So, I do a lot of production using ableton, but I just got an APC40 and want to start to learn how to DJ. So, there are tons of different templates using ableton and the acp40, and I really dont know which to use because, well, I dont really know a thing about DJing.
Could any of you experienced DJs give me any information on different templates to use and the low-down of DJing? If you dont feel like writing anything up, can you post anything that you think I should read?
Asked this on SA because I trust you guys!
Thanks!
Phase One - Subscribe to Sonic Academy
Phase Two - Watch the tutorials on DJing with Ableton Live
Phase Three - Profit
for some reason i remember that tutorial mainly being about recording dj sets rather than performing live dj sets
Taylor what version of ableton live are you using i’ll send you a link to a project i created to dj with…
+1 hey i would really like to see some tutorial on how to dj with ableton and apc 40 
ableton version which m currently using is 8.2
ok i’ll see if I can sort something out over the next few days…
Sweet, Thanks Marc! I appreciate it.
I actually got another question too… A friend of mine uses Serato - is there any way we can dj together using some sort of midi sync or something between the computers?
Not to my knowledge. you’ll have to play like dj’s do and really mix! i.e. you’d have to use ableton to mix as a dj would beat syncing with skill into whatever your friend is playing using the tap tempo button on your apc and the nudge buttons to keep in time…
I presume this is how sasha works when he uses ableton and his maven controller when he plays a set with john digweed…
[quote]Bouffont (30/10/2010)[hr]Phase One - Subscribe to Sonic Academy
Phase Two - Watch the tutorials on DJing with Ableton Live
Phase Three - Profit
[/quote]
You forgot Phase three - ???
and then Phase 4- Profit 
DJing with Ableton is easy (and boring) as hell, LIVE work though is different so is this a question on whether to DJ with Ableton or to perform LIVE, as in LIVE act?
They’re both different from each other.
both I guess. I spend so much time on production and virtually none on live performance stuff. One of my dj friends asked if i wanted to join him on some dj gigs with ableton, so I gotta develop some Live skills, which should probably consist of DJ and LIVE performance skills.
Hey I know there is a way to link up at least traktor to traktor, Live to Live and Traktor and Live and I think maybe even Live to serato.
You can link the computers over your Ethernet ports and MIDI sync them that way.
Program called IPMIDI http://ipmidi.nerds-de.qarchive.org/ theres a link…
It can help you get in the right direction, I never tried it with serato and Live but im sure it works just tinker with it look on some forums etc.
[quote]Roben (02/11/2010)[hr]DJing with Ableton is easy (and boring) as hell, LIVE work though is different so is this a question on whether to DJ with Ableton or to perform LIVE, as in LIVE act?
They’re both different from each other.
[/quote]
Roben, I kind of agree and disagree… I taught myself to dj at the age of 17 and i’m now 35. I started with a vinyl deck (with no pitch control) and a cd player. Gradually, as I gained access to the funds I progressed to belt drive turntables, technics 1210’s, cdj 1000’s and now I like to use ableton and an APC40. It was a natural progression TBH I rarely dj live with ableton but I have and I enjoyed it… To my mind I have nothing to prove anymore I played out on decks (vinyl and cd) on a weekend for years and it was fun and I still do today.
Ok djing with ableton live takes away the skill of beat mixing but it doesn’t take away the other skills, blending tracks, building your set, playing to the crowd, adding efx…I suppose if you’re just going to use ableton live to mix tracks back to back from one to the next I can’t see the point but if you are going to try and create something fresh, new and difficult to recreate with 2 decks, more of a performance. on the fly re-edits and remixes then I can’t see a problem.
Live gives you the opportunity to use samples and tracks that you could not typically use in a regular dj mix…
Oh and I’m sure you’ll find that most of todays released dj mixes… Global underground… renaissance… Ministry of sound… hed kandi etc are all mixed in ableton live now.
When CDJ’s first started to be introduced they were heavily criticized, I used to regularly get some Nob come up to me and say “WHERE’S THE VINYL, THATS NOT DJING!” and now they are used in every club…
Don’t get me wrong I don’t think anyone 19 or 20 just starting out should think 'I’ll buy a laptop and ableton live lite and I’ll be a dj" There’s more to it than that!
just my two pence
I said it was boring and easy, as in i have tried it and it bored me. I didn’t say it wasn’t good for certain applications.
I’ve been DJing for 10 years, starting out on vinyl and then to CDJ, i just prefer the hands on approach.
I guess it’s like the difference of playing on a real drum kit as opposed to an electrical drum machine that does everything for you, all you need to do is key things in. Sure it frees things up to do ‘other things’, but you lose that human / natural essence and feeling, not only for the listener, but the performer as well.
TBF i don’t find this boring…
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[quote]djmarcatkins (04/11/2010)[hr]TBF i don’t find this boring…[/quote]
This video is full of win.