djing in ableton live.

nova.k · Post by **nova.k** » Sun May 03, 2009 11:52 am

I've always played on decks + cd gear. I've not been playing a seriously for a while and have been getting into production more. I use Live for my DAW. so I thought I'd give it a crack for djing, especially to chuck some of my own tracks into a mix...

I've read a few articles/guides in mixing with Live and it all seems extremely simple (cheaty even) but i'm having real trouble with my music. For example it rarely gets syncing right for dubstep tracks and even drum and bass tracks. The bar markers are nowhere near where they should be. Half the time it has them different distanes apart, like it thinks the track is changing BPM..

It's like i need to figure out what BPM every track is, then manually enter that in for the clip in live. Seems like a lot of work compared to just slapping a record onto a turntable and floating the pitch?

Any insight from the Live djs?

darkartois · Post by **darkartois** » Sun May 03, 2009 11:57 am

gotta warp them mate, which can be both simple and a pain in the arse. I've never tried warping dubstep, I know right off the bat it's gonna be more difficult than house.

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-dubstep-ableton/

This should help you out

nova.k · Post by **nova.k** » Sun May 03, 2009 12:03 pm

darkartois wrote:gotta warp them mate, which can be both simple and a pain in the arse. I've never tried warping dubstep, I know right off the bat it's gonna be more difficult than house.

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-dubstep-ableton/

This should help you out

Thanks, I'll have a look through them.

I've played with the warp markers, but it seems like waaaaayyy too much work

darkartois · Post by **darkartois** » Sun May 03, 2009 12:14 pm

it is but the creative possibilities, as you know, are endless vs. cdjs/decks. I've never used ableton to mix but plan on traktor pro pretty soon, 4 channels and using the bpm sync. lots of warping for me =) I think it'll be better overall as I'll be way more selective over what tunes I play. My problem since going from vinyl to mp3 is I am not selective enough as its so cheap, having to choose which to spend some time on is the equivalent of deciding on what vinyl my hard earned dosh is worth off

notch · Post by **notch** » Sun May 03, 2009 12:45 pm

You have to warp the shit out of each track. I'm talking every 8 bars especially in dubstep cause it has a lot of shuffle. The nice thing about djing in ableton though is you can warp up all your tracks and even key out every track and label and color code each track. Also you have the ability to drop accapellas over tracks live which is always fun.. The possibilities are endless..

darkartois · Post by **darkartois** » Sun May 03, 2009 12:51 pm

most people I see using Live for djing do it all in session mode. I can't really understand why?!

notch · Post by **notch** » Sun May 03, 2009 1:02 pm

The reason being is you can only set up the crossfader in the session view. I have seen someone use the arrangement view but this is usually cause they prerecorded the set and the are just tweaking the sound with effects and such live which is kinda weak in my opinion..
Tip: the Sugar byte wow filters are incredible..
My buddy uses these filters in his dj set and no mixer can even compete with the filter sounds he uses in his sets..OMG..They sound incredible when he djs dubstep and he stays booked out locally djing with ableton and the wow filters:)

nova.k · Post by **nova.k** » Sun May 03, 2009 1:02 pm

OK, I think i've got it sorted... thanks for the help guys.

Time to dust off my records and record them into my computer...

I've got a rather tasty selection of pre-2000 dnb here... found an old t-power record from '93

notch · Post by **notch** » Sun May 03, 2009 1:18 pm

this might help.. Start the first warp marker on the first beat.. Right click warp bpm starting here. Then go back in and start lining up the beats with the warp markers. Checking every 8 bars..

darkartois · Post by **darkartois** » Sun May 03, 2009 1:25 pm

notch wrote:this might help.. Start the first warp marker on the first beat.. Right click warp bpm starting here. Then go back in and start lining up the beats with the warp markers. Checking every 8 bars..

what does it do when you right click? i've never done that before. didn't even know about it??

Disco Nutter · Post by **Disco Nutter** » Sun May 03, 2009 1:34 pm

notch wrote:You have to warp the shit out of each track. I'm talking every 8 bars especially in dubstep cause it has a lot of shuffle.

Not true. Warping RIPPED vinyl is hard, yes, but warping wav files bought over the internet is a piece of cake!

darkartois wrote:most people I see using Live for djing do it all in session mode. I can't really understand why?!

Because this is how it's done properly

the herbalist · Post by **the herbalist** » Sun May 03, 2009 2:33 pm

Mixing in the session view is the only way to go.

