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1. BEATS il 16 1 Figure 9 48 The DJ FX Macro Mapping mode 1 Use the Link button see Figure 9 49 to bind unbind the relevant parameter to the Ultra or Super knob To customize a parameter s behavior ensure that the relevant knob is unlinked Figure 9 49 The Link button 2 Twist the Ultra or Super knob to a start position for the custom mapping for example 9 o clock 3 Twist the relevant parameter s knob to the lowest desired position and click the Macro Min button see Figure 9 50 This sets the minimum travel point for the value Figure 9 50 The Macro Min button Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 221 4 Twist the Ultra or Super knob to an end position for the custom mapping for example 3 o clock 5 Twist the relevant parameter s knob to the highest desired position and click the Macro Max button see Figure 9 51 This sets the maximum travel point for the value Figure 9 51 The Macro Max button 6 Bind the mapping assignment by clicking the Link button again an active link is backlit orange 7 Click the Save button see Figure 9 52 if you want to keep your DJ FX map ping The Save button located beside the Super knob saves individual custom effects the Save button located beside the Ultra knob saves a global combo Figure 9 52 The Save button In the end it is quite difficult to explain what effects actually sound like I could throw a bunch of adjectives and adverbs a
2. Figure 7 29 Select any number to set the length in beats of your autoloop 3 Click the loop length within the Auto Loop Control menu The Loop Control value and the Active button shown in Figure 7 30 will both highlight signi fying an activated loop Green loop start end markers within the Waveform and Stripe displays represent the loop length Figure 7 30 Active button 4 Click Store to save the autoloop to the next free hot cue slot 5 Click on Cue Name if you want to name the stored loop Setting Manual Loops 1 Navigate to the desired loop in location and click the In button from the transport controls 2 Navigate to the desired loop out location and click the Out button from the transport controls 3 Click Store to save the manual loop as the next free hot cue 4 Click on Cue Name if you want to name the stored loop Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 141 Automatically Changing Loop Lengths 1 Click on any Auto Loop value to engage the Loop function 2 While Auto Loop is engaged click on any other value to instantly shift the loop length Manually Changing Loop Lengths 1 Initiate the playback of either an auto or a manual loop 2 Select the Move Advanced panel 3 Click the Move Mode drop down list see Figure 7 31 and choose either Loop In or Loop Out The names are fairly straightforward Loop In moves the loop start point Loop Out moves the loop end point MOVE C
3. Figure 5 22 Traktor s powerful Mixer section 88 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer 1 Equalizer EQ Separates the currently playing track s discrete audio frequency bands for smooth mixing and or creative effect You can choose different EQ models from Preferences gt Mixer gt EQ Selection 2 Channel fader Controls the relevant Deck s volume The VU meter shows the Deck s prefader output level in blue and can be adjusted via the relevant channel s Gain knob 3 Filter Controls the relevant Deck s bipolar low pass high pass filter From the default 12 o clock position the low pass counterclockwise and high pass clockwise filters are engaged via the tiny on off button nested directly alongside the Filter labeling You can choose different filter models from the Filter Selection option within Traktor s Preferences under the Mixer tab 4 Key Lock Adjusts the key or harmonic center of the currently loaded track Key Lock is engaged via the tiny on off button nested directly alongside the Key labeling or by clicking on the quarter note from the Deck section nested directly alongside the currently loaded track s stripe 5 FX Insert buttons Clicking on one of the numbers inserts the relevant FX panel into the relevant Deck s signal Be aware that disabling FX inserts completely cuts off the chosen effect including any delay or reverb tails 6 Channel Gain Controls
4. Now that your Traktor interface is fully loaded take a few minutes to go back through the previous steps The previous configuration is one that I use understandably you ll probably have your own process in mind Repeat Steps 1 and 2 a few times so that you have a handful of varied layouts and then go through Steps 2 through 8 again and alter the configuration for different performance scenarios The TSI File Traktor s TSI file is an abbreviation for Traktor Settings Information it s a file that saves all of the composite details pertaining to your personalized Traktor settings You can import and export these personalized settings as needed as you can see in Figures 6 23 and 6 24 lt gt lss l OD Native Instruments rH Q search DEVICES Lana Backup Settings mS ANES SS gt NI Audio Kontrol 1 pdf Z yes Ld Default Settings Gm Hercules nsole MK2 Ni Audio Kontrol 1 tsi J no I Keyboard Mappings Korg gt NI Maschine pdf Si maybe LJ MIDI Mappings e Aee Ni Maschine tsi E iDisk Numark mus oad Numark OmniControl l Y SHARED UL Numark TotalContro Adam Fe Pioneer ALLCCN Pioneer CDJ 400 l l Andy B Pioneer MEP7000 i L Reloop Ad l Annalisa a E Annas P vY AD Reloop Di Interface gt I Enable Traktor Settings Information 3 Cancel Open Figure 6 23 Importing TSI mapping files Import Export Settings m Keyboard m
5. menu choose Collect All and Save As you can see in Figure 10 7 you will need to determine what data you want copied into the project file If your Ableton DJ set con sists of a music collection in WAV format copying all of this information will take ages and could also chew an enormous chunk out of your hard drive On the other hand if Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 241 Specify which used media files are to be copied into the project Yes Files from Library Factory files from Library ves Files from other Projects Files from elsewhere Figure 10 7 Determine what files you want kept within your Live project folder you are using sample based plug ins it is often wise to copy this information over especially if the project file will be going between multiple computers or artists Regard less if you are DJing with other people or simply archiving your current DJ set Collect All and Save is absolutely essential to ensuring that your Live set opens at gigs error free this is not always a situation where surprises are welcome One other essential File Management feature is relevant when audio files go missing from your Live set or project If this happens go to Live s File menu and choose Man age Files As you can see in Figure 10 8 this process can be applied to the current Live set or across the entire project file For this example let s choose Manage Project under the Project header In Figure 10 9 you can s
6. 2 Figure 10 4 AKAI s APC40 Creating and Saving Your Live Set A Live set is Ableton s name for a snapshot of one specific session within a larger Live project Live projects contain and organize all Live set related information clips device presets audio files and so on One project can contain several sets For example sup pose you have a handful of gigs across a few different cities If you know that your setup won t change between gigs you can create a set for each city you perform in and for example export each gig recording for promotional purposes and so on As another example suppose you are working on an EP Each set could represent indi vidual songs and or versions of the songs Thus you could use the project file to house every conceivable piece of project data You can collect the original track and all remixes into one large file for seamless integration across all of the participating artists Not only does this structure help keep everyone organized but it also aids with archiv ing and file backup Live s File Manager is far too vast to cover in this chapter however there are a couple of key features that are absolutely essential to become familiar with Under Live s File 240 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer aP m Aar pO mec w Oi ROLE uy Wps DOW MOm VOE x s 1N UDANE X EEN o aa Figure 10 5 AKAI s APC20 Figure 10 6 Novation s Launchpad
7. Configuring Send Effects Due to the nature of the signal routing Traktor can only utilize send effects while set to External Mixing mode in other words the computer must be connected to a multi channel audio card that is in turn connected to the send return sources of an external hardware mixer 1 Open Preferences gt Output Routing 2 Set the Mixing mode to External 3 Set the output send shown in Figure 7 38 to the output channel that will route the dry wet effect signal from Traktor back to the FX return of the hardware mixer Output Send Co 1 Output Out 0 A 2 Output Out 1 Figure 7 38 Use this drop down menu to set your send FX outputs 4 Switch to Preferences gt Input Routing 5 Set the input send to the input channel that will receive the signal from the hardware mixer s FX send The input you see in Figure 7 39 is immediately sent to Traktor s FX panel Input Send AMan not connected R 1 Input 1 2 Input 2 4 Input 3 Swap Input Channel 4 Input 4 5 Input 5 6 Input 6 gt T Input 7 B Input 8 Figure 7 39 Use this drop down menu to set your send FX inputs Switch to Preferences gt Effects ot oe Change the relevant effect unit routing to Send 146 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer 8 Try sending Traktor some signal from the hardware mixer s FX send and experiment with the effects If you cannot hear anything verify the
8. Note The functions of loop in and loop out points are covered within the Loops section further along in this chapter The different types of storable cue points found within Traktor are Cue Point Variety Cue Fade In Out Load Description Marker Used to mark a specific reference point within a track for example a breakdown vocals the bass drop and so on Used to automate the Cue Play functions between two Decks D think bathroom break Immediately loads a track to a specified start point Load cue points are incredibly useful to cut out extended intros 136 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Cue Point Variety Description Marker Grid The first grid marker also the first hot cue Use it to jump to the beginning of a track Loop Stored loop in out points for a stored predefined loop Storing Cue Points 1 Click on the Cue panel from within the Advanced panels 2 Load an analyzed track into Deck A 3 Find the desired location and press the In button from the transport controls 4 You should see the temporary cue point jump to your current playback position 5 Click the Store button shown in Figure 7 22 If any hot cue slots are empty the cue point will automatically assign to the next available location STORE Figure 7 22 Store button 6 If desired double click within the Cue Name section shown in Figure 7 23 and type a descript
9. clip Figure 12 19 Test out these Loop parameters to determine how they can enhance your performance Logically the Loop button turns looping on and off The Set Loop Position button drops the left side of the Loop Bracer loop in at the current playback position the point where looped playback will begin This is followed by the Set Loop Length but ton which drops the right side of the Loop Bracer loop out at the subsequent play back position the point where playback will jump back to the beginning of the loop Note Ifthe Loop section is grayed out either the audio clip isn t warped or Warp mode is disengaged If necessary warp the relevant audio clip and you should be good to go So now you re looping This function becomes even more interesting once you fiddle around with the numbered boxes below both the Set Position and Length buttons Arranged in bar beat sixteenth fashion each box is MIDI assignable and allows for Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 313 real time loop adjustment Specifically the Loop Position controls shift the entire Loop Brace by the assigned amount in other words if your MIDI controller is assigned to the Bar command the loop will jump forward backward by one bar length On the other hand the Loop Length controls move only the loop out point thereby manipu lating how long the loop plays in other words if your MIDI controller is assigned to the Beats command box the loop end will
10. 258 259 MIDI tracks Ableton Live 252 254 MIDI Yoke 185 MIDI Sync setup Ableton Live 237 239 Mills Jeff 18 19 48 Minimal Musician 18 minute markers 152 missing track 109 110 mixer 48 Mixer section Traktor Scratch Pro 87 88 mixing Key Lock feature 149 150 preferences setting 148 149 modifiers defined 158 159 Direct mode 163 dual condition 164 166 Hold mode 163 if then statements 163 Mapped To commands 162 mapping details 161 and MIDI hardware relationship 159 toggle switch behavior 163 versatility 166 Wet Dry Advanced parameter 165 Monome 43 44 Moog filter 151 Moulton Tom 15 mouse control ghost pointer 130 mouse clicks 129 mouse sensitivity 129 one button mouse 130 Snap mode 129 succession adjustment 128 track control 129 two button mouse 130 Vinyl mode 129 moving crate 201 loops 141 M Plant 18 Music Box venue 17 music folder 94 95 Music magazine 12 N Napster 54 needle dropping 128 NHL Native Hardware Library technology 45 175 NI logo Traktor Scratch Pro 79 Noise Map 208 Novation Launchpad controller 47 Numark company 228 O Oakenfold Paul 17 Offline mode Serato 189 Omen 19 online content 4 On Off play mode Serato 224 organizational structure Serato 201 208 OSC Open Sound Control protocol 44 Osculator application 50 Oswald John 2 outputs audio interface 29 P P2P peer to peer technology 54 Paradise Garag
11. Due to the scope of this project The Laptop DJ Handbook is split into two parts This book Part 1 caters as much to curious or aspiring DJs as it does to DJs with slightly more experience behind them a resource to help grease the wheels of steel How ever the mix of system optimization with history technical data with techniques and abstract concepts with absolutes will hopefully find a place within the reading of any DJ or fan of digital DJ culture and technology Part 2 simply pushes digital DJing up the next logical step Written with somewhat more practiced DJs producers in mind the structure of Part 1 is developed and expanded through the use of advanced techniques performance methods and stage setups More on this later 4 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer An unavoidable byproduct of exciting new technology is the all too often dry language of user documentation Nevertheless communication between members of any culture can be difficult unless participants take the time to learn the lingo Product manuals do contain essential information a fact that shouldn t be taken lightly This handbook is not designed to replace them Rather through a combination of explanation and exam ple it is my goal to offer insight tips and techniques that bridge the various product manuals It would be interesting to comprehensively unravel each product within these two books unfortunately the scope
12. LATE O ESSEN EARLY O LONDON HIVE Gower Ar Tithe Aris Import Dale Anmbyr C 2009 07 26_2h16m08_T Exigen Pendle Coven i Modern Love 2009 6 6 Stripe Transients Gain 2 AUGUST PROMO O BPM E CEEP MINIMAL ZF F x Wish Was Hiene Becut Abo a 6 6 Stripe ents Gain EMSLEY TRACKS m k 26 rs You 4re_Orighmal Mix Julius Steinhof amp Hammon gt Smallville Records 1 POO Sel Stripe ments Gain 5 aa 7 a a a Brief Encounter Andy Stott i Modern Love oO AGG Stripe Transients Galn ESSEN DUB DEEP C ESSEN EARLY a pr Look And Stane Mark Broom i Di Recordings i ee stripa wients Gain 7 7 O ecceru unice l be H e1 This Town Mark Broom i Di Recordings n do Stripe wienia Gain 8 MYO Chambers Pendle Gowen t Modern Lowe 4 2 nibs Stripe Transients Gain 4 Haukku_ Original Mix Poro Pakkas Levyi Stripe wients Galin Kaumelin P r i Pokies Levyt i Stripe wienis Gain P P 20000001 Original Mix Omar 5 Figure 5 9 The Traktor GUI Header Shown in Figure 5 10 Traktor s Header section is designed to provide DJs with status feedback as well as instant access to Traktor s underbelly gt TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO 12 12PM OES i O Figure 5 10 Locate important status information within Traktor s Header 10 11 12 13 14 15 Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 79 Traktor logo Click to open Traktor s About window MIDI CTRL indicator Flashes when receiving
13. Sven Weieermann Clare etehecto Ferdie Soren Figure 9 13 Album Art List Ping Pong EP Brief Encounter j Drippin Chadderton EP Self Ageement 1011 Mit Peuken Und Trompeten 4 The Jourrsiny 1011 Dub Leland Quenbec Mi Dub Leland Quaantec Mix 10 11 Kpelle Trex iii Self Ascot One Cyele EP Dackelapper s Ball EP 10 11 Feree fre In Th Bagenning Dont Fong t The Jowrrary Taolate EP LOfii 10 11 Kenig Der Welt EP 1Ofii Sound Device Kipeila Tires Mystery Of harens Rem d The Journey Load Tanita The Dark Bemines Sailing Shor Sark Safari ep Hit Peuken Und Trampeben 2 The Journey iii Talib EP Trust Miles Per Hower iii Wish T Was Here Wish I Was H n Kine Tara Grief Encounter Drippin Chadderton EP 16 14 Mit Pouken Und Trumipeten 1 6 1487 Dah Inland Guarte Mix Bir Muster itahirech Schaellplatben Mader Lint Beer Lowa Bires Mus e Petrhirech Schaliplathen Bires Musee Bires Mudec Pistrhirgch Scholiplatten 019 Dine Musc Biodern Lowe Piethirech Schallplatten Rire Mus Bine Hutt Rine Musar Bine Hutt Coches Patrhirech Schallplatten 019 Core Records Piethirech Schallplatten Bire Husit Matrhirech Schollplabben Bina Husit Opes Corpi Bina Hude Matrhirech Liria bs Bim Piatz himch Schallpietio n Modern Love Alas ieueh Svehla The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer
14. m Album Art List Basically the same as the Simple List but with album art as well see Figure 9 13 b ki EYRSSRRRSE ened Bread Biro Original Kix Brief Feerunter Chadderton Chord Calcul Gods G9 guth aiite The D Mix Cesc Charki Dub Lele Dub Lind Gchofieshape Hir Erreala Yura Empathy Bax Ewil Frigen Experiment 3 ML Remin Plater FH Huren Felder Tv th Beginning Tabruiign a Leet Dubs Taelake Jo Interlude Jum Cie Tit KAGeig der Welt Svenk a dWorid Mix Step tiret Hinus Mead Organ Mystery Of hannis wersion 2 Parallels Phasil Reconstruction Raise This Flap Ae Life CV51S Dimensional Sasca Mix Sailing Shore Serk Teron Trekka Remi Slight Transition Trak S60 Hik Stringent Swarh Trust Tein Temaris et Werrnil linn Wish I Was Here Mires Rimi Chadderton Chord Caloulus cals Tha O H r Dub Deland biak room Andy Sbott Garo Intebecto Pendle Coven Henn Gi Alex Corbe Sore of the Dragon Hew Gi Geudiy Mate Cauda Mate Hew Gi Alex Cortex Mowe Perales Concert D Ghesthueber ditor Emalay Mere O Geoff Whee Bee D A Benjamin Brann Sore of he Dragon Chaat Bowe D Mere D Freund der Farin Bice D Pacou Aler Carte Manco Beneni daroan Errehry Sons of the Drager iowa Oh Luku Hass OVI Freund der Fome Brendon Moeller Hark Enon Sons of the Dragon owe Chasetbe Terrence Demon Mowe D Suaperkord Beduk Bedub
15. mE ugsmag com These are simply examples of a handful of sites that I frequent Unsurprisingly there are hundreds of online fanzines as well that cater to specific musical tastes and styles If you need more Google is your friend Hard Drives The New Record Crate It is pretty safe to say that most DJs at some point have been on one end or another of the analog versus digital chest beating contest Each camp maintains perfectly valid 62 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer arguments but at the end of the day the most important thing to remember is that this is supposed to be fun There is a happy medium out there for everyone In the past the logistics of storing and transporting music were primarily a factor of physical space whereas today hundreds of thousands of songs fit into your pocket It seems that every six months data storage doubles in capacity while the enclosures halve in size in fact several feasible options now exist that are smaller than the average wallet This is great news for portable setups however there are a few important points to note prior to purchasing a hard drive Do Your Research External hard drives from a reputable manufacturer not only will increase the perfor mance of your computer but they also could potentially save you from an agonizing experience down the road It is a common industry wide practice to house audio data music samples project files
16. s a great one stop resource if you are shopping for some new kit Traktor Certified versus Traktor Ready NI s development of the Traktor Certified and Traktor Ready classification system was conceived as a guideline for DJs uncertain of Traktor s compatibility with specific hard ware Basically the system falls into two camps m Traktor Certified mixers provide DJs with an all inclusive mixer MIDI compatible DJ controller and DVS system These DJ tools are entirely integrated systems designed to run Traktor Scratch Pro with the timecode control vinyl and without the Audio 8 DJ interface Each option comes with preassigned templates to easily assimilate the mixer into any DP s setup m Traktor Ready mixers provide DJs with direct MIDI controlled access over the Traktor Pro software Although some double as audio interfaces through which to route Traktor s output the Audio 8 DJ is still required to use Traktor s timecode control vinyl As with the Traktor Certified line each Traktor Ready option comes bundled with preassigned templates to easily incorporate these controllers into any DJ s setup Note Many of the Traktor Ready Traktor Certified devices also function well with Live as MIDI controllers or combined audio interface MIDI controllers For the most up to date information on future developments on Traktor Certified and Traktor Ready mixers check out the dedicated Traktor Certified Traktor Ready sec tions on the Na
17. s mouse control to Snap This will adjust mouse behavior so that movements directly snap to the Beatgrid markers within the Waveform dis play Adjust mouse control from Preferences gt Transport gt Mouse Control gt Snap 2 Select the Grid panel from within the Advanced panels 3 Load any analyzed track from Traktor s Browser List into Deck A Again you should be able to visually verify that a track has been analyzed if the waveform appears within the Deck s Stripe display If the waveform doesn t appear analyze the track from the Browser List Click on the Tick button from the Master panel Click on the Cue button from Deck A s Mixer section Click on the button from the Waveform display to zoom in on the track pl oy ee ae Press Play on Deck A You should now hear the beat tick overlaying the track The beat tick pulses every time a grid marker passes the current playback position If the beat tick is too faint in comparison to the track volume slightly lower the track gain to balance the difference In addition you can visually verify the Beatgrid s placement over a track s downbeats just remember to trust your ears 132 10 11 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer If the Beatgrid matches the track tempo they should be playing perfectly in sync Move farther ahead in the track by clicking within the Stripe display Do this in a few different location
18. ually fired off in an improvised remix fashion or they can be arranged into horizon tal rows and launched in combination as a scene think independent rows dedicated to a song s intro verse chorus and so on Whereas individual clips house their own playback features note that scenes rows of clips also have their own dedicated play and stop controls directly under the Master track header see Figure 10 19 Figure 10 19 Use scene launchers to play an entire row of clips To serve as an example some performers strip tracks down into constituent instru ments such as drums bass vocal synth and so on while others use Live s audio tracks as virtual turntables to mix entire songs DJ style Finally nearly every visible feature from track Volume faders pan pots effects sends and Mute Solo buttons to those less visible such as view states track selection and clip controls are all readily assignable to computer keyboard keys and or MIDI control surfaces In short Live does the adapting the performer doesn t Session Mixer Earlier on I mentioned one particularly powerful Session Mixer feature its modular ity In form the Session Mixer somewhat resembles the structure of mixing desks most often found entrusted to studio engineers however in function it caters to artists Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 249 ranging from DJs and producers to sound designers and composers once again with
19. 177 Shift button 178 Transport section 176 Traktor Pro See also Traktor Scratch Pro beatgrid adjustment 131 134 example of 133 grid marker 132 133 placement 131 stripe display 132 Calibration process 125 127 consistency check 109 111 Controller Manager controllers assigning 154 158 Human Interface Device HID technology 174 175 mapping details 155 156 MIDI commands 156 157 modifiers 158 166 new control device creating 155 overview 153 154 cue point Cruise mode 138 139 deleting 139 fade in out 138 hot cue 137 load cue 137 138 storable 135 136 storing 136 temporary current 134 135 effects Advanced FX mode 144 Chained FX mode 144 FX panel configuration 142 143 insert 144 145 presets saving 146 147 send 145 146 testing 146 EQ models 150 151 filters 151 152 Key Lock feature 149 150 layout appearance 112 115 loops auto 140 deactivating 142 description of 139 length 141 manual 140 moving 141 Master Clock 123 124 Master Clock tempo 122 123 Master Deck 122 123 mouse control 128 130 multiple collections maintaining 117 118 music folders importing 94 95 music loading 93 94 playlists creating 97 99 deleting 103 duplicated tracks removing 103 exporting 101 102 profile customizing and saving 112 118 quantization 147 148 root folder 116 117 Search function 108 109 Sync function 122 125 timecode configuration 127 128 timecode vinyl CDs
20. 194 197 lingo 4 Live set Ableton Live 239 241 303 LiveControl option 51 load cue point 137 138 loading music 93 94 track 119 120 Loft club 15 Loop Move Beatmap panel Traktor Scratch Pro 85 Loop section Kontrol X1 controller 176 177 looping parameters Ableton Live 312 313 338 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer loops Autoloop Loading 169 auto looping factors 215 controls setting 170 172 deactivating 142 description of 139 engage disengage 215 envelope 282 283 length 141 loop roll 217 manual 140 markers 171 moving 141 from playing Deck 216 size 170 from stopped Deck 216 Lopez Eloy 56 M Mac computer specifications 25 26 versus PC 25 26 macro assignment 168 Making Music with Mobile Devices Childs 50 Mancuso David 14 15 manual mapping 322 325 Marclay Christian 12 13 Maschine Native Instruments 38 40 Master Clock 123 124 Ableton Live as 328 329 Master Clock panel 80 81 tempo 122 123 Traktor as 183 184 Master Deck 122 123 Master panel Traktor Scratch Pro 80 master track 253 254 Max for Live 44 Maximize Browser button Traktor Scratch Pro 79 May Derrick 16 18 48 MCs versus DJ 9 memory 26 MIDI audio interface 31 MIDI controls Serato controller assignment 226 228 MIDI indicator Traktor Scratch Pro 79 MIDI mapping Ableton Live 321 328 MIDI mode Kontrol X1 controller 177 178 MIDI routing Ableton Live
21. 2 3 and 4 Each button in turn represents the activation of respective FX panels 1 2 3 and 4 The leftmost knob on the top of the DX2 s FX Control is now assigned to control the wet dry balance for all four FX panels As you can see within the preceding table as well as in Figure 8 10 Mapped To shows the same value for all four Dry Wet Advanced parameters Because we are trying to control four independent FX panels from one small MIDI control surface it is important to understand that hardware knob positioning will not transfer from one Traktor FX panel to another the software state remains as it was previously left For example if we hold Modifier 1 and twist DX2 knob 1 fully clockwise FX panel 1 s dry wet balance will be 100 percent wet However the other FX panels may be at oppositional depths for example 0 percent or dry If we press Modifier 2 in this situation and twist DX2 knob 1 Traktor s wet dry mix in FX panel 162 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Mode Hold Modifier 1 Global Hold Chi6 Note A6 Modifier 1 Global Hold Chi Note A6 Dry Wet Advanced FX Unit 1 Direct Chi6 cc 006 Dry Wet Advanced FX Unit 2 Direct Chi6 cc 006 Dry Wet Advanced FX Unit 3 Direct Chi6 cc 006 Dry Wet Advanced FX Unit 4 Direct Chi6 CC 006 Add In Add Out Chi6 Note D6 Comment Modifier Value Modifier Value Modifier Conditions F Type of Controller Button Interact
22. 2 Vanilla Twilight b Owl Gay he i a anryoee Passion P The Future Will Ay Ay Ay Merriweather Po XX Bonus Track Brash amp Vulgar Real Life le No C intheF The Juan MacLean Matas Aguayo Animal Colectwe The Xx In Flagranti Lindstrom amp Chris Trus me 4 Shots 3 LMFAO amp Lil Jon 5 Hollo Seattle Owl City 6 Hot Air Balloon Owl City 7 Fm in Miami Bitch LMFAO Figure 4 1 The iTunes Music Store Most popular music can be found within the iTunes Store however as you begin to diverge from mainstream styles of music at some point you are probably going to have some trouble finding what you re after 56 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Note An important factor for DJs to take into consideration is that as of April 2009 Apple removed the DRM protection from its entire catalog which released the proprietary hardware software combination between iPods and iTunes libra ries Prior to this DRM protection upon iTunes downloaded MPEG 4 m4p files used the Fairplay Digital Rights Management technology which prevented their use within third party software DJ applications What this means for today s digital DJs is that any music recently purchased through iTunes is open for use with virtually any music software or hardware Still iTunes most powerful aspect comes from the organizational features of the iTunes application itself Like it or hate it Apple has certainly p
23. As 100 cents comprise a semitone you are given 1 200 steps to work with across an entire octave With Live s Warp mode enabled Transpose and Detune only affect playback pitch not playback speed This allows you to match a 110 bpm track with a 130 bpm track with out the Mickey Mouse effect On the other hand when Warp mode is disabled Transpose and Detune behave more like a turntable CDJ pitch fader in other words it affects both pitch and playback speed The small fader to the right of the Transpose dial is the clip gain For the most part the Clip Gain fader serves the same purpose as a channel gain knob on any typical DJ mixer As mentioned in earlier chapters gain allows you to match the relative levels of for example volume differences between two separate songs prior to mixing them together with the channel faders Sample Display Upon selecting any audio clip an overview of the audio file s waveform appears on the right hand side of the Clip view Referred to as Live s Sample display this window provides dynamic control over a handful of vital features most notably Warp Markers and audio clip Loop functions but it is also the portal through which you view zoom and scrub your clips both audio and MIDI If Warp mode is disabled zoom in on a sample by clicking and dragging virtually any where within the Sample display With Warp mode engaged zooming and scrolling are done within the beat time ruler or wit
24. D i figure caption l Figure 10 21 Grab and drag up down to resize the track Volume faders 2 Move your mouse to any track title bar for example 1 Audio Click and drag the right hand border of the text box see Figure 10 22 to expand or contract the overall width of the Live track Figure 10 23 shows an example of a widened and fully extended fader Each check mark delineates the logarithmic dB decibel curvature inherent to the internal hard ware components of many professional studio DJ mixers and of no coincidence the biomechanics of human hearing 250 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer ee Please see J figure caption Figure 10 22 Grab and drag left or right to resize the track width Figure 10 23 Expanded Volume faders How exciting Note We will cover controller assignment specifics in Chapter 12 however until then remember that you can map virtually everything you see within the Session Mixer to commands on your MIDI controller or computer keyboard Live s Tracks Live s audio MIDI signal flow is managed sourced and fed through one of four types of tracks To some extent all of Live s tracks share similarities for example the track Volume fader on an audio track behaves exactly the same as it does on a return track Nevertheless it is important to know where these differences lie Thus the following is a brief breakdown of the various track features pr
25. FX Select Highlight FX Select and click Learn Twist DX2 FX Control knob 1 to bind learn them Duplicate FX Select and repeat Steps 3 and 4 for DX2 FX Control knobs 2 3 and 4 oto ao ie E When you have all four FX Select parameters learned to DX2 knobs 1 through 4 adjust the FX Select settings to mirror this table Traktor Type of Interaction Command Controller Mode Assignment Button Options Mapped To Cond1 Cond2 FX Select Fader Knob Direct FX Unit 1 Soft Takeover On Ch16 CC 006 M1 1 M2 1 FX Select Fader Knob Direct FX Unit 2 Soft Takeover On Ch16 CC 004 M1 1 M2 1 FX Select Fader Knob Direct FX Unit 3 Soft Takeover On Ch16 CC 025 M1 1 M2 1 FX Select Fader Knob Direct FX Unit 4 Soft Takeover On Ch16 CC 023 M1 1 M2 1 To translate this into English DX2 FX Control knobs 1 through 4 are now used as the effects selector for FX panels 1 through 4 respectively However the knobs still won t do anything until modifiers have been engaged Cond1 and Cond2 each represent the if and of the conditional formula by this I mean each modifier must be active in order to select effects with the DX2 s FX Control knobs Explained another way Modifier 1 2 3 and 4 are still assigned to the same gray DX2 buttons 1 2 3 and 4 So the setup now is that when no modifiers are held the Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 165 DX2 FX Control knobs don t do anything If one of the DX2 s buttons 1 2 3 or 4 is held FX Contr
26. Live requires a lot of preparation and maintenance and I mean a lot If maintaining navigating and loading a large music collection quickly and efficiently is an absolute must you will probably be happier with Traktor or Serato as their Track Browsers are carefully designed for just that purpose Scrubbing through a song in Live takes a few more steps and simply doesn t work as well in a live setting as the equivalent action within Traktor or Serato More importantly the options for multiple cue and loop points are nonexistent as of Live 8 a solution somewhat rectified via the Bridge Tip Even though Live doesn t facilitate multiple cue and or loop points it does allow you to cut a song into as many pieces as you like Unlike in Traktor or Serato in Live once clips are cut out of a song you can edit them to an extent only limited by your imagination With a bit of patience and experimentation Live actually lets you do exponentially more with Loops than the other two apps discussed in this book Ableton does not display album art and it also does not recognize standard music file metadata tags artist title and so on There are little tricks to speed up track browsing in Live however one of the most immediate disadvantages of Live as a DJ tool is maintaining a music library Once you get the hang of setting up Warp Markers the process does become faster but Live saves this data in specific asd files that must be stored alongsid
27. Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer have created an interesting narrative in DJ culture Dubstep s relatively recent global explosion should generate an interesting set of circumstances for grime because as grime attempts to keep pace the innate competitive nature of MCs and their crews will hopefully create an intensely tireless environment of experimentation and inspired output To The Future Who better to produce music for a dance floor than an individual who understands what rhythms people will dance to A DJ is conscious that rhythm generates hypnotic undulations melody toys with emotions and frequency bathes dance floors in shifting magnitudes of shared sensation In the past these themes were largely understood by a DJ through the music of others the postmodern process of creating new music out of existing music For artists the challenge for the future of DJing lies in expanding upon these concepts Over the last century DJ culture s pioneers have built an industry that has continually rewarded experimentation Now more than ever the digitized music industry has provided DJs with an enormous resource of tools to expand upon performance and production Because they are no longer constrained to turntables vinyl and a mixer current laptops provide forward thinking DJs with more than enough power to realize their musical ambitions The nonspecific nature of the contemporary DJ setup serves as a direct illustration
