Adding an Allen & Heath K2 to your set-up would give you extra controls. Pic: Traktor Bible
Digital DJ Tips reader Perry writes: “I use Traktor Pro 2 to DJ with, alongside my Kontrol S2 controller and laptop, and while DJing I find it hard to easily vary the effects I can use. If I’m honest, the S2 just doesn’t give me enough options for controlling effects within Traktor.
“So I am writing to you today to asking if there are any external controller units that integrate with Traktor and allow for you to have more control over what you are doing?”
Digital DJ Tips says:
Because Traktor can be Midi mapped, you can add pretty much any Midi controller you like to it in addition to your S2, to control pretty much anything you like about it! So adding a Midi unit to use as a Traktor effects controller is perfectly possible.
You could add an Allen & Heath K2 and use it just for effects…
I’d definitely recommend grabbing a copy of the book The Traktor 2 Bible
For instance, you could add an Allen & Heath K2 and use it just for effects (the sound card would be redundant, admittedly), or even something bigger. But rather than double-guess your options, I’d like to throw this one over to the readers.
Do you find the controls available for effects limiting on your set-up? Have you added an external controller to get around this? Care to share any stories or observations with Perry? Please feel free to do so in the comments.
Now go to:
An Absolute Beginners’ Guide To DJ Effects
Review & Video: Traktor Pro 2.5 & Traktor Kontrol F1
Review: Xtreme Mapping 1.2 Software For Traktor
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Tags: Allen & Heath, controller, dj controller, dj effects, Dj Tips, djing, effects, effects controllers, extra controllers, midi, midi controllers, Midi Device, music, Traktor, traktor 2, Traktor Dj, traktor kontrol x1
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I use a midifighter in 4 banks mode with the ‘instant gratification’ mapping.
Essentially, 12 effects, with built in combos, that can be run through any of the 4 decks, and can also do holds etc.
Its great.
[ link ]I’m thinking to grab an Akai MPK Mini for effects, will that be good?
[ link ]I’m using Mixtrack Pro.
Get a midifighter.. you won’t regret it! Why?:
The Midifighter has a large community behind it , using it , playing it , enjoying it. This results in tons of GOOD mappings and online support.
The buttons are perfect for juggling cue points , firing of time-based effects and all sorts of crazy stuff
the reasons I recommend it are (summarised):
-Playability
-Mappings/Support
-Possibilities
The downsides:
-Cost ( expensive little controller )
-Shipping costs ( Outside the USA )
-Only buttons no sliders/faders/knobs ( but again very clever mappings for effects )
Greetings,
[ link ]Benno
Adding a controller? Sure. There are tons of midi controllers out there. Every midi controller can be mapped to Traktor. I have NI Maschine which I use as a additional controller in my sets. Lots of knobs and buttons to be pushed
I mainly use it for accessing various cue points fast.
I money is an issue consider buying another DJ controller and use it as an effect unit. You could use the jog wheels for effects without double assigning your Kontrol S2.
[ link ]Another “used” controller of course…
[ link ]One thing I’ve noticed about the s2 is that people tend to ignore its midi mode. Pressing shift + shift will let it enter midi mode where you can map to your heart’s desire. I have mine setup where I can switch to midi mode mid-performance, pull off some effect combos, load up a new bank of effects, then switch back to the normal mapping and continue mixing. A very powerful and underrated feature if you ask me.
[ link ]I own an S2 and I was in your exact situation. I now have an Akai LPD8 as well. Each pad and knob on the LPD8 is mapped to each effect on FX 3 & 4. Absolute fun. Why did I go for it? It’s only $90.
An alternative? http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2012/01/behringer-is-back-with-7-new-dj-controllers/
[ link ]$90? Shop around. A local music shop sells it for less than €50. (That includes 20% sales tax.)
[ link ]Since Native Instrument products such as the F1 and X1 suggest very specific uses, it is often overlooked that these are also very good controllers for custom mapping and adding to your main set-up.
The main reason of this is the Controller Editor software that comes with all NI controllers. Using the controller editor, you can edit the message types and range of all of the controls on the surface. This is very good for custom mapping because, for instance, you can edit the CC message’s range of a knob from 64 to 127 (instead of the usual 0-127) in order to get a knob that adjust a feature of Traktor from mid range to max with the full twist of the knob. (Imagine a knob that can adjust just the low-cut half of the filter knob)
Similar mappings can be achieved by creatively making use of modifiers and relative mode interactions, but being able to do this with straightforward direct mapping makes life easier in many cases.
Especially if your main controller is S2, you might even get away with coming up with a good midi-mode mapping to add to your default mapping, and switch back and forth between the modes, instead of getting a new controller altogether.
If you’ve never looked into Controller Editor, make sure to check it out!
[ link ]Besides using a second midi controller for fx,loop,cue ect control,Traktor’s midi mapping is so flexible you can output LED feedback to multiple controllers also.Very useful for visual guidance on both controllers.For example you can map deck beat phase to the play buttons on your main controller and also have them mapped simaltaniously to your second fx controller. Also you can map LEDs on the second controller that are not on the main controller. An example of this have a LED light up on the second controller when you activate a loop on the main controller. I think that part of mapping is overlooked. I am actually in the process of doing tutorials on how to do this. I will have come back to this page and post them when they are ready
[ link ]A launchpad is perfect for LED output – you can map almost anything from phase, beat phase, pre-fade output, post-fade output, trackend warning, crossfader position, clipping… you name it. I’m still working on the colours, as green, yellow, orange and red can be used on any of the 80 LEDs, and the results will be available on this site by next week I suppose. It is fun to work on it, and impressive to watch.
