Multiple Mixing Software Test Drive!

Okay, Here it goes a test drive on all other programs

I allways take a peak to other mixing programs to check out their evolution, but this time, desspite of all the biatching i have thrown to traktor lately i assumed my debt of posting the results here.

BPM Studio PRO
Cool Program, but the interface is awful. The drawback is that u have to open many windows to handle other functions, so u can't have all your stuff around. The positive side, it has a "Windows clean Start" function, that makes windows enable only the stuff needed to run the software on startup. Major advantage. The thing is that it is so boring to manipulate it that i didn't chaeck if the program crashes or not.

Virtual Dj
I wish traktor had all theese functions, this program we can say it is the best around in multipurpose mixing scene. It haves effects, eq crossfader changable skins, vynil control in many possible ways, hardware controller. it haves a webcam scratch function that works decently, sampler with bpm recognition, skins, it is multiinstance, thus u dont have 2 decks, but as many as u want, u can make your own skins, etc etc etc. The drawback and the most important thing it crashes every 5 minutes, by making basic things. This is a serious drawback. u can't risk playing with it live. and the crashing biatching on their forums is awesome, there is a whole thread about crash with more than 5 pages and no answers from the developers. Sorryly this takes this program to the bottom of my apretiation.

Ableton Live
No comment, i still can't get around it. Too hard 4 me!!!

Mixmeister pro
This i think it is the best around but it is no traditional 2 deck 1 mixer program. u go making a visual playlist that goes playing along the night, i could compare it to handle Macromedia Flash. U can add effects at any time of the timeline. The BPM recognition is awesome, and u can preview how your mixes will be like. I use it mostly for remixing songs, cut a part u don`t want and play other song part again. It is a major advantage to have it to cheat on a demo disc. After traktor i thing is the best one, cause it never crashes, and u can trust on it's stability, in fact, i have used it in some parties for music i don't like to mix to get off the booth and dance with the chicks, take a break go to bathroom and later when going back to mix, switch to traktor. Sorrily u won't make that in clubs! HaHa.
U dont need hardware controllers to operate this. it is a computer oriented proggy

MixVibes Pro
It has an intuitive interface, u could get around this stuff, but it haves an "I don't know what it is" that makes me reject it. It is hard to get on it but it is possible. it haves effects, u can have as many decks as u want or at least u can handle. all the stuff needed to make it better even than a pioneer cd player is there. But to configurate the thing u have to take university classes just to start to get around it. Direct X needed, something i don't appreciate much. and yes it have crashed a couple of times. Ah, no midi, i can't use my x-session with it.

PCDJ
this looks like a mixing software supermarket, the advantages is that they don't mix their versions, they have a program for every kind of dj, one for vynilists, one for just computer, one is basic and so on. I have used it and i feel it is fine, thy have their hardware controllers and have made partnership with hardware houses just like NI with Stanton. the drawback is that their effects don't work well, and to use them is kinda tricky, so u can forget about them, but i have seen many dj's using it live, and there were no glitches or crashing. Props, but i still don't like it.


The new kid in town! DSS DJ
I was surprised to see this thingy. In fact, i think the developers started to code this software by thinking on TRAKTOR. The BPM recognition works very well, in fact, the program mantains the songs in sync by pitchbending them all the time automaticly, it is very weird to look at that. It haves a decent effect engine, with a nice flanger, some chorus, etc. The effects you would like to see on a expensive hardware mixer. the browser is good, and the lyout of the software is allright, nice colors nice design. If there wasn't still no traktor, i'd be using this stuff. By the time i have used it, it never crashed, and there were no audio glitches. I have to give props to that software house, cause they even are greatly involved with their customers on the forums. They are growing together as a family, wich is very important for everyone, the developers and the costumers. We will hear from them in very little time. The thing they should develop is to handle midi hardware and that would be a major advance.

And traktor, ohhh TRAKTOR
Well, we know it, 2.5.3 is the best mixing software ever, although we yell at NI all the time we still have the best mixing software in our hands. 2.6 is very good, i don't use it live, because it produces several audio glitches everytime, maybe it is my cpu that is a little slow, i really don't know, but 2.5.3 despite of being an old version of traktor is still the best software around, no way anyone can reach such stability. What we want to look at, well we have talked a lot about it.


I feel i had to post this because i have been very severe with NI lately, it still doesn't mean i want them to wake up, i have to give em props for what they have alredy done.

 

OPS doble post

 

the thing is they dont work enoght, do u think programers needs months to repair bugs and make new versions NO!, they dont work hard, thats the real thing, the program is good im agree, but lol u say dont use it for live because it has sound drops etc, well, for some peple is their config, like u, with a 1.6 and a normal sound card u wont get the programa working very good, but for others with a good config there a lot of bugs.

Anyways i use FS2 what for me works ok for lives, but traktor2.6 is not stable for a real hard use. For home maybe.

With that i want to say is not a profesional program. Will be when it ends the virtual "beta"

 

if this is no trouble could you please say which of those proggies have
1. good looping function [ like traktor which is perfect ]
2. AUTO - Sync tracks and not just BPM recognition!


?
Thanks in advance!

ps : i've used virtual dj[its the old atomix but improved] ok it can mix tracks,but i dont know , i dont see a waveform and i feel kind of 'not having pure control'
ps2: PCDJ as i can recall doesnt have SYNC tracks at all right?..
ps3: we'll wait for Ableton Live v5

 

okey, good looping functions

they all lgot good looping functions, and i must say that the more acurate is the one present at virtual dj - atomix mp3. they allways had theese direct buttons to loop directly instead of selecting and then activating.

Mixmeister doesn't have, in fact the looping u should do is by copy paste action in the timeline, but we have said that this is no common dj software.

