How many prefer to use Ableton over Traktor?
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  1. #1
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    Default How many prefer to use Ableton over Traktor?

    As the title says, how many use Ableton to DJ with rather than Traktor and why?

  2. #2
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    I would like to propose a 3rd category: people who use both.

    I route audio from Traktor into Ableton to beef up my two song decks running through custom racks and use a smart mixing setup for decks C and D which I use for drum loops, fx loops, one shots and live drumming so I can fire all that off without needing the arms and dexterity of a ninja octopus.

  3. #3
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    i use ableton to warp older un-quantized analog recordings for mixing in traktor, so really couldn't live without ableton for my eclectic mixes. with that said i much prefer traktor as a dj tool for too many reasons worth listing.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by duerr View Post
    i use ableton to warp older un-quantized analog recordings for mixing in traktor, so really couldn't live without ableton for my eclectic mixes. with that said i much prefer traktor as a dj tool for too many reasons worth listing.
    [+1] && ^ Both are Ean Golden

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by dirkd View Post
    I would like to propose a 3rd category: people who use both.

    I route audio from Traktor into Ableton to beef up my two song decks running through custom racks and use a smart mixing setup for decks C and D which I use for drum loops, fx loops, one shots and live drumming so I can fire all that off without needing the arms and dexterity of a ninja octopus.
    This sounds interesting, can you expand on this?

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    Please look at our DJTT blog and search for 'smartmixing' articles.
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  7. #7
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    I use Jack OS X and configure the JackRouter as a 8 in 8 out virtual sound interface and start routing.

    Then I load Traktor and Ableton.

    Set both to use the JackRouter as an audio interface.

    Then configure the routing to send the Traktor Outputs to the Live Inputs and the Live Inputs to the System Audio.

    You also need 4 audio channels for this, accepting external input from 4 stereo pairs (this is your audio coming in from Traktor), then ensure the output it set to 'Sends Only' and create 4 returns for your 4 audio channels.

    Then set each channel to send the total signal to one send like:

    Audio 1 full send to A
    Audio 2 full send to B

    and so forth...

    Ensure that the returns route the audio to 4 external audio outputs, which in my case is the 4 outputs from my audio 8 going to 4 channels on my mixer.

    This gives you a signal path as follows:

    Traktor > Jack Router > Ableton Audio Channels 1-4 > Sends A-D > Returns A-D > Channels 1-4 on external mixer

    I then midi sync Traktor to Ableton using Traktor's virtual MIDI output and ensure they are playing in time using the metronomes and the delay in Ableton's midi preferences.

    Now you have Traktor running through Ableton, sync'd and down to your mixer. You can also now use the effects in Ableton to affect Traktor's audio and it will all be sync'd.

    I then put a rack on channels A and B to beef up the signal on the return. The smartmixer bit which I am adapting from Bentosan's design and is sort of convoluted because I route both audio 1 and 2 (deck channels) to a dummy return which is what returns C and D listen for since I need a single audio source to use as key input for the smartmixer. What is perhaps odd on my setup is that I have return C duck to the dummy signal and not the other way around, I find I don't want the loop to compress the songs playing, but rather I want the loop to duck itself into the songs. I feel like it sounds better this way and makes the loops I run over the songs pump and breathe with the rhythm of the tracks playing.

    Live drums are provided by drum racks which go to return D and also duck themselves to the track decks. It's mostly for claps, toms, the odd sound effect and some conga pad tapping over dubby stuff.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by dirkd View Post
    I use Jack OS X and configure the JackRouter as a 8 in 8 out virtual sound interface and start routing.

    Then I load Traktor and Ableton.

    Set both to use the JackRouter as an audio interface.

    Then configure the routing to send the Traktor Outputs to the Live Inputs and the Live Inputs to the System Audio.

    You also need 4 audio channels for this, accepting external input from 4 stereo pairs (this is your audio coming in from Traktor), then ensure the output it set to 'Sends Only' and create 4 returns for your 4 audio channels.

    Then set each channel to send the total signal to one send like:

    Audio 1 full send to A
    Audio 2 full send to B

    and so forth...

    Ensure that the returns route the audio to 4 external audio outputs, which in my case is the 4 outputs from my audio 8 going to 4 channels on my mixer.

    This gives you a signal path as follows:

    Traktor > Jack Router > Ableton Audio Channels 1-4 > Sends A-D > Returns A-D > Channels 1-4 on external mixer

    I then midi sync Traktor to Ableton using Traktor's virtual MIDI output and ensure they are playing in time using the metronomes and the delay in Ableton's midi preferences.

    Now you have Traktor running through Ableton, sync'd and down to your mixer. You can also now use the effects in Ableton to affect Traktor's audio and it will all be sync'd.

    I then put a rack on channels A and B to beef up the signal on the return. The smartmixer bit which I am adapting from Bentosan's design and is sort of convoluted because I route both audio 1 and 2 (deck channels) to a dummy return which is what returns C and D listen for since I need a single audio source to use as key input for the smartmixer. What is perhaps odd on my setup is that I have return C duck to the dummy signal and not the other way around, I find I don't want the loop to compress the songs playing, but rather I want the loop to duck itself into the songs. I feel like it sounds better this way and makes the loops I run over the songs pump and breathe with the rhythm of the tracks playing.

    Live drums are provided by drum racks which go to return D and also duck themselves to the track decks. It's mostly for claps, toms, the odd sound effect and some conga pad tapping over dubby stuff.
    I thank you very much for taking the time to respond in such detail. Mucho Aprreciatedo

  9. #9

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    Pure Ableton for the simple fact that I prefer to make music instead of being hamstrung with limited tools like in traktor. Nothing against traktor but 4 decks is not enough. I have a serato sl3 which I never even plugged in again after getting Ableton. At some point I will try the bridge ... but the whole instrument/vst factor is where Traktor becomes a 1993 pro mma fighter vs a modern well rounded 2010 mma fighter like ableton

    my opinion on traktor is based on very limited use and aversion to button mash dj styles

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by djfrogstar View Post
    ... but the whole instrument/vst factor is where Traktor becomes a 1993 pro mma fighter vs a modern well rounded 2010 mma fighter like ableton
    I'm a little lost with this analogy, so mma fighters aren't the same through the years? Legitimately.

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