Native Instruments posts Traktor Pro 2.7.0 with S8 support

We know you're all waiting for version 3 of Traktor Pro, especially with the Kontrol S8 being announced. But it looks like you'll just have to do with v2.7 for now, but it does bring some useful updates including a mappable freeze and slicer, iTunes improvements and support for old timecode.

Traktor 2.7

Those of you subscribed to the Traktor newsletter should have just received an email from Native Instruments letting you know about the update to Traktor 2.7.0 that has just arrived in the Service Center [sic]. For those who are out of the loop, you can read the body of the email below, which gives an overview of some of the changes:

TRAKTOR PRO 2.7.0 is now available for free download in the NI Service Center. In addition to overall performance and stability improvements, here’s what’s new in this version:

  • Full support for TRAKTOR KONTROL S8
  • Freeze/Slicer mode (an integrated feature in the S8, and mappable to other controllers using the Controller Manager)
  • Several enhancements for iTunes Library integration
  • TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO 2: Now compatible with both MK1 and MK2 timecode media
  • Numerous other bug fixes

We recommend all TRAKTOR users keep their software up to date to ensure the best possible user experience.

To install the update, please start the NI Service Center. Open the ‘Update’ tab, make sure the checkbox for TRAKTOR is checked, and click the ‘Download’ button. When the download is finished, just click the ‘Install’ button.

With such an ambiguous bullet-point as ‘Numerous bug fixes”, there must be a proper changelog somewhere? How about the Native Instruments forums?

New

  • Support for the new TRAKTOR KONTROL S8 system controller.
  • Freeze/Slicer mode (native functionality for S8, mappable to any controller via the Controller Manager)

Bugfixes & Improvements

  • This version is now compatible with both MK1 and MK2 timecode records for all TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO owners.
  • SYNC automatically enabled for Remix Decks when launching TRAKTOR.
  • The full waveform to the left of the playhead in a Track Deck will now be rendered – eliminates blurry waveform when using HotCues or BeatJumps.
  • Beat Ticks enabled in any Decks are automatically turned off when quitting TRAKTOR – prevents accidentally-enabled Beat Ticks on Channel Outputs in External Mixer mode.
  • When browsing through the iTunes Node, you can now edit tracks which have been imported into the Track Collection.
  • When browsing through the iTunes Node, the full context (right-click) menu is now available for tracks which have been imported into the Track Collection.
  • When browsing through the iTunes Node, Cover Art is now shown for tracks which have been imported into the Track Collection.
  • When browsing through the iTunes Node, analyzed Key is now shown for tracks which have been imported into the Track Collection.
  • iTunes Playlists now show cumulative time and disk usage in the Status Bar.
  • TRAKTOR now automatically chooses the newest iTunes Library version if multiple versions (old and new) are found in the iTunes Folder.
  • Mix Recorder level is no longer dependent on the Main Out volume.
  • Undesirable filter sweep when enabling the Z Filter on a channel is now fixed.
  • Canceling the “Delete from Collection” dialog still deleted the tracks from the Collection – fixed.
  • TRAKTOR crashes when moving effects around in the Pre-Selected Effects list – fixed.
  • Fixed an issue with the ID3 “Year” tag when non-standard date formats where written by other programs.
  • When creating a new Playlist, the cursor is now automatically placed into the Playlist Name box.

My Take

So, with such a few small fixes and features, why is this news? Several reasons… The main bit of news is that the update brings with it compatibility with the very-soon-to-be-released Traktor Kontrol S8, along with a couple of new features on the controller, the Freezer/Slicer. The surprising part is that Native have been upfront about the fact you can remap these functions to other MIDI devices using the Traktor Controller Manager. If you remember the drama surrounding the launch of the Remix Decks, the only controllers with access to those functions was the Kontrol F1, S2 and S4.

Fixing the playlist cursor issue is welcome, but only addresses a small part of the issue with browser usability. I’m still waiting on one of the frustrating bugs in the software to be fixed. As it stands, when you’ve searched for a track in the browser, clicking the X in the search box clears the text. Unfortunately, clearing the text doesn’t reset the cursor in the search as tends to be expected in standard UX. Not only is this annoying as it adds time and inconvenience to the workflow, it’s also dangerous (in a DJ context) with Traktor defaults set up, as typing will activate keyboard shortcuts, including ones that stop music playing. I’ve done it before, and had to delete the keyboard controls to be safe.

There are quite a few fixes to the iTunes playlist integration. Reading through, it feels a bit like the code for this was never properly finished, and they’ve only just got round to it now. It looks like many of the features in the standard browser are now working in the iTunes node, bringing it up to date.

One fix that’ll make a great many people happy is the blurred waveform issue. Previously, when you scrubbed through or jumped around a track, the waveform behind the playhead marker would be blurry, which was infuriating, much less a ridiculous problem that has stayed ever since Traktor Pro 2 launched. How this wasn’t fixed as soon as possible, I don’t know… but now it is!

The next step for us at DJWORX is to await the arrival of the S8 to test out and review. There are a couple of us that may well explode with anticipation before we get them. Keep an eye out!

Dan Morse
Dan Morse

Opinionated DJWORX newsie. Loves Traktor, analogue mixers, vinyl and Android. The best Techno bedroom DJ you know.