Now, i disagree on somethig with u, the looping function of traktor is perfect if tracks are beatgridded, if not, there are sometimes that loop falls out of time and creates a huge mess, there is something on atomix that prevents that, that is the loop in and out "fine tune", to correct things on the fly, but atomix virtual dj doesn't have beatgrids, so, it is better to beatgrid all of your tracks to be in peace of mind.

2 they all have autosync function, but in the time stretching issues, traktor is the king of beers. thus the sound produced by a synced track is better.

3 virtual dj had the zooming waveform earlier than traktor, thus u can see the whole waveform if u want, but again, if the program crashes why would u use the software.

 

The other DJ at the strip club swears by Virt. DJ He has never had a crash on it. I dont like the way the waveforms are displayed on it. And also I feel that traktor has better music navigation then VDJ.. But i do like the fact I can see my playlist all the time and also be able to pick music in a area beside the playlist.. But i still like using TDJS alot better.. its alot easier to use.

PCDJ.... heh........ If i could ever get that program to work like i want it too it would be alright..

one program you didnt test is SSL....

for MAC i also like megaseg... It has decent (but simple) mixing area.. but i also dont like the way it organises music.. but i have used this for internet radio shows (its set up as a radio DJ program) you can set it up to play random songs from diff genres at diff times.. like i can set it to play 4 hiphop congs.. then play a house song or 2.. nd it will randomly select it (good for set up and leave it operation) anbd i can also scedual it to play hiphop from 1pm to 3pm then play D&B from 3pm ro 5 pm.. then rock from 5pm to 6 pm and so on.. with it radomly selecting the songs.. or use a playlist you alrwady made out yourself.. lke i said.. its more a radio oriented program... and it works perfectly with iTunes.. it imports the library/ playlist/ and everything else from iTunes... WITHOUT CRASHING!!!! and it was doing this long b4 TDJS did...
you can live mix with it too.. it has sync funtions... andthey recenly added 2 deck interface..
but all in all.. I still feel that TDJS is the best for live mixing.. I have not had any probs out of 2.6.2 on my mac that i could not live with... on the pc side though...... TDJS crashes the pc at work every few days either at start up of the program or when i shut the program down (but i think this has to do with TDJS not liking some of the hardware on the computer... fooking Dell... it does not work well with the sound card tat came with the dell computer.. no matter if i use the Creative LIVE drivers or the 3rd party drivers out there).

 

Would be nice to hear from other dj software experiences, didn't u ever go to google to find a "dj software comparison" or mixing software table?, i guess this thread would be ranked high on it.
Anyway, ther is a lot more around, i would like to hear from products we haven't even heard of, like the jacksondj thing posted on other thread.

Ah, by the way, i found out that the DSS dj had implemented midi, so it does the job, but still haven't tested it.

 

I'm getting ready to purchase the latest Traktor Studio. Is it really that unstable. I DJ at clubs so I can't risk to lose a gig )

Thank you!

 

here is a good comp char of vinyl controled soft

http://www.axledentaldj.com/vinylsoftware.html

there are some mistakes like frequent updates- yes on traktor or very good feeling of vinyl what for me is awesome on FS2.03, from what i know the guy likes serato more but is good comprs. char.

 

A little "light" argument, don't you think?

In fact you can run 16 players and you can control 4 decks with your turntables.

Others find it quite easy. You still have phone and web support anyway.

Indeed, DirectX needed, like many apps. Know also that ASIO, multichannel are working. If it has crashed, I suggest you take a look at your configuration. And YES MIDI. MixVibes is full MIDI compatible, you can plug any Midi controller and it will work. You can control most things, vst effects parameter, pitch notes....

Man, that's only your opinion.

Well, maybe it's not that good? Or maybe it's your configuration again?
When MixVibes crashes, the fault on the software. When Traktor crashes, you admit your bad PC config. Where's your "tester" objectivity man?

That's still your opinion. I bet you a 100 that I can find somewhere else such stability.

That's what I was saying. Man, "Testers" don't feel, they analyse with objectivity and TRUE information. Stop blowing our efforts to give a reliable and really good working software as you can witness here: http://www.mixvibes.com/new/pageeng/page.php?x=video

Cheers

 

@MixVibes


Dude take it easy. He never said that he was a professional tester, he is just giving his opinion. Noting wrong with that. I have tested other dj progs too and still can't find anything that beats Traktor for me. (key word being me). every DJ has a set of needs and not all of those needs fit the needs of other DJs.

Just my 2 cents

And no I do not work for NI..lol

 

an *audio glitch* is not a crash! ;-)

besides that - i use traktor 2.6 in fs mode for live and had never ANY stability issues. never, ever, did it crash life or at home.

it runs as stable as a ... traktor

 

Funny how everything dlinke said about the Mixvibes software is pretty much echoed in the Skratchworx article about Mixvibes DVS...

http://www.skratchworx.com/reviews/mixvibes6.php

I've seen the same things said about the Mixvibes software on DJF as well. Looks like the review was pretty accurate to me.

As for the stability of 2.6, I use it almost every day (as vinyl control), and spin live with it every week. I have no issues with it.

Hey Mixvibes, does your software generate MIDI as well (clock data, encoder data, etc)? What about OSC?

 

The latest version (Pro 6) generates a Midi clock. But no OSC.

 

Perhaps it's merely a fender-bender. It's still something you want to avoid at all costs. Few things are worse for a DJ than that "WTF" look from many pairs of eyeballs. Not very good "laptop DJ" PR, either.

In all fairness, though, I took a look at some of the screenshots on MixVibes' website and found them to be pretty much a GUI trainwreck.

-Mark