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Ableton Live or other DAWs for Live Shows

Hi, I'm thinking of using Ableton as part of a live show setup. Now I'm not interested in using it as a producing DAW, but more of incorporating as a setup to trigger clips, run VSTs, incorporating it with Maschine and traktor while also playing instruments via a MIDI keyboard using my macbook pro. My main draw for using ableton is not so much for triggering clips, but more as a hub to route all my audio/midi together. I will be using microphone live inputs, external synths and controllers as well.

Now I'm curious as to whether if it's worth ponying up the cash for the Suite version or if the Live version is sufficient. It just seems like Suite provides you with a bunch of extra samples and effects that I don't really need. I'm not afraid to buy Suite if it provides me with additional options and tools to play with.

Also other questions. Are you able to run Ableton as a MIDI slave or have it send MIDI clock? Currently I'm working with a traktor/maschine setup where I run maschine as a slave to traktor and route maschine as deck D on traktor.

On the other hand, I'm open to other alternatives to Ableton if someone has any other suggestions.

And finally, yes, I am not a real DJ who doesn't beatmatch manually with the pitch fader, bla bla bla. (I guess that's why I posted in the producers forum instead)

Cheers.
Jean-Luc

Although I've never done it, I'm pretty sure you can run live as a midi slave. This video might give you some ideas, Pitch Black are pretty mad..
As for suite, personally I wouldn't bother unless you know you really are going to use the extra instruments.

yup it is pretty easy.

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Hmm. Although using 2 laptops are probably more reliable, I can make do with one.

I'm currently able to run maschine synced to traktor using only 1 laptop using traktor's virtual midi out and JACK OSX to run a virtual audio output from one application to another.

Ableton is great. I've been playing around with the version that came with my Launchpad, and while that version is limited as hell, Live 8 is more than enough, esp when you have a Maschine.
Suite is just Live 8 + Operator and alot of latin samples. Oh and of mallets too.
Routing midi stuff can be all out in the open, and midi mapping is so nice, and alot of the fx stuff that comes with Live 8 just sounds great.

quote:

Originally posted by dj_alfi Ableton is great. I've been playing around with the version that came with my Launchpad, and while that version is limited as hell, Live 8 is more than enough, esp when you have a Maschine. Suite is just Live 8 + Operator and alot of latin samples. Oh and of mallets too.

Oh...and uh...SAMPLER!

quote:

Originally posted by dj_alfi Ableton is great. I've been playing around with the version that came with my Launchpad, and while that version is limited as hell, Live 8 is more than enough, esp when you have a Maschine. Suite is just Live 8 + Operator and alot of latin samples. Oh and of mallets too. Routing midi stuff can be all out in the open, and midi mapping is so nice, and alot of the fx stuff that comes with Live 8 just sounds great.

if u have the launchpad version u can get a discount to upgrade to the full version, thats what i did.

Hmm, the launchpad + Ableton combo looks tempting for sure.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Now I'm just wondering if it's possible to directly somehow have ableton's output routed to a deck in traktor. Right now I use Jack OSX, but it always gives me a headache having to route and manage so many things together at the same time.

The main thing I"m wondering right now is if people tend to run 2 outputs of 2 different programs simultaneously into their audio card or do they route the audio of one program into another and only run 1 output to their audio card.

Essentially I'd want all the audio and MIDI routing to be internal to reduce latency and quality degradation and then just have one Digital/Audio conversion out traktor into my soundcard, which makes it easier to record as well. Also it allows me to preview stuff in Ableton and check if it's in sync prior in my headphones, since with my experiences with MIDI so far is sometimes things just fall out of sync and sound terrible

Finally, since I only have 2 USB ports, 1 running my sound card, I'd probably want a powered USB hub. Anyone have any experiences with running MIDI devices through a USB hub and have it run successfully? I know typically you'd want to keep your audio card with its own dedicated USB.

If Native Instruments somehow gave what everyone wanted and allowed VST functionality as a deck inside Traktor, I think I'd pretty much be satisfied, but until then...

