Live DJ timestretching kvetch!

DJ RAY · Post by **DJ RAY** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:08 pm

I don't know if I am doing something wrong, but in preparation of a compilation CD, I imported a bunch of tracks into Live 5 and began jamming. I kept the global tempo standard at 130 BPM. I noticed that a lot of the tracks, whose tempo was around 138 BPM sounded rather crappy after being slowed down. The highs were muddled and I could clearly hear artifacts in the audio. This did not affect those tracks whose BPM was a couple over or under 130, just really fast tracks at 138 BPM to 140 BPM. Have any of you experienced the same results? All the tracks were warped at 'complex' to ensure optimal resullts, and are strictly 4/4 house, trance etc. It was a bummer having created such an excellent mix, to be let down by the glitchy sounding audio

. Am I doing something wrong or is the timestretching a bit hit and miss. I know I could introduce tempo automation, but what if I wanted the entire set to play at a global tempo?

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:31 pm

experiment with tones, texture and beat modes as well, mate. Often they do a better job than complex... don't ask my why

DJ RAY · Post by **DJ RAY** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:47 pm

Thanks for the tip. That does work on short loops, but hasn't on longer tracks.

DJ RAY · Post by **DJ RAY** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 9:35 pm

Anybody?

djsynchro · Post by **djsynchro** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:27 pm

Are the warp markers lined up with the beats in your tracks? The beats algorythm needs to know where the beats are to do its thing properly.

DJ RAY · Post by **DJ RAY** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:46 pm

Yes, I am pretty sure they are. But wasn't lining up warp markers supposed to be a thing of the past with Live 5? Or do I still need to eyeball the track just to make sure?

djsynchro · Post by **djsynchro** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 8:58 pm

Well the autowarp thing makes it easier, best case is that you:
- Have to adjust the first one (it will be late)
- Put one in at the end, and adjust that (it will 'drift' slightly)

On some tracks it doesn't work at all, but most electronic stuff is fine.
Once all the markers (the grey ones that you didn't adjust) are aligned to the beats, the "beats" algorhythm will sound good, cuz it will know where the attack transients are. Also "repitch" is good, because that just changes the pitch oldskool like a dj pitching a record, so it doesn't do any granular stuff, so less artifacts. (But the pich changes)