VCI-100 with Traktor Pro (4 decks/each selectable separately)
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  1. #1
    Tech Mentor DJPhaidon's Avatar
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    Default VCI-100 with Traktor Pro (4 decks/1.2 firmware)

    Hey there DJ TT. I'm proud to announce that I've finally had time to update my .TSI, and it now has many new and improved features, along with more to come. If you like it, rate it, and leave any suggestions or improvement ideas please.

    ***The file is now available attached to this post***


    OPERATIONS
    I have included a basic diagram of the buttons that are normally functional, but due to the high amount of shift states and modifiers, I will explain certain functions in more detail

    To start, the UP button is a global clear, so anytime you load it up, press the UP button, or mess with the filter/cue buttons until they are both green.

    Also, if you have the 1.3 firmware, you have to boot it up in 1.2, cause I am working on being able to have similar but not the same FX operations in 1.2 firmware, which makes other operations simpler.

    NOTE! This layout is trying to get the most out of VCI-100 space and Traktor Pro features. Due to the firmware, visual feedback isn't how I would like it, but for the most part there is an indication whenever you change states, or the state is a hold, and resets to 0 after you complete the action. The scratch button is a cramp in my side, but I'll add some interesting things around it that I've been figuring out in the past few days.

    (all buttons referenced to the included diagram)
    Deck operation
    -Deck A and C are available on the left of vci and B and D are available on the right. To switch between them, use the A, B, C, and D buttons. Green is the active deck, and orange means nothing, but it doesn't go away.
    -Pressing the active or green button again will activate the FX mode on the deck. Once in FX mode, chained and advanced are available by selecting the MOD button.

    Loop section
    -IMPORTANT. With any of the loop modes selected, the transport functions don't work, so if you need to use that function, deselect the loop funtion.
    -----Loading becomes loop out for all loop funtions---
    ---With a loop mode selected, holding a-d buttons next to it toggles a shift, so that only that deck will be affected by what you change, otherwise it affects all decks---
    -Loop size
    Clear becomes increase loop length
    Copy becomes decrease loop length
    Monitor becomes set all decks to 16 beat loop length
    X-fader becomes set all decks to 4 beat loop length
    -Loop In
    Clear becomes move loop in bwd
    Copy becomes move loop in fwd
    Monitor becomes set all decks to loop length move length
    X-fader becomes decrease all move lengths by 1
    -Move
    Clear becomes move loop bwd
    Copy becomes move loop fwd
    Monitor becomes set all decks to loop length move length
    X-fader becomes decrease all move lengths by 1

    FX section
    -The FX section, from the effect selection buttons up, only does FX.
    -Chained makes FX2 controlled from the 4 knobs and the 3 buttons, the usable ones light up and the farthest left knob is dry/wet.
    -Advanced makes FX 2 advanced controlled from the 4 knobs and the 4 buttons.
    -These selectors are toggles, so pressing the button will select that FX slot.
    -Holding the buttons also produces a mode. If you hold advanced, buttons 1-4 toggle deck a-d fx1 on, if you hold chained, buttons 1-4 toggle deck a-d fx2. While holding either of them, you can turn the left knob to select the FX in the advanced slot, or the respective right 3 to select the FX of the chained slot.

    Transport
    -The LOAD button switches you into 4 deck minimized mode, so that you can easily see your tracks.
    -the right jog wheel will scroll through your tracks, while the left jog wheel will scroll through the tree list. To expand a list, tap the right jog wheel.
    -once you've found your song, tap 1-4 below the right jog wheel. These correspond to the decks, left is A, right is D. When done loading the tracks you want, re-press preview and it will hop back to 4 deck regular mode. You have to press a deck select button on the right and left side to return you to normal mode, or press clear to get A-B decks.
    -Deck Copy is kinda weird, but it was the only solution that I have yet to come up with. Hold deck copy and you can copy decks. Press the 1-4 buttons below the right jog to select the deck you want to load TO, then the left 1-4 buttons below the left jog to select which deck you want to copy FROM. This has been the only way I can get this to work because of the way traktor pro copy's decks, sorry.
    -X-fader select basically allows you to select which side of the cross fader each deck is on. Hold it, and press 1-4 below the jogs on each respective side of the x-fader to select which side it's on.
    -Monitor functions just like all the other hold buttons, but instead of using the buttons below the jogs, just hold it, and use the deck select buttons that have the headphones next to them.
    -With ALL of the hold functions in the transport section, you have to select your decks again after you release the hold, currently. I'm working on that problem

    Deck modes (can be accessed by all decks)
    Mod/Key
    -the play button turns the key on or off
    -the pause button resets the key
    -the outside jogs increase/decrease the key in .25 increments
    -more features to come in this mode

    Cue mode
    -1-4 selects 1-4 hotcues
    -beatjumping feature to come
    -tricks with cues to come

    Loop mode
    -1-4 selects 5-8 hotcues with loop active
    -beatjumping feature to come


    Due to the complexity of this midi setup, I don't really recommend modifying it unless you have a pretty good idea of how the modifier system works in traktor pro. But as a side note, if you would like to see how to make things work with the modifiers, study this file. With a normal 2 deck layout VCI-100 setup, you have less than 100 controls you have to map. This .VSI file has the ability to map over 300 controls to a single VCI, with room to expand, however unlikely

