I agree with Deadmau5 a bit more each passing day...

[SubFunk]

I still enjoy beating this horse from time to time, not a dead horse because some still won't let it die.

IMO any DJ that is still bitching about not having to beat match has very little imagination or creativity. Not having to beat match opens up a lot of new possibilities. Also throw in less time spent crate diving with being able to quickly browse massive libraries on the computer. These 2 things took up a majority of old school DJs time and once removed they really don't know WTF do to with their time and just assume everybody else who is using software isn't doing much of anything either.

+1 good DJ-ing has very little till' nothing to do with beat matching. beat matching is only a necessary evil.

yet i am not a fan of tight 'grid' based mixes... they usually make things simply sound dull and dead... but again that is not dependent on the medium...

you can make good or bad mixes with any medium. vinyl, CDs, digital dj programs, whatever... it doesn't matter.

and the "e-mail" checking DJ is the one that would play shit and boring with vinyls or CDs as well.

talent or non talent has nothing to do with the tools used.

I think it's funny when an old school DJ takes a sweeping glance at Traktor and all they can come up with is "Hey, it beat matches everything for you!". That's about 5% of what it does. I laugh that they can't wrap their head around the other 95% of the features that it brings to the table.

But I also feel it's something you really need a controller for to get the most out of it. Doing everything with a single mouse click at a time is kind of lame and really limited.

hugh, well... tell me, i am a HUGE traktor fanatic... using maschine as a controller for it all the way... (3deck setup)

i love everything about it, the browser, looping, efx... 2 to 4 deck availability, the fact that i can, if i want, use everything 'oldskool' manual so i can jam back to back's with a turntablist, etc... the light weight of my backback traveling and having my entire music collection with me... the list goes on and on...

and funny about the OPs pic... it's a pic of v.3 the version i think traktor became a matured and unbeatable DJ product... (before i also considered it a toy)

[contakt321]

Thanks Subfunk (I meant in context of Serato vs Traktor).

You are right, the looping is WAY better in Traktor.

You know what turns me off in Traktor, that you can't have the Waveforms running next to eachother, so you can have a visual indicator if the mix is "on". I can't count the number of gigs w/ bad or no monitors in the booth that having the visual element helped me stay tight.

[beats me]

Just curious, other than the effects - what is the other 95%?

I use Serato but have always been curious what I have been missing.

I can't youtube at work but I think this question would be best answered by some youtube videos, almost any video by djtechtools shows what you can do with Traktor and controllers beyond just beat matching.

Maybe subfunk can post some vids...or I will later.

[SubFunk]

Traktor + Maschine, me and Marcel Kunze from elektronische zweisamkeit @ fete de la musique berlin.

[aqua_tek]

Just curious, other than the effects - what is the other 95%?

I use Serato but have always been curious what I have been missing.

I think it's mostly all the looping, effects (now up to 4 per channel), filters, 4 deck playback (if you're into mashups, etc.), and just the workflow overall. I prefer the interface as well. The Serato interface throws me off a bit... but I think that's just more habit than anything else.

I don't think I get more than 10% of what I could out of Traktor. I got it mostly for the Scratch feature, since I was planning to use it in a very straightforward... GASP!... mostly traditional way. I could've probably used Serato for that, but I picked Traktor over it, because it had a larger feature set and I could run it with midi controllers if I wanted to skip the hassle of setting up the vinyl / CD thing. You're not tied down to proprietary hardware. Traktor's just more flexible. Even if I don't use all the features, it's good to know they're available.

[SubFunk]

Thanks Subfunk (I meant in context of Serato vs Traktor).

You are right, the looping is WAY better in Traktor.

