This morning Native Instruments has released a brand new video showing the exact workflow of the Traktor Stem Decks on one of their Stems-compatible units, the Kontrol D2. Watch now to get a sense of the visual feedback, mixing style, and possibilities that the new file format might offer. Also, did you know that drum and bass is making a comeback?
Mixing Traktor Stem Decks
When playing around with the Traktor Stem Decks, it’s pretty clear that there are a few key “added-value” mixing activities that the video suggests to make it fun and interesting for both the DJ and the audience. In the video, these include:
- Cutting Out Instruments: The Stem Decks seem to be grouping instruments pretty well based on the few we’ve seen so far, so bringing in and out parts like drums, bass, vocals, etc on the fly is easy. If you hit a cue point, it jumps all of the Stems to that specific cue, so it’s easy to do a custom breakdown and then return to the song’s drop.
- Filtering + Effecting Individual Elements: This takes it one further – meaning that if you just want to apply an effect on the vocals (more reverb!) or the drums (high pass, please!), it’s very possible. This is one step beyond isolator based effects (only effecting one frequency range of the track) which we’ve previously shown how to do in Traktor here.
- Mixing Tracks With Stems Instead Of EQ: This is where the fun really starts – taking traditional DJ mixing techniques and applying them to Traktor Stem Decks. If you’ve got the bass as it’s own Stem on two tracks, you don’t have to EQ out the low end on the outgoing track – just swap the basslines entirely, as demonstrated in the video. This is powerful stuff and could lead to a lot “cleaner” mixing with some practice and enough content.
One thing is for certain – this video makes using Stems for DJ mixing look like a lot of fun. What we’re really waiting on (besides Traktor 2.9 to come out) is a full reveal of the available content for Stem Decks, because ultimately that will be what makes or breaks this format.
Check out a Kontrol D2 here in the DJTT store, or get more details on Stems on NI’s official site.
[…] out Ableton, Traktor might take your job soon. As teased in yesterday’s video, Native Instruments new stems format is set to drop very soon, and many have asked if DJs will embrace the format. Perhaps, but a different group of people might […]
[…] out Ableton, Traktor might take your job soon. As teased in yesterday’s video, Native Instruments new stems format is set to drop very soon, and many have asked if DJs will embrace the format. Perhaps, but a different group of people […]
Hope this format takes off, because that looks pretty sweet.
I have the first track in a remix set. Lol
I would love too but the price is insnane switching from an s2 to a mixer styled setup
[…] out Ableton, Traktor might take your job soon. As teased in yesterday’s video, Native Instruments new stems format is set to drop very soon, and many have asked if DJs will embrace the format. We suspect that a surprisingly […]
[…] out Ableton, Traktor might take your job soon. As teased in yesterday’s video, Native Instruments new stems format is set to drop very soon, and many have asked if DJs will embrace the format. We suspect that a surprisingly […]
[…] out Ableton, Traktor might take your job soon. As teased in yesterday’s video, Native Instruments new stems format is set to drop very soon, and many have asked if DJs will embrace the format. We suspect that a surprisingly […]
[…] out Ableton, Traktor might take your job soon. As teased in yesterday’s video, Native Instruments new stems format is set to drop very soon, and many have asked if DJs will embrace the format. We suspect that a surprisingly […]
I’d love a Z4 also, but rather than wait I remapped the macro effects knobs to EQ channels C&D- “on” button kills the high, the knobs are mapped to the mid and low. You must use the shift button to activate headphone cueing, but most of the other controls are intuitive.
My Xone:62 is broken, so I had to map ALL my mixer controls to my Maschine Mk1! The look of confusion when people try to figure out how I mix 4 decks with it is priceless! It’s intuitive to me though!
I love Techno, but it was nice to see a demo in a different Genre for a change.
I’m actually excited about this Stems concept now.
Same. I’ll be using it for techno, but it’s reassuring to see other artists catered for. It can only lead to a greater uptake, which in turn pushes more of the artists I follow to get involved. The cycle feeding itself to the benefit of all.
“Also, did you know that drum and bass is making a comeback?”
it went away?
All NI needs now is to bring out a Z4 mixer for professional club use and my life will be complete
Something that’s always bugged me about the Z4 request, what are you looking for in a hypothetical Z4 that you can’t already do with one of the mixers already on the market?
Obviously price is an issue – Both Pioneer’s and Allen & Heath’s top-end mixers cost the GDP of a small country – But features-wise, what’s missing?
A built in soundcard and USB chaining is nice. I understand where you are coming from but you could ask the same question about features for the z2.
Ah, but with the Z2, there was a very definite gap in the market for a 2 channel scratch mixer with digital add-ons that was, at the time, only occupied by the outrageously overpriced Pioneer (I forget the model name). When it comes to 4 channel there’s the Xone 43C, the Xone DB2/4, the Pioneer DJM 900/850/2000 and a whole galaxy of other offerings.
My point is that, rather than want NI to waste resources doing what everyone and their nan has already done, we should want them invested in doing things, like stems, that haven’t been done before.
I add into this musing the numerous people wanting NI to create a jogwheel controller. There was the Otus and that was EXACTLY what people are now asking for but that died when no-one bought one. As memory serves, that was a fine piece of kit too.
The problem with Otus was A) it was ahead of its time and B) it was a niche product from a niche company with little marketing power. I barely remember it.
It’s a shame that such forward-thinking isn’t rewarded unless it comes from a powerhouse brand.
excellent points.
