Making Live Sound as Loud & Proud As CDJs

acki · Post by **acki** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:22 pm

never had quality issues like this. i'm using an echo indigo dj (~150€...)

I wouldn't recommend Repitch Mode for whole tracks with tempo changes... I'm quite happy with Complex-Mode.

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:50 pm

There's your issues right there:

"...M-Audio Fastrack Pro. I use decent mp3s..."

I'd also agree that it's just a volume issue too, the output of most soundcards is quieter tham your stock CDJs or turntable outputs, just turn it up and you're usually fine.

vinkalmann · Post by **vinkalmann** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:07 pm

Tarekith wrote:There's your issues right there:

"...M-Audio Fastrack Pro. I use decent mp3s..."

I'd also agree that it's just a volume issue too, the output of most soundcards is quieter tham your stock CDJs or turntable outputs, just turn it up and you're usually fine.

Yep, I always need to turn the trim knob up on the mixer using my Echo Indigo DJ card.

doc holiday · Post by **doc holiday** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:14 pm

Tarekith wrote:There's your issues right there:

"...M-Audio Fastrack Pro. I use decent mp3s..."

I'd also agree that it's just a volume issue too, the output of most soundcards is quieter tham your stock CDJs or turntable outputs, just turn it up and you're usually fine.

+1 those m-audio cards output much lower then other cards I've used

Boo · Post by **Boo** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:18 pm

If you have a volume issue you could use a multiband compressor plugin, setting priority to low and hi frequencies. With the right threshold and release rate it could make your stuff sound much fatter.

If you put it into your master track you might have some wierd surprises/duckings depending on the EQ of each track.

Try it! I got some DJ friends that make mixes of their music that way and sound very good.

If you cannot afford mastering, is not such a bad idea. Plus you get quite a constant level.

If you can try the L3-LL Multimaximizer plugin from Waves... simply asskickin'.

keithtalent · Post by **keithtalent** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:15 pm

yeah, i've never been one of those people that just assumes there's a problem with the software. I love this stuff and I love playing live with it. I've always assumed that it has something to do with the way I'm using Live and that more experience will help. These replies have been useful.

I'll work on getting the volume balance between Live the soundcard and the mixer right and maybe that will help. I guess it's using those free blog mp3s that's hurting me as well (but then, they do sound fine through the CDJs). Thanks for all the input.

keithtalent · Post by **keithtalent** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:20 pm

also - i do realize that i totally hijacked this guy's thread.

hacktheplanet · Post by **hacktheplanet** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 11:01 pm

M-Audio gear sounds like poopshitbuttcrack. I've had two of their firewire interfaces. Upgrade right away.

raj · Post by **raj** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:25 pm

hmmm i think a new interface is what i need.... im thinking echo AudioFire4 or even an AudioFire2 as space is a serious issue at the places im playing- usually with a drink tray thing they use for the dishwasher upside down on the 1200s to sit my laptop and controller on..

a1studmuffin · Post by **a1studmuffin** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:41 am

Boo wrote:If you have a volume issue you could use a multiband compressor plugin, setting priority to low and hi frequencies. With the right threshold and release rate it could make your stuff sound much fatter.

If volume is the problem this is a very bad idea - a compressor or limiter is only going to squeeze the life out of the track within the limits of the digital signal. If the whole digital signal is still being outputted to analog way too quiet, you need to fix the problem there.

goonzy · Post by **goonzy** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 12:00 pm

From my little experience with Ableton DJing I'd give the following advice:

Track Quality:
decent MP3 is just not enough. You have to use .wav files in order to match CD quality. (moreover it will save you time and space as apparently, Live will not have to cache the decoded track at another place)

Sound treatments:
As said before, most of the track you'll buy or rip from CD are already mastered and compressed to max up their volume so I would avoid an compressor on single tracks or on master track . Double compression kills

However in my case, as I also add some VSTis to my mixes, I do put a compressor on them (especially on the "Kick" track and the 303 emulation.)

I use basically 2 types of setup: Internal and External mixer. With the internal mixer , I'm putting an EQ on each Audio track (Eq8 simulating an Allen & Heath Eq for example) a "home made" filter and a Dblue Glitch with different patterns assigned to keyboard keys. I also have 2 send FX (usually one delay and one flanger)... and I'm using 2 audio outputs (one for cueing and one for the master).. I tend to leave the master free of any effect but I had some good results with enhancers like spectralive

When using an external mixer, I'm leaving all the Eq stuff to the mixer and a Digitech quad as multiFX on the mixer as well leaving only one Glitch on each track.

LAst thing, on most M-Audio interfaces, you can switch your output level between -10db and -4db.. Put the -4db option and you'll get a much louder output... for the price they cost, M-audio cards are more than decent and anyway, they're good enough to play on club PAs.