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Table of Contents
Table of Contents................................................................................................................ iii
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ v
Chapter 1 ............................................................................................................................ vii
Checking the Equipment ................................................................................................. 3
Necessary Hardware ..................................................................................................... 3
Necessary Software ....................................................................................................... 3
Setting Up Traktor 2 with the Kontrol S4 ....................................................................... 4
Installing Traktor 2....................................................................................................... 4
Using the Setup Wizard ................................................................................................ 5
Routing the Audio Output ............................................................................................ 6
Connecting Speakers .................................................................................................... 6
Customizing the Program View ....................................................................................... 7
The Essential View........................................................................................................ 7
The Extended View ....................................................................................................... 8
The Browser View ......................................................................................................... 8
The Mixer View ............................................................................................................. 9
Chapter 2 ............................................................................................................................ 11
What Is Mixing? ............................................................................................................. 13
Finding New Music ........................................................................................................ 13
Finding Music on the Internet ................................................................................... 13
Finding Music in Stores.............................................................................................. 14
Analyzing New Music..................................................................................................... 14
Building a Library ....................................................................................................... 14
Analyzing Genre ......................................................................................................... 15
Analyzing Beats per Minute (BPM)............................................................................ 15
Analyzing Key ............................................................................................................. 15
Following Common Mixing Trends ............................................................................... 16
Mixing By Genre ......................................................................................................... 16
Mixing By BPM ............................................................................................................17
Mixing By Key ..............................................................................................................17
Chapter 3 ........................................................................................................................... 19
Controlling Traktor 2 with the Kontrol S4 .................................................................... 21
Blending Songs .............................................................................................................. 21
Loading Songs ............................................................................................................ 21
Lining Up the Grid and Syncing BPM ........................................................................ 22
Using the A-B Fader ................................................................................................... 22
Using the Volume Faders ........................................................................................... 23
Using Filters and Equalizers ...................................................................................... 23
Using Loops and Using Cues ......................................................................................... 23
Starting and Stopping Loops ...................................................................................... 24
Setting and Using Cues............................................................................................... 24
Using the Effects Rack ................................................................................................... 25
Selecting Effects.......................................................................................................... 25
Turning Effects On and Using Deck Focus ................................................................ 25
Changing Effects Parameters ..................................................................................... 26
Improving Your Next Mix .............................................................................................. 26
Recording a Mix.......................................................................................................... 26
Analyzing a Crowd ...................................................................................................... 26
Index .................................................................................................................................. 27
Introduction
Thank you for using Native Instruments Traktor 2 and the Kontrol S4! This document is
intended for those interested in learning how to use these products to perform as a DJ
and keep up with current musical trends in a performance environment. Having years of
experience using these products in home and public environments, I have provided all
of the information necessary to have you impressing crowds in no time! Whether you
would like to use this knowledge for personal enjoyment or to perform for others, you
picked the right choice for a new hobby!
This manual only applies to the use of the Traktor 2 hardware with computers running
on the Windows platform and excludes information on setup with a Macintosh. Even
though Traktor 2 can be controlled by a variety of products, the scope of this document
is limited to use with the Kontrol S4 only. The sections on selecting songs and arranging
them for performance will only cover the technical methods for doing so. Software and
hardware drivers are subject to change and may need to be updated for use.
In this chapter, DJs will learn how to set up their Native Instruments software.
Necessary Hardware
Necessary Software
• Windows XP or greater
• The Traktor 2 software (free with purchase
of a Kontrol S4)
• Mixed in Key song analysis software
• Drivers for your Kontrol S4 (must be up to
date)
Installing Traktor 2
Installing this software requires the product key received upon the purchase of the
Kontrol S4 or standalone copy of Traktor 2. Copies are available for sale on the Native
Instruments website or one of many music stores. With the disk and associated key in
hand follow these steps for setup:
The setup has now finished installing the Traktor 2 software as well as the hardware
driver for use with the Kontrol S4. You are now ready to run your version of Traktor 2.
In order to properly output audio through your Kontrol S4, the audio output must be
routed correctly. Doing so may be easily accomplished by following these steps:
A B
B A
Connecting Speakers
B
A A
The “Browser” view contains only minimized “waveform windows” and enlarged
browser windows (Figure 15).
B B
C
For the sake of this manual and ease of operation, the “Mixer” view preset will be used
from this point on.
This chapter will explain what mixing is, where to find songs, how to analyze
songs, and how to utilize common mixing trends.
What Is Mixing?
Mixing is the process of playing more than one song at a time and utilizing the various
features of Traktor 2. Mixing is not simply playing both songs at equal volumes, but
using these features to add style and character to each song and each transition between
songs.
Possibly the quickest and easiest way to find music is on the internet. The internet is
extremely large and can be useful in finding the songs very quickly. Two examples of
websites for finding and purchasing music are www.beatport.com and www.itunes.com.
Purchasing a CD from a local shop is another way to find new music. Music can be
purchased from almost any major electronics store such as Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and
Target.
