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The continuing hate for Ableton DJs
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| MrJiveBoJingles |
I find it kind of surprising that when the subject is brought up, a lot of people still express hate for DJs who use Ableton, say that DJs who use laptops aren't "real" DJs, or say that they always get "bored" when a DJ plays on a laptop. A recent exhibit is in the "Tiesto should use Ableton" thread, which was resurrected by someone expressing such feelings:
http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...45&forumid=1&s=
Anyway, why aren't these people ready to move on yet? Is the visual aspect of DJing really that important? I mean, I understand the whole nostalgia trip and the mystique of records, but for me the most important thing is always the music, not the medium... |
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| Ted Promo |
| It suddenly feels like 2005 all over again. |
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| elFreak |
meh.
i look at a guy like pheek who plays with ableton and basically plays nothing but remixes, edits and his own stuff, but makes every show sound different and awesome. (he uses the software live to its full potential like almost no other)
would i tell him to play on decks to please people when the result might not be as original?
hell no!
who cares.
i don't like using ableton for anything other than editing, but that is just personal preference, what comes out of the speaker is most important.
the people who usually bitch are the same ones that don't get any success not using software, so them.
then there is mickeymau5 who just arranges the stems of loops and climbs on tables to pose. That is . |
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| MrJiveBoJingles |
| quote: | Originally posted by elFreak
mickeymau5 |
:D |
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| julien2 |
The instrument is not important. I'd rather go in a place where I can't see who is playing, but great music is coming out of the speakers, then to go see Offer Nissim do a dj pose with coming out of the speakers...
Music > Visual show |
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| Sykonee |
| The only beef I have with Ableton/laptop DJs is whenever they try to get too cute with effects, layering, or other wank that serve no purpose on a dancefloor. |
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| Max Thomson |
| everyone does something different with ableton, most haters are narrowminded and like to confuse their opinion with fact. just like traditional djs, ableton djs can use the software right and do amazing stuff or bore you to hell. hating on an entire platform is so 2005. |
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| elFreak |
you don't need ableton to layer, with tempo lock 3 decks on cd's is a real joke to pull off.
fx are always lame.
what is wrong with using acappellas?
creativity should not be frowned upon. |
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| nefardec |
| quote: | Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles
I find it kind of surprising that when the subject is brought up, a lot of people still express hate for DJs who use Ableton, say that DJs who use laptops aren't "real" DJs, or say that they always get "bored" when a DJ plays on a laptop. A recent exhibit is in the "Tiesto should use Ableton" thread, which was resurrected by someone expressing such feelings:
http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...45&forumid=1&s=
Anyway, why aren't these people ready to move on yet? Is the visual aspect of DJing really that important? I mean, I understand the whole nostalgia trip and the mystique of records, but for me the most important thing is always the music, not the medium... |
as long as mixing is dynamic and expressive, i don't really care.
it's just as boring to me to watch conservative, flatline vinyl djs and cdjs and mp3js as it is to watch conservative, flatline ableton djs.
however, due to the more intense learning curve and levels of committment associated with vinyl records and to a lesser extent cdjs, i feel there is a much higher percentage of people using software such as ableton to deejay who are very uninspired and underdeveloped as deejays.
having used vinyl, cds, serato, and ableton to dj before in a party situation, i know exactly what is involved with all of these things. most of the time i was using ableton, i found myself bored to tears, and i felt the set was equally as boring, unless I was constantly mixing something with something else, or doing some effect. however, i can't stand too many effects, and i can't stand undadultered mashing, so I never used ableton to DJ again. Using ableton for edits works when the tracks you are editing are simple such as dj tools, but not particularly practical when you are trying to edit complex tracks that involve a lot of simultaneous automation. computers up way more than technics. i've also done live PA out and I know how challenging this can be.
I don't think you should need to make an edit live unless it's an absolute ing bomb. Otherwise you can just dj and get nearly the same effect. I, for one, am not impressed when richie hawtin loops 3 pieces of over one another for 10 minutes and changes the loop length with a filter face.
so unless someone is doing a live pa with ableton using all their own material, i don't really think it's necessary.
in deejaying, 'more' != 'better'. layering 4 ty tracks does not make 1 good one, it makes a 4x tier track. similarly, layering 4 good tracks prevents each of those tracks from being simply good on its own. more effects tends to ruin a perfectly good track. you have to have a really special ear and relationship with the software to get these things right, and like I said earlier, because ableton is easier and more accessible than deejaying with vinyl records, 9 times out of 10, the ableton dj is not going to have that really special ear.
also as far as serato goes, i have a love/hate relationship with the software. I love it because I have too much music, I hate burning cds, and I prefer to play with records and use my vinyl as well as my digital collection. I hate it because I don't like having a distracting computer screen in the booth, I like the basic alchemy of mixing two things with a physical form. I don't trust computers in a live situation - too unstable. When I am cooking food, I like to stir and shake the pan. I'd rather not use a computer or midi controller to stir/shake.. I also hate serato because of how many times I have played with djs who beatmatch using their eyes to line up the virtual beats and to download and play pirated mp3s. |
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| MrJiveBoJingles |
| ^ Great post. I agree with all of it. |
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