Ableton Live audio interface for connecting to a DJ mixer???

djstevebutchjones · Post by **djstevebutchjones** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 5:15 pm

A few days back I purchased the Computer Music Digital DJ Special, in which it talks a lot about Ableton Live and its uses in the DJ world for live mixing. I was very interested to read that I could load my laptop full of tunes and still mix threw a normal DJ mixer, It says, “by setting up four audio channels in Live’s Session view, assigning each stereo pair of outputs on a portable eight channel audio interface and connecting these to the line inputs on four audio channels on the club’s DJ mixer, we can trigger tracks as if they were coming from CD decks or turntables, and mix threw the regular mixer.” It also goes on to say “and naturally you can still apply all the same real-time to each including using a MIDI controller if you want, to trigger individual clips and scenes.”

Now for the MIDI controller I was looking at the M-Audio X-Session USB DJ mixer, but I believe this dose not have any audio monitoring like you would get on a normal mixer, so I will need to have the portable interface and would like people to recommend one or two for me to go for. I would like to know for 8 channels, and I presume if I want to mix 6 channels on a DJ mixer I will need a 12 channel interface…

So what should I go for???

I know all about the new Allen & Heath Xone:3D DJ mixer that would solve all my problems but don’t have a spare £1,650 at the moment after splashing out on my new laptop.

Thanks for your help…

Steve

robin · Post by **robin** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 5:30 pm

I'd say a Motu Ultralite. Not cheap in the UK though.

I use a cheap Audiotrak Maya 44 USB (4 outs, one stereo pair for headphones and one for main out)) for djing.

djstevebutchjones · Post by **djstevebutchjones** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 5:47 pm

So you just mix from a laptop without using a mixer? What do you think of the M-Audio X-Session USB DJ mixer? Would that do the job???

Patch · Post by **Patch** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 6:26 pm

As soon as you (as a DJ) start to realise what is possible with the combination of a midi controller and a DJ mixer - your brain goes into overdrive, and you realise that the possibilities are endless!

I use a UC-33e and a DJM600s (there's also a DM2 in there for crossfader tricks and launching clips) and the complexity of my sets has incresed 10x.

The amount of fun you have is unbelievable - ideas are flowing thisk and fast as I'm creating a set...

robin · Post by **robin** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 6:45 pm

djstevebutchjones wrote:So you just mix from a laptop without using a mixer? What do you think of the M-Audio X-Session USB DJ mixer? Would that do the job???

Funnily enough that's what I've been using for a year or so. It needs more knobs and buttons but if you map it creatively (and map button to the laptop keys) then it's ok for three channels.

I use a Faderfox lv1 with it now, nice to have the extra buttons and faders.

djstevebutchjones · Post by **djstevebutchjones** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 10:55 pm

robin wrote:I'd say a Motu Ultralite. Not cheap in the UK though.

I use a cheap Audiotrak Maya 44 USB (4 outs, one stereo pair for headphones and one for main out)) for djing.

If I decide to go with the mixing strait from the laptop idea what do you think of a Echo Indigo I/O http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop ... ct_id/2771 with a Faderfox micromodul LV2 http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop ... ct_id/8779 ???

djstevebutchjones · Post by **djstevebutchjones** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 11:01 pm

Patch wrote:As soon as you (as a DJ) start to realise what is possible with the combination of a midi controller and a DJ mixer - your brain goes into overdrive, and you realise that the possibilities are endless!

I use a UC-33e and a DJM600s (there's also a DM2 in there for crossfader tricks and launching clips) and the complexity of my sets has incresed 10x.

The amount of fun you have is unbelievable - ideas are flowing thisk and fast as I'm creating a set...

How do you run your channels threw you Pioneer mixer? Or do you just have your Live running threw the one channel and add stuff from CD and in to your set? I would like 4+ channels coming threw my laptop in to my mixer so I could cue as if I was just playing from 4 CDJ’s, and use the midi controller just to launch a few loops, or am I selling the package to sort???

Patch · Post by **Patch** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 11:25 pm

<<<DEEP BREATH>>>

I have 4 lines going into my DJM600 from live. The master out of the DJM600 goes into the session mix on my Vestax 07ProD mixer, where I add scratching from my decks/mix in and out of vinyl.

The main thing you have to get your head around is the difference between controlling elements by midi (ie - with a controller) and controlling/effecting audio. I tend to use the midi for controlling FSU plugs and Live's internal effects. I also add effects from the DJM600.

Looking at it as 4 CDJ's is probably a good place to start. But don;t forget, using lives routing you can have a limitless (well, almost!) number of tracks routed to a single out on your sound card. So a line on your DJM600 could easily contain the output from 3 or 4 tracks in live. So - the 3 or 4 tracks in Live that make up your single line on the DJM600 would be controlled/mixed by a midi controller, and once they hit the mixer they'll be mixed as a single track...

