Getting Back in the Mix - Need rec’s for VCI100/MacBookPro/Traktor Pro 2
A few years ago (2008) I starting mixing as a hobby, but the last couple years with work etc I have gotten way ouot of practice and my technology is since out of date! I still have my Vestax VCI-100 controller, which I am happy with (although it could use a slight repair for loss of sensitivity in one of the jog platters).
So I used to use the Traktor 3LE software that was bundled with the VCI-100 out of the box. I ran it on my Mac PowerBook G4 with OSX 10.4.11. This laptop still had the bus slot for the Indigo Echo sound card. I am looking to upgrade to a Mac Book Pro with OSX 10.7. Still looking to use my VCI-100 with Traktor Pro 2. I read through the DJTT “Soundcards for Under $220” article and it looks like the NI Audio 2 is pretty similar to the Indigo Echo, and it is bundled with Pro 2 software for a reasonable price. This seems like a no brainer for soundcard choice.
Will I have any compatibility issues with the VCI-100 and the newer laptop and Pro 2 software? Will I need a special MIDI mapping for the controller? Drivers for the sound card? Any advice or insight would be greatle appreciated!! Thanks everyone!!
I should also ask about firmware for the VCI-100. I’m pretty sure I have 1.2 - but how can I verify this? Will I need to upgrade firmware to 1.3 or 1.4 in order map to TP2?
Take a look thru all the great maps DJTT has posted here that are specifically designed to take advantage of Pro 2 : http://maps.djtechtools.com/ . No need to worry about any drivers w/ that Macbook Pro.
ok cool, i’ll check those out. i still havent taken advantage of any mappings, with T3LE i just used the standard mapping since all I was really doing was learning how to mix properly.
Will I need a Firmware update to use custom mappings?
OK so I think I’ve got a handle on all the mapping/firmware stuff.
Is there a “standard” VCI-100 FM v.2 mapping for Traktor Pro 2? Will I be able to map the controller as-is to TPro2 and still use the original functionality (as far as function mapping)? If so, how do I do this?
OK, so after some internet sleuthing it seems I can download the standard VCI-100 TSI file directly from the Vestax website, which is compatable with TPro2. I assume I use the “BIG IMPORT BUTTON” (i have read the phrase a hundred times on this forum while researching, haha). Anything else I should be looking out for or need to do to successfully configure the TSI file?
Just a guess, I’m thinking the 3band EQ mapping has the High/Mid/Lo controls in traktor mapped to the High/Mid/Lo knobs on the VCI and the Pan knob is mapped to the Pan knob which is bottom knob and inline w/ the High/Mid/Lo knobs is mapped to the filter, and I’m thinking the 4 band EQ mapping is used if you use the xone 92 type EQ’s in traktor, and I’m guessing the Pan knob is used for low EQ in traktor and the other knobs will be mapped to High,Mid High, and Mid Lo EQ controls in Traktor
