GRIP2 v1.4.0 Traktor Pro mapping for Akai Apc40 Mk2 & GRIPZ 3+7 Energy Mixing Method ©

8 November 2025: Version 1.4.0 with new HOTCUES + STEMS MODE is out.
Check out the Release notes at the bottom of the page.

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Welcome and introduction

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"Creating energy so that people get moved."

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Hello and welcome to

• The GRIP2 v1.4.0 MAPPING: ultra fast workflow and unmatched operability, mapped for your Akai APC40 Mk2 controller to perform as DJ or live with Traktor Pro;
• The GRIPZ 3+7 ENERGY MIXING METHOD: develop your own unique way to create tangible energy and connection between you and the audience, using three types of musical elements and seven 'energy tactics'. You choose which and when, to make it a set or performance that is really you(rs).

"GRIP" stands for having a grip on the music as DJ or performer and being able to affect the energy of people, space and sound so that people get moved.

My name is Maarten, aka Maarton. I am a techno DJ & performer from Hillegom, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Besides from experimenting with sound through production and DJ'ing, my inspiration for this method and mapping has come from great composers, performers and DJ's, like Vangelis, Jean-Michel Jarre, Grandmaster Flash, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Delia Derbyshire, Carl Cox, Speedy J, Richie Hawtin, Chris Liebing, Ean Golden, and from the Traktor mapping community.

I have been developing the mapping and method from 2018 onwards, starting with a mapping for the Akai APC Mini to control up to three or four decks, or rather, three to four parts of tracks. Looking for better and more 'grip' I started programming the APC40 Mk2 in 2021. A great controller with more and bigger pads, knobs, pots and faders, but complex to map for the functionality and fast Traktor workflow I wanted it to have, not available on standard DJ-controllers.

If you have any questions, feedback for future improvements, or if you are interested in a GRIP2 or GRIPZ course (private/group/on-line/in person), feel free to contact me. You can find me on social media and YouTube (links at bottom of page).

Note: The 3+7 energy mixing method can be used with or without the GRIP2 mapping and regardless of any type of controller, device, software, digital or vinyl.

Contact
Email: maarton@gripz2.nl
Or connect with me on my social media profiles.

Thank you for using, supporting and sharing. Enjoy playing and performing!
MAARToN

GRIP2 v1.4.0 MAPPING: purpose and features

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"Grip to perform."

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The mapping has been developed for DJ'ing and live performing with the following goals in mind:

1. Create and mix compositions of unique parts and sounds from two, three or four tracks;
2. Have direct and simultaneous performance control over these parts with a controller;
3. Be able to create a desired energy by playing, layering, mixing, sample triggering or finger drumming specific parts, based on their unique sonic and energetic character.

GRIP2 v1.4.0 summary

Versatile hybrid DJ performance mapping for Akai APC40 Mk2 – Traktor Pro 3 and Traktor Pro 4. Eight operation modes, full and simultaneous control of 4 track/stem decks, 32 hotcues, 4 Mixer FX + Filter, 4 FX units, 4 Pattern players, 6 FX presets, 8 Macro FX, 16 Stems, 16 Slices, automatic GUI layouts, back-up 4 channel mixer and more.

Key features

• Eight operation modes: Hotcues, Stems, Hotcues + Stems, Freeze & Slice, Freeze & Slice + Stems, Pattern Player, Preparation, Mixer (USAGE TIP: choose the combination of operation modes that gives you the best workflow);
• Direct and simultaneous access to the 4 decks’ transport controls (Play, Cue, Flux), Load, Loop, Move and FX1/2 on/off controls. No deck switch or shift needed, fast and easy workflow;
• Direct and simultaneous control of either the 4 decks' 32 hotcues, 16 slices, 16 stems or 16 slices and 16 stems combined! No deck switch or shift needed, fast and easy workflow;
• True knob takeover with actual Led feedback: function dependent knobs, leds and parameter settings are in their right position and value when switching, meaning knobs, encoders and leds return to correct settings where you left them;
• Easy browsing through your tracks and collection tree with browse knob and buttons, in-line or full screen;
• Direct and simultaneous control of 4 FX in Single mode with 16 knobs and 16 buttons or 12 FX in Group mode;
• 4 Mixer FX (MFX) + Filter, each independently assignable to a deck or one to all decks (as on Kontrol S4 mk3);
• 6 Button operated custom FX presets for Delay and Reverb;
• 8 Fader operated custom Macro FX for Ramp Delay, Reverse Grain, Tape Delay, Gater, Iceverb, Peak Filter, Formant Filter, Beat Masher;
• Full and simultaneous control of 4 Stem decks with 16 stems total, 8 Stem volume faders, 16 x Stem Filter and FX, Hotcues + Stems simultaneously, even Stems + Freeze & Slice. No standard controllers have direct access to 4 decks, 4 FX units, 32 hotcues or 16 slices, 16 stems, 16 Hotcues and 16 Stems combined or 16 stems and 16 slices combined!;

