Quantization in ableton and tracks that don't fit

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

Quantization in ableton and tracks that don’t fit

Hi there

I’d be interested to hear how others work round this issue I get with ableton. Options may be simple to you, but I don’t get much chance to chat to others who dj with this software. Most things I’ve worked out myself by trial and error, but I’m hoping those of you with experience will have some tips.

I find with some of the tracks that I play, such as old funk tracks, that it will follow a 4/4 like rhythm and will play nicely in time with a electronic track. But then the people who made the track 30 years ago, who clearly weren’t thinking of me when they wrote it, put in a bit that is 3 or 7 beats long. This then means that my tracks no longer play nicely together and sound out of time.

Now I have tried stretching the offending section longer or shorter which sometimes is OK, but this can make it sound a bit out of keeping with the rest of the track.

What do other do about this?

2

Create “mix in” and “mix out” points…I personally don’t like to mess with the drummers timing much (The swing is everything when it comes to most funk tracks.) But if you want to make a quantized refix, your best bet is to dice up the track into loops.

3

What CptMidnight said.

If you haven’t already, read this: Custom Edits of Classic Tracks in Ableton – Pt. 1

4

Nice one folks. That was just what I needed.

5

u could add an extra drum hit in