Slightly disappointing news about Traktor Remix Decks

[Scaper7]

Why on earth would you need to route anything through Traktor? Just have Maschine go through it's own output. The remix decks just kind of partially do what clip launch/sample playing already do. The setup of Maschine + Remix decks, especially with the same controller, just doenst make any sense, you can't put on a full production with ~32 samples. Unless that Punch mode is the only thing you want, it just seems redundant.

Main reason I'd like Maschine output routed through Traktor is to be able to get headphone cue/solo for Maschine just like I can with track decks or sample decks and also to access Traktor filters, EQ and FX. For me the tightly integrated remix decks are a welcome compliment to Maschine's abilities. Maschine doesn't timestretch audio loops the same way. The F1 looks like it makes handling remix/sample decks easy and fun. Maschine excels as a groove sequencer/sampler/VST host. All handy creative tools. Now I could just wish for a dedicated 'Maschine deck' option.

Yes it kind of sucks we can't program the same functionality but on the other hand it looks like they made a nice controller.

[DJ Bob]

There is nothing that Traktor can do better than Live except DVS.

What about displaying multiple waveforms? For me, this is one of the biggest failings of using Live to DJ

[padi_04]

Yes it kind of sucks we can't program the same functionality but on the other hand it looks like they made a nice controller.

Sure they did, but there are dozens of controllers than can do the job as well. If the F1 is that good then why should they lock features for the rest? If they don't feel like coming up for a mapping for maschine and x1 let the user at least have a chance of recreating it.

[mostapha]

If you have a Maschine, you already have 10x the firepower, and 90% of the features of the Remix decks.

Agreed. Except that Maschine sucks at playing loops. It doesn't do timestretching, which means they won't be in key, and won't even change the tempo of a loop……unless I've somehow missed it. You can chop it up into (at most) 16 parts…which means if it's a 1-bar loop, you can get close to the same sound as Ableton on Beats mode at 1/16……but no one's used that for a full track since Live 5 was introduced (and with it, the Complex algorithm).

There's that one thing that the remix decks are better at. But…the sample decks do that too…and you do have control over them. I'd still choose Maschine over remix decks any day of the week and twice on Saturday nights. Well…I would if it's manual tempo controls weren't useless.

Maybe it'll come in a future update. The MPC Renaissance/Studio software can do time-stretching, though IDK how well it works (looks like you have to input before and after tempos instead of having it follow the track). Unless NI is going to give up on Maschine, I'd look at the new MPCs for what's going to be in Maschine 1.8/2.0……they'll have to compete if they don't want Maschine sales to absolutely die.

What about using traktor effects in Maschine? Perhaps I am completely clueless here.

You can do that. NI released an expansion for the Guitar Rig Player called Traktor's 12, which is a set of 12 effects from Traktor. Details on NI's website.

What about displaying multiple waveforms? For me, this is one of the biggest failings of using Live to DJ

I'll give you that if it's something you want. I couldn't care less. Everything's sync'd up through warping, and no DJ software shows a lined-up big-picture view that would help with phrase matching. And Live has ways to get visual information on when drops/breakdowns/changes are coming than Traktor does if you set up your clips right……and they work at least as well as beats to cue.

I have yet to figure out why people would need to see more than 1 waveform at a time unless they can't phrase match by ear. I'd love for someone to explain it to me (and I'm not being sarcastic here…I'm honestly curious) because I just don't get it.

[DJ Bob]

@mostapha - seeing 2 waveforms at the same time, for me, has nothing to do with beatmatching or phrasing. i do both by ear with no problems. it's simply a quick visual reference of where you are in the track, where and when any breakdowns are etc. Using vinyl, you can look across the grooves and see the breakdowns & also see where the needle is on the record, on CDJs you have the basic waveform on both players. It's a simple as that.

Sure you can have workarounds in live but they are just that, ways to work around the problem and are actually a pain in the ass to program in for every track or having to constantly flick between two or more clips to see this info. the option of a small waveform below each clip or some kind of split waveform view along the bottom would fix this.

[mostapha]

Yeah…that just didn't bother me when I was on Live. Scrolling and glancing at the screen (with tracks cut into sections with follow actions) seemed faster than moving over and finding the right angle to view a record at to see the groove……

[photojojo]

That whole I could see the drop in vinyl is kind of bogus. Sure you could but for the most part it was because you knew the song well enough to know it was there in the first place.

[zestoi]

That whole I could see the drop in vinyl is kind of bogus. Sure you could but for the most part it was because you knew the song well enough to know it was there in the first place.

i used to find looking at the grooves on the record really useful actually... ofc they don't mean too much if u don't already know the tune - but they are cool. that's why i'd always want to be able to see glance over at the waveforms when needed. no real technical reason for needing it - it just makes me feel warm and fuzzy

[Xonetacular]

Everything's sync'd up through warping, and no DJ software shows a lined-up big-picture view that would help with phrase matching.

Doesn't Virtual DJ?

[zestoi]

Doesn't Virtual DJ?

the overlapping horizontal waveforms should do that - not sure if u can change the zoom level but i presume u can as they're quite flexible. vdj8 will probably have the functionality of djdecks in it too - which had very customisable waveforms from what i've read.