• 4 Pattern Players with each 4 Knobs, 4 buttons and 16 pads to manually control all Pattern Player steps, including full Led feedback of 2 × 16 Pattern Players steps simultaneously (drumcomputer style);
• Auto-GUI layouts: Function dependent GUI layouts are activated automatically when using it's function: Beat grid Prep mode, Loop Recorder, Audio Recorder;
• Switchable deck layouts: classic and parallel;
• Managing the Advanced Tab on the fly: activating and skipping through a deck's Advanced Tab to see your Move, Cue and Grid settings;
• Back-up 4 channel mixer with Volume faders, EQ, Gain, Cue, Cue Volume, Mix Volume, X-fader A-B.

APC40 setup size is less then 1 CDJ and fits in your backpack. Functionality of the GRIP2 mapping is more then 4 CDJ's..? The price of 4 CDJ's is..

GRIPZ 3+7 ENERGY MIXING METHOD: creating energy so that people get moved

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"It's the energy inside that counts."

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The skill of a DJ is knowing what music to play when. Right?

Assuming that music, people and everything is energy, a force which can not be seen but can be felt physically and emotionally, the GRIPZ 3+7 energy mixing method is a DJ- and live performance method that helps you to do the following:

• Decide what to play when, by considering the present energy of people, space and sound;
• Create or maintain an energy so that people get moved physically and emotionally.

With the 3+7 method, this is done throughout your performance or set as follows:

• Recognize the type of present energy of the people, space and sound by sensing and 'seeing' it, the starting point of all DJ'ing;
• In response, affect the energy in a way that you (literally) feel is needed, by playing, layering, mixing, sample triggering or finger drumming specific parts of tracks, based on their unique, suitable, sonic energy character, and thereby, their capability to affect the present energy as desired.

These have been my main goals when developing the method and mapping, as described earlier.

Is this way of working completely new? Definitely not. But to be able to actually do it, I have developed a simple method, called 3+7. It is based on three types of musical elements; fills, breaks, rhythms, and seven special 'energy tactics'; spark, break, build, kick, boost, peak, rest.

(The mapping supports the method with color-coded leds for hotcues, divided into the three element types and seven tactics.)

When and why could this be interesting for you?

The method can be applied regardless of type of controller, device, software, digital or vinyl. As there are many other ways to DJ and perform live, whether this one fits you depends on your personal goals and needs.

In any of the following situations the 3+7 method can be worthwhile for you:

• You want to be better able to create a certain energy so that people get moved;
• You don't want to do traditional mixing of track after track;
• You would like to distinct yourself, not only with track selection but with sound selection and performing;
• You wish to develop your own unique way to create tangible energy and connection between you and the audience;
• You want to make it a set or performance that is really you(rs);
• You would like to use a controller (CDJ or non-CDJ) more as an instrument to make music with sounds rather than to mix tracks;
• You want to be better able to put your feelings, passion and energy into the sound;
• You want to get more joy out of DJ'ing or performing and spread more joy by doing so :-)

The 3+7 method gives you the possibility to develop an own, very personal way of performing, by working directly with the energy of yourself, people, sound and space, to connect with your audience. You could say it combines physics and spirituality.

Key components: seven 'energy tactics' and three types of musical elements

The 3+7 method involves the use of seven 'energy tactics' to affect the energy on the dancefloor or any other space. The energy tactics are seven powerful intentional actions which you can apply at any given moment and as often as you want in your DJ-set or live performance, in response to the present energy of people, space and sound.

An energy tactic is the playing, layering, mixing, sample triggering or finger drumming of a part of a track, consciously chosen by you, for it's unique sonic and energetic character. It is the energy inside of the part that counts, not necessarily the position in the track or song.

The sources of a part are three types of musical elements: fills, breaks and rhythms. The aim of the method: affecting the present energy in such a way that people will get moved (or in other words, affecting energy with energy).

Please refer to the GRIPZ 3+7 ENERGY MIXING METHOD guide in the download for the full description.

ZIP file content
- GRIP2 mapping file (tsi)
- GRIP2 - Installation Guide - Usage Tips - Release Notes (pdf)
- GRIP2 - Manual (pdf)
- GRIPZ 3+7 Energy Mixing Method - Guide
- Folder containing 14 images for reference (png)

Requirements GRIP2: Akai Apc40 mk2, Traktor Pro 3 or 4, Ableton Live (Intro version is sufficient)

Socials
Linktree
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook artist page
Facebook personal page
TikTok
SoundCloud
MixCloud
Beatport

Contact
Email: maarton@gripz2.nl
Or connect with me on my social media profiles.
Thank you.

🙂 Based on your user experience, drop a rating and comment. Your feedback is very much appreciated in my mission to get space for us in DJ-booths everywhere and to create energy so that people get moved!