Buying CDs from these stores means that you will either have to load a CD into your
computer every time you play a song from it or upload the songs onto your hard drive.
Uploading songs to the hard drive is the most common option and can be accomplished
in many ways such as with iTunes.
Building a Library
Once some new music is found, it is important to organize it into a “library.” Libraries
provide an easy way to look for track in Traktor 2 for live performance. Libraries are
commonly divided into sections for genre, beats per minute, and key.
Analyzing Genre
Genre is used to describe the different categories of music that you might play and are
provided by the songs producers upon purchase. Some common genres played by a DJ
include the following:
• House
• Electro House
• Dubstep
• Drum and Bass
• Breaks
• Glitch Hop
Genre is important because mixing songs with a similar genre will provide more
continuity to your mixing.
Most genres are divided by their different beats per minute, style, or time of creation.
Beats per minute is the most common difference between electronic genres.
Beats per minute (also known as tempo, or BPM) describes the pace at which the
common down beats of a song are played and is analyzed in Traktor 2 along with your
track collection and upon loading a song into a deck.
Beats per minute (BPM) is very important to mixing songs. Songs with the same BPM
play back at the same rate as one another, making it easier to mix between songs.
The common range for BPM is 70-200. Some tracks will be analyzed at 70 BPM but can
also be played at the same speed as a 140 BPM with the use of the “grid” menu (more on
the grid menu in chapter 3).
Analyzing Key
Key is the basic melodic structure of any given song and ranges from A major/minor to
G major/minor.
Analyzing a songs key can be done with various other programs, one of which is called
Mixed in Key (Figure 19). Mixed in Key analyzes a songs key and stores it in the browser
field called “comments” which can be later used to sort songs by their key. Mixed in Key
expresses key by using what is called the “Camelot Wheel” (Figure 20). The rules behind
this involve making sure that your next song is either one number value away but with
the same letter (Ex. 1A to 2A) or one letter away but with the same number (Ex. 1A to
1B).
Mixing in key ensures that the melodic scales in one song don’t interfere with the
melodic scales of another creating dissonance.
Figure 19: The Mixed in Key Software Figure 20: Camelot Wheel
Mixing By Genre
Mixing with songs of the same genre is probably one of the most popular methods for
mixing. The basis of this idea is that a “rock” song will sound better mixed with another
rock song rather than with a smooth jazz song, even though the latter might still work
out. You can sort by genre in the browser window of Traktor 2 by clicking the “genre”
tab (Figure 21).
Mixing By BPM
Mixing with songs of the same BPM is the next best choice compare to mixing by genre.
Most beginners will choose this method because it is easier than mixing together two
songs with a different BPM, which requires use of the tempo fader. The only downside
to using all songs with the same BPM is that you’re limited to a small portion of your
library. This can cause issues because song diversity is an important part of being a DJ.
You can sort songs in the browser window of Traktor 2 by clicking the “BPM” tab
(Figure 21).
Mixing By Key
Mixing by key is one of the hardest ways to mix because it requires the use of either
Mixed in Key or software other than Traktor 2. The benefits heavily outweigh the
disadvantages though. Mixing in key can relate songs together even if they have
different genres or tempos. This method is the best way to add diversity to your mixes
including change in genre and BPM. If using Mixed in Key, you can sort song by key in
the browser window of Traktor 2 by clicking the “comments” tab (Figure 21).
This chapter explains how to use the Kontrol S4 to control Traktor 2 and mix
songs.
Blending Songs
This section explains the different methods for mixing one song with another. Blending
songs is useful for transitioning from one song to another and even combining two
songs into one. While each method has its advantages and disadvantages, all methods
will be explored
Loading Songs
The first step to mixing songs is to load them onto each deck. The Kontrol S4 makes this
easy for you. The steps to loading a song are as follows:
1. Pick the first song to be played by selecting it in the browser window (Figure 22)
2. Load the selected song into either deck “A” (left deck) or deck “B” (right deck) by
pressing the load button for the desired deck (Labeled as “A” in Figure 23)
Once songs have been loaded onto their own decks they are free to be played and
synced.
This fader is most commonly used when transitioning Figure 26: The A-B Fader
from one track into another and even sometimes for
quick fading back and forth between two songs.
Each deck on the Kontrol S4 has its own filter and set of equalizers
(Figure 28).
Filtering and equalizing is useful if you want only a certain range of Figure 28: EQ and
frequencies from one song playing over another song and can add Filter Control
more creativity to the blending of songs.
Loops can be started and stopped with each decks loop controls (Figure 29). To start
and stop loops follow these steps:
1. Set the loop length by turning the right loop knob (labeled as “D” in Figure 29)
2. Start a loop at the current point in a song by pressing in the right loop knob or
pressing the loop “IN” button (labeled as “B” in Figure 29)
3. Move the loop by turning the left loop knob (labeled as “A” in Figure 29)
4. Exit the loop by pressing in the right loop knob again or pressing the loop “OUT”
button (labeled as “C” in Figure 29)
A B C D
Loops are useful for extending parts of songs in order to extend the mixing process and
can as many uses as you can come up with!
