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Laptop + Ableton
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View this Thread in Original format
| Beat Blog |
Ok, there's no specific thread in the help section on DJing from using a computer, so perhaps this thread could be used as such.
I've been printing beautiful looking CDs for the past few months, as I so happily displayed here:
http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...=8&pagenumber=1
However, I'm completely fed up. Even if I put aside 4 hours per weekend, by the time I key tunes, type them up, then print and burn the CDs, I'm only getting about 20 releases done in that time, when my total mp3 collection contains some 400+ artists and is growing daily.
In short: even if I quit my job and did this full-time, I'd never finish in my life time.
So, despite my criticisms in the past, I want to move to digital DJing, not for ease of DJing itself, but to save literally hundreds of hours of preparation.
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Questions:
1. Why does everyone use Macs? What are the advantages? Why not PC?
2. What computer should I be looking at? I want something quite small and rugged but with good enough specs to store at least 10,000 mp3s, run Ableton (dub) and do production too. Please include some info about sound cards.
3. Controller. What are the advantages of using a small midi controller vs a conventional mixer (ecler nuo etc) with support for laptops? Which should I be going for and why?
4. How easy is it to connect a laptop and your own mixer up in a club? Does the laptop simply connect to the main mixer via 2 x RCA, or does it involve several more complex connections? I ask because if I'm playing a club gig I want to be able to roll up, plug in and start within five minutes.
5. How is split cueing/pre-listening with headphones generally achieved? Describe connections and requirements.
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Help much appreciated, thanking anyone who contributes in advance. |
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| CouchFire |
I'm gonna skip the whole mac vs pc debate thing... but I'll tell you what I use
Macbook Pro 2gigs ram (minimum)
Motu Ultralite Soundcard
Traktor 3 DJ
Vestax VCI-100 midi controller
When i set up at a club i just take the unused cdj, unplug the rca's and put em in the appropriate outputs on my soundcard, beatmatch the next track.... then mix it in
I take the other cdj give the cd back to whomever was opening and do the same song and dance with that cdj....
Now I just have my laptop which acts like 2 decks, fx unit, and storage medium
I use my midi controller to load tracks, drop cue points, loop, beatmatch, effects, all within the software...
but I use the clubs mixer for mixing equing, crossfading etc...
my setup only takes a about 5 mintues to set up and usually i can do it without really getting in the previous dj's way... too much
A few tips on traveling with a computer
Don't be afraid to bring a laptop stand (I use Stanton Uberstand), and a spill proof cover for your keyboard, and always keep an extra power adapter with you as well as extra cables, and possibly a ground loop just incase u get a that infamous "Laptop Hum"
If your traveling with a midi controller there might not be any space to set it down in the booth so bring a piece of foam place it on an unused TT or CDJ and now u have a safe non slip surface for your gear... |
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| Beat Blog |
Thanks for the prompt and detailed response.
Can you explain why you would go for that particular sound card and controller?
Of course I'm dong my own research on various manufacturer sites and online stores, but it never harms to hear from people who've had first hand experience. |
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| SteelWolf |
| Its al preference. As for me, I run Torq Connective on my macbook. Some people use FS, some use serato. Some use digital only. Like I occasionally use the torq xponent for an all digital system if I don't want to lug my stanton TTs with me. |
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| Watts |
The only reason I can think of to consider a Macbook is 6-pin FireWire. Unless you want to carry around another power cord for your audio interface, 6-pin is the way to go.
I bought a MOTU Ultralite with enough outputs to connect to a dj mixer. To be honest I do not like cueing in Live and would rather use the one provided on a dj mixer. |
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| SteelWolf |
| quote: | Originally posted by Beat Blog
Thanks for the prompt and detailed response.
Can you explain why you would go for that particular sound card and controller?
Of course I'm dong my own research on various manufacturer sites and online stores, but it never harms to hear from people who've had first hand experience. |
As for the soundcard, that can be determined by how many outputs you need. If you only need 4 out, why blow a house of cash on a 16 out? I reccomend M-Audio's stuff, take a lok at their I/O interfaces. Many of them come with Ableton too. M-Audio has always impressed the hell out of me.
