Easiest way to sync Loops with external audio source (DJ)

[Dee Kuul]

Hi guys,

I have started playing alongside a DJ who uses vinyl, mainly playing loops and sounds from sample banks but also on the fly bass lines etc. Obviously when the loops are created by dropping individual beats and hits onto the piano roll in a midi clip, everything is in sync as I just tap the global tempo and nudge it when I need to.

However, when I use actual audio loops from sample packs (I have literally thousands of them), if they weren't recorded at a BPM matching Live's tempo, then just before the end of the bar when the loop is due to go back to the beginning, I hear a tempo nudging effect, with slower loops speeding up for a split second and faster loops slowing down for a split second.

I believe this is happening because they're just plain old warped as per the WARP on / off switch in clip view, as opposed to going into the loop and setting a few warp markers that are more precise. But obviously I don't want to have to do this for thousands of loops. Is there another solution for getting these loops to play at a tempo other than their original that won't create the little tempo nudging effect at the end of the loop?

Many thanks,
Dee.

[Mudo]

I'm not sure if there is a "way" with Ableton but bored with things like this I switch to Traktor remix decks for this task. Ableton reminds as "glorified mixer with maxforlive visualization potential" but I get lots of fun with Traktor. Ableton has been the less productive tool in my life, a matter of workflow I supose.