I get down with Traktor sync ... But do you guys think it degrades sound quality?

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I get down with Traktor sync ... But do you guys think it degrades sound quality?
Posted on: 03.01.2013 by Sheilah Kurzhal
I use sync ... but I'm not the hugest fan of it ... Not for any "purist" reasoning regarding beatmatching properly ... But, because I feel like it degrades the quality of my sound. Even at the true bpm of the synced song. I feel like I can hear the sub bass get tighter and the vocals lose a graininess when I deactivate sync.

Now .. I do use Key Lock .. and KNOW that, that will be the source of most of my degradation. But I stick to rules when I play to offset these limitations ... One of those being to mostly stick within + or - 7 BPM of the original track ... AND ... believe or not ... I never change the key of any of my songs. I just mix harmonically based on the songs in my library's true keys.

I find myself using sync as kind of a helping hand through my tougher transitions ... but I try to kill it ASAP. And every time I do ... I swear I notice things tighten up a touch.

Anyone thoughts?
Sheilah Kurzhal
04.01.2013
It could just be my machine (last MBP Apple released before the "I" series) ... I'm good now, though.

Originally Posted by LiamC
I don't believe there is any possible degradation in sound quality when key lock is on and the track's pitch is at +/- 0%. There is no time stretching to be done by the algorithm so why would it?
Sheilah Kurzhal
04.01.2013
Jester ... you are the man! Keylock on even at 0% ... is the source of the artifacts I was referring to.

I plan to formally post my findings ... And clear up any misleading info that I may have stated.

Thank you for helping out!

Originally Posted by Jester
turn keylock off and change your tempo range to 6%
Sheilah Kurzhal
04.01.2013
I believe you're right ... I believe my problem is having "key lock" on even at 0% ... I don't recall exactly what convinced me to ultimately leave it on at all times. I don't use it. I believe I had a flukey trainwreck and scared myself into using that crutch as opposed to correcting my technique that lead to said trainwreck.

Thank you for those suggestions, squidot!



Originally Posted by squidot
i don't notice any quality difference but i don't use keylock either. when i tried using it on the fast cpu settings i had a problem with glitches and pops in tsp 2.5 so i just turned it off and all was fine. i haven't upgraded to the latest traktor to see if this was fixed, but to be honest i've never really liked keylock for the reason that it does tend to degrade the audio quality.

did you say +/- 7 bpms? that seems like quite a lot at house tempo...maybe not as bad if you play d&b. that would be pushing you past 6% at slower bpms. you should really be sticking under 3% or maybe even 2% if you want to be really safe. if you turn keylock off, the key makes a full change at 6% and anything less than 2-3% isn't going to throw your mixes out of harmony in my experience.

http://community.mixedinkey.com/Topics/1767
Sheilah Kurzhal
03.01.2013
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm gonna check that out shortly! I hope mine is set on slow ... because I don't recall ever noticing that parameter. If this works ... You're getting a evening of drinking on me .. if we're ever in the same city! Thanks for taking the time to reply!

Originally Posted by NotSoSiniSter
Look at the Transport section in the settings of Traktor. Under key lock, set both to fast cpu. There is a super noticeable difference between slow and fast when songs are key locked. Maybe that difference is what you are hearing.
Sheilah Kurzhal
03.01.2013
I use sync ... but I'm not the hugest fan of it ... Not for any "purist" reasoning regarding beatmatching properly ... But, because I feel like it degrades the quality of my sound. Even at the true bpm of the synced song. I feel like I can hear the sub bass get tighter and the vocals lose a graininess when I deactivate sync.

Now .. I do use Key Lock .. and KNOW that, that will be the source of most of my degradation. But I stick to rules when I play to offset these limitations ... One of those being to mostly stick within + or - 7 BPM of the original track ... AND ... believe or not ... I never change the key of any of my songs. I just mix harmonically based on the songs in my library's true keys.

I find myself using sync as kind of a helping hand through my tougher transitions ... but I try to kill it ASAP. And every time I do ... I swear I notice things tighten up a touch.

Anyone thoughts?
Sheilah Kurzhal
04.01.2013
It could just be my machine (last MBP Apple released before the "I" series) ... I'm good now, though.

Originally Posted by LiamC
I don't believe there is any possible degradation in sound quality when key lock is on and the track's pitch is at +/- 0%. There is no time stretching to be done by the algorithm so why would it?
Ilana Enderson
04.01.2013
I don't believe there is any possible degradation in sound quality when key lock is on and the track's pitch is at +/- 0%. There is no time stretching to be done by the algorithm so why would it?
Sheilah Kurzhal
04.01.2013
Jester ... you are the man! Keylock on even at 0% ... is the source of the artifacts I was referring to.

I plan to formally post my findings ... And clear up any misleading info that I may have stated.

Thank you for helping out!

Originally Posted by Jester
turn keylock off and change your tempo range to 6%
Latoria Kavulich
04.01.2013
turn keylock off and change your tempo range to 6%
Sheilah Kurzhal
04.01.2013
I believe you're right ... I believe my problem is having "key lock" on even at 0% ... I don't recall exactly what convinced me to ultimately leave it on at all times. I don't use it. I believe I had a flukey trainwreck and scared myself into using that crutch as opposed to correcting my technique that lead to said trainwreck.

Thank you for those suggestions, squidot!



Originally Posted by squidot
i don't notice any quality difference but i don't use keylock either. when i tried using it on the fast cpu settings i had a problem with glitches and pops in tsp 2.5 so i just turned it off and all was fine. i haven't upgraded to the latest traktor to see if this was fixed, but to be honest i've never really liked keylock for the reason that it does tend to degrade the audio quality.

did you say +/- 7 bpms? that seems like quite a lot at house tempo...maybe not as bad if you play d&b. that would be pushing you past 6% at slower bpms. you should really be sticking under 3% or maybe even 2% if you want to be really safe. if you turn keylock off, the key makes a full change at 6% and anything less than 2-3% isn't going to throw your mixes out of harmony in my experience.

http://community.mixedinkey.com/Topics/1767
Cole Maroto
03.01.2013
i don't notice any quality difference but i don't use keylock either. when i tried using it on the fast cpu settings i had a problem with glitches and pops in tsp 2.5 so i just turned it off and all was fine. i haven't upgraded to the latest traktor to see if this was fixed, but to be honest i've never really liked keylock for the reason that it does tend to degrade the audio quality.

did you say +/- 7 bpms? that seems like quite a lot at house tempo...maybe not as bad if you play d&b. that would be pushing you past 6% at slower bpms. you should really be sticking under 3% or maybe even 2% if you want to be really safe. if you turn keylock off, the key makes a full change at 6% and anything less than 2-3% isn't going to throw your mixes out of harmony in my experience.

http://community.mixedinkey.com/Topics/1767
Sheilah Kurzhal
03.01.2013
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm gonna check that out shortly! I hope mine is set on slow ... because I don't recall ever noticing that parameter. If this works ... You're getting a evening of drinking on me .. if we're ever in the same city! Thanks for taking the time to reply!

Originally Posted by NotSoSiniSter
Look at the Transport section in the settings of Traktor. Under key lock, set both to fast cpu. There is a super noticeable difference between slow and fast when songs are key locked. Maybe that difference is what you are hearing.
Trinh Sochia
03.01.2013
Look at the Transport section in the settings of Traktor. Under key lock, set both to fast cpu. There is a super noticeable difference between slow and fast when songs are key locked. Maybe that difference is what you are hearing.

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