This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points.(September 2020) |
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Developer(s) | Native Instruments |
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Initial release | 2000 |
Stable release | 3.9.0 / May 31, 2023 |
Preview release | 3.9.0 |
Engine | OpenGL 2.1 or higher |
Operating system | macOS 10.12, 10.13, 10.14, 10.15, Windows 7, Windows 10, Windows 11, iOS |
Size | 1 GB HD Space |
Type | Digital DJ Software, Vinyl emulation software |
License | Proprietary |
Website | www |
Traktor is DJ software developed by Native Instruments. It is also used as a sub-brand for Native Instruments' associated DJ hardware products.
Traktor was first released in 2000. The initial versions available were Traktor DJ and Traktor Studio, with Studio being the version with the most functionality. [1]
Version 2 of the software (known as Traktor DJ Studio 2) was released in 2002. The new features included scratch macros and expanded looping, MIDI, and cue point functionality. Version 2.5, released in 2003, expanded the time stretching functionality, added Open Sound Control (OSC) support, and introduced GUI customization options. [1]
In 2003 Native Instruments expanded Traktor from purely software. They partnered with Stanton Magnetics to develop Traktor Final Scratch: the software for Stanton's Final Scratch digital vinyl system (which used timecode-stamped vinyl records to control MP3s), whilst Stanton developed the hardware. [2] This partnership also allowed Native Instruments to use the Final Scratch timecode functionality in their own Traktor products. [1]
In 2005, Native Instruments added vinyl emulation features to version 2.6 of Traktor DJ Studio, alongside live input, internet broadcasting, support for more file formats, and expanded MIDI capabilities. [3]
Version 3 of Traktor DJ Studio, announced in November 2005, added two more playback decks (for a total of four), built-in EQ & effects, Beatport online store integration, a four-channel mixer. [4] It was re-branded to Traktor 3 on October 11, 2006, when the partnership between Native Instruments and Stanton Magnetics ended. At this point, Native Instruments began manufacturing their own DJ hardware components. [5] [2]
On October 16, 2008, Native Instruments announced Traktor Pro, to replace Traktor 3. It included an updated GUI, revamped effects interface, and updated cueing and looping features. [6] [7]
The subsequent software, Traktor Pro 2 was announced on February 10, 2011, and released on April 1, 2011. New features included multi-channel support and support for a larger number of concurrent loops. [8]
Native Instruments announced in early 2018 that an entirely new version of Traktor (both hardware & software) had been under development. [9] The new version, entitled Traktor Pro 3, was released on October 18, 2018. [10]
In May 2021, a Beta release of Traktor Pro 3.5 added integration with Beatport Link. This new feature allowed DJs to make track selections from Beatport on the fly for the first time. [11]
Core functionality supported by Traktor includes the following:
Native Instruments also offers lower-priced version of the Traktor software, known as Traktor Duo. Duo features only 2 virtual decks (compared to the 4 available in the regular version), a single 3-band EQ for each channel, and six effects. [26]
The company have also released Traktor Scratch Pro and Traktor Scratch Duo, which contain the same respective features as their standalone counterparts, along with additional Digital Vinyl System (DVS) functionality, allowing control for timecoded CDs & vinyl. [27] [28]
The entry-level version of the software is known as Traktor LE. It is sometimes bundled with third-party DJ controllers. [27]
A version of Traktor is also available for iOS smartphone & tablet devices. It is known as Traktor DJ. [29]
On August 17, 2010, Native Instruments also released Traktor Pro S4, a new version of the software specialized for their new Traktor Kontrol S4 hardware. [30]
Traktor software can be controlled via hardware MIDI controllers. Native Instruments offers several controllers and mixers designed specifically for control of Traktor software:
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs, club DJs, mobile DJs, and turntablists. Originally, the "disc" in "disc jockey" referred to shellac and later vinyl records, but nowadays DJ is used as an all-encompassing term to also describe persons who mix music from other recording media such as cassettes, CDs or digital audio files on a CDJ, controller, or even a laptop. DJs may adopt the title "DJ" in front of their real names, adopted pseudonyms, or stage names.
Scratching, sometimes referred to as scrubbing, is a DJ and turntablist technique of moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable to produce percussive or rhythmic sounds. A crossfader on a DJ mixer may be used to fade between two records simultaneously.
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Native Instruments is a German company that develops, manufactures, and supplies music software and hardware for music production, sound design, performance, and DJing. The company's corporate headquarters and main development facilities are located in Berlin, with additional offices in Los Angeles, Tokyo, London, Paris, and Shenzhen.
Final Scratch is a DJ tool created by the Dutch company N2IT with input from Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva that allows manipulation and playback of digital audio sources using traditional vinyl and turntables. It seeks to cross the divide between the versatility of digital audio and the tactile control of vinyl turntablism.
Vestax Corporation was a Japanese musical instrument, turntable and audio equipment firm founded by Hidesato Shiino in 1977. The company started by designing and manufacturing electronic guitars. In the 1980s, Vestax produced multitrack recorders and later moved to making DJ mixers, professional turntables, compact disc players and signal processors. Debt troubles led to the company's bankruptcy at the end of 2014.
M-Audio is a business unit of inMusic Brands that designs and markets audio and MIDI interfaces, keyboards and MIDI controllers, synthesizers, loudspeakers, studio monitors, digital DJ systems, microphones, and music software. The company has independent offices in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France and Japan.
Stanton Magnetics, doing business as Stanton, is a business unit of inMusic Brands that designs and markets turntables, cartridges, DJ mixers, DJ media players, and DJ controllers.
A CDJ is a specialized digital music player for DJing. Originally designed to play music from compact discs, many CDJs can play digital music files stored on USB flash drives or SD cards. In typical use, at least two CDJs are plugged into a DJ mixer. CDJs have jog wheels and pitch faders that allow manipulation of the digital music similar to a vinyl record on a DJ turntable. Many have additional features such as loops and beat analysis that are not present on turntables. Additionally, some can function as DJ controllers to control the playback of digital files in DJ software running on a laptop instead of playing the files on the CDJ.
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xwax is an open-source vinyl emulation software. It was initially developed in 2006 as proprietary software. In May 2007 xwax was licensed under the GPL-2.0-only, making it the first open source software of this kind.
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Cross/CrossDJ is a digital vinyl and DJ mixing software developed by the French company Mixvibes. This software provides DJs with a digital platform with which they can mix and perform their music. Since its release in 2008, it has become Mixvibes primary focus.
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Matthew Edwin Moldover, known as Moldover, is a musician and instrument designer based in San Francisco, CA. The MIDI Manufacturers Association has referred to him as the "Godfather of Controllerism". He is known for his musical instruments, including the Mojo, Robocaster, Octamasher and Guitar Wing.
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