Recording issues using Traktor Scratch 2, Audio 10 and Pioneer DJM-350.

Hello everyone,

I've done this set up and recorded my set many, many times in the past, but i somehow did something, changed a setting, or i'm not sure what, but now i'm unable to record anything.


So this is my set up right now; Traktor Scratch 2, MacBook, connected to an Traktor Audio 10, which is connected to a Pioneer DJM-350 (very basic and easy set up, i've been using it for years)

Audio 10 Deck A outputs(3&4) connected to the channel 1 CD on the mixer.
Audio 10 Deck B outputs(5&6) connected to the channel 2 CD on the mixer.
My monitor speaker is plugged into the master out 2 on the mixer.
Controller X1 plugged into my computer.

Traktor preferences:
Audio set up is set to the Audio 10
Output Routing; Mixing mode set to external, and decks A and B set to channels (3&4) and (5&6) respectively

Up to here, everything works great. I can play and hear no problem.


Now I want to record, so i take an RCA cable and and plug into the Master out 1 of the mixer and hook it up to Deck D 9&10 input.
Then I go into preferences, Input routing, and change the input routing for deck D to 9&10 channel D.

At this point i see a signal in the signal window(that's just on the right) and on the record section inTraktor.. (is it normal that I see a signal in both those places, eventho I don't have a track playing? is it just picking up noise?)

Now I put a track on and press record, it seems like its recording, the button is this bright orange, and the counter is tracking how long i've been recording.
When I tried to adjust the sound of the recording, I noticed I can't alter the incoming signal. If i turn ALL the knobs to zero (Master volume on the mixer, channel gain on the mixer, all the EQs to 00 on the mixer, the master on Traktor program, the EQs on the TRaktor mixer, the gain on the Traktor mixer, and the gain in the record section (right next to the record button). NOTHING HAPPENS. There still is incoming signal.

Then I press stop and go get the recording in my recording folder, load it in to a deck and press play. Nothing. There's no music recorded. If i crank up the volume to the very max, i'll hear a bit of noise, feeble clicking and such.


I've watched an entire day worth of videos on how to hook everything up and record with an external mixer, and they don't really mention anything about the input routing section.
I believe my problem lies there. But I'm at a loss.
Somebody please help a girl out.

Thanks,

Change deck d to Live input and set recording mode to external :)

Thanks for the fast reply Jester!

I'm not sure what you mean by setting channel to Live, so here's pics of how my preferences are, maybe you can tell what's wrong:

Attachment 15658Attachment 15659Attachment 15660Attachment 15661

that all looks fine. use the drop down menu on the deck itself to change to live input

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/55238820/Sn...t 15.57.44.jpg

also up to you but there is no reason or advantage to run at 96khz for dj use, 44khz is just fine.

Ok, I've switched it to Live input (When I was able to record before, I don't think it was set to Live, but I might be wrong..), and tried recording. I can now hear faint music behind a lot of "noise", like static and clicking and popping.
I'm still confused as to why the software reads a signal in the input channel when nothing is actually coming in to that channel (no tracks playing).

Here are pics of the signal thats being read at all times (whether theres music on not), I think that what I read on the recording is actually that signal that I don't the origin.. Is it normal?

Attachment 15662

turn up the recording gain and deck d gain.

They are both at half, which is usually enough..
I tried recording with no track playing, and when I hear the recording its static and clicks and pops.. That will be there even if the music is louder, and it makes the recording distorted and unusable... Do you know where its coming from?

swap to the master 1 output and see if that does it. also i just noticed you can record straight from that mixer with a usb stick.
i believe the master 2 out on the djm350 acts as a REC OUT (could be wrong), if so the output volume is usually a lot quieter. i usually use the master out on my mixer for recording and use the rec out to go to the amps.

Yes I tried it with output in Master 1. Same thing. Aaaaargh. I'm loosing my mind, I don't know where that noisy signal is coming from...

Thanks for reminding me of the USB port on the mixer, I never used it before, but just did a test recording and the sound is clear and loud. Very easy to use. I will use it for tonight, as I need this mix recorded ASAP.

I'm still wanting to find out if it is normal to have incoming signal when nothing is playing.
*I disconnected the RCA out of the input on the Audio 10, and the signal is still coming in. Which makes me think that as soon you select an input, in the input routing menu, a signal is being read by the software.
I don't know if what I hear on a blank recording is the noise from the "ghost" signal that I see on the signal window, or if its just a noise coming from the mixer.. in other words, that signal thats coming from nowhere, does it have a sound or is it just a visual thing and doesn't have sound..

This is getting very specific, but if any input (no pun intended) is greatly appreciated,

No thats not normal. The reason for that could be a grounding issue with the mixer itself, a faulty rca etc.

playing a track you should get a signal like so.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/55238820/Sn...t 18.42.23.jpg

and not playing

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/55238820/Sn...t 18.42.55.jpg

OK, as i can see on the second picture, there's no incoming signal. (which is normal since there's is no song playing).
In my case, i see what's happening on the first picture, regardless of wheter theres a song playing or not.
And since nothing changed after I disconnected the RCAs from the Audio 10 and the mixer all together, it means that it has nothing to do with the mixer. Its something internal..
As soon as I select an input source in the input routing menu, I see a high signal coming, as if theres a track playing. But there's not.

Thanks so much for your help Jester, sooo well appreciated. :)

Im slightly confused as to why you would go through all the hassle of using Traktor to record when the DJM-350 has a bizarrely great inbuilt USB recorder...

Only because I have been recording for years with Traktor, and I can't figure out why it no longer works.
Plus, I don't alway have my Pioneer DJM-350 with me. I play out a lot, on all types of mixers.