    Thanks again, and enjoy
    DJ Phaidon
    Last edited by DJPhaidon; 12-31-2008 at 04:43 PM. Reason: Complete re-coding of .TSI

  2. #2
    Tech Convert
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    Thumbs up musical heaven

    At last 4 deck mixing from the vci-100. Keep up the good work. I can't wait for the updates.
    Last edited by ridimman; 11-27-2008 at 10:53 AM. Reason: spelling

  3. #3
    Tech Mentor DJPhaidon's Avatar
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    Default 1-2.2 minor corrections and improvements

    ***REMOVED*** see first post
    Last edited by DJPhaidon; 12-12-2008 at 01:56 AM. Reason: File completely updated

  4. #4
    Tech Mentor DJPhaidon's Avatar
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    Default Crap, crap, crap

    After messing around with my .tsi that I've been slamming my head against, I noticed that one major function that I would like to have has no possible fix under the current modifier setup. The ability to control the left or right deck in normal mode, while the other deck is in modified mode, is currently not possible.

    So, I sat back down at the drawing board and I've come up with a solution that has me both excited and frustrated at the same time. Good news is, it will allow for a deck to be controlled in normal mode while the other deck is modified. It will also allow for FX control on each deck itself, with which I believe there is a lot of cool possibilities above the current setup. Bad news is, it's going to take some time to get these features implemented because I will have to remap all the modifiers to every button with the exception of the x-fader, . But, on a brighter note, since I have been slamming my head against the modifier system in Traktor Pro for so long, I'm getting really quick about adding new functions and making sure they work correctly.

    So, to those that have been using or at least tried my set up, thank you, and updates will be coming as soon as I can push them out. I have a grip of leave coming up, so I will have around 10 days of nothing but DJ'ing and .tsi fun in a few days, and my intensions are to have the layout completely finished before Christmas.

    DJ Phaidon

  5. #5
    Tech Guru B33SON's Avatar
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    Default

    Dude. You are kicking some serious ass here. I'm really impressed.
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  6. #6
    Tech Mentor DJPhaidon's Avatar
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    Default

    Thanks B33SON, I try not to disappoint :-) Right now I'm wishing that the LED problems were fixed with the firmware update, cause it would make this layout cake.

  7. #7
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    Default Experience with send state/led values when changing decks?

    Hey man, thanks for the hard work! I have my own 4 deck set-up, but I'm wondering if during your experimentation you have seen a way to send the current led states to a button when changing modifiers? I've been having limited success with the "send monitor state" command, but it only seems to work in one direction. This is how far I've gotten. I'll use the basic example of a play/stop button. Say I press play on deck A, and the led lights green. Then use a modifier and change to deck C. It's not playing and the led is orange. That's good, but switch back to deck A, and I want to see that button go back to green (since A is playing), but it stays orange instead. I've heard there may be a limitation in the software that essentially only remembers states involving the last modifier used, but I'm trying to confirm. Any thoughts?
    MacBook 2.4GHz, 6GB, Traktor Pro, Ableton Live, Bomes MT, Audio Kontrol 1, Vestax VCI-100 SE Custom, M-Audio Axiom 25, Akai APC40, NI Maschine, 2x Midi Fighters (c/o DJ TechTools - Thanks!!)

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  8. #8
    Tech Mentor DJPhaidon's Avatar
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    Default LED States

    Quote Originally Posted by Zac Kyoti View Post
    I have my own 4 deck set-up, but I'm wondering if during your experimentation you have seen a way to send the current led states to a button when changing modifiers?
    I have had the same issue that you have, and so what I did to work around it was only have visual indications decks A and B, so that when I'm on C or D, it doesn't change the LED state. Not a perfect setup, but I think it's about as far as you can push it cause I haven't yet found a way to have the LEDs remember or change to the current state when switching modifiers, even if they are two different modifiers affecting the same LED. Let me know if you find a way around this, cause it would be awesome, but I don't think there is one yet.

    DJ Phaidon

  9. #9
    Tech Guru B33SON's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DJPhaidon View Post
    I have had the same issue that you have, and so what I did to work around it was only have visual indications decks A and B, so that when I'm on C or D, it doesn't change the LED state. Not a perfect setup, but I think it's about as far as you can push it cause I haven't yet found a way to have the LEDs remember or change to the current state when switching modifiers, even if they are two different modifiers affecting the same LED. Let me know if you find a way around this, cause it would be awesome, but I don't think there is one yet.

    DJ Phaidon
    I think what you're trying to do can be accomplished in Bomes Midi Translator Pro. I'm not the total Bomes expert like BentoSan, but I've done my share of rule programming. I find it much easier to do complex things due to the translation rules part than trying to use Traktor. You get things like global variables which can handle states. Perfect for what you're trying to do.

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  10. #10
    Dr. Bento BentoSan's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by B33SON View Post
    I find it much easier to do complex things due to the translation rules part than trying to use Traktor.
    Coding LED's in the current version of Bomes isnt spectacuarly fun, Bomes is actually running a beta of the next version at the moment that makes coding LED's alot easier.

    In the current stable version of Bomes i had to send LED messages from Bomes into own midi channel and then retranslate the information with Midi-Ox again after it left Bomes *pulls hair out*. Dont even bother going there, it works i can attest to that but its a pain in the shiezer to pull off - my advice is to sign up for the beta or if you have gigs hold out for the stable version release.

    If you have gigs though i wouldnt recommend using the current beta in a performance situation.

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