Messages from TRAKTOR

Pedram_NI · February 7

Dear TRAKTOR Community, following up our promise last year to keep in touch with you more frequently, this is to welcome you in our new Community Platform! We hope you’ve had a great start in 2022 and are in good health.

Moving forward, the new online community will also be the place where me and the Team will announce news, give heads-ups about upcoming updates etc., check in with you all and interact with you in general.

At TRAKTOR headquarters, we’ve been working very focused on our plans for this year and we can’t wait to share more news with you in the next months once things are ready on the product front.

In the meanwhile, please contribute to our endeavors by sharing your thoughts in our new survey, in case you missed the post on Facebook: Link Survey (closed).

Also, as you might remember from our communication in Fall 2021, we’ve been preparing some exciting stuff to celebrate our 20 years anniversary - stay tuned for news on this in Spring.

Warm regards from Team TRAKTOR, and as always: Keep the music going!

TeLLy · February 7

Just took the survey and looks like Native Instruments is going down the monthly subscription route with Traktor soon. Will sound interface and controller hardware still be a focus going forward, and what kind of pre-packaged software will conceivably come with them, ie 12 free months of Traktor Pro, let's say?

Only asking because I want to know if a new Z mixer is coming and if I can get a few free months with it ;).

Keep up the great work, team.

Knivshult · February 7

Probably They will choose the path with subscription. Then, however, I am not willing to spend time giving free feedback on my wishes and free tips on product development. It's over now! The pure hardware competitors are getting better! I want to own what I use and also decide for myself when and how I should dispose of what I have bought. If there is an update, I can buy this. If an update does not meet my distortions and requirements. Then I give up! They're watching Serato way too much I think.

DB_ · February 7

Serato and Pioneer support their Products. If I had to pay monthly, I would shed a few tears, thank Traktor for the memories and switch eco systems.

Just because it works for them doesn’t mean it will work for NI.

NI: we simply DO NOT trust you to hand over a monthly payment and keep the software updated and fix the issues. Your reputation in the industry is trashed.

A rent-to-own model - will make your products more accessible without alienating your perpetual license customers who are loyal and advocates for what’s left of the brand.

Drop Sounds.com - you’ll never dominate the market there. It’s too late. Partner with Splice or other platforms. Go to where the customers are.

Wyley · February 7

Subs may or may not be a good idea. Which ever direction things go one thing has to happen, those who purchase Traktor flagship hardware should not have to subscribe.

wayfinder · February 7

Subscription model would be a deal breaker for me, can't say it any clearer.

Sûlherokhh · February 7

When that survey has terminated i would like to see the statistics.

Wyley · February 7

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/4738#Comment_4738

I would like to see how many participated.

Scratch-E Con · February 7

TBH I really don't care about software improvements. It's hardware support that I want. If a subscription model will bring me that then I am in.

metalface · February 8

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/4734#Comment_4734

Yep, same for me. Purely because of my personal use - I DJ as a hobby and have absolutely no desire to add another perpetual fee to my life. If NI go down that route, then I'll just keep with what I have and leave it at that. If they want to add it as just an alternative option (a bit like Serato I suppose) then I don't have any issue with that, but going subscription-only would be it for me unfortunately.

markski · February 8

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/4745#Comment_4745

100% this. Would happily pay a subscription (or bolt on additional plugin fee) to use Traktor properly with Phase DJ MIDI, a Rane One or DDJ REV7 etc

Knivshult · February 8

Probably They will choose the path with subscription. Then, however, I am not willing to spend time giving free feedback on my wishes and free tips on product development. It's over now! The pure hardware competitors are getting better! I want to own what I use and also decide for myself when and how I should dispose of what I have bought. If there is an update, I can buy this. If an update does not meet my distortions and requirements. Then I give up! They're watching Serato way too much I think.

Wyley · February 9

You subscription advocates should wash your mouths 🤭.

Why not have a tiered system. Have a basic standard Traktor with features that match what's found on the Kontrol S3mk1 as the status quo paid every few years with new version updates like we have now, have a new paid certified mixer program like before to add to it, then have a paid certified controller program for only the top high end controllers on the market to add to it, then have a subscription to a full fledged everything unlocked version unless you buy the flagship hardware or buy NI Traktor add on controllers that unlock certain features.

Owner · February 9

I just can't imagine how a subscription model should work in the Traktor universe. For example, if they want to do it like Serato, Traktor's old code would first have to be cleaned up to include features like elastic beatgrids, retina support, and so on. The competition already has it and I pay there too. But can make up for it immediately. why should i wait?

So, if I understand correctly, the point is that as professional users, we should increase the budget so that more staff can be hired to do all the work. But that also costs time, which is a very precious commodity in this competition. Is outsourcing a possibility? With hardware I could imagine that. But here, too, the competition is already ahead. After what feels like the third survey in a row, in which the only visible results were the integration of Streaming Services and a newly set up Browser, it seems as if they still don't know exactly where to go. Traktor DJ seems to be no longer being developed. Traktor 3 does its job but seems fragile. What actually happened to the original plan that was communicated to us?

Regarding the main question from the discussion in this thread: "Would I pay for updates"? Yes I would, but it would have to be delivered again first. If you just want to expand Traktor 3 in small, slow steps, I think that's ok, but with a completely renewed Traktor 4, a subscription model would be more suitable for me. To be honest, I don't want to have gone the long way with Traktor 2 and 3 only to end up in a dead end.

I still very much hope that I'm just wrong and that I'll soon be surprised with new hardware in the pro area, or that support from third-party providers will be pushed further. I also like the idea of still playing with Trakto in many years and being satisfied with it. But I haven't felt comfortable with it for a long time because I can't shake the feeling that I've missed the boat.

Knivshult · February 9

I have been a loyal Traktor user since 2010, with controllers such as vestax VCI 100, VCi 400, S4 and now S8. I have left the Traktor due to the need for other hardware. I have switched to Denon SC 6000 and x1850. As an old Traktor user, I would consider paying a penny to access the software with a third party hardware. Pretty fair. For example, I could imagine paying a one-time cost for a plugin for DENON HID. These are justified costs I think

zephry · February 10

I liked the survey!

I was against the subscription though. But no examples of anything was given.

People won't pay extra for fixing things, and most requests have been made for many years, to add a subscription service and then improve the browser (for example) would be an insult.

I am really unsure of what NI could offer in the Dj realm that would warrant a subscription.

I pay for Beatport Link, Loopcloud, and of course my Google subscriptions, but those either have unlimited resources or new content added daily.

What could Traktor possibly give that would be subscription worthy? Streaming and Dj community (maybe?)? Or an updated Stem and Remix Set source with 1000s of titles?

Djing has always been something people have been able to grab their music and do. It seems uninspiring to add some weird pay to play feature to the gear itself.

Imagine 20 years ago and having to go get new code to unlock the turntables or Cdjs?

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