Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 MK2 DJ Controller

Product Information

this Something you’ll want to touch: Meet the patented Haptic Drive™ – new, motorized, touch-sensitive jog wheels that give you haptic feedback.

Comparing the TRAKTOR KONTROL S2 / S4 with the new TRAKTOR Comparing the TRAKTOR KONTROL S2 / S4 with the new TRAKTOR

This may not work for everyone but makes some sense – whether Native Instruments intended this to be ideal is unclear! There is no other part of the jogwheel construction that differs from the Mk1, except a different circuit board for the mechanical scratch contact underneath (we know this because there’s a video on YouTube of a guy actually pulling apart the Mk1 and Mk2 demonstrating the difference, or lack of it). Choose from eight effects and three smooth filters – from a tripped-out time gate, to delays, huge reverbs, and more. The integration is incredible, and there’s only a hint of “squelchiness” when sounds are manipulated at super-slow speeds.For this we’re focussing on the most exciting new capability of the S4 Mk2, control over the Traktor DJ iOS software. The only slight niggle is that when compared to scratching using Traktor Pro 2, you need a much firmer hand here, to ensure the app stays in scratch mode. You still need an F1 (or another controller, as now you can map third party ones) to truly have a blast and get the most out of the Remix Decks. These eight slices are created no matter what the loop length, so if you take the loop length down really low, each cue button now controls a tiny slice of the audio and you can almost play them like a keyboard.

DJ Controllers : Traktor Kontrol S4 : Downloads | Traktor

The Stems audio format splits tracks into four musical components, such as drums, bass, vocals, and melody, so you can mix them independently. However, the X/Y pad becomes full screen when you hit the “1” button and turns the whole phone into a performance pad. If you plan to DJ solely from Traktor DJ on iOS, then go for the S2 Mk2 instead (or the Z1 for entry-level control), because on the S4 you have two surplus channels that you can do nothing with, as Traktor DJ is only (currently) a two-channel application. Edit and re-edit in the heat of the moment, blend basslines and vocals from tracks you know to create tracks you didn’t. On the controller the dry/wet and three FX encoders above the corresponding deck, control the FX for that deck.To see how the S4 performs when unleashing the impressive feature set of Traktor DJ, we started with the browser to get in the mix; by pushing down the encoder you enter browse mode and can scroll through tracks by turning. Easily see tempo, looping, track time, and waveform information, as well as Stem and Remix deck components. And with RGB LED rings and high-res color displays keeping all the info you need front and center in the booth, everything you need is right where you need it – so you’re free to focus on your mix.

Traktor Accessories | Traktor DJ Accessories : Traktor Accessories | Traktor

The “1” button doesn’t need to be engaged for the FX to work; they are permanently controlled by the dry/wet and value adjustments and are depicted on the X/Y pad, which can be overridden with touch control of the screen, Kaos Pad style.The new RGB buttons for the transport and cue controls are a huge improvement on the Mk1, with a smooth rubberised “MPC” feel to the surface (and the elimination of the previous problem of the buttons getting stuck in the down position, getting caught on the edge of the button aperture when pressed hard). Push the loop encoder and your track starts looping at the indicated beat length, but when you push the move encoder, you enter the loop slice mode, and things get interesting. The only downside is the vastly smaller screen size (especially in an iPhone 4S) meaning that features accessed through the touchscreen are more fiddly and squint-inducing.