The DJ Toolbox - DJ Equipment Reviews and News

Bring up the subject of laptop DJing and you’re likely to spark a debate as heated as the argument about whether Macs are better than PCs. One thing’s for sure though, love it or hate, digital DJing’s here to stay.

So where does Ableton Live fit in? Well it’s a lot more than DJ software, that’s for sure. Released in 2001, it’s now at version 7 and has grown into a fully fledged DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) to rival the likes of Logic or Cubase, with a lot of unique features that make it stand out from the crowd.

There’s no doubting that the line between DJ and Producer has never been more blurred, and I could certainly write an in-depth review about all the production wizardry contained within Live. Much of that’s really out of scope for me on this occasion though. What I want to focus on is how it can be used to DJ.

With the likes of Richie Hawtin and Sasha using Live as a core part of their DJing set ups, and Daft Punk making it the centre piece of the amazing pyramid they perform in during their live shows, it must have something going for it. So what’s all the fuss about?

What people like

What really makes Ableton Live so special is its immense versatility. You get traditional DJing features like a crossfader, headphone previewing (with an appropriate soundcard) and EQ on each track. But you also get the ability to manipulate the music you play like never before with a host of advanced controls (more on these in a minute).

It’s not necessary to be clicking away with your mouse all the time when using Live either. You can make changes to nearly any setting you like with an external MIDI controller. There are lots of different controllers on the market, and Live is pre-configured to work with many of them, so it shouldn’t be hard to find one that’s right for you. This means the experience of performing with Live can still be hands on.

As with many CD decks you can set and store cue points and loops for later use, meaning you can jump to the right point in a tune and extend or re-order different sections to your heart’s content. This is just the start though, in Ableton Live you can have a whole raft of different songs and audio clips loaded at the same time. You can beat-juggle with multiple copies of the same tune, overlay several different tracks at once, and when you’ve got the hang of it the only limit to the unique arrangements you can construct is your own imagination.

But how do you keep all these different tracks beat-matched together? By the magic of beat warping. This is the process Live uses to set markers in your song wherever the beat falls. Once a track has been warped Live can increase or decrease its speed to match the tempo of your mix. This can be achieved almost automatically with beat heavy, electronically produced, music such as Techno.

The same process can also be applied to other styles. If the beat is less distinct, or there’s a bit of fluctuation in tempo, you’ll probably need to make some manual adjustments to get everything set up properly. Fortunately this process is quite intuitive, so you can be mixing your favourite old Reggie or Rock track with some brand new Hip Hop in next to no time. But that’s just one example - anything you’ve warped will automatically be altered to match the tempo of the mix when you add it to your Live set.

Maintaining the pitch of tracks is no problem either. Depending on the settings you chose, the track will either maintain its original key when played at differing tempos, or alter with the speed like on a traditional turntable. You can also use the transpose feature to set up versions of the same tune in different keys and create your own melodic progressions.

Ableton Live has lots of great built-in effects like delays, auto-filter, beat repeat etc. too. These can be added to a track and altered while the tune continues to play, so you can subtly change or completely mangle what’s playing at a moments notice. You’re not limited to what comes with the software either. More recent versions of Live allow you to add external effects that use the VST or Audio Unit formats, so you have even more creative potential.

It’s easy enough to group a set of tunes and audio clips together so you can start them at the same time, all you have to do is put them in a scene and you can trigger the lot at the touch of a button. Similarly, you can group effects together by combining them in a rack. It’s then possible to assign a MIDI control to several parameters in different effects and change them all at once, leading to some really interesting results.

Vitally, Ableton Live is very stable so you can be confident that it won’t crash mid performance. Also, from version 5 onwards the software provides full Mp3 support. This saves lots of time when downloading new tracks that you want to use in your mixes, because you don’t have to convert them into WAV format.

If you fancy giving it a try, getting into Live is a great way to bridge the gap between DJing and producing your own material. You could start off by creating your own drum loops, lead or bass lines and blending them in with other tunes. From there you could build until you’ve developed your own fully fledged tracks. Fortunately Live has excellent tutorials built right into the interface, which makes it easier to learn.

Finally, another great feature of Ableton Live is its ability to record everything. This not only makes the use of separate recording equipment unnecessary in many circumstances, it also means that every tweak from things like filter settings to crossfader movements is stored. So, if you’ve created a mix you love, but just wish you could change one or two elements without recording the whole thing again, you can.

What people don’t like

The biggest gripe you’ll hear from a lot of people about Djing with Live, and how Laptop DJs mix in general, is that it’s cheating. Many think that because software removes the need for beat-matching skills, and therefore the possibility the tracks will drift out of time, it detracts from the excitement of the performance. Also, that watching someone click away at a laptop for a couple of hours can be quite boring in comparison to seeing a DJ mixing it up with a set of turntables or CD decks.

Although the design of Ableton Live’s interface is thought by many to be one of its greatest strengths, some feel that it’s a bit busy and can be fiddly to control. Also, that getting the hang of using it can take a while.

For those familiar with mixing on turntables and CD decks, the jump to using Live to perform can be quite big. Using software that more closely mimics the well known decks and mixer set up, or enables you to control your Mp3s with your existing decks, is sometimes preferred. This is particularly true for DJs that like to scratch.

Ableton Live currently has no way to pitch bend two tracks playing within the software (although you can alter its tempo to match external sources). Although this should in theory not be necessary, if a track has not been warped perfectly it could be useful to be able to nudge it forward or back a bit to keep it right in sync.

Verdict

If you’re planning to play in clubs, you have to think seriously before opting to go with anything but the industry standards when buying vinyl and CD decks. This is for the simple reason that Technics 1200s and Pioneer CDJ1000s are installed in nearly every serious club, and if you’re more comfortable on another deck you’re less likely to give your best performance on the night.

Fortunately the laptop DJ doesn’t face this dilemma as chances are that you’ll be bringing your own laptop with you, so the choice of software installed on it is really up to you. What you’re looking for then, is a reliable tool that will best suit your individual style.

With the option of a slightly cut down entry level version, Ableton Live is an ideal way for you to learn the DJing ropes if you’re a beginner. Equally, if you’re an experienced DJ who wants to move across to using a laptop, you’ll find that it opens up a whole new world of possibilities. There’s no need to abandon your vinyl and CDs if you don’t want to though. You can easily add Live to your existing setup as a third (or fourth) deck.

If you want DJ software that more closely simulates a traditional Djing set up, then you’re probably better looking at Traktor or one of its many competitors. For scratch masters, and anyone who wants to control Mp3s with CD or vinyl decks, there are several great tools such as Serato Scratch Live. But if you want to create unique and amazing mixes, and you want to be inspired by the greatest range of creative possibilities, nothing beats Ableton Live.

Rating: 5/5 Stars