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More like question and suggestions that were unasnwered @ Facebook.
A read-only archive of old serato.com help threads.

More like question and suggestions that were unasnwered @ Facebook.

Product
ITCH
Version
2.1
Hardware
Numark NS6
Computer
PC
OS
Platform
-
saNppa 5:59 PM - 9 February, 2012
So here I am, like Summer, asking: What would I have to do, to get you notice me too =) After using Itch for about twenty months (with VCI-300 and NS6), here's few suggestions... for making Itch even better:

S1) Currently Itch shows time only as remain or elapsed, not both! It ought be shown simultaniously like in SSL. I hate to hassle with mouse! This issue is most annoying.
As a plan-B, it would be nice to have one of the obsolete buttons of NS6 to be signed to toggle that. Those unnecessary buttons are "tap", "sync" and those two small Beat Grid buttons (set & slip). I'd happy to sacrifice even Pitch Bend buttons for that. If someone loves those features, there could a chance for toggling from settings, where you assign that additional feature. On VCI-300 i'd sacrifice "Censor/Reverse".

S2) Itch gives four layouts, which is great. It's too bad I only use two them (those two that Intro shows too). For making things faster, it would be nice, if I could choose (again from settings) which of them could used (and toggled when I change the layout using "view"-button).

S3) Once again for making things faster... It would be nice if shift/delete stayed on (when using loop rolls) and would turn off when pressed again. If you feel this isn't good for everyone, the behaviour could be changed at Settings.

S4) How about having forced two channel view? There are situations when I use only two (inner) channels with Itch and two (outer) channels are for external medias.

S5) Sometimes I buy songs or rip cd's and add them to library during gig. If I wanna analyze them, I need to disconnect controller. This is bad! What if: When controller is connected, the "Analyze Files" could be found in "Files" section? I believe sandy-i7 can take that.

Other wise i'm very happy with Itch. I've tried Traktor with my VCI-300, but Itch feels better for me and now with NS6 the bond has become stronger. Assingable beat jump is only feature I miss, but 4-beat jumping with "Skip" is almost just as good. I truely hope to see Itch will still be under development.

Few questions:
Q1) Why Pioneer DDJ-S1 has only two channels? That way it could a Intro-controller. If I'd be forced to buy Pioneer DDJ, I'd go for T1. Itch is wonderful, but four channels are heaven.
Q2) Why Vestax VCI-400 isn't Itch compliant? If I'd buy (but i won't) VCI-400, I'd go for Traktor right away to achieve true four channel control. Or have I understood something in a wrong way?
Q3) Next version/update of Itch - what to expect? Any of above? :)

...now you may write your name across the sky =)
Serato, Support
Martin C 2:57 AM - 13 February, 2012
Hi saNppa,

Thanks for your suggestions. We are always on the look out for new ideas to improve our software, and always constantly developing the program to move forward into the future.

Not to discredit your ideas, but some of them seem very specific and may not be useful for everyone. You may find that the TAP and SYNC buttons are far from unnecessary for most users, and it just be something you don't use very often. As you mention though, if certain things like this could be toggled on and off in the the setup, users could have that choice.

If you were able to map and choose the function of each button, this would allow you much more freedom with your controller, however ITCH is more of a "plug and play" DJ solution, rather than being able to fully customize every single button. Something like this may be possible in the future, but I couldn't say for sure.

I can certainly agree with being able to select just a two deck view mode with the NS6, many users have requested this, and it is something we hope to have in the future, but again I couldn't say for sure when.

Having analyze files available when online may be possible for some high end processors, however we try and make the software as "across all platforms" as possible, and so it is simpler to rule this out as a possibility when online, as I can imagine many people would attempt to do this when their computer is not capable of doing so, then experience issues which performing.

Again, having an option in the setup to turn it on and off would be nice.

Regarding why the S1 has 2 channels, and the VCI-400 being used with Serato DJ Intro instead of ITCH: We as a software company offer a range of solutions to our hardware partners, to give you a bit of insight into it, if software companies come to us wanting a simple DJ solution, Serato DJ Intro is the one they choose. Whereas ITCH is a very specific integrated solution that takes longer to develop and test than Intro.

It was Pioneers for the DDJ-S1 to have two channels, and for it to work with ITCH in this way.

As above, I can't provide any concrete answers about what features may be in the next version of ITCH and when exactly it will be release.

Thanks :)
saNppa 3:56 AM - 13 February, 2012
1) Suggestion: When playing three of four channels at same time, it would be much more simpler, if headphone control wouldn't change the control layer. Since I don't use sync, I might wanna listen (from the headphones) something else that I wanna control.

2) You said nothing about displaying time. If that's "very specific and may not be useful for everyone", why is it in Serato Sctrach Live?

3)"Having analyze files available when online may be possible for some high end processors, however we try and make the software as "across all platforms" as possible, and so it is simpler to rule this out as a possibility when online, as I can imagine many people would attempt to do this when their computer is not capable of doing so, then experience issues which performing."
- Well have the freedom to choose our usb buffer size, don't we? I believe it's the same thing... but then again, that might be just my opinion.