And cotrollers? Taht has a lot to do with what software you want to use, and with what you like. I still highly reccomend an M-Audio X-ponent if you just want 2 channels, but if you want to use something like ableton you'll need a controller with more functionality.
As for a Macbook, they are faset, reliable, compatible with damn near EVERYTHING right out of the box, and they look cool. Haha I kid. But the Firewire port is a nice addition for an external soundcard. And I can vouch from my experiences I have NEVER had a single crash or freeze ever live or ottherwise.
As for split cueing, teh Xponent can cue strai thru teh controller, it is its own sound card.
Setup is easy, I just plug rca cables from my xponent's main output to the mixer, and another from the monitor out. Good piece of kit! |
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| inconspicuous |
the ultralite is the way to go IMO, though it's all 1/8" connections, so you'll probably need some 1/8-rca, but that's about the extent of it.
the card has a headphone out on the front. for volume, you can either use the card's control knob on the front, or, as I prefer to do, just assign something on a midi controller to ableton's own cue level. you'll assign each pair of inputs to a channel, return, etc. in live, which gives you the abiliity to split them up either for different outputs to a mixer or to operate independently for whatever other fx you want.
The advantage of using something more than just midi controllers? feel seems to be a common choice, 'cuz most midi controllers are made with cheap parts. familiarity's another one, as well as set-up, and the ability to add on more easily (say you just want to use ableton for some tracks, but still work in cdjs...it's a lot easier for most people to just plug them into a mixer than set them up to work with live). Either way, though, if you set-up the s/w configuration properly ahead of time, it shouldn't be too much of an issue anyway. the biggest thing is probably latency, because depending on your set-up, those controllers may have anywhere from a minimal to a decent amount of it, and that can throw things off.
As for mac vs. pc, it's stability. macs don't crash as often, simple as that. either way, once I get a new machine for that, it's never connecting to the internet. ever.
stay away from m-audio stuff (at least for the soundcard & any other major components. they make some really handy cheap midi controllers, like the uc33, which you can get on ebay for 100 bucks or so, but aside from that...). it's renowned for driver issues, poor builds, and latency--three things that will drive you crazy and/or broke. |
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| Watts |
| I run a stripped down version Windows XP and have not had anything crash on me. Sure it's only a matter of time that it happens since I mentioned it, but I still don't see a point in going Apple but for FireWire. |
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| Beat Blog |
Thanks to everyone that replied.
I haven't owned a Mac for a decade now, so I'm pretty out of the loop...
Macbook vs Macbook Pro?
The only difference I can see on the Apple site is that the pro has a larger screen and the Nvidia Geforce card.
Larger screen is obviously going to be advantageous, but is there any real point in having the graphics card?
Personally, I'd prefer to go for the slightly smaller yet vastly cheaper Macbook if there is no significant advantage in the Macbook Pro.
Mostly likely 4GB of RAM and the 250GB hard drive.
Help!
Also, the Motu Ultralite looks the goods, but it's close to a thousand bucks over here, and seems like a lot of overkill for what I want to do. Is there are similar product that doesn't have, quote: "10 inputs and 14 outputs"?
I actually already have an Xitel inport which I bought a while ago to record sets from my decks to my laptop, which is, in effect, a USB soundcard. I'm guessing this would be unsuitable for sending information to a mixer, due to lack of gain control, headphone input etc? |
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| Beat Blog |
Echo AudioFire 4.
Yay or nay? |
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| palm |
| Echo Audiofire is great cards and it can be powered thru firewire, saves alot of complications. |
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| Dj Spiel |
I think it's time for me to move to something new. I have FS 2 *hardware box* with traktor 3 and its kinda hard to lug around to gigs.
Maybe use ableton more...I liek traktor 3 because it has all these built in effect and loops. Does serato have that?
W/e I do I still want to use my CDJ's to mix |
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