Abelton Set up
Call me a newb, stupid… but I would really appreciate help. I am taking into consideration goin from my mixer, A4DJ, and TSP2 to Abelton live. I am really confused if i got the Akai APC 40 and abelton ofcourse what would I need for this set. A mixer, audio card…? and Can you listen in the cue with abelton of what u wanna play like in traktor?? Thank you so much my budget would be 1100…
all you need really is ableton and a audio interface (if u want to play out)
yes you can cue tracks in live
and if you want to mixer external then all you do is route the outputs from live in to your mixer
Thanks 
4 Quick Q’s:
You can use a virtual routing program to route audio directly from Traktor into Ableton. Cueing can be set up a number of ways, but how I do it is to send each deck to it’s own channel in Ableton, set up ableton to send its cueing channel to the headphone out on my audio card, and just turn the individual cue monitors on an off in Ableton to cue. So this system (there are variations on how it can be done) goes like this for a two deck setup:
Traktor (external mode, 2 stereo channels out)>Virtual audio routing program>Ableton (1 stereo and 1 stereo cue out)>Mixer
You can also route individual channels from the soundcard to the mixer, and cue those channels directly from the mixer if you prefer. The bottom line is that many configurations are possible, and yes, Ableton +Traktor can handle most of them.
I really would recommend downloading the 30 day trial and testing it out before you commit. Ableton is a very powerful and complex audio editing/performance tool and for DJing it is no where near as newbie friendly as traktor or VDJ. There’s also a hell of a lot more preparation to be done before you can perform with it. It may not be for you.
Try it out first just with your audio interface and your mouse (that’s more than enough to be honest if you have planned your set well…)
The type of output doesn’t matter. You already have a sound card, use that one.
You cue by pressing the little cue button on the channel. Same as in every other program.
May I ask why you want to use ableton? You don’t seem to know much about it. It may not be what you think it to be.
If your interested I’m selling my APC40 with a license to a really good DJing setup that is designed around the APC40.
Ableton is great, I’m just using an iPad and BCR2000 now.
+1. I was trying to think of a way to say that politely.
OP, Ableton is one of the most complex programs out there. With the questions you’re asking…I don’t mean to be an ass saying this…it really seems like you’re going to spend money on it, scratch your head for an hour, and give up. Watch some videos and read the manual, otherwise you’ll be back here every 30 seconds with another question.
That’s not an insult…it’s just the way things are. Ableton’s tutorials are good, but you kinda have to have a clue what you’re doing before you can use it. It doesn’t hold your hand nearly as much as DJ software like Traktor or VDJ.
30 day trial! 
Come on you know that’s awesome. More than enough time to play about with it and get to grips with it. You can use your sound card with it and if after you decide it’s not for you you have lost nothing at all!
I second what people are saying here about Ableton. I’ve owned it for … well roughly a year now. I enjoy the DAW production aspect of it and understand that just fine, but I’m only finally getting the hang of playing with it as a mixing device and understanding how I want my workflow to work with Ableton.
If you want to produce and mix your beats in on top of other things, Ableton is the ticket imo. But it’s a long, long road toward understanding everything fully.
1. What is your prefered a audio interface.
Your Audio 4 is fine for this - or Audio 2.
The world is really your Oyster when it comes to soundcards and you’ll get 100 opinions from everyone. I’m using a Numark I/O and it works a charm if a lil lacking in headphone volume. Most peeps on here people swear by the NI cards and i’ll prolly pick one up too, they are reasonable enough for what you get.
M-audio fastrack pro is another to look for .. I used to have one and really regret selling it 
.
2. How do u cue? (if possible to explain)
There’s a Cue button on each channel in Ableton (and APC40) Beside the headphone volume in Ableton there is a button that sets the function between Solo (mute all other channels) or Cue function like in Traktor.
If you want to set a master / cue split (for headphone only mixing) its a lil more complex but you can do it with a rack.
3. I don’t understand the last part Do u mean if one wants to mix other sources to get a mixer.
You could also run CDJ’s or turntables / ipod if you needed to run another source…also IF you have lets say a 4 stereo out Soundcard you could mix your 4 channels on a hardware mixer rather than just on screen i think was the point
4. What type of output is on your prefered a audio interface? (rca mono xlr?).
XLR Jack or RCA .. once you can at least route the output to a house mixer (most have RCA’s on hand).. you can always convert jack/rca jack/xlr xlr/rca anyhow.
What soundcard are you using with Traktor .. once its got 2xstereo outs it should be fine?