Cues can also be set and called easily with the Kontrol S4. To set and use cues follow
these steps:
Cues are great for repeating important parts of songs as well as quickly skipping to
where you want to start a song.
Selecting Effects
Traktor 2 has three drop-down menus for each deck (labeled as “A” in Figure 31) that
allow the selection of three different effects to be used either separately or together.
Some common effects include:
• Delay
• BeatSlicer
• Gater
• Bouncer
A
Figure 31: Traktor 2 Effects Rack
Each effect has its own knob and associated button (Figure 32). Turning on each effect is
as simple as pressing the buttons (labeled as “B” in Figure 32) next to each effects knob,
causing them to light up in the process. The volume of the effect can be changed as well
by using the “DRY/WET” knob (labeled as “A” in Figure 32).
The deck that is being affected by the running effects can be changed by pressing the
deck routing buttons (Figure 33). Selecting button 1 or 2 on the left (labeled as “A” in
Figure 33) will route the left (button 1) or right (button 2) effects groups to affect deck A
while button 1 and 2 on the right (labeled as “B” in Figure 33) will route them to deck B.
A B
A B
Figure 32: Effects Knobs and Buttons Figure 33: Effects Routing
Buttons
Changing each effects parameter knob (labeled as “A” in Figure 33) will change how the
effect sounds while it is altering a song. This is useful for having a variety of
characteristics being added to each song and for adding more dynamic to the mixing
process.
Recording a Mix
Recording a mix can allow accurate analysis of personal mistakes and song selection.
This is my favorite method of improving a mix because it allows the revision of the
mixing process and may be listened to repeatedly.
Analyzing a Crowd
There is no better way to tell what a crowd is into than to watch their body language
while mixing a live set. Here are some signs that can tell you that you have been doing
well:
Find out when these things happen and try to figure out what you did to cause that
reaction. Now you have everything you need to start mixing songs and become a DJ with
Traktor 2 and Native Instruments Kontrol S4!
Index
A-B fader ..................................................................................................................................................... 23
Analyzing ......................................................................................................................................... 14, 15, 26
audio effects ............................................................................................................................................... 25
Beatport ...................................................................................................................................................... 13
beats per minute ................................................................................................................................... 14, 15
BPM ................................................................................................................................................. 15, 17, 22
Browser ..................................................................................................................................................... 7, 8
CD ................................................................................................................................................................ 14
controller............................................................................................................................................. v, 5, 21
crowd .......................................................................................................................................................... 26
cue ........................................................................................................................................................... 9, 24
cues ................................................................................................................................................. 21, 23, 24
DAW .............................................................................................................................................................. v
Deck......................................................................................................................................................... 5, 25
deck A.................................................................................................................................................... 22, 25
deck B .................................................................................................................................................... 22, 25
DJ iv, v, 13, 15, 17, 26
driver ............................................................................................................................................................. 4
drivers ........................................................................................................................................................... v
effects ......................................................................................................................................... 8, 21, 25, 26
effects racks ............................................................................................................................................ 8, 25
Equalizer...................................................................................................................................................... 23
fader ............................................................................................................................................ 9, 17, 22, 23
fading .......................................................................................................................................................... 22
filter ............................................................................................................................................................. 23
Filtering ....................................................................................................................................................... 23
frequencies ................................................................................................................................................. 23
Genre .................................................................................................................................................... 15, 16
grid window ................................................................................................................................................ 22
hardware ........................................................................................................................................... v, 3, 4, 5
installer ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
iTunes .................................................................................................................................................... 13, 14
Key..................................................................................................................................................... 3, 15, 17
Kontrol S4 .................................................................................................... iv, v, 3, 4, 5, 6, 19, 21, 23, 24, 26
library .............................................................................................................................................. 13, 14, 17
loop ....................................................................................................................................................... 23, 24
loops................................................................................................................................................ 21, 23, 24
mix....................................................................................................................................... 15, 16, 17, 19, 26
Mixed in Key.......................................................................................................................................... 15, 17
mixing ....................................................................................... v, 6, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26
Native Instruments ................................................................................................................ v, vii, 3, 4, 5, 26
preferences ................................................................................................................................................... 6
RCA ............................................................................................................................................................ 3, 6
Recording .................................................................................................................................................... 26
Setup ......................................................................................................................................................... 5, 6
Setup Wizard ................................................................................................................................................. 5
software ..................................................................................................................................... v, vii, 3, 4, 17
style ....................................................................................................................................................... 13, 15
Traktor 2.........................................................................iv, v, 3, 4, 5, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 26
USB ........................................................................................................................................................ v, 3, 5
views ............................................................................................................................................................. 7
Windows platform .................................................................................................................................... v, 3
This manual is dedicated to my brother in hopes that he may overcome his recent
misfortunes. You are in all of our hearts and thoughts forever...