TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- Music Discussion
-- Mixing Software: suggestions for those who asked

Mixing Software: suggestions for those who asked

There have been numerous requests over the past few months regarding mixing software. I've had the (unfortunate) time to test out almost every major software available.

I had Virtual Turntables 1.8 and I was making some pretty good mixes for my car/stereo player upstairs, until I had a huge virus problem and had to format my hard drive.

After formatting my harddrive (I was running Windows 2000 before, upgraded from Windows 98), I tried re-installing Virtual Turntables and the programme for some strange reason doesn't function correctly anymore. The most important and unique function, the jogwheel, keeps skipping everytime I spin it.

Which means, I went out looking at other DJ software and this is what I found out.

Of course, in my mind, VTT 1.8 will always be the best. But I think my system is missing some software for VTT to function correctly again... because before, I had VTT 1.8 running on Win98, and then I upgraded to Win 2000, but after my formatting, I just installed Windows 2000 straight on top.

ANYWAY! - the list from most liked to stay-the-fuck-away..

This is what I found out:

Virtual Turntables 1.8: (www.carrotinnovations.com) My favourite programme out of all of them. It's not bias showing through, but merely, it was the simplest programme containing the most ESSENTIAL features with a hassle free user environment. If you are using Windows 98, I recommend this strongly because it is designed for Windows 98. Those essential features include jogwheel (for precision beatmatching), equalizer, and that simple programme layout.

PCDJ Red: (www.visiosonic.com) This is my second favourite but the biggest problem with this programme is that it is missing an equalizer. Without an EQ, you can't make mixes that sound smooth. There is no jogwheel, but there is a subtle pitch blend for precision beatmatching. It's a fairly simple app... it's also similar to VTT because it also is very manual. You don't have to choose that automatic beatmatch shit.

BPM Studio (www.alcatech.com) This is alright and I've not had enough time to fool around with it, but it looks quite memory intensive. It has all the features that PCDJ has but I don't like it as much as PCDJ because of how much the computer does for you. Plus, it looks memory intensive and if you don't have a fast computer (me), it will skip a lot. It doesn't have a jogwheel and the equalizers are pretty hard to fool around with, considering you have to press an obscure button in the bottom right hand corner to access it. It does however have a wave graph, which is quite cool for finding your queue points.

Traktor DJ (www.native-instruments.com) - Both versions, 1 & 2, are alright, but I've noticed that version 2 doesn't support 2 soundcards at the moment. Not good - considering that you'll need to use a soundcard with front and rear outputs (which means most likely your recording will be in mono). I know people are big on this and I personally prefer version 1, but the layout is totally complicated. It's one thing to have a real mixer in front of you and a sampler with all those knobs. It's a different story to have to find everything with a slow computer mouse. It doesn't have a jogwheel, and the appropriate EQs are too hard to control, because they are shaped like knobs and if you want to turn it down, you sometimes accidentally turn it up (no joke).

AtomixMP3 (www.atomixmp3.com) Now we're getting into the shittier ones. I didn't like this one at all, except that like BPM Studio, it has cue points. Let me just say this though... the automated BPM counter is wrong 50% of the time and you can't designate your own BPM easily. As well, setting your own queue points is a huge task. Anyway, the other issue that I have with this programme is that it has a "magic wand" button for automated mixing.. WTF? You don't need that!

Mixmeister (www.mixmeister.com) This one is just plain bad. No EQ, too much computer automation, and definitely not for someone who wants to create a decent mix. Wouldn't go near this one if I were you!

Anyhow, that's what I've found. I know some people will flame me for flaming their favourite programme, but I've discussed them here in fairly good detail.

The best bet is to go out and buy a set of real turntables and have your own record collection, but if you don't have enough money, just go get the software instead. Having said all this, keep in mind that VTT 1.8 hasn't been updated for almost 2 years, even though it's my favourite. Keep an eye out for a programme that uses VTT's coding, but is under a different name: DTT (Digital Turntables).

Regards

p.s. I hope no one comes to this thread and says.. "SOFTWARE MIXING IS SHIT, GO AND GET REAL TURNTABLES".. that's just plain stupid.

Personally I find Traktor 1.0 the best. If you have some practise in it mixing should be very good and enjoable. The only problem is that both equalizers are far from each other so it's a lot of work with mouse while making a transition. I like the feature of precize cueing and nudging. So for me Traktor is the best.

I haven't had any problems with cueing in Atomixmp3. You have extended info about bpm when you click on the track info circle, there's a real-time bpm counter better than the basic one so this should help. But it still isn't as precize as in Traktor for eg. And yes, magic mix button is useless because even without it Atomix is very easy.

I dislike VTT because its EQ doesn't work in the real time, it has a delay of about 0,5-1 second.

.

EQ in VTT

Actually, I managed to set the delay to about 0.1 seconds by fooling around with a few things in the options. If you've got a decent computer, you can manage to set buffer/block size down, so your DSP effects and EQ work in real time!

Regards

I learn to beatmatch on Virtual TurnTables 1.8 and i think it's the best software to emulate a turntables or a cd-palyer on pc.

Re: EQ in VTT

quote:

Originally posted by corsten_addict Actually, I managed to set the delay to about 0.1 seconds by fooling around with a few things in the options. If you've got a decent computer, you can manage to set buffer/block size down, so your DSP effects and EQ work in real time! Regards

i just tried that and it helps but its not near real-time for me and i have a great computer
i still use vtt (rarely)
i'm waiting for DTT, it should be good

i learned how to beatmatch on vtt a few years ago aswell

I play around on DJ traktor alot. It works quite well. It's easy to function and I like making mixes with singles and burning them for my friends...try and get them into my music But yes, it just makes the yearning for real turntables greater.

I've been using Atomix for the past year, and wish I hadn't, especially after using Traktor. I love the 2.0 version, but haven't tried hooking up my second sound card on the computer it's running off of yet. Are you sure you can't run 2 soundcards on the 2.0 version? I don't think they'd release it if you couldn't. VTT are pretty good, but haven't dived into it enough to really critique it.
I think Atomix is good to start off with, but one must move on.

TRaktor is the best. Period. the knobs are just really easy to handle.from what i remember of the other programs, traktor is the only one to have easy eq access by holding,to kill the bass for example, keyboard number 1. also it can beatmatch automatically both trakcs. the other ones ive tried(quite everything that was mentionned upper) were always missing something traktor as just like being able to "touch" the tune to make a little scratch effect....
icould go on and on like this but ill only tell u that u really should turn to traktor.
personnally i prefer the feeling of vinyls

I've been using traktor for some time now and love it. If you're just making mixes for yourself and friends there's a really easy way to make stereo mixes with one soundcard. Just start recording your mix file and when it comes time to mix in a new track, set the crossfader half way so you can hear both tracks about equal and then ride the pitch fader through a minute and a half or whatever length the mix should be ( never use the bpm sync, it's pretty crappy, just use it to get them close initially...keep doing this for as many tracks as you like. You can dub over the crossfader movements when you play the mix back, so you won't hear the parts where you're bringing the two tunes into sync. Now record audio and play back the whole thing, fading back and forth as appropriate. True it takes twice as long, but you can get some really nice mixes this way, with only one soundcard. Also makes it easy to do lots of tricks with filters and eq when you get a second run through. I'm not sure if that's all clear but that's how i work it and it works great!

Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright © 2000-2021, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.