Comments on: NI building a dj controller for Traktor?

By: Chris Wright

Chris Wright — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:52:57 +0000

I’d like to see 16 level velocity sensitive pads with toggle buttons for full level, 4 level velocity settings, and maybe a bank toggle button so we could set extra cue points, samples, and so on.

MPC pads>arcade buttons
They’re bigger, velocity sensitive, feel more natural, and aren’t clicky sounding.

The only real question now is can we influence and persuade Vestax into creating it. Once the forums are up we should start a thread on it run a poll or two in order to figure out what people want. Photoshop a rough draft concept of roughly how it should look. Then present it all to Vestax forum included so they really understand it wasn’t a half hearted idea and something with a bit of thought and research put into it.

By: Ean Golden

Ean Golden — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:30:32 +0000

would you guys prefer velocity sensitive MPC pads or arcade buttons? Those are all very good suggestions Chris.

By: Chris Wright

Chris Wright — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:56:13 +0000

If the Ean Golden VCI-100 is a hit Ean should submit DJTechTools ideas to Vestax on what to change next.

Vestax should make a VCI-Controllerist Edition line up with a model name scheme similar to CPU’s/GPU’s perhaps for different VCI-Controllerist models, but hopefully not so confusing.

They could offer options like jog wheel size, MPD/MPC style pads (arcade buttons are cool and retro sad right…but pads are more functional), midi in and out, a foot switch and/or expression pedal, on board sound, face plate colors, and lastly motorized platters. I think that covers most of what people would want. They could start with one or two models and add more yearly or bi yearly.

They could start with version one as a modified Ean Golden VCI-100 with a foot switch midi in and out and MPC style pads. Version two could be the same thing with motorized platters which due to the jog wheel size might not need as strong of a motor as vci-300 jogs or NS7 jogs and thus be cheaper for us the consume win/win. A third version could add on board sound.

Who needs a Native Instruments brand name Traktor DJ controller when we’ve got Vestax and DJTechTools? The fact that Ean managed to get a custom VCI-100 built says a lot he’s got more pull than maybe even he realizes if things go well hopefully he could get some of these ideas out to the people need to hear them. The Numark NS7 seemed like one of the best products out of NAMM2008, but the rumored price and size were big drawbacks. Vestax could capitalized on that by selling a more functional product at a cheaper price. Home Studio producers want better DJ midi controllers as well as traditional DJ’s which I’m not to certain companies have fully picked up upon yet. Anyways here’s to wishful thinking.

By: djjasons

djjasons — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:28:36 +0000

Agreed Andy, that is just the controller I am looking for as well. I have made the migration to digital with Traktor Scratch and honestly think it is great. Controlling the decks is a breeze, so all I need now is a controller for the rest of traktor, within a footprint that will fit above or below my current 19″ mixer.

By: Andy

Andy — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 03:41:46 +0000

I personally would like to see a stand-alone controller (preferablly with rack mountable options) with just the knobs for effects and kills per channel without any jog-wheel and fader-mixing features added in. Just a little something for us DJs that already have plenty of old school hardware (Urei 1620 & 3- 1200’s) and want to get into spinning mp3’s with applications such as Traktor 3 and anything else alike for that matter.

By: Editor

Editor — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 19:30:52 +0000

Ean, if digital DJs had their own country, you’d be the ambassador. With complimentary valet parking.
:)

Thanks MGyver, thats very kind of you to say. After spending my entire life djing (16-28) I really enjoy teaching and helping others take up the torch.
I cant play very much anymore so its even more fun to see other people do interesting things with the concepts I helped create.

By: MGyver

MGyver — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:25:45 +0000

Yeah, it’s nice to have someone working both on and behind the scenes, who knows the gear and software both old and new, the companies, and the people who drive the industry. Ean, if digital DJs had their own country, you’d be the ambassador. With complimentary valet parking.

I hope NI is reading these threads too. Maybe they can bridge all of the gaps that the current hardware seems to have. :)

By: Norrin Rad

Norrin Rad — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 21:31:44 +0000

Ean,

I dunno what the deal is over at Skratchworx - but I for one appreciate the fact that you definitely try to get to the truth from these vendors. The perpetual cycle of BS that comes about from rumors doesn’t help anyone and it’s great that you spend so much time providing us with REAL and USEFUL information!

Cheers,

Norrin