traktor kontrol f1 | Digital DJ Tips

March 1st, 2013 News & Opinion

The New Traktor Kontrol Stand… & 10 Other DJ Buys For $60

by Phil Morse

The Traktor Kontrol stand is designed to raise your X1 or F1 to the height of a standard DJ mixer, to make it fit perfectly next to the Traktor Kontrol Z2 mixer, and also to act as a hard protective case.

With the announcement yesterday by Native Instruments of the Traktor Kontrol Stand – a rather nifty, but not exactly cheap, die-cast aluminium raiser to lift the Traktor Kontrol X1 and Traktor Kontrol F1 controllers up to standard mixer height – we thought we’d scout around and see what else you can buy for US$60 (the Traktor Kontrol Stand will retail at US$59 from March 2013).

Because while the Traktor Kontrol Stand will no doubt be the answer to some DJs’ prayer (especially as it “converts” into a hard case for the X1/F1 when not in use), it turns out that from speakers to DJ controllers, headphones to gig bags, US$60 can go a long way in these frugal times…

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December 30th, 2012 Training

Controller Clinic #18: Can I DJ Weddings & Bars With The Novation Twitch?

by Phil Morse

The Novation Twitch is a cool, modern controller with lots of performance features… but is it appropriate for a bar or wedding DJ?

Digital DJ Tips reader Scott writes: “I am looking at purchasing my first controller and although I am familiar with Ableton I am new to DJing. I have friends who are turntablists but at heart I think I am a controllerist. I would like to get out there and DJ to a crowd ASAP – maybe even bars and weddings, as I love music although it would be useful to make some extra cash.

“Originally I had thought the Denon DJ MC2000, but decided the extra input backup and levels on the Denon DJ MC3000 would be a better choice. My dilemma is that I like the idea of the Novation Twitch and its features but I am concerned that this may not be as applicable to the type of crowds I hope to entertain.

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September 8th, 2012 News & Opinion

$2000 Traktor Survey & Draw: Winners Announced

by Phil Morse

We have a winner! Thank you to everyone for taking part in our survey and draw.

A week or so ago we asked you to take part in a quick survey of your musical tastes, gear, DJing aspirations and so on. We wanted to know a bit more about you to help us to serve you better, and Native Instruments kindly donated $2000-worth of prizes for a draw.

Well, nearly 5,000 of you completed the survey, and today it is our pleasure to announce the winner of our top prize of a Traktor Kontrol S4 with a Traktor Kontrol F1 too.

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June 11th, 2012 Reviews

Review & Video: Traktor Pro 2.5 & Traktor Kontrol F1

by Phil Morse and D-Jam

Releasing a new version of Traktor alongside accompanying hardware has given NI the chance to offer a greater leap forward for DJs in one go than just a hardware or a software company could.

With the just-released 2.5 version of its popular Traktor Pro software, Native Instruments has added something it hopes will prove to be revolutionary: “Remix Decks”. Expanding on the “Sample Decks” added last year, the Remix Decks boldly set out to popularise the use of samples in DJing.

Almost simultaneously, the company has also released the Kontrol F1 hardware, designed to offer full control over the new Remix Decks. Together, the new hardware and software bring to Traktor DJing a workflow concept which, while familiar to those who know about Serato / Ableton’s The Bridge, looks set to introduce a whole new group of DJs to advanced sample use.

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May 24th, 2012 News & Opinion

Surprise! Traktor Pro 2.5 Drops A Week Early

by Phil Morse

Traktor users who were patiently waiting for Traktor 2.5 to drop along with the new Traktor Kontrol F1 on May 30 as previously announced got a bonus today, when Native Instruments unexpectedly released the new software into its Service Centre, 6 days early, along with the video above.

As all current 2.x users of the software get it for free, that means a lot of users will be able to have a bonus weekend of playing with its new features, in advance of the hardware release next week.

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March 14th, 2012 News & Opinion

Traktor Kontrol F1 & Traktor Pro 2.5 To Hit Stores May 30

by Phil Morse

Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol F1 and Traktor Pro 2.5: Ushering in the next wave of Traktor as of May 30.

The latest Traktor hardware and software from Native Instruments – namely the Kontrol F1 Ableton-style clip controller and Traktor Pro 2.5, the software whose new functionality it has been designed to harness – will hit stores at the end of May 2012, it was announced today.

The software features “Remix Decks”, a development of the sample deck concept first included in the Traktor S4 then Traktor Pro 2 software. Remix decks are directly controlled by the keys on the F1, allowing the triggering of up to 64 one-shots, loops or even full tracks on up to four separate “Remix Decks”.

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January 22nd, 2012 News & Opinion

Kontrol F1 Hardware & Traktor Pro 2.5 Software Announced

by Phil Morse

The Traktor Kontrol F1: We saw DJ Shiftee perform on this, showing off its possibilities for blending turntablism and controllerism.

Digital DJ Tips has seen the latest version of Traktor, Traktor Pro 2.5, as well as the hardware controller Native Instruments has built to work with it, the Traktor Kontrol F1. Native Instruments is calling it “Ableton in a DJ way”.

The control surface (widely but incorrectly outed elsewhere as the Kontrol X2) is a Kontrol X1-shaped and is dominated by a four-by-four multi-backlit pad surface for launching sample clips, in a similar way to Ableton Live.

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