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Written by DJ Techbot
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Wednesday, 07 July 2004 |
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That was then, now things have changed.
The biggest change for me has been the upgrade to Ableton Live 7. Although this new feature was actually introduced in version 6. I simply couldn't afford the upgrade 'til now.
This new feature is the ability to load a set while another set is playing. This negates the need for a second laptop and means that the entire gig need not be as predefined as before. I have about 100 minisets writen at this stage and any one of them can be called at any moment. Once a sample from the new set is activated the set will auto adjust to its bpm If I so wish.
Ableton Live has two views for the dj to use. The first is the typical linear DAW type view where the pointer moves from left to right reading the samples and midiclips. The second is a grid containing samples and mini clips that can be selected similar to the SP808 or the Akai Mpc type samplers.
View A is the view I have used up until now, very linear and very predetermined. View B obviously is less linear and allows for more spontaneity. While view B (or method b) is more ideal it also leaves room for mistakes and bad choices for an inexperienced Dj like myself.
So my solution is to begin with A and slowly introduce more of B as time goes on. The nice thing about ableton live is it does not require that one make the choice A or B.
for method A, I have two stereo tracks containing alternating tunes pre-blended. These are the minisets I have been working on for the past few years. Since they use the simple paradigm of a DJ on the ones and twos, only two tracks are ever used.
for method B, I have cut up the minimixes into loops of varying lenghts ranging from one bar to 64 bars (and upwards). These are placed in minisets of there own, always on tracks 3,4 and onwards. Tracks one and two are always left blank (since this is where type A sets are placed.) Each of these sample loops can then be called at any moment and repeated as I see fit.
This means I can load up an A-type miniset, which guarantees me twenty minutes of un-interupted tunes and can be considered the lowest common denominator or worst case scenario. Then a B-type miniset can be chosen at random and mixed in at my leisure. Set A being assigned the left side of the DJ controller and set B to the right. The aim being to use as little of set A without compromising the night.
The result should be a coherent mix that is also largely spontanious.
The other major difference to the original gigs is this time I will also play other peoples music. Since these will be selected on the fly the issue of cheating which prevented me using them originally is now longer applicable. To this end I have pre-warped hundred of my favourite tunes and created minisets from them too. Although any one tune can also be selected I prefer a bit of preblending until I have had enough experience to blend them live.
So thats where I'm at now. There are other techniques I intend to use like the outstanding Live racks, beat slicing and other FX controlled by the phatboy and the xsession dj controller. These will be introduced bit by bit and I'll blog the success and failures as I progress.  |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 06 July 2008 )
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