Traktor Kontrol S4 Setup Guide

This setup guide will help you to get Traktor Pro S4 up and running quickly and without problems.

Step 1: Install Traktor Pro S4 2.0.0

Use the DVD included in the S4 package to install the Traktor Pro S 4 software. The DVD contains software version 2.0.0.

IMPORTANT: Do not plug in the S4 controller during the installation. AGAIN: Do NOT plug in the S4 controller during the installation.

Once the installation has completed do not launch the software yet.

Step 2: Activate Traktor Pro S4

Start the Native Instruments Service Center application. Windows users find it in Start/All Programs/Native Instruments/Service Center. Mac users find it in the folder Programs/Native Instruments/Service Center.

If you already have a NI user account log in. If you do not have a user account yet use the Service Center to create a new account and log on to the Service Center afterwards.

Enter your serial number for Traktor Pro S4 and click Activate.

Step 3: Download and Install Traktor Pro S4 Latest Version

Once Traktor Pro S4 is activated switch to the Update tab in Service Center. Download the Traktor Pro S4 software update. Install the update.

Step 4: Connect the S4 Controller

Now connect the S4 controller with the USB cable to your computer and switch the unit on. Windows detects the new device and installs the drivers. When the driver installation is done the USB indicator on the unit will light up. The LED will be blinking if the controller is on and if no USB connection is detected.

Step 5: Start Traktor Pro S4 Software

Start Traktor Pro S4. If an earlier version of Traktor is detected you see the following message box:

Click on Copy to have the data (collection, stripes, transients, settings etc.) of an earlier version copied into the data folder of Traktor Pro S4. Depending on the size of your collection copying the data may take a while.

Traktor Pro S4 uses its own, new folder so save the settings and track data. This makes it possible to use two Traktor versions side by side on the same machine. However, the content of the collection is not automatically synchronised. This means that the content of both collections is only identical after the initial copying. If you add a new track into the S4 collection and if you want to use it in your “normal” Traktor instance as well, you need to repeat the import.

Step 6: Fix Faulty/Loose Jog Wheel

If one of the jog wheels of the S4 is loose when you unbox your Kontrol S4 follow the steps outlined in the following video to fix that issue.

Video made by Photojojo

Step 7: Check your Jog Wheel Plates

Now check your jog wheel plates to see if they need recalibration.

1. Have a look at the LOAD button on the left side of the S4 controller. The LED in the LOAD button should be off. If the LED is ON continue with step 7 and recalibrate the left jog wheel.
2. Press the plate of the left jog wheel. The LED in the LOAD button should be on while the plate is pressed. If the LED state does not change continue with step 7 and recalibrate the left jog wheel.
3. Have a look at the LOAD button on the right side of the S4 controller. The LED in the LOAD button should be off. If the LED is on continue with step 7.
4. Press the plate of the right jog wheel. The LED in the LOAD button should be on while the plate is pressed. If the LED state does not change continue with step 7.

Step 8. Recalibrate the Jog Wheels

Follow these steps to recalibrate the jog wheel plates on the S4 controller.

1. Open the dialog Preferences/Traktor Kontrol S4.
2. Click the button Recalibrate Left if the result of step 6 was that the left jog wheel needs to be recalibrated. Follow the instructions in the dialog boxes.
3. Click the button Recalibrate Right if the result of step 6 was that the right jog wheel needs to be recalibrated. Follow the instructions in the dialog boxes.
4. Return to step 7 and check again, if pressing the jog wheel plates is correctly detected now.

During the calibration the distance between the wheel housing and the plate when it is not touched is measured. Then the distance is measured again when the plate is pressed. Those values are needed to detect whether the plate is depressed or not.

The jog wheels are calibrated during the production of the controller. Those values are stored as default values inside the controller. If you press Reset in the first calibration dialog the factory measured values are restored rather than the last values detected during the manual calibration.

I have transported the S4 controller several times in the last few weeks, sometimes on my bicycle. It happened now and then that the platters didn’t work after transport and I had to recalibrate the jog wheels again. My advice is to check the platter functionality after each transport and to recalibrate them if necessary before your gig.

Step 9. Clean up your documents folder

Starting with Traktor Pro S4 each Traktor version uses its own Data/Settings folder.

If you started Traktor Pro 2.0.0 before installing the 1.0.1 update, you will have two data folders below your documents folder. You can delete the folder Traktor S 4 2.0.0 now, because it won’t be used after the update to Traktor 2.0.1 is installed.

TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 QUICK START GUIDE

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