28. Sy CN 1 6 e ar T 328 DTN ASIN AS la cigars arcane ele cee slo a ate a ele ie VE TAS a O A ER TE E T 328 NAC AS SIAN NE EE E E E E E E Neate E 329 AEN a A O eed en Onecare re 330 Chapter 13 Parting Thoughts for Next Time 331 Introduction The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer is the first book in a two part series intended to encourage DJs to embrace the various tools emerging from contempo rary digital DJ culture In this first text much of the introductory material caters to readers ranging from those with virtually no experience to those with a fair degree of awareness concerning the digital DJ realm however the approach is specifically devised for varied understandings of both computers and DJ technology This text should be used as a companion to the user manuals included with the products discussed throughout the following chapters What You Will Find in This Book Among other things you will discover m An introduction to DJ history evolution culture and concepts mE The digital DJ life Why laptops and hard drives are the new record crates Descriptions workflow and examples of advanced performance techniques and stage setups catering to contemporary digital DJ sets The essential features of industry leading DJ performance software such as Traktor Scratch Pro Serato Scratch Live and Ableton Live How to augment your DJ sets with hardware controllers ranging from the APC40
29. While browsing right click on any track and choose either Append to Prepa ration List or Append as Next to Preparation List Append as Next will drop the selected song into the preparation playlist immediately following the last track played If you like to begin every set fresh right click Control click the preparation playlist within the Browser Tree and choose Clear Playlist Tip Assign the preparation playlist Append functions to a MIDI controller or hotkeys to seamlessly integrate the process into your workflow The History Playlist If a gig goes particularly well you may want to keep and or share what you played including the order in which you played it Although the History playlist resets every time Traktor closes a separate playlist is created and archived for each Traktor session As mentioned previously you can find all archived Traktor History playlists from within Traktor s Browser Tree under Explorer gt Archive Some useful History playlist functions Import previous History playlists to access old sets Export previously imported History playlists including all tracks Export clearly labeled track listings in HTML format for printing sharing via Save as Webpage Exporting Playlists If you want to move a playlist to another computer share it with a partner or create a mobile playlist on a USB drive perform the following Right click Control click on any playlist from the Browser Tree or the favori
30. a tiny pair of devices dedicated to cue points and loops And of course we can t ignore the fact that Serato exclusively licenses out the SSL software for use with Rane s hardware Another type of collaboration that results in some handy DJ hardware software combos is Ser ato s Approved line of third party USB controllers Figure 9 62 Novation s Dicer an ultra portable cue and loop control surface Companies such as Denon Pioneer Numark and recently Novation have all devel oped hardware that instantly integrates with the SSL software What this means for DJs is seamless access to a feature list premapped across hardware that offers platter Deck control buttons and faders all of which cater to a specific style of digital DJing I mentioned earlier that SSL lacks a MIDI LED out functionality Serato Approved hardware bypasses that issue SSL s HID Human Interface Device support adds an impressive level of information feedback to hardware devices such as the CDJ 2000 mentioned in the previous Trak tor chapter For example with the Scratch Live 2 1 update CDJ 2000s enable the remote browsing of SSL s Song Browser So what Well not only can you use the CDJ 2000 s hardware display to access SSL s Library but the CDJ monitor also dis plays album art and even the waveform overview and cue loop points once a track is Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 229 loaded Further although Serato still requires a Rane au
31. are cueing up to drop the first downbeat the time it takes between sliding the record forward and hearing the kick through the speakers is referred to as latency The lower the value within Traktor s or any other audio application s preferences the tighter the overall control Tip If you experience unpleasant audio artifacts such as clicks pops and or dropouts try raising your soundcard s buffer size By increasing the audio buffer you are giving your computer more headroom to efficiently manage all of the 32 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer incoming outgoing data streams This adjustment setting is usually found within your DJ software s preferences page or through the soundcard s dedicated soft ware setup panel On Windows PCs most of the popular music software applications support the ASIO Audio Stream Input Output drivers written years ago by Steinberg developers of Cubase Additionally a vast number of audio interfaces also support the ASIO pro tocol to give PC users ultra low latency performance Mac users on the other hand are blessed with the highly efficient Apple developed Core Audio Note Windows PC users caught in a situation where connecting an audio inter face is inconvenient an airplane should download the ASIO driver ASIO4ALL from www asio4all com It s free and should serve as a temporary fix for troubles caused by standard Windows drivers The Software At the
32. fixes and product enhancements Best of all updates are always free m Aimed at the digital vinyl purist SSL when connected to hardware such as Rane s Sixty Eight DJ mixer presents DJs with powerful turntable based control options over two three or four Decks m SSL DJs embrace powerful performance features ranging from the digital standards of cues and loops to the expressive SP 6 Sample Player Expand upon traditional DJ Chapter 3 Gear 35 performances with the ability to fire off up to six different MIDI assignable audio sources on demand m Scratch s astonishingly well constructed Browser employs numerous paths to searching and organizing your music library The inclusion of the Smart Crate concept creates an automatic rule based organizational system that streamlines library organization via automatic criteria filters On top of that iTunes users gain immediate access to their DRM free iTunes library while album art offers visual cues over a vast collection of music DJ setups are never complete without effects SSL provides a comprehensive and highly customizable array of serially connected FX plug ins as you can see in Figure 3 4 An intuitive somewhat modular workflow lets performers specify the performance behaviors of MIDI assignable effects devices ae EE POA sneak 126 L i Parallels g a Mark Broom 07 26 67 Jason Emsley ABS REL INT GEPTH e woe COLORS FAD iar Tii 7 s fa z h
33. homa W Loops 2 Ww Emsley W Tobias Becker w Platzhirsch Figure 9 20 Use this drop down menu to define a tempo window prior to analyzing the Serato Library or individual Crates Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 201 Organizing Your Music Library At the core of Serato s organizational structure lies the Crate concept an obvious throwback to storing and transporting vinyl Within the Serato Library Crates gener ally refer to a collection of music files whereas playlists minus the iTunes Library assume their radio heritage by referring to a schedule of what was or will be played Semantics aside Serato s organizational structure is arguably the most efficient and effective on the DJ software market Considering how complex a 500 GB music drive can get organizational subtleties are that much more indispensable Crates Serato provides you with two different Crate types regular Crates and Smart Crates Standard Crates are essentially folders that are used to organize your tracks in any way that you see fit Smart Crates on the other hand intelligently organize your tracks through include exclude criteria Double click on the text of either Crate type to rename it Select any Crate and click Ctrl Delete to delete it from your Library To create a normal Crate click on the small brown Make New Crate icon see Figure 9 21 located in the bottom left corner of the GUI With regard to standard Crates any single song can be held
34. or other supported hardware device Serato s GUI should appear somewhat like mine in Figure 9 16 This is SSL s Offline mode that I mentioned earlier Offline mode gives you access to a few critical features most importantly you can quickly perform track analyzation SSR a TSH Lives 0206 1 jat 0322 4 x i ii aun Loor i nw biui idit ATT Experiment 3 MLZ Remix 118 F315 N jh Wut My ii alll a AN fi WAN Ti hi LAL i TRI Wili 14 yiu AAT UET S laj DJ Ghosthunter 00 18 0 zaage MANIN i yi A Lill Hull Ni MON aaua a a ai l wi wn ss Fisa REE ve aps Sac EF Ermi iw ar ENIRI J Filaa button Glick here to open the files panel This a where yow EBS impit flee pad feleers into your erates Live Ebrary h roal fare dk reseed 001 EERE l Bire Original His Brog a 5AT Mimit Patrtirech Schallplatten I5 Brief Enctrsber Andy Sir Enoowtter ripi a iE Hod ri Liri AT A l Chard Coleus Penda Crven Def Armadi 3 Hadarn Lesa 2 Code 649 Herm igiit a 05 Bire Pei Un Douh Alex Crorbax Bit Peskens Urd Trumpen F 1 DAT Rathinech Schall patten 26 MY The D Mix Coca of the Dragan The Jerar Deion Darii Herm iti 4 66 04 Bire Pia 27 Cash Laland Gaaudis Mats Dk Daler aniar Mie l Dut Llond Eeholieshope Mix Cudi Mabe Dob Liland anbot Hir Eretionaliy Tiuri biii D fata gi F880 Rire Pai i Empathy kx Ades Corben gi Tras a E Ratihirsch Schellpatten 019 Exil Hore D ai 02 Birre Misiit
35. saris Ra RAL Album Art Grid 1 iTunes styled list with track metadata nested to the right of the cover art see Figure 9 14 Album Art Grid 2 Again an i1Tunes styled list with track metadata nested underneath the cover art see Figure 9 15 1 Baked Bread Mowe D i i Ob 20 397 Mark Eroom length 0 G4 Fat eoenment Miniral Bine Music Gouth Alex Corbex Biro Original Mix album Ping Pong EP lobe Petrhigch Schollmat album Mit Peuken Une Tru l ngth Ob 14 87 dport Bine Huske Dub Island EchoRashi Claudio Msta Gub island Qusnte 0 31 92 Experiment 3 MLZ Ran 15 63 Ghosthunbar re Gyda EP Jaxon Erneley 015 04 bength 07 14 10 eae Emotionally fours label Pletrhirech Schaliplet ahum Baclelapper s Ball lobe Metrberech Scholiplet Leolate Quarnbec Ieelake EP h a Tnbrasion s Lost Dub Sone of the Dragon The Jewry bhira Pacou Mayfiret Hova D iii O8 00 71 0618 20 Bone Mieke Phase Reconetructhoy 10 Sone of the Dragon The Joum 110147 Figure 9 14 Album Art Grid 1 wun Backelepper s Ball EP igi length 07 1410 EE ae m eames label Pistrhdrech Schoelipletten z 35 Force Enc hnair A Corr Bine Huse found Device ee on ee s Freund der Familie nig Car Walt FP 513 Reel Life CVILI Dimensio Luke Him lgnite The Derk Remika Oe 1865 urs Pra wade Trust Tarrant Dinon Or FA T oT 0G 59 5A Hayir hova D 10
36. solo as needed Meanwhile every parameter is presented in clear text upon Kore s backlit LCD screen in essence as you can see in Figure 3 8 it is like having hands on access to a carry on sized tabletop of studio hardware Figure 3 8 The controller looks all sweet and cuddly here but trust me that the red backlighting looks sinister on a dark stage m The concept of the Native Instuments KoreSound makes filtering and searching for sound and effect presets quick and logical Construct your own rack configurations and save them as a KoreSound for instant on the fly access within the middle of 42 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer your performance As you can see in Figure 3 9 Kore 2 s mixer channels and my plug in editors are all directly visible New Performance j ela aJI GORAMA GS i Figure 3 9 Kore 2 Maschine 303 emulator effects instant acieeed Combine Kore with Maschine s Step Sequencer to directly send sequenced melodies and rhythms or modulation data think effects to any plug in loaded within Kore s virtual rack m Akin to Maschine the Kore hardware and software can both be used independently of one another the software for editing purposes and the hardware as an exceed ingly versatile MIDI controller Additionally the hardware can be flipped from Kore control to MIDI mode and back further amplifying the inspirational capacity of the device Effort
37. some customers opt for software purchases even though their computer does not match or exceed the prerequisites If you already own a computer it is paramount that you verify this information before spending any money Because specifications are readily available to prospective buyers software developers won t help you if your computer hardware is not up to par Caution Be wary of system requirements These are nothing but generalized guidelines under which software will launch and run They do not take into account advanced use so you may bump against the ceiling earlier than expected On the flipside the fastest most powerful read expensive computer on the market may not be the most cost effective solution Consider stepping one tier down and strategically placing the excess saved expense elsewhere for example in more RAM a faster hard drive a good audio interface or that MIDI controller you ve been eyeing Mac or PC Undoubtedly you have run into the Mac versus PC debate at some point The unfor tunate side effect is that misinformation abounds and more often than not it is utterly inaccurate Music software works equally well on either platform In the likely event 25 26 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer that you are using the laptop for more than just DJing the choice becomes more about personal preference There are dozens of applications in the audio and video worlds tha
38. 1 of this project however Part 2 of The Laptop DJ Handbook will dive into the various ways artists can exploit Racks onstage Fortunately Live s user documentation provides a healthy description covering what precisely the Rack is Definitely flip through it when you have a chance Tip If you find yourself reusing certain effect chains simply highlight all of the effects devices right click OS X Control click on any device header and choose Group see Figure 12 25 from the drop down context menu After wards click the Save Preset button see Figure 12 26 upon the newly created Audio Effects Rack device Do this a few times and you can quickly drop com plex effect chains into any of your Live sets Show Preset Name Lock to Control Surface 2 APC40 Repitch Fade Jump Figure 12 25 Group together effects that you use regularly it s a big timesaver Figure 12 26 The Save Preset button Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 319 Mapping Live s Controller Assignments Concerning Live almost everything I have discussed so far relates to the functions and features available to nonconventional DJing When does this information become practical With controller assignments Live is truly born man I love a cheesy pun after these features are given some type of tactile interaction Whether you are on an airplane with a computer keyboard and mouse or onstage with a tabletop of gear Live s controller assignments seam
39. 8 12 from within 1 0 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Preferences gt Transport gt Loops Traktor will automatically assign a loop to any track shorter than the displayed length Loops sasea TO eT Figure 8 12 As a safety measure for playing short loops check the looping Auto Detect Size Setting Looping Controls With NPs understanding of the creativity looping affords a modern DJ performance it was vital that the company paid special attention to Traktor s loop engine It must be seamless and transparent instinctual not procedural Fortunately Traktor gives DJs numerous looping options to work with For example if you tend to stick to loop sizes of around four to eight beats you may only need to assign two buttons to your MIDI controller one for each loop size Click ing the button sets an automatic four or eight beat loop clicking it again disables it MIDI Learn these specific controls to your mapping 1 Open Preferences gt Controller Manager and select the relevant mapping under Device Setup 2 Click Add In gt Cue Loops gt Loop Size Start 3 Click Learn and press a button on your MIDI controller 4 Repeat Steps 2 and 3 5 Ensure that the Assignment Table reflects the following list Traktor Type of Interaction Button Command Controller Mode Assignment Options Loop Size Set Button Direct Deck A or Device Set to Target Value 4 Loop Size Set Button
40. Adjust the EQ knobs and test the EQ kills Turn on the filters and sweep through the low pass and high pass ranges Load a track into Deck B lower the Channel fader and press the Play button Click on Deck B s Cue button to pre listen to the track Adjust the Gain knob so that the VU meter matches Deck A Raise Deck B s Channel fader to send signal to the master and blend the signals Adjust the EQ knobs and drag the Crossfader back and forth Experiment with the other Deck and Mixer features while listening to what does what 122 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Note If you have Traktor hooked up to an external mixer all pre listening should be done through the hardware mixer s cue functions Depending on your mixing style you might run into a performance situation in which you want to start each individual mix from scratch In Figure 7 3 you can see the Deck Reset controls found here Preferences gt Loading gt Resetting Controls Resetting Controls Gi Reset all deck controls when loading track Gi Reset all mixer controls when loading track Figure 7 3 Defining Deck Reset functions Reset All Deck Controls When Loading a Track Loading a track reverts Deck controls to their default state Reset All Mixer Controls When Loading a Track Loading a track reverts Mixer controls to their default state Intro to Syncing Tracks Traktor s Sync function exemplifies one of Trakt
41. Clock tempo up gt or down lt m Master Clock Tempo Adjust Sequentially increase or decrease the Master Clock tempo 4 MIDI Clock m Sync Resets the MIDI Clock sync signal of any externally connected devices m MIDI Clock Start Stop Activates deactivates Traktor s MIDI Clock FX Panel Traktor s FX panel represents a versatile combination of effects routing potential fully catering to and designed for inspired performance control Four inde pendent FX panels offer up to four potential sources of varied signal processing for each Traktor Deck Advanced Mode Shown in Figures 5 13 and 5 14 each FX panel is loaded with a single effect type while offering a wide range of precise control parameters Figure 5 14 Advanced mode within Figure 5 13 Advanced mode within FX Panel 1 FX Panels 1 and 3 82 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer 1 Dry Wet Controls the balance of clean dry to processed wet signals NS FX Select A drop down list of available effects This list can be customized within the Traktor Preferences under the Effects tab FX Parameter knobs Provides control over individual effect parameters FX Parameter buttons Toggles between different effect parameters FX On Off Turns the relevant effect on or off FX Reset Resets the effect parameters to the default snapshot state a Sf a Snapshot Saves the currently configured effect parameters as the def
42. Control Although using a mouse keyboard combination doesn t really fall in line with the theme of this book they are entirely necessary during preparation or traveling or while playing around on the couch There are three fundamental methods of manipulating Traktor with a computer mouse Click and hold any fader knob Drag the mouse vertically for coarse adjustments and horizontally for precise adjustments Double click any fader knob to revert to its default Hover over any fader knob and use the mouse wheel Hover over a fader knob and click the plus minus buttons Hold down the Plus Minus buttons to adjust in succession Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 129 Track Control Even if a computer mouse is not the ideal Traktor controller it is wholly indispensable during preparation of the Traktor collection for example setting and editing cue points positioning loops mapping out hot cues and especially while configuring Beatgrids all of which will be explained in depth shortly Navigate to Preferences gt Transport gt Mouse Control Vinyl mode Using the mouse pointer on the waveform emulates fingers on a vinyl record m Click and hold upon the waveform and the Deck grinds to a halt Release and playback revs up again Click and drag the waveform to imitate scratching Click and throw to emulate a vinyl backspin m Snap mode Using the mouse pointer on the waveform emulates cu
43. Direct Deck A or Device Set to Target Value 8 And so on Understandably you may also want to sweep through the range of loop sizes via MIDI controller buttons If so create and MIDI Learn these specific assignments to your controller Traktor Command Loop Size Loop Size Loop Set Type of Controller Button Button Button Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager Interaction Mode Inc next Dec prev Trigger 171 Button Assignment Options Deck A or Device Target Deck A or Device Target Deck A or Device Target Now if autolooping is not achieving what you are after disable the Snap function from the Master panel and test out manual looping effectively engaging precise control over loop in and loop out points This is the perfect configuration if loop playback sync is not important or if you want to set any other loop demarcations by hand for example triplets and so on Essentially Loop In Set Cue and Loop Out control the placement of your loop markers once the Snap function has been disabled within the Master panel MIDI Learn these commands to your control device Traktor Command Modifier 1 Modifier 2 Loop In Set Cue Loop Out Cue Loop Move Mode Cue Loop Move Cue Loop Move Mode Cue Loop Move Loop Size Loop Set Cue Loop Move Size Store Cue Loop Type of Controller Button Button Button Button Button Encoder Button En
44. Drag and drop an iTunes playlist onto any Favorites slot m Right click Control click on the iTunes icon and choose Import to Collection to import your entire iTunes library into Traktor Caution Traktor s iTunes access is a strictly read only view hence the limited functions such as editing track metadata You must add tracks to the track col lection before you can make edits Even Further Import Options m Drag and drop any folders from the OS X Finder or Windows Explorer directly onto the Track Collection icon within Traktor s Browser Tree Directly drag and drop tracks onto any of the Traktor Decks playlists and so on m Drag and drop folders from Traktor s Explorer icon onto the track collection favorites or playlists Directly drag and drop tracks onto any of the Traktor Decks playlists and so on m Right click Control click on any folder under Traktor s Explorer icon and choose Import to Collection Playlists or most importantly Add to Music Folders The latter will add the chosen directory to your Music Folders list described a moment ago within the Preferences under Data Location Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 97 Importing from Serato NPs border patrol recently made it easy to migrate from Serato to Traktor With the release of the Traktor SSL Database Importer a bit of a mouthful NI created a plat form that allows former Serato DJs to effortlessly prep their data for direct import into the
45. EES ESO EOL ITN ae aE EN RU 7 LAN A eel EEE T AT EC es 2 a i A SS RNs Knnh Page 7 Shift Lett Pl CC 46 ccs occas E ccas EO ccs cca E cc55 Pye Cool Gavae gt Channel a Number Range From o To ccsa E ccso Ba cesi go ccs9 iB carr ccoa E ccos Bl cc6s Bf ccor LCC 70 cc 71 _cc7 E cc7a EA co73 E cers _ccao E ccaz E cceli go occas _cces E ccec E cces Eo cca7 Figure 8 19 Configuring my X1 s MIDI actions within NI s Controller Editor software Figure 8 20 The Hotcue button Figure 8 20 the controller state from which you can send receive traditional MIDI control parameters Launch the Controller Editor from your Applications Program Files folder From here you are able to exhaustively customize any X1 or other NI controller MIDI parameters The preconfigured layout of the X1 is a good starting point however as I mentioned previously most DJs need a personalized control surface As an example if you hold down the X1 s Shift button you open an alternate page for the controller enabling a secondary set of functions akin to the modifier actions described a few sections ago When you re using the X1 s default template the Effects knobs in Figure 8 21 logically control the FX panel s parameters Yet while you re holding Shift within the confines of the factory template the Effects knobs remain unassigned Taking into account the X1 s hardware layout notice that the Ef
46. FX send return hardware settings upon the mixer itself Using Traktor s Effects Earlier I mentioned something about testing effects on a track you are familiar with Load that track into Deck A and step through the following 1 Click on the FX tab within the upper left or upper right corner of the Global section to show the relevant FX panel 2 Choose any effect from the Effect Select drop down menu 3 Click the FX Unit On button 4 Click the corresponding FX insert button from the Mixer section to insert the effect into the signal flow and then begin tweaking the various parameters 5 Apply Steps 1 through 4 in any combination across all four FX units Note that all four FX units can be applied to one Deck all Decks or any configuration in between 6 Additionally go back to the Effects Preferences and test out the drastic differ ences between the Advanced and Chained modes Note Keep the differences between FX inserts and FX On Off states in mind while you are performing If you are using effects with decay tails for example delays or reverbs deactivating the FX insert from the Mixer section will com pletely cut off any remnant effect Obviously you can use this to creative effect however if you want to let the effect tails fade out naturally use the FX On Off button instead Saving FX Presets As you narrow down a selection of effects to use on a regular basis saving a default state snapshot for each effec
47. Figure 12 35 The track volume is tied to a fader value from my control surface If you are assigning a control surface to parameters that utilize scalable values such as Track faders or send pots you can use the MIDI Mapping Browser to Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 325 fine tune the Min Max values that Live receives Let s say that I want the Track fader to pipe only about half of its output range Pay particular attention to the slider located under the Max heading As you can see in Figure 12 36 because adjusted the Max value to 15 dB every time I move the hardware fader the Track fader now only jumps to about 50 percent Try this with other param eters such as Live s instrument or effects devices as well Figure 12 36 Use the MIDI Mapping Browser to assign parameter Min Max ranges 5 Click the MIDI button press Command M OS X Ctrl M Windows or press Esc on your computer keyboard to exit MIDI Mapping mode With the vast number of control surface options come a vast number of controller behaviors One important factor to be aware of is specifically how a hardware device sends data to Live In most cases these values are best defined as either absolute or relative A Volume fader for example controlling absolute MIDI values 0 127 trans mits 0 as off and 127 for full output On the other hand some hardware controls send relative MIDI values in other words incremental steps upward or downward For example if
48. Gi i i iiias Bare Muse Mystery Of Maxerua wa 2 Marco Barnardi Mystery Of Hareruia 46005 Done Remis Sailing Stara eviia Selleg Store ios Bine Husie ord Ca howl Pandla Govan fell Assessor OF i724 bhochern Lone Bub Leland Claudio Hata Dub isend Quente Ob 02 48 Exipan Pandla Coran fell issement 10 47 H Moger Lorg In tha B ginnimg Hove D amp Banjamin Bru In The Beginning OF te BAtnig der Walt Sven Ereaond der Familia Kenly Ger Welt EP Ch Parallels Jason Ernelory album length Gist dmit label Pietrhirsch Scholiplat Serk Taron Trakke Rae Ereaond dar Familia Eek O7 13 63 Exar io il iil 14 55 Bine Musie Parallels lason Ervaeley album length 6 43 38 ii Gabel Alatrhirech Schallplatien Sone of the regon The Journey 1o249 01 Kine Maing Swen Wedeenimenn Xires Fara Da 14 A7 Phasst Recsngkruction Sona of th Dragon Th Surrey Lisd4 47 Stringent Howa Gi iii 05w05 Bine Husie Ming ero Seen Wairamann i Pd a 11 24 67 Supra Qua rbec Loolete EF Os h 04 Zena Red Bowe O 10 11 0a 70 46 a aul RASI arene 198 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Note Adjust the font and cover art view sizes under Setup gt Library gt Font Size Album Art Size Your Music Collection and the Serato Browser Once you have Serato installed launch the application after disconnecting the SL3
49. Live GUI to display the device list you see in Figure 10 37 Remember to check the Ableton website regularly as the company is constantly adding new Live content Figure 10 36 Live s Device Browser button Figure 10 37 Use Live s Device Browser to access Ableton exclusive instruments and effects 262 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Plug In Browser Live s Plug In Device Browser uses the same idea as the Live Device Browser discussed a moment ago It organizes your plug ins However this plug in folder is dedicated to all third party VST Windows OS X and AU OS X plug ins in other words any thing not made by Ableton Click on the Plug In Device Browser button shown in Figure 10 38 to display your installed plug ins as I have done in Figure 10 39 Figure 10 38 Live s Plug In Device Browser button Figure 10 39 Use Live s Plug In Device Browser to access your third party instruments and effects If you discover that some of your plug ins have gone missing double check a few things 1 Open Live s Preferences and click on the File Folder tab 2 Verify that the appropriate plug in sources are turned on and that the chosen VST plug in folder reflects the directory where you have placed all of your Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 263 plug in files Windows As an example many artists using Windows based PCs create a folder named something to the effect of VST Plugins
50. MC In similar fash ion to U S hip hop more than two decades ago grime MCs stepped away from the lyrical celebrations of their DJ selectors and placed themselves at center stage Taking direct input from U S hip hop many grime artists find themselves caught between a thriving underground scene consisting of collectives built through united solidarity and the mainstream with individualist ambition reaching for stardom generally reserved for hip hop s sellouts Preliminary crossover UK garage grime artists such as So Solid Crew landed at the top of the UK pop charts Grime s youth is also particularly evident through the age of its contributors for example Dizzee Rascal arguably grime s most recognized artist released his first hit in 03 at the age of 16 The Roll Deep crew including Rascal has also produced a handful of stars in the form of artists such as Wiley and Tinchy Stryder A particularly appealing aspect of both dubstep and grime s investment in DJ culture is that both maintain relatively high levels of vinyl only output In common with house techno and all subgenres of each many artist run boutique labels still press vinyl as either dubplates and or as limited vinyl only pressings Additionally grime and dubstep distinctively represent the multifaceted characteristics intrinsic to DJ culture s youth movement The formative years of these intersecting UK based and urban fed genres 24 The Laptop DJ Handbook
51. New MIDI Track An altogether different type of slicing is Live s powerful Slice to New MIDI Track option In short this feature takes an audio loop slices it into segments instantiates a new drum rack device onto a new MIDI track and then maps each individual seg ment to its own MIDI note inside a new MIDI clip Each MIDI note can then be rear ranged and reshuffled to form an entirely new drum loop in a fraction of the time it takes to edit an audio file Moreover if you are performing with a MIDI keyboard or MPC styled drum pad each slice can then be triggered played live If that sounds confusing think of it this way Imagine that you have a two bar drum loop that you want to slice up and rearrange The file sequences something to the effect of kick open hat closed hat snare and so on Using the default Slice to New MIDI Track option places for example the kick on C1 the open hat on C 1 and so on This behavior is common with a few other powerful sample based applications on the mar ket Of particular note Propellerhead s ReCycle loop editor and Native Instruments Maschine groovebox as well as its Kontakt 4 sampler Each of these applications spits out audio loops and or MIDI files that are designed specifically for reconstruction This feature is especially useful for DJs who like performing with personalized re edits Cut the good stuff out of an otherwise mediocre song and use the Consolidate command to turn it into a
52. Output 1 2 Output Channel B to Output 3 4 and so on 4 Click on the Close button to accept the settings Skip ahead to Navigating the User Interface once you have completed the steps listed here External Audio Interface The Audio 8 DJ and Traktor s Control CDs This is similar to Traktor s control vinyl yet for any DJ who prefers the reliability the precision or simply the feel of CDJs Hardware Configuration 1 Connect the Audio 8 DJ to your computer s USB 2 0 port and route your setup according to the following or as displayed in Figure 5 8 Figure 5 8 Routing for the Audio 8 DJ and Traktor s control CDs 2 Connect the multicore cable labeled Audio 8 DJ Output to the Audio 8 DJ Out 1 2 CH A 3 Connect the multicore cable labeled Audio 8 DJ Input to the Audio 8 DJ In 1 2 CH A 4 Connect the multicore cable labeled Mixer TT CD to the relevant Line CD input channel on your DJ mixer Use the mixer s Phono Line CD Line switch Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 71 to toggle between real CDs and Traktor s control CDs Refer to the following with regard to mixer configuration Caution If you want to flip between real CDs and Traktor s control CDs each individual DJ mixer channel must offer two Line inputs As an example some Pioneer mixers have a switch to reconfigure the Phono inputs as Line inputs thus each mixer channel would offer either two Line inputs or one Phono input and one Line inp
53. Player icon magnifying glass from the Browser List m Internal Mixing mode Preview Player output is sourced from the monitor output Preferences gt Output Routing gt Output Monitor m External Mixing mode Preview Player output is sourced from the output preview Preferences gt Output Routing gt Output Preview Favorites playlists Provide immediate access to specifically chosen favorite playlists Track List Displays the track results contained within the Browser Tree s currently selected source for example playlist search field iTunes and so on Track Info Displays the artist and track name for the song that is currently highlighted within the Track List Status Bar Displays Traktor feedback information such as track analyzation progress and error messages Track Search field Provides an intelligent real time search engine that filters down results with each keystroke Browser Tree Provides a tiered organizational structure of the various sources through which to access your music Any folder or node with a small plus icon contains further subfolders m Track collection Contains all imported tracks within your Traktor collec tion Subfolders automatically sort all tracks via track metadata into four specific categories Artists Releases Labels and Genres Playlists Contains all available playlists and playlist folders m Explorer Browse the file structures of any internal or externa
54. Plug in 262 263 plug in tools loading and managing 265 267 Serato 260 Traktor Scratch Pro 89 91 buffer size audio interface 31 32 Burial 22 C cable 63 Cage John 7 Cain Kelli 43 calibration process Serato Scratch Live SSL 208 209 Traktor Pro 125 127 Campbell Clive 10 Carter Derrick 17 Cartridge Music 7 cellular automation 49 Chained mode FX panel 82 144 Channels options 152 Childs G W Making Music with Mobile Devices 50 Classic Horizontal Mode Serato 194 Classic Vertical Mode Serato 194 click down rotary encoder 167 Clip Scrub feature 327 clips Ableton Live Clip box 273 274 Clip Scrub 275 envelopes 278 284 Fade function 285 Follow Actions 277 278 groove 274 275 Launch box 275 277 name and color 274 performance behaviors 272 273 Sample Box 284 286 stopping playback 272 time signature 274 ways of playing 271 272 Clock Master 123 124 clock theory concept 10 collection management automation 111 112 multiple collection maintaining 117 118 Complex Complex Pro warp mode 294 compression 299 computer specifications connectivity 26 27 Mac versus PC 25 26 memory 26 processor speed 26 connectivity audio interface 28 29 computer specifications 26 27 hard drive 63 64 consistency check Traktor Pro 109 111 control bar functions Ableton Live 267 270 control CDs 76 77 control vinyl CDs 74 75 controller See also Traktor Kontrol X1 controller hot cue
