How to reset measure-start in Traktor Pro 4?

245

Answers

  • jbatson
    jbatson Member Posts: 24 Helper

    Just to make sure I'm clear, I'm not at all looking for Lexicon introduction (or trying to promote it here).

    I only point Lexicon out because:
    (a) It's an example of development / release timing strategy for a similarly cross-platform, music-oriented software product using modern "continuous deployment / rapid release cycle" principles, to which I wish N+I would aspire; and

    (b) I refer to it as an example of an application that was able to automatically detect the change in time signature, getting ahead of the possible reply that "such thing can't be done automatically".

    In short, you're not missing anything. I'm happy to refocus my comments to simply support prioritizing the restoration of the functionality to reset the downbeat after a time signature change in a track, restoring the functionality removed that was available in Traktor 3.

    How do we do this? I'm not a frequent contributor on this forum; is there a formal place to submit this as a feature request, and solicit votes?

    (And thank you for clarifying the issue with your post above. Great description with good images.)

  • jbatson
    jbatson Member Posts: 24 Helper
    Answer ✓

    I finally received a reply from N+I about this. I’m copying it here for two reasons: 1) To show that it isn’t, in fact, something that can be done in Traktor 4, and 2) so that whomever here (@mrcee?) knows how to get community support polled for this can help do so.

    Hi Jay,

    Thanks for the explanation.

    I have discussed this issue with the development team and unfortunately this functionality isn't currently possible.

    I have posted this as a feature request and hopefully it is something the development team will consider including within an update.

    If this feature is implemented it will be available within a Traktor update through Native Access. You can see what's included within each update by looking at the change log for the product.

    Best regards,

    xxx @ NI

    (Jay again).

    Is there some community-available mechanism to post this as a feature request and get "votes" on it?

    -jb

  • MrCee
    MrCee Member Posts: 162 Pro
    edited July 25

    Head over to https://community.native-instruments.com/categories/share-ideas-for-traktor-pro
    And put together a detailed post with all of the above info and post back to this thread when you are done with the link to the idea which will help anyone reading this thread to start voting for it!

  • red_nick
    red_nick Member Posts: 203 Advisor

    In the meantime, could you mess with the tempo for that one bar to trick into fitting 4 beats where there are three? (Set tempo to 4/3* the normal tempo, then back to normal tempo after)

  • jbatson
    jbatson Member Posts: 24 Helper
    edited July 26

    It's continues. Traktor now assumes it's the authority on measures, and when it's wrong, it's unfixable. I've now hit my first track where Traktor didn't set the first beat correctly, because there's a long beat-less intro, and it decided to set Beat 1 a beat AFTER what is actually the downbeat when the beat finally rolls in (about 32 bars later). So the measure markers are off-by-one on the entire track, and I can't tell Traktor anything different.

    And the very next track? It set the 1st measure downbeat in the empty space BEFORE the track starts. Happily, it's actually on the right measure-mark, so no "off-by-one" on this track.

    @red_nick I'll experiment with that (when I'm not "live" as I am now).

    @MrCee Thanks for the instructions. I'll do it after today's set.

    (And if anybody cares, you can hear me "live" at 4pm CEST at https://balearic-fm.com ). :-D

  • zephry
    zephry Member Posts: 673 Guru

    I get it. When making a few tracks I ended up fixing this in production because I knew it wasn't the way a dj typically mixes music.

    I really wonder how often this type of issue with measures happens. And if it does, then I guess you as a DJ or producer is aware and mixes or prepares accordingly?

    I have used Traktor for many years and have only had the issue described here (pictured here) a few times.

    Please don't take this as insulting, I genuinely wonder how much of an issue this really is and how often it happens or impacts a DJ mix.

  • Nico_Tf
    Nico_Tf Member Posts: 37 Helper

    You can set the first beat wherever you want. Go to grid, delete the markers with the trashcan icon. Set the first beat using the marker icon above the trashcan icon. It will be set at the playhead position.

  • MrCee
    MrCee Member Posts: 162 Pro
    edited July 28

    It really is an issue, especially when working with acapella overlays and FX sync… it depends how far you are taking your mixing, i.e. mixing 3-4 decks at once with other controllers . A valid point raised, but some of us want to push this technology to precision in every case by making sure it is coded correctly. What the NI team set out to do has bugs., bugs need to be fixed. Functionality has been reduced, this really needs to be tested on Traktor 4, working around the problem isn't a viable option if you are live.

  • MrCee
    MrCee Member Posts: 162 Pro
    edited July 28

    And just to really put the recent Traktor V4 addition of Flexible Beatgrids to the test:
    the previous "Moodena - The Rattlesnake & The Ant" is a great example where all FX timing is totally out forever more since the 3/4 drop… but we can go further than that.

    Kelly Rowland - Work (Freemasons EXTENDED CLUB Remix)
    Felix - FastSlow
    Lil Louis - French Kiss
    Blondie - Heart of Glass

    Give it a go..

  • John6
    John6 Member Posts: 24 Member

    Wait, so all the ppl coming from TP3 who used their 8th Cue Slot (for example) to set their "Grid" marker (which was white, but now grey "******?"), can only set the white/grey marker in cue slot 1 in TP4 ???? Why? Why would they do this. Its like asking for trouble.

  • John6
    John6 Member Posts: 24 Member

    If I would have known this I wouldn't have upgraded. Now I understand why their not talking abt it.

  • MrCee
    MrCee Member Posts: 162 Pro

    I can't really comment on the logic others may use for any other grid markers NOT being the first, but yes grid markers used to be white on the controller and GUI.

    Grid markers are no longer white as hot cues because they dont need to be. You now have a free cue.

    You can define start the grid independently of the first cue without needing a white cue point, so that's where things have changed. It takes a bit of getting used to but it's for the better long term.

    The real challenge here is overcoming the timing which is not always 4/4 or often variable in some examples I have provided above. But do check out setting grid independently of cues.

  • John6
    John6 Member Posts: 24 Member

    One might use slot 8 for "Grid" bc the first 7 slots are the first buttons in a row. Id rather have open cue points on slots 1 thru 7 (personal choice) rather than slots 2 thru 8 (personal choice.)

    What's the point of having a white / grey grid marker at all if the whole idea is to move to using blue cue points exclusively to create the beat grid.

    What abt ppl who spent 10 years developing Grids in TP3? Nothing is explained. Ppl are not going to like this coming from TP3

    Im in 100% agreement with your 4/4 observation. Its a basic byproduct of how "Grid" is lacking overall in TP4

  • Sami de Sousa
    Sami de Sousa Member Posts: 20 Helper

    @jbatson Did you put together a feature request on this issue? I'm going nuts not being able to fix the changing downbeat position in the middle of the track.

    Here's a short video demonstrating the issue.

    Traktor Pro 4:

    Same track in Traktor Pro 3:

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