Leave the arrangement view for production. (even then you should be using the session view a little bit) I try to sequence all my tracks in the session view, like it was a live P.A. You can unlock new ideas and combination's that would be much harder, or impossible to do, using a traditional sequencer, all without stopping the music.

If you use it creatively, and to it's full potential, Ableton is sick. But people who are going and and playing set's in the arrangement view, and only doing effects are giving it a bad name.

As far as warping, takes notch's advice...

notch · Post by **notch** » Sun May 03, 2009 3:08 pm

darkartois wrote:
notch wrote:this might help.. Start the first warp marker on the first beat.. Right click warp bpm starting here. Then go back in and start lining up the beats with the warp markers. Checking every 8 bars..
what does it do when you right click? i've never done that before. didn't even know about it??

Yeah right clicking opens a menu of options as how you want to warp the track. Play around with the diffferent options and play the track after selecting in the menu each time..

Mad_EP · Post by **Mad_EP** » Sun May 03, 2009 3:16 pm

The way I see it-- DJ's have X amount of work to do...

Vinyl DJs have to do a lot of work mixing in real time.. they gotta properly beatmatch, and adjust, etc whilst picking records (sometimes thinking midway through "oh shit - not that one, lemmee find something different")...

Whereas Ableton DJs have a lot less work on the spot... but a lot more work in the pre-game show. The detection ability in Ableton is decent, but rarely spot on.. so you gotta spend your time before the set getting your warp markers set if you don't know the exact BPM. It takes some time..

...BUT

if you do that, then you have a LOT more freedom when playing, with the BPMs already locked, you can really fuck with shit--- have as many channels as you want, etc.

So the Vinyl DJs do a lot of their work on the spot, whereas the Ableton DJs do most of their work beforehand. 6 of one, half dozen of the other if you ask me... but still, as for preference, I prefer Ableton DJ'ing... seeing that mostly I perfom live, so usually I emulate in my comfort zone for DJ'ing.

the herbalist · Post by **the herbalist** » Sun May 03, 2009 5:10 pm

mad ep wrote:The way I see it-- DJ's have X amount of work to do...

Vinyl DJs have to do a lot of work mixing in real time.. they gotta properly beatmatch, and adjust, etc whilst picking records (sometimes thinking midway through "oh shit - not that one, lemmee find something different")...

Whereas Ableton DJs have a lot less work on the spot... but a lot more work in the pre-game show. The detection ability in Ableton is decent, but rarely spot on.. so you gotta spend your time before the set getting your warp markers set if you don't know the exact BPM. It takes some time..

...BUT

if you do that, then you have a LOT more freedom when playing, with the BPMs already locked, you can really fuck with shit--- have as many channels as you want, etc.

So the Vinyl DJs do a lot of their work on the spot, whereas the Ableton DJs do most of their work beforehand. 6 of one, half dozen of the other if you ask me... but still, as for preference, I prefer Ableton DJ'ing... seeing that mostly I perfom live, so usually I emulate in my comfort zone for DJ'ing.

Exactly...

nova.k · Post by **nova.k** » Sun May 03, 2009 10:33 pm

Big ups, thanks for the replies guys!

I'm a session view whore anyway, even when producing, it's a curse because I think in terms of clips too much.

All good though, gonna try putting a set together of stuff that I lurve..

Ennayess · Post by **Ennayess** » Mon May 04, 2009 8:56 pm

anyway to use headphones for monitoring in ableton? (I have a sound card but cant find the option for it anywhere)

Disco Nutter · Post by **Disco Nutter** » Mon May 04, 2009 9:08 pm

Yep, you assign your cue output to the channels you want in the master channel.

When you do that, in your session view on the master channel you'll see a blue SOLO button. Press it so it reads CUE.

Now when you press the SOLO button on a track (it is a picture of headphones now) you will send its signal to the cue channels

Hope this helps, if not, hit me up.

Jason

contakt321 · Post by **contakt321** » Mon May 04, 2009 9:10 pm

You need a soundcard with 4 outs, 2 are your stereo outs for the main, 2 are the stereo outs for your headphones.

notch · Post by **notch** » Mon May 04, 2009 9:10 pm

In order to cue tracks you have to have 4 outputs- two outs for the main mix and 2 others to feed to your headphones.
In the master track choose outs 1/2 for cue and 3/4 for master. do this in the preferences also..
connect outputs 3/4 to the speakers or system.
In session view.. click the solo button above the preview volume knob..
The button changes to cue and you will see small headphones instead of the solo button in each track..
Hope this helps..
Details gents. details..

djing in ableton live.

djing in ableton live.

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