55. Pre versus post You may have noticed that the master track doesn t offer send pots Yet for each return track created within the Session Mixer a switch displaying Pre or Post appears instead By default send pots operate post fader for example sends do not send any signal when the track Volume fader is down Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 315 On the other hand prefader sends continually transmit signals regardless of the track volume position Thus you will still hear your effects even if the track Volume fader is brought down When used with the right audio source such as vocals this trick causes quite an ethereal effect Second send levels can also be viewed as the wet dry mix for multiple yet entirely independent signals For example slap a reverb on return track A If audio track 1 is a drum loop 2 is a synth line and 3 is an a capella tracks 1 and 2 may not need as much reverb as track 3 Therefore sends allow each source signal to be treated with a different amount of the same reverb in other words independent wet dry balances for the same effect Try applying this line of thinking to various effect types Additionally notice that return tracks also have their own send pots Many effects types sound great when mashed together using return track sends you can choose what effects get sent where With a little toying around you can even create some great feedback networks Just be careful of your ears Final
56. Racks Racks are one of the most compelling potent versatile misunderstood and unfortu nately often overlooked features within Live s device arsenal By themselves Racks don t do much but dump a few plug ins into a Rack and an entirely new realm of sound will be unveiled Three particularly important details concerning Live Racks are m Racks house both Live and third party devices as either instruments or effects m Signal flow is significantly more flexible and therefore somewhat more complex than when dropping instruments effects directly on an audio MIDI return track m Racks enable the use of macro control parameters Creating a Rack is straightforward To keep this example as simple as possible open the Live Device Browser and drag and drop one of the four Rack types onto the Clip Device Drop area This way Live will automatically create the relevant track type for you Depending on what type of Rack you selected you have the option to create a series of devices that are able to handle any and all incoming signals in serial or in parallel To put this in perspective remember that when you drop instruments onto any Live track signal flow begins at the leftmost device and then proceeds rightward through what is known as a device chain connected in serial You can turn devices on and off of course but the signal flow inside the Track view remains the same Suppose we wanted to thicken up a vocal loop Figure 12 22 show
57. Select the Record button from the left side of the SSL GUI 3 Within the Record panel choose Aux from the Input Source drop down menu 4 Test your volume levels and adjust the Gain knob so that the maximum peaks register just below the red clipping point of the VU meter 5 Click the red Record button to begin recording The button will flash while recording audio 6 Click the Record button again to stop recording 7 Type a name within the Filename text box and click the small Save icon to archive your file 8 When saved all recordings appear within the Crate titled RECORDED Don t worry if you don t see it the Crate is automatically created with your first recording DJ FX Plug Ins What DJ tools are more fun than effects That s right none There really is no perfect time to use Serato s DJ FX In general effects allow you to shape your own sounds by morphing a prerecorded track in real time They can add ethereal space to a dry vocal or just as easily grime it up with some bit crushing distortion Slap a little delay on a static drum loop for some extra groove or thicken up melodic tracks with a phaser effect The key here is to experiment with Serato s different effects types by using dif ferent kinds of sounds For example delays echoes and reverb incidentally each is actually a type of delay sound entirely different on percussion than they do on vocals Test them out on tracks you know first then build outwa
58. Start No matter what style of music we play or the way in which we play it something all DJs share is the mixture of uncertainty and excitement experienced while becoming part of a global music culture Whether it began at a party on TV through video games at a record shop art gallery nightclub underground or trade show or in a bedroom the fundamental message is pretty similar We all have to start somewhere Fifteen years ago this process was relatively simple You probably owned some music if not you bought some You spent more time at the record shop You went to a retailer and bought some headphones two turntables a mixer and maybe some speakers You practiced anywhere you could You performed anywhere you could The peace and quiet of your family and neighbors was nowhere on the list 2 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Today assuming Internet retailers didn t put your local music store out of business the experience is totally different Walking up to a sales associate and explaining that you want be a DJ is like walking into a butcher and asking for a piece of meat What cut would you like sir Options Depending on your experience as a DJ the prepurchase decision will probably be sand wiched between extremely exciting and exceptionally overwhelming On one side the financial expense can be enough to turn most people away On the other DJs today are presented with a wealth o
59. Traktor s tempo estimation for the currently loaded track Double click to manually adjust the bpm Set Grid Marker Sets a new or additional grid marker at the current playback position Delete Grid Marker Erases the currently selected grid marker Autogrid Automatically deletes all existing grid markers while simultaneously creating a new grid marker and estimating the bpm of the currently loaded track Double Halve Tempo Doubles or halves the loaded track s estimated bpm Reset Tempo Resets the currently loaded track s bpm to the analyzed tempo Tap Tempo Adjusts the Beatgrid bpm around successive button taps in tempo with the currently loaded track s playback The Mixer Section The basic concept of any DJ mixer is simple to manipulate various incoming audio signals and combine them into a single cohesive output An evolution of elaborate stu dio mixing desks DJ mixers were streamlined for performance highlighting primary features such as EQ filters and volume controls to allow DJs to intuitively sculpt their music output Traktor s Mixer section shown in Figure 5 22 takes these ideals as an influential foun dation and develops them into an advanced framework for splicing music together DJs can choose between EQs and filter slopes modeled after popular club mixers or lock a track s musical key to mix harmoniously and avoid turntable pitch effects FILTER i F FILTER MIDHI MIDHI i i MIDLO MIDLO i
60. Traktor Browser As you can see in Figure 6 3 Traktor s collection is prepped to receive Serato music libraries from the SSL database crates or folders The most important part about this import process is that DJs do not lose cue points loops and or metadata that was created and saved within the Serato database all of that information is directly con verted over SSL Database Import os O Overwrite Cues Loops Figure 6 3 Use the SSL Database Importer to seamlessly migrate your Serato crates into the Traktor Browser Simply import the newly created Traktor nml file and you should be good to go Painless crossover Creating Your Own Playlists A few years ago I was on the phone with a Traktor user who was complaining about his trouble maintaining a collection of more than 300 000 tracks I m sure we can agree that he paid for every single one of those songs right Anyhow I held my tongue let him finish ranting and proceeded to explain the concept of Traktor s playlists and Playlist folders It was as if the heavens opened up and poured holy light all over his DJ pulpit Legalities aside our friend obviously maintains quite a large music library Navigating a track collection that large would be extremely tedious without some form of organi zational filter which is where Traktor s playlists come in There are a few different procedures through which playlists can be created Procedure 1 1 Right
61. Use this window to define what tracks you want to include in exclude from your Smart Crates a b c and d And to remain fresh you could include the fact that you added the tracks to your collection within the last three months or so Further if you enable the Live Update function this process is even further simplified because from now on any new tracks that fit the criteria will automatically filter into that specific Smart Crate Easy Click Add Rule to create the first filter Use the first drop down menu to select the filter criteria Use the second drop down to select the include exclude criteria Use the third field to specify the search term s Click the X field to delete the rule oe ea a ee Check Match All of the Following Rules to ensure that the results match up with every rule Uncheck it to ensure that the results match up with at least one rule 7 Check Live Update if you want Serato to automatically refresh the Crate if and when tracks are added or metadata is edited If this option is unchecked you will have to manually refresh the Smart Crate s contents by clicking the Refresh Crate icon shown in Figure 9 24 W Edits F Figure 9 24 Use the Refresh Crate button to update the contents of your manually managed Smart Crates 8 Click Save to create the new Smart Crate or click Cancel to exit 9 Double click within the relevant text box to re name your Smart Crate 10 If you need to make changes to you
62. a Live send was completely off and a hardware knob was completely on slightly touching the knob would jump the send value full on which might sound terrible if done by accident A relative value in this circumstance would incre mentally step the value up or down relative to the software positioning rather than taking a huge leap to the absolute hardware position Have a look down on Live s status bar when manually mapping out your control sur face Use the drop down list shown in Figure 12 37 to tell Live what type of data your control surface is sending Refer to your hardware s documentation if you are unsure about what data is sent by specific knobs faders and so on For further information about Live s supported data types refer to the operation manual Absolute Relative Signed Bit Relative BinOffset Relative 2s Comp Relative Signed Bit 2 Absolute 14bit Relative lin Signed Bit Relative lin BinOffset Relative lin 2 s Comp Relative lin Signed Bit 2 Figure 12 37 Use this drop down menu to assign absolute versus relative controller values 376 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Live s Hidden Controls Some of Live s most powerful control features remain otherwise hidden outside of the MIDI mapping context precisely the reason why they are so easy to miss Although it is fairly easy to see that tracks and their clip slots are assign able to key or MIDI com
63. an external device the behavior is the same for all of the available effects Figure 7 35 Advanced mode two effect units per FX panel Chained Mode Within Chained FX mode each FX panel see Figure 7 36 and Figure 7 37 allows up to three effect types while offering a single depth knob controlling a blend of designated parameters While Advanced FX mode offers precise control Chained FX mode encourages creative experimentation through a serially processed effects chain Delay Reverb no Effect TSREVRI REVAB REVGA r SLICER Figure 7 37 Chained mode two effect units per FX panel Insert versus Send Effects The primary difference between insert and send effects is fairly straightforward m Insert effect Clicking the 1 4 FX On buttons redirects a Deck s signal through the relevant FX panel The percentage of the signal that passes through untouched is controlled by the dry no effect wet effect signal The result is then mixed with the output of the other Decks and passed through to the master output Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 145 m Send effect The Send option transforms Traktor into a hardware FX unit in other words rather than only internally blending signals audio is received into Traktor from an external mixer s send channel For example Traktor is able to receive audio from an external source vocalists drum machines Traktor s own output and so on
64. and 172 173 types 47 controller assignment Ableton Live instant mapping 321 322 key mapping 319 320 manual mapping 322 325 MIDI mapping 321 328 multiple assignment and controllers 327 328 Serato keyboard shortcuts 226 MIDI controls 226 228 overview 225 Controller Editor Kontrol X1 178 Controller Manager Traktor Pro controllers assigning 154 158 Human Interface Device HID technology 174 175 mapping details 155 156 MIDI commands 156 157 modifiers 158 166 new control device creating 155 overview 153 154 Controller State indicator Traktor Scratch Pro 79 converters analog to digital A D 30 audio interface 30 31 digital to analog D A 30 copyright 54 Corrupt File icon Serato 200 cover art 106 108 CPU meter Ableton Live 269 270 Traktor Scratch Pro 79 Crabtree Brian 43 Craig Carl 19 crate digging 54 crate Serato copying 201 207 deleting 201 history 205 moving 201 refreshing 202 smart 201 202 standard 201 Craze 14 crossfader Ableton Live 254 256 Traktor Scratch Pro 88 89 Cruise mode 138 139 cue point Serato 213 214 Traktor Cruise mode 138 139 deleting 139 fade in out 138 hot cue 137 load cue 137 138 storable 135 136 storing 136 temporary current 134 135 cue pre listen 27 Cue Loop Management panel Traktor Scratch Pro 85 86 culture DJ 8 Cutler Chris 2 3 cutoff 151 152 Cycling 74 website 302 D D A digital to analog 27
65. and the assortment of instrument and or effects devices loaded onto that track drag and drop a clip or a selection of clips back into the Browser Not only will this action save your clip settings but it will also take a snapshot of the devices on that channel strip Now every time that clip is brought into a Live set Live will create a new track loaded with all of the relevant devices and their settings m Hold down the Shift key on your computer keyboard and use your mouse to select multiple clips within the Live Browser Drag and drop the clips onto the Clip Device Drop Area Notice how the clips align vertically within a newly created track This behavior is particularly suited when importing a selection of clips to be played in random order for example clips with different variations of the same drum loop Do it again but this time hold the Shift key and watch as the clips flip to align horizontally across the Clip Device Drop Area This behavior is particularly useful if you are playing songs or parts of songs that are to be mixed together from different Session Mixer channels These behaviors do not only apply to instrument and effect plug in devices Impor tantly this is a shared action across Live s entire Browser Using one of the three avail able File Browsers you can introduce audio and MIDI clips to the existing performance and you can seamlessly merge previous Live sets into the current project Figure 10 45 shows an ex
66. and then drop all of their plug in files into that folder Point Live to this folder 3 Click Rescan and let Live complete a search of your plug in folders at which point you should be good to go If your plug ins still don t show up consider getting in touch with the manufacturer in question This process is much easier for Mac OS X users Most developers place their plug in files within the same folder Macintosh HD gt Library gt Audio gt Plug Ins The rele vant files will all be located under Components AU and or VST for VST files File Browsers If you re thinking of bringing Live into your DJ performance picture the File Browser as your digital record crate Just remember that there is no correct way to use Live some artists prefer the in the moment approach digging through their music library on the fly whereas others preconfigure their Live sets and never once touch the Browser and still others use a combination of both methods As you can see in Figures 10 40 and 10 41 the Browser displays three numbered folder icons They are replicates of one another each intended as a different view into your hard drive For example try setting one for loops one for tracks and one for MIDI files However you choose to use the File Browser note that you can bookmark fre quently used locations on your hard drive To do so Figure 10 40 Live s File Browser button 1 Click on File Browser 1 2 or 3 from the left
67. any incoming controller data Controller State indicator Communicates the status of connected controllers m Blue All controllers are connected and configured properly m Orange There is a connection problem with port settings for at least one controller For example you may have additional unused mappings within the Controller Manager Double check the In Port settings within the Controller Manager m Gray Traktor does not see any connected controllers Double check the In Port settings within the Controller Manager Audio indicator Displays audio interface status Blue Audio interface connected and properly functioning Red Either no audio interface is selected or there is a problem with the chosen device CPU meter Indicates the Traktor audio engine s demand on the CPU Percen tages in excess of 80 percent or so will likely result in audio dropouts and or unpleasant artifacts Clock Direct from your system clock Main Master Out Displays Traktor s combined audio output Red indicates either signal compression limiter on within Preferences or clipping Battery indicator Displays how much battery power remains m Blue Power cable connected m Red Power cable disconnected running on battery power Recording indicator Reflects audio recorder status Red indicates enabled recording Layout selector A drop down menu of available screen layouts as configured within Traktor s Preferences under the L
68. anywhere along the learning curve Yes there is a logical button mashing process that every Traktor user goes through But it s definitely a great way to learn Button press noise Whooaaaa Knob twist weirder noise Ooohhh Whenever I host training sessions at my studio I truly enjoy the moment when my client takes over and applies his or her personal style onto the application that Pm teaching That s the point when the entire process morphs from memorizing button functions into shaping a customized workflow Understanding Quantization If you are new to DJing and or music production you may be unfamiliar with the concept of quantization For the purposes of defining quantization in relation to this chapter note that most music production software bends tracks loops and so on around predefined temporal fractions For example in 4 4 electronic dance music such as techno or house this is often exemplified by the four to the floor structure consistent with four kick drums per bar each kick signifying one beat Within music production software quantization is often though not always applied to the recording input of MIDI note information For example strike a key on a MIDI keyboard and quantization acts to magnetically snap MIDI notes to the nearest marker within a predefined grid the higher the grid resolution the higher the record ing accuracy Basically the idea is to clean up imprecise timi
69. applications that give listeners direct access to their user profile streamlining the overall experience Further some offer subscription models furnishing a tiered system of options to paying members on demand track playback playlists available offline and even mobile phone based clients Essentially Internet radio stations have evolved into music based social networking platforms Users can develop online relationships with other members which in effect 60 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer creates a buzzing online community of music freaks with the ability to publicly share their vision of good music Each company takes a different approach and offers significantly more than I have described however I highly encourage you to check them out Three that are partic ularly useful for DJs are m soundcloud com SoundCloud provides a meeting ground for DJs producers labels licensing houses fans and so on Create a profile there are tiered mem bership levels features and upload DJ sets or releases Send links directly to inter ested parties and adjust individualized privacy settings for visitors friends and colleagues The SoundCloud music player itself is well thought out and allows the user community to leave time based commentary Users can also efficiently track their profile statistics as SoundCloud says view the who what when which and where of other members interacting with your
70. aptly named Clip Device Drop Area Depending on the chosen device Live logically creates an audio or MIDI track and instantiates the device upon it Alternatively you can apply the same drag and drop maneuver on any track regardless of type Instruments cannot be instantiated on aux tracks or the master However this behavior differs on tracks with preexisting plug in devices as you will see in a moment Concerning either Live s or third party plug in devices if no MIDI track is selected within the Session Mixer double clicking an instrument icon within the Browser will 266 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer create a new MIDI track and instantiate the selected instrument plug in upon it On the other hand if any MIDI track was selected within the Session Mixer double clicking a new instrument will overwrite any and all existing plug ins upon that track for exam ple instruments and effects and instantiate the selected instrument upon it Effects on the other hand can be stacked upon audio MIDI and aux tracks as well as the master Suppose you want to chain a handful of effects in serial such as a delay output into reverb into distortion and so on Select any track type and start double clicking away at the effects you want to use Notice that each new device stacks up within the horizontal Track view window Here s a little two parter for you Tip m When you are happy with a clip
71. at one stage or another that Traktor s internal Sync function does not respond particularly well to tracks with a bit of timing drift In this situation Live s Warp Markers can be used to straighten things out Simply bounce out your fixed tracks re import the song into Traktor and you re finished The following steps are intended as an introductory how to that should help you get comfortable with altering Warp Markers Once again bear in mind that these changes are not permanent you can always start over if you accidentally make a mistake Take a look at the one bar drum loop in Figure 11 32 The kick that should hit on the second downbeat falls a bit past the mark Bringing this loop back into line is a simple matter of creating a new Warp Marker and dragging it to sit back on the second down beat or 1 2 2A EE SR ES SY ey A A Sa et es eg as e a E ee A a N Fe ED a a I Figure 11 32 As you can see we re dealing with some dodgy tempo drift here Notice the small upside down gray triangles marking the loop s percussive attacks these are transients as mentioned earlier Think of these Transient icons as Live point ing to where a few Warp Markers might make the most sense If you downloaded this chapter s Live content from www formatproject com djhandbook1 zip open the Live set titled live_tutorial als and follow along with these instructions 1 Click on the audio clip titled Warp A within the audio track ti
72. but I find it pretty irritating that I can find more than 10 vuvuzela apps in comparison to so few professional audio products An application like Korg s iElectribe emulation as opposed to its hardware sibling mentioned a moment ago is incredibly well made and admittedly it is fun for a bit However the design fits a hardware unit more effectively and sadly sync options are nonexistent Of course an abundance of musical instruments mixing software and simple DJ applications exist but all they ultimately reveal is the iPad s infancy The glass full outlook It s still early days for these devices Anyhow for obvious reasons the iPad is a more practical controller than the iPhone though there are some useful handheld audio apps Of particular note are the multi plattorm Hexler products Software developer Hexler has been busy constructing some truly revolutionary control software SonicLife is a control application built around rules from what is known as cellular automation essentially it s an abstract sequencing application based on the mathematician John Conway s Game of Life For the purposes of this book however the application TouchOSC is slightly more relevant Figure 3 13 shows one of what amounts to a nearly infinite number of pos sible TouchOSC layouts I say one of because Hexler also offers the handy and free TouchOSC Editor Exactly as it sounds the Editor software lets users construct personalize
73. click Control click on the Playlist icon within Traktor s Browser Tree 98 2 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Choose Create Playlist as shown in Figure 6 4 Track Collection Create Playlist ae Create Folder Figure 6 4 Click Create Playlist to begin organizing your Traktor collection Enter a name for the new playlist Click OK The new playlist will appear alphabetically under the Playlist icon Procedure 2 1 Click on either the track collection or an individual playlist within Traktor s Browser Tree Choose one or multiple tracks within the Browser List Drag and drop the highlighted tracks onto the Playlist icon within the Browser Tree Enter a name for the new playlist Click OK The new playlist will appear alphabetically under the Playlist icon Procedure 3 1 2 Open an OS X Finder or Windows Explorer window Drag and drop any music folder onto the Playlist icon within Traktor s Browser Tree Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 99 3 Enter a name for the new playlist 4 Click OK 5 The new playlist will appear alphabetically under the Playlist icon Creating Playlist Folders Over time the number of playlists that you create might get a bit unwieldy Creating a few Playlist folders will help pare down the total number of playlists into manageable categories Right click Control click on the Playlist icon within Traktor s B
74. clicked with a mouse button computer key or MIDI control Clips are stopped via the clip Stop button at the 2 6 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Figure 11 9 Use Launch box commands to customize clip playback behaviors bottom of the relevant audio or MIDI track Each time a clip is re launched it will start from the beginning at the rate of the chosen Quantization settings Gate Functions akin to a hold command in other words the clip is played until the triggering mouse button computer key or MIDI control is released As an example Gate mode is useful for triggering one shot samples such as FX or vocal snippets Toggle Using Toggle mode turns the clip Launch button into a switch Press once to launch the clip press again to stop it Note that clip playback still follows the chosen Quantization setting Repeat Holding down a mouse button computer key or MIDI control will continuously launch the selected clip at the rate of the Quantization setting in other words holding down with a Quantization setting of 1 16 will create the standard machine gun stutter effect Upon release the clip will play as normal The behavior is similar to the cue functions of a CDJ or Traktor s Cup button Legato mode found directly below the Launch Mode menu specifically affects the playback position within the currently playing clips For example suppose you have a drum track containing
75. clip Quantization settings you will find a clip s Velocity Amount or sensitivity As this number moves closer to 100 percent the amplitude volume of a clip will respond to the velocity at which the clip is launched For example if you have a velocity sensitive controller hitting a key or a pad hard will launch a clip at full vol ume In contrast the softer the message the softer Live will play the clip s volume Follow Actions Within a performance situation there are dozens of different angles an artist has to consider in real time Often a type of triage has to be enacted because in reality we are only able to handle so many things at once Specifically Live s Follow Actions become a valuable asset as Live sets become increasingly more complex Among other things they give artists the option to automate one process when they need to focus more intently on another Found immediately below the clip Quantization settings inside the Launch box Follow Actions are essentially automated playback behaviors assigned to a group of clips a group is defined as a selection of clips arranged in succession upon the same audio or MIDI track As you can see in Figure 11 10 I have a few groups of clips loaded onto a MIDI track Let s say that these clips are four different variations of the same drum loop There are situations when triggering drum loops by hand is a distraction from the overall performance so assigning Follow Act
76. cover art to your music Navigate the OS X Finder or Windows Explorer dialog to your image file Select the file and choose Open The image file will now be embedded into the file s metadata If you accidentally add the wrong image file or simply want to discard cover art from a file or files perform the following 1 Right click Control click on any track or group of tracks from within Traktor s Browser List Choose Delete Cover Caution If you maintain your music library through iTunes remember that Traktor s iTunes node is read only music must be imported into the Traktor collection before you can make tag edits 108 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer On the other side tag edits made within the Traktor collection will not be recognized properly within iTunes without a few extra steps Said simply If you use iTunes in order to avoid headaches only edit your tag metadata inside the iTunes application before importing it into the Traktor collection If you do not see your iTunes editing reflected within Traktor get into the habit of running a manual consistency check Right click on Track Collection and choose Check Consistency You can automate this process from Preferences gt File Management gt Show Consistency Check Report On Startup Crate Digging Searching No matter how well you organize your Traktor collection there are situations when browsing isn t fa
77. devices are repeated all hardware will offer both Input and Output controls How ever unlike with the instant mapping Input Output previously discussed the manual Input and Output controls are broken down into three types Switches Track Sync Remote MIDI Input Engage for any device used to send MIDI data to Live s tracks for example MIDI keyboards Engage at ports where Live is receiving external sync for example syncing Live to an external drum machine s internal clock Engage for any ports linked to external control devices for example controllers that do not support Live s instant mapping or devices requiring manual mapping MIDI Output Engage for any device used to receive MIDI data from Live s tracks for example MIDI clip data to an external synth Engage at ports where Live is sending external sync signals for example syncing a drum machine to Live s internal clock Engage for any ports linked to external control devices that provide real time status feedback for example backlit endless encoder knobs that reflect for example Live s send levels Note Clicking the triangle on the left hand side of any device exposes further control options These comprise the advanced control configurations discussed within Part 2 of this book project 324 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Note Due to the unpredictable latencies across various a
78. fans and like minded companies to facilitate customers with a service to which they will return Although browsing is critical to the overall customer experience two of Beatport s greatest advantages are the format selection and delivery options Customers are given the option of downloading their music in compressed MP3 or MP4 format or with a slight extra expense uncompressed WAV format To streamline the download process Beatport has developed a download manager application that allows users to customize the file naming structure It s fine tunable down to the details of punctuation between artist names labels and so on I am anal when it comes to music storage so I Chapter 4 Deat v platzhirsrh Q Platzhirsch Schallplatten EJ View All New Release Classic By Relcase Date 5 Genres Filters si Platzhirsch Schallplatten Techno 25 Featured Releases lech House 11 Finding Organizing and Storing Your Music mm m Platzhirsch Schallplatten PLATZHIRSCH SCHALLPLATTE View All 5 Link to Page View All f Top Downloads 01 Doppelwhipper 1 30 Gabriel Ananda l gt P atzhirech Scha Buy 02 Mind A kista r 1 12 a Piat atzhirsch h Scha lt A 03 Kosmar Diamant ots Gibbon 25 Artists Filters Limitiert 13 imiti Medui i Ptatzhirsrh Srha Platelels sul Sclially Pilale sul Sctsallp Jason Emsley oblas Becker 04 Mi racel niet 2010 01 08 2009 11 20 abnel Ananda m
79. functional MIDI equivalent to the audio clip s Sample Editor Please note that MIDI clip behaviors go beyond the subject matter covered within Part 7 of this project however they are a topic of particular importance to the advanced tips and techniques discussed in Part 2 The feature laden left hand side of the Sample box contains the primary sample man agement functions Clicking on the file name pops open Live s File Browser to show the file location of the currently selected clip as well as all other files within the relevant parent folder If you prefer the audio editing features of an external application click the Edit button to launch the audio editor chosen within Preferences gt File Folder gt Sample Editor Once you make changes you are happy with click the Save button to Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 285 HEE Je i 16 7 Program Figure 11 23 Live s Notes box preserve the settings of that particular clip for example Warp Markers tuning tempo and so on Within a performance setting this becomes advantageous as you cycle through tracks and loops that you have used in previous shows Simply drag and drop the files into any Live set and your saved data magically reappears Note Remember that unless you edit your audio files within another audio edit ing application changes to audio files within Live are nondestructive that is they affect the clip analysis
80. heart of the digital DJ movement lie three groundbreaking models of software design Two examples modernize a long established DJ formula through innovative Digital Vinyl System DVS technology while the other transplants an intuitive mod ular recording studio onto the stage Native Instruments Traktor Scratch Pro In 2000 Berlin based Native Instruments began to release the first of many manifes tations of the Traktor DJ brand This seed planted and developed over 10 years has matured into one of the most powerful pieces of performance DJ software on the mar ket Along the way Native Instruments has opened its ears to voices spanning DJ cul ture in order to refine Traktor and allow it to adopt exceedingly powerful features m Traktor Pro s foundation is composed of four playback decks wrapped around the Beatgrid and Sync features thus allowing DJs to transfer large chunks of time spent beatmatching over to time spent performing m Further augment your performances with various configurations of the 28 inde pendently assignable effects ranging from the studio standards of delay and reverb to LFO controlled filters Beatmashers and more As you can see in Figure 3 3 Traktor also employs powerful EQ and filter sections modeled after industry standard DJ mixers m Ever empowering DJs Traktor provides precise quantized track looping utilizing seamless loop adjustment points fine tunable and precisely synced to the master tempo wi