[ link ]Keep up the good work, Phil
It also depends on your personal DJing style:
if you use the jogwheels just for beatmatching, or for scrolling a track and not for scratching, you might not need another controller, but a clever Traktor mapping that turns your jogwheels into a multi-effect tool.
For my S4, I’m using Scamos S4 FX Extreme Jogs and I never looked back to my trigger finger (an older MIDI controler … I christianed him “grandfather of midi fighter”). I’m quite sure you can find similiar mappings for the S2.
Be sure to check the traktor bible site, NI user forums and the mappings section of DJ TechTools for available mappings.
[ link ]I’ve used a few MIDI controllers in the past for FX in Traktor – The best would be my MPD 24 – it has 16 pads, 8 endless encoders and 6 faders – the pads also have 4 banks so there’s countless combinations of mapping available.
[ link ]You can even copy some Midi Fighter mappings to the pads too.
I’m using algoriddim’s Djay on my MacBook Pro, with Djay remote on my iPad, I’m thinking of getting a small controller like the dj2go just for the pitch sliders and cue start, since the iPad sometimes isn’t accurate because of the wi-fi or ad-hoc connection. After that, I’ll just use my iPad for controlling Djay’s effects with the x-y pad on the iPad App.
[ link ]I use an old dj controller (hercules mp3 e2) … it doesnt look ideal but you can map things how you want it… knobs as cross faders … faders and jogs for effects … why not try out what you have laying around instead of getting on the gear train and wasting 100+ on something… you might be able to do with something else??
[ link ]I use a Launchpad mapped to a Midi Fighter-esque instant gratification grid for effects though I’m currently in the process of upgrading to a K2
[ link ]Would you still happen to have that mapping for instant grat?
[ link ]I once had a gig coming soon and had no cash to buy a good second controller, so I just bought a numpad keyboard, (numbers only) and mapped it for sample decks, and effects, no knobs but the buttons can be set for increase, decrease and kill which was just enough until I had time to look for a proper one. I even painted it with acrylic and some nice colours to add a better touch and to help me remember what was actually mapped to what.
[ link ]I have a Pioneer DDJ-T1 which I love, but found I sometimes needed a more compact set-up in certain venues. So, got myself a Xone K2 & set that for 3 layers of controls (mixer / cuepoints / effects), which works fine.
But I found that I do like to be tweaking the effects while bringing in a new track… So now I have a Novation Launchpad mapped up in ‘user mode’ dedicated for the cue points & effects to run alongside the Xone K2.
Looking forward to testing this out with at next weekend’s gigs
[ link ]I’ve had those two controllers for a while now and love the portability of that rig. Would you be able to send or upload the mappings you use because I currently cannot utilize effects on the k2 and have to seperate units to control effects is the next step into having full control over traktor..
[ link ]I use the TouchOSC App on my iPad as an effects unit. The app is available on iOS and Android. On iOS you can create your own custom layouts, which I have found perfect for using as an effects bank. The set up is pretty strait forward, and once you get through that, you midi map it just like any other controller. The only downside to this is that you need a wifi connection, however, if you are using a Mac, it is very easy to create a secure ad-hoc network. I cannot speak highly enough of this app.
[ link ]I agree with you. My controller (ReLoop Mixage) can control one effect at a time, but there is no easy way to switch between effects. I set up my iPhone with Touch OSC and all it has is 2 big up and down buttons to cycle through effects. Pretty helpful!!
[ link ]I use an Akai LPD8. It fits perfect between 2 battle style 1200′s and 10″ mixer (almost like they designed it this way
) I use it for all my cue points and effects so saves keep touching the laptop. Anything midi can be mapped to work for you with a bit of imagination and trial and error.
[ link ]I used for the fx one X1 and a Maschine Mikro with Instant Gratification mapping like the MidiFighter. Very effective and powerfull setup for the FX, i really love it!
Mazarr,
[ link ]from Quebec City
don’t forget the faderfox controllers.
[ link ]especially the FX3, DX3, DL3 and DS3 are great machines
to control the FX section in traktor.
Good point Mathias! Thanks for the reminder.
[ link ]I use an Akai MPD32 with custom mapping for Traktor. I would be happy to share the template file with anyone who “Likes” my Facebook page. Just send a message w/ your email address on FB.
[ link ]http://www.facebook.com/djpossess
It just occurred to me that I have an old Pioneer Efx500 unit tucked away somewhere that I stopped using when I upgraded my mixer to one which had in-built effects. Being as this has the old style MIDI inputs and outputs theoretically I could hook this up to my Mixtrack Pro / Traktor S2 set up and should be able to use this to control the effects right?
It’s probably a slightly older piece of kit than the majority of you have used so does anyone know if somebody has already tackled the mapping for this or is it something I’m likely to have to stumble through myself?
Thanks in advance if anyone can point me in the right direction
[ link ]Not sure if this has been said but …. CUSTOM MAPPING IS YOUR FRIEND!….. every controller has at least 1 button you do not need instantly all the time…. how about ditching this button and turning it into a shift button … that way you can still have the function you needed it to control but in a new location…. if you take about an hour or two out of your hectic djing career im almost certain you can add a shift button and have a whole new realm of possibilities eg… fadded and jog fx… cue juggling buttons that may have been used for play pause stop cue etc…. just thing logically and draw out how you want to use your controller….. if need be message me and I can give you idea’s on how to do it and possible idea’s for your setup….. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX and make the controller your own
[ link ]Hi Mr StifffyCould you possibly give me a few pointers into mapping numark mixtrack pro I understand what youre saying about not using buttons etc.but not sure what I could do to maximise the control editor to its full potential
[ link ]So….what you are saying is that I can use an Kontrol X1 with my Mixtrack?
[ link ]