Native Instruments has announced Traktor Kontrol F1, a pad-based, USB-powered hardware controller built to control the advanced Remix Decks in the included Traktor Prp 2.5 software.

Traktor Kontrol F1 provides 16 multi-colored, touch-sensitive LED pads, a global control section as well as an ergonomic mixer section including four volume faders and dedicated filter knobs. Designed specifically for DJing, the Kontrol F1 offers a DJ-centric workflow for launching clips, allowing users to switch between up to 64 tracks, loops and one-shot samples on each deck.

Traktor Kontrol F1 includes the full version of the Traktor Prp 2.5 software, also available as a free update to all users of the Traktor 2 generation. Version 2.5 introduces Remix Decks, giving access to a loop suite made up of 64 slots, each able to hold loops, one-shot samples or even tracks. DJs can control up to four Remix Decks at once and save their work as an entire Remix Set with its respective beat grids, BPM and key information in a new file format that can be imported into a track deck via Traktor’s browser.

Traktor Kontrol F1 will be available on May 30 for a suggested retail price of US$279 at authorized retailers and at the NI Online Shop It will ship with a full version of Traktor Pro 2.5. All owners of Traktor Pro 2, Traktor Scratch Pro, Traktor Kontrol S2 and Traktor Kontrol S4 will receive Traktor Pro 2.5 as a free update. For more info go to http://www.native-instruments.com/f1 .