Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Native Instruments’s Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 is an exceptionally flexible midi dj controller and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi dj controller has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3.

Article Contents

  1. Does the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 work with Ableton Live?
  2. Does the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 come with ableton Live included?
  3. How to connect the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 to ableton
  4. How to midi map the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 in Ableton Live
  5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3
    1. Saving your Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 Midi Mappings is cumbersome
    2. Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one
    3. Limited Ableton parameter options to map to
    4. A great solution to these problems
  6. Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 can still be midi mapped to many functions within the software.

All versions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, are able to be utilized in collaboration with any equipment that sends MIDI data. This is applicable to all releases of Live, such as 9, 10, and 11. As the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

Making your own midi mappings is a breeze with Ableton Live, which gives you the ability to control a lot of components of the software with your Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3.

Does the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3, therefore it must be bought separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Even though Intro and Standard are both effective, Suite offers a lot more, including 70GB of library sounds, compared to Standard’s 10GB.

If you prefer to have all the Audio and MIDI effects, we recommend getting Ableton Live Suite, because it comes with much more of them than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they’re connected you’ll be able to adjust the software’s parameters from your midi dj controller.

1. Connect the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 and your computer.
2. Launch Ableton Live and open the MIDI preferences.
Double click the Ableton Live icon to launch the software. Then, in the top menu of Ableton, go to the Preferences menu by opening the ‘Live’ menu and clicking ‘Preferences’.
3. Select the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 are checked.
4. Ensure that the proper ‘Track’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Sync’ boxes are checked for both input and output.

  • Track: When checked, this allows MIDI notes and CC messages to be sent/received.
  • Sync: This option enables MIDI clock syncing between Ableton live and the external device.
  • Remote: Allows external MIDI controllers to remotely control parameters within Ableton Live.

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In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After you have connected the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 to Ableton Live with the aforementioned steps, you can now use MIDI mapping to link up the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their corresponding features in Ableton Live:

1. Select the MIDI Map Mode button in the top right corner of the Live window. The button should turn orange, indicating that the MIDI Map Mode is enabled.
2. Select the parameter you wish to control in Ableton by clicking it with the cursor, the parameter will become highlighted.
3. Move a control on the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3.
5. Moving the physical control on your Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 will now move the position of the corresponding parameter in Ableton.
6. Repeat steps 2 – 4 for any other parameters you wish to map.
7. When you’re finished mapping, press the MIDI Map Mode button again to disable it.

The Limitations of midi mapping the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of…

Saving your Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Mappings are saved along with your Ableton session. Therefore, if a new session is created, you must re-map all of your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 can only be assigned to 1 parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

When using Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode, unfortunately now all options are available, controls such as selected track and selected device control aren’t currently possible. View a full list of Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you’re looking to get the most out of your Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3, our Ableton Midi Script Creator tool ‘Control Surface Studio‘ is exactly what you need!
With it, you’ll be able to:
– save and re-use your Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3, than Live’s internal midi mapping mode allows.

Learn more about Control Surface Studio and see how it can help you by clicking here!

FAQ / Troubleshooting

Why can’t I hear my Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3.
4. Make sure that the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.