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ableton + controllers

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 12:38 am
by ponte_ricky
im thinking of maybe getting into using ableton for djing as i have a demo version and it is amazing and ive only really touched the surface on it. what sort of midi controllers do people use and how are they using them? do people use dj mixers with ableton?

sorry this is kinda vague i cant really explain what it is im trying to work out. any help would be good though

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 2:17 am
by ogunslinger
i just recently switched to ableton, and the controller use is awesome.

I use a korg padkontrol to control the main interface, and I use my vci300 to control my vsts, like use the cross fader for switching filters, and use each jog wheel to control the speed, and then just a basic keyboard for brainstorming :o


Basically you can use your controller for whatever you want and thats whats awesome about it

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 2:35 am
by deadly_habit
apc40
that thing is the end all controller for ableton atm
can't keep em in stock at work

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 2:40 am
by hurlingdervish
Deadly Habit wrote: can't keep em in stock at work
they are no where to be found


possibilities with that thing are endless

and then when max for live hits....

it may as well be the apocalypse, because that box will be the end all be all controller

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 2:45 am
by deadly_habit
hurlingdervish wrote:
Deadly Habit wrote: can't keep em in stock at work
they are no where to be found


possibilities with that thing are endless

and then when max for live hits....

it may as well be the apocalypse, because that box will be the end all be all controller
if you're state side we just got 3 in on thurs sold 1 today have 2 left in stock if needed

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 2:52 am
by hurlingdervish
Deadly Habit wrote:
hurlingdervish wrote:
Deadly Habit wrote: can't keep em in stock at work
they are no where to be found


possibilities with that thing are endless

and then when max for live hits....

it may as well be the apocalypse, because that box will be the end all be all controller
if you're state side we just got 3 in on thurs sold 1 today have 2 left in stock if needed
good looking out, but im broke as fuck :D

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:11 am
by cloak and dagger
I use:

Korg NanoKontrol for track levels, EQs, filters

Korg NanoPad for some effects and triggering / browsing

Guitar Hero controller for live amen choppage / glitch VST control

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:12 am
by notch
IF you don't want to spend 400 on a controller I suggest the akai mpd 24 or 32. I have the 24 and it works great for me.

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 9:24 am
by ponte_ricky
am i right in thinking you click on midi learn and then click on something on the screen and move a fader or something and it will assign that fader to that control? i tried it on my demo version but it wouldnt work, could that just be coz its a demo version?

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 11:31 am
by cloak and dagger
ponte_ricky wrote:am i right in thinking you click on midi learn and then click on something on the screen and move a fader or something and it will assign that fader to that control? i tried it on my demo version but it wouldnt work, could that just be coz its a demo version?
That's how it should be...if it doesn't work, go to your midi options, and make sure that midi controller is set to send data as well as set to "remote" and it should work fine (I'm pretty sure it's not set as default).

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 11:39 am
by Grimace
apc40
is nastay
but i can work it nicley with a tf

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 3:11 pm
by hurlingdervish
trigger finger works perfect

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:25 pm
by tapir
@ Notch : hit me up mang! we need to collab again.

@ cloak n dagger : send me some of your new tunes. always been a fan of your music evan, hope japan is still the shiznit

@ this thread : apc40 is gnarly but i love the korg nano series for space saving.

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:03 pm
by ponte_ricky
how would you set up an effects unit like an efx 500 or something with ableton? would it be on the outpu or something?

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:12 pm
by ponte_ricky
also can you use some kind of deck to set up cue poins etc? and can you mix vinyl with ableton too? like use cd's, ableton and vinyl in a set?

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:28 pm
by Sharmaji
apcSheezy +1. was just building new routing w/ it yessterday for some new sets and YO!!!!!

yes, you can use ableton w/ vinyl and cd's... you just need to treat it as another bit of dj kit and use the nudge feature to match tempos.

no integration of vinyl & ableton yet for support..yet. prep your tunes by hand; if you want diff. cue points, make different clips. possibilities are endless.

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:31 pm
by ponte_ricky
so do people set up all their cue points and prep all effects and loops and samples etc before playing their set?

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:42 pm
by notch
ponte_ricky wrote:so do people set up all their cue points and prep all effects and loops and samples etc before playing their set?
Yeap and
Its really cool to drop some accapellas into you set also.. I would recommend some third party effects and eq's if your laptop can handle it..

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:48 pm
by hurlingdervish
try loading all of the songs of a certain genre you have into one project with your dj setup and save it

that way you only have to wait a couple of seconds for the project to load and there will be NO load time whatsoever to drop a song into the set.

also that way you can color code each song by the vibe, i do dark blues for moody stuff and hotter colors for melodic ones

whites for recently warped but not catagorized

and black for unwarped

that way you know whats what and you can improvise with all the songs you might use instead of only warping what you need


i didnt think this up i saw some video about it and it helped alot, im no dj, but this makes fooling around with the dj possibilities more fun

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 6:29 pm
by notch
IF your really crafty you can key out all your tracks with mixed in key so you can really bang out a set.. key, bpm and track name is a nice way to label tracks..