I'm also wondering if there are any other options other than Ableton, such as Reaper or some other lesser known DAWs. Keep in mind I'd be working with OSX.

I'm a bit confused and curious... If you are doing everything on ableton, why are you trying to route it to traktor?

I'd you just get something like this and trigger yor clips on live.
http://www.akaipro.com/eiepro#

Midi in/out, xlr for your mics, plus USB ports. Running everything through ableton would make everything much easier it seems.

quote:

Originally posted by TyeDynamite http://www.akaipro.com/eiepro#

Can someone explain the appeal of this? Spidey sense is telling me it's high-end looking and made of shit components

It's definitely the looks to make people seem like its "professional". I wouldn't use it in studio for audio recording. However for a live performance with ableton it seems to solve his needs. USB, midi, xlr. Plus akai products are consistently made for ableton. Would be easy for him to route all audio and midi through it.

quote:

Originally posted by TyeDynamite It's definitely the looks to make people seem like its "professional". I wouldn't use it in studio for audio recording. However for a live performance with ableton it seems to solve his needs. USB, midi, xlr. Plus akai products are consistently made for ableton. Would be easy for him to route all audio and midi through it.

the fuck..

come over here so I can hit you

Bahaha how you figure?

Traktor is still very logical for running tracks, fx, EQing, filtering, etc...

My only other option right now is to sell my traktor S4 and go for an external mixer like xone 92 as per this video



But that's a good 5 grand of equipment and crapload of stuff to carry around, not to mention learning

basically all that shit for 4 traktor decks and ableton as an effects unit? Seems kinda over the top. Thought it would be complicated at first but no it's just excessive

octatrack? anyone tried it?

if you are playing live.

rule 1. Make sure you have 2 cdjs and an external mixer because your shit will break and you should already have 1 track in that CDJ ready to go so that if your laptop does stall or crash, you have a track ready in 5 seconds. There is nothing more lame than having the music stop because your laptop is broken. Sorry kids, the rock show is having some technical computer difficulties. There goes my E.

When the power blows is the best part of the party. You never know who's gonna be dead when they get the lights back on.

i saw a guy get shot about 10 feet away while djing. Well i didn't' see him. But ya after fact. And the guy didn't have a shirt on and you could see this really small bullet hole in his chest. It was actually pretty clean.

quote:

Originally posted by meriter basically all that shit for 4 traktor decks and ableton as an effects unit? Seems kinda over the top. Thought it would be complicated at first but no it's just excessive

I think he also uses ableton for the maschine? But yeah, you could probably also run that setup on 1 laptop. Other than that it doesn't seem that excessive.

I still don't see the logic in using an S4 and ableton. Live has all the eq's effects etc. that traktor has plus the midi mapping is 10 times easier. A very simple midi controller with a few knobs and faders would completely replace your S4. And since you said you're not pitch fading manually it wouldn't change much. Maybe a part of you using the S4 is for looks of turntables?

Or you should even consider an APC40. Clip launch buttons, faders, cross-fader, instrument rack knobs, and return track knobs. Once you get good at building instrument racks in ableton, with the use of the simplest midi controller you will have more control with a simpler setup than you ever would in traktor. My point is there are a TON of other better ways to go than dropping 5K.

I produce in live and have a lot of experience with it and can tell you it's a great software. However when I DJ I don't use a computer just CDJ's and a DJM-900 because I wouldn't ever want a freeze or crash to ruin my performance.

Live simply just sucks balls for DJing, sure it's great software for production and edits etc, but just feels wrong to dj with unless it's being used for effects and processing like Liebing's doing above.
And the akai APC's are rubbish.

quote:

Originally posted by Teezdalien And the akai APC's are rubbish.

Yeah? Just got a Launchpad, and I'm pretty happy with it so far. Does what says on box, and more. Was contemplating getting an apc40, but just got a nanokontrol2 for knobs and faders instead.

i have an APC

it does what it says it does. Not sure how it sucks.

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