Actually there is not a lot of in production Traktor Scratch Certified 4ch mixers on the market; Denon DN-X1600, Pioneer DJM850/900, Allen & Heath Zone4D and Rane MP2016. I beleave that is all. 5 Mixers and the two least expensive ones are $1000 & $1400. So there is definitely space in the market for a $1000 Z4
Dedicated midi pads like on the Z2 along with dedicated EFX, browsing, loading, snap & quantize controls. Also looking for a price point at about the $1000 mark not $2000. The closest thing out there is the Denon DN-X1600 and I’ve thought about trading a Z2 in for that mixer.
With NI now pushing its D2s, I think it’s now even less likely you’ll see the Z4 you crave. The pads on the Z2 served a very particular function in that on a scratch mixer, you want the turntables ideally as close to the crossfader as possible. The X1s were great for some, but too much for others. The Z2 addressed that with laser-like precision.
I just feel that with a Z4, there’s no out-and-out target for it. It won’t become a new club standard over Pioneer or Allen & Heath (or Rane, as I’m learning has a better foothold away from here in the UK).
I understand that we’d all like to see a new mixer at a price point that forces other manufacturers to take notice, I really don’t see this one materialising.
It’s not always about a club standard. If it were then there would only be a handful of companies making gear. I think there is a clear target for a Z4. It may not be as big as a market for the Z2 due to more competition, but there is a market for another $1000 Traktor Scratch Certified 4ch mixer and they would sell like hotcakes. Now true, the D2s would give people the same access to some of this stuff, but then there are people who don’t want to use D2s. How about people that would like to use turntables for decks A&B and an X1 or F1s for decks C&D and still have full EQ, gain and filter control?
But for the price-point you mention, you can buy an S8 and get everything you’ve asked for.
That’s assuming that I want an all in one controller. For the price of a DJM900NXS you can get a DDJ-SZ. Different products for different people and different markets.
I just don’t see a Z4 materialising that’ll satisfy everyone like you seem to expect. and leading to the sales you predict. You could be right and one’s round the corner, but I’d be very surprised.
I thing NI is quite happy to let the mixer manufacturers make mixer, the turntable manufacturers make turntables and carve out their own little niche in keeping with their #futureofdjing
I guess rather than arguing back and forth, we should just wait and see.
I think proper Maschine integration with Traktor might be what would push a Z4 to happen, and I imagine such a product would used in more of a live performance setting as a result rather than in a normal club DJing session. Still, when I was playing at a house party,
Another thing as well is that some things like house parties, some people still prefer using CDJs, though you might want to use Traktor, which is what happened to me a few weeks ago. Ended up in a compromise situation where I was turning Traktor mode on and off on the channels when moving in and out of my other mates sets where they were playing on CDJs connected to my Z2. Was workable, but rather annoying. With a Z4, I would’ve just relegated them to decks C and D and left it at that for the night.
Depends on how they implement it. If they jam Maschine into a deck then maybe. If, however, they add VST hosting to accommodate Maschine and Komplete, it’d be geared more towards the legendary Xone:92 and its extra input channels. Much like Chris Liebing has his setup. That’s my hope anyway. A Maschine deck is probably more likely.
Yeah, I’m of the same opinion in that a Maschine Deck will be fairly likely for Traktor Pro 3.0, mainly to push more sales of the F1. Then again, they could just add step-sequencing into the remix decks itself, but proper integration of Maschine would be useful.
They could even bypass the Z4 and go straight for a Z6/Z8 that is more aimed at use in live settings such as a band. Plenty of potential there if done right.
Maschine into a deck wouldn’t boost sales for the F1. You’d still need Maschine to open the Maschine deck, therefore you would already have the Maschine hardware. If anything, it’d kill off remix decks to a degree.
This is why I’d prefer if Traktor had a VSTi slot I could load Maschine into. I’d keep deck D as a remix deck for kick, bass and synth loops as well as loops I record as I go. Then I’ve got three decks to bounce between tracks and stems. Then I’ll have Maschine for additional percussion and drums.
Adding aux FX bus routing for VSTs would be a massive plus too. That’d push Ableton out of my live setup completely.
Five years ago, I would have agreed with you, but now that NI is firmly in the hardware business and not giving out scratch certifications anymore there is a pretty big hole in their product line up. If NI is going to start playing nice with other manufacturers and the MP2016 is the first of more new scratch certifications, then maybe there is no need for it.
I’m hoping the MP2015 is a sign of things to come. Giving Rane scratch certification after their close ties with Serato is a good sign.
On this same subject, personally I’d like to see Allen & Heath update their Xone:92 into a 93C (like they did with the 42). And I’d love to see that get Scratch certification. I’d be happy to throw down >£1000 if that came to light.
I am of the same mind on the topic. It seems like NI’s solution to that request was the S8. A Z4 by definition would be an internally mixed hibrid with midi, the D2 solution would make most of the pads on a Z4 redundant. It’s why I went down to my local gear shop when the S8 came out and got a shiny 850. The sound difference between that and my Z2… it has so much more warmth with the DJM. Honestly, if a Z4 did come out I wouldn’t even show interest due to the colour given by the analog circuitry of the 850.
You can’t beat a solid analogue mixer. I’ve got a Xone:62. It’ll take one hell of a mixer to make me replace it!
I do a bit of repairs for some sales reps at my local gear shop and they do a bit of digging into their rental stock for me to find some sweet deals. They just told me about a lightly used 62 for $400, it’s almost sweet enough of a deal to make me trade my 850 in for that and an A10.
Dude, the sound Tech’s at fabric told me a Xone:62 is one of the best sounding mixers they’ve had in the building over the 15 years they’ve been open. $400 is a fucking STEAL!
Word
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Shogun Audio ftw.