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36 Comments

  1. “As it stands, when you’ve searched for a track in the browser, clicking the X in the search box clears the text. Unfortunately, clearing the text doesn’t reset the cursor in the search as tends to be expected in standard UX. Not only is this annoying as it adds time and inconvenience to the workflow, it’s also dangerous (in a DJ context) with Traktor defaults set up, as typing will activate keyboard shortcuts, including ones that stop music playing. I’ve done it before, and had to delete the keyboard controls to be safe.”

    I had the same problem. Make a duplicate of the default keyboard named virtual decks and leave only the deck commands in it and keep it disabled unless you need to DJ just using the keyboard like an emergency.

    Remove all the commands for the virtual deks from the base commands and there you go. No more accidental music stops when searching but, still have the ability to use the keyboard when you need to.

  2. DON’T UPDATE ! The new drivers are causing issues with the LEDs brightness of NI controllers !!! Can’t have proper visual feedback anymore. NI should should have tested their products before releasing. Between that and the Yosemite issues it seems like there are some serious issues in NI’s software team.

  3. Have a couple MK1 records I can finally put to use. Never saw the point of that limitation other than annoying the user.

    The iTunes integration updates are really nice. Being able to analyze and edit tracks from the iTunes node saves a lot of playlist importing and managing.

  4. I was so looking forward to this release, I had thought that they couldn’t mess up the sound anymore as they had that nailed. Unfortunately (and it seems I am not alone) when I enable multicore support on my i7 I get really bad audio reminiscent of 8bit … it immediately improves on deselecting multicore. I guess I will wait for 2.7.1 and for now go back to 2.6.8. (internal soundcard and Pioneer DJM-T1).

    I haven’t connected my S4 yet, but I am expecting the same and some LED issues that have been reported … I’ll get back to you later on that.

      • S4 MK1 does the same, unclicking multicore fixes the problem, but I don’t have the LED problem people mention in the NI forums.

        Going to complete tests on the Audio4, Audio8 EKS Otus and 4TRAK later today.

        Also tested on two HD installations, both are running W8.1 ..one is stripped and optimised and the other is this one complete with antivirus etc. exactly the same result.

        @happydan:disqus are you sure about that? It seems a complete waste of the cores. It would have made much more sense have a deck per core, i’ll investigate ……….

        • Get a system profiler running while you DJ. I wrote about this in the Mixvibes news piece after a quick and dirty test. The only multicore friendly DJ app was Mixvibes. As far as I could tell, both Serato and TP2 Just use multicore for striping.

          I’m by no means an expert though, and happy to be corrected by someone more knowledgable. AFAIK, porting code to properly use multicore threading is a pain, as evidenced by how many PC games struggle with it.

          • Thanks Dan, after some testing I can replicate this error with alarming consistency. However it seems that it’s only my W8.1 installations that have the fault. W7sp2 has no “detectable” sound issues, although I do hear a click from time to time … but that may be me being over sensitive as I try to replicate the fault.

            The main problem is when I am in SLICER mode, multicore screws up the sound, turning it off

              • Just finished testing with the S4Mk1 (real ASIO drivers for Mr Heavie) same thing is happening with multicore, so it’s connected somehow. Ticket raised with NI, but the quick reply was they know about it and are working on it (suggesting that it’s affected a significant amount of users, I am sure they wouldn’t bother looking at it if there were just a few people affected). Let’s see how quick 2.7.1 comes out. BTW turning off multicore isn’t adversely affecting my playback using a controller, but it does “seem” to affect the latency on my DJM-T1 when using Mk2 TC. (again this may be me being overly sensitive looking for faults)

              • Mr Heavy, you obviously have no idea what ASIO4ALL is do you ? it’s not an ASIO or low latency driver, it’s a wrapper. The drivers for the realTEK audio use windows RT .. thats real time driver for the uneducated …. but thank you for your insight ..

  5. Is programming flexible beat grids as difficult as overlapping waveforms? I think Traktor Pro is the only DJ app without both of them now. Even the iOS version of Traktor has overlapping waveforms.

      • Having them allows the easy identification of track phrasing changes well beyond the time that the “normal” view allows. It’s something that a LOT of people have requested when coming from other apps. The fact that TP doesn’t do it is rather shocking… especially since TDJ does.

  6. I’m very pleased to hear that there are bug fixes, but even more pleased to hear the community call for the re-integration (and subsequent improved handling) of lubrary management.

    I think it’s also time to call for multi-monitor/device support. We’re well beyond this step in graphic arts and audio production, it’s long past time to implement this.

  7. If it wasnt for TRAKTOR, the software NI would be selling production products only at this time. Their controllers are the worst in the high range and if Pioneer and NI worked together as they did not just their companies will be making a lot of money , the controller market would finally explode and change things forever remaining combinations of Traktor and Pio controlers as the standard in that market.

    Things like this the only exit we see is Serato DJ improving with the time and taking Traktor’s place with Traktor DJ división having their worse times ever.

    And as dar as we know it is advisable to uncheck multicore y another programa are running in the background like antivirus for example…check it those that are complaining, cant hurt…a solution is to deactivate antivirus while djing or preparing tunes and stil take advantage of multicore

    • Yep. 2.7 doesn’t scale on high res displays. You end up with microscopic fonts that are too small to read. What’s strange is that 2.6.8 was fine. I had to go back to 2.6.8. Cannot use 2.7 on my system.

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