Designing an all-in-one Traktor Controller

Designing an all-in-one Traktor Controller

The 0Kontrol:

A few weeks ago I started coming up with ideas for an ideal Traktor controller. Quickly I realized the things I needed in a perfect controller:

~ 4 Deck Mixer with EQs, Filters, Gains and Kills
~ High Quality sound card
~ High Performance grid for Instant FX, Cues and Looping (Arcade buttons…)
~ Intuitive LED Feedback
~ Transport Controls & Controls of all mundane tasks (Snap, Quantize, Loop Recorder, ect.)
~ New intuitive FX controls with multiple banks of kick ass fun stuff (Jog & Pitch FX, X/Y Pad)
~ High Quality Jogs and X Fader

With this gargantuan list of costly controls I feared this was an impossible controller; A dream.

Not being an artist my first mock ups looked like… poop. After awhile things started to just look like one totally pimped out S4. Here’s a pic:

The Mixer:

Noticeably a large X/Y pad is located in the center of the controller. With 4 banks of FX and deck assigns I think this X/Y pad could easily contain bunches of fun. With a beatmasher and iceverb assigned on the fly buildups could make good use of its multiple midi messages. An S4 style loop recorder right above that. Browse encoder with all deck loading above that. Along with a Gain knob, Snap, Quantize and Browse buttons to top it off.

Each track would have headphone cue and X fader assigns, allowing for multiple decks on the X fade mix. Chunky Filter knobs and EQ with kills would make mixing comfortable. Top gain knobs and FX 1 and 2 assigns allow for more S4 resemblance.

The Decks

The arcade performance grid has four banks of functionality. One for Remix Decks, One for Cues, Two for instant grat FX. Simple SHIFT, SYNC, CUE, PLAY buttons mimic the S4. S4 style loopers directly above. A high quality Jog and pitch fader would allow for great mixing or Jog Pitch FX. Right on top would be FX unit one and encoder for FX selection.

Conclusion

Actually it seems everyone likes the concept. I might start working on making it actually happen once we have it finalized… Seems like it will be a mixer and a deck controller, or two deck controllers, or three, or FOUR!!! However many decks you need… :slight_smile:

That looks totally awesome:slight_smile:
I would definitely buy it

Phono in’s for vinyl / timecode addition…

Great concept, maybe it’s something you can achieve virtually on a tablet with TouchOSC or Lemur App?
I personally think the VCI400 SE with a midi fighter has a lot of the same potential.

Sounds like a good idea! Ive always thought what if someone added transport functions and a midi fighter to a turntable… And an FX unit on top…

True a lot of this controller is kind of redundant on the FX side. But its still better to have more than less! I will be getting an iPad soon Lemur looks so lovely.

New Midi Mixer design!

Edit: Wow this was my 100th post!

Very nice! I’d certainly like something like this if I were a controller DJ.

Nice. Like that. Headphone input / controls on the front?

Yea probably 2 headphone outs. Along with independent headphone controls.

Layout for deck section could go great for modular controller. Would like to see DJTT made this :+1:

But with another row of arcades.

I almost made it a shift button, an encoder and two load buttons. Shift would allow encoder to go through Playlists and loading for C and D.

What happened to “An X1 and an F1 is all I need.”?

Minimalism is great when something has very customized function, but large scale products… OH who am I kidding more is better… Editing my sig.

Made a ‘Digital’ version of your draft for fun lol… thought I might contribute something even though I don’t use Traktor, I really like the concept :smiley:

I could make a 3D model but it would probably take some time…

I suspect you’ll have to make the deck controller slightly larger, currently the pitch fader would get stuck on the jog wheel! :stuck_out_tongue:

The mixer-part reminds me slightly of the DJM-2000 layout :smiley:

Place the pitch fader at the bottom and build it, it’s really not that hard.

No it wont - It’s a hill fader :smiley:

Super cool! Thanks so much! Going to work on the deck design a lot more. I am thinking about adding a 3rd row of arcade buttons and getting rid of the normal ones right above and adding 6 preset selectors instead of 4. Bringing the pitch-fader down and centering the platter. Oh and did I forget to mention how kick ass moving platers would be? He he he. Merry Christmas.