GRIP2 - Release notes

v1.4.0, November 8, 2025
Overall: This release contains the new Hotcues & Stems Mode as well as improvements and fixes for live performing through finger drumming/sample triggering, Stems and beatmatching.

Added
HOTCUES & STEMS MODE:
- The new HOTCUES + STEMS MODE provides fast and easy operation of Hotcues 1-4 and Stems 1-4 simultaneously. Switching between STEMS MODE and HOTCUES MODE is not necessary anymore.

Improved
Finger drumming/sample triggering:
- Disabling SYNC for a Track Deck now also disables QUANTIZE to enable finger drumming/sample triggering.

Stems:
- INIT resets all Stem slots FX amount to Max. This reverses the change of v1.3.1.
- The Led showing the active Stem volume faders A+B or C+D is now yellow instead of orange (like the buttons next to it) for better visibility.

Tempo Master and beatmatching:
- Setting a deck as Tempo Master is now done by pressing SHIFT + FX2 ON (instead of SHIFT + BPM/BEND, which always changed the Tempo Master). This allows for beatmatching of tracks with the Tempo Master (deck);
- The resolution of BPM (Tempo) Adjust for the focused deck is now set to Fine (instead of Default) to allow more precise BPM adjustments;
- The resolution of BEND (Tempo) for the focused deck is now set to Fine (instead of Default) to allow more precise BEND adjustments.

Fixed
Stems:
- Stem volume faders could not be disabled with SHIFT + VOL FADERS ON/OFF on decks B, C and D.

V1.3.2, March 2, 2025
Overall: This release contains a few new functionalities, improvements and fixes for EQ kill switches, Key Lock, Move, and Mixer View.

Added
EQ kill switches INIT(ialize):
- The High/Mid/Low kill switches are now switched off when pressing the INIT(ialize) button;
- When using Mixer type “Xone”, the MidLow kill switch is switched off and the MidLow adjust is reset when pressing the INIT(ialize) button.

Changed
Key Lock INIT(initialize):
- Key Lock is set to On when pressing the INIT(ialize) button, as was the case was before V1.3.1. This prevents having to switch Key Lock on manually often.
Please note: Key Lock can cause audible loss of audio quality.

Fixed
Move:
- The Move function was not functioning when triggering a hotcue of the type “Cue” after triggering hotcue 8.
Please note:
- When triggering hotcue 7, Loop Active is automatically activated so that hotcue 8, if a loop, will automatically loop, preventing the track to end;
- When triggering a hotcue of the type “Cue” (except hotcue 7), Loop Active is switched off to prevent a succeeding hotcue of the type “Loop” to automatically loop;
- Loop Active can be switched on/off manually by pressing SHIFT + LOOP IN/OUT.

Mixer View:
- When switched from MIXER MODE to PREP MODE and pressing SET/DEL MRKR, the Mixer View was disabled while Mixer was On, causing the Mixer View to be not visible when exiting PREP MODE, going back to MIXER MODE and Mixer View.

V1.3.1, August 30, 2024
Overall: This release contains several new functionalities, improvements, fixes and now supports Traktor Pro 3, Traktor Pro Plus and Traktor Pro 4.

Added
DAW view:
- Switch DAW view on/off in Stems mode. When activating Stems mode, DAW view is automatically switched on.

Freeze and Slice:
- For Track decks, Freeze and Slice is now available without Stems functionality;

- Freeze off now also switches Loop off.

Changed
Stems:
- Stems mode can now only be switched on in a Stem deck, not in Track decks, Remix decks and Live input decks;
- Stems mode is now switched off when loading a new track;
- To switch a Stem’s Filter on/off, now press FILTER ON/OFF and STEM 1-4;
- To switch a Stem’s FX on/off, now press FX ON/OFF and STEM 1-4;
- INIT now switches all Stem slots’ FX on (not off) and resets all Stem slot FX amount to 0;
- KEY+FX Ø does not switch all Stem slots’ FX off anymore, allowing for FX tail when on, same as for normal FX;
- KEY+FX Ø switches all Stem slots’ Filter off;
- In Stem decks, Stems mode is not automatically switched on anymore when exiting the Pattern Player grid;
- Stems mode is not left on anymore after switching off Freeze + Stems mode.

FX1+FX2 presets:
- Default FX1 and FX2 functionality is now available in Prep mode instead of FX1 and FX2 presets.

Freeze and Slice:
- Freeze button is only for switching Freeze on. Freeze off is now done with STEMS button.

Fixed
Macro FX:
- After updating to Traktor Pro 4, the eight Macro FX were altered in the mapping to other FX.

FluxRev:
- FluxRev was switched on/off when assigning FX3 to a deck.
- Switching on FluxRev in Stems mode caused hotcues and hotcue leds to become active.

Freeze and Slice:
Freeze view stayed on when switching Freeze off in a stopped deck.