Ableton Forum

djstevebutchjones wrote: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.

good combo

I used to perform live with a mixer (A&H Xone 464) and an 8 out soundcard (MOTU 828).

I went no mixer for two reasons; Portability, and the fact that I couldn't record my mixer movements into Live obviously.

But, it was wicked for performance, I miss it now!

MB

pete1 wrote: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

I use the line faders on the DJM600 to compose new mixes on the fly - you just cannot slam the faders up/down on midi gear with enough accuracy to be able to do this. There's always keysrokes to slam the volume up/down, but I much prefer to use a DJ mixer to do this.

M. Bréqs wrote:I went no mixer for two reasons; Portability, and the fact that I couldn't record my mixer movements into Live obviously.

Could you not have routed an out from the mixer (ie - fx send/return or Booth out or Rec out) back into Ableton and recorded it on a track with monitor set to off? So yor whole performance would be recorded (inc. external fader movements) on that track as an audio file?

I've been doing this for ages - it even allows you the freedom to go back and do edits of your fader movements using the punch in/out settings. (As long as you recorded all the Ableton moves as well!)

Patch wrote:

M. Bréqs wrote:I went no mixer for two reasons; Portability, and the fact that I couldn't record my mixer movements into Live obviously.

Could you not have routed an out from the mixer (ie - fx send/return or Booth out or Rec out) back into Ableton and recorded it on a track with monitor set to off? So yor whole performance would be recorded (inc. external fader movements) on that track as an audio file?

I've been doing this for ages - it even allows you the freedom to go back and do edits of your fader movements using the punch in/out settings. (As long as you recorded all the Ableton moves as well!)

I wanted to be able to go and "see" my fader movements (as well as EQs, sends, etc) in the arrange page after a set. It was my "post action report" so to speak, and it allowed me to review what I had done, and deconstruct my errors so I wouldn't make them again.

But, I do miss an external mixer! I really used to like the idea of the portability and internal effects of the Pioneer DJM-3000, but I don't know what the sound quality is like on that thing after using an Allen & Heath.

[EDIT] I pretty much lean towards 19" rack mountable gear (including mixers, since I use a rackmount audio interface (motu 828), so the 12" club mixer format isn't really that much of an option.