Traktor Kontrol S4 Review - Digital DJ Equipment

I cut through the hype to show you what's really important. For me, this boils down to user experience and sound quality. These are what sets good controllers apart from average ones.

I prefer seeing the production model tested by real pro DJs first before giving an opinion.

The Traktor Kontrol S4 by Native Instruments is similar in that it's also a fully integrated hardware and DJ software solution.

It's a great size for a DJ controller. Not too big to transport easily (unlike the Numark NS7) and big enough to look cool.

It also appears to be scalable enough for both beginner and pro DJs to use with confidence.

What advantage for you? Stability my friend. The last thing you want is for your DJ mixing software to get stuck in a set and embarrass you, leaving you red faced and having to reboot everything. With everyone laughing and pointing at you.

Traktor Kontrol S4 review - 4 decks to mix with & 4 channel mixer

Many of you won't mix using 4 decks to start with, but after a while you'll start to see why having 4 different audio sources can be interesting. Using 4 decks isn't for a casual DJ who plays out once a month and rarely practices. It's for the guys and girls who want to add some creativity, splice new sounds into their mixes, mix 3 or 4 tunes together (yes people can do it) and basically let rip on the sounds.

I do like their 4 channel mixer function. That is Kool & the Gang! Good, sturdy knobs and buttons give you close control.

Having 4 audio sources also is great for when a new DJ has to hit the decks running with no dip in the beat.

Imagine you play for 1 hour, everbody's dancing, then another DJ comes on, or your buddy. You have to keep them on the floor!

He or she can seamlessly plug their audio source into the Traktor Kontrol S4 and play away without either of you sweating!

Just the dancefloor will sweat. You'll head off and get a nice cold beer of course, happy with your set.

Traktor Kontrol S4 review - 4 decks to mix with & 4 channel mixer

Many of you won't mix using 4 decks to start with, but after a while you'll start to see why having 4 different audio sources can be interesting. Using 4 decks isn't for a casual DJ who plays out once a month and rarely practices. It's for the guys and girls who want to add some creativity, splice new sounds into their mixes, mix 3 or 4 tunes together (yes people can do it) and basically let rip on the sounds.

I do like their 4 channel mixer function. That is Kool & the Gang! Good, sturdy knobs and buttons give you close control.

Having 4 audio sources also is great for when a new DJ has to hit the decks running with no dip in the beat.

Imagine you play for 1 hour, everbody's dancing, then another DJ comes on, or your buddy. You have to keep them on the floor!

He or she can seamlessly plug their audio source into the Traktor Kontrol S4 and play away without either of you sweating!

Just the dancefloor will sweat. You'll head off and get a nice cold beer of course, happy with your set.

Traktor Kontrol S4 review - 4 decks to mix with & 4 channel mixer

Many of you won't mix using 4 decks to start with, but after a while you'll start to see why having 4 different audio sources can be interesting. Using 4 decks isn't for a casual DJ who plays out once a month and rarely practices. It's for the guys and girls who want to add some creativity, splice new sounds into their mixes, mix 3 or 4 tunes together (yes people can do it) and basically let rip on the sounds.

I do like their 4 channel mixer function. That is Kool & the Gang! Good, sturdy knobs and buttons give you close control.

Having 4 audio sources also is great for when a new DJ has to hit the decks running with no dip in the beat.

Imagine you play for 1 hour, everbody's dancing, then another DJ comes on, or your buddy. You have to keep them on the floor!

He or she can seamlessly plug their audio source into the Traktor Kontrol S4 and play away without either of you sweating!

Just the dancefloor will sweat. You'll head off and get a nice cold beer of course, happy with your set.

Traktor Kontrol S4 review - the verdict

Pros This controller is great. For me, it's the fact that the DJ will enjoy him or herself and not get stressed and lost with the controls.

Having the 4 channel mixer is a massive plus.

I do think having a 24 bit sound card is a must and you should only be considering digital gear which has at least that.

It also looks extremely cool.

Cons

No scratching

I think that if you're a turntablists, you should consider using Serato as Traktor seem to be less adapted for turntablism.

Price isn't for everybody

The price is not low, but gets you good, high end material with reliable software that'll last you for the next 5 years at least, and probably more.

Have a look at it, see the user reviews and decide for yourself if it's really for you.

This article and many more other DJ tips, reviews, advice and a free guide to getting DJ gigs can be found at The Total DJ Blog

View the original article here

Digital DJ Equipment - The Gear For Pro DJs, Beginners And The Rest

What is the digital DJ equipment?

To be a digital DJ, you can use a very smart piece of gear generally called the DJ controller or console that plugs into your laptop. It combines 2 decks and a mixer all in one and allows you to play digital (MP3, wave, wma, flac) directly from your Mac or PC.

It works with an advanced software which analyses your tracks, helps you cue them up and allows you to simulate real vinyl and CD decks.

Many of them have a built in range of sound effects and advanced tools making it easier for you not only to mix, but to easily find, loop and even remix on the fly to some extent.

So why not be a PC DJ and just use a laptop on its own?

Some of the new digital DJ equipment breed just use a laptop to mix. Typically, this could be a guy on a low budget, who's never DJed before, blagging his way to gigs with a cracked version of a mixing software on a PC.

Did I mention, he's got a ton of MP3s copied from other DJs playlists and downloaded from "somewhere" on the Internet?

These guys generally can get a few gigs thanks to their smart promotion tricks and sit smugly behind their PCs, mixing with a mouse.

Yuck.

The image isn't a great one. What people see is a chancer who's trying to be cool and who's DJing to try to get money and girls by preening around and using his mouse to mix.

It's what I refer to as a mouse DJ. My advice?

Don't become one of these guys. They tend not to last too long.

If you want real gigs, a name for yourself and above all some respect then invest some of your cash and get a decent controller at least.

Mastering the gear and learning the basics of mixing, even if it is assisted by BPM counters and wave forms will get you some credit.

Some vinyl DJs may still look down their noses at you but more about that later.

Seeing a cheapskate in the booth on a PC and cracked software with little else sends out a message that this guy is a fake imposter.

That's why you should get yourself some real gear.

Being ready to doll out a few hundred on a controller sets you apart from the mouse DJs.

What DJ controllers are recommended?

I'd like to recommend you 3 different models of USB controller. This should correspond to your budget. I can't control what budget you have, but I can suggest that you always invest more in your gear.

Why? Because I know that if you buy a cheap controller, you'll end up buying a better one later on down the road. The total cost is of course, higher than if you'd invested more at the start.

In addition to this, no one wants to be seen with a plastic toy in a club. If you're passionate about becoming a digital DJ, then you should splash out some more.

Using CDs or vinyl with MP3s. Is this still digital?

It's still possible to mix using digital music and keep on using vinyls or CDS. This means that you (according to some people) still look cooler.

Whether you do or not is a matter of opinion.

If you like using CDs or vinyls to mix but you want to make the most of the convenience MP3 or digital DJing offers then you still can.

How?

By using time coded vinyl or CD to mix.

So what are the advantages of digital DJing?

Deciding how to approach DJing is important. Is mixing with MP3s looked down on with disdain in the dubstep and d'n'b world? Let's say you fit in better with vinyls.

But mixing with MP3s is more acceptable in other environments.

It's an important decision to make for you. Read more with my article to help you decide if having digital DJ equipment is really for you.

This article and many more other DJ tips, advice and a free guide to getting DJ gigs can be found at The Total DJ Blog

View the original article here