81. helps keep each of the playback decks clearly organized m Deck A C The playback decks act as digital turntables giving performers three sound sources for their music library Notice that Decks A and B are assigned to A and B of the Crossfader see Figure 12 8 Drag Live s Crossfader left right to blend between any audio MIDI or aux tracks Of course if you don t want to use the Crossfader simply disable the A or B from the relevant track In addition all mixable tracks are preloaded with Live s EQ Eight One way to use this device is to assign the low cut and high cut filters to knobs on your control surface Doing so simplifies the DJ standards of filter sweeps bass cuts high cuts and so on As an alternative the EQ Three device has Low Mid Hi On Off kill switches If you would rather punch the EQ in and out try assigning these functions to a button on your control surface Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 305 A p l a ory i Figure 12 8 Use the Crossfader to smoothly blend between your tunes Loops Simply an audio track intended to play back your own audio loops edits atmospheres sound effects a capellas and so on Although the tunes that get loaded into Decks A C will probably change quite often your loops may not If you save the Live set with the loops in place you have a semipermanent arsenal of sound beds right at your fingertips m Ex Plug In 1 Used as an example for pushing your Live set
82. highlight the tracks and drag and drop them onto an empty space within the Crate list or directly on top of the Make New Crate icon Finally if you know more or less what you re looking for but you can t find it turn to the Search function Press Ctrl F to jump into the Search box When you begin typing the Song Browser intelligently filters around your text entry a great feature as you don t often have to type the full name When you re ready press the Tab key to jump into the Song Browser and skim through the search results If you prefer not to search through specific criteria click on the magnifying glass and uncheck the topics that you do not want searched see Figure 9 27 OF w filename W song s artist v album genre v comment W label W remixer grouping W composer W video track W year v key Figure 9 27 Use this list to remove specific criteria from your searches Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 205 History When you have invested some time into SSL you ll have a pretty healthy collection of data from past sessions This data is all stored within the History panel From here you can access detailed session information such as what tracks you played when you played them how long they were played and so on Tip When you have a great set navigate to the relevant session within the His tory panel Drag and drop that session on the Make New Crate button now you have a Crate ho
83. iDevice based application 51 if and then statements 164 if then statements 163 Imaginary Landscape No 1 7 importing music folders 94 95 playlists 95 97 102 103 inline editing 104 Index 33 7 inputs audio interface 29 30 XLR 29 insert effect 144 145 313 314 installation Ableton Live 233 Serato Scratch Live SSL 188 189 Traktor Scratch Pro 68 instant mappings 237 321 322 Internal Mixing features Traktor 71 72 Internal mode Serato 212 Internet radio 59 Invisibl Skratch Piklz 14 iPad 49 50 iPhone 49 51 ITCH software Serato 229 iTunes configuring to import files in WAV format 300 interface 55 playlist 56 J Jackmaster 17 Jefferson Marshall 17 Jones Pete 10 jungle 20 Juno website 59 K Kevorkian Francois 15 Key Lock feature 149 150 key mapping Ableton Live 269 319 320 keyboard shortcuts 159 160 226 Klever 14 Knuckles Frankie 16 17 Kode9 22 Kontrol X1 See Traktor Kontrol X1 controller Kore 2 Native Instruments 41 42 Korg manufacturer 49 Korg nanoSeries controller 47 L Ladder filter 151 152 Larkin Kenny 19 Last Night a DJ Saved My Life 18 Last fm website 60 61 latency settings Ableton Live 236 237 defined 31 Serato 190 191 layout appearance Traktor Pro 112 115 Layout selector Traktor Scratch Pro 79 LED output 180 183 Legato launch mode Ableton Live 276 length loop 141 Levan Larry 15 16 Library view Serato
84. imported the idea of the sound system to West Brooklyn New York When Herc s sets shifted from reggae to funk people started to dance Once he per ceived the effectiveness of drum breaks on the dance floor he mixed back and forth between the breaks of duplicate records to extend percussive sections As a result his dance floor lost it The combination of Herc s Jamaica inspired MCs and utilization of beat based backing tracks proved irresistible Thus in 1974 hip hop was born Shortly thereafter Joseph Saddler or Grandmaster Flash took influence from Herc s style and raised the bar By all accounts Flash was motivated early on by another con temporary Pete DJ Jones Unlike Herc Jones mixes were seamlessly segued together so as not to distract the groove on the dance floor with sloppy mixing Extracted from disco Flash began to evaluate the hip hop mix under the same principles Using his clock theory concept Flash affixed stickers to his vinyl to mark the location of partic ular breaks Applying this to his quick mix theory he shot back and forth between records to extend selected breaks and layer beats to creative effect Further he also fathered punch phrasing to thrust in snippets of for example vocals from another rec ord Ever the innovator at one point Flash even began to experiment with drum machines alongside his DJ sets In 1977 as Flash developed and mastered his techniques a young DJ Grand Wizard Theodore
85. in Figure 9 61 open commands display a gray pop up window stating Unassigned to MIDI Input Unassigned to MIDI input click to assign to MIDI input Figure 9 61 Click to assign to MIDI input Click on the software command and notice that the pop up window immedi ately turns orange signifying that SSL is listening for incoming MIDI data Twist whichever hardware knob you want to scroll SSL s Song Browser Notice that the pop up window shifts to green and now displays the assigned MIDI message Click the MIDI button from the top right corner to turn off MIDI Assign mode 228 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Repeat these steps until you have a MIDI layout that suits your performance style When you are finished navigate to Setup gt MIDI and notice that your controller map ping shows up under MIDI Presets This preset management window is particularly useful if you have multiple controllers and or you use Serato on more than one com puter As I have said before creating the perfect controller mapping takes a bit of patience and even more experimentation Remember to try things out you re not going to break anything Serato Approved Creative partnerships within the digital DJ market are quickly becoming commonplace Serato s forthcoming venture with Ableton is a huge deal A partnership with Novation has just as of the writing of this book released the Dicer see Figure 9 62
86. init Pancha Coven Saf Alex Od 7 ee BMiciarn Linea Epaima 2 MZ Rambrj D Ghosihueter il Fluther Jason Emdley Beckilapcer s Bell EP OF212 100 Patthirech Schallplatten 7 PM Heyer deve D Tayi 4 65 53 Rire Pike Fotder Tof White Force Inc Questions amp Comments Jt pn bee Begining Hert Da Benjamin Ben a The Beginning Dent Farget 07 a pi Ta nirutiona Leet Dob Gins of the Dragan The ory ia saa Qane lactate EF j Ja Tateriude Berd D iii hat Da Tr Meant ID iii 235 Kifini der Welt Svend s dWortd Mix Freund der Famiie Konig Der Welt EP ap Heia Herve D Loi Hira Pati Gicetd Divi c at l Hood Organ ex Corben Kippe Treo w Patrhirech Schallpitien 019 45 Bhytery Of harena veren F eo Bernanji Hystery W arera Rood 0 05 Chest Pupearehe Peradlala liibi 5 E Pabbimech Schallplatten jt Phase Reconstruction Sona of the Dragon Tha joumey i ete This Flee Bere 1D iii i 63 Bares Mae 32 Rea Life 6915 Himeona Specs Mi Luke Hee ignite Tha Dark Pericsg 3E Salin Stare CWI13 Smiling Stee py Fe seer s Figure 9 16 Disconnect the hardware before launching Serato to open the Offline mode Loading and Importing Your Music Because no two performers use the same process to store their music Serato s Library was intentionally designed to make importing music files as versatile as possible Of the various methods the most effective begins by clicking the Files button on the right side of the interface see Figure 9 17 When the f
87. into the gray area between a DJ performance and a Live performance Nothing is loaded for compatibility purposes but create a MIDI track or two and you can expand your performance with Live s instrument devices or any third party plug in For example NPs Maschine is the perfect complement to an Ableton based DJ set because among other things drum machines let you compose your own percussive layers on the fly Return Tracks 1 4 These FX return tracks merely scratch the surface of Live s powerful effects routing As an example A Verb 1 is but a simple reverb On the other hand B Verb 2 is followed by a side chained compressor in other words the reverb tail is squashed based on the dynamics of the audio content fed into the compressor s side chain input In our example I have the output of the B Verb 2 feeding into the side chain input in short this means that any audio sent into the reverb on Return Track B will influence the com pressor s behavior as a result You could of course switch this input to the output of any other track Load and play any clip and use Send B to route signal to Return Track B to hear what I mean From there C Delay houses a few different Live delay types ready to be switched on or off as needed Finally D VST AU is simply to encourage the use of third party effect plug ins as well Tip Like feedback Take a quick look at the return tracks in our sample Live set Notice how only a few of
88. is log ical fast and directly integrated into the user interface to be handled on the fly Further use MIDI clock to sync software such as Traktor or any number of other hardware drum machines synths and effects units One interesting DJ aspect that is often overlooked is Live s unique viability as a potent effects rack Send Live s inputs an audio signal from absolutely anywhere and the sig nal routing potential truly comes to life Do not be discouraged if any of this sounds slightly confusing Many of these concepts are explained within the following Live chapters Chapters 10 through 12 The Hybrids One of the most curious trends in humanity at the moment is this fascination with hybridizing everything In my lifetime at least I feel like it started with food Califor nia s pan Asian fusion cuisine or the creation of health Mex food Toyota popular ized hybrid cars breeders created hybrid dogs labradoodles puggles a pug and a beagle Google it and so on The ever revamping music technology industry has caught on and began the hardware hybridization of music software 38 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Much like labradoodles these hardware software combinations exemplify genuinely creative technological mating however instead of resulting in cutesy Hollywood pets we get hardware appendages that allow for expressive control over their powerful software packages This
89. it says and is especially helpful if you need to tag your clip content with text Clip Color on the other hand is particularly useful for visual labeling For example within my Live set I have many of my tracks split into their fundamental stems such as drums bass melodies atmos pheres vocals and so on During my Live set I constantly jump around to other ele ments therefore assigning the same color to each piece of a song provides me with a returning point from my inevitable tangents Of course there are dozens of other pos sibilities such as assigning specific colors to specific types of instruments or sounds color coding clips according to their root keys and so on Signature Time Signature lets you dictate how the grid markers fall upon your clips Although it does not directly change how clips will sound it does alter the manner in which clips launch in relation to the overall project quantization For example if the overall Live set quantization is set to 1 Bar 4 4 and clip quantization see the upcom ing section The Launch Box is set to 1 Bar 4 4 clips with a signature of 3 4 will launch every three beats Groove Arguably the most interesting feature of the Clip box is Live s Groove function In brief the term groove is most often defined as the feel of how a track s parts fit together rhythmically A lot of electronic music feels mechanically rigid often the case in house and techno i
90. its attached automations might get a bit boring Unlinking the envelope from the loop therefore presents some interesting possibilities for what is effectively still the same one bar drum loop Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 283 In Figure 11 19 you can see my boring one bar looped automation envelope If I click on the Linked button see Figure 11 20 underneath the Region Loop header the envelope will be freed from the loop settings and I can then adjust how I want the envelope to play back Notice that once the envelope is unlinked the audio waveform MIDI notation disappears This is because the envelope no longer functions within the clip boundaries NE YO ACL HL a 8 mae UNE pr wi L Figure 11 19 A simple one bar envelope Figure 11 20 The Linked button Within the bottom Loop field I change Length from 1 to something like 4 or 8 Notice that the Editor expands across the number of bars entered From this point you have several options For example you could draw in entirely new automations On the other hand if you move the loop bracers to the last bar of the envelope you could start a clip with several bars of unique automation that end with a loop of the earlier displayed envelope automation see Figure 11 21 Figure 11 21 Modified four bar envelope notice that the last bar is set to loop 284 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Remember th
91. just how digital software lets DJs expand beyond hardware limitations N t this point you should have an understanding of Traktor s foundations Hopefully you ve been breaking up the reading with a bit of your own Traktor noo dling If not it s that time Intro to Loading Tracks Traktor provides several straightforward methods to load music into the four Decks Select a track within the Browser List using your mouse or the up down keys on your computer keyboard and then perform one of the following m Click and drag a track from the Browser List to Deck A B C or D m Press Ctrl lt or gt on the computer keyboard to load the track into Deck A or B respectively m Right click Control click on any track within the Browser List and choose Load Track into Deck A B C or D Tip You can easily assign Deck Load to any external MIDI control device under Preferences gt Controller Manager For more information check the Controller Manager section further along When navigating from the Browser to the Decks and back becomes second nature you may want to look into some of Traktor s Deck Loading configurations The various playback and loading functions as shown in Figure 7 1 are adjusted within the Pref erences to augment as well as streamline your workflow Open Preferences gt Loading gt Loading 119 120 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer E Loading only into stopped de
92. locations on the record to verify that the inputs are not clipping Analog distortion nice Digital distortion not so nice 7 Click the Record button on an empty audio track clip slot see Figure 12 4 Figure 12 4 Click any clip Record buttons to start recording incoming audio 8 Use the clip Stop button to stop recording and then move on and cue up the next track from your viny Ripping Other Sources Now if you do not own CDs or vinyl streaming audio resources permeate the Internet The legality of what you choose to record is ultimately your responsibility but that aside this type of sampling presents virtually limitless possibilities Quite a few meth ods of capturing these audio streams exist however Mac users in particular have two powerful options worth noting 302 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Cycling 74 Soundflower From the makers of Max MSP and of course Max for Live Soundflower is a Mac OS X system extension that allows users to spread virtual audio cables across their applications thus removing all the messy wiring Soundflower presents itself as an available audio input output option within practically any application that allows cus tomized audio routing For example if you wanted to send audio from Traktor to Ableton Live Soundflower 2ch shows up within both Traktor and Ableton s respective input output preferences right alongside any other connected h
93. measurement provided by the manufacturer of your needles Additional Performance Settings If Serato is giving you trouble and raising the USB buffer size doesn t help open the Setup page and click on the Display tab Maximum Screen Updates controls how many times per second Serato refreshes its GUI Turning this value down gives your processor a little bit more headroom to perform more important functions Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 193 On the other hand Audio Cache determines how many seconds of your song to allo cate into RAM once it s loaded into a Deck A larger cache may load tracks a bit slower but it also provides a wider viewing angle within the Waveform view Navigating the User Interface SSL s strongest facet is its uncomplicated approach to DJing In line with Serato s obvi ous nod to vinyl purism very few steps exist between opening the box and mixing your first tracks Figure 9 4 shows Serato s unmistakably direct software GUI design choices If you ve had the opportunity to play around with a few different DVS bundles you ve probably noticed that they all share a degree of similarity What sets an application such as Traktor or Serato apart from the rest is how all of these elements combine into a cohesive workflow As developers Serato s obvious grasp on how a DJ s mind works is immediately apparent with one glance at SSL s intuitive interface Tip While you are learning your way around SSL clic
94. music collection In addition you are given the option to Auto Warp Long Samples tracks and select what Warp mode you want newly created imported audio clips to use and you can choose whether or not you want to apply fade ins outs When it comes down to working on a clip by clip basis Auto Warping offers several more options Double click on any of your audio clips to bring up the waveform within the Sample display Now right click OS X Control click anywhere inside the visible waveform and you will see the Sample display s context menu see Figure 11 31 Within this menu you can find various Auto Warp options suitable to nearly any imported audio files Warp From Here Warp From Here Start at 120 00 BPM Warp From Here Straight Warp 120 00 BPM From Here Warp s 128 Bar Loop Figure 11 31 Use this context menu to select the appropriate Auto Warp settings for your audio clips Warp from Here This option applies Live s Auto Warp to everything to the right of the point selected Warp from Here Start at X X BPM Same as above however this Auto Warp method factors in the project tempo to help yield more accurate results Warp from Here Straight One Warp Marker is used to estimate overall tempo This method is generally only effective on beat accurate machine driven tempos Warp X X BPM from Here This option creates a Warp Marker at the project tempo and erases any preexisting Warp Markers to the right of
95. noted whenever sync is mentioned am referring to the synchronized playback of two or more sound sources For example Traktor s Sync function locks the bpm of two or more Decks tracks to a master source This source could be an individual Deck Traktor s internal tempo clock or an external MIDI clock source such as a drum machine or another computer This topic is thoroughly explained within the following chapters Serato Scratch Live A few years after the early versions of Traktor hit the market 2004 saw Rane a Washington based audio hardware manufacturer partner up with Serato a small audio software company founded in Auckland New Zealand Together the partnership unveiled another leading DVS bundle Serato Scratch Live or more commonly Serato Since the 80s Rane has released numerous hardware solutions targeted at performing musicians more recently focusing on the DJ market with its widely respected line of nightclub DJ mixers Serato on the other hand established the standard for real time audio stretching with its Pro Tools Logic Pro compatible plug in Pitch n Time Who better to construct modern DVS technology than the masters of pitch themselves m Serato Scratch Live SSL proudly sets an example for what is likely the finest manufacturer customer relationship on the digital DJ market Attentive developers engage closely with an active user community to cultivate an environment of con tinuous software updates
96. of the modern performer straddling the stage and the studio Powerful DJ focused perfor mance software shares hard drive space with studio inclined digital audio worksta tions virtual racks of synthesizers hardware software drum machine combinations samplers effects and of course all of this rubs up against a DJ s music library In combination modern DJs come armed with a veritable sonic arsenal In the next chapter you will find some foundational elements to help get your head around what is likely the best aspect of the stage and the studio the gear 3 Gear side from music perhaps the most exciting aspect of DJ culture is the seem ingly never ending wealth of new toys Every year music technology compa nies unleash a deluge of innovative new products or grow new limbs onto those that are already well established DJ culture s cornucopia of abundance has found itself snagged on the adage spoiled for choice The subsequent assortment of software hardware controllers and hybrid mash ups is not intended to be all inclusive rather they are suggestions that cover a range of alternatives ranging from plug and play to those that require a significant time investment Computer Specifications As you pull together your finances in preparation for some retail therapy be sure to factor the potential cost of a new laptop into the equation My experience has shown me that despite clearly listed system requirements
97. of UK garage and drum n bass and instead gives sub bass the steering wheel whereas grime generally maintains subtracted dub step esque structures in order to make room for an MC s lyrical cadence Primarily credited around the millennium as the offspring of South London DJ pro ducers dubstep was coined as a genre by the promotions collective behind the London club night Forward gt gt Early defining sub bass experimentation was more recently augmented with organic melodious elements and sound design furnishing additional depth to the intrinsic low end values This attention to detail directly caught the interest of many modern techno DJs fostering cross pollination in part due to compatible time signatures from remixes by techno nonpareil Ricardo Villalobos to the devotees of Berlin s Hard Wax crew and the Panorama Bar Berghain Ostgut DJs The movement rapidly matured through the technical artistry of producers such as Kode9 Burial Appleblim Shackleton Skream Benga and so on Dubstep s huge leap in genre Chapter 2 The Evolution of DJing 23 credibility was gained once the style was embraced by Radio 1 DJs including the late John Peel and Mary Anne Hobbs Figure 2 10 Kode9 in shadow Flip the coin and on the ground you will find grime Originating within east London s Rinse FM pirate radio network around the millennium grime artists took UK garage and dubstep s percussive beds and sparsely concocted them for an
98. of decentralized file sharing and created an inexorable ripple effect that to some degree spawned fur ther peer to peer P2P technologies ranging from Kazaa to the BitTorrent protocol More than anything else what these sites emphasized was an increased consumer demand for artist content beyond traditional albums and singles for example live show recordings live video rare bootlegs and unreleased songs In response to ram pant copyright infringements numerous lawsuits were filed against illegal file sharers over the last decade In 1976 the U S Copyright Act was modified to protect recorded sound sources for example recorded music Prior to this only written music could be protected To many listeners of hip hop and dance music it s obvious that this barrier is widely ignored Further in 1998 the Digital Millennium Copyright Act DMCA was signed into exis tence among other things the DMCA makes the sidestepping of Digital Rights Man agement DRM protection illegal in addition to criminalizing the unauthorized digital distribution of protected works While public opinion on the morality of file sharing is still mixed it is difficult to dis pute that P2P networks had a definitive impact upon how digitized music is currently distributed Amidst this perfect storm innovative businesses were able to develop rel atively happy mediums for labels musicians and fans For digital performers today this translates to the eased a
99. of original material Fundamentally the dub doubling process imagined and 10 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer developed music for a particular setting the outdoor dance party The first results were dubplate acetates exclusively individual one off test pressings that deteriorate after a handful of plays Much as dance music is produced for massive club systems dub was crafted for individual Jamaican sound systems The process itself generally detached the rhythms from a track reworked frequency content through boosted lows and highs and applied layer upon layer of magnified reverbs and protracted delays echoes Dance music ranging from dub techno to dubstep can thank reggae for its pivotal focus on shaping pounding low end sculpting glistening highs and envisaging distant spa cious effect treatments Likewise hip hop MCs and DJs more than any other but also jungle drum n bass UK garage and so on all share collective nods in Jamaica s direc tion for establishing many fundamentals of their craft and culture Hip Hop Historically DJs and hip hop culture go hand in hand They are the drummer the bassist the guitarist and the backing vocalist basically DJs serve as hip hop s back bone Thus it should come as no surprise that a Jamaican founded the genre As the story goes Jamaican immigrant Clive Campbell or DJ Kool Herc was so influenced by his homeland s DJ culture that he
100. of the overall project presents certain limitations requiring me to focus my considerations Each product has been chosen for the power it presents to contemporary DJs on the stage in the studio and in between I encourage you to peruse each book as you see fit pick through chapters of interest within which you may discover something new or read from beginning to end No matter what level or style of DJ you are I hope that while reading these books you find the inspiration to push yourself outside of your comfort zone Remember most of the DJ culture s best ideas arose out of accidents and experimentation Online Content As mentioned a moment ago reading through user documentation can be painfully tedious we all share the impulse to tear open our presents and play To help make the reading more interesting the online portion of these manuals will help provide visual feedback for certain conceptual processes Point your browser to www formatproject com djhandbook1 zip There you can search for the title of this book my name or the book s ISBN and you will be taken to the page for this book And there you will find various download folders containing the project files as covered throughout this text Significantly more con tent including screen capture videos will be provided within Part 2 2 The Evolution of DJing fter nearly a century of evolution DJ culture has matured into an immensely diverse arena of autonomou
101. on the external soundcard you should choose a specific MIDI channel if All Channels is not relevant Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 259 Similar to that on an audio track the Monitor section on a MIDI track listens for an incoming signal however in this case the Monitor section determines how the channel strip will respond to incoming MIDI data For example with Auto engaged MIDI clips play their content and connected MIDI keyboards are ignored until Arm Session Recording is clicked Conversely with In engaged notes from connected MIDI key boards are received and MIDI clip content is ignored until Arm Session Recording is clicked Note Overdubbing Pay close attention to a MIDI track s Arm Session Record ing button If a MIDI clip s Play button is red any and all MIDI data notes CCs and so on received on that MIDI track get recorded into the currently playing MIDI clip This has benefits in certain situations such as supplementing notes to a preexisting MIDI clip However when they re not wanted accidentally recorded notes can lead to disastrous results during a performance You can avoid unwanted overdubbing by disabling the OVR overdub button located at the top of the Live GUI within the transport control bar The last major difference between audio and MIDI tracks is located under the MIDI To drop down list The default MIDI track only handles MIDI therefore the output rout ing options are limited to other
102. or it could be sent to another MIDI track inside Live that contains a plug in instrument device Output volume would most likely be controlled directly from the hardware instrument while using this type of MIDI track thus there are no track Vol ume faders on a standard MIDI channel strip The situation is the same with the lack of aux sends MIDI data is just that data therefore there is no need for sends on this particular type of MIDI track This changes once you drop a plug in instrument on top of any MIDI track Since the MIDI clip s data is now directly sent to the currently loaded plug in track volume and Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 253 pe see z ik MIDI From All Channe All Channe Monitor Audio To M ster F Pp A 2 Q lt q Ee Le Track Delay 4 B D 0 Br Bu bet Figure 10 26 Standard MIDI track left and a MIDI track with plug in instrument right aux sends now make sense because the instrument is producing sound Thus the track appears nearly identical to an audio track or an instrument track if you will which can be seen in Figure 10 24 You ll find the final major difference within the In Out section Earlier I mentioned that this area is where you instruct Live on how to handle the sending and receiving of audio streams The concept on a MIDI track is basically the same however instead of audio streams you are managing the routing of MIDI da
103. other steps them down Crossfader Left Right position Find these two hidden controls bookending Live s Crossfader As you can see in Figure 12 39 the Crossfader Left Right controls only appear once MIDI Mapping mode is engaged Assign each of these controls to a button to flip between Crossfader assignment levels For simplicity only one command needs assigning to one of the Left Center Right options This allows toggling between Crossfader A and Crossfader B positions respectively m Clip Scrub control Although this feature was already mentioned it needs restating The basic function of clip scrub is to jump through a track s playback position Engage MIDI Mapping mode and find the Clip Scrub control within the Clip box of the Clip view see Figure 12 40 Beautiful Gre Groove Figure 12 40 Scroll through clip playback positions with the Scrub control Multiple Assignments and Multiple Controllers If you find yourself running short of hard ware knobs faders buttons or pads keep in mind that a single hardware control is able to manipulate multiple Live parameters Just to demonstrate a couple of wide reaching examples you could assign all of your track sends to one single hardware knob Alternatively you could even make a couple of awesome buttons which launch preconfigured clip slots unlinked to the rules of horizontally regulated scenes To make sense of this take a quick look at Figure 12 41 Notice the
104. out of one another Position fade cue points anywhere within a track and they tell Traktor s internal engine when to start mixing in and when to start mixing out i SN a ae a QO 10 11 Ensure that the Fade In Out check box is checked from Preferences gt Loading gt Activate Fade In amp Fade Out Markers Load a track into Deck A Navigate to a point near the end of the track and press the Cue button from the transport controls Click the Store button Click the Cue Type drop down menu and choose Fade Out Load a track into Deck B Navigate to a point near the beginning of the track and press the Cue button from the transport controls Click the Store button Click the Cue Type drop down menu and choose Fade In Click the Sync button on the Slave Deck or on both Decks if the Clock Master is set to Internal Press Play on Deck A so that the song starts playing somewhere before the fade out cue point When Deck A s playback position passes the fade out marker Deck B will start synced playback Using Cruise Mode While fade in out cue points instruct Traktor where to automate track mixing Cruise mode goes one step further Enabling Cruise mode automates the playback of an entire playlist for example once a track is mixed out on Deck A and the Volume fader hits the 0 mark the next track is automatically loaded from Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 139 the currently sel
105. panel 82 83 audio routing Ableton Live 257 258 audio setup configuration Ableton Live audio device 234 235 latency settings 236 237 overview 233 237 sample rate 236 237 Serato latency settings 190 191 overview 189 SL3 hardware setup 190 software setup 190 193 Tracktor Scratch Pro external audio interface 71 77 internal soundcard 70 71 audio tracks 250 252 Autoloop Loading function 169 automation cellular 49 collection management 111 112 envelope 278 280 281 Aux Deck plug in 213 B backup 61 Bambaataa Afrika 11 12 bands 151 Banks Mike 18 48 bassdrop 22 Battery indicator Traktor Scratch Pro 79 battery life 62 Baxter Blake 19 beat juggling 13 Beat Junkies 14 beatgrid adjustment 131 134 example of 133 grid marker 132 133 placement 131 stripe display 132 Beatgrid panel Traktor Scratch Pro 86 87 beatmatching 15 Beatport download manager application 56 format selection and delivery options 56 interface 57 Beats warp mode 294 Behles Gerhard 36 Bell Daniel 19 Belleville Three 18 Beltram Joey 21 Benga 22 Berliner Emile 6 7 bilingual cable 63 Bleep website 58 Block Martin 8 Boomkat website 57 336 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Bozak Louis Bozak mixer 15 BPM estimate 111 200 breakpoint envelope 278 280 Brewster Bill 18 Bridge 35 36 Broughton Frank 18 Browser Ableton Live Device 261 File 263 265
106. panel 2 is active And so on Because we assigned the leftmost DX2 knob to the Wet Dry control for all FX panels m Modifier 1 1 Twist DX2 Knob 1 Wet Dry FX Panel 1 control m Modifier 2 1 Twist DX2 Knob 1 Wet Dry FX Panel 2 control Note You could also configure this setup with Modifier 1 value numbers 1 to 4 rather than entirely separate modifier numbers 1 to 4 Experiment with your hardware to see which works best There are two primary Interaction modes within which modifiers will be used the most Hold and Direct For the most part Hold mode is self explanatory Holding down the Modifier button maintains the modifier value until released much like the Shift or Ctrl key on a computer keyboard On the other hand Direct mode engages a permanent modifier value state somewhat like a computer keyboard s Caps Lock key If you took the previous example and switched the values of each modifier to Direct there would be no need to hold down the Modifier button pressing the button could be used to set a particular map ping page as permanently active until switched or disengaged A bit of confusion arises with Direct mode in that it does not act like a toggle switch in other words clicking the modifier turns that value on but clicking it again does not turn it back off To make a modifier behave like a toggle switch duplicate the following settings Traktor Type of Interaction Button Command Contr
