile users of Live in both camps, and it seems to find favour with users who like to dabble on both sides of the fence. Live comes in four tiers – Lite, Intro, Full, and Suite.

DJing with Live is somewhat different to a traditional DJing setup, as it’s very much an empty canvas that confounds the two-four deck mixing style. Live allows you to run as many audio tracks as you like, and play them on top of each other, beside each other, around each other… basically, any which way. It’s much more geared towards progressive sets which have been planned out and combine elements of live production and remix; if your style is rocking out a party with the best track for the moment, Live’s not going to be the best thing to do that – as everything needs to be ‘warped’ (pre-prepared).

It’s a supremely customisable piece of software though, and can be infinitely expanded with studio quality AU/VST plugins and Max For Live, a special version of Max/MSP that runs inside Live – even timecode control can be added to the software. Not only that, but there’s also The Bridge…

Live Lite comparison / Live Intro comparison

Pros

• Highly customisable to suit your workflow
• Expandable with VST/AU plugins
• The best option for live remixing

Cons

• Doesn’t feel like the traditional ‘DJing’
• Doesn’t suit on-the-fly parties

The Bridge

Live and Scratch Live sitting in a tree… The Bridge is the result of Ableton and Serato’s collaboration effort. It’s not so much a product as a way to connect Scratch Live and Ableton Live, allowing you to take each’s best elements, throw them into a melting pot, distill them… and other clumsy alchemic metaphors. Put simply, it allows you to trigger and manipulate a Live song from within Scratch Live, letting you not only trigger clips via the Scratch Live interface but also attach the song to a deck, allowing pitch and playhead manipulation. It doesn’t turn the Live song into a scratchable track, but it does mean that nudges can be done with as much precision as you would with an audio file and your tracks can be remixed on the fly. You can also record out to Live, with pre fader outputs dropping into their own channels. This doesn’t seem like a massive deal until you use it with a TTM57sl or a Sixty Eight, and all of your fader and EQ motions are also saved – in effect you get a non destructive mixtape, which facilitates going in and making things that little bit more special.

You do need a copy of both Scratch Live and Ableton Live to make use of The Bridge, of course…

Pros

• Allows you to integrate the pros of Live and Scratch Live
• Mixtape recording with a 57/Sixty Eight enables really tight fine tuning
• Free for users of both Live and Scratch Live

Cons

• High system toll
• Expensive

COMPARISON

This is a lot of info to take in so perhaps this chart will help you compare digital dj software side by side:

Of course, the most important question is..

It’s all very well having a million tricks up your sleeve, and the temptation is always to buy the most feature laden version you can to ensure you don’t miss something you never realised you needed. In reality, though, it’s entirely likely that you’ll be just as happy with one of the intermediate level versions of a product – and don’t forget, manufacturers often provide upgrade incentives which allow you to buy in to the higher levels as your capabilities with the software grow. Here are five typical scenarios… do any of them sound like you?

I want to bolster my vinyl/CD based setup with a few additional capabilities, but mainly the ability to use my digital music library

Traktor Scratch Duo might be the best option for you. It’s inexpensive, has a great audio interface included, and will allow new options like cueing and looping to become part of your arsenal.

My decks are important to me; I don’t want to lose any quality when scratching nor lose my edge when going to clubs. However, I want to see how far I can take DJing creatively

Look at Scratch Live with an SL3 or Traktor Scratch Pro. With the opportunity to use effects, extensive MIDI control and powerful digital manipulation options, you’ll be able to do things that are impossible with vinyl – but for the times when only vinyl will do, you’re an input switch away from putting your trusted wax back on the decks.

I’m a producer, and I want to get into DJing. I really like the idea of bringing my production skills to the table

The obvious choice here is Ableton Live. You’ll be able to work out sets where you remix your own work on the fly and combine it with reworks and edits of other tracks. Alternatively, you could look into Traktor (and if you like the idea of scratching, Scratch Live or Traktor Scratch) for its huge effects power and cue point juggling possibilities.

