Need Advice for new DJ rig I’m making
So heres what I’m doing. I am building to Midi Controllers I’m using as decks. they are similar to midi fighters but have a few more added buttons and controls. Now i want to run these into an external mixer and play them on Traktor. I feel that i need to run these decks into a soundcard, then soundcard to mixer? mixer to output?
You are DEFINITELY not ready to be making midi controllers, mate.
Your original post couldn’t be more wrong if you tried.
midi is digital… 32kbps nothing more… if you want to get into DIY controllers look at ardunios and midi packages. as for sound, traktor itself needs to go so a soundsystem some how and there are many ways of doing that, an audio interface is one way.
you are best off buying a midi kit from ebay or something and learning how it all works 
couldn’t you just whore out an old hercules controller?
Interested to see those decks!
i suggest learning a hack like this one : Dr. Monk's DIY Electronics Blog: Hack a USB Computer Keyboard to Make a Synth Pedal Board
this can easily be applied to traktor controller or any other usb peripheral you can dream up. i have made some controllers using this method and i believe its more fun and enlightening than a kit. and its free if you can salvage a keyboard and some kind of toy/device that has buttons and switches. and then you can add more onto it. when its all solderred up, map the keystrokes to traktor and bam, instant controller.
good times.
I definitely have the technical skills and have taken on way harder projects. How about you give me some positive advice before you straight tell me I’m out of my league, otherwise that just motivates me even more 
I think I’ve found a way to make this work over the weekend. I want to put a livid instruments “brain” inside each of the decks. And just end up using a NI Z2 as a hybrid mixer/soundcard. Then all I have to do I map out the controllers because it’ll have a processor to run and HID output. I might just end up kidnapping an audio engineer at the college to use as an advisor on this project lol
The confusion is that you dont appear to know the difference between a midi controller, and a device that actually passes audio.
Saying things like “I feel that i need to run these decks into a soundcard, then soundcard to mixer? mixer to output?” is confusing, as you dont need to run midi controllers to a soundcard or a mixer.
You use the word ‘decks’ but that generally refers to a sound source or a controller+soundcard that passes audio, not a midi controller.
That’s pretty much it, ImNoDJ.
If you don’t understand the difference between midi and audio - you’re gonna have problems.
I think your post is very unclear. There is a lot of misuse of terminology and vague terms in your initial post that is confusing to anyone that would want to help you. Be more specific and it’s easier to help you or give advice. TBH, I’m not sure what I’d be giving advice about. The term “run” is the most confusing to me. Is it possible to clarify the word “run” as used in your initial post. What is the medium you’re talking about? Are you running physical cables or is this virtually being routed? I think I could start there. By no means, would I want you to feel discouraged from asking questions on the forums.