Online tutorials for DJing with a Trigger Finger and Live?

[loopdokter]

Hi Guys,

I've had a look around the web and can't seem find many detailed tutorials of setting up a Trigger Finger to DJ with Live.

I'm already pretty well-versed with using Live to produce and make arranged mixes, but now I want to take it out of the studio.

I just recently purchased an M-Audio Trigger Finger. Needless to say, I'm not much of a learner when it comes to reading. I'm more of a visual learner.

Does anyone have any links to some online visual tutorials when it comes to setting up my Trigger Finger? I know it comes with a standard Ableton Live preset, but that seems to be more for producing.

I'm using it in unison with an M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB soundcard.

Here is what I'm wanting to do:
1. Set up a pitch slider so that I can imitate that of one on a CDJ/1200 (I still play the odd record).
2. Have it set up so that I can drop in a new track upon pushing one of the pads.
3. Figure out a way to monitor tracks and prelisten/fast forward through them using the Trigger Finger.

I've got 2 weeks to wrap my head around this before my next gigs. HELP!

[Patch]

I'll answer some of your question, and you should check out The Phat Conductors Live Templates for the TF. Go here (there's a video):

NEW Mouseless Mixing Template *PC/OSX

Onto your questions:

Q1. Set up a pitch slider so that I can imitate that of one on a CDJ/1200 (I still play the odd record).

A1. Midi map mode in Live. Click on tempo box (top left of screen). Slide the slider you want to assign to the tempo. That slider will now alter the tempo. You need to set it up to reflect the range on a turntable (+/- 8%). For this you need to choose what your baseline tempo is (ie - the tempo/bpm that the tunes will play at when your midi slider is in the middle. I use 130 BPM) Then, you need to set the min./max. values in the Midi window for the tempo control. The midi window appears when you enter midi map mode, and replaces the browser while midi map mode is active. For 130bpm, the min is 119.6bpm, and the max is 140.4bpm. Set these values in the midi map and you've got a perfect +/-8% pitch slider. If you want +/-12% or +/-16%, just work out 12% or 16% of your nominal tempo (130bpm in this case). PHEW! Long answer!

Q2. Have it set up so that I can drop in a new track upon pushing one of the pads.
A2. See TPCs tutorial/template. Or look into Bomes (for PC) or Midipipe (for OSX).


Q3. Figure out a way to monitor tracks and prelisten/fast forward through them using the Trigger Finger.
a3. This is super easy. You'll need to use Bomes/midipipe, though, and you'll need at least 3 pads and probaly a fader. You'll need to assign 1 pad to the pre-listen/cue button in th ebrowser (looks like a pair of headphones), one pad to scroll up in the browser and 1 pad to scroll down. You'll need to assign a knob to the clip scrub to fast forward through the track. I'm not to sure how you'll do this, but it can be done using translators in Bomes... (Gets a little long winded, though).

[loopdokter]

It would appear I have come to the correct place!

Thanks very much.

I'm so old school when it comes to DJing that I figured after 17 years of playing out, it's about time I step into the 20th century.

[loopdokter]

Haha. The Phat Conductor is Canadian - I know him (sort of).

[Patch]

Phat Conductor is one of the guys using Live really well. He posts over at www.abletonlivedj.co.uk too.

There's a LOAD of info on that site - but don't miss the gold mine that is THIS site!

Check out these tutorials (if you haven't already) - they're for older versions of Live, but all the principles are exactly the same:

http://www.ableton.com/pages/tips/2004_04
http://www.ableton.com/pages/tips/2004_05
http://www.ableton.com/pages/tips/2004_09

Dig in son - these will get you off to a flying start!