107. performance behaviors both clip types necessarily share specific playback related settings As you can see in Figures 11 2 and 11 3 MIDI and audio clips each share the Clip Launch and Envelopes boxes However what primarily differentiates audio and MIDI clips is one box unique to each variety the audio clip s Sample box and the MIDI clip s Notes box If you are unable to see any of these boxes enable the Show Hide buttons located in the bottom left corner of the Clip view see Figure 11 4 Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 273 Figure 11 3 Live s MIDI Clip view Figure 11 4 Click to show hide the relevant Clip boxes Note Pressing Shift Tab switches between Clip and Track view Pressing Command Option L OS X or Ctrl Alt L Windows opens and closes Clip view The Clip Box The leftmost of the Clip view boxes is called the Clip box see Figure 11 5 The Clip Activator or the tiny on off button within the top corner of the Clip box allows you to toggle clip status either on or off This is useful for example within extremely busy Live sets containing clips that you do not want to accidentally trigger and yet you want access to for the right situation Figure 11 5 The Clip box 2 4 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Clip Name and Clip Color allow performers to further customize the look and feel of their Live sets via visual cues Clip Name does precisely what
108. phase As you can see the left channel top is approximately 1 4 phase ahead of the right channel bottom Though we can t hear the difference Trak tor certainly can and thus the phase relations determine a Traktor Deck s directional playback behavior that is essential to cueing and scratching Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 6 iew abe a a ersjasonemsley Desktop MARCH bounce Audio Files Trackiway 2 1 1 1 msogo o i ep Figure 5 1 Traktor s timecode signal up close Trying to explain playback positioning is a bit of a dead end regrettably because the full details fall into NI s proprietary info domain In all likelihood it is a type of digital timestamp Suffice it to say that data contained within the tiny boxes visible up very close embedded upon the timecode vinyl probably determine track playback position Is this information vital to retain Not necessarily but it never hurts to understand the inner workings of a system if you ever have to troubleshoot a problem As you will see later Traktor offers several status feedback reminders hinting at problems that may begin with the timecode signal s clarity Traktor Scratch Pro More than a decade was spent shaping and polishing the Traktor lineage into its current state Traktor Pro As mentioned earlier this process resulted in several Traktor blends stratified according to differing technical requirements With that said the full Traktor Scra
109. possibilities You can create layout arrangements sitting somewhere between these two examples for spe cific situations instantaneously choose from the Layout Selector drop down menu map to hotkeys or map them to your external control device To optimize Traktor s appearance open the Preferences and click on the Layout Man ager tab You should see the screen displayed in Figure 6 22 For the most part the descriptions are relatively straightforward Nonetheless let s try customizing one now 114 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Change Namel enter new name for selected layout Personal Layouts Nr Mare OjActive A B EXTERNAL 2 DECK SCRATCH Gi Show Global Section Left Master Clack Right Effect 2 EQ Fader Filter Key Gain Cue Balance Crossfader Figure 6 22 Define your customized Traktor layouts from here 1 Click Add and choose for example TPro Ext Mixer 4Deck Yov ll notice a new profile has been added within the personal layouts Click on it 2 Double click within the Change Name dialog box enter a name for your per sonal layout and click the Rename button to the right Note that the number of the listing will reflect the order in which your personal layout will appear when cycling through your customized views Click the Move Up Down buttons to adjust the arrangement of your layouts 3 For this example ensure that all of the check boxes are c
110. profile Overall SoundCloud pro vides a highly functional outlet for the music industry while avoiding the obnoxious fluff of other social networks m spotify com Spotify is the definitive subscription model based Internet radio For a monthly fee users get access to thousands of albums through the Spotify applica tion Share music with other users and friends build wide ranging playlists and learn a lot about music you have never heard before based on the sharing principles of collaborative playlists and the similar artists recommendation system common in most digital music services Although the content is actually streaming and requires a connection at some point you can lock and access a playlist offline This is par ticularly handy on its iPhone application When you find tracks for your DJ sets the click through purchase feature is available for songs that you want to keep m last fm Last fm is a community based streaming radio service that lets you listen to radio on your terms Download the Last fm application as shown in Figure 4 4 create your own profile and build individualized radio stations sort of like play lists that select music based on likes and dislikes a rating system that remembers preferential listening habits If you run a search for so and so musician the radio will then play other similar artist recommendations Immediately access the playlists of friends and neighbors who have their own taste making process
111. rear of the Audio 8 DJ What Audio Interface Is Best for Me The purchase of an audio interface is one of the most important investments you will make as a digital DJ Make an informed choice here and you stand to arm yourself with a device that will probably outlast a few computers Thus doing some research will pay off hugely down the road There are several factors to consider once you begin shopping Note If you are a vinyl purist but you see yourself on the DVS vinyl fence con sider using Traktor Scratch Pro or Serato s timecode control vinyl CD Your options are simple yet quite powerful and you can still flip between real records and the DVS software Check out Traktor Scratch Pro bundled with the Audio 8 DJ Traktor Scratch Duo bundled with the Audio 4 DJ or one of the many Traktor Certified mixers Alternatively Rane Serato s equivalent the Rane SL1 or SL 3 interface Sixty Eight TTM 57SL or MP 4 mixers provide a somewhat similar experience These bundles comprise the proprietary hardware software combination necessary to control DVS software with timecode control vinyl You can find detailed information at the respective manufacturer websites traktorpro com or serato com Connectivity The benefits that laptops provide in terms of convenience and portability come with certain sacrifices most visibly in the form of connection options The large majority of portable audio interfaces offer two ways to connect to your co
112. records samples to form entirely new versions of exist ing songs live The SP 6 is simply a new evolutionary limb grown off of turntablism s musical delivery Intro to the SP 6 First enable the SP 6 from Setup gt Plugins gt SP 6 Sample Player gt Enable SP 6 Sample Player Plugin and then click on the SP 6 tab see Figure 9 53 Figure 9 53 Click the SP 6 tab With the SP 6 panel open click on the drop down Display menu found in the top right corner of the Player see Figure 9 54 Figure 9 54 Click the Display menu Ensure that each option is checked so that the SP 6 shows up fully loaded see Figure 9 55 The following list describes the SP 6 Player s functions and behaviors Play from opa Mode select menu Output Overview Level Level Master Sample select meter output banks Pitch fader Keylock Figure 9 55 SSL s SP 6 Sample Player Mode Select how the SP 6 plays the loaded sample in other words the sample is triggered switched on off held or repeated m Output Select Configure which output the SP 6 sends its signal through for example Left L Mix M Aux A Right R or Master Outputs are inde pendently assignable for each slot or globally for the entire SP 6 master output Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 223 m Pitch Use the Pitch fader or Bend Nudge and Keylock controls to manipulate how the loaded sample sounds against the music playing through the Virtual Decks m Pla
113. reverb and delay can sit a vocalist nicely alongside the rest of the mix Alternatively choose Sends Only from the Audio To drop down for on demand effects This setting ensures that an audio track s input signal is only heard through the return tracks For example if you dedicate a handful of return tracks to different effect types you could use Returns A B and so on for reverb delay and any other assortment of customized effects devices to apply as needed MIDI Routing Within the MIDI Track section I mentioned that MIDI tracks exist in two states a standard MIDI track without a plug in instrument effect and an instru ment track with a plug in instrument effect When it comes time to configure the In Out section there are a few important distinctions to remember Akin to audio tracks the first two drop down menus are used to configure the where and the how of any incoming MIDI data again the top menu determines where the MIDI is coming from and the second defines how to receive it For example the defaults of All Ins and All Channels tell the MIDI track to listen for any incoming control data If MIDI is sent from a specific source such as an external MIDI keyboard another MIDI track or even the computer keyboard choose where to receive it from the first drop down list The next step much like with an audio track is to tell the MIDI track how to receive MIDI data However rather than defining an audio input
114. rhythm section or even apply some randomization for a touch of humanity The best part of this feature is that each extracted groove is saved to the Groove Pool a list of templates that can then be reapplied to other content within your Ableton set m Once you have cut up some loops and shaped them to your liking try Live s Slice to New MIDI Track option Rearrange the notes within the clip modify parameters reverse slices or simply swap out a handful of samples with some of your own m When approaching Live as a DJ environment do not forget that every channel is assignable to Live s Crossfader This opens doors to scratch style DJ artistry or smooth transitional mixing Notice the A and B assignments at the bottom of the channel faders in Figure 3 5 m Performers who want to add a personal touch to their DJ sets have the option of performing with more than just preproduced tracks and loops On top of the dozens of instruments and effects bundled with Live masses of third party Virtual Studio Technology VST or Audio Unit AU plug ins are compatible with Live Chapter 3 Gear 37 DE COORDS Viel olololGlao auc lolo L B 4 J Figure 3 5 Live 8 s Session view Think of each track as representing one channel on any stan dard DJ mixer m Fully fleshed out MIDI control is also at your disposal extend Live s control potential with virtually any MIDI capable controller Parameter assignment
115. s control vinyl 3 Connect the multicore cable labeled Audio 8 DJ Input to the Audio 8 DJ In 1 2 CH A 4 Connect the multicore cable labeled Mixer TT CD to the relevant Phono input channel on your DJ mixer Use the mixer s Phono Line switch to toggle between real vinyl Phono and Traktor s control vinyl Line 5 Connect the multicore cable labeled Mixer Line In to the relevant Line or CD input channel on your DJ mixer 6 Connect your CDJ or turntable to the multicore cable labeled Player TT CD 7 Repeat Steps 2 through 6 for the next turntable Software Configuration 1 Open the Traktor Preferences 2 Under the Audio Setup tab choose the Audio 8 DJ interface from the Audio Device drop down menu Leave the Sample Rate at the default of 44 100 Hz For now adjust the Audio Latency to about 15 milliseconds Once everything is up and running try incrementally lowering this setting Lower latency values translate to more responsive control but demand a fast computer To adjust the Audio 8 DJ s latency value click the Settings button nested alongside Audio Latency 3 Under the Output Routing tab choose External as the Mixing Mode The Audio 8 DJ outputs should automatically pre assign to their respective output channels If they do not use the drop down menus to assign each Deck to its 76 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer respective output for example assign Output Channel A to
116. send pots to the computer keyboard and you can toggle a 100 percent send level on off at the tap of a button To use Key Mapping mode 1 Enter Key Mapping mode by clicking the Key button see Figure 12 27 within the top right corner or pressing Command K OS X Ctrl K Windows Notice that the Key Mapping Browser pops out in place of the Live Browser Figure 12 27 Click the Key button 2 Use your mouse to click on whichever Live parameter you want to assign to the computer keyboard for example a clip slot Solo Cue button send pots and 320 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer so on A bracket surrounds the chosen parameter while the status bar at the bottom of Live s GUI indicates that the parameter is ready for assignment Click any key on your keyboard and you will see it appear on the relevant parameter In Figure 12 28 you can see that I have assigned Send A to the d key on my laptop s keyboard Notice also that the assigned parameter is now sit uated within the Key Mapping Browser Figure 12 28 assigned Send A to my d key If you are assigning keys to parameters that utilize scalable values such as track faders or send pots you can use the Key Mapping Browser to fine tune the Min Max values that Live receives Let s say that I want the send to route only about half of its output range Using the previous example Figure 12 29 displays the send pot or A Return assigned to k
117. setting to determine the behavior of your Warp Marker movements Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 293 Note that the previous steps are intended simply as a starting point With just a bit of creative manipulation Warp Markers can transform any static audio file into some thing beautiful or terrifying Warp within the structure of an audio clip s Grid settings to create rhythmic beds and textures Or try altogether unlinking from the clip Grid settings for some seriously unpredictable results Also don t forget to test out the var ious Warp modes for each will yield its own unique time stretching effects upon your audio files Tip When you are warping it often helps to drop a Warp Marker at the very end of your loops the loop end is thus pinned in place All subsequent warp ing is therefore bent around and or contained between the loop s boundaries For a general idea of what I m talking about check the audio clips titled Warp D E F and G Basically they are the results of manipulating random Warp Markers as played using a few different Warp modes however all stemming from the bog standard 909 drum loop used from sample clips Warp A B and C Warp Modes One great thing about music is that it drops us inside someone else s imagination Gen erally speaking artists intentionally record these ideas at certain tempos and under the frameworks of certain keys However yet again referring to the Mickey M
118. settings to see how they behave within your Live set Envelopes at a Glance As one of Live s most powerful tools envelopes are an invaluable feature within Live s arsenal that should not be overlooked if not simply due to the power they hold over clip playback behaviors I feel that providing an overview of Live s envelopes is partic ularly important especially regarding how they can be used to creative effect within a performance environment If you click on the Envelope box within Live s Clip view you should see a red line stretched over the top of your audio or MIDI clip Also known across DAW applica tions as a breakpoint envelope imagine that this line is the reflection of a parameter s status changes over time in other words playback position scrolls left to right and can represent anything from recorded MIDI controller movements to mouse drawn volume or pan changes The envelope can be seen as a container for all of this recorded con troller data a feature known as automation Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 2 9 Double click anywhere along the line a few times to create a handful of breakpoints Essentially breakpoints are markers around which an envelope is bent and shaped If you look at Figure 11 12 you will see multiple breakpoints around which the audio clip s pitch is transposed By no means are envelopes exclusive to pitch changes rather they can be used as automation for simple features such as
119. simply stated the top menu tells Live where the audio is coming from while the bottom menu defines how to receive it Figure 10 32 The Session Mixer s In Out section There are several input types to choose from Ext In implies that audio will be sourced from an external source Resampling uses Live s master output as the audio track input a useful feature if you want on the fly clip recording of a performance or for creating new loops on the fly This is especially useful when working with live bands and or vocalists ReWire tells Live to listen for the output of ReWire enabled applications such as Pro pellerhead s popular all in one studio software Reason And of course you can use any audio track as an input for Live s internal signals such as those from other audio MIDI return and master tracks Note ReWhat ReWire is the brainchild of Swedish audio software developers Propellerhead In their words ReWire is an invisible cable that streams audio as well as MIDI sync and other transport functions from one computer appli cation to another Not only is ReWire useful to link Reason with applications such as Live it is also useful to link Live to Apple s Logic Digidesign s Pro Tools Steinberg s Cubase and so on Check out G W Childs ReWire handbook titled Using Rewire Skill Pack It helps musicians makes sense of an often overlooked yet incredibly powerful music protocol 258 The Laptop DJ H
120. step inward outward by a single beat Importantly all of these commands act as events that follow the Global Quantization settings in other words your looping will never fall out of sync Tip Even if you don t use Live s looping functions while you re playing you should still consider setting loop points at the end of your tracks and loops Doing so will let you hold onto your mixes longer as well as prevent accidentally running out of record Looping in Live versus looping within for example Traktor is an entirely different animal For example Live s looping functions are much more hands on When you re preparing a DJ set fine tuning loops is faster and more precise with a mouse Live provides this option Traktor does not However Traktor gives you infinitely more loops per track than Live and as mentioned before Traktor takes this informa tion and embeds it as metadata within your audio file The Ableton workaround or advantage depending on how you look at it is that rather than embedding loop or cue point markers inside a track you can simply slice out an infinite number of audio loops one shots and so on from a single audio file Digital song files thereby become sampled audio treasure troves all for the taking Effects Effects have got to be my favorite topic Manipulating audio files definitely creates amaz ing results but effects let you place preexisting sounds into entirely new environments and here s
121. stopped playback will continue 4 Use the mouse or control vinyl CD to scrub to the desired In or Out point Alternatively the left and right arrow keys on the keyboard make micro adjustments hold Shift to make larger ones 5 If you re editing the loop in point click In again to exit or vice versa 6 Continue playing Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 217 If you are unable to or you do not want to use the control vinyl CDs to manipulate the loop points ensure that the function is enabled from Setup gt Vinyl Control gt Adjust Loops with Vinyl Auto Loop Roll Of all SSL s looping functions Loop Roll represents the most power ful of the lot When applied creatively Loop Roll can be combined with autoloop hot keys or MIDI assignments for some pretty interesting results 1 Set an autoloop with the hotkey combinations The left Deck uses Alt 1 through 5 the right Deck uses Alt 6 through 0 2 Holding the Ctrl key drop out of the autoloop by hitting the same combina tion In other words if you set an autoloop by pressing Alt 1 drop out of the loop by pressing Ctrl Alt 1 Notice that the track instantly jumps forward to where it would be if looping was not engaged As an alternative to this example you could also continue bouncing between different autoloop lengths while holding down the Alt key As long as you disengage the auto loop while holding the Ctrl Alt macro the Deck jumps the track forward to the
122. story behind the creation of house music explains that Chicago club goers would shop specifically for music they heard at Knuckles Warehouse Chapter 2 The Evolution of DJing 17 Emerging out of a predominately gay black and Hispanic music community the house mentality was not taken seriously throughout Chicago for several years basically due to unfortunate regressive prejudice As the popularity of the Warehouse grew the early 80s saw some of the city s more open minded straight DJs venture to the Warehouse and take the experience outside of Chicago s west side In 1983 Knuckles moved on and opened his own club the Power Plant In response the Warehouse owners started the Music Box venue and established another of house music s early DJ innovators Ron Hardy While the two were reportedly friends independent styles aided in further diversifying the development of house music s umbrella of subgenres Knuckles per sonified house s disco soul whereas Hardy epitomized its emergent experimentalism In alignment with pushing the DJ performance forward Knuckles Hardy and those who followed after began toying with new performance ideas Knuckles bought a Roland TR 909 from one of techno s originators Derrick May as a percussive tool for use within the Warehouse a performance technique employed by early house legends Farley Jackmaster Funk with his Roland TR 808 and additionally by Jesse Saunders Around the same tim
123. the default option of 1 Bar In this scenario all clips using global Clip Quantization settings described throughout Chapter 11 will launch at the first downbeat of each bar for example while Live is playing if you click the Play button on any clip at the position of 1 1 3 it will flash until it launches at the first downbeat of the next bar or 2 1 1 This also applies to stopping clips I cannot stress enough the significance of understanding this feature Plav stoo Back to Draw mode P arrangement switch global record l E gt ml Bar gt Follow Arrangement Overdub Quantization position menu Figure 10 48 Live s transport functions Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 269 6 8 1 4T 18 g7 1 8T wie 26 16T 41 32 Figure 10 49 Use this drop down menu to select global quantization behavior Whether you re performing solo or with other artists whatever value you choose here will establish the rhythmic flow of your Live set For now bypass the third subsection and focus on the fourth In Figure 10 50 you will find the tools for customizing Live s internal control set and observing your system s status feedback Key and MIDI each engage Map modes covered in Chapter 12 under the section titled Mapping Live s Controller Assignments for either your computer keyboard or your external MIDI control devices These assignments are useful for everything from simple fader adjustment and mute solo commands to VST AU
124. the pitch or playback speed much like that of a turntable Speeding up the project tempo will in turn speed up the playback and key of all audio files using Re Pitch and vice versa Complex Complex Pro The appropriate selection when time stretching audio clips that are effectively entire songs in other words when using Live DJ style Complex Pro mode uses a higher quality time stretching algorithm designed to adapt to the varying frequency ranges consistent with complete tracks the go to mode for DJs The Pro factor simply notches up the quality that much further and should be used if you can hear audio artifacts while using the basic Complex mode Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 295 Where do we go from here At this stage you should be gaining a working knowledge of Live and how its internal functions offer up potential for modernizing your DJ set The only thing missing is how to make that final hands on move when approaching stage specific features Therefore in the next and final instructional chapter we will narrow down our focus and examine the specific tools that are naturally adaptable to forward thinking DJ performances This page intentionally left blank MPA DJing with Ableton Live more than that but also because in a traditional sense it isn t a DJ application at am generally hesitant to call Live a DJ application mainly because it is so much all But does this mean that an artist can
125. the selected row and is quite useful for dramatic musical changes or building compositions from intro to verse to chorus and so on Akin to track titles selecting any scene and pressing Ctrl R OS X Command R lets you rename scenes row by row The Crossfader Crossfaders have been part and parcel of DJ culture for more than 20 years for many performers they act as the bridge between two sound sources and have matured alongside Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 255 3 1 SORO BEHE BIVIVIiVIVIVIVIViFiviviviviviviy Track Delay A Figure 10 28 Live s master track progressions in both turntablism and mixing Thus the inclusion of an innovative cross fader shows Ableton s awareness of the contemporary digital DJ and his kit If you are unfamiliar with what exactly a crossfader does think of it this way In the early days of disco and hip hop DJs had to carefully use two Volume faders or two motions to keep a constant equal loudness over the house system so as not to interrupt the energy and the flow of the dance floor So what could possibly be easier than two motions That s right One motion The introduction of crossfaders allowed DJs to use a specially constructed horizontal Volume fader to blend two signal sources turnta bles in one smooth gesture One pervasive example arose once turntablism took this functional need and shaped it into an art form Figure 10 29 shows an example of Live s
126. this expense is part of a tour rider sometimes it s out of pocket Either way the whole experience is infuriating Further the wear and tear on some of my older records is making me rethink bringing them at all On the upside it s reassuring that recording technology has become so good that archiving vinyl at higher than CD quality is extremely easy and sounds fantastic Chalk up a point for digital DJing The New Crate Digging While the remaining digital dust settles from the music industry s explosion into 1s and Os glimpses of a relatively stable future are beginning to take shape Fans and DJs can find new music all over the Internet legally or illegally Musicians can independently and affordably record distribute and manage their careers from anywhere in the world Moral and legal distractions aside it has never been a better time for musicians and their fans to connect Legal access to music content continues to be a driving force behind hordes of budding online retailers Inexpensive data storage and expanding Internet bandwidth have helped create the perfect breeding ground for digital media proliferation 53 54 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Back in June of 1999 Shawn Fanning fulfilled a popular desire with the launch of Napster a file sharing service that served as a catalyst for the deconstruction of the 20th century s music industry The service popularized the concept
127. to push this thematic boundary in the realm of live performance Paraphrasing Qbert s thoughts from the Doug Pray film Scratch individual scratch techniques are like words in a language As DJ culture expands its techniques it expands its language As it develops its language DJs are able to broaden their expression As DJs further the potential to express themselves they evolve the DJ as artist paradigm Disco For most people disco summons images of garish nightclubs gaudy attire tight pants excessive partying Studio 54 Saturday Night Fever and the Village People To be sure late disco s decadence was ever present on the tail end of the 70s and early 80s how ever few people are aware of the musical movement represented by its underground beginnings Blended ideologies of freedom release sexual autonomy and the collective mind were given life inside New York s multiracial gay communities at a time of mon umental social transformation Societal perceptions of sex and sexuality loosened minority civil rights finally began to make some headway the Vietnam War fostered kinship between peace loving Americans and the growing narcissism of 70s rock music pushed hordes of people toward new forms of music DJ pioneers such as Francis Grasso and David Mancuso helped fabricate the literal and figurative spaces within which many continue to party today What s more each role Chapter 2 The Evolution of DJing 15 model i
128. under the Cue Out drop down menu found on the master track Note To switch between Solo and Cue modes click the Solo Cue button directly to the left of the master track Volume fader Be aware that in order to switch from Solo mode you must have independent outputs assigned from under Cue Out and Master Out Directly below Solo Cue is the Arm Session Recording button Until a track is armed for recording red the Record button remains grayed out Engage this button when you are ready to record something 252 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer The aux send Sends A B and so on pots resting on top of the track volume pan are used primarily for effects In short the controls within this section take a duplicate signal from the current track and pipe it over to the corresponding return track A Return B Return and so on located on the right hand side of the Session view Above the sends you will find an audio track s In Out section We ll cover this in a few pages under the section titled Audio Routing but for now remember that menus and controls within this area instruct Live on how to handle the sending and receiving of your audio streams Atop the In Out section lies the Session Mixer s primary clip functions You can place clips loaded into an audio track in any order within the vertically cascading clip slots and you can stop them by clicking the Clip Stop button at the bottom of
129. virtually silent use comparatively less energy and are apparently quite rugged because they contain no moving parts Currently the SSD route is an insanely expensive option for much lower capacity and comparatively unproven performance within the audio industry Although an attractive option for the future as with all things great and new it s often wise to wait until market forces crush down the prices and additional time has passed for industry wide testing Connectivity Give connectivity some thought before you purchase an external hard drive In partic ular take into consideration how you might connect additional devices to your laptop for example an audio interface MIDI controllers and so on The vast majority of laptops will have at least one USB 2 0 port Many will offer mul tiple USB 2 0 ports as well as one or two FireWire ports If you are a Mac user be aware that Apple has abandoned FireWire 400 1394a for the faster FireWire 800 spec 1394b and thus all new Apple computers will only have this option available Don t worry if you have a device that only has a FireWire 400 connection as FireWire 800 is backwards compatible this is easily accomplished with a FireWire 800 to 400 bilin gual cable Given the unavoidable limitations of laptop connectivity hard drives are one area with a bit of connective flexibility For example some external hard drives are available with multiple connections on the same device su
130. will play back in time with the Live set no matter what the file s orig inal bpm Click the small headphone icon to enable disable the Preview tab s autoplay function Additionally engage the button labeled Raw from the right hand side if you would rather hear the file as it was recorded irrespective of the master tempo Using the Browser Within the previous Traktor chapters I mention my belief that the success or failure of a DJ application is founded upon a handful of core elements One cornerstone in partic ular is an application s ability to integrate browser functions that are both immediate and intuitive Thus optimizing a transparent toolbox is especially crucial for rela tively open ended DJ applications such as Live Loading and Managing Your Plug In Tools Thankfully Ableton made bringing these tools into Live an extremely simple matter Using behaviors that should be familiar to most computer users the two primary means of introducing new elements into Live are via drag and drop or via double click You can instantly incorporate plug ins tracks from your music library audio and MIDI clips and even entire Live sets into the current project you are working on However one particularly important thing to remember is the situational behavior of each action For example Select an AU OS X VST OS X or Windows or Live effect instrument device from the Browser and then drag and drop it into the empty space of the
131. world directly into Traktor s FX panels for example mics vinyl synths guitars drum machine and so on At some point you will probably hear the conservative studio adage A little bit goes a long way Well a lot goes a long way too Configuring the FX Panels If you don t have any practical experience with effects of any kind the best way to understand what effects do to a sound is through experimentation Apply some effects to a track that you know well this way you will instantly hear how the original sound is getting altered However before we move on to making weird noises it is helpful to understand the options offered by Traktor s FX panels Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 143 Open Preferences gt Effects Your options will appear as shown in Figure 7 33 Effect Unit Routing FRI Insert FX2 Insert FHS Insert Fx4 Insert E 2 FX Units Restore parameters when switching FX Advanced FA2 Advanced Chained FX4 Chained Available Effects Pre Selected Effects Flanger Delay Flanger Pulse Phaser Flanger Flux Phaser Pulse Filter Phaser Flux Reverb Filter LFO Filter Pulse Filter 92 LFO Filter 92 Pulse Filter 92 Beatmasher 2 Reverse Grain Turntable FX Bahia Figure 7 33 Use this dialog to customize your FX settings Under Effect Unit Routing choose Insert or Send FX and either two or four effects units Whether you check Restore Parameters When S
132. 09 9 10 stripe Ti Fuk Plastikmal 2009 39 10 stripe Tr RUNNING JASON EMSLEY i 2009 9 stripe Tr Figure 6 9 Editing inline track data 3 Type in your changes when you see the cursor appear 4 Press Enter to accept changes or Esc to cancel any changes Using the Edit Dialog Edit All Metadata 1 Select a track or multiple tracks for group edits within Traktor s Browser List 2 Right click Control click and choose Edit The Edit dialog will appear as shown in Figure 6 10 Tithe Sneak Mix Release Mit Pauken Und Trumpeten 2 Rating Bitrate 1411 KBit Artist Mark Broom Track No Remixer Playcount 32 Autogain 1 5 dB Producer Released i900 1 1 126 000 Genre r Gi v E E er vi a ul im Last Played 2009 10 4 SESE BS GG FERR Label Platzhirsch Schallplatten Imported 2009 4 4 Comment Comment 2 Lyrics Path File FATBOY TRAKTOR PLATZHIRSCH PLATZHIRSCH 022 mark broom sn ak aitt Apply Cancel DK Figure 6 10 Use the Edit dialog to manage various track metadata Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 105 3 Edit any relevant track information If you re editing multiple tracks notice Previous Next and Sel All in the bottom left corner Previous and Next flip through the tracks one by one while Sel All applies any changes to all selected tracks The check box displays shared information that is if the Artist box is unchecked the Artist tag is not shared across all of t
133. 11 Ut ae Bina Mirai Sailing Stare ECw313 Tela Towers Mowe D 10 11 02 08 57 Bina Peco Gouri Dri 05 15 20 Cecha Sark Taron Trokka Remiz Presnell der Familia Superkord 05 57 09 Figure 9 15 Album Art Grid 2 n The Beginning Gon O42 Mead Organ Ahan Corben album Kippls Trax length 0699604 Gbit label Platrhirech Si allplakier Slight Transition Brandon Meller Vermillian Bydub Wih T Wien Hers 11 46 05 Chapter 9 Brief Encounter Andy Wbobt Brief Ensa j Di EET Hoden Lyre wdi The D Hix Gone of tha Dragon The dee ery 10 40 07 Empathy Box Alix Becerra album Kipele Tros heregth 4G 54 Gorrie lake Hetrhirech Schelpist FH Heawen Howa D igili 4550 99 Bine Husit Jo Interlude Howa D idii 06 94 Bine Hbuse Mood Organ Alix Cortex album Kipele Trox henrgth 062604 cermin lebel Plaachinech Schelpist Luin Hassa Ignite The Gerk Rer O06 10 05 Thee Journey Oh27 ao Maartery Of Hararus wara Marco Bernardi Bhyetery OF Marier Pan Oa 05 Chora Picea Hark Broom albem Mit Poukosn Und Trump hangth 07 26 67 olmonrn lebel Aetrhirech Schallplstten Wish T Was Here Bwdub Wah 0 Wii Hiari 11 5205 spiate EP esd 2 o9 Serato Scratch Live Chadderton Glare Inbalacto Chadderton E Deaden Darko Hows D i i Hidi Bine Puse Evil Hova G 1 14 Obi Bene Musie Folgar Geof Whiba Force Ine Dhoni amp Con Just D Tt Hows
