Serato vs Traktor (setup advice pls)

Home :: Reviews of DJ equipment :: Serato vs Traktor (setup advice pls)Reply
Serato vs Traktor (setup advice pls)
Posted on: 30.01.2012 by Marcene Bixenman
I was using a simplistic virtual dj setup recently until I upgraded to twitch and Serato. I don't particularly like the sync feature or all the features of the touchstrip. I wish they'd included more variables in the setup for things such as touchstrip sensitivity. I've heard that Traktor is completely mappable and it really interests me. So I'd like to know if you guys believe Serato will progress with time, or if I should get an X1 and then upgrade the Traktor LE to PRO2 for the 70 dollars. I thought purchasing an X1 would upgrade my setup with alot more real estate. Please give me your experiences with the two.
Breanne Penge
31.01.2012
from the manual...

"Slicer Mode always creates a block of eight slices. By default, the DOMAIN value is 8, where 1 slice = I beat. It is possible to modify the Domain value by using
Breanne Penge
31.01.2012
from the manual...

"Slicer Mode always creates a block of eight slices. By default, the DOMAIN value is 8, where 1 slice = I beat. It is possible to modify the Domain value by using
Breanne Penge
31.01.2012
from the manual...

"Slicer Mode always creates a block of eight slices. By default, the DOMAIN value is 8, where 1 slice = I beat. It is possible to modify the Domain value by using
Breanne Penge
31.01.2012
from the manual...

"Slicer Mode always creates a block of eight slices. By default, the DOMAIN value is 8, where 1 slice = I beat. It is possible to modify the Domain value by using
Clinton Voran
31.01.2012
Originally Posted by jprime
Love how you can adjust the slicer using the touchstrip too. I can't beleive anyone would have issues with sensitivity on the touchstrip, I find it works perfectly, and Itch has been fantastic

It would be good to hear how you make out with your setup if you go the other route.
Just to add:

I can't believe people are having problems with the Sync. It works perfectly, you can get it to sync to beat grids, and it's completely logical especially if you believe about it from a standard turntable/CDJ perspective. You set the initial deck you want as the Master and then sync up the slave. After that, as long as you keep sync engaged, whatever deck gets unloaded will then automatically become the slave. It's friggin simple as can be. Also at least one person complained about why the track jumps whenever he hit the sync button, well if people actually bothered to read the instructions or even use common sense, if you are using smart sync which snaps beatgrids, of course every time that you hit the sync on the slave deck it's going to jump the track, because snapping the grid is completely different from nudging the track. Duh. Read the manual people, it's pretty straight forward.

As for Twitch, don't forget that you can use the touch strip to also select loop lengths (this is separate from the pinch and expand adjustment). Basically, for both Slicer and Looping, the touchstrip has for quadrants that you can touch to set 4 different Slice/Loop lengths. Basically it goes from left to right. Default it's in the middle of course. You basically halve it each on each immediate quadrant to the left of wherever you have it.

I personally do have an issue with the touchstrip though, and that's with hitting the backspin on them 100%, that's just a complete hit or miss for me. No biggie but a bit annoying (sometimes the backspin is quick like I want it, sometimes it's like I'm spinning at half speed, I believe this might just be a limitation of touch input because the hardware looks to be working fine).
Breanne Penge
31.01.2012
Originally Posted by djbassaddict
I just don't believe the swipe is sensitive enough for scratching elongated notes.
Yeah I wouldn't try to scratch shit up with it, lol

you often use it on settings other than 1slice=1beat and quantize to 1 or 1/2 beats?
Not at all, I just know it can be done I'm quite happy with the full 8.
Chasidy Heckenbach
31.01.2012
Originally Posted by jprime
from the manual...
cheers... i should have re-read the pdf manual i download. i was being lazy. being able to change the size of slices if quite interesting... you often use it on settings other than 1slice=1beat and quantize to 1 or 1/2 beats?

edit: i believe it would get pretty hairy emulating the slicer in traktor jumping less than 1/4 or even 1/2 beats with the delays needed between some of the beatjumps
Breanne Penge
31.01.2012
from the manual...

"Slicer Mode always creates a block of eight slices. By default, the DOMAIN value is 8, where 1 slice = I beat. It is possible to modify the Domain value by using
Chasidy Heckenbach
31.01.2012
Originally Posted by jprime
Love how you can adjust the slicer using the touchstrip too. I can't beleive anyone would have issues with sensitivity on the touchstrip, I find it works perfectly, and Itch has been fantastic
what param(s) can u change with the touch strip? the overall number of beats that are being sliced?
Breanne Penge
31.01.2012
Originally Posted by zestoi
one draw of twitch/itch is the slicer which isn't in traktor - not yet anyway.
Love how you can adjust the slicer using the touchstrip too. I can't beleive anyone would have issues with sensitivity on the touchstrip, I find it works perfectly, and Itch has been fantastic

It would be good to hear how you make out with your setup if you go the other route.
Marcene Bixenman
30.01.2012
I was using a simplistic virtual dj setup recently until I upgraded to twitch and Serato. I don't particularly like the sync feature or all the features of the touchstrip. I wish they'd included more variables in the setup for things such as touchstrip sensitivity. I've heard that Traktor is completely mappable and it really interests me. So I'd like to know if you guys believe Serato will progress with time, or if I should get an X1 and then upgrade the Traktor LE to PRO2 for the 70 dollars. I thought purchasing an X1 would upgrade my setup with alot more real estate. Please give me your experiences with the two.
Clinton Voran
31.01.2012
Originally Posted by jprime
Love how you can adjust the slicer using the touchstrip too. I can't beleive anyone would have issues with sensitivity on the touchstrip, I find it works perfectly, and Itch has been fantastic

It would be good to hear how you make out with your setup if you go the other route.
Just to add:

I can't believe people are having problems with the Sync. It works perfectly, you can get it to sync to beat grids, and it's completely logical especially if you believe about it from a standard turntable/CDJ perspective. You set the initial deck you want as the Master and then sync up the slave. After that, as long as you keep sync engaged, whatever deck gets unloaded will then automatically become the slave. It's friggin simple as can be. Also at least one person complained about why the track jumps whenever he hit the sync button, well if people actually bothered to read the instructions or even use common sense, if you are using smart sync which snaps beatgrids, of course every time that you hit the sync on the slave deck it's going to jump the track, because snapping the grid is completely different from nudging the track. Duh. Read the manual people, it's pretty straight forward.

As for Twitch, don't forget that you can use the touch strip to also select loop lengths (this is separate from the pinch and expand adjustment). Basically, for both Slicer and Looping, the touchstrip has for quadrants that you can touch to set 4 different Slice/Loop lengths. Basically it goes from left to right. Default it's in the middle of course. You basically halve it each on each immediate quadrant to the left of wherever you have it.

I personally do have an issue with the touchstrip though, and that's with hitting the backspin on them 100%, that's just a complete hit or miss for me. No biggie but a bit annoying (sometimes the backspin is quick like I want it, sometimes it's like I'm spinning at half speed, I believe this might just be a limitation of touch input because the hardware looks to be working fine).
Breanne Penge
31.01.2012
Originally Posted by djbassaddict
I just don't believe the swipe is sensitive enough for scratching elongated notes.
Yeah I wouldn't try to scratch shit up with it, lol

you often use it on settings other than 1slice=1beat and quantize to 1 or 1/2 beats?
Not at all, I just know it can be done I'm quite happy with the full 8.
Chasidy Heckenbach
31.01.2012
Originally Posted by jprime
from the manual...
cheers... i should have re-read the pdf manual i download. i was being lazy. being able to change the size of slices if quite interesting... you often use it on settings other than 1slice=1beat and quantize to 1 or 1/2 beats?

edit: i believe it would get pretty hairy emulating the slicer in traktor jumping less than 1/4 or even 1/2 beats with the delays needed between some of the beatjumps
Marcene Bixenman
31.01.2012
It's not the fact that the touchstrip isn't sensitive enough; I just don't believe the swipe is sensitive enough for scratching elongated notes. For slicer or loops I love the touchstrip.
Breanne Penge
31.01.2012
from the manual...

"Slicer Mode always creates a block of eight slices. By default, the DOMAIN value is 8, where 1 slice = I beat. It is possible to modify the Domain value by using
Chasidy Heckenbach
31.01.2012
Originally Posted by jprime
Love how you can adjust the slicer using the touchstrip too. I can't beleive anyone would have issues with sensitivity on the touchstrip, I find it works perfectly, and Itch has been fantastic
what param(s) can u change with the touch strip? the overall number of beats that are being sliced?
Breanne Penge
31.01.2012
Originally Posted by zestoi
one draw of twitch/itch is the slicer which isn't in traktor - not yet anyway.
Love how you can adjust the slicer using the touchstrip too. I can't beleive anyone would have issues with sensitivity on the touchstrip, I find it works perfectly, and Itch has been fantastic

It would be good to hear how you make out with your setup if you go the other route.
Marcene Bixenman
31.01.2012
Thanks for your opinion, I'm not going back to virtual dj It feels so simplistic to traktor or itch. I enjoy Itch a lot; I'll probably keep using it with my twitch alone until the newer controllers come out.
Chasidy Heckenbach
30.01.2012
traktor is very mappable but so is vdj - more so maybe. as well as the X1 there's the soon to be released NI F1 controller, the A&H K2 and a few more months down the line all the behringer modular controllers. all depends on what extra controls u want.

i'm sure itch will keep getting better and better but it's never going to give u the flexibility to change/tweak what controls do like traktor/vdj.

there's a big twitch thread already if u want to get opinions from twitch owners. one draw of twitch/itch is the slicer which isn't in traktor - not yet anyway. be interesting to see if anything like that gets added to the next big 2.5 release tho. also no one knows for sure that 2.5 will be free, so that might be a reason to hold off upgrading to tp2.

<< Back to Reviews of DJ equipment Reply

Copyright 2012-2023
DJRANKINGS.ORG n.g.o.
Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan

Created by Ajaxel CMS

Terms & Privacy