DJing with Traktor Software

DJing with Traktor software will assist to better your DJ sets, and to keep feet on the dance floor.
Developers of traditional DJ apps often say, “Our software allows the DJ more time to concentrate on other areas of the show.” Yet these developers miss the point, because the music IS the main area, it IS the focal point of any party.

The mix at times can often sound like a bag of spanners, because the software tries unsuccessfully to mix Bon Jovi with George Benson.

Yet the these DJ apps require very little human involvement. The DJ will add songs to the ‘play area’, then every so often they will update the ‘play area’ with a song – And that is it.
The automix often sounds mechanical, with no human involvement, and a little flat.
Is it time for DJ’s to return to the ‘old school’ style of manual DJing – Hands on, and actively in the mix.

Does this mean? Turntables and crossfaders? NO, absolutely not, although vinyl is making a big come back, and Panasonic is revived their Technics SL-1200 turntable two or three years ago.

Traktor has a very steep learning curve that is definitely hands-on oriented, and not for those DJ’s who prefer to sit and watch their audience, chatter, or update their Facebook page

I spent last October and November learning to mix harmonically assisted with midi timing within Traktor.
The software allows the user to inject percussion, single drum beats, acapellas, effects and melodies at any time during any song, all perfectly synchronised to the beat in real-time.

And the use of Stems is an amazing concept, allowing DJ’s to isolate the vocals of song A, and mix it over the instrumental of song B. If the songs are harmonically in key then the result can be rather surprising.

This unique form of manual DJing by Native Instruments and Serato is amazing.
Traktor from Native Instruments is used by top international DJ’s, such as Pete Tong and Paul Oakenfold. 

I was a guest DJ at an Ibiza party at the Armathwaite Hall Hotel. Traktor certainly had the WOW factor for me, and the dance-floor remained busy throughout my set.

I did make a few errors, which were due to older songs which have the extra human factor – A drummer.

Unfortunately a human drummer can not keep perfect timing, and their drumming will drift in time. It’s not noticeable to the human ear, Thankfully Traktor has flexible beat-grids which re-syncs human drumming drifts in real-time. However, this was not switch on for guest DJ’s on the night.