134. 126 127 track analysis 110 111 BPM estimate 111 collection maintenance 109 111 collection management 111 112 cover art 106 108 deleting 105 106 editing 104 105 gain value 111 icons 106 loading 119 120 playing 120 122 relocating missing 109 110 removing missing 110 strip 111 syncing 122 125 TSI file 115 116 Traktor Ready mixer 48 Traktor Scratch Pro See also Traktor Pro About window 79 Application menu 78 Audio indicator 79 audio setup configuration external audio interface 71 77 internal soundcard 70 71 Battery indicator 79 Beatgrid panel 86 87 Browser 89 91 control CDs 76 77 control vinyl CDs 74 75 Controller State indicator 79 CPU meter 79 crossfader 88 89 Cue Loop Management panel 85 86 Decks 83 88 features of 32 34 full package 67 68 Fullscreen button 79 FX Panel 81 83 142 143 Global section 80 83 graphical user interface GUI 76 77 Header section 78 79 installation 68 Internal Mixing features 71 72 Layout selector 79 Loop Move Beatmap panel 85 Master Clock panel 80 81 Master panel 80 Maximize Browser button 79 MIDI indicator 79 Mixer section 87 88 NI logo 79 Preferences button 79 Recording indicator 79 registration 68 Setup Wizard 68 70 Tooltips button 79 track organizing features 89 91 updating 68 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Tubby King 9 turntable speed timec
135. 2 COURSE feexiyor 42 CENGAGE Se Professional Technical sd JASON EMSLEY The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Jason Emsley s e COURSE TECHNOLOGY CENGAGE Learning Australia Brazil e Japan e Korea e Mexico Singapore e Spain e United Kingdom e United States COURSE TECHNOLOGY CENGAGE Learning The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Jason Emsley Publisher and General Manager Course Technology PTR Stacy L Hiquet Associate Director of Marketing Sarah Panella Manager of Editorial Services Heather Talbot Marketing Manager Mark Hughes Acquisitions Editor Orren Merton Project Editor Copy Editor Cathleen D Small Technical Reviewer G W Childs IV Interior Layout Tech MPS Limited a Macmillan Company Cover Designer Luke Fletcher Indexer Sharon Shock Proofreader Chuck Hutchinson Printed in the United States of America 12345 67 12 11 10 2011 Course Technology a part of Cengage Learning ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced transmitted stored or used in any form or by any means graphic electronic or mechanical including but not limited to photocopying recording scanning digitizing taping Web distribution information networks or information storage and retrieval systems except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United S
136. 2 000 Hz carrier frequency double that of the industry standard 1 kHz 1 000 Hz m Versatile internal record features enable you to record live performances or archive your vinyl collection Moreover use an Internet connection to broadcast your performances over the SHOUTcast or Icecast streaming media services m Finally and perhaps most importantly comprehensive MIDI capability and advanced controller assignment hand software control over to DJs Say farewell to the notorious stereotype of laptop performers seemingly just checking their email 34 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer If that wasn t enough Traktor equips DJs with an exceptionally powerful element MIDI clock Herein lies the foundation of one of Traktor s greatest strengths Why should you care so much about integrating MIDI into your DJ setup Here is an example You and a friend can sync two laptops and literally double the sonic palette of your performances all the while gaining the creative input inspiration and spontaneity created when sharing the stage with another performer Then again if your friends annoy you as much as mine do despite my love for them you are free to go it alone by syncing a second laptop running Traktor Alternatively you can also sync Traktor to your choice of drum machine synthesizer effects module or Ableton Live Note All of this sync talk requires a bit of explanation Unless otherwise
137. 25 MIDI Clock Settings Send MIDI Clock MIDI Clock Sending Offset Figure 8 25 Adjust these settings to fine tune Traktor s MIDI Clock output 3 Click on the Controller Manager tab click Add under the Device heading and choose Generic MIDI from the drop down menu 4 Leave the In Port set to None for now 184 10 11 12 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Click on the Out Port drop down menu and choose m OS X Traktor Virtual Output m Windows You will need a dedicated internal MIDI application such as MIDI Yoke www midiox com m If you are syncing external hardware or another computer you will set the Out Port to the MIDI out port of your MIDI interface for example Audio 8 DJ MIDI Ouput Port 0 Close the Traktor Preferences Click on the Metronome icon within the Global section to switch to the Master Clock panel Click Int under the Clock Master heading Click the Play Pause button under the MIDI Clock Master heading Click the Sync button under the MIDI Clock Master heading after configuring the slave hardware software This Sync button pulses a MIDI Stop gt MIDI Start message to resync all devices Load and play a track within Deck A Click Deck A s Sync button so that playback reflects the Master Clock If the playback between the devices is not synchronized slowly adjust Traktor s MIDI Clock Sending Offset slider found under Preferences g
138. 30 Dada event 7 Damier Chez 17 Decks Serato behaviors 225 loading functionality 176 Traktor Scratch Pro 83 88 absolute mode 126 relative mode 127 Dee Steve 13 deleting crate 201 cue point 139 playlist 103 track 105 106 Denon company 228 Device Browser 261 device chain 316 Digital Millennium Copyright Act DMCA 54 Digital Rights Management DRM protection 54 digital to analog D A 27 30 Digital Vinyl System DVS technology 32 65 66 Direct mode 163 disco 14 16 Discogs website 107 display modes Serato 193 195 DJ Hero game 6 DJ Kool Herc 10 DJ FX plug ins 218 221 DJing contemporary 2 culture 5 8 history of 1 2 to future 24 to genre 9 24 to popular culture 8 from science and experimentation 6 7 venues 5 6 versus MCs 9 modern day 2 3 DMCA Digital Millennium Copyright Act 54 Dodd Coxsone 9 Draw mode 279 drivers audio interface 31 32 latency 31 DRM Digital Rights Management protection 54 dub 9 10 dubplate 10 Dubplates amp Mastering studio 58 dubstep 22 24 Dusty Groove website 58 DVS Digital Vinyl System technology 32 65 66 E Edison Thomas 6 7 editing inline 104 track information 104 105 tracks 307 310 effects Advanced FX mode 144 Chained FX mode 144 FX panel configuration 142 143 gear racks 316 318 insert 144 145 313 314 presets saving 146 147 send 145 146 314 315 testing 146 Elektron manufacturer 49 envelope A
139. 69 system requirements Serato 187 y Tag Edit mode SSL 205 Tap function Ableton Live 268 techno 18 20 Tempel Jonas 56 tempo Master Clock 122 123 tempo controls Ableton Live 267 testing effects 146 Texture warp mode 294 The Wire website 61 time signature 274 timecode configuration 127 128 timecode vinyl CDs 126 127 toasting 9 Toggle launch mode Ableton Live 276 toggle switch 163 Tones warp mode 294 Tooltips button Traktor Scratch Pro 79 TouchOSC application 49 51 track analysis 110 111 BPM estimate 111 collection maintenance 109 111 collection management 111 112 cover art 106 108 deleting 105 106 editing 104 105 307 310 gain value 111 icons 106 loading 119 120 playing 120 122 previewing 307 relocating missing 109 110 removing from playlist 103 removing missing 110 slicing options 310 312 stripe 111 syncing 122 125 Track Launch feature 326 Track Status display Ableton Live 252 track end warnings 152 tracking alert timecode configuration 128 track organizing features Traktor Scratch Pro 89 91 Tracktor Settings Information TSI file 115 116 Traktor Certified mixer 48 Traktor Kontrol X1 controller connection prompt 175 Controller Editor 178 Deck loading functionality 176 features of 45 46 177 FX section 179 180 Hotcue button 178 layout 176 340 Traktor Kontrol X1 controller Continued Loop section 176 177 MIDI mode 177 178 Restore button
140. 76 Repeat play mode Serato 224 Re Pitch warp mode 294 resetting playlist 103 ResidentAdvisor website 61 resonance 151 return track 253 rewind 21 ReWire applications 257 Rinse FM pirate radio network 23 RME Fireface 400 interface 30 Rockit 11 Roggendorf Bernd 36 Roll Deep crew 23 root folder Traktor Pro 116 117 Rosner David 15 S Saddler Joseph Grandmaster Flash 10 11 sample 2 Sample Box Live audio clip 284 286 Sample Display Ableton Live 286 287 sample rate 236 237 Sanctuary 15 Saturday Night Fever 14 Saunders Jesse 17 Saunderson Kevin 16 18 48 saving FX presets 146 147 Scene controls 326 scene launcher 248 science DJing history 6 7 Scratch 14 scratching 11 screen clutter Traktor Pro 112 Search function Tracktor Pro 108 109 send effect 145 146 314 315 Serato Scratch Live See SSL Session Mixer Ableton Live 248 250 Session view Ableton Live 244 248 Setup Wizard Traktor 68 69 Shackleton 22 Shadow DJ 14 Shift button Kontrol X1 178 Shiftee 14 shortcuts keyboard 159 160 226 signal routing Ableton Live 256 259 Skream 22 slave Ableton Live as 329 330 Traktor as 185 slicing options Ableton Live tracks 310 312 slip cueing 83 slip cue 15 smart crate 201 202 Snap mode 129 171 So Solid Crew 23 solid state drive SSD technology 63 Song Browser Serato 203 204 sorting playlist 99 100 soundcard buffer size 31 32 con
141. 8 displays useful Deck behaviors such as track end warnings minute markers and the transient view of the Channels options combined together to orient DJs to current playback conditions Check Preferences gt Global View Options gt Decks l Highlight Beatmarkers Show Minute Markers Gi Display Deck Focus Show value when over control Channels Bea E Beats amp Highs Track End Warning PlayMarker Position Stripe View Fit Figure 7 48 You can configure additional Deck behaviors from this dialog At this point you should have a fairly solid grasp on how Traktor functions within the performance context NI spent a load of time contemplating how to optimize a digital DJ environment to suit the needs of all types of performers something that becomes quite evident from the moment you start fiddling around with Traktor s GUI In the next chapter we ll take a look at how to match Traktor s performance features to your specific hardware control needs Traktor Pro The Controller Manager parts play together Building on this foundation you should be able to quickly coax sounds out of Traktor that are simply unattainable within the confines of a traditional DJ performance We began this process with a mouse and a keyboard but as I have mentioned these devices are often counterintuitive to an artist s creative process not to mention that they have stigmatized digital DJs for years hope that by now you have a
142. 80s Jeff Mills and Mad Mike Banks formed the pioneering Detroit based Underground Resistance label collective pushing edgier industrialized techno After some time in New York Mills eventually moved to Chicago and in 92 launched his highly instrumental label Axis followed by a lineage of sub labels In 93 Rob Hood popularized minimal techno s terminology with the release of Minimal Nation on his own imprint M Plant Simultaneously a young Richie Hawtin swelled to embody techno s current evolution through the continual reinvention of his artistry most com monly with his Plastikman alias as well as historic labels Minus and Plus8 the latter of Chapter 2 The Evolution of DJing 19 which he created with fellow Canadian John Acquaviva Further offspring emerged as exemplified by the staggering musical career of Carl Craig and others such as Blake Baxter Kenny Larkin Stacey Pullen and of course the genius of Daniel Bell Figure 2 7 The Wizard a k a Jeff Mills Seemingly sharing house music s American destiny techno was not faced with even remotely the same level of success as it was within Europe More than anywhere else techno encountered the widest acceptance inside Germany Renowned Berlin techno institution Tresor opened its door in 791 while a few years before Sven Vath launched his club the Omen a precursor to his massively successful Cocoon trade mark Releasing under Basic Channel Maurizio and more Be
143. 9 m7 7 W Platzhirsch Sc E J4 2 2 Green Chair Deze Maxiin x PA Mit Pauken Und Tr Platzhirsch Schallpl a Daze Maxim Don nih orp ae i Piatzhirsch Scha rsch Se latzhirsch DA Nr 13 n Lalas J Matt O E en Mark i Je Davu Melo gt f atzhirsch Scha i de i 07 Rattamahatta MEFNE i 12 Gabriel Ananda F Platzhirsch Scha P nR Salt ane apse Cee 1 i Platzhirsch Scha Wasser Wartet G bric Ananda 12 4 Most Popular Releases More Artists Filters gt Set AYS Pla ipo pl m 10 Parallels Jason tmsiey My Beatport 4 Getting Started 4 Beatport Products _4 Beatport Partners amp _ Beatportal Figure 4 2 Beatport s DJ focused user interface find features like this pretty useful As you can see in Figure 4 3 I have chosen my delivery options to label my files as such Label_ Artist s Track Name_Mix Name Other Essential Digs The two previous examples are not the be all end all of music shopping they simply exist as solid examples of what customers should begin to expect In the spirit of leav ing no stone unturned there are definitely more shops that are well worth checking out It s also important to note that many record labels and artist collectives are beginning to launch their own web shops definitely something to look out for Specialists 1s Os and Vinyl m boomkat com A UK based specialist web retailer founded in quality over quantity Boomkat boa
144. A bidirectional yellow arrow is placed underneath the selected move size The gray left right arrow bookends shift the Move Size display to show further hidden options xFine and Fine cater to precise movements Move buttons Enacts the chosen Move Mode function by Move Size amounts as displayed in Figure 5 19 1 2 3 4 EEE 3 Figure 5 19 Traktor s Loop Move Beatjump Advanced panel Loop mode Ties the Move button s actions to the active loop size The active loop is affected based on the selected Move mode m Loop mode Clicking either Move button moves the looped section one full length forward or backward Loop In Out mode Clicking either Move button doubles or halves the loop in left loop marker or loop out right loop marker points Fine mode The selected Move mode is performed with extra precision Cue Loop Management Panel 1 Next Previous Cue Loop Point Jump forward backward through saved cue loop points Cue Position display Displays the cue loop point s temporal location within a track in the format mm ss ms minutes seconds milliseconds 86 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Cue Name display Click the downward facing arrow to access the list of stored cue loop points Double click the text to highlight rename the cue loop point Cue Type Click the downward facing arrow to choose or switch the cue loop point type Delete Cue Erases t
145. A AE EE 131 lro to Eees AEX enen T E 142 Connora the TA PAVE S ors nessa yE E 142 Advanced F X MOUE ente n A te Meee ree A E E E ae 144 ETE O EE E ETE EEEE E E E DE E E E ae era re 144 Insert Versus Send Filects ean ATA 144 Traktor Pro Fee NC en aaa eae 147 Uniden tandine Quan za Olena aan ERR 147 Mixing in Sync Phrases Beats and Bars eeenern orii Garer rn an TN 148 Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 153 tro to COntroller Assi AMENTS ea E E 153 ASSINE CONE OS cavsancsdocend a a E E O mena 154 Creanne d New Control Dey ICE soares in E 155 Assigning Traktor Control to MINN a advesstussadvanssncsissniesnocsseondeouedsawevnadsaadeviadsaneeeen 155 INNO GIGS cess taceetasrasdneubassaspitaiaenataceetaeseiacneseanetnctssuntsancteauntatactsaunlasastssvatssactuanatcsmctuanatess 158 Totoral Control E xan pl esena needa tocetaw toate iota Rota N TE A 166 NSS wate cts ecient atc E E E T E EE 174 EA o oe E S E A AEE E E E E E AA AA R 175 TREX LAVON is sctadiecbad eT E E E E OE EEOAE EOE 176 LED OUt a a a dain taiwsdauneencteaeades 180 ASSER ream EE DO S ea AAN 181 Syncin Traktor via VANDI A GCK cscs e E ERA RE AORO 183 AE a E E E E E E AE A E T 183 Traktor as Slave rrine o NEEE EEEE TE EE EN 185 Movine FOCWA anra N cava rear esana ave suna sa wade eanide ei davai iseetdsueidsuedieun 185 Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 187 Cer eet laters ge cate a camera cca teat E E tae E tele oe ae 187 Installation Resistration mand Updatin seriis davis tice
146. ANGHAI MA Raita_Original Mix Nebula 429329 Over The Hill Mr G Remix Hip Hop LA LA 2 an LEAVING LA HARD WAX10001 ia Soloaction Records_Shed_Well Done_030 Edit EEEE andi With Care II_Original Mix e Your Perfect LOOP Life One Dark Late Saturday LEAVING LA DEEP ag a 1 Liane Elaldeasitl Adee Cella Cm mdbhae sian firi Figure 6 13 Use cover art as a visual marker within your music collection Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 107 m Preferences gt Deck Details gt Deck Heading gt Show Cover Art should be checked m Right click Control click on any header within the Browser List for example Title and choose Cover Art You can click and drag the placement of the cover art filter along the Browser List header If any of your tracks is missing cover art you can use Discogs to find it www discogs com Once art is downloaded loading JPEG images is straightforward 1 2 Right click Control click on any track or group of tracks from within Traktor s Browser List Choose Import Cover as shown in Figure 6 14 Edit Load Track in Deck A Load Track in Deck B Load Track in Deck C Load Track in Deck D Reset Played State Import Cover Delete Cover Relocate Analyze Async Detect BPM Async Show In Finder Search in Playlists Check Consistency Delete Delete from Collection Append to Preparation List Add as Next to Preparation List Figure 6 14 Adding
147. Crossfader and its corresponding Crossfader Assign functions It s very simple If neither is selected the Crossfader does nothing selecting A assigns that track to the left side of the Crossfader and thus selecting B assigns that track to the right side Easy enough Figure 10 29 Assign tracks to Crossfader channel A or B 256 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Show Automation Show Automation In New Lane Figure 10 30 Use this drop down list to choose between Live s numerous Crossfader shapes Right click OS X Control click on the Crossfader and things get more interesting The drop down list see Figure 10 30 of Crossfader curves determines the Crossfader s shape or characteristic Rather than individually defining them I suggest that you mess around with different types to hear each curve s independent qualities Note that these functions are of course assignable to MIDI or key commands Signal Routing Arguably one of the most important concepts for artists to get their heads around involves audio s signal flow On paper this idea is fairly simple The flow of sound within any system moves from a source to a destination What s more how a sound moves in between these two points outlines everything you will ever do with audio If you are new to virtual studio technology or any studio technology for that matter this simple idea can quickly
148. Gerald 21 Ableton Live Ableton Transport Control ATC 232 233 advantages disadvantages 297 299 Arm Session Recording button 301 Arrangement view 243 244 audio setup configuration 233 237 audio tracks 250 252 Browser Device 261 File 263 265 overview 260 Plug In 262 263 plug in tools loading and managing 265 267 Clip Scrub feature 275 327 clips Clip box 273 274 envelopes 278 284 Fade function 285 Follow Actions 277 278 groove 274 275 Launch box 275 277 name and color 274 performance behaviors 272 273 Sample Box 284 286 stopping playback 272 time signature 274 ways of playing 271 272 control bar functions 267 270 controller assignments instant mapping 321 322 key mapping 319 320 manual mapping 322 325 MIDI mapping 321 328 multiple assignment and controllers 327 328 CPU meter 269 270 crossfader 254 256 effects gear racks 316 318 insert 313 314 send 314 315 envelopes automation 278 280 281 breakpoint 278 280 Control Chooser 281 Device Chooser 281 Draw mode 279 loops 282 283 Fade function 285 features of 36 37 file management 239 241 graphical user interface GUI 242 243 Hard Disk Overload indicator 270 installation 233 instant mappings 237 key mapping 269 Live set 239 241 303 305 looping parameters 312 313 as Master 328 329 master track 253 254 MIDI tracks 252 254 MIDI Sync setup 237 239 music collection preparation 305 307 overview 231 232 pitch bum
149. I input Press any button on your MIDI controller A MIDI message of some form should appear directly to the right of the Learn button Disable the Learn command Under Mapping Details click on the Interaction Mode drop down menu and choose Toggle as shown in Figure 8 6 Toggle regulates the switch behavior of the Play Pause button such that the first button press engages Play and the second engages Pause Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 157 Control VO Assignment Mode Mapped to Cond ee Sl PSS Pe e Ereren Play Pause in Device Targe Hold _ n a Congdz Wadd Out sPlay Pause Modifier JS sroller Assign weMviode Assign Assignment Device Tz Resolution invert Figure 8 4 Use this drop down menu to find all of Traktor s available MIDI commands Chol Mote co Comment Figure 8 5 Once Learn is enabled tap click twist hit any MIDI controller parameter to bind the assignment tapping Details T z Modifier Modifier Value Modifier Conditions ha Type of Controller Button Interaction Mode Assignment Device Tz Hold Direct Figure 8 6 Use this drop down menu to configure how you want to interact with the Traktor MIDI command 6 Under Assignment choose Deck A as I have done in Figure 8 7 Assignment does one of two things Either it filters incoming commands directly to a specific Deck or Focus Deck or it delegates overall control to the assigned Device Ta
150. Internal Mixer but the actual audio is ultimately sent to the house system or speakers via your external audio interface 72 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Hardware Configuration 1 Connect the external audio interface to your computer 2 Connect the primary outputs of the audio interface to powered speakers an amplifier or an empty line level input channel on your DJ mixer as depicted in Figure 5 5 Sa oOlo 44 Figure 5 5 Routing for an external audio interface with Internal Mixing 3 Connect your headphones to the secondary outputs of the external audio inter face for example headphones Output 7 8 on the front of the Audio 8 DJ Software Configuration 1 Open the Traktor Preferences 2 Under the Audio Setup tab choose the external audio interface from the Audio Device drop down menu Leave the Sample Rate at the default of 44 100 Hz For now adjust the Audio Latency to about 15 milliseconds Once everything is up and running try incrementally lowering this setting Lower latency values translate to more responsive control but demand a fast computer To adjust the latency on soundcards that use ASIO click the Settings button nestled alongside Audio Latency Under the Output Routing tab choose Internal as the Mixing Mode 4 Set the Output Monitor to the secondary outputs of the external audio inter face Many audio interfaces offer a dedicated head
151. KS C PROMO MIX 2 MAY 034 ESSEN LATE ESSEN EARLY LONDON HIVE 2 Cover Art Tite Artist Label import Date nared C ooo i eer Of RAS Per RA Reta Ps sectors Jara Di ae BA Nrg ih Exigen Pendle Coven Modern Love 2009 6 6 ripe Transients Gain A 2009 07 26_2h16m08_T O AUGUST PROMO O ppm 26 mopu Brief Encounter Andy Stolt Modern Love i 2009 6 6 Stripe Transients Gain 1 3 n DEEP MINIMAL 27 y Wish Was Here Bvdub MoM 2009 6 6 Stripe Transients Gain 4 5 m EMSLEY TRACKS fos a z 2 m YouAre Original Mix Julius Stainholf amp Hammo amp Smallville Records 2009 5 21 Stripe Transients Gain ESSEN DUB DEEP ESSEN EARLY 2 Look And Stare Mark Broom D1 Recordings 2009 4 9 ripe Transients Gain 7 f coccu unner r y This Town Mark Broom DI Recordings 2009 4 9 ripe Transients Gain 9 MVO Chambers Pendle Coven i Modern Love i 2009 6 6 Stripe Transients Gain 2 Naukku_Original Mix Poro i Pakkas Levyt 2009 4 9 Stripe Transients Gain 6 eee Kanelin Poro Pakkas Levyt 2009 4 9 Stripe Transients Gain 7 tee n b 20000001 Original Mix Omar S 7 8 4 5 Figure 5 24 Use Traktor s Browser to dig through your track collection 90 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Preview Player Prior to loading tracks into a Deck or to audition certain songs drag and drop directly onto the player or click a track s Preview
152. Launchpad Faderfox and Kontrol X1 devices to external instruments such as hardware drum machines or the Native Instruments Maschine groovebox Companion Website Downloads Supplemental project file setups for the Ableton Live chapters can be downloaded from www formatproject com djhandbook1 zip xi This page intentionally left blank 1 Redefining the DJ sk your friends teachers work colleagues acquaintances parents musicians the young the old or DJs themselves to define what it means to be a DJ What is the answer Does DJing possess an unequivocal definition Maybe More importantly does DJing need defining Probably not What is the common thread In its broadest sense DJing is performing audio music to an audience of some form Part of what makes the art of DJing so difficult to pigeonhole is how often its method ologies shift Historically DJing has been a form of musical playback unilaterally instructed by the prerecorded output of musicians Today that old relationship is trans formed Unquestionably the artist as DJ and DJ as artist paradigms have gained steam over the last century so much so that at present musicians are equally as likely to take the stage as DJs as DJs are to chase their muse into the studio At the heart of these transformations and therefore this book sits music technology From phonograph to tape to CD to hard drives one ingredient never changes the audience Where Do We
153. MIDI tracks and or outputs through a connected MIDI interface to any and all connected MIDI capable hardware The most obvious sign of this is before and after a plug in has been instantiated upon the track Before a plug in is loaded the Output Type header lists MIDI To after a plug in is loaded the header lists Audio To thus adopting the same Output Type functions as an audio track Depending on your choice Figures 10 33 and 10 34 show examples of the two differ ent output types you ll find on a MIDI track For instance I have the option to send outbound MIDI through my Fireface and or Maschine controller physical outputs for example to control external hardware The other when loaded with a plug in instru ment gives me the option to route audio data instead even though it is still a MIDI track that uses MIDI data to control what is ultimately heard at the output Fireface 509 Port 1 Fireface 5D9 Port 2 Maschine Controller MIDI output port 0 Configure Figure 10 33 A MIDI track s Output Type without a loaded plug in instrument effect 260 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Vocal Loopt Vocal Loop2 Figure 10 34 A MIDI track s Output Type with a loaded plug in instrument effect The Live Browser The Live Browser is essentially a big software toolbox in use one of the most common comparisons is with that of OS X s Finder or Windows Explorer Guaranteed you will
154. Only view and skim through your tracks Once you click down to load the Browser will bounce back to your pre vious layout configuration 168 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer One Button Deck Sync If you use Traktor s Sync functions consider augmenting your workflow with a macro assignment to link the Sync state of all four Decks 1 Open Preferences gt Controller Manager and select the relevant mapping under Device Setup 2 Click Add In gt Tempo gt Sync 3 Duplicate the Sync control three times There should be one for each Deck 4 Click Learn and sequentially assign the same keyboard key or MIDI control button for each duplicate 5 Ensure that the Assignment Table reflects the following list Traktor Type of Interaction Button Command Controller Mode Assignment Options Sync Button Direct Deck A 1 Sync Button Direct Deck B 1 Sync Button Direct Deck C 1 Sync Button Direct Deck D 1 Synchro Start At this stage you should have some understanding of the symbiotic relationship between Traktor s Beatgrids and its internal Sync functions This interconnection ought to be fairly easy to see after you have loaded synced and mixed a few tracks together However this process gets pretty powerful once Traktor has been configured for an entirely synced playback state known as Synchro Start Essentially Synchro Start initiates an endless playback state whereby loading any track automati
155. Regrettably the analog versus digital WAV versus MP3 debate is far too complex a discussion for Part 1 of this project but rest assured that I will broach this subject in Part 2 Ripping Vinyl What about our precious vinyl collections As a Live user you re already a step ahead It s a safe bet that if you own vinyl you probably still own a DJ mixer Note that unless you are using an audio interface with a built in phono preamp NI s Audio 4 or 8 you will have to route through your DJ mixer and then connect the mixer s output to an input on your audio interface The process from here is simple 1 Ensure that your hardware is connected properly in other words route the DJ mixer s record out or master output even a monitor output to the appropriate stereo input on your audio interface 2 Select the audio track into which you want to record 3 Choose Ext In from the Input Type drop down menu Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 301 4 Select the appropriate stereo input pair from the Input Channel drop down menu see Figure 12 2 Figure 12 2 Choose the soundcard input channel that your DJ mixer is plugged into 5 Enable the Arm Session Recording button upon the audio track see Figure 12 3 o Ls ce Figure 12 3 Click Arm Session Recording to tell Live that it s time to record some vinyl 6 Leave Monitoring set to Auto this way you can verify what got recorded once you are finished Cue up a few
156. Robert Moog filters Most filters are characterized by two controls cutoff and resonance Filter cutoff is relatively self explanatory it is the point within a frequency range at which a sound is attenuated On the other hand filter resonance is commonly understood as a param eter used to boost the volume of a narrow band of frequencies at and immediately around the cutoff frequency This sound is clearly heard in the wet squelching and squealing of Roland s TB 303 synthesizer acid house acid techno acid trance see a theme and so on Strangely NI decided to leave resonance controls off of Traktor s filters instead opting for a fixed resonance setting and a single bipolar Cutoff Frequency knob Click the small button shown in Figure 7 47 to turn on the filter From the neutral center posi tion off twist the filter clockwise for the high pass low cut filter Conversely twist the 152 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer FILTER Figure 7 47 To use the Filter On Off click the tiny button immediately to the right of the Filter text filter counterclockwise for the low pass high cut filter Alternate between the two filter models you can hear how specifically resonance affects a cutoff frequency more clearly with the Ladder filter Additional Deck Settings Given the extent of Traktor s features visual status feedback becomes increasingly more important as DJ sets progress Figure 7 4
157. SEN HOUSE ESSEN LATE ESSEN MIDDLE HOTEL SHANGHAI FEB Hip Hop i SOO Stripes Tr A a TECH HOLL 5 a Z HIVE 2 iy 2009 11 12 Stripe Ti THE Hive i 2009 11 12 Stripes Ti 2009 11712 Siripe Tr 2009 10 10 Stripe Ti i 2009 11 12 Siript Ti 2003 11 12 Stripe Tr Untitled Marko Furstenberg Figure 6 19 Minimize your options if you want to reduce screen clutter Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 113 On the other hand performers utilizing Traktor s breadth of features often need imme diate reference points to control effects loops and so on Figure 6 20 shows Traktor with all of the major features readily visible Given a laptop screen s relative real estate limitations you may notice that using an expanded view swallows the Browser Try clicking the Maximize Browser button see Figure 6 21 and see what happens Like most features in Traktor this too is hotkey or MIDI assignable Refer to the control tutorial examples further on lt TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO k Untitled i TE TI Sie Arise Trus EA pi fae anlhony Shake Shakir i Stripe Ti L q Spira 2000 D 10 Faas Arise Trus me rmz Anthony Shake Shakir Syncrophone 2009 11 12 Stripe Ti ESSEN MIDDLE HOTEL SHANGHAI FEB Hip Feta ph Figure 6 20 Traktor hiding nothing Figure 6 21 Click to fully expand the Traktor Browser Bear in mind that these are only two of several layout customization
158. SL s Album Art window Gone Missing When the S hits the fan and you see the icon shown in Figure 9 29 for one reason or another your file s cannot be found Luckily Serato put measures in place to resolve these issues quickly and easily If you ever find yourself in this situation the buttons in Figure 9 30 are your safety net Figure 9 29 This icon indicates that your files cannot be found Rescan ID3 Tags Relocate Lost Files Figure 9 30 Use these two buttons to perform Serato s automatic collection maintenance functions Rescan ID3 Tags automatically scans your tracks for their original tag data Inconsis tencies show up as missing tracks and can then be resolved with the adjacent button Relocate Lost Files Click the Relocate Lost Files button to scan your entire hard drive to relink any and all files that the Library believes are missing Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 207 To save time you can apply both of these functions to lower tiers of the file structure for example dragging and dropping your Music folder also includes all tracks from within any folders underneath You can drag and drop Crates and tracks onto either though perhaps more effectively you can grab folders or individual drives from the File Browser and drop them on one of the buttons the result is that the scan process com pletes much more rapidly Tip A good way to re create a function like Traktor s consistency check inside Serato is
159. Track Input function ensures that Live s MIDI tracks receive incoming MIDI information such as notes played on a MIDI keyboard controller On the other hand Track Output sends MIDI data from one of Live s MIDI tracks to external sources such as a synthesizer Sync Input and Output are independently used to slave Live to incoming MIDI clock or to establish Live as the MIDI clock master source respectively as well as to calibrate Live s sync offset Notice the EXT button that pops into the top left corner of Live s GUI if you click on off Sync Input Don t worry too much about this just yet we will cover how to sync Live at the end of Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 239 Finally the Remote setting enables the selected hardware to control virtually any of Live s parameters Remote Input instructs Live to listen for incoming MIDI control data and lets users assign this data to Volume faders aux sends plug in parameters clip and scene control playback behavior and so on On the other hand Remote Output enables Live to send feedback to controllers that are able to receive bidirec tional status information For example AKAI s APC40 see Figure 10 4 and APC20 see Figure 10 5 and Novation s Launchpad see Figure 10 6 use pads that light up green amber or red depending on the state of Live s clip playback Obviously this is quite useful in dark venues a a t vw ao
160. UE BeatJump i crip oe tin Loop Out Figure 7 31 Choose Traktor s Cue Loop Move behavior from this drop down menu 4 Select a value from the Move Size control nearly identical to the Auto Loop directly above by which to resize the loop in out points Fine and xFine adjust loop points by small and ultra small amounts respectively 5 Use the Cue Move BWD FWD arrows to resize the loop in out points see Figure 7 32 bade Figure 7 32 Cue Move BWD FWD arrows Moving the Entire Loop 1 Initiate the playback of either an auto or a manual loop 2 Select the Move Advanced panel 3 Click the Move Mode drop down list and choose Loop 4 Select a value from the Move Size control nearly identical to the Auto Loop directly above based on how far you want to move the entire loop Fine and xFine adjust the loop location by small and ultra small amounts respectively 5 Use the Cue Move BWD FWD arrows to move the entire loop in either direction With the Loop button selected from the right hand side of the Move panel the entire loop is moved by the value of the currently active loop 142 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Deactivating Loops m Click on the currently highlighted yellow autoloop to deactivate looping m Click on the currently highlighted yellow Active button to deactivate looping Beatjumping If you drop a track too late or too early you need to jump elsewhere inside
