Ableton Forum

Hi,
I DJ using ableton live, and am switching up my gear from:
midi controller, m-audio fast-track pro (outputs 1+2 for channel A, 3+4 for channel b), novation launchpad, dj mixer
to:
apc-40, external soundcard.

I *thought* I could just use the headphone out on the fast-track pro, as it allows me to mix in the box and have the master come out of 1+2, and have the headphone out listen to 3+4. In ableton, I figured I could either use the cue function, or fx sends, to get a good mix of channel A and B in the headphone out.
Needless to say, I've been dissapointed, the cue function doesn't work for me because I want to hear a controllable blend of the two channels. I thought the send solution would work (post fader to get around the x-fader turning down the opposing channel) but for some reason the volumes are very inconsistent and it isn't working.

Any ideas? I'd prefer to not buy a new soundcard - but I can, so long as I could have a hardware-controllable mix of the two channels in my headphones but not the main out.

Thanks!
Abe

The cue function in Live is too simple. Kinda sucky.

To get a mix of multiple tracks in your headphones in the past I have done this:

-for all tracks, set audio out to sends only
-set A Return audio out to master
-set B Return audio out to outputs 3/4

Now you can basically use the send knobs on each track to control it's output to either the master or headphones. Send A will control sound to master. Send B will control sound to outputs 3/4 (your headphones).

It gets the job done (to hear a controllable blend of the two or more tracks from your headphones), but it is not user friendly at all. Also, since the output to 3/4 is from the track's audio signal, the volume faders on each track must be "up" so that you can hear the track on your headphones (the real cue function has a bypass so that track volume doesn't matter). And if the track that you are cueing has it's volume is up, you better have send A set at zero........see, not user friendly.

Therefore, I've learned to not use headphones anymore when DJ'ing with Live. It's kinda nice actually.