A minimalistic gear configuration: laptop, traktor, maschine plus

WarriorLite

I have seen Chris Liebing present his configuration, with two laptops, one with an external audio interface, a mixer, some hw sampler, maschine mk2 and traktor - and that was it I guess.

I don't have that much gear but have maschine plus instead, maschine jam, one laptop without an external card other than Maschine's, could get a midi controller or two of some sort, and am thinking how to set this up.

Traktor on the windows laptop, to be somehow synchronised with traktor, can do with maschine's sampler if possible because traktor's does not sync. the rest of maschine would be for batteries of drum types: a kik group, snare one etc.

But how to get this connected together? The big two options are maschine software vs hardware. will any of thesew work without and external audiocard?

will Jam do as traktor controller for now or would you still keep jam for maschine?

D-One

So... Jam, M+ and Traktor?

I would advise treating the M+ and Jam as a single unit, connected to each other - that's what Jam is good at, controlling Maschine and this requires no setup, it's plug and play... A Jam to control Traktor is a bit of waste.

For Traktor/Laptop you can try to use your laptop's Line-Out and connect it to the Maschine+ Audio Input, this will fix your lack of an external interface. Use Link to synchronize Traktor with the M+.

The only last thing you need to resolve is the fact you need a controller for Traktor, so consider buying one.

If instead, you're OK with using the M+ in Controller Mode then you can have everything on the Laptop itself, including whatever you pick to control Traktor... This, however, defeats the purpose of buying an M+, you could have just got an MK3 for half the price. The advantage of this is you can temporarily enable MIDI Mode in either the M+ or the Jam to control Traktor and switch back to Maschine control at any time with the press of a button... So, it might be something to consider if you don't want to buy a dedicated Traktor controller.

Peter Harris

I'm very eager to hear what everyone recommends because I'm in a similar situation.

My hardware is: my M+, a Maschine Mikro MK3, a Maschine Jam, Traktor S2 MK3 plus two S1's and an X1 , a KK S49, and a newish HP laptop running Windows 11. Also an Ipad running AUM, a Roli Lumi and Seaboard Rise, three Lumi Blocks and wireless MIDI linking everything (on good days when it's all working together).

So far I am running Ableton Link with everything to sync timing and mixing everyone's audio outputs manually.

Needless to say I'm also open to any and all suggestions and tips. 😉

D-One

So... Jam, M+ and Traktor?

I would advise treating the M+ and Jam as a single unit, connected to each other - that's what Jam is good at, controlling Maschine and this requires no setup, it's plug and play... A Jam to control Traktor is a bit of waste.

For Traktor/Laptop you can try to use your laptop's Line-Out and connect it to the Maschine+ Audio Input, this will fix your lack of an external interface. Use Link to synchronize Traktor with the M+.

The only last thing you need to resolve is the fact you need a controller for Traktor, so consider buying one.

If instead, you're OK with using the M+ in Controller Mode then you can have everything on the Laptop itself, including whatever you pick to control Traktor... This, however, defeats the purpose of buying an M+, you could have just got an MK3 for half the price. The advantage of this is you can temporarily enable MIDI Mode in either the M+ or the Jam to control Traktor and switch back to Maschine control at any time with the press of a button... So, it might be something to consider if you don't want to buy a dedicated Traktor controller.

WarriorLite

Really cool, many thanks. Using laptop's headphone output somehow evaded me.

X1 on the way ;) and I'll actually try to get Jam to do Traktor effects - there is a template for that, although I have yet to check if it was T Pro 2 or 3.

Looping in sync - that's the thing! A bit overkill for Maschine but that is not a concern for now.

Kubrak

You need audiointerface to use Traktor effectively. You need prelisten tracks in headphones....

If you use only two decks Z1 might do the job including mixing.

WarriorLite

Will amx do all z1 does plus 2 more decks?

awol9000

For a controller I recommend a Traktor S5 (discontinued). The S3 has low volume issues and the S2 is lacking in FX controls. A couple of years ago I bought a refurbished S5 from NI for half the cost of when it was selling new.

Kubrak

S5 is fine, but goes IMHO beyond minimalistic setup.

What about Roland AIRA MX-1? One could mix four decks and output from M+. But no crossfader and I am not sure if one could cue Traktor decks....

awol9000

I forgot the minimalist aspect. X1 is probably the go to for that or Allen & Heath's Xone K2 (which Chris Liebing is a fan of I believe).

D-One

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/58725#Comment_58725

Good point, completely forgot about that.

A Z1 or any of those tiny mixers should be OK, if OP is new to DJing and just wants to figure everything out it's probably the best choice not to go all out and get anything higher-end, especially since it will kill the minimalism.

Long term I find it a bit odd to have a 150$ mixer/interface with very little controls that is responsible for most of the music and then a 1200$ M+ that will just add sprinkles on top -- assuming the intent is to perform in a similar style of Chris Liebing... But it can make sense if it's a producer getting into DJ'ing I guess.

Kubrak

I am ignorant, I do not know what Chris Liebing does.

You are right, that Z1 does not suit the rest of combo much. I have suggested it as a starting point. Someone else has suggested S5, which is fine, but IMHO breaks minimalism concept. I have S5 and like it, but I do not like to carry it. If I imagine I would carry M+ and Jam on top of it, it would drive me crazy...

D-One

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/58816#Comment_58816

Same, I am ignorant too... I just watched a little bit of a couple of his live sets to get a sense of what OP might want to do since there's several styles of DJIng, his seems to use the average steady-beat style of DJing without jog wheels: Everything with Sync, 4 decks where 2 are mostly for loops and the other 2 for actual songs, MK3 for small stuff like a 4/4 kick over everything, etc... His meat and potatoes seem to be the main 2 decks, everything else is a bonus at least from my interpretation.

Kubrak

In that case two deck's Z1 might do. The other two decks one might operate using mouse...

Or that Roland AIRA MX-1. It is small and may operate many decks/tracks. Not sure about durability... And how/if cueing works in it.

WarriorLite

For now, I will see how traktor speaks with x1, will do without cuing but with synced looping and a drum sequencer on top of two decks.

All this evolves so quickly, so I won't be too concerned about price mismatch between dj gear and Plus.

Thanks guys for your comments and ideas.