Novation TWITCH with Traktor

Check out this video explaining the Traktor Pro 2 mapping that's also included in the package along with the Serato Itch. All though there are some buttons missing for full feature controll they've solved the lack off effect buttons pretty nicely as long as you use the effects the way they intended. Looks like it will work best with a single effect pr. bank and not grouped... Still a very neatly layed out controller for the controllerist.

Stanton SCS.4DJ

Very nice layout of the controller surface.

The newly released controller from Stanton is a step closer to what I would believe to be a natural step in the DJ controller revolution. As of this moment digital DJing is pretty relient on a controller, a computer and some kind of software. The SCS.4DJ is a controller in it's true form, but it also has built-in software that makes it able to simply stand alone without any computer. You just need a source with music.

The Stanton SCS.4DJ is a bit heavy on price if you're only looking for a controlle, but you do get alot value for the money if you're not looking for the complete Digital DJ experience. This is a very good buy if you're simply looking to get a stand alone DJ unit for playing digital media.

More info on the product here

The future?
I believe that we'll se more units like this with complete units that houses total soltuion with both software and a controller surface. No more computer issues. Just plug and play with a nice software. Hopefully we'll also see units with Traktor aswell. :)
Only thing I see is that you would need a larger display to get the full experience. It might be a simple connector of some sort to connect to a monitor setup in the future digital DJ booths or maybe the screen is mounted like on a laptop computer.
For the turntablists this would be integrated in a mixer and one could use it with full timecode support...

I would LOVE to see a product like this with the Traktor system built in to it, though it would need to have some more buttons.

Got S4 but missing T2 license

If you're a prowd owner of Kontrol S4 and one of those who hasn't got the free Traktor Pro 2 license yet.
Call Native and they'll fix it within a couple of minutes.

Just check the bottom of this page.

Beatport daily Traktor giveaway

One of my favorite online stores are celebrating the Traktor Pro 2 release and if you purchase anything from Beatport now you might be lucky and get a Traktor Pro 2 license aswell.

Traktor Pro 2 + Ableton Live

New features in Traktor Pro 2 means new possibilities when integrating with Ableton. DubSpots Traktor expert DJ Endo does an awesome video on the topic. A must to view for any Traktor addict.



Read more at DubSpot

Pioneer DJM-T1

As anticipated earlier this week (due to a mysterious choice in the Traktor auto configurator) Pioneer has launched their first ever dedicated Traktor mixer.
As a central unit in a standard Mixer/Vinyl/CD setup the option to play directly through via line or phono aswell as an option to use the internal USB soundcard (48 kHz / 24 bit) is available.
It's a two channel mixer for a four channel software. One can either work with the A or B decks loop and hot cue functions or switch to sampler mode. Sampler mode will probably use C/D decks. Meaning that you must assign A/C to output channel 1 and B/D to output channel 2. This is one of the new features in Traktor Pro 2.

The most used functions are available directly:

• Browsing section (Folder controll*)
• Effects section
• Loop control
• Transport controls
• Hotcue
• (Relative/Absolute mode*)
• Sync (Master*)
• Snap (Quantize*)
• Effect bank assignment buttons (Tempo bend*)
• (Tempo Tap*)

Features that I like alot:

• Doubleclicking the Shift button will toggle the function.
• The TAP function that is the shift function of the cue buttons.
• Hotcue / Loop / Sampler section (Sampler is for deck C/D)

Speculating:
Midi section

I have no idea at this moment what this section does!

There's only one Midi socket, so It's not a "quick swop" function where two Traktor instances can use the mixer at once like the Rane 68.
Maybe the mixer has two midi channels so that each button has two separate functions (in addition to the shift function). To what end I do not know. The Utility/Wake Up might be that it starts a small application on your computer in addition to start the computer if it is in sleep mode or something. Can be good if you have a desktop computer that's hidden away and just a monitor available.

A/C and B/D markings

It's a two channel mixer and I can not find A/C or B/D button anywhere...
Which takes me to the question: Why!!??
It might be because it's meant to be used with the sampler which will be always activated. Remember that you can allocate one or more decks to one audio sources in the new Traktor Pro 2.

Play mode

The Active button most lightly toggle the loop and indicates wether or not it is activated.

The Play Mode I'm not sure about, but I think it might have to do with the sampler function and if so it will toggle between looping or one shot samples.

Sample level

Since there is no volum controll for the C/D decks. This might adjust volume on all the samples.

So you can either use loop OR sample... Would be nice to have both functions available at once though.

Read more at DJ Techtools or Skratchworx



Cool Timecode pressings

If you're looking for some cool new timecode vinyls these red limited edition pressings from Thud Rumble with Traktor Pro 2 slipmats are the ones to get now!
On one side of the vinyl it's Timecode for Traktor. Flip the record and you've got a collection of classic DJ scratch samples.
This record is made in collaboration with Q-Bert.
A record for the true turntablist!

Novation Twitch

I posted earlier that Novation might be dropping a new controller for Traktor, but I was wrong...
They droped yet another Serato controller and this time for Itch.
One can offcause use it with Traktor, but since the controller is missing some key buttons to complete the effect sections and some other central controlls.
That said... I LIKE IT! The new thinking that focus the pad section is realy nice, and having alot of different modes is very nice and a very effective way of working with the tracks. This is the place that I push more then anything, so why hasn't this been done this obvious before? Show me one for Traktor please and I'm onboard!

 

Read more at DJ Techtools

Pioneer buzzing before Musikmesse

Skratchworx has posted a rumor about Pioneer launcing a product named DJM-T1. In the setup list of controllers for Traktor Pro 2 the mixer is listed under the DDJ-T1, so this is very viable. This might be an old codeword for DJM-900 NEXUS which is sertified for Traktor, but I don't think so.

Pioneer has responded in their forum that their showing off some new gear at Musikmesse in Frankfurt April 6th.

Read more here

Traktor for all types of DJs

I've heard from some DJs that Traktor is just for House DJs. First off... Their probably not reading my blog, but for those of you that do and somehow still is under the impression that Traktor is for house DJs and controllerists: Check out these two videos from the worlds TOP turntablists.

Unlike Serato Scratch or Itch... Traktor is fully prepared for either the controllerist or turntablist. Any one can use it from the major superstar to the bedroom DJ.