I used my traditional setup because there was no other option. I’m not attached to all this gear – I want a more convenient, modern setup with lots of options

Don’t worry about Scratch Live or Traktor Scratch – DVS isn’t for you. Take a look around for a controller that really grabs your attention. If it’s Itch, problem solved. If not, Traktor Pro has a massive amount of effects and track manipulation options, syncing, quantising and more. If the thought of using more tracks than you have heads, shoulders knees and toes makes you giddy, Virtual DJ Pro will give you that power. Of course, so will Ableton Live, but in a very different way.

I’m a total beginner – I’ve got a computer, but a low budget. I want to dip my feet…

Virtual DJ has a home version which is free – it’s definitely geared towards hobbyists and hasn’t much in the way of control, but it’s fun for a dabble. Ableton offer 30 day trials of Live, and it’s worth taking a look to see if Intro takes your fancy.

Take a look at controllers and audio interfaces in your price range. Many come bundled with Live Lite, Traktor LE, or Virtual DJ LE. Not only will that give you excellent value for money, but discounts are available for upgrades to full versions of the softwares and you can learn as you save.

Hopefully you’re a little wiser as to the differences between these four digital DJ solutions. It would be remiss of me not to mention that there are of course a great deal more options on the market than these four, but were we to disseminate the pros and cons of everything on the market you’d never buy anything; perhaps a pertinent point is that you could DJ with a tape deck and a guitar pedal for effects if it took your fancy. Make sure your basic skills are on point and everything else will fall into place – including your sense of what features you actually need to take your DJing forward.

DJ Tech : NI Teases us with New Software and Sound Cards

This brand new video is the latest installment in NI’s teaser campaign. It shows off some upcoming products, namely a new Traktor Software and some mysterious hardware but does not reveal what they actually are. Continue reading for some close ups.

NEW SOFTWARE- TRAKTOR PRO 2?

The S4 software has been out for months now but the features it contains have been on lock-down, available only to those purchasing the S4 controller. From the video you can see that those features will now be available in a new version of Traktor- most likely called Pro 2. It looks to contain:

• colored waveforms
• sample player
• loop player
• loop recorder
• and probably more from the s4 software

Inside scoop: NI has told us that the X1′s used in the video are running a special mapping that allows control over the sample and loop decks in the new software. As far as release date, pricing and other information that you actaully want to know- mums the word!

NEW HARDWARE

There is again a precedent here. NI always discontinues products or puts them on sale a few months before a new announcement. Remember the audio 4/8 fire sale? Well, its looking like there will be some new dj audio hardware hitting shelves some time soon. Even though they wont be exhibiting this year, I would expect an announcement about the sound cards later this week at NAMM.

SPEAKING OF NAMM

A full team of will be heading to NAMM 2011 this week to bring you all the news. A first report will be published thursday and then we will follow that up with our full annual report on Monday.

DJ Tech : New Traktor and Serato Controllers from Pioneer (DDJ-T1, DDJ-S1)

Although widely rumored, its looking official, Pioneer is finally jumping on board the controller craze. They have been working on 2 models, 1 for Traktor (DDJ-T1) and one for Serato (DDJ-S1). Both are basically identical in layout but equipped with specific features for each software. We have known this was coming for a while but Pioneer did an amazing job of keeping it from leaking, especially considering they showed it to everyone under the sun. Read on for more speculation and a new record low volume of factual data!

DDJ-T1 CONTROLLER

The Pioneer DDJ-T1 controller is clearly an amalgamation of their CDJ-200 line into the controller world. Throw in a 4 channel mixer and depending on the feature set/software bundle- you may have the first real competition for the S4. Considering the new CDJ-200’s run around $300 each and a decent 4 channel mixer is at least $400, this should represent a really good value for new djs looking to maintain a Pioneer work flow in the digital domain.

The real question here is whether or not Pioneer struck a deal with NI to include a new Traktor Pro software with S4 features (more info tomorrow on that). If they did, then that means there will be real competition in the market place for that platform. If not, and NI holds on to the S4 feature set for themselves, then I doubt the controller will make it much farther.

NOTABLE DETAILS

• the knobs and buttons look noticeably plastic
• based on the size of the jog wheels relative to the transport buttons, its full CDj-20 sized, which means a wide controller
• needle drop touch strip
• auto loop encoder matches the s4 (look for this to become standard)
• there are mic and headphone jacks so a built-in sound card is evident
• the top photo is probably a very good 3 render, while the photo above looks like an early stage prototype.

