Ableton set-up: Akai APC 40+Technics+ Pioneer DJM-400+Audio8 (does it make sense?).

[miquel]

Hi!
After being a DJ for a while (first with vinyl, then CDs, now with Traktor), I decided to finally have a go at producing, and, after looking around, I decided to use Ableton. So, I bought the Akai APC 40, because I like working with a controller, + it includes a Lite version of Ableton. Now, my idea is, not so much to use the Ableton library, although I intend to do it, but to use a Technics Sl-DZ1200 and a Technics-1210 MK2 as if they were instruments (maybe I should say samplers, because I intend to use them to sample sounds), coupled with a Pioneer DJM-400 ( I also have an Allen & Heath : 92, which obviously would be a better option, but will keep on using it just for the DJ set-up, since I have to install Ableton et al in another space, and it would be a pain to carry it across from DJ set-up to Ableton set-up; on the other hand, I plan to use the same Audio 8).
Now, my question is: how do I go about setting this up? Any help is welcome, particularly in a very, very, straightforward way (I'm not very competent when it comes to technical issues, to say the least).
I looked for topics in the forums, but didn't find straight answers to what I intend to do. Can anyone help, or, if I'm repeating (an)other user(s) in this forum, point me in the direction of the right topic?
(Maybe I should be asking if this set-up it makes sense, but the thing is, right now I can only work with what I have at hand, without further (or at least more expensive) investments.)

Thanks.

[DJ Asand]

well yeah it makes sense to an extent.
you can't control anything in ableton with your decks bc theyre both analog decks.
In terms of "sampling" with your decks, that's what you're already doing in Ableton.
Just launch a clip in Ableton with your APC40.

The Audio8 soundcard is still a good choice as a sound card.
By the way, the APC40 was made for Ableton, so just plug it in.
You could use the DJM400 if you wanted to, just plug in the Outs from the Audio8 how you usually do.

How did you intend to use your decks as an "instrument"?

[miquel]

Considering you can plug in outside instruments to Ableton (guitar, drums, synth), I imagined one could use records and CDs as if they were sounds coming from an instrument, and the program as if it were a sampler: grab a couple of seconds, loops, from said records, scratch and use the mixer functions (EQ, effects), and them work around them (I figured maybe I could do a few edits, if I could record into Ableton). So no, it's not a question of controlling the decks, but recording/sampling from them in conjunction with the mixer.
The thing is, I have a somewhat extensive collection of records and CDs, and for me it would make more sense to begin producing with and around samples/sounds I'm familiar with, instead of just playing around with pre-sets (for me it seems a simple idea, and I don't want to be faced right away with limitless possibilities).

[DJ Asand]

ok I see.
well you can record a scratch coming from a turntable into ableton, but can't scratch in ableton if im not mistaken.

everything else though is possible

[miquel]

In that case, since I can record from records/CDs into Ableton (that's what I meant by sample, maybe I wasn't being clear), how should I set up all the pieces? I mean, very basically: what goes into what, what goes into Audio's outputs and inputs, what do I connect the mixer to, etc. I know how to set the DJ stuff (A&H, Kontrol X1, Mac, Traktor) but a detailed description for Ableton would be very appreciated, because, well, it's not the same (for instance, headphones: I assume they go into audio 8 (input), and not DJM-400, right?...).

And thanks.

[DJ Asand]

you could definitely mix externally into your djm400 but the only thing is that you'll be limited by the amount of channels it has. 2 + aux

if you wanted to use more, you should mix internally with your apc40.

everything else plugs in the same except you use the Headphone Cue from the Audio8

[padi_04]

ok I see.
well you can record a scratch coming from a turntable into ableton, but can't scratch in ableton if im not mistaken.

everything else though is possible

unless you have serato too (the bridge)

[miquel]

Thanks to both. Will have a go at it this weekend.

[DJ Asand]

unless you have serato too (the bridge)

very true, good sir