Sasha - new controller for ableton

jeskola · Post by **jeskola** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:39 am

FUNDACION: WHAT IS IT?

It's Sasha's new party/residency in NYC and LA and will serve as the introduction of a new piece of technology inside the DJ booth - MAVEN - his one of a kind, custom designed controller. Creating a live 100% digital experience using this controller, an Apple laptop and Ableton Live software, Sasha will be leaving the turntables behind. The new controller allows Sasha to not only exhibit his stellar track selection and mixing skills, but to literally re-edit every song he's playing on the fly. With the ability to sample, loop, and fuse elements from multiple songs at once through digital technology, Sasha will truly be revolutionizing his live DJ performance.

"I built a custom controller because I think the idea of DJing with a mouse isn't very cool. Everything on the screen can be manipulated with this controller." Sasha told LA City Beat (June 24-30, 2004). "The accessibility of music via the internet has taken some of the mystery away from DJing," he continues. "I used to come to America and play for people; there was no way they could get those records, or if they could it would take months of searching, and so there was a uniqueness to my sound. In the last 3-4 years new electronic music tracks have become so available on the internet mere days after their release that it's now pushing DJ's to really up their game. This technology will move things forward and enable you to give unique performances every time you play. A set of Technics turntables and a mixer is not enough for me now. It's time to move on."

jeskola · Post by **jeskola** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:48 am

Is it just me or does this sound like every other controller on the market - especially a UC33? It sounds ground breaking but this is what everyone who plays live with live does no?

jeskola · Post by **jeskola** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 11:22 am

interesting photos from sasha playing with ableton...

http://www.residentadvisor.net/viewphot ... c09440.jpg

http://www.residentadvisor.net/viewphot ... c09411.jpg

http://www.residentadvisor.net/viewphot ... c09410.jpg

DISUYE · Post by **DISUYE** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 12:21 pm

[quote="jeskola"]Is it just me or does this sound like every other controller on the market - especially a UC33? It sounds ground breaking but this is what everyone who plays live with live does no?[/quote]

Do a search of the archives - Maven is built in conjuction with M-Audio, combines all the interface features of a DJ-orientated mixer, audio i/o and additional control surface designed for Abelton. All in one unit designed for Ableton DJs basically.

The original thread was a few weeks back I think. The photos above, are from around October 2004 when sasha did use an Audiophile card, UC33e, X-session and a couple other bits & bobs.

Dan

spiderprod · Post by **spiderprod** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 1:05 pm

jeskola wrote:interesting photos from sasha playing with ableton...

http://www.residentadvisor.net/viewphot ... c09440.jpg

http://www.residentadvisor.net/viewphot ... c09411.jpg

http://www.residentadvisor.net/viewphot ... c09410.jpg

hes using only 2 tracks , how limited is that ?
whats the point of using ableton ?

the ar · Post by **the ar** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 1:08 pm

rofl, wtf?!
Is he really just using two clips?
F***ing useless.

the ar · Post by **the ar** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 1:10 pm

Yep, he's using just two clips through the entire set.
http://www.residentadvisor.net/photo_se ... c09410.jpg
What a pathetic poser.

dirtystudios · Post by **dirtystudios** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 4:23 pm

i really hope that the controller sucks. i'd hate it to be truely groundbreaking and have to be seen using sasha's controller.

k

MarkH · Post by **MarkH** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 5:52 pm

jeskola wrote:Is it just me or does this sound like every other controller on the market - especially a UC33? It sounds ground breaking but this is what everyone who plays live with live does no?

Where have you been? His new controller is nothing likea UC-33. We had this discussion about the Maven a month or two ago (with pics) right here on this forum. The mixer looks like a cross between Pioneer DJM and Allen & Heath.

jeskola · Post by **jeskola** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 6:00 pm

like the richie hawtin one?

nah - sorry i read the PR about Mavena and a guy here said it looked like the UC33...

DISUYE · Post by **DISUYE** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 6:34 pm

[quote="the ar"]rofl, wtf?!
Is he really just using two clips?
F***ing useless. :lol:[/quote]

That set up is not as retarded as the pictures make out: There are typically ~2/3 channels on the go, however each 'song' is split into a number of files with different cue points, loops, additional samples & whatnot; so when a new song is brought into the mix, it's in fact the first in a series of files from a folder. This gives you the option of playing the track untouched, or go & extended bits, skip bits, mangle sections, add your own clips etc... it does allow for a shitload of freedom on the night, but also requires a load of preparation.

Look more closely at the RA pictures before judging the bloke's setup. Anyway - sometimes the simplest approach is the best?! The end result is to get people dancing.

Regarding the controller thread; here's the original topic...
http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... ight=maven

The pictures seem to have been dropped though.

Dan

supster · Post by **supster** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 7:15 pm

a little birdie told me that he has had people ripping all his old vinyl catalog all winter long, warping it, and splitting it into (probably) 4, 8, and 16 bar loops.

I dont think you would bother doing that if all you were going to do is overlap tracks the same ol same ol ...

DJSLEEPLESS · Post by **DJSLEEPLESS** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 11:12 pm

I doubt they will be doing his whole collection, that must be up in the 50ks if not more. I was watching him for a while when he done fabric in dec, he isnt using his controller yet. I have to say fair play to the bloke, all these people that are saying he is only using two channels should wake themselves up. how many of you have been in front of a 2000 strong crowd let alone break a new technology that has a bad rep for crashing and what not. Im sure he will be using live to its full potential whaen he is good and ready, you have to crawl before you walk and at the moment he is doing a perfectly good job, like any type of music you dont just go in a club and totally play a new style that no one expects you to play and fundamentally thats what sasha will be doing, most people have a tendancy to over use fx etc.. when they first get them andafter a few month they get sick of them and stop using them, over the night sasha put live to great use, maybe not to its potential but he used it for what it's good at. as well as the tracks and edits of tracks that he was playing he was using various samples from older records whilst warping them etc...

People really need to get off this train of slaggin the man and others like him. he is certainly no poser as a previous poser sugested, more shy than anything. This bloke has done a lot for dance music and needs credit where credit is due. How many more people are going to become aware of ableton now he is using it? How many current dj's are going to convert to using laptop's, how many are going to use them just to play 2 records, maybe not even using the warp? In 5 years time you will have birthdays and weddng dj's using this saying ohh i never knew it done that?

Get a grip people and concentrate on using the software yourselves and being pioneers of it much like sasha, After all he made his name using technics now is a good time for people to make a name for being ableton op's.

tokyojoe69 · Post by **tokyojoe69** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 11:18 pm

I used live to dj at a 40th B-day on the weekend, played a load of abba and the like, was a good laugh, and yes all the tracks were unwarped.

technam · Post by **technam** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:48 am

abba with Live, never thought of Live like that

joe