Basic Usage Tutorials

To navigate the Browser Tree :

You can perform a text search in the current playlist or in the Track Collection :

Traktor’s Browser provides a Preview Player to preview tracks without loading them into a Deck. Playing a track in the Preview Player does not changing its play count and 'played'-state in the Browser.

To preview a track in the Preview Player:

You can load tracks from your iTunes Library and Playlists directly from Traktor. The iTunes folder in the Browser Tree directly accesses your iTunes Library and its Playlists. Editing functions are not available.

To load a track from your iTunes Library:

To start playback on Track Deck A:

In order to sync the tempos both tracks:

When the playback time of the Track in Deck A is almost over you can start the playback of Deck B:

You can now mix in the audio signal of Mixer channel B into the main signal:

With the end of the playback of Deck A, Deck B automatically becomes the new Tempo Master and is ready for the next transition to another Deck.

Each track has its own dynamic range. This means the maximum volume level of a single musical element in a track can be significantly louder than the average volume of all musical elements together. Besides the different average audio levels, the dynamic ranges between tracks can also differ. That is why it is important to align the levels of the incoming audio signals to prevent them from clipping.

 If an audio signal clips, the gain of the audio signal is too high. An audio signal clips if it exceeds the nominal level and also the headroom – normally at +6 dB. Then the audio signal starts to distort and looses dynamics and punch. Although the audio signal then seems louder, the entire audio quality decreases significantly. This critical audio signal can damage ears and audio equipment. That is why it is important to as well adjust the gain levels to protect ears and electronics. 

To protect the audio equipment connected to the MAIN output stage, Traktor uses an integrated Limiter. The purpose of the Limiter is to prevent the signal from clipping by reducing the dynamic range.

However, the Limiter in Traktor can be switched off.

Before an audio signal starts to clip there is still a reserve to buffer transient audio peaks, the so-called headroom. The headroom starts where where nominal level ends, at 0 db. It normally ends before + 6dB.

However, you can configure the available Headroom for your Mixer channels in the Preferences on the Mixer page, or you can entirely switch it off. Furthermore, you can let the Channel Level Meters reflect the Headroom settings. For more information, refer to Preferences – Mixer Page.

When you mix using the Auto Gain function, the incoming audio signals from the Decks are always leveled by Traktor automatically. This ensures none of your tracks dominate over the others.

The Auto Gain function is active by default. However, if you prefer to adjust the gain level by yourself, i.e. when using an external Mixer or a controller with integrated Mixer, you can also deactivate this feature in the Preferences. In this case you always have to make sure the audio levels always stay in the area before clipping.

The Ozone Maximizer allows more transparent limiting with less pumping at higher volumes. This is ideal when you need to tame the kick drum peaks without causing vocals to pump. You might use it to keep the subtle snap of a snare rimshot in a country single, or make sure a techno track has an incredible impact in the club. The Ozone Maximizer will prevent your master from clipping while dramatically lifting the perceived overall audio level for more loudness, all without sacrificing crisp detail.

In order to use the Ozone Maximizer on your main output, go to the Mixer page of the Preferences and look for the section corresponding to the mixing mode that you are using (Internal Mixing Mode or External Mixing Mode section): In that section you can select Ozone from the Limiter/Boost Type selector and check the Enabled check box to activate it.

You can then use the Ozone Maximizer page of the Preferences to configure this powerful limiter:

The most common EQing technique is to take out the bass of the next track before the transition and to gradually bring it back in during the transition.

Assuming you want to transition tracks from Deck A to Deck B:

A Mixer FX is a grouped effect which can be applied to the audio signal in the Mixer channel using the Mixer FX Amount knob. Aside from the Filter, you can choose one of four Mixer FX from the Mixer FX drop-down menu below the Mixer FX Amount knob. In total Traktor provides you with eight Mixer FX of which you can pre-select four in the Preferences.

Available MIXER FX

When you start Traktor, the Filter is always selected by default. However, you can pre-select four MIXER FX from the available eight:

Pre-Selected Mixer FX

By default the following Mixer FX are pre-selected:

To enable the Mixer FX for the Mixer channel:

To select another Mixer FX from the pre-selection:

You can apply the Mixer FX by turning the Mixer FX Amount knob when  Mixer FX is activated for the Mixer channel:

To change the pre-selection for the Mixer FX drop-down menu:

To manage your Cue Points in a track, you need to open the CUE page in the Advanced Panel first:

The behavior of a Hotcue button depends on the playback status of the track.

When the Deck is playing:

When the Deck is stopped, the Hotcue buttons behave in the same manner as the CUE button in the Transport Controls:

The MAP button allows you to remap stored Cue Points and Loops to other Hotcue buttons:

Flux mode lets you jump to Cue Points and Loops without loosing the phrasing of your tracks. It is a timeline-based transport technique that lets you interact with Traktor's transport controls and then immediately jump back to the position of the timeline where the track would have been if the transport action had not been used in the first place. In other words, it is as if a second, virtual playhead continues forward in your track while Traktor loops or jumps to a Cue Point.

When you release the Loop or Cue Point—by releasing the relevant Hotcue button—playback resumes at this playhead position. The longer you loop, the farther ahead the playhead position will move and therefore the farther ahead playback will jump to when you release Hotcue button. The virtual Flux mode timeline is represented by a green playhead in the Waveform view.

Additionally, a Flux Mode indicator will flash in the Deck Header.

You can also enable the Reverse mode, which allows the track playback reversely from the current playhead position.

Enabling Flux Mode

To enable Flux mode for the Deck:

Enabling Reverse Mode

To enable Reverse mode for the Deck:

When you load a track and enable Key Lock with the Key Lock button in the Stripe, the original key is locked.

To lock the original key of a track:

You can transpose the original key in semitones using the semitone up and down buttons adjacent the Key Lock button in the Stripe. This is useful, for example, if you want to transpose the original key of the next track to match the playing track. The offset to the original key will then be displayed in the Key Lock button.

To transpose the locked key in semitones:

The Key Lock button in the Stripe is used to lock the original key independent of the current tempo. However, you can also lock a key to a specific value with the Key Lock (Persist Key) button in the mixer channel after the tempo has been changed. When you change the tempo and use Key Lock (Persist Key) button, you lock the current key, and the Key knob will adjust to the corresponding value. Therefore, the Key knob enables you to fine-tune the locked key.

To lock the key to a specific value:

You can choose to display the Resulting Key information in the deck header on the Track Deck page in the Preferences. When Resulting Key is selected in the Preferences, you are presented with precise key information. The first value corresponds to the next closest key value, for example, 9m. The second value is the cents, which determines how far away this key value is, for example, +48c. This works regardless of whether the Key Lock is activated or deactivated. The precise key information even works without Key Lock and will show the key change due to a tempo change. This information can help you to mix in key without Key Lock activated.

Resulting Key information with Key Lock deactivated.

Resulting Key information with Key Lock activated.

To display the Resulting Key information in the deck header:

You can quickly reset the changed key of the playing track to the original key by using the Key Lock button in the Stripe.

To reset the changed key of the playing track to the original key: