Native Instruments TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 MK3 Users Manual
Table of Contents
1. Disclaimer .................................................................................................................. 1
2. Welcome to TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 ......................................................................... 2
2.1. Document Conventions ..................................................................................... 2
2.2. Documentation Resources ................................................................................ 3
2.3. In this Document .............................................................................................. 3
3. Concepts ................................................................................................................... 4
3.1. S4 and TRAKTOR Control Concept ................................................................... 4
3.2. Haptic Drive Modes .......................................................................................... 5
3.3. Pad Modes ....................................................................................................... 5
3.4. Tempo Synchronization ..................................................................................... 6
3.4.1. Master Clock .......................................................................................... 6
3.4.2. Tempo Master and Tempo Master Assignment ......................................... 6
3.4.3. Sync Modes ........................................................................................... 7
3.4.4. Beatgrid ................................................................................................. 8
3.5. Harmonic Mixing ............................................................................................... 8
3.6. About the Track Collection .............................................................................. 10
3.7. Snap Mode and Quantize Mode ...................................................................... 10
4. Setting up TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 .......................................................................... 12
4.1. Connecting to the Computer ............................................................................ 12
4.2. Connecting an Amplification System ................................................................ 13
4.3. Connecting Monitors for DJ Booth ................................................................... 13
4.4. Connecting Headphones ................................................................................. 14
4.5. Connecting to the Power Supply ...................................................................... 14
4.6. Final Preparation ............................................................................................ 15
4.7. Importing Music into the Track Collection ......................................................... 17
5. TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 Overview ........................................................................... 19
5.1. Decks ............................................................................................................ 21
5.1.1. Browse Controls ................................................................................... 23
5.1.2. Pad Section ......................................................................................... 23
5.1.3. Display Elements for Tracks and STEM Files ......................................... 25
5.1.4. Display Elements on a Remix Deck ....................................................... 25
5.2. Mixer ............................................................................................................. 26
5.2.1. Mixer Channel ...................................................................................... 28
5.3. FX Unit .......................................................................................................... 29
5.4. Front Panel View ............................................................................................ 30
5.5. Rear Panel ..................................................................................................... 30
6. Mixing Your First Tracks ............................................................................................ 32
6.1. Prerequisites .................................................................................................. 32
6.2. Loading the First Track into Deck A ................................................................. 33
6.3. Starting Playback of Deck A ............................................................................ 34
6.4. Loading the Second Track into Deck B ............................................................. 34
6.5. Syncing the Track Tempos .............................................................................. 36
6.6. Starting Playback of the Second Track ............................................................. 36
6.7. Mixing in the Audio Signal ............................................................................... 36
7. Tutorials ................................................................................................................... 38
7.1. Browsing and Loading .................................................................................... 39
7.2. Controlling Playback ....................................................................................... 40
7.2.1. Using Transport Controls ...................................................................... 41
7.2.2. Using Jog Wheels in JOG Mode ............................................................ 41
7.2.3. Using Jog Wheels in Turntable Mode ..................................................... 45
7.3. Assigning Mixer Channels to the Crossfader .................................................... 48
7.3.1. Setting the Crossfader Curve ................................................................ 49
7.4. Adjusting Levels ............................................................................................. 50
7.5. Using the Equalizer ......................................................................................... 52
7.6. Using CUE Channel ........................................................................................ 53
7.7. Adjusting Tempo ............................................................................................. 54
7.8. Working with Key Lock .................................................................................... 57
7.8.1. Locking the Original Key ....................................................................... 57
7.8.2. Transposing the Original Key in Semitones ............................................ 58
7.8.3. Resetting the Changed Key to the Original Key ...................................... 59
7.9. Playing with Cue Points .................................................................................. 60
7.10. Playing with Loops ........................................................................................ 61
7.11. Playing with Flux Mode and Reverse Mode .................................................... 63
7.12. Playing with MIXER Effects ........................................................................... 65
7.13. Playing with FX Units .................................................................................... 66
7.14. Adding Tracks to the Preparation List ............................................................. 68
7.15. Previewing Tracks in the Browser .................................................................. 68
7.16. Switching Deck Focus ................................................................................... 69
7.17. Playing with Remix Decks ............................................................................. 69
7.17.1. Using Pattern Recorder ....................................................................... 75
7.18. Playing with STEM Decks ............................................................................. 75
7.19. Correcting Beatgrids of Tracks ....................................................................... 80
8. Preferences .............................................................................................................. 82
9. Integrating External Devices ...................................................................................... 84
9.1. Integrating Microphone ................................................................................... 84
9.2. Integrating Turntable ....................................................................................... 85
9.3. Integrating CD Players .................................................................................... 86
9.4. Enabling Scratch Function in TRAKTOR .......................................................... 86
9.5. Using the S4 as a Standalone DJ Mixer ........................................................... 87
10. Setting the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 as Your Default Audio Interface ........................ 89
Disclaimer
1. DISCLAIMER
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of Native Instruments GmbH. The software described by this document is
subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media. No part of this publication
may be copied, reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior
written permission by Native Instruments GmbH, hereinafter referred to as Native Instruments.
“Native Instruments”, “NI” and associated logos are (registered) trademarks of Native Instruments
GmbH.
Mac, macOS, GarageBand, Logic and iTunes are registered trademarks of Apple Inc., registered
in the U.S. and other countries.
Windows and DirectSound are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States
and/or other countries.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners and use of them does not imply
any affiliation with or endorsement by them.
Document authored by: Native Instruments GmbH
Software version: 3.2 (07/2019)
Hardware version: TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 MK3
Special thanks to the Beta Test Team, who were invaluable not just in tracking down bugs, but in
making this a better product.
1
Welcome to TRAKTOR KONTROL S4
2. WELCOME TO TRAKTOR KONTROL S4
Thank you for choosing TRAKTOR KONTROL S4, it is because of customers like you that we can
continue developing groundbreaking music software and hardware. TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 is a
fully integrated hardware and software DJ performance system. The all-in-one TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 controller offers you an ergonomic DJ mixer, a built-in 24-bit/96 kHz audio interface, and
a high-resolution control surface, perfectly tailored for TRAKTOR PRO 3.
This documentation provides you with all the information you need to get started mixing, syncing
and looping. If you are already familiar with TRAKTOR, this guide will also help you use the more
advanced features of TRAKTOR KONTROL S4.
2.1. Document Conventions
This document uses particular formatting to point out special facts and to warn you of potential issues. The icons introducing the following notes let you see what kind of information can be expected:
The speech bubble icon indicates a useful tip that may help you to solve a task more
efficiently.
The exclamation mark icon highlights important information that is essential for the
given context.
The warning icon warns you of serious issues and potential risks that require your
full attention.
Furthermore, the following formatting is used:
• Paths to locations on your hard disk or other storage devices are printed in italics.
• Important names and concepts are printed in bold.
• Square brackets are used to reference keys on a computer’s keyboard, e.g., Press [Shift] +
[Enter].
Pet Names for Software and Hardware
Throughout the documentation, we will refer to the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 hardware controller
as TRAKTOR KONTROL S4, S4 controller, or simply S4.
Likewise, the TRAKTOR software may be referred to as TRAKTOR.
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Welcome to TRAKTOR KONTROL S4
2.2. Documentation Resources
Native Instruments provides many information sources regarding TRAKTOR KONTROL S4. The
main resources to get you started are:
• TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 Manual: This manual guides you through the hardware and software setup process to get the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 system up and running. Additionally,
by providing task-based tutorials, it offers a practical approach to using your TRAKTOR KONTROL S4.
• TRAKTOR PRO 3 Manual: For in-depth information on all features provided by the TRAKTOR
software, refer to the TRAKTOR PRO 3 Manual.
2.3. In this Document
What you are reading now is the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 Manual. This manual is structured as
follows:
• Concepts quickly introduces you to the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 user interface and its main
areas, both hardware and software.
• Setting up TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 guides you through the process of setting up your TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 system and importing your music into TRAKTOR.
• TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 Overview is an extensive reference of all hardware control elements
to be found on your TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 hardware controller. Whenever you are unsure
about the functionality of a particular control element, you will find all the necessary information
here.
• Mixing Your First Tracks is a quickstart tutorial introducing you to the main steps of mixing your
first tracks using the SYNC function.
• Tutorials contains a collection of short tutorials, showing you how to work with the individual
areas of the controller.
• Preferences explains how to open the Preferences in TRAKTOR and introduces the options to
customize the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 for specific needs.
• Integrating External Devices shows you how to integrate TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 with your
studio or live setup, in various configurations.
• Setting the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 as Your Default Audio Interface describes how to use the
audio interface of the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 as the default audio device of your computer.
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Concepts
3. CONCEPTS
In this section you are briefly introduced to the main concepts of the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 and
some basic concepts of the TRAKTOR software.
3.1. S4 and TRAKTOR Control Concept
This section quickly introduces the main areas and concepts of your TRAKTOR KONTROL S4
hardware controller with reference to the TRAKTOR PRO software.
S4 and TRAKTOR control concept.
(1) Decks: You can use the Decks to control tracks and Samples, similar to DJ turntables or CD
players but with additional features. TRAKTOR controls four virtual Decks and each of them can
be operated in several Deck Types: Track Deck, Remix Deck, STEM, Deck, and Live Input.
TRAKTOR provides you with four virtual Decks. The two Decks on your S4 hardware controller allow you to control the four software Decks A, B, C and D in TRAKTOR: the left Deck on your S4
controls Decks A and C in the software. The right Deck on your S4 controls Decks B and D in the
software.
(2) Mixer: You can use the Mixer to mix the audio signals coming from the Decks. The Mixer sits in
the middle of the TRAKTOR software as well as on your TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 controller. On
the S4, the Mixer consists of the four Mixer channels A, B, C, and D which receive the individual
audio signals from the corresponding Decks. Each Mixer channel contains controls to modulate
the audio signal and to adjust the outgoing volume before the audio signal is send to the MAS-
TER output. Furthermore, the Mixer provides the crossfader to let you fade between the audio signals in the Mixer channels.
(3) FX Units: You can further process the signals in the Mixer channels by using the two FX Units
located at the top-left and top-right on your S4 and in the software interface. The FX Units give you
access to a collection of high-quality effects included in TRAKTOR. FX Unit 1 at the top-left on
your S4 controls FX Unit 1 in the software. FX Unit 2 at the top-right on your S4 control FX Unit 2
in the software.
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Concepts
3.2. Haptic Drive Modes
You can operate the Jog Wheels on the S4 in three different modes, called HAPTIC DRIVE
MODEs. Each HAPTIC DRIVE MODE provides you with different control functions for the Jog
Wheels.
• JOG mode: The JOG mode lets you control the playback of your tracks by spinning the Jog
Wheel. Depending on the playback state or if you touch the top plate or the outer rim, the behavior differs accordingly. In JOG mode you can use the Jog Wheel for tempo bending and
nudging, to cue beats and scratch tracks, as well as seeking within tracks. Furthermore, you
can adjust the tension for the Jog Wheel using the JOG button as well as in the Preferences.
Furthermore, you can enable a tick felt as haptic feedback in the Jog Wheel in the Preferences.
For more information, refer to Using Jog Wheels in JOG Mode.
• TT mode: As with the JOG mode, the TT mode (turntable mode) lets you control the playback
of your tracks. The difference is, the Jog Wheels rotate during playback. This enables you to
control your tracks as you would on conventional turntables. In TT mode you can use the Jog
Wheel for tempo bending and nudging, to cue beats and scratch tracks, as well as seeking
within tracks. Furthermore, you can adjust the base rotation speed using 33.3 revolutions or 45
revolutions per minute. For more information, refer to Using Jog Wheels in Turntable Mode.
• GRID mode: The GRID mode lets you correct faulty Beatgrids for tracks directly on the S4 using the Jog Wheels and the CUE channel on the fly. For more information, refer to Correcting
Beatgrids of Tracks.
3.3. Pad Modes
You can operate the Pads on a Deck in three different Pad modes. Depending on selected Pad
mode the functions differ accordingly:
• HOTCUES mode: In HOTCUES mode, the Pads let you store and trigger Cue Points and
Loops in tracks and STEM Files as Hotcues. On Decks A and B the HOTCUES button lights
up blue whereas on Decks C and D the HOTCUES button lights up orange. The HOTCUES
mode is the default mode for Track Decks and STEM Decks. For more information on using
HOTCUES mode, refer to Playing with Cue Points, and Playing with Loops.
HOTCUES mode is not available for Remix Decks. When a Remix Deck is focused,
the HOTCUES button is disabled.
• SAMPLES mode: In SAMPLES mode, the Pads let you control the Samples on the Remix
Deck. The upper row of Pads give you direct access to the first Samples in the Sample Slots.
When the Deck is focused on a Remix Deck, the SAMPLES mode is enabled by default. You
can enable the SAMPLES mode on a Track Deck and on a STEM Deck as well. This way you
can control the Track Deck or STEM Deck together with the Remix Deck, without switching the
Deck focus to the Remix Deck. For more information, refer to Playing with Remix Decks.
• STEMS mode: In STEMS mode, the Pads let you control the individual STEM Parts in the
STEM File. With the Pads you can adjust the individual STEM Part volume levels, and filters.
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Concepts
The STEMS mode is available only for STEM Decks. On the S4 Decks A and B the STEMS
button lights up blue whereas on the S4 Decks C and D the STEMS button lights up orange.
For more information, refer to Playing with STEM Decks.
3.4. Tempo Synchronization
TRAKTOR provides several ways to synchronize tempo between decks. You can synchronize tempo manually by using the tempo faders and the tempo bend buttons on the decks. However, you
can also synchronize tempo automatically by pressing the SYNC button on the decks.
To understand how to work with tempo synchronization in TRAKTOR, this section will introduce
you to the principles of MASTER and SYNC, and related functions.
3.4.1. Master Clock
The Master Clock is a central component which coordinates tempo and beat synchronization of
decks, loops, tempo-based effects, and external applications via MIDI Clock function.
Master Clock in the Master Control panel.
3.4.2. Tempo Master and Tempo Master Assignment
Whether you are beat-matching manually or syncing between several decks, TRAKTOR always
defines a master tempo source, the Tempo Master, to which other decks, effects, and loops can be
synced. You can assign it manually, or you can let TRAKTOR assign it automatically to any deck.
There can only be one Tempo Master at a time.
Manual Tempo Master Assignment
When you want to assign the Tempo Master manually, you need to disable automatic Tempo Master assignment (AUTO mode) using the AUTO button in the Master Control panel.
AUTO Mode disabled.
When AUTO mode is disabled, you can assign any deck to be the Tempo Master by pressing the
MASTER button on the deck.
6
Concepts
Deck A is the Tempo Master.
If you are using a complex deck setup, you can also use the Master Clock as Tempo Master by
using the MASTER button in the Master Control panel. With the Master Clock as Tempo Master
you can sync all decks to the Master Clock and adjust the tempo globally.
Master Clock is the Tempo Master.
When a deck is synced to a Tempo Master, the tempo for the synced deck cannot be adjusted
manually. This can only be changed by the Tempo Master.
Automatic Tempo Master Assignment
You can let TRAKTOR assign the Tempo Master automatically by enabling AUTO mode using the
AUTO button in the Master Control panel. When AUTO mode is enabled and you start playback on
any deck, that deck will automatically become the Tempo Master. As soon as the track of the current Tempo Master deck ends or is stopped manually, the synced deck automatically becomes the
new Tempo Master. This continues until no other track is synced to the Tempo Master. As soon the
current track stops playing, then the Master Clock automatically becomes the new Tempo Master.
Customizing Tempo Master Behavior
You can customize the behavior of your decks in AUTO mode in the Transport page in the Preferences. You can define if only Track decks or Stem Decks can be the Tempo Master (Remix Decks
excluded). This can be useful in a typical workflow where Remix Decks are always synced to a
running Track deck and not the other way around.
You can also define only on-air decks can be the Tempo Master. This is useful in a workflow where
decks that are actually playing to the main output should respond to the logic of tempo master and
sync.
For more information on the preferences, refer to Preferences – Track Decks Page.
3.4.3. Sync Modes
TRAKTOR provides two different modes for track synchronization of which you can choose in the
Transport Page in the Preferences. These are BeatSync and TempoSync.
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Concepts
BeatSync
BestSync is the most reliable way to synchronize tracks in TRAKTOR. BeatSync will always maintain tempo and phase synchronization between decks. This means, whatever action you perform,
for example, scratching or beat jumping, the playback will always remain synchronized to the beat
of the Master deck or Master Clock.
TempoSync
TempoSync ensures the tempo is locked but not the phase. This means, there can be offsets in
the beat synchronization when performing transport operations, for example, scratching or beat
jumping. In this case the SYNC buttons will change appearance and the phase meter will show an
offset.
The behavior of TempoSync can be beneficial for DJs who rely on manual beat-matching. If two
synced tracks are out of phase, you can manually adjust the phase by pitch bending.
In TempoSync you can always pitch bend on the phase while the tracks are playing. This is not
possible with BeatSync since the phase is locked accordingly to the Beatgrid and not to the beat.
For more information about the Sync Mode preferences, refer to Preferences – Transport Page.
3.4.4. Beatgrid
TRAKTOR offers both automatic and manual functions to detect and set the correct tempo and
beat measures of a track. This information is needed to make correct use of the Sync function,
quantized beat jumps as well as snapping Hotcues and loops to the beat of the track.
TRAKTOR's Analyze function will detect the Beatgrid of your tracks automatically.
For more information on manually correcting Beatgrids, refer to Correcting Beatgrids.
3.5. Harmonic Mixing
In this section, you will learn about Harmonic Mixing and the Open Key notation that TRAKTOR
uses to help you harmonically mix your tracks.
When mixing tracks, you notice that some track combinations fit well together and create a pleasing musical blend. More often than not, this is due to the fact that these track combinations are in
the same key. The technique of Harmonic Mixing previously relied on either knowing the key of
tracks or using additional software to identify it. TRAKTOR detects the keys for you automatically.
Key can quickly be utilized in the selection process of identifying harmonically complimentary
tracks and avoiding key clashes.
For more information on working with Key Lock, refer to Working with Key Lock.
Open Key Notation
The Open Key notation basically applies a number scale that reflects the 12 tonic scales. It also
identifies major scale tracks with a d value, whereas minor scale tracks contain an m value in their
abbreviation.
8
Concepts
In order to use Open Key notation, the setting Open Key must be selected in the
Displayed in Traktor drop-down menu on the Analyze Options Preference page.
For more information, refer to Preferences – Analyze Options Page.
In the Browser, analyzed tracks contain values in the Key field such as 11d, 12m, 7d, and so on.
For 'Harmonic Mixing', tracks in the same key will tend to yield the best mixing results, for example, 11d to 11d. Likewise, mixing songs that are of the same scale (major or minor), and adjacent
numerical value. If, for example, you are playing a track with a key of 1m, you can also use tracks
with keys of 2m or 12m. Although 3m and 11m are near to 1m, so they would not work so well.
It is possible to mix tracks of opposing key, which is mixing from a track in a major to a minor key,
for example, mixing track 5d to 5m or vice versa. You will notice that there is a change in mood
when this occurs. In this scenario, it is best to experiment with suitable tracks to identify sections
that lend themselves for transitions to take place, for example, a percussive outro.
Key Lock and Color-Coding
Usually, when you change a track's tempo you will also change its key. However, it is possible to
lock the original key of the track so that you can change the tempo without changing the key.
When you lock the original key using the Key Lock button in the Stripe, TRAKTOR displays the
track's original key in the Key Lock button and highlights it in the respective color.
The Key Lock buttons display different keys in their respective color.
If the key for the track in the Master deck is locked, the Browser highlights the tracks with the
matching keys in the Key column with the same color code. This way you can instantly identify
tracks that are in harmony with the track playing.
9
Concepts
The Browser offers tracks which harmonically match the track playing in the Master deck.
Transposing Locked Keys in Semitones
It is possible to transpose the locked key in semitones using the semitone up and down buttons
next to the Key Lock button in the Stripe. This is useful, for example, if you want to transpose the
key of the next track to make it match the track in the Master deck. The offset to the original key
will then be displayed in the Key Lock button.
For more information, refer to Transposing the Original Key in Semitones.
3.6. About the Track Collection
The Track Collection represents all the music you use in TRAKTOR. With the Track Collection you
can organize, tag, and prepare your tracks for being played as part of your mix.
A benefit of the Track Collection is that it stores the metadata of the tracks, like track title, artist
name, tempo, genre, key etc. It also stores TRAKTOR-specific information about your tracks.
3.7. Snap Mode and Quantize Mode
Snap mode and Quantize mode are important tools that can help you when working with Cue
Points and Loops, and for jumping in the track:
• The Snap mode ensures that any Loop or Cue Point you set in a track snaps to the closest
beat.
• The Quantize mode ensures that you remain in sync to the quantize value, whenever you jump
to a Loop, to a Cue Point, or to any position within the track.
Examples for using and not using Snap Mode
Depending on what you want to do, you can enable or disable Snap mode and Quantize mode at
any time. Here are a few examples on different use cases:
• Enable Snap mode if you want to set a Loop starting directly on a beat.
• Disable Snap mode if you want to set a Cue Point at the beginning of vocals that do not necessarily start on the beat.
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Concepts
• Enable Quantize mode if want to mix in a synced track and want the downbeats of both tracks
to perfectly match.
• Disable Quantize mode if you want to trigger tracks or Samples any time you press play or trigger Hotcues.
Enabling and Disabling Quantize Mode
When Quantize mode is enabled, the QUANT (Snap) button lights up brightly. When Quantize
mode is disabled, the QUANT (Snap) button lights up dimly.
To enable or disable Quantize mode:
• Press the QUANT (Snap) button.
Enabling and Disabling Snap Mode
To enable or disable Snap mode:
1. Press and hold SHIFT to access the secondary functions of your S4.
When Snap mode is disabled, the QUANT (Snap) button lights up dimly. When Snap mode
is enabled, the QUANT (Snap) button lights up brightly.
2. While holding SHIFT, press the QUANT (Snap) button to enable or disable Snap mode, re-
spectively.
11
Setting up TRAKTOR KONTROL S4
4. SETTING UP TRAKTOR KONTROL S4
By this section, you should have already installed TRAKTOR PRO 3 software using NATIVE ACCESS, in order to configure the S4 for its first use. If this is not the case, follow the instructions
under this link Registering and Installing a Native Instruments Product using NATIVE ACCESS.
This section describes how to set up the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4. When all devices are connected your setup will look like the following illustration:
TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 setup.
4.1. Connecting to the Computer
To connect the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 to your computer:
1. Connect the device end of the included USB cable to the USB socket on the rear panel of
your S4.
2. Connect the computer end of the USB cable to an available USB 2.0 port (or later) on your
computer.
12
Setting up TRAKTOR KONTROL S4
4.2. Connecting an Amplification System
To connect your power amplifier system to the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4:
• Connect the MAIN OUT XLR or RCA outputs on the rear panel of the TRAKTOR KONTROL
S4 to the inputs of your amplification system using the appropriate cables.
4.3. Connecting Monitors for DJ Booth
To connect your monitor speakers or a second power amplifier for the DJ booth to the TRAKTOR
KONTROL S4:
13
Setting up TRAKTOR KONTROL S4
• Connect the BOOTH OUT outputs on the rear panel of the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 to the
inputs of your monitoring system using appropriate cables.
4.4. Connecting Headphones
To connect headphones to the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4:
• Connect your headphones to the PHONES OUT socket on the front panel of the TRAKTOR
KONTROL S4 using a 1/4" or a 1/8" connector.
4.5. Connecting to the Power Supply
To connect the Power supply to the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4:
1. Connect the device end of the Power supply cable to the Power socket on the rear panel of
your S4.
2. Connect the Power Supply unit to a power outlet.
14
Setting up TRAKTOR KONTROL S4
4.6. Final Preparation
After successfully setting up the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 system, you need to prepare final steps
before you can start using your S4. At first you switch on your devices and then you configure
TRAKTOR to be used with your S4.
Switching on Devices and Starting TRAKTOR
You can now switch on the devices. We recommended that you follow the order in the instructions
below:
1. On your S4, turn down the volume controls to minimum position by using the MASTER knob,
the BOOTH knob and the VOL knob.
2. Switch on your amplification system.
3. Switch on your computer.
4. Switch on your S4.
5. Start TRAKTOR by double-clicking the Traktor application icon on your desktop.
The TRAKTOR software opens.
Importing Data from Your Previous TRAKTOR Version
When you start TRAKTOR for the first time, TRAKTOR recognizes if a previous version of TRAKTOR is installed on you system. In this case TRAKTOR asks if you want to import your previous
data from the existing user content into a new folder in your user folder. Your previous data will not
be changed if you import it to the new default folder.
If you want to import data from your previous TRAKTOR installation:
• Click Yes to confirm.
The data is imported.
15
Setting up TRAKTOR KONTROL S4
Switching to TRAKTOR Default Settings
When you start TRAKTOR with the S4 for the first time, TRAKTOR asks if you want to switch Mixer FX selection and the Tempo fader range to default setting. This is necessary to get the intended
user experience of your S4:
TRAKTOR alert for switching Mixer FX and TEMPO fader range to default settings.
• Click Yes.
The Mixer FX and the TEMPO fader range are set to default settings.
Configuring TRAKTOR using the Setup Wizard
The Setup Wizard dialog appears automatically when you start TRAKTOR for the first time after
installation. The Setup Wizard helps you to configure the software to your needs only with a few
clicks. To configure TRAKTOR to be controlled with your S4 controller, perform the following actions:
1. On the WELCOME page click Next to proceed.
2. On the DECK LAYOUT page select the Deck setup to control with your S4, for example, 2
Track Decks + 2 Remix Decks.
3. Click Next to proceed.
The SUMMARY page shows you the configuration of TRAKTOR.
4. Click Finish to confirm your configuration.
The TRAKTOR window now appears in the Essential Layout.
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Setting up TRAKTOR KONTROL S4
4.7. Importing Music into the Track Collection
You can import your music into TRAKTOR's Track Collection in several ways. You can drag and
drop your music files from your computer into the Track Collection, you can use the context menu
in the Browser tree to import the music from your local music folders, and you can use the context
menu to import Remix Sets.
Importing Music using Drag and Drop
To import your music files into your Track Collection using drag and drop:
• Drag the music files from the location on your computer and drop them in the Track Collec-
tion folder in TRAKTOR's Browser tree.
TRAKTOR now analyzes the music files and imports the metadata into the Track Collection.
Importing Music Folders using the Context Menu
To import your music from your local music folders into the Track Collection:
1. Right-click the Track Collection root folder in the folder tree to open the context menu.
2. Select Import Music Folders.
TRAKTOR now analyzes the music files in the local music folders and imports the metadata
into the Track Collection.
The local music folders can be added to the File Management Page in the Preferences. For more
information, refer to .
Importing Remix Sets using the context Menu
To import Remix Sets into the Track Collection:
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Setting up TRAKTOR KONTROL S4
1. Right-click the Track Collection root folder in the folder tree to open the context menu.
2. Select Import Traktor Pak.
3. Locate your Remix Sets on your computer in the dialog.
4. Click Confirm.
TRAKTOR now analyzes the Remix Sets and imports the metadata into the Track Collection.
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TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 Overview
5. TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 OVERVIEW
This section introduces you to the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 and all its control elements and connectors.
TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 Overview.
(1) Decks: You can use the Decks to control tracks and Samples, similar to DJ turntables or CD
players but with additional features. TRAKTOR controls four virtual Decks and each of them can
be operated in several Deck Types: Track Deck, Remix Deck, STEM, Deck, and Live Input.
TRAKTOR provides you with four virtual Decks. The two Decks on your S4 hardware controller allow you to control the four software Decks A, B, C and D in TRAKTOR: the left Deck on your S4
controls Decks A and C in the software. The right Deck on your S4 controls Decks B and D in the
software. For more information on the Deck control elements, refer to Decks.
(2) Mixer: You can use the Mixer to mix the audio signals coming from the Decks. The Mixer sits in
the middle of the TRAKTOR software as well as on your TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 controller. On
the S4, the Mixer consists of the four Mixer channels A, B, C, and D which receive the individual
audio signals from the corresponding Decks. Each Mixer channel contains controls to modulate
the audio signal and to adjust the outgoing volume before the audio signal is send to the MAS-
TER output. Furthermore, the Mixer provides the crossfader to let you fade between the audio signals in the Mixer channels.
For more information on the Mixer control elements, refer to Mixer.
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TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 Overview
(3) FX Units: You can further process the signals in the Mixer channels by using the two FX Units
located at the top-left and top-right on your S4 and in the software interface. The FX Units give you
access to a collection of high-quality effects included in TRAKTOR. FX Unit 1 at the top-left on
your S4 controls FX Unit 1 in the software. FX Unit 2 at the top-right on your S4 control FX Unit 2
in the software. For more information, refer to FX Unit.
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TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 Overview
5.1. Decks
TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 provides you with two physical Decks to control the TRAKTOR
Decks. Each Deck provides you with the following control elements:
S4 Deck.
(1) Browse controls: Allow you to scroll through the Track Collection to find and load tracks, as
well as previewing tracks and preparing playlists. For more information, refer to Browse Controls.
(2) Jog Wheel: The Jog Wheel provides advanced control over track transport. As with a conventional CD player or turntable, you can manually hold playback, nudge and bend, and start scratching by touching and turning the Jog Wheel and the outer rim. Furthermore, you can manually correct tracks' Beatgrids. The outer LED ring around the Jog Wheel gives you visual feedback on the
playback status. For more information, refer to Using Jog Wheels in JOG Mode and Using Jog
Wheels in Turntable Mode.
(3) MASTER (Reset) button: Assigns the Deck to Tempo Master. Using the SHIFT button, it resets
the relative TEMPO fader position in the software. For more information, refer to Adjusting Tempo
and Automatic Track Synchronization.
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TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 Overview
(4) SYNC (Lock): Syncs the Deck to the Tempo Master. Using SHIFT and SYNC (Lock) locks the
TEMPO fader for the Deck. For more information, refer to Adjusting Tempo and Locking the Key of
Tracks.
(5) TEMPO fader: Lets you manually adjust the track tempo on that Deck. The TEMPO fader can
be operated in Absolute mode and in Relative mode. If the Deck is synced to the Tempo Master,
the TEMPO fader has no effect. When the Deck is playing at original track tempo, the LED lights
up blue independently from the current TEMPO fader position. When the Deck tempo is faster or
slower than the original tempo, the LED is unlit. When the tempo is locked for the Deck, the LED
lights up red. For more information, refer to Adjusting Tempo.
(6) Pad section: You can use the Pads to store and trigger Cue Points and Loops, and to control
Samples and STEM Files. The individual function depends on the selected Pad mode and on the
selected Deck Type. For more information, refer to Pad Section.
(7) Play/Pause: Lets you start or pause the track playback on that Deck. The button brightly lights
up green during playback. For more information, refer to Using Transport Controls.
(8) CUE: Lets you start track playback from the Floating Cue Point when the Deck is stopped.
Moves the playback position back to the Cue Point during playback. For more information, refer
to Using Transport Controls.
(9) SHIFT: When you hold SHIFT, you are provided with the secondary functions of some of the
control elements on the S4.
(10) DECK SELECT buttons: Allow you to switch between TRAKTOR Decks A and C on the left
Deck, and between TRAKTOR Decks B and C on the right Deck. For more information, refer to
Switching Deck Focus.
(11) JOG button: Enables JOG mode (Jog Wheel mode) for the Jog Wheel. For more information,
refer to Using Jog Wheels in JOG Mode.
(12) TT button: Enables TT mode (turntable mode) for the Jog Wheel. For more information, refer
to Using Jog Wheels in Turntable Mode.
(13) GRID button: Enables GRID mode to manually correct the Beatgrid for the current track using the Jog Wheel. For more information, refer to Correcting Beatgrids of Tracks.
(14) MOVE encoder: Allows you to jump within the track. When Looping is enabled the MOVE encoder allows you to move the Loop forwards and backwards in the track. Furthermore, it adjusts
volume parameters for Samples and STEM parts using SHIFT. For more information, refer to Us-
ing Transport Controls and Playing with Loops.
(15) Multicolor display: The multicolor display gives visual feedback about playback times and
the Loop settings, and also provides track details such as artist name and track name. For more
information, refer to Display Elements for Tracks and STEM Files and Display Elements on a Re-
mix Deck.
(16) LOOP encoder: Allows you to enable/disable Looping as well as changing the Loop
size. Furthermore, it adjusts Filter effect parameters for Samples and STEM parts using SHIFT.
For more information, refer to Playing with Loops.
(17) REV button: Plays back the track in reverse when in Flux mode. When you press the REV
button, this automatically enables Flux mode as long as the REV button is pressed. For more information, refer to Playing with Flux Mode and Reverse Mode.