161. W applications can hardly be described as fun or engaging Live s GUI on the other hand actually is a hell of a lot of fun to use Arrangement View Figure 10 11 shows Live s Arrangement view If you have any experience with DAW applications this page should feel somewhat familiar If you don t the primary thing you need to know is that this page is where a song s composition takes place it is where all of the ideas that form a production are brought together to form one cohesive piece Though playback is nonlinear by design unlike the tape machines of old Live s playhead still follows the horizontally scrolling timeline based playback workflow shared by DAWs such as Logic Pro Tools Cubase and so on 7 LS ni f i PARAE MIAO MTROMNTROFNTROFLNTROFpNTROMSTROrLNTROMNTROMNTROrpATROrRpw Treo _morda fifin reorfiareorjornorjannorjanrmora OO OO O O O l a z j z 7 i aa Figure 10 11 Live s Arrangement view Putting aside the production realm for now let s look at two key areas for performers to bear in mind regarding Live s Arrangement view encompass 1 recording and 244 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer polishing performances and 2 editing audio files songs a capellas and so on With regard to recording once you click on the transport control bar s Record button see Figure 10 12 and 10 13 every MIDI related action you make is recorded into the Arrangem
162. Warp Marker lookalikes that appear when the mouse pointer hovers over a transient If the pseudo Warp Marker sits between two yellow Warp Markers dragging it will create a new permanent Warp Marker With no following Warp Markers dragging a pseudo Warp Marker adjusts clip timing and then reverts to a transient once released Using and Setting Warp Markers To cater to the various needs of performers Ableton developed several methods to work with and manage Warp Markers Whether your Live set is composed of music from other artists or from your own music loops learning how to work with Warp Markers is a must To make track warping easier Live gives you the option to automate some of the warp ing process during import Select one of the Warp options from the drop down menu from Preferences gt Record Warp Launch gt Loop Warp Short Samples see Figure 11 30 and performing with Live quite simply becomes a matter of dropping audio clips into Loop Warp Short Samples Warped Loop Y Aoa Loi demplen Unwarped One Shot Warped One Shot Default Warp Mode Create Fades on Clip Edges Figure 11 30 Use this dialog box to configure how you want Live to handle the warping of your imported samples 290 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer your set and making a couple of quick adjustments This is incredibly convenient if you are using your own material or you regularly edit out custom audio clips from your
163. a mind blowing world of sonic potential surrounds us As musician and music theorist Chris Cutler wrote In the new situation it is only what is not recorded that belongs to its participants while what is recorded is placed inevitably in the public domain Note These days a sample is generally understood as a digitally captured sound file Often samples are taken captured from prerecorded music and used in the composition and or performance of a new form of music in other words individual drum sounds loops vocals and so on Think James Brown whoops and shouts Chapter 1 Redefining the DJ 3 Sorry but here comes some philosophical stuff Close your eyes for a moment and just listen Our vision dominates our senses so give your hearing a few seconds to accli mate Depending on your environment there will be different forms of information engulfing you from three dimensions If you are in a quiet room in your house pay attention to the clock sounds from other rooms your neighbor s muffled television If it s very quiet listen to your breath Go outside for a second and listen to your neigh borhood If you are at work listen to productivity If you re at school listen to your classmates If you re in a coffee shop listen to the caffeinated stranger prattle on about his problems When you re out in the city listen to the cars buses the subway com muters and general human traffic If you re fortunate enough
164. a track you want to fabricate beatbox styled stutter effects or anything in between Beatjumping lets you jump the current playback position 100 percent quantized to the Master Clock tempo 1 Select the Move Advanced panel 2 Click the Move Mode drop down list and choose Beatjump 3 Select a value from the Move Size control nearly identical to the Auto Loop directly above based on how far you want to jump within the track Fine and xFine adjust loop location by small and ultra small amounts respectively 4 Use the Cue Move BWD FWD arrows to jump the current playback position backward forward by the selected amount Intro to Effects FX To me the most fascinating characteristic of studio effects is their ability to create entirely new textures from existent sounds A liberal application of effects can swell an atonal hi hat into an oscillating bed of icy noise transplant a vocalist into impos sibly cavernous spaces distort lifeless drum loops into angular rhythmic pulses even a simple filter sweep can surge a wave of anticipation across a packed dance floor With Traktor s effects NI managed to find a happy medium between the studio and the stage Studio inspired effect units retain their tweakability while form factor opti mization supports performance immediacy You can patch 28 effects across two or four effects banks via direct insert Alternatively use a DJ mixer s FX send channels to send the outside
165. additional timecode behaviors 128 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer CD is quite useful nearly as much as getting warned that dust is distorting the time code signal fidelity think warehouse party Track Start Position Move the positioning of a track s lead in farther along in the record s Playback section Turntable Speed Check the check box if you like the feel of spinning at 45 RPM Tracking Alert Red flashing will prompt you that the clarity of the timecode signal is bad Generally caused by dust or a dropped channel Load Next Track When Flipping Record Flipping the timecode vinyl loads the next track in collection playlist Use Playlist Scrolling Zone Allows manual collection playlist browsing with the end segment of the timecode vinyl and Track 3 of the timecode CD Stopping the vinyl CD loads the highlighted track into the Focus Deck Switch to Absolute Mode in Lead In Needle dropping on the intro sections of the vinyl CD will automatically set the Deck to Absolute mode Switch to Absolute Mode When Loading Loading any track automatically switches the relevant Deck to Absolute mode Note Traktor s Sync feature will not function while using the Traktor s control vinyl Think of it this way Using Scratch Control external control means that you are syncing your Decks manually in other words beatmatching via manual pitch fader adjustments on your turntables CD s Mouse
166. agging a parameter each time you wish to make changes To use the ghost pointer refer to the following Two button mouse 1 Right click and hold any fader knob You should see a gray ghost pointer shown faintly in Figure 7 13 if you move the mouse Figure 7 13 The ghost pointer shows up slightly faint 2 Manipulate the ghost pointer for example drag an EQ or FX knob counterclockwise 3 While holding the right mouse button left click a few times and notice the behavior of the knob s state 4 Still holding the right mouse button left click and hold and then release the right mouse button to keep the ghost pointer s position One button mouse or trackpad 1 Control click and hold any fader knob You should see a gray ghost pointer if you move the mouse 2 While holding manipulate the ghost pointer for example drag an EQ or FX knob counterclockwise 3 Release the Control button and click away at new ghost pointer positions The parameter should jump between two values 4 Drag the ghost pointer to the desired location hold Control and release the mouse button Preparation and Performance One particularly difficult challenge faced by music software developers is how to ride the fine line spanning beginner allure and professional performance How does a man ufacturer embrace the easy button without damaging an application s credibility as a pro product The answer is simple within intelligent so
167. aktor users My intent in pairing the previous examples was not only to explain how modi fiers work but also to demonstrate how a few creative assignments can virtually triple the size of small MIDI controllers such as the Faderfox DX2 You could apply similar frameworks to Traktor s EQs loop controls hot cues or even Browser functions Tutorial Control Examples As you can see once you throw modifiers into the mix Traktor s control potential skyrockets A handful of modifier assignments can turn one tiny MIDI controller into four thus letting you prioritize one set of controls without abandoning others Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 167 DJs willing to invest a little bit of time and effort can create incredibly powerful per formance tools with a few extra commands To clarify everything that we ve covered so far I have constructed the following examples to demonstrate how to pick up Traktor s features and transfer them over to your control surface The following tables are intended to communicate the pertinent Traktor controls and how each assignment should be configured within the Controller Manager Through out the process I encourage you to reassign add or subtract controls as you see fit For example most of the Assignment parameters within my examples say Deck A or Device Target The Assignment property simply dictates which of Traktor s Decks the current control will affect The only reason I use
168. al HD Repeat the process to add any or all remaining music folders Close Preferences Right click Control click on Track Collection as I have done in Figure 6 2 within the Traktor Browser Tree and choose Import Music Folders All tracks contained within locations listed under Music Folders should now populate the Browser List Note For example have a folder on my external hard drive called Traktor Inside that folder have a series of subfolders which in turn have further sub folders All you have to do is add the topmost folder in the tree in my case would choose Traktor so that everything underneath that file gets imported You do not need to add individual subfolders Importing Your iTunes Playlists 1 2 J 4 Click on the iTunes CD icon in Traktor s Browser Tree Navigate to the desired iTunes playlist Right click Control click the playlist and choose Import to Playlists Repeat for all subsequent playlists 96 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer b Q E Track Collecti E Playli Save Collection Check Consistency _ import Music Folders Import Collection iTune Export Collection sifu Save as Webpage Clear Collection Reset Played State Analyze Async Figure 6 2 Choose Import Music Folders to bring your music into Traktor Alternative iTunes Import Options m Drag and drop an iTunes playlist onto the Playlist icon within Traktor s Browser Tree m
169. al repetition tion tion tion sorry Under the Hood You may have noticed the dedicated X1 tab within Traktor s Preferences Shown in Figure 8 18 assignable X1 exclusive controller behaviors are configurable directly inside Traktor Calibration settings button actions and premapped Deck prioritization are a few of the available customizations Should you accidentally mess everything up rather than walking back through dozens of assignments simply click Restore and the X1 will default to the factory preset Effect Knobs _ Calibration Recalibrate Lets On State Brightness Off State Brightness Salt Hold Gate Hoteue Gi Enable MIDI mode via Shift Hotcue De fault Restore Controlled Decks DatauliMapping m A B C D Swap Sides Swap Figure 8 18 Access this menu to customize some essential X1 hardware behaviors Of particular note is the X1 s MIDI mode Like all of NI s other controllers the X1 also shares NI s Controller Editor software If you own any of the NI hardware controllers for example the Kore 2 Rig Kontrol 3 Maschine or X1 you are prob ably familiar with the GUI shown in Figure 8 19 If not simultaneously clicking Maschine s Shift and Hotcue buttons flips the controller into MIDI mode see 178 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Traktor Kontrol X1 is nect Template 1 Sonne ray r E INAT gt Bue On Say ESLER TIITII
170. allows DJs to reconsider the significance of beatmatching within their performances If you head down this route be aware of the visual status feedback signals presented by the state of the Sync button Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 125 Sync State Status Icon Off The Sync function is not engaged If Sync will not engage it is most likely because a Beatgrid is missing from one of the loaded tracks or the Deck is set to Scratch mode On The Sync function is engaged and the Deck is following the master tempo source Verify This intermediate Sync state is informing that er e The synced Deck is currently selected as the Master Deck e The Master Deck has not started playback e A loop shorter than one beat is active the Deck cannot sync or act as master e The bpm differential between the two tracks is larger than the current pitch range allows Adjust the settings in Preferences gt Transport gt Pitch Intro to Playing and Mixing Tracks with Timecode Vinyl CDs For DJs who prefer the hands on precision of vinyl or CD mixing Traktor s DVS technology exhibits the best features of the analog digital pedigree To ensure that the control vinyl is playing nicely with the connected hardware NI has devised Traktor s Calibration process to help narrow down potential conflicts In short Cal ibration analyzes the clarity of the timecode signal to determine whether you are using the timecode viny
171. alog form Similar to the caliber of components within photo printers the grade of the D A converter influences how precisely that sound picture is reproduced printed back into the analog domain Consider how the device will be used when evaluating converters If you don t see your self recording external sources then all you should be concerned about is the quality of the D A converters or what your crowd hears On the other hand if you do see your self recording external sources keep the overall quality of both in mind when it comes time to make your purchase Chapter 3 Gear 31 With audio interfaces you will generally get what you pay for Better components quickly drive up prices so you could be looking at a range spanning a few hundred to several thousand dollars for a single piece of equipment With regard to converters the RME Fireface 400 shown back in Figure 3 2 is well regarded within the industry s range of portable audio interfaces In addition another device well worth considering is MOTU s UltraLite mk3 it packs a powerful balance of features at a reasonable price If you are looking to spend a bit less money M Audio manufactures a wide range of functional audio interfaces perfectly suited to the traveling performer MIDI One of the most powerful features of modern digital DJ software is the ability to speak the computer music language of MIDI Through MIDI artists are able to assign a tac tile overlay o
172. ample of the four primary icons you will run across while using the File Browser From the top down The file with the Ableton symbol is an entire Live set the file ending in mid is a standard MIDI file usable on any MIDI ie le esac Figure 10 45 Icons help distinguish between file types Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 207 track the file ending in alc is an audio clip file containing all relevant preset informa tion and the file ending in aif OS X is a standard audio file the tiny check mark signifies that the file has been analyzed by Live and is therefore ready to drag and drop into any Live set Finally the Browser also exhibits other standardized computer behaviors such as Cut Copy and Paste Ctrl Command xX Ctrl Command C Ctrl Command V respectively Right clicking Control clicking on any file or folder opens a drop down menu of additional maintenance functions such as file renaming searching and the ability to create new folders Click the tiny magnifying glass in the top right corner of the Browser to perform a file search within the directory listed above the text entry box Live s Control Bar When you are ready to get things moving turn your attention to the strip of icons arranged horizontally along the top of Live s GUI known as Live s control bar These parameters range in function from controlling Live s tempo playback and recording behaviors to handling keyboard MIDI controller ass
173. an organizational standpoint you can store your music files virtually anywhere All it takes is telling Traktor where to look for them Structured folder trees iTunes playlists it doesn t really matter As a word of caution Organization will reduce your risk of developing a serious headache later Think of a formula and stick with it Now with regard to your music be aware that Traktor supports nearly all of the major non DRM digital audio formats 93 94 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Note If you use iTunes playlists to organize your music those playlists are seam lessly mirrored within the Traktor Browser However bear in mind that in order to store Traktor related data cue points loops and so on or to edit track meta data you must import tracks into the Traktor Browser You will find instructions on how to do this further along in this chapter Note Traktor s supported formats are MP3 non DRM M4A AAC WAV AIFF non DRM WMA FLAC and OGG Vorbis Note PC Windows Media Player must be installed if you plan to use WMA files OS X QuickTime must be installed if you plan to use M4A AAC files Importing Your Music Folders Considering the number of ways that people store music files on their hard drives Traktor s Collection Import was designed to be flexible Whether music files are man aged through custom file structures managed within Apple s iTunes or simply dumped
174. and U S garage are in name alone U S garage is predominately associated with the expressive soulful house music played by legendary New York DJ Larry Levan and his club the Paradise Garage from where the music takes its name as well as New Jersey DJ Tony Humphries at his resident club Zanzibar Whereas jungle and drum n bass respec tively are often pigeonholed as too visceral or too cerebral UK garage is more often than not composed with the mindset of a dance floor full of women Swung percussion and pulsating half tempo basslines interspersed with two shuffled kick drums per bar unlike house s standard four made UK garage s signature two step groove easily approachable hence why the mainstream recording industry dove in and corrupted it so early Akin to jungle UK garage DJs had the biggest impact on the maturation of their sound by pitching up a house EP s instrumental mix The style s impact on DJ culture instantly became more interesting once it splintered Approximating hip hop s foundling years a preference for an EP s instrumental flip side naturally left room for two things sonic experimentation and or an MC Dubstep and grime each represent relatively new independent styles of dance music however their roots begin with UK garage jungle and drum n bass and profess influence from a broad musical spectrum On some level the differing factors are simple Dubstep relin quishes the primary percussive signatures
175. and so on upon a dedicated hard drive The theory behind this practice is that streaming your audio off an external hard drive frees your computer s internal hard drive to do its business in other words running your Operating system applications and so on A secondary advantage is that all of your data is consolidated into one location for efficient management and backup purposes One indispensable piece of advice is of such value that it is only truly understood after disaster has struck Back up your col lection and do it often Having fallen victim to hard drive death I cannot stress this enough Make it a com mon practice to periodically back up your dedicated audio drive If you re meticulous about your file management all you have to do is clone this drive from time to time and you can rest easy This is doubly important if beyond your music collection the drive contains music project files sample libraries video or anything else vital to your performance Speed Pay close attention to the rotational speed of both internal and external hard drives once you start shopping around As a specification represented in RPM higher values yield better performance This becomes critical if you are performing with multitrack applications such as Ableton Live because it directly affects the playback of simulta neous tracks or clips Battery life is a massive bullet point for laptop manufacturers at the moment and thus slower har
176. andbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer After you configure an audio input it is important to monitor listen to what Live is hearing The Monitor section is used to listen to the audio input after it has passed through any and all devices connected to that channel this also includes aux sends Different situations require different settings however Auto is generally the most appropriate mode With Auto selected incoming audio is only heard after the Arm Session Record button is turned on Audio clips will continue playing until an empty clip slot s Record button is pressed On the other hand with In selected only the incoming audio is heard in other words although clips will continue to play they are not audible until Auto or Off is enabled Finally at the bottom of the In Out section is the Audio To heading Using this drop down menu you can send an audio track s output to the master to the return channels via Sends Only or through a specified audio interface output for example for exter nal processing or effects or for specific advanced external mixing setups Tip If you are using Live as an effects unit or you are performing with someone who could use a little Live effects treatment engage In from an audio track s Monitor section Drop a few different types of effects onto that channel strip and directly control the balance of effects on the fly from your hardware controller A tiny touch of
177. andbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Assignment Table Control kaiini O Assignment Mode Mapped to Condi Con Playback Mode Int Rel Deck A Output Shift Left cue Playback Mode Int Rel Deck B Output Norm Right CUE Playback Mode Int Rel Deck B Output Shift Right CUE Playback Mode Int Rel Deck A Output Norm Left CUP Playback Mode Int Rel Deck A Output Shift Left cCuP Playback Mode Int Rel Deck B Output Norm Right CuUP Dec Playback Mode Int Rel Deck B Output Shift Right CuUP Dec eR eh Figure 8 22 All the X1 s parameters Mapped To commands are clearly labeled within the Con troller Manager Some other suggested configurations surround the Snap and Quant buttons within the FX section shown in Figure 8 23 In most cases these two previously mentioned func tions are generally left on or off so there is little reason to waste two buttons on func tions that you won t touch regularly Try mapping out the button combination Shift Right FX2 Quant to transform the overall Deck A B control into overall Deck C D control effectively turning one X1 into two Next map out the button combination of Shift Left FX2 Snap into control over FX panels 3 4 The simple fact that Traktor displays button presses makes this process significantly faster than mapping out stan dard MIDI messages Figure 8 23 Use the FX section to assign FX and assign Master panel behaviors LED Output Previous generat
178. appings m Controller mappings 116 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Select Category Keyboard Mappings Gi Controller Mappings GUI Layout Ea File Load And Write Paths Favorites Broadcasting Audio Device Settings B B E MIDI Clock Settings Effect Settings SHA Other Preferences And Settings Figure 6 24 And exporting TSI mapping files m GUI layout m File load and write paths m Favorites m Broadcasting Audio device settings m MIDI Clock settings m Effect settings m Other Preferences and settings The Traktor Root Folder As you invest more time into your Traktor collection make habitual backups of your Traktor root folder the consolidated folder of information that provides a database for your Traktor fingerprint m The entire Traktor profile collection data and backups settings MIDI mappings and hot keys m A personalized portable Traktor workspace that can be duplicated onto another computer This can be incredibly valuable when you re DJing with a partner as both stage setups will then be identical m Separate Traktor collections on the same computer For example when I train my clients on Traktor I have a separate dedicated Traktor collection specifically designed for training purposes Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 117 You can find Traktor s root folder here m OS X Macintosh HD gt Users gt username gt D
179. ards and even iPhones iPads iPods use USB to talk with your laptop These days most computers have at least one USB 2 0 port On the other hand be aware of the availability of FireWire connections If you have a Mac new laptops only offer FireWire 800 ports older models offer FireWire 400 whereas Windows PCs may not provide a FireWire option at all Definitely do a bit of preplan ning with regard to your hardware connections Audio Interface Soundcard As mentioned already very few computers are purposely built for professional audio applications The internal soundcard of a standard laptop is generally intended for mul timedia usage watching DVDs listening to music playing videogames and so on As a result an internal soundcard s components and software drivers are insufficient in sev eral critical aspects of DJ setups namely audio routing flexibility connectivity and sound quality Although it may not feel like it the professional audio market represents a tiny fraction of the millions upon millions of laptop users around the world There fore off the shelf pro audio options are not of the highest priority for consumers and manufacturers Why Do I Need an Audio Interface One elementary characteristic of DJing is the ability to cue from two dedicated audio sources the master channel which is what the audience hears and the monitor chan nel also known as pre listen or cue which is what the DJ hears As
180. ardware Setting Up the SL3 Hardware Figure 9 2 clearly displays the basic hardware routing process of SSL and the SL3 After you have set up Serato a few times the process simply becomes a matter of muscle memory an absolute must if you tend to enjoy yourself at a gig When you ve made all of the physical connections double check a few things Ensure that the Dip switches are correctly set for the control medium you are using such as Up for Phono turntables Down for Line CDJs Connect your SL3 directly to your laptop Do not use a USB hub as you may experience dropouts when it s coupled with other USB devices m Ensure that your SL3 is plugged into the mains with a power supply If you don t and the SL3 is accidentally unplugged for example during changeover all music will completely cut out with a very loud pop If you re using turntables verify that the grounding forks are in good shape and are properly connected to your SL3 or the DJ mixer s grounding post m Set the DJ mixer channel inputs to Line See the section titled Preparation and Performance for information on playing with both real vinyl and SSL s control vinyl m If you re using CDJs make absolutely sure that any keylock or master tempo features are disabled Setting Up the SSL Software Once the SSL hardware is properly set up it is important to instruct your computer how to speak with the connected audio i
181. ardware audio interfaces If you require more advanced routing Soundflower also offers a multichannel option that provides up to 8 stereo 16 mono input output channels Thus you could conceivably assign several third party software applications such as Internet radio apps their own dedicated out put and route each one directly into its own independent Live audio track input Figure 12 5 displays Soundflower s configuration window upon the OS X taskbar Much like working with soundcard audio drivers modifying Soundflower s buffer size is possible according to the demands placed upon it You can find more info at Cycling 74 s website www cycling74 com products soundflower D 4 WP 78 Sun 8 Aug 11 39 AM Buffer Size Soundflower 2ch gt None OFF Routing v Built in Output Channel 1 b Channel 2 b 0 Soundflower 16ch gt pE v None OFF E Built in Output Audio Setup About Soundflowerbed Hide Soundflowerbed Quit Soundflowerbed Figure 12 5 Configure Soundflower s preferences from the OS X taskbar Audio Hijack Rogue Amoeba s Audio Hijack Pro see Figure 12 6 is simply a no fuss audio record ing application It can just as easily be used with a microphone input as it can with the audio output of virtually any application on your computer Moreover if you have a life away from your laptop you can set a timer to record the output of nearly any application at a specified date and time for
182. ared across the audio interface market A few soundcards such as the Audio 8 DJ refer to Figure 3 1 were specifically designed for the DJ market therefore they offer RCA connectivity instead of 1 4 inch Tip Some words of advice Always travel with a couple of RCA female to 1 4 inch male and 1 4 inch female to RCA male adapters Inputs Once you leave the performance domain and enter that of production inputs become a key factor when pricing out the right interface Most travel ready soundcards are com pact and robust so when you weigh input count against portability inputs and out puts are often sacrificed Nonetheless if you are planning on recording multiple simultaneous sources in the future this should be a serious consideration toward your final purchase On top of that when it comes to inputs connection type is generally more important than it is with outputs For example you will need an XLR input providing phantom power if you plan on using a condenser microphone in the studio Further some per formers use XLR inputs onstage to address the crowd for live MCs or even to sample live audio for on the fly scratching and or slicing to applications such as Ableton Live or Maschine Synthesizers drum machines and most other gear will require multiple 1 4 inch con nections whereas other devices may require further features such as AES EBU S PDIF 30 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Perform
183. arranging or restructuring your Library as the function also changes file path references When you get around to doing a bit of Library cleansing deleting Crates and tracks is as simple as pressing Ctrl Delete However be aware that deleting tracks from Crates sub Crates does not delete them from the All heading To completely remove a track from your Library you must delete it from the main collection in other words from under the All Crate In the end if you want any file permanently expunged from your hard drive simply select it under All and hit Ctrl Shift Delete Before emptying your computer s trash can double check that you really want the contents permanently deleted Preparation and Performance From the sound systems to the equipment in the DJ booth every venue is completely different from the next Even DJ booths implanted with the typical industry stan dards have variations that have the potential to create havoc with your DVS product from grounding wiring or setup complications to crowd and loudspeaker noise Each situation has to be treated individually Fortunately Serato uses a powerful calibration system that lets you manually adjust your setup on a case by case basis If you have never touched a DVS application before the process might seem a little bit complicated at first but trust me once you ve done it a couple of times it becomes second nature On a cheerier note Serato boasts severa
184. artist s expe rience between the stage and the studio Robert Henke and Gerhard Behles of Mono lake fame joined Bernd Roggendorf to create Ableton in 1999 and thus Live was spawned Live s release began a metaphorical snowball effect within the music software world constant workflow enhancements and new feature additions have made Live the go to solution for hundreds of thousands of globally performing musicians and DJs m Ableton has upgraded Live s real time pitch shifting and time stretching algorithms with multifaceted warp options to optimize the playback of various audio formats Transient detection improves the drag and drop capability requisite for on the fly DJing For those familiar with past versions of Live the behavior of the Warp Markers has been changed such that it is now even easier to adjust an audio file s playback precision This comes in particularly handy with music containing timing drifts often experienced with recordings ripped from vinyl or any music from live musicians This is less common with modern machine made tunes where at worst these tracks may only need one or two small adjustments If you want to infuse a bit of variation into your music collection apply Live s new Groove Engine to any audio or MIDI track to dramatically alter the overall feel of your DJ set Try adding a bit of swing to a straight dance track and see how it alters the mood Apply some dynamic changes straighten out a loose
185. as No Device Click the Audio Output Device menu and choose the appropriate soundcard If your audio interface does not show up within the drop down list double check that it is connected properly and then download install the latest hardware driver from the manufacturer s website yOu Preferences Audio Device Driver Type Audio Input Device Audio Output Device Channel Configuration Fireface 400 509 18 In 18 Out Sample Rate Built in Output 0 In 2 Out In Out Sample Rate Default SR amp Pitch Conversion Latency Buffer Size Input Latency Output Latency Driver Error Compensation Overall Latency Test Figure 10 1 Choose your audio interface from the Audio Output Device drop down menu Once you have selected the appropriate driver and soundcard configuration you need to tell Live where audio is coming from and where you want it to go If you have chosen No Device for your Audio Input Device setting Input Config remains grayed out Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 235 Figure 10 2 Use this window to enable any outputs that you plan on using Alternatively if you need to record or process external audio in any way synths microphones and so on click on the Input Config box and enable disable the relevant mono stereo inputs Next click on Output Config see Figure 10 2 and enable disable the outputs relevant to your setup One piece of advice Disable any unused input out put options to save proc
186. ase wake up It s time to start fiddling about Your Music Collection and the Traktor Browser Bearing in mind music s overwhelming availability it s hardly surprising that the suc cess of a digital DJ application is partially balanced on its organizational features As an example consider the image of a DJ turning around rifling through his vinyl phys ically earmarking a handful of maybes and then cueing and dropping the mix just at the right moment How can a software company capture this experience DJs have historically sought the shortest distance between two points so why not ask them Native Instruments did precisely this and the artist developer discourse yielded the Traktor Browser While playlists are nothing new Traktor s Browser implements play list functions in a modernized way that presents several obvious advantages over a bag full of vinyl With the click of a mouse button you can categorically reshuffle hundreds of tracks around artist name track name genre and so on Album art provides visual reference points across a vast track collection You can also spread tracks across several customized playlists and then export them to portable folders outside Traktor Further when a night goes well History playlists archive your set for future reference Options are the theme here Loading Your Music It s a safe bet that you have at least a few music files on your computer so let s get them loaded From
