DJing with Live: Something missing?

Verbal · Post by **Verbal** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:06 am

I've been finding myself interested starting to learn how to DJ with Live. I always want to take my tables to friends houses to DJ at get togethers, but that's a lot of work. DJing in Live would cut out taking all that gear.

But when trying to DJ in Live, I always feel like something is missing. Not beatmatching, not much queuing, etc. Just feels like it's cheating. It just doesn't feel the same as having tables and a mixer in front of you.

I guess I could still use my ultralite and mixer.

Just trying to spark a discussion. And thinking out loud.

Pantytec · Post by **Pantytec** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:29 am

just so you don't get blue balls thinking you're going to get a reply, and assuming people are cool around here.... let me just forewarn you... you won't get any replies.

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:38 am

you'll never get 2 replies.

Summer2000 · Post by **Summer2000** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 1:06 am

Consider yourself lucky if you get 3.

Rogue Scrunt · Post by **Rogue Scrunt** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 2:59 am

all you have to do is make the girlies dance.

it ain't nothing more than that.

"cheating"
that is just plain silly

superacidjax · Post by **superacidjax** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:11 am

It's far from cheating.. with the amount of work it takes to properly prep tracks, you DO the work that you would with tables, just not on the spot. The real genius of live is when you start slicing up individual songs (in session) view and trigger different sections of the song as appropriate. Basically, doing that will open a whole new level of performance.. playing parts of a song as one might an instrument. Live remixing is the name of the game. Paul van Dyk does that (of course he's also running Serato on another computer, so he combines the best of both worlds.)

But as far as just playing entire tracks back to back.. kind of underleveraging the power of the program in my opinion..

Also, you can get wild with effects.. much more exciting than typical CDJ work..

Just my 2 cents.

synnack · Post by **synnack** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:05 am

http://www.abletonlivedj.com/

There's a whole site with its own forums dedicated to this.

gezabelle · Post by **gezabelle** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:14 am

cheating? its funny you say that becuase you obviously havnt really dipped you feet in. Might i suggest you try something before saying its cheating?

Patch · Post by **Patch** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:29 am

DJ's used to be so limited with what they could do with 2 turntables and a mixer. That is why the really amazing DJs stood out so much. They pushed the boundaries. Thing is - everyone can see the boundaries with turntables and a mixer, and so when a DJ (Carl Cox) makes you go fuckin' nuts using just 3 turntables and a mixer, you have mad respect for him.

With Live, the boundaries are not so well defined. People are intimidated by the vastness of the possibilities when DJ'ing with Live.

If your aim is to become a DJ as defined by playing with 2 turntables and a mixer, using Live - you're in for an easy ride. If you want to SERIOUSLY ROCK THE CROWD, you've got a LOT of learning ahead of you, son...

(P.S - word on the street is that Carl Cox is using Live more and more now. If anyone can push Live to it's creative limits, Carl Cox is the man!)