DDJ-S1 CONTROLLER

This one has the potential to be really interesting because its rumored to be working with Serato Scratch, which means it might be the very first all in one controller/sound card combo fully supported by Scratch (transport control without requiring the SL1/2/3boxes). Most mobile djs are stuck using Serato Scratch in the club and then Itch in the mobile territory. They really all just want a mobile controller for Serato that does NOT require a SL box. If Pioneer manages to be the first to create that reality, they will kill it in sales. If not, its still looking like a great alternative to the popular vci-300.

NOTABLE DETAILS

• 2 channel mixer (itch supports 4 decks but Serato only 2 without the right hardware)
• needle drop touch strip has LED feedback of position
• overall look and work flow is a much closer match to traditional CDJ equipment than the DDJ-T1
• VU meters here but not on the DDJ-T1

Traktor- Coming to a Rane Mixer Near You

Up until now, Serato had an exclusive 5 year run on the Rane hardware. If you wanted to use the SL3 box sitting in the club as a sound card, for example, that was not possible. Dj TechTools has learned that there are brand new ASIO and Core Audio drivers that allow any software to use Rane 68 mixers and SL3 boxes as multi-channel sound cards. This is huge because it means some djs can use the Rane hardware already in clubs as their sound card- greatly simplifying set-up. More info and links after the break.

HOW TO GET IT

Right now the drivers are in BETA and can only be download in the 2.2 public beta section of the Serato Sratch forum in this thread. Please note, you will need to register in order to download these drivers. Steve Macatee, Director of New Product Development at Rane told us once they are stable and out of beta they will be available as a free download from Rane.com

SIGN OF THE TIMES?

The exclusive pairing of Rane hardware and Serato software may have made sense for the past few years with Rane mixers being predominant in the US market and Serato having a solid hold on our local digital djs. Those paradigms have been changing lately with Traktor Scratch gaining momentum and the Traktor S4 software stealing away Itch users. For me personally, I love the Rane hardware and it breaks my heart to bring extra sound cards into a club that already has a great one installed. We have also learned that there is a tricky way to use the ubiquitous Rane TTm-57SL mixer as a multi channel sound card on mac computers and I will be posting an article on how to do that next week!

MULTI CHANNEL SUPPORT

Install the drivers above (there are separate downloads for the 68 and SL3 boxes) and presto you will have multi-channel support. 4 channels with the 68 and 3 on the SL3. One of the great features about the new 68, and a reason for its hefty price tag of $2500, are the 2 discrete sound cards. That means you can easily plug your Traktor computer into the mixer at the same time as a Serato dj and seamlessly switch over without plugging in any cables or dealing with routing issues. We just got the mixer into the office today so I have not had a chance to really test the drivers for performance but that feedback and more will be contained in the upcoming Rane 68 review.

SUPPORTED DEVICES

SL1 Audio Interface

• Support already exists for multi channel ASIO (windows) but no support for mac.

SL3 Audio Interface

• New drivers offer Cross platform support for multi channel audio!

TTM-57SL Mixer

• Existing support for multi channel ASIO and single channel Core Audio (mac). We will write a tutorial next week on how to get multi channel audio on a MAC.

68 Mixer

• New Drivers allow for multi channel support on both ASIO and Core Audio platforms.

NOT QUITE PERFECT

Traktor Scratch users are probably wondering, well what about me? Don’t I still need to have my audio 4 or audio 8 plugged in to make Traktor Scratch software work? Yes- unfortunately your right. Rane hardware will not be supported by NI as an official interface for their Scratch line of software products like scratch duo and pro. We asked for an official comment and Tobias Thon, head of communications at NI, wrote back ” so far there seem to be no specific plans here to certify these drivers for Traktor Scratch”. Hopefully that leaves some wiggle room for support in the future? We hope so. Personally, I believe multi-platform support for all mixers would be good for the craft of djing and even the business too!

Faust & Shortee on SSL with the Traktor Kontrol X1 controller