Advice upgrading setup to use Ableton + Traktor

[sidgallup]

Hi, ive been using this setup for the last year Xone DX and Xone 1D, using 4 track decks and the 1D for Traktor FX.

What i want to do is, find the CHEAPEST way to incorporate Ableton into my setup, what i need exactly is this:

I want to use Abletons fx, so i would need to route my 4 channels individually into Ableton so i can use whatever fx on any deck individually, then return Abletons output into my master output.

All of this using just one computer, any suggestions appreciated. Just take into account that im looking for the cheapest, easiest solution that doesnt require replacing my MIDI units.

Im using Traktor Pro 2, 4 track decks, 3 built in fx.

20151225_133056.jpg

[sidgallup]

This is the back of the unit showing all inputs outputs i have available. built in soundcard obviously.

xonedx-back_audio_works.jpg

[deevey]

Use Jack or Soundflower and run virtual audio outputs from traktor into individual virtual inputs in Ableton.

Ableton becomes your master output / cue

Thats the easy bit, getting midi clocks to sync nicely between the two apps for timed effects is another story

Cost: Zero

What OS and Firmware are you using ? I was offered a DX a few weeks ago (sub $300) and passed as was under the impression that the audio drivers are an issue on OSX these days and could not get a concrete answer ?

[sidgallup]

Thanks for the fast response, i remember trying to use JackAudio sme time ago but i hit a wall when i had to select the Jack Audio virtual soundcard as my output in Traktor, since that pretty much renders my Xone Dxs soundcard useless and there was no audio at all, i never got it to work and i assumed it will only work by using an external soundcard, like a NI Audio Audio 8 or something.

Are you possitive it can be done by using a Mixer with built in soundcard..

In regars to your question, the Macbook is running 10.8.5 up to date, Xone drivers are the latest ones released 3.2.2, Traktor Pro 2 2.8.1. I had some funky behaviour with later Traktor builds for some reason, but 2.8.1 ive found from my personal experience to be working flawless, cpu meter never above 30 percent, no audio dropouts.

The only problem i had with my pàrticular and old setup was when i had both, the 1D and the DX plugged into the computer via USB, now that was a pain in the ass, i had constant cpu spikes from 1 to 90 percent, Traktor freezing, audio cracking, etc, but since then ive been using a portable battery to juice the 1D and i just get its MIDI signal out and into the DX, since then no more problems or random issues.

[deevey]

Thanks for the fast response, i remember trying to use JackAudio sme time ago but i hit a wall when i had to select the Jack Audio virtual soundcard as my output in Traktor, since that pretty much renders my Xone Dxs soundcard useless and there was no audio at all

I never managed to get Jack to work either, however Soundflower works great.

Are you possitive it can be done by using a Mixer with built in soundcard..

Yep its no problem whatsoever

You need to:

1. Install Soundflower and set Traktor to external Mixing
2. Select the Soundflower Audio device and assign the external channels to each deck
3. Open Ableton and in the output device choose the Xone master and cue.
4. For the input device in Ableton select soundflower and enable channels 1-8
5. On each Ableton channel choose ext and select the respective deck inputs.
6. Remap your controller to Ableton and traktor so there is no overlaps, remap cues etc which will now be re-routed through Ableton.
7. Set up midi clock sync so there is no issues with timed effects or loops.

Getting the audio working is gonna feel like a walk in the park compared to getting the midi to play nice

[sidgallup]

words

well yesterday after a copule hours i managed to route all 4 decks from Traktor into Ableton, its working nicelely, even managed to actually synch the MIDI clocks and fx sound fine and ALMOST in synch (only did it by ear using both metronomes) however, one thing i dont like about it is that i lost the feature of listenig to both my main output and cue channel at the same time, with my DX i can send 2 decks to my headphones and also listen to the main mix at the same time, i couldnt find a way to enable this feature in Ableton.

On a side note, i found a video where a guy is using Traktor for miximg and Ableton just for FX without sending each individual channel, could it be that hes using Traktors "send fx" feature and then returning the fx from Ableton into the main output?

link


Any idea? this could be a better solution since Ableton will be just like an "external fx" unit and everything will me mixed within Traktor

[Patch]

Have you read Mad Zacks Ableton Sync hack???

[sidgallup]

Have you read Mad Zacks Ableton Sync hack???

not yet, did a quick Google search but couldnt find anything, does he have an alias or what. Im now considering to try and do what the guy in that video i posted did, seems to me hes using Traktor in internal mixing mode since the channel volume faders are active, and then he probably uses JackOSX or Soundflower to re route the audio into Ableton as one main channel, and from there he patches some FX, i see a delay, a compressor and an EQ i believe... that or he has some external audio interface hidden somewhere.

[deevey]

however, one thing i dont like about it is that i lost the feature of listenig to both my main output and cue channel at the same time, with my DX i can send 2 decks to my headphones and also listen to the main mix at the same time, i couldnt find a way to enable this feature in Ableton.

Attached is my old Ableton template which includes a cue / monitor mix on the master - just map the output gain knob on the split cue rack to the DX headphone cue/mix.

Its intention is to mix the master output with the cue on a knob, You might need to set the volume for the headphone separately and play around with the master output so its louder / quieter vs the cue.

Disabling cue on all channels will give you your master output only on headphones.

You can select multiple channels to cue in Ablton by holding each one down simultaneously in Ableton to latch.

Hope that helps.

Regarding Syncing the Clocks :

In Traktor
Preferences: Controller manager
Add a new device: Generic Midi, Traktor Virtual Midi: All Ports.

Under Midi Clock: Enable and restart Traktor.

In Ableton

Under Midi Sync look for Input: Traktor Virtual Output
Enable Sync. And set Sync type to Midi Clock

That should sync Ableton to any BPM changes you make in Traktor with Ableton without using the Metronome.

You might need to play around with delays and offsets to ensure its syncing tightly between the apps

Sync used to genuinely be a PITA to get working, (Ableton used to be fine as Master only) but just tried it now with the latest version of Traktor and Ableton and it works instantly from from Traktor to Ableton!

lite_dj Project.zip

[dj wo k]