How to · Traktor

Organize by energy in Traktor.

Traktor has no energy field, so DJs repurpose star ratings or comment codes. Here is how to build a workable energy system, and how to get a real energy read on every track.

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A DJ library organized by energy and feel

Pull the right energy for the moment, not just the right genre.

Building an energy system in Traktor.

With no dedicated energy field, DJs commonly repurpose the star rating as an energy scale or code energy into the Comment fields.

Pick a scale

Decide whether you will use the 1 to 5 star rating as energy or a code in the comment field (for example E1 through E5), and keep it consistent across your whole library.

Apply it as you listen

Rate or annotate each track with its energy level. For stars, click the rating column directly in the Traktor browser. For comment codes, double-click the Comment cell to edit inline. There are no native keyboard shortcuts for star ratings, so plan prep sessions in advance rather than rating on the fly during a set.

Smartlist on it

Right-click the Playlists node and choose Create Smartlist. Add a rule on Rating (for example, Rating is greater than 3) or on Comment (Comment contains E5) so a list like Peak Energy maintains itself automatically when new tracks match.

Sort within energy

Inside an energy band, click a column header to sort by BPM or Key, and Shift-click a second header to apply a secondary sort. This makes the list mix-ready when you open it.

The catch

Repurposing the star rating for energy means you lose it as a quality score, and either way the energy value is assigned by ear and never measured, so it drifts over time.

bass

mids

highs

lead

intro

verse

buildup

drop

breakdown

outro

The faster way

An energy read on every track.

Vibes analyzes each track's energy curve and lets you tag energy as a first-class vibe, separate from rating, then exports it back into Traktor.

See how it works

An energy curve for every track from the audio analysis

Tag energy separately, so star rating stays a quality score

Auto-Tag proposes energy and mood so a big library sorts fast

Export the result back to Traktor

Organize in Vibes, export to Traktor.

Your playlists, tags, ratings, and cue points travel back to the gear you play on, so nothing you do in Vibes is locked away.

Track 001

Artist A

128

Afterhours

Mysterious

Introspective

Track 002

Artist B

124

Cozy Floor

Peaceful

Home

Track 003

Artist C

132

Rave

Aggressive

Festival

Build & Release

Playlists

Vibes

Mood

Aggressive

Euphoric

Melancholic

Mysterious

Peaceful

Playful

Tense

Function

Arrangement

Sets

Club Night 12/28

NYE Closing Set

Rooftop 01/04

Frequently asked questions

The honest answers, including the trade-offs.

No. DJs repurpose the star rating as an energy scale or code energy into the Comment fields, then Smartlist on it. It works but is manual, and using stars for energy means losing them as a quality score.

Vibes analyzes each track locally and produces an energy curve from the audio, plus auto-tag suggestions, so energy is grounded in the real sound and kept separate from your rating.

Yes. Your vibe organization exports back into Traktor as playlists, so the energy system you build in Vibes is usable in the booth.

Methodology