(18) FLX button: Enables Flux mode for that Deck. For more information, refer to Playing with
Flux Mode and Reverse Mode.
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TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 Overview
(19) FX Unit: The FX Units allow you to control the effect parameters in the FX Units in the TRAKTOR software. Each Deck features one FX Unit which can be assigned to any Mixer channel. FX
Unit 1 is located on the left Deck, and FX Unit 2 on the right Deck. For more information, refer
to FX Unit.
5.1.1. Browse Controls
The Browse controls let you browse the Track Collection to find and load tracks as well as preview
tracks and prepare playlists.
Browse controls.
(1) Browse encoder: You select tracks in the Track List by turning the Browse encoder and you
can load the selected track into the Deck by pressing the Browse encoder. You can also use the
Browse encoder to seek within the track that is playing in the Preview Player. When in SAMPLES
mode you can can select another Sample in the Sample Slot by turning the Browse encoder. For
more information, refer to Browsing and Loading and Previewing Tracks in the Browser.
(2) VIEW button: Maximizes or minimizes the Browser view in the TRAKTOR software. For more
information, refer to Browsing and Loading.
(3) Preparation List button: Assigns a track to the Preparation List. For more information, refer
to Adding Tracks to the Preparation List.
(4) Star button: When this button is held the Browse encoder then selects favorites. For more information, refer to Browsing and Loading.
(5) Preview Player: Loads a track into the Preview Player in TRAKTOR's Browser and plays it
back. For more information, refer to Previewing Tracks in the Browser.
5.1.2. Pad Section
The Pads can be used to store and trigger Cue Points and Loops, as well as to trigger Samples,
and to control STEM Files. The individual function depends on the selected Pad mode as well as
on the selected Deck Type.
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TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 Overview
Pad section.
(1) HOTCUES button: Enables HOTCUES mode. In this mode, you can store and trigger Cue
Points and Loops within tracks using the Pads. On Decks A and B the HOTCUES button lights up
blue whereas on Decks C and D the HOTCUES button lights up orange. The HOTCUES mode is
the default mode for Track Decks and STEM Decks. For more information, refer to Playing with
Cue Points and Playing with Loops.
HOTCUES mode is not available for Remix Decks. When a Remix Deck is focused,
the HOTCUES button is disabled.
(2) Record button: Enables the Pattern Recorder on the Remix Deck. With the Pattern Recorder
you can record sequences to be played by the Samples. For more information, refer to Using Pat-
tern Recorder.
(3) SAMPLES button: Enables SAMPLES mode. The SAMPLES mode can only be enabled when
the underlying Deck is configured as Remix Deck. Otherwise the SAMPLES button remains unlit. For more information, refer to Playing with Remix Decks.
(4) Mute button: Mutes or un-mutes Samples on a Remix Deck or STEM Parts on a STEM
Deck. For more information, refer to Playing with Remix Decks and Playing with STEM Decks.
(5) STEMS button: Enables STEMS mode on a STEM Deck. Using the Pads, you can adjust the
volumes and mute the individual STEM Parts of the STEM File. The STEMS mode is only available on STEM Decks. For more information, refer to Playing with STEM Decks.
(6) Pads: Depending on the current Pad mode, the eight Pads have individual functions:
• When in HOTCUES mode the Pads store and trigger Cue Points and Loops for Track Decks
and STEM Decks.
• When in SAMPLES mode the Pads control the first four SAMPLE Slots of Remix Decks.
• When in STEMS mode the Pads control the volumes of the individual STEM Parts and also
mute them.
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TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 Overview
5.1.3. Display Elements for Tracks and STEM Files
When the HOTCUES mode or the STEMS mode is enabled, the display contains the following elements:
Display elements for tracks and STEM Files.
(1) Track title: Displays the title of the loaded track or STEM File.
(2) Key value: Displays the current key value of the track or STEM File.
(3) Loop indicator: Displays the selected Loop size. When a Loop is enabled the Loop indicator is
highlighted in green.
(4) Waveform: Displays the Waveform of the track or the STEM File. It also shows stored Cue
Points as white and blue markers, and stored Loops in green markers. The moving red marker
represents the current playhead position.
(5) Remaining Track time: Displays the time remaining until the track or the STEM File ends.
(6) Current Track Tempo: Displays the current tempo for the track or STEM File.
5.1.4. Display Elements on a Remix Deck
When the Deck is a Remix Deck or the SAMPLES mode is enabled, the display contains the following elements:
Display elements on a Remix Deck.
(1) Remix Set title: Displays the title of the loaded Remix Set.
(2) Quantize value: Displays the Quantize value of the Remix Deck. If Quantize mode is enabled
the field is highlighted in blue.
(3) Loop indicator: Displays the selected Loop size. When a Loop is enabled the Loop indicator is
highlighted in green.
(4) Play Type indicator: Indicates if the corresponding Sample in the Sample Cell is a Loop or a
One-shot Sample.
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