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:

0Kontrol.jpg

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 believe 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...