You know what turns me off in Traktor, that you can't have the Waveforms running next to eachother, so you can have a visual indicator if the mix is "on". I can't count the number of gigs w/ bad or no monitors in the booth that having the visual element helped me stay tight.

well, i still use and trust my ears coming from over 15 years of vinyl spinning...

but i admit the way it is in serato 2.0 is nice... i hate serato 1.0, though terrible gui... and nothing but an electronic record box... v 2.0 is getting slowly interesting... i like to check the efx in v2... what i like about traktor most is the flexibility on how to use it, from beat grids over CD or vinyl timecode to full midi without any moving or rotating bits and bobs to total manual 1210 pitch bend and tempo behaviour ( 100% like the damn real thing!!!)

you can choose or use a mixture that suits you.

i use partly auto beatmatch with the possibility to correct manually (pitch bend for extreme long mixes or melting breaks into 4/4s etc...) or pitch totally manually to fit into a turntable player seamless... i don't use or like beat grids... it's to stiff for me... but each to his own... i guess the old turntable rocker is still to deep in me...

[nebulae]

It's the lounge after all. Let's just get high, make some beats and tell some stupid jokes.

Q: How many DJs does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: 23. Two to hold the ladder, one to climb the ladder and screw it in, and the rest sitting there with their arms folded and thinking they could do it better.

Q: How do you tell if a DJ is actually dead?
A: Hold out a check (but don’t be fooled: a slight, residual spasmodic clutching action may occur even hours after death has occurred).

Q: What did the DJ say on his first gig?
A: Would you like fries with that Coke?

Q: What’s the difference between a DJ and a US savings bond?
A: One of them eventually matures and earns money.

Q: What do you call a DJ without a girlfriend?
A: Homeless

Q: What’s the difference between the owner of a night club and the PLO?
A: You can negotiate with the PLO

Q: What’s the difference between a DJ and a puppy?
A: The puppy will stop whining after a couple of months.

[contakt321]

Thanks for the rundown.

It sounds like I don't really need to make the jump, for how and what I DJ, 2 decks is fine, and I use the effects on the DJM-800 which are fine. The looping part is the only part I feel like I am missing out on. I find the looping on Serato painfully unuseful.

I will say, my friend got that Traktor X1 Controller - SUPER NICE. Amazing, especially for the price. If you use Traktor, definitely check it out.

[SubFunk]

It's the lounge after all. Let's just get high, make some beats and tell some stupid jokes.

Q: How many DJs does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: 23. Two to hold the ladder, one to climb the ladder and screw it in, and the rest sitting there with their arms folded and thinking they could do it better.

Q: How do you tell if a DJ is actually dead?
A: Hold out a check (but don’t be fooled: a slight, residual spasmodic clutching action may occur even hours after death has occurred).

Q: What did the DJ say on his first gig?
A: Would you like fries with that Coke?

Q: What’s the difference between a DJ and a US savings bond?
A: One of them eventually matures and earns money.

Q: What do you call a DJ without a girlfriend?
A: Homeless

Q: What’s the difference between the owner of a night club and the PLO?
A: You can negotiate with the PLO

Q: What’s the difference between a DJ and a puppy?
A: The puppy will stop whining after a couple of months.

[nebulae]

Traktor + Maschine, me and Marcel Kunze from elektronische zweisamkeit @ fete de la musique berlin.

Puppy-dog eyes works with the ladies.

[ChiDJ]

@SubFunky:

I'm a fan of Traktor and the Maschine Combo. Just haven't had a chance to jump to that level. That's my plan.

And, just beat a dead dog deader, Beat Matching isn't the Be all End all to DJ'ing. Far from it. BUT.......If you skip learning to Beat Match and jump to "DJ", you are only hurting yourself.

Peace, love and hair grease!


Tod

[Tarekith]

Agreed, it's not a critical skill anymore but all DJs should still know how to do it regardless. Takes what, an afternoon to learn anyway? Being really good at something means learning all the tools of the trade, not just your favorite.

[beats me]

And should anybody performing live electronica have to be able to play keyboard proficiently on stage? Where's the outrage on that one (on here)?

[ChiDJ]

And should anybody performing live electronica have to be able to play keyboard proficiently on stage? Where's the outrage on that one (on here)?

I can!

And I do!

BeatsMe - EatsMe!

[nebulae]

Guys, I'm so bored of electronic music right now. Literally skull-fucking bored. Not all the technique in the world can save it.

Gonna go listen to some visionaries like Tiesto now.