My midi workaround for the beat counter
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My midi workaround for the beat counter Posted on: 21.06.2011 by Carlee Roarke Bout a S4 a week ago, and It's become pretty clear that using the S4 for creative DJing in it's native mode is a joke. You're literally fighting against the controller being set up for traditional DJing. Given their track record NI's, I don't see this improving unless people start bitching. My new goal is for everyone to move away from the garbage native mode and start coming up with midi mappings. This will open a lot of possibilities for using the Kontrol S4, and we'll get some awesome mappings. Also, NI might actually get off their asses and fix the Kontrol S4 software, so that we can actually work WITH the software, not against it. The biggest problem people seem to have with midi mode, and the only feature exclusive to native mode, is the digital display. This is important, because of the beat jump So I've been working on a way to get past this. What I've come up with is as follows: Seek position is still done with the loop move encoder, with 7 levels of sensitivity. To set the encoder to default (3 currently) you press the encoder. To increase or decrease the seek sensitivity, you hold down the move encoder, and turn the size encoder. This means you still have to check the loop size of your screen, as the display doesn't work, but you can still control the seek sensitivity, like you can in native mode. what do you guys believe? If you hadn't noticed... I'm really cranky at NI right now for being so bad at everything. Seriously, does anyone know if it is even possible to change the midi sensitivity of the jogwheels? The general consensus seems to be no, and NI's hopefully "working on it"... If any other manufacturer made a controller on which you couldn't change the jog sensitivity, believe about what the reviews would be like. | |
| Carlee Roarke 22.06.2011 |
Originally Posted by brocklambert
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| Carlee Roarke 21.06.2011 | Bout a S4 a week ago, and It's become pretty clear that using the S4 for creative DJing in it's native mode is a joke. You're literally fighting against the controller being set up for traditional DJing. Given their track record NI's, I don't see this improving unless people start bitching. My new goal is for everyone to move away from the garbage native mode and start coming up with midi mappings. This will open a lot of possibilities for using the Kontrol S4, and we'll get some awesome mappings. Also, NI might actually get off their asses and fix the Kontrol S4 software, so that we can actually work WITH the software, not against it. The biggest problem people seem to have with midi mode, and the only feature exclusive to native mode, is the digital display. This is important, because of the beat jump So I've been working on a way to get past this. What I've come up with is as follows: Seek position is still done with the loop move encoder, with 7 levels of sensitivity. To set the encoder to default (3 currently) you press the encoder. To increase or decrease the seek sensitivity, you hold down the move encoder, and turn the size encoder. This means you still have to check the loop size of your screen, as the display doesn't work, but you can still control the seek sensitivity, like you can in native mode. what do you guys believe? If you hadn't noticed... I'm really cranky at NI right now for being so bad at everything. Seriously, does anyone know if it is even possible to change the midi sensitivity of the jogwheels? The general consensus seems to be no, and NI's hopefully "working on it"... If any other manufacturer made a controller on which you couldn't change the jog sensitivity, believe about what the reviews would be like. |
| Janella Schlappich 22.06.2011 | S4 is born to achieve a complete parallelism between hardware and software interface, and i have to say.... NI succeded in that |
| Nedra Fresneda 22.06.2011 | Then use a User NHL map for any high res controls and switch to the MIDI layer for fader fx, superknobs, etc. The only thing you lose is the Loop display, which is tied to the firmware while using the Default map (I do agree this should be mappable or at least display the loop length on User mode even if it can't be configured to a different function) Most of the things you mention can be mapped in NHL, so I don't see why you are so angry. Using purely MIDI seems like a waste to me due to it's low resolution (why did you pay for a HID controller then?). Maybe you should have made a little bit more research before buying the S4 man. |
| Carlee Roarke 22.06.2011 | most user mappings are built around someone's style. I see controller DJing and controllerism as an opportunity for creativity. Where traditional set ups require a very strict way of controlling music, controllers allow you to do whatever you want. The way the S4 is set up is very much meant to emulate the old style of hardware DJing. That's fine for people who'd been DJing forever with hardware, and don't want to learn a new way of spinning... But contorllers offer an opportunity to build a new way of interacting with your hardware. Lots of us are really into exploring that. Before I bought my S4, my mapping was very very personalized. The style I developed involved lots of explicit remix effects, controlled in obvious and flashy ways. Using hold shift keys for effect modes, I mapped the jog wheels and faders to control effects, instead of knobs. It was similar to Ean's vci-100 mapping, in that it allowed me to play the controller like an instrument and create live remixes. Traktor offers many options for being creative with DJing. Some people get really into cue point juggling. The new loop recorder and sample decks have crazy potential that we're still figuring out. The effects in traktor are incredible, using just the beatmasher and slicer alone you can tear apart songs and give a live remix feel. Super knobs are incredible, check out armyofme's whoosh knob. That alone can change the way transition DJs play. The loop move feature has huge potential for creative DJing, so does quick assigning the crossfader using 2 decks and 2 sample decks. I just believe the community would benefit as a whole if more people started exploring and sharing creative mapping. The style that the S4 is currently mapped in is incredibly well-established... Its how people have been DJing for years... We have an opportunity to do something new here. |
| Veda Zarella 22.06.2011 | I'm sure there are flaws to the entire software thing, which I hear very often. But could you clarify a little what you exactly mean by creative DJing ? Kinda like remixing tracks on the go or .. ? Inspire us |
| Carlee Roarke 22.06.2011 |
Originally Posted by brocklambert
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| Harley Zitka 21.06.2011 | I don't understand what you are trying to accomplish... if you want more control, simply turn off Snap, Quantize and the Sync Feature. |
| Selma Broxmeyer 21.06.2011 | damn son - might need to just sell it if you are that upset. check the mirror for gray hairs. |
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