Need some guidance with Traktor

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

Need some guidance with Traktor

Hey everyone,

I am new on here, so hello! Before I go into my current issue, a little about my history.

My name is Jo and I am 26, moved to London last month.

I got my first decks when I was 19, loved them to bits. Played on them every night and got a few gigs out of it. When I started Uni at 21, I moved on to CDJ’s as buying vinyl was hard being a student. I had quite a steady flow of gigs, but that kind of fizzled out which I wasn’t too bothered about.

I went traveling, came back last November and since then I have kind of been dabbling a bit in Traktor. I really enjoy using this and the doors it opens for you, although I do have a few concerns.

I am started to really get back into my Dj’ing now, wanting to take it seriously again and hopefully start playing out. I have been playing quite a bit of Tech house lately but feel that I am just mixing in and out but I am not even doing that, Traktor is! Before when I have done fidget mixes, I have loved using the 4 decks, samples, looping etc but feel with Tech house if you start using the effects, loops etc this can be too much for the genre.

So I was planning a new mix yesterday and just felt like I was cheating a bit as I wasn’t doing as much effects. I felt like I should have been using CDJ’s, as then at least I am beat matching.

I was wondering if someone could give me some pointers of what I can learn to do with Traktor that will make me stand out, how I can make my sets exceptional but without overkill, any advice really on Traktor that will help get my confidence back in using it within specific genres.

I have a Xone2D and xsessionpro that I use with it.

Many Thanks in advance and sorry it is such a long first post! :slight_smile:

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can u post the mix up? might help :wink:

but, how about doing the matching in traktor manually if you feel like you’re cheating? i kinda do, have the bpm displayed on the browser so have an idea of where to move the pitch to, then tweak by ear (use sync to tighten up if need be)
with regards to not using as many effects, not exactly cheating. is it more a case of you hands not being busy? as they always moving with cdjs?
in which case experiment with layering loops up in a way that you think makes sense for the genre, a vid of my take on it can be found here

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Honestly, this all comes down to experimentation. I’d just like to express some happienss that there are more DJs out there unsatisfied with their current workflow and want to move forward.

And with that, here are some ideas.

First, you can dig into Bomes, using more advanced MIDI routing to create a much more dynamic controller. If you generally always use your EQ the same ways you can have it automated, allowing you to only need one hand to control a 4 band EQ. You can create really interesting and deep effect combinations and make them easily controlled, and (my favorite) you can set multiple commands to the same controls all on different preset layers, giving your limited controller (as they all are) a HUGE increase in controls.

Also, you can start thinking of mixing in a different style, if you don’t already. You can dig deeper into layering and cutting tracks together on the fly, especially being that you don’t have to dig for vinyl or CDs. So, you have an easier time bringing together two or three, even four songs, using loops, filters and effects in a way that we never could before.

Also, keep in mind, that you have sync. Want to stand out without it being overkill? Mix like a motherfucker. There is no excuse anymore for us to not put together clean mixes. We don’t have to dig, we don’t have to manually beatmatch, we don’t have to worry about the boring part of the DJ experience, and can instead focus on the important part, the actual act of DJing.

Oh, and post your mixes up down there. I know that I’ve gotten amazing advice in the few years I’ve been here that has helped me become a much better DJ.

Good luck to you, and welcome to the family

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Hey DjGirl

Once i have my Traktor issues sorted i will try my best to help you out !

I 100% understand where u r coming from using traktor as like me was used to having to beat match and constantly keep an eye on the track to make sure it didnt run out!

At this stage i would say introduce some small effects! I mix breakbeat and fortunately u can fuck about as much as u like without over kill however tech house is a bit different. Maybe u should try and find some heavy electro tracks u could throw in the mix and use the effects that way ?

Luke

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This is all really great advice guys, thank you very much! Got me thinking :slight_smile:

I think it is just a case of spending a lot of time experimenting, practicing, having fun and seeing what I come up with.

I like the idea of utilizing the controller more, and Bardcee, it is true about my hands not being busy.

I will post my mixes on here, I have a couple of fidget ones but definitely want to get away from that music for now and expand into different things.

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on the basis i was right i’ll let the typo slide :wink: have the same problem myself, still get ‘fidgety hands’ during first couple of mins of first track

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ha :wink:

Like the Video by the way.

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now listening to the mix2, good stuff :smiley: - got a few of them tracks myself and beat the shit out them with effects/loops when mixing. same with mix 1 too. where do you get your tracks from?

something i’ve done with car theif is loop 16 beats of just the drum bit at the start and ran it next to loop of ‘vocal’, beat and bass section. the drums do a phaser thing and the vocal stays just about normal. then get in there with some beatmasher and filter, then mix in another track with some crossfader choppyness. as an idea to try…

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Bradcee - is that is a cool custom paint job mate!!

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thanks

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great info, I find myself in the same boat, where Im djing house music with just long mixes. I need to take it to the next level but dont know where to start.

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Advice on tech house. To me when I do tech/min, its all about teasing. You need to somehow hint that there is going to be a massive payoff. Take away frequencies, bring em back. Effects are awesome for tech house, try something like this. Deck A is playing, you introduce Deck B, let em ride together a bit, creating new sounds by taking away freq’s. After they ride a bit, delayT3 both tracks, build up a nice echo and pause both tracks. Lower the filter on deck B and before the echo becomes week, let deck ride on just super low freq’s. Ill post something for you this weekend. That nifty trick has never ever let me down. BeatMasher on a kaospad or VCI100 jog wheels is a great way of introducing a new track. I feel that tech/min is very forgiving to experimentation, one of my favorite genres to spin. No right way to spin it, just many different and exciting ways!