Question to S4 Owners

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Question to S4 Owners
Posted on: 19.07.2012 by Hiedi Rewey
Hi all,

i would like to buy a S4 for a special purpose, so lucky owner of a S4 can you answer mu question ? it is regarding different mode . ( native & MIDI )
i would like to use S4 in native mode to control traktor, and send all information regarding knobs and fader with midi mode.

When you switch S4 to midi mode, while mixing , do you loose control of traktor ?

I could not manage to understand with the documentation if it is possible ? so i ask the question here !

Thanks
Hiedi Rewey
19.07.2012
Originally Posted by Yul
You run either the hid mode or the midi mode, not both at the same time. You can switch from one to another but controls don't send both types of messages. It doesn't mean you loose control of the software but you have to map all functions in midi mode (or least the ones you wanna keep while in midi mode)
But i want to keep them all !
in fact i would like to get in real time by midi all information of puter / faders the DJ use.

So i should use S4 in MIDI mode, find a mapping of S4 to traktor, use a midi loop to send all information thru midi ?

but i read that :
you cannot map all the double use S4 buttons, ( those having different function depending if you use a kind of "shift" button ) ?
That midi mode is poor compared to USB ( HID ) mode ?

thanks
Kecia Wnukowski
19.07.2012
Originally Posted by LnLo
Hi all,

i would like to buy a S4 for a special purpose, so lucky owner of a S4 can you answer mu question ? it is regarding different mode . ( native & MIDI )
i would like to use S4 in native mode to control traktor, and send all information regarding knobs and fader with midi mode.

When you switch S4 to midi mode, while mixing , do you loose control of traktor ?

I could not manage to understand with the documentation if it is possible ? so i ask the question here !

Thanks
You run either the hid mode or the midi mode, not both at the same time. You can switch from one to another but controls don't send both types of messages. It doesn't mean you loose control of the software but you have to map all functions in midi mode (or least the ones you wanna keep while in midi mode)
Hiedi Rewey
19.07.2012		Hi all,

i would like to buy a S4 for a special purpose, so lucky owner of a S4 can you answer mu question ? it is regarding different mode . ( native & MIDI )
i would like to use S4 in native mode to control traktor, and send all information regarding knobs and fader with midi mode.

When you switch S4 to midi mode, while mixing , do you loose control of traktor ?

I could not manage to understand with the documentation if it is possible ? so i ask the question here !

Thanks
Celine Surico
20.07.2012		It's more practical to get another cheap controller and map anything you miss or don't like in S4/HID with this Midi controller. So far there's little I miss from the default S4 mappings.
Kecia Wnukowski
20.07.2012		The answer you got has nothing to do with your first post and the way you asked your question. Funnily enough.
Retrieving midi data with midiyoke or loopbe1 isn't really something new. It's exactly the same you do when you want to send with a pc a midi clock signal in a sense.

but i read that :
you cannot map all the double use S4 buttons, ( those having different function depending if you use a kind of "shift" button ) ?
That midi mode is poor compared to USB ( HID ) mode ?
Both answers don't make any sense. Usb mode? what's that? double use buttons, what's that? Why cant' you create a mapping with several functions for the same button?

So i should use S4 in MIDI mode, find a mapping of S4 to traktor, use a midi loop to send all information thru midi ?
Gneuh? Don't make sense I guess either for me. IF you use the midi mode and want to send the midi signals to another software, just map the corresponding midi signals to your software's functions. In midi mode the s4 is a plain midi controller. You don't need if your other software has mapping potential a midi loop of any kind. Of course I'm saying that out of the blue I don't knwo about the other software you wanna use.


If you manage in the end to do what you want ie use the native embedded mapping in hid mode, and retrieve midi signals from that to control another software, please please make a video demoing that, that would be cool to see.
Hiedi Rewey
19.07.2012		Sorry but i got this feedback from NI support :

i do myself develop some MIDI tools that do similar stuff with Traktor.

An API does not exist, but is not at all needed for that purpose.

The trick I use myself to receive MIDI data about fader movements from Traktor S4
(while maintaining the function of our native protocol to send data to Traktor) is
the following:

you just need to create a MIDI mapping that only uses 'OUT' assignments for all
those Traktor functions for those you want to get MIDI messages.


I will try to give a short instruction:

1. connect S4 as usual, remain in the normal native mode

2. open 'preferences' -> 'controller editor' -> click 'add' button' -> select
'generic MIDI'

3. now for this empty MIDI mapping create a new OUT assignment by clicking the
'add out' button.

4. select some function, e.g. 'mixer' -> 'x-fader' -> 'position'
(this adds the out assignment 'position')

5. now select the MIDI command that should transmit the x-fader position (e.g. CH1
CC22)

6. repeat step 3-5 for all functions that you want to use as triggers/controls for
your VJ soft.


Oh yes, and of course you will need some virtual MIDI port (MIDIYoke or such) to
get the MIDI from Traktor to your program.
Hiedi Rewey
19.07.2012
Originally Posted by Yul
You run either the hid mode or the midi mode, not both at the same time. You can switch from one to another but controls don't send both types of messages. It doesn't mean you loose control of the software but you have to map all functions in midi mode (or least the ones you wanna keep while in midi mode)
But i want to keep them all !
in fact i would like to get in real time by midi all information of puter / faders the DJ use.

So i should use S4 in MIDI mode, find a mapping of S4 to traktor, use a midi loop to send all information thru midi ?

but i read that :
you cannot map all the double use S4 buttons, ( those having different function depending if you use a kind of "shift" button ) ?
That midi mode is poor compared to USB ( HID ) mode ?

thanks
Kecia Wnukowski
19.07.2012
Originally Posted by LnLo
Hi all,

i would like to buy a S4 for a special purpose, so lucky owner of a S4 can you answer mu question ? it is regarding different mode . ( native & MIDI )
i would like to use S4 in native mode to control traktor, and send all information regarding knobs and fader with midi mode.

When you switch S4 to midi mode, while mixing , do you loose control of traktor ?

I could not manage to understand with the documentation if it is possible ? so i ask the question here !

Thanks
You run either the hid mode or the midi mode, not both at the same time. You can switch from one to another but controls don't send both types of messages. It doesn't mean you loose control of the software but you have to map all functions in midi mode (or least the ones you wanna keep while in midi mode)

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