Did that make sense?

<<<EXHALES>>>

djstevebutchjones · Post by **djstevebutchjones** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 7:44 am

Patch wrote:<<<DEEP BREATH>>>

I have 4 lines going into my DJM600 from live. The master out of the DJM600 goes into the session mix on my Vestax 07ProD mixer, where I add scratching from my decks/mix in and out of vinyl.

The main thing you have to get your head around is the difference between controlling elements by midi (ie - with a controller) and controlling/effecting audio. I tend to use the midi for controlling FSU plugs and Live's internal effects. I also add effects from the DJM600.

Looking at it as 4 CDJ's is probably a good place to start. But don;t forget, using lives routing you can have a limitless (well, almost!) number of tracks routed to a single out on your sound card. So a line on your DJM600 could easily contain the output from 3 or 4 tracks in live. So - the 3 or 4 tracks in Live that make up your single line on the DJM600 would be controlled/mixed by a midi controller, and once they hit the mixer they'll be mixed as a single track...

Did that make sense?

<<<EXHALES>>>

OK, so to control the channels on Live for fading in and out channels this would be done by the faders on your midi controller, and I can presume you can assign knobs on the midi controller to control the EQ side of things, so if you wanted to mix CD’s in to your set you are in a sense mixing from 2 mixers.

What sound card do you use? Are you running on a laptop?

robin · Post by **robin** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 8:44 am

djstevebutchjones wrote:
robin wrote:I'd say a Motu Ultralite. Not cheap in the UK though.

I use a cheap Audiotrak Maya 44 USB (4 outs, one stereo pair for headphones and one for main out)) for djing.
If I decide to go with the mixing strait from the laptop idea what do you think of a Echo Indigo I/O http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop ... ct_id/2771 with a Faderfox micromodul LV2 http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop ... ct_id/8779 ???

I'd say that's a good setup except you'd want the Indigo DJ (two sets of stereo outs which is what you need). I'd be using one if I had a card slot.

Patch · Post by **Patch** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 11:14 am

djstevebutchjones wrote:What sound card do you use? Are you running on a laptop?

My setup is on a desktop at the moment. I am about to order a Motu Ultralite for use with my laptop.

The soundcard I use is, wait for it, a Creative labs 5.1 card! I bought it for £5!!! In Live I have each of the 4 tracks going to my mixer as mono tracks. ie - output 1/2, is split and becomes two seperate outputs 1, and 2. Use a splitter on each of the 3.5 outputs on the soundcard, and each stereo pair becomes 2 mono tracks. Use a "Y" (3.5 [headphone style] to Phono [standard red/white connectors])splitter to get the signal into your mixer.

Using this method, and ASIO4All, you can have a maxinmum of 6 seperate outputs from a £5 soundcard!!! (The drawback is, as you now have twin mono signals instead of true stereo, Lives stereo effects won't work properly [Autopan, Flanger, Phaser, etc...] but you can use your DJM600 for that, now!)

I use 4 seperate outputs, and use the remaining output (5/6) for headphone monitoring.

[

This is exactly how I started out using Live - but when you start exploring the possibilities with Lives effects, you will not want 3 midi knobs controlling eq's - they are much better used controlling effects parameters. And don't forget - in my setup, I still have complete control over eq for tracks once the signal hits the DJM600.

macca · Post by **macca** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:22 pm

Buy a djm800 mixer....its brilliant!

robin · Post by **robin** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:28 pm

macca wrote:Buy a djm800 mixer....its brilliant!

If you can guarantee that each club you play in actually has one (or room to lug and setup your own) then this idea isn't particularly useful.

In my experience of djing with Live you want the most compact and portable setup possible as most dj booths are tiny, setup time is limited and to avoid the inevitable frcition from vinyl djs small and under the rader is much better.

Just my 2p though, your experience of playing out may differ considerably.

pete1 · Post by **pete1** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:22 pm

Patch wrote:<<<DEEP BREATH>>>

Looking at it as 4 CDJ's is probably a good place to start. But don;t forget, using lives routing you can have a limitless (well, almost!) number of tracks routed to a single out on your sound card. So a line on your DJM600 could easily contain the output from 3 or 4 tracks in live. So - the 3 or 4 tracks in Live that make up your single line on the DJM600 would be controlled/mixed by a midi controller, and once they hit the mixer they'll be mixed as a single track...

<<<EXHALES>>>

why not just use a midi controller to do everything? then route through 1 channel into the (analogue)mixer then add you dex/scratching through the spare channels

djstevebutchjones · Post by **djstevebutchjones** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:46 pm

OK to let you all know i'v gone for the Indigo DJ sound card and a M-Audio X-Session USB DJ mixer to start things off. Thanks for all your help.