Even though we don't agree about certain things and their usefulness, I thank You for your reply and Your time. Maybe some day I come up with something good =)

PS. I can give few reasons, why I attend stay with ITCH and why I love it, just in case you wanna hear.
saNppa 4:56 AM - 13 February, 2012
One more (software based) suggestion: Ability to use loop rolls inside a loop. Now the original loop vanishes.This would be a true joyride! ...for me =)
dizzyrocks2001 6:52 AM - 13 February, 2012
Regarding analyzing tracks on the fly; if I'm not mistaken when you load a track for the first time with a controller hooked up the file gets analyzed, and if the bpm is off you can tap it out the fly. Besides, I feel importing tracks on the fly isn't wise... what if a track is corrupt and causes a crash? Also, I feel preparing ahead of time before the gig is the best approach... I mean you don't see someone trying to import powerpoint presentations on the fly while doing a presentation. Just sayin'.
saNppa 7:17 AM - 13 February, 2012
"I feel preparing ahead of time before the gig is the best approach" I totally agree, but there are situations when you really wanna add stuff to your library during the gig. Weddings, corporation private parties with themes and even sometimes even in normal club gigs. Currently I handle the situation like this: I have a external soundcard (usb/rca) attached to NS6 and it's used with Winamp. One song played like that and I can disconnect NS6 for analyzing. Since Winamp is set to have high cpu priority, analyzing have never given any problems. This way I have solved this little issue on my behave.

"when you load a track for the first time with a controller hooked up the file gets analyzed" To be honast, I have never tried that way and I dunno does it give all the same results as the normal analyzing. I have to try that.

When adding songs during the gig, smart crates are most valuable. I tend to keep my mp3-tags in order... all of them.
Serato, Support
Martin C 10:22 PM - 13 February, 2012
Hey saNppa,

I am not sure I understand your suggestions about headphone control not changing layer? Can you explain this a little bit further?

Sorry I did not mention the time display, I agree that would be handy, and is nice thing to have in Scratch Live.

Yes, you are correct, buffer size is selectable to optimize your system for use with our programs. Dizzyrocks is correct, and I should have mentioned it also, if you do import some songs of a CD on the fly, when you drag those files onto the player it is automatically analyzed. This sort of thing is not recommended, especially for CPUs that are not capable of doing so, and so analyzing files before hand is ALWAYS recommended, but not compulsory.

Your last suggestion, loop rolls inside loops. Would this be like being inside a loop, then loop rolling inside that loop but it never breaking out the loop regardless of how many loops rolls you do?
saNppa 8:51 AM - 17 February, 2012
"I am not sure I understand your suggestions about headphone control not changing layer? Can you explain this a little bit further?"
- Let's say I have song with vocals playing on a deck1 and I wanna boost it or give it a little different flavour with a looped beat intro of extended version of something on deck2. If I wanna change the bassline track I usually put it on deck3 (this is the easiest way to keep controlling the bass tracks, when vocal track stays untouched from pitch bending. Then the next track with vocals would go to deck4. So apparently I wanna listen (from the headphones) deck4 with deck 3 or/and deck2. As I as change the channel that are assinged to headphones, it changes the the control layel (decks 1/3 and 2/4) which I don't wanna happen. This automatic change of controlling isn't quite nice, when you're pushing three or four tracks live at the same time. It's totally two different things what I wanna hear from the headphones and I wanna control. If live tracks start to drift, I rather correct them as I hear them live, not from the headphones 'cos there I have stuff that's coming up.

I dunno if You understood, what I meant, 'cos english isn't my 1st language so this isn't easiest thing to explain. That's why some of my expressions are/may be complicated and there might be easier to say it.

After 6 months now I (finally!) looked more closely what happens when load unanalyzed song. Looks like it does all the same stuff as normal analyzing. Guess I settle for that. Still the analyzing possibility would be nice. If some people have balancing with minimum spec gear, it's not my fault. Since went from VCI-300 to NS6 I needed to buy a new laptop. Amd TL-60 good enough for 2track effect free Vestax, but was total disaster with NS6. Why from VCI-300 to NS6? I wanted 4 tracks, fx's, but most of all: I wanted to stick with ITCH (and have tried Traktor Pro). Since I still have that Vestax, it's nice that I can use the same software in a plug'n'play way which one I choose to play with. And for the future, I wanna stick with ITCH. I hope you can live with that and with my few ideas of making better, faster to use and more convenient =)
Serato, Support
Martin C 10:25 PM - 19 February, 2012
Ah cool, I get you what you mean. So basically you would prefer if there was an option where "cue" and "layer control" were completely independent of each other.

Thanks for explaining it :) I did notice when trying it out, that when pressing two or more cues at one time you are able to determine which layer you will be controlling, depending on which sequence you press the buttons in, but I understand this is not a complete solution.

Great to hear you have been enjoying the VCI-300 unit and have moved onto the NS6!

What I will do now is make this thread a "feature request". Product owners browse these threads looking for new ideas to to improve the software, so it would be good for them to check your ideas out.

At this point though, I could not say for sure if/when any of these suggestions or features will make it into the software, I thank you kindly for the ideas :)