And I second what other PPL are saying here .. its a VERY different beast to playing in Traktor - although once you get your head around things the possibilites are endless. For plain 2 or 4 deck mixing there’s not much point in using it. If you want to get into re-sampling / chopping / remixing on the fly its the dogs nuts though.
Re-reading your post .. your moving from traktor to ableton or looking to route traktor into ableton
Sry
Weird. I actually feel the exact opposite way about it. I love it for the live aspect. I did my DJ sets on it exclusively for over a year. And if I were going to do the Live PA thing, I’d look no further than Ableton unless I wanted to go 100% hardware (like with an Octatrack or something). But I kinda can’t stand it for production. So many things just take so much longer than in everything else I’ve tried.
For live work…Ableton is the sh!+ For production, IMHO and with the way I think, it’s a distant third between Logic and Pro Tools.
I personally think Ableton is awesome for writing music and arrangements, but when it comes to mix downs and editing it really is lagging in that respect.
The reason I want abelton is because I am joining forces with a friend who produces. Most talented producer and musician of his age I know. What we’ld like to do is play our songs like a musician would and mix like a DJ. Really open ourselves up doing a performance where we not only mix, and use the amazing Abelton effect processors but also to layer loops and songs and one shots to create music live. We are both very dedicated and I would take time and effort in learning how to use abelton. And when need run traktor. So again can I get a good abelton setup for 1300 and this setup. (if i do get an APC40 and a new mixer and audio card and do feel like its to much or need to small gigs i can midi everything to traktor and use my audio card)
Hey thanks for taking me seriously i appreciate it.
And for the great response.
So I have a 2 Channel mixer (numark x6) a Kontrol X1 and Audio4DJ and a little akai usb midi drum machine and of course TSP2. You think i should just keep all of that and buy a APC 40 and Abelton Live 8 (edu)?
To be honest I don’t think you can reall give advice regarding what hardware to by for use with ableton since your set up your live set could be completely different from that of others. I do think that a mixer is a bit redundant for use with ableton though.
Loved buying my APC40 since it comes with APCEdition Ableton 8 which can allow you to perform with it. =p
I would take traktor out of the setup altogether unless you are using it as DVS for scratching.
Are you both going to use separate machines or just the one laptop/controller ?
How much do you know about audio routing ?
Who is going to be button pushing, who will be DJ’ing?
Is there live instruments involved etc?
Your friend the producer “Should” know quite a bit about everything you asked so far.
You can realistically route everything any way you into or out from Ableton.
In most tag-team Situations I’ve seen there would lie a central mixer (hardware) to control what each person is doing if the systems are separate this safeguards you if one of you crash as well.
On the contrary with a nice 8/16 channel soundcard it opens up a world of yet more possibilites for external gear and routing. And would free up alot of controls on the controller (eq’s send/returns etc).
Personally for an audio interface and if I had your budget i’d go for something with 8 in/out for expandability and routing possibilities. Maybe see if you can pick up something like the Tascam 1082 which has a control surface and Soundcard in one you could pick one up S/H for about $250-300
M-audio do a 24ch card for around $500
Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 is around $300
Presonus Firestudio is around $500
m-audio fastrack Ultra 8/8 around $300
Audio 10 $399.
Oh and the Edu Licence will not cover you for Ableton Unless you are a student and using it as such.
And upgrade cheaper than the Edu version !
I’m sorry, this is confusing – I thought Allen and Heath were responsible for this “dogs nuts” product?
[quote]I’m sorry, this is confusing – I thought Allen and Heath were responsible for this “dogs nuts” product?
[/quote]
No Allen and Heath are definitely in the realm of Dogs Bollox. nuts is too “Nice” a term to use on such awesome machinery.
(Not to derail, but wanted to respond)
For me, I’ve come from much more of a production background rather than mixing traditionally. I understand all the concepts of mixing, I just haven’t ever really had the proper gear to practice. So with Ableton, it’s just a next step for me really.
It’s nice being able to throw a drum beat together fully, and then instantly check it out mixed over a track. Just the way I work I guess, I find Ableton brilliant for that respect. And I think that’s a key of production and live playback that works for a lot of people.
Compared to Fruity Loops or Reason, I also find it to be a much smoother workflow. But then again, all of these things take a lot of time and playing to get right. It’s all about messing with something enough until you get your own workflow through it. For me, Ableton as a DAW is really just icing on the cake. I’d probably be using Logic or Pro Tools otherwise, but Ableton does a bit of everything, so there’s no need.
If you are producing to any degree, and don’t have multiple DAW’s to choose from, then Ableton for a live setup and a DAW is exactly where it’s at.
But getting your mind around it is the long and painful part lol.