DJing with Live: How do you set up your levels/ returns?

[techtom]

Hey folks still getting to grips with live and looking towards djing 'in the box'. Not sure how everyone else is doing it but I've been playing with utility and limiter (without really understanding them) to try and control my track volumes with the faders without having the signal get distorted. I'm finding mapping the faders to -3 is still giving me the best sound, but obviously this is meaning my potential output is lower than it could be when playing out.

I know the vu meters on live work different from a normal mixer and some tracks end up louder than others and I was just curious how people had got around
this for djing?

Also I understand people use returns for their effects, but having a DJM400 i don't really know where to start with them. Ideally I'd like to have a wet/dry knob for effects but I'm not sure what options to press ('audio to', 'audio from', 'monitor') so that the audio from my track isnt doubled when im using beat reapeat or delay etc? Should return send to the master or back to the track channel or a completely new track?

Sorry its a bit long winded I know im on the cusp of getting my setup just how i want it.

Any help would be much appreciated,
-Tom

[zeropoint]

these should help.....

http://sonictransfer.com/mixing-ableton ... ugin.shtml

http://tarekith.com/assets/Leveling.html

[techtom]

Thanks man thats awesome, I'll get my teeth into them tomorrow and hopefully i can finally get down to some mixing!

Thanks again,

-Tom