New Traktor S4, Traktor Pro, and Torq
November 1st, 2010
I use mainly to two pieces of software when DJing, M-Audio’s Torq which I started off with and Native Instrument’s Traktor.
Torq 1.5 featured above is a great tool for a DJ to use and has done relatively well against giants like Serato and Traktor. A 3-channel EQ, your standard effects like delay, reverb, phaser etc. which can be layered in a chain mode. A simple looping engine which gets the job done and an awesome 16 piece sampler deck which Serato & Traktor only recently addressed. Torq has three things that are often overlooked in the DJ world the ability to use VST plugins for some crazy effects (although people have had problems running these), tempo anchors for an almost Ableton Live time-stretching and lastly snapshots. With snapshots you could put the delay effect to 30% Dry/Wet ratio chain it to a reverb, lower the bass, and bring the key a semi-tone down but recall all that from a snapshot you addressed to a button.
Overall great software and at a price much lower than other DVS it is a steal but it does have it’s shortcoming like the mp3 tagging/reading and traktor midi control assignment is years ahead Torq.
Traktor Pro is a great piece of software one of the only 4 deck DVS out there a a great bank of effects I’d say better than Torq’s and a way better browser and mp3 tagging/reading process. For me and alot of other DJ’s who are into software the ability to customize controllers the way traktor does is essential. The mapping capabilities are endless, just ask the guys over at DJ Techtools and check out the stuff they have done with the vci-100 controller, the only downside is that there is a learning curve to controller mapping. One thing form me that torq has always beat traktor at is the waveform display and grid system, torq’s just seem to be clearer to me.
Now I haven’t gotten my hands on the new Traktor S4 System which is part hardware part updated Traktor Pro software but from what I have read and I am definitely considering buying this bad boy. The hardware is a 4 channel mixer/controller with built in sound card, loop recorder, sampler. It uses NI’s NHL protocol to communicate with the S4 software, which allows 30 times more data transfer than MIDI meaning better response on the jog wheels and fader. The controller has been specifically made and mapped for the S4 which is good and bad. Good meaning it will work right out of the box the bad is that if you if you try to remap everything you lose the NHL communication. The new sample engine looks ridiculous and the performance/promo video is awesome. The ability to record loops on the fly and use the sampler in conjunction with effects can easily turn a DJ set into a live production performance.
In the end I will wait a to test-drive it myself and see what impressions other DJ’s get but you may see me performing with an S4 very soon.