187. at there are no guidelines for the way you set your envelope parameters Once you have unlinked envelopes from their respective clips there is no reason why they have to follow bar length delineations In many cases setting seemingly random values yields results that are more interesting for the dance floor as well as for you Sample Box Audio Clip Click on any audio clip within your Live set and you should find one box titled Sam ple If you don t see it enable the Show Hide Sample Box button from the bottom left corner of the Clip view Thus far we have seen how the Clip Launch and Envelopes boxes share the means of controlling audio and MIDI clip playback behaviors that is they manipulate the manner in which clips play in relation to the overall Live set Unique to audio clips the Sample box see Figure 11 22 expands upon these playback behaviors by exerting deeper control over how individual audio files actually sound 0001 5 Audio aif Wap Start Gad 48 0 kHz 16 Bit 2 Ch Ef E Edit Gave Rev seg Bpm End Gel Hi Q Fade RAM 124 72 _ 244 0 00 48 ita Figure 11 22 The Sample box provides performers with functions ranging from sample editing and loop controls to tuning and Warp Markers Note Live s Notes box is effectively the MIDI equivalent of an audio clip s Sam ple box see Figure 11 23 Through the Notes box a MIDI clip track s functions are implemented in conjunction with the MIDI Editor the
188. ations With foundations ranging from sonic experimentation to religious ritual cultures from around the world claim a vast history of musical traditions con ceived around repetitive rhythmic structures Properly employed these looped rhythms textures chants and so on can have pleasantly hypnotic effects on listeners Speaking of hypnotic looping as I write this section I am listening to Jeff Mills 2005 Contact Special album a must have for techno fans 140 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Traktor s Loop section explicitly encourages this type of creative experimentation Beatgrids ensure the seamless quantization of spontaneous on the fly looping Spread this across four Decks and DJs can blend snippets of tracks together to form entirely new cut and paste compositions There are a few different ways to initiate Traktor s looping functions Loops can be instantaneously dropped at specific beat lengths or they can be set outside this quan tized framework to achieve unexpected results The following examples illustrate a few different approaches Setting Auto Loops 1 Navigate to the desired loop location 2 Find the desired loop length in beats within the Auto Loop Control menu displayed in Figure 7 29 Be aware that screen resolution determines the extent of the listed loop lengths Click the bordering left right arrows to reveal hidden loop lengths ranging between 1 32 to 32 beats
189. ato up and running couldn t get any easier The software itself is relatively undemanding from a computer s perspective you do not have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on the computer market s latest hotrod Serato runs equally well on both Macs and Windows based PCs but be aware that system requirements present a lowest common denominator scenario Serato should launch and run but using all of the advanced features might bring a low spec computer to its knees Before you go out and buy a laptop remember that if your machine meets but does not exceed the requirements you may run into problems once you push Serato to its limits Double check Serato s latest system requirements at serato com scratchlive minispecs 187 188 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer If you did your research you saw that SSL offers several different hardware software combinations Unless otherwise noted all of the following references to SSL refer to a fully licensed copy of Serato Scratch Live 2 1 as bundled with the SL3 see Figure 9 1 because this represents the most appropriate feature set in line with the themes of this book If you are unsure about which version to go for dig through the Products section on Serato s website at www serato com Ran Sl SCR4ToL Live Figure 9 1 SSL 2 1 bundled with the SL3 interface Installation Registration and Updating As I mentioned before software insta
190. audio MIDI track volume pan positions or solo mute functions or for more complex modulations such as over plug in parameters or external MIDI capable hardware for example synths drum machines and so on mci gt Start omae m IR A LRN SL Come D Cog C Pan accom 00 PTEE Figure 11 12 A breakpoint envelope transposing the pitch of an audio clip While breakpoint envelopes are commonly understood as studio techniques reserved for recording purposes the manner in which Live has implemented envelopes within audio and MIDI clips translates perfectly to a live performance or a DJ set One of the main reasons for this is that each clip retains independent automation controller data You could make a few duplicates of an audio or song clip and assign differing auto mations within the envelopes of each clip In effect the song or loops are the same but because each clip contains different envelope automations each clip s sound is com pletely different There are two basic ways to edit envelopes The first is by simply double clicking any where along the breakpoint envelope double click it again to remove it This will cre ate individual breakpoints that can then be dragged along an envelope s red line Moving and manipulating these breakpoints will create angular linear slopes as shown in Figure 11 13 The second is known as Draw mode If you right click Control click inside the enve lope you should see t
191. ault state Chained Mode Load each FX panel with up to three effect types while offering a single depth control over a blend of designated parameters Displayed in Figures 5 15 and 5 16 Advanced mode offers precise control whereas Chained mode offers creative experimentation through a serially processed effects chain Delay Reverb no Effect Figure 5 15 Chained mode within FX Figure 5 16 Chained mode within FX Panel 1 Panels 1 and 3 1 Dry Wet Controls the balance of clean dry to processed wet signals 2 FX Select A drop down list of available effects This list can be customized within the Traktor Preferences under the Effects tab 3 FX Amount Provides a single control knob over the depth of various predesignated parameters 4 FX On Off Turns the relevant effect on or off 5 Snapshot Saves the currently configured effect parameters as the default state Audio Recorder When potential employees are applying for most jobs one assumption is that they all submit some form of a CV or resume When you re working as a DJ promoters generally act the part of HR and do all of the hiring thus it makes sense that part of a DJ s CV includes recorded performances The DJ mix has been entrenched in DJ culture since the pioneers first transformed turn tables into instruments As such mix demos have become the industry benchmark for every DJ s voice Until relatively recently recording was generally accompl
192. ax MSP Ableton s recent partnership with the developers of Max MSP Cycling 74 has revealed yet another corridor for adventurous DJs to explore in the form of Max for Live Effectively the Max environment is accessible through Live much the same as inserting any other plug in albeit with a steeper learning curve underneath Note Don t be frightened off by Max s learning curve A large percentage of the Monome s user base also uses Live With the recent addition of Max for Live this community should grow exponentially and as a result the number of Monome specific Max patches should increase as well highly advise checking out the Monome website monome org for videos and further information on its imple mentation with Live The power of the Monome is held in its open ended nature which is where the device comes in quite handy for modern artists For example if you need a sequencer that performs in a specific manner Max for Live will give you the tools to build one If you need a sampler or any other type of audio mangling device you can construct that as well Buttons can serve as shift functions much like your computer key board to access alternate pages or to change the Monome s playback behavior Or you can even simply use it to control clip mute solo and other button based Live functions Bear in mind that if Max isn t your thing you don t have to go very deep Only a tiny bit of reading stands in the way
193. ayout Manager tab Maximize Browser button Expands the Traktor Browser to full screen Preferences button Opens the Traktor Preferences Tooltips button Enables information pop ups when hovering the mouse over parameters Fullscreen button Toggle Traktor between full screen and windowed mode NI logo Click to open Traktor s About window 80 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Global Section Think of the Global section as a collection of outboard gear that Traktor swallowed Ranging from tempo control and recording to effects racks and signal presence this section is broken down into five distinct divisions The Master Panel 1 Master Volume Control the combined output level of Traktor s internal signals from the Master Volume knob shown in Figure 5 11 LFO RESET 5 CRUISE 6 MIY E vo TICK 7 Figure 5 11 Traktor s Master Panel 2 Mouse Behavior selection m Snap Cue points and loops snap to the closest grid marker m Quant Quantize function that allows seamless on the beat hot cue jumping and loop manipulation CD mode CDJ inspired cueing stutter loop is engaged 3 Headphones Mix Adjusts the balance between the monitor and master output signals 4 Headphones Volume Controls the monitor output level for the headphone mix only if a monitor output is assigned within the Preferences 5 LFO Reset Resets the global LFO low frequency oscillator for all LFO co
194. become overwhelming once multiple signal routings inter twine throughout various signal paths and signal processors FX EQs compressors and so on The most straightforward piece of advice on offer here is this Follow your signal If you aren t hearing sound out of the speakers begin at the source and head downstream section by section until you hit the output Think of it this way As soon as an audio source mic turntable drum machine and so on enters a system it hits a series of checkpoints on its way to a destination which in our case is the speakers Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 257 When analog equipment dominated studios patchbays were and still are used as a means of rerouting audio throughout a system Figure 10 31 shows two of the patch bays that I use at Format Project my studio in East London The upper is for audio routing the lower does the same but for MIDI Basically they allow me to reroute patch audio and MIDI paths through my hardware Live s internal signal routing follows a similar concept however audio and MIDI sources and destinations are rerouted through drop down menus using a computer mouse instead of wires much tidier and significantly more cost effective Audio Routing Figure 10 32 shows an audio track s In Out section The labeling is fairly self explanatory The two drop down menus found under the header Audio From are used to configure the where and the how of any incoming audio
195. ber and twisting a single knob In this easy way you have access to infinitely more parameters than you have hands available Figure 9 42 Select Ultra Knob mode Figure 9 43 SSL s Ultra Knob mode Super Knob mode Use this mode see Figure 9 44 and its three knobs when you want more precise control over the three provided DJ FX As shown in Figure 9 45 using this effect requires at least one of three effects to be selected Once one is chosen assign the DJ FX panel to your Deck s turn on the effects and tweak away Figure 9 44 Select Super Knob mode Beats 1 Figure 9 45 SSL s Super Knob mode Customizing the DJ FX When you re ready to start customizing click on the Show Parameters button see Fig ure 9 46 to reveal a deeper level of individual effects parameters and the Macro Edit Mode button see Figure 9 47 to enter Macro Mapping mode see Figure 9 48 Once this mode is uncovered the basic principle for customizing the DJ FX in either Ultra or Super Knob mode is this 220 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Figure 9 46 Click the Show Parameters button F Figure 9 47 Click the Macro Edit Mode button Video Sl DJ FX Er Q ae O wr ECHO 7 FLANGER 7 4 DEPTH E DEPTH g G hg oa 71 5 g 65 0 i 65 0 F FEEDBACK m LFO ROOM SIZE as 9 05 0 a 9 t 100 0 T 30 5 5 Fo FILI cs aa H DELAY LO43 8 Mz 2 210 BEATS co
196. bility to pursue an art form that was purely conjecture 100 years ago a combo of high and low art 70 years ago isolated specialist and insular 30 years ago and strictly analog as recently as 15 years ago For those old enough to remember crate digging in a record shop it s sad to think that young DJs will miss out on such a formative sensory experience developing relation ships with record buyers planning visits around release dates cutting open unsheath ing and holding a physical EP the discourse between customers and customers customers and employees and employees amongst themselves gauging one s respect or lack of quotient in the eyes of said employees agreeing and disagreeing about music gear parties and so on but above anything else making eye contact while doing it Thankfully while the differences between DJing now and DJing then are fairly obvi ous the end result is the same The music is always there for those willing to dig a little bit deeper For the sake of the integrity of myself and this book I will focus on a few of the legal businesses that have emerged from the chaos of the last decade as mentioned earlier the perfect storm that has allowed market forces to dream up some truly fantastic and terrible business models that were unimaginable 20 years ago Chapter 4 Finding Organizing and Storing Your Music 55 The iTunes Music Store On April 28 2003 Apple launched the world s first
197. bleton Live automation 278 280 281 breakpoint 278 280 Control Chooser 281 Device Chooser 281 Draw mode 279 loops 282 283 EQ models Traktor 150 151 Ernestus Mark 19 58 experimentation and science DJing history 6 7 exporting playlist 101 102 external audio interface Traktor audio setup Audio 8 DJ and control CDs 76 77 Audio 8 DJ and control vinyl 74 76 external mixing 73 74 internal mixing 71 72 External Mixing mode Traktor 73 74 E Fabio 20 Factmag website 61 fade in out cue point 138 Faderfox controllers 47 159 160 Fanning Shawn 54 Farley Jackmaster Funk 17 Favorites playlist 100 File Browser 263 265 File button Serato 198 file management Ableton Live 239 241 Serato 205 208 file sharing 54 file types 299 300 filters cutoff 151 152 Ladder 151 152 Moog 151 resonance 151 Traktor Pro 151 152 Xone 151 FireWire port 63 flipping timecode vinyl 128 folder playlist 99 Follow Actions 277 278 Fowlkes Eddie 48 Fullscreen button Traktor Scratch Pro 79 Fung Trevor 17 future DJing 23 FX Panel Traktor Scratch Pro 81 83 142 143 FX section Kontrol X1 controller 179 180 G gain value 111 garage music 22 24 Gate launch mode Ableton Live 276 G DRIVE mini Triple 64 gear racks 316 318 Gerald A Guy Called 21 ghost point mouse control 130 Gibbons Walter 15 Global section Traktor Scratch Pro 80 83 gramophone 7 Grand Wizard Theodore and Grand
198. c mixing piques your interest highly suggest checking out the application Mixed In Key In short the software scans audio files for both bpm and key information to aid DJs in their quest against key clashes You can find more information here www mixedinkey com 150 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Key Lock Key correction is Traktor s cornerstone of harmonic mixing In short key correction uses a powerful time stretching algorithm to protect the original musical properties of your tracks despite changes in bpm For example if you struggle with the clich d Mickey Mouse effect when pitching music up too far Key Lock is your friend Engage Key Lock in one of two ways Either click on the quarter note on the right hand side of the Deck s Stripe display as shown in Figure 7 44 or click on the tiny Key knob on off button directly below the Filter as shown in Figure 7 45 Further navigate to Preferences gt Transport gt Key Lock and adjust the self explanatory settings based upon your hardware setup Figure 7 44 Click on the quarter note button Figure 7 45 Click on the on off button below the Key knob Obviously you can use Key Lock if you want to maintain the music s originally recorded sound However be aware that you can also apply key correction to situa tions in which you want to adjust a track to fit with other music you are playing Each integer adjustment up or down change
199. cally plays and syncs the song to whatever source is defined as the master tempo There are a few conditions that must be met prior to using Synchro Start m Traktor s Deck modes must be set to Internal As mentioned previously the Sync function does not work while spinning with the timecode control vinyl CD m Verify that the tracks all have a properly defined Beatgrid If the tracks are not syncing properly go back and run through the Beatgrid tutorial in the previous chapter m Uncheck the box Preferences gt Loading gt Stop Playback at End of Track m Uncheck the box Preferences gt Loading gt Loading Only into Stopped Deck m Check the box Preferences gt Loading gt Initially Cue to Load Marker Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 169 Once you have adjusted the settings accordingly open a layout that exposes all four Traktor Decks This particular style of mixing is fantastic when you re dropping tracks quickly For example when you re playing short sections loops or a capellas Synchro Start will let you rip through your playlists while simultaneously automating some of the mundane processes such as the Play button It s like riding a bike without brakes well not really but hopefully you can see where I m going 1 Set the Clock Master to Internal within the Master Clock panel 2 Load tracks into all four Decks 3 Engage the Sync button on each Deck You should see the Deck tempos jump to f
200. ce that the pointer is crossed out preventing order changes 100 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Consolidating Saving Playlist Sort Order 1 Click on any column heading within Traktor s Browser List to sort the playlist by that category 2 Right click Control click on the playlist within Traktor s Browser Tree Choose Consolidate to save the playlist sort order as the permanent setting The Favorites Playlist If playlists and Playlist folders start to get out of control create a handful of readily accessible go to virtual record crates also known as favorites as shown in Figure 6 5 If you do not see the Favorites menu ensure that Show Playlist Favorites is checked under Preferences gt Browser Details L HOTEL SHANGHAI MARC C3 PLATZHIRSCH 6 YEAR LD TRAINING LOOPS ia ESSEN DUB DEEP ia ESSEN MIDDLE ia LONDON THE HIVE O HOTEL SHANGHAI FEB EMSLEY TRACKS O PROMO MIX 2 MAY 09 O ESSEN LATE O ESSEN EARLY O LONDON HIVE Figure 6 5 Using favorites significantly speeds up track searching Assigning Favorites 1 Click on any playlist within Traktor s Browser Tree 2 Drag the playlist to any Favorites slot You can replace any preexisting favorite by dropping the playlist on top of it 3 The Favorite slot can now be immediately accessed by mouse click hot key or MIDI assignment You can also directly access favorites by using the function keys on your compu
201. ch as USB 2 0 FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 64 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer I have had a handful of hard drive nightmares in the past however one particular manufacturer with whom I ve had an exceptional experience is G Technology For DJs its G DRIVE mini see Figure 4 5 is an attractive option that is the size of a wallet is absolutely rock solid has an amazing warranty and comes bundled with a tough leather case and high quality cables These drives are a bit pricey compared to the com petition but when you re concerned with the emotional and financial cost of losing data in my eyes the extra expense is worth every extra penny Figure 4 5 The G DRIVE mini Triple Final Thoughts The primary purpose of this chapter has been to reframe the notion of the modern DJ and his record crate Managing vinyl used to be a matter of physical handling and physical space So what do we do now that we can fit hundreds of thousands of songs in our pockets I hope to answer that question for you over the next few chapters Traktor Pro Intro ubiquitous inside a DJ booth Although vinyl remains DJ culture s nostalgic medium a computer presents an artist with considerably more dynamic perfor mance tools As masses of established DJs go digital DJ culture s youth is forming new understandings of what DJ performances are supposed to be 1 rom the early days of Digital Vinyl System
202. cing a love of people and a love of sound Mancuso transmuted these ideas into a custom designed space created to achieve his aspirations the perfect environment through which to enjoy the combined power of music and atmosphere In addition to the direction disco steered nightclub futures and DJ techniques it also had enormous impact on the wider music industry The first commercial club mixer was developed David Rosner and Louis Bozak s 1971 Bozak mixer It s no coinci dence that David Rosner designed the sound systems of both the Sanctuary and the Loft Eventually record labels recognized the power of a club DJ s playlist music heard while out at night often translated to sales via club goers Thus labels supple mented in demand DJs with upfront releases Disco gave birth to the 12 inch single in direct response to both consumer and DJ demand behavior only since repeated with the development of compressed digital for mats such as the MP3 The remix was commodified whereas reggae remixed dubs for individuals producers such as Tom Moulton and disco DJs such as Shep Pettibone Walter Gibbons Francois Kevorkian and Larry Levan remixed extended intro and outro club versions for DJs and the public Unlike the insular principles of sole use propelled through reggae s vinyl label deface ment the disco mentality of founders such as Mancuso cultivated a society of DJs who believed in the sharing and archiving of musical kn
203. ck l Stop playback at end of track Gi Duplicate deck when loading same track Gi Load next at end of track Hi Initially cue to Load Marker i Activate Fade In amp Fade Out Markers Cruise Loops Playlist Figure 7 1 Check uncheck these options to customize Traktor s Deck Loading behavior Loading controls m Loading Only into Stopped Deck Check the check box if you want a safeguard against accidentally replacing the currently playing track mid playback only slightly embarrassing If you are using the control vinyl CDs this feature can be a little bit irritating because you have to stop the turntable CDJ every time you want to load a new track This is not the best option if you prefer to pre listen to your tracks on the fly from the control vinyl CDs Stop Playing at End of Track Track ends Playback ends Duplicate Deck When Loading Same Track Check the check box if you want the Deck Duplicate function to load the duplicate track from precisely the same position as within the currently playing Deck Leave it unchecked if you want a duplicate track to load from the beginning or to a load cue point Load Next at End of Track The next track in the playlist is loaded when the cur rently playing track ends Intro to Playing and Mixing Tracks Internally These intro sections are deliberately constructed to get you DJing with Traktor as quickly as possible as well as to demonstrate Traktor s instinctive internal m
204. coder Encoder Button Encoder Button Interaction Mode Hold Hold Trigger Trigger Direct Relative Direct Relative Relative Trigger Relative Trigger Assignment Global Global Deck A or Device Target Deck A or Device Target Deck A or Device Target Deck A or Device Target Deck A or Device Target Deck A or Device Target Deck A or Device Target Deck A or Device Target Deck A or Device Target Deck A or Device Target Button Options Set to Value 1 Set to Value 2 NA NA Loop NA Loop Out NA NA NA NA NA Mapped To Ch16 Note D6 Ch16 Note D 6 Ch16 Note A 1 Ch16 Note D6 Ch16 CC 014 Ch16 CC 014 Ch16 CC 014 Ch16 CC 014 Ch16 CC 014 Ch16 Note A 1 Ch16 CC 014 Ch16 Note A 1 Cond1 M1 1 M1 0 NA M1 1 M1 0 M1 0 M1 0 M1 0 M1 1 M1 II Cond2 M2 0 M2 1 NA M2 1 M2 1 M2 1 M2 0 M2 0 M2 0 M2 1 1 2 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer The benefit of setting up your MIDI controller as listed here is that through the simple combination of a click down rotary encoder and two buttons you can drop either auto or manual loops and easily resize them If you accidentally drop a loop in the wrong location you can define how far you want to move it and instantly jump the loop to a new location If your loop out po
205. collection has a regular inflow outflow of tracks you might want to automate at least one part of your collection management Open Traktor s Preferences and click on the File Management tab Figure 6 18 shows the File Management heading within which you will notice the following options E import Music Folders at Startup E Determine track lime automaticaly before analysis Analyze new backs on collection load import E Analyze new tracks when loading into deck Show Consistency Check Report on Startup Figure 6 18 Check any of these options to automate portions of your collection management Import Music Folders at Startup Imports any new track additions from the direc tories listed under Music Folders within the Data Location section of the Preferences m Determine Track Time Automatically Before Analysis Traktor determines track length before a track has been analyzed m Analyze New Tracks on Collection Load Import When the track collection is loaded Traktor analyzes any or all newly added tracks in the background 112 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer m Analyze New Tracks When Loading into Deck New tracks dropped onto any Deck are analyzed in the background A useful feature when dragging tracks directly into Traktor from the OS X Finder or Windows Explorer Show Consistency Check Report on Startup Traktor launches directly into the consistency check process as describ
206. ct headphones or an audio cable to the laptop s mini jack headphones output 2 Verify that your laptop s volume is turned up Be careful of your ears Software Configuration 1 Open the Traktor Preferences 2 Under the Audio Setup tab choose the built in soundcard from the Audio Device drop down menu Leave the Sample Rate at the default of 44 100 Hz Adjust the Audio Latency to about 30 milliseconds Low latency values translate to more responsive control but demand a fast computer 3 Under the Output Routing tab choose Internal as the Mixing Mode 4 Assign your soundcard outputs from the Output Monitor drop down menu Note While in Internal Mixing mode you cannot hear Traktor s Beat Tick through the Output Master It can only be sourced through the Output Monitor 5 Click on the Close button to accept the settings Skip ahead to Navigating the User Interface once you have completed the steps listed above External Audio Interface Internal Mixing With an external multichannel audio interface you create options for how you can mix your tracks Using Traktor s Internal Mixing features DJs can utilize a mouse keyboard configuration a dedicated MIDI controller or a combination of both to DJ without a huge number of extra hardware connections Think of Internal Mixing as transplanting a traditional DJ mixer into your computer EQ volume crossfading cueing and so on are handled within Traktor s
207. cted Crate With the vinyl move the needle to the innermost track scroll through your playlist if you cannot find the track you want pick up and drop the needle within the lead out section prior to the vinyl scroll section to change crates rinse and repeat When you have your track drop the needle back at the intro and the track will instantly load it and play Adjust the additional setup options to config ure how fast vinyl scroll jumps through your Library and or choose to reverse the scrolling behavior Finally use the Vinyl Start Offset dials to adjust where playback begins within the lead in section of your control vinyl Record wear is a natural part of DJing with vinyl and fortunately Serato has compensated for that fact Additional Deck Behaviors If you are new to digital DJing and DVS technology one of the first options that you should enable is found at Setup gt Playback gt Lock Playing Deck Checking this box will protect you against accidentally dropping replacing a track upon a Deck that is currently playing to the dance floor Other useful options that we haven t discussed already can be found from the Playback page such as Track End Warnings and Hi Fi Resampler The latter setting in particular is useful because it uses a more efficient time stretching algorithm that maintains high quality audio playback when scratching or repitching your tracks Intro to Controller Assignments And of course all of this bri
208. d 6 Point the OS X Finder or Windows Explorer to the location of the folder containing your music and select Choose 118 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Laptop 1 Connect the external hard drive to your laptop 2 Launch Traktor and open the Preferences 3 Select the Data Location tab and click on the button on the right hand side of the Root Dir as shown in Figure 6 25 fas Root Diri yes Users jasonemsley Documents Native Esl Default LHir Figure 6 25 Redefining Traktor s root folder 4 Point the OS X Finder or Windows Explorer to the Traktor root folder on the external hard drive and select Choose You should be prompted to restart Traktor 5 Run a consistency check to verify that Traktor has located your Traktor col lection properly In the end the aim of this chapter was to reveal Traktor s organizational capabilities a process so well executed that it sets the bar for how a digital DJ crate should function Equipped with this chapter s fundamental information we can now move on to the enjoyable stuff performance Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 7 setup configuration the GUI layouts playlists preparation collection main tenance and so on It s fairly easy to see how the DJ culture s proliferation influenced Traktor s appearance and workflow patterns As soon as you load and start mixing some tracks you will see
209. d Deck A is to remain consistent for those following along The option to select Device Target simply means that the currently selected control will affect the same source as governed by the overall con troller mapping chosen within Device Setup Basically feel free to assign each control anywhere you want Although it is somewhat of a double edged sword there is no perfect way to create these assignments So don t forget You aren t going to break anything If you make a mistake just roll back a few steps One Touch Expandable Track Browser One drawback to performing with four expanded Decks is that Traktor s features vir tually eclipse the track Browser Unsurprisingly there is a workaround made even easier if you have a controller with click down rotary encoders such as the Faderfox DX2 The following represents the relevant MIDI assignments for your controller s single rotary encoder If your knob does not have click down functionality simply transfer the following button assignments over to any unassigned MIDI controller button Type of Interaction Controller Traktor Command Controller Mode Assignment Button Options Knob Twist Only Browser Toggle Button Hold Global Assignment List Select Up Down Encoder Relative adjust as needed Knob Button Load Selected Button Trigger Deck A or Assignment Device Target Only Browser Toggle Button Direct Global Set to Value 0 Twist the newly assigned encoder to jump into Browser
210. d drives tend to get preinstalled because they require less energy to operate Although you may see laptop and or external hard drives displaying speeds of 4 200 to 5 400 RPM the magic number to shoot for is 7 200 RPM If necessary special order the faster option it s worth the wait Chapter 4 Finding Organizing and Storing Your Music 63 Increased competition has driven down internal hard drive prices and laptop drives are relatively easy to replace If you re unfamiliar with how this process works definitely consult the computer manufacturer prior to attempting it yourself There might be war ranty issues involved something you definitely do not want to gamble with If the DIY approach is your thing articles on this topic abound on the Internet while YouTube is always a good reference point for visual learners Tip As you add and delete files on any computer Mac or PC you begin to leave what can be loosely thought of as holes on your drive Over time these virtual holes make it more difficult for the hard drive to read information from disk leading to poor performance Therefore it is a good idea to defrag your hard drive from time to time PCs have this feature included with the Win dows operating system Mac users should use a third party application such as DiskWarrior alsoft com diskwarrior Note There is a lot of recent hype around the new solid state drive SSD tech nology Reports show that they are faster
211. d layouts You can create multiple customized pages of buttons faders XY controllers control pots and so on and quickly load them into the TouchOSC application 50 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer To use TouchOSC with your laptop download the free Osculator application from www osculator net In simple terms this software acts as a translator for the wirelessly transmitted OSC protocol converting received data into MIDI messages It s perfectly suited for digital DJ applications such as Traktor Ableton Live and Serato What is the best thing about this setup No wires yay What s the potential down side No WiFi hardware boo There are workarounds for creating ad hoc networks Again Google is your friend Given that the iPad s pricing structure starts just slightly above many high end MIDI controllers the device becomes a realistic option for both DJs and producers on and off the stage Plus consider the iPad s dozens upon dozens of additional benefits or should I say distractions when you re not performing Check out what else Hexler has going on including setup tutorials at www hexler net Note If you re interested in learning more about iApps check out G W Childs Making Music with Mobile Devices Course Technology PTR 2010 Figure 3 13 Hexler s TouchOSC a prime example of where multitouch based controllers are heading Chapter 3 Gear 51 Note Another o
212. de Not only can you further develop your performance with SSL s Cue and Loop functions you can also access the Load Prev Next and Fast Forward Rewind features Note If you run out of record while using Absolute or Relative mode the Virtual Deck automatically switches to Internal also known as Emergency mode Once you drop the needle back into the control vinyl s lead in zone the relevant Deck will switch back to Absolute mode Along with that theme if you run into trouble with your control vinyl CDs such as dust or skipping hold Ctrl and click the Internal INT button with your mouse Not only does this switch the Deck mode to Internal but it also resets the Pitch fader to O so that you can immediately jump back into Relative mode pitch is the same position is not when the problem is resolved 212 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Internal Mode While you are performing in Internal mode see Figure 9 35 the control vinyl CDs are not used and all playback functions are controlled within the computer As vinyl CDs are not controlling the Virtual Decks use the mouse or a MIDI controller rotary plat ter to scrub through the main waveform display or for large jumps within the track overview display 06 08 99 R Figure 9 35 SSL s Internal mode Tip Press Ctrl I Ctrl K to drop a temporary cue point within the left right Vir tual Decks respectively These cue points exhibit
213. dio and the stage Moreover it is hard to imagine a better way of adding individuality to a DJ set than through layers of self made ideas by way of VST or AU plug in instruments and or effects And speaking of effects no other DJ software boasts Live s potential to create complex effects configurations within a live perfor mance context No DJ software application is complete without the addition of a hardware controller Simply put the steps to map out controller assignments in Live are likely the easiest of 297 298 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer any audio software Period Although Live s MIDI mapping does not provide the depth of Traktor s Controller Manager Ableton s process is significantly more streamlined Arguably Live s most hotly debated advantage is that Warp Markers effectively make beatmatching obsolete When you understand that beatmatching has long been the benchmark separating the proverbial wheat from the chaff it s no surprise that DJing without it brings such negative scrutiny Traktor and Serato make manually syncing beats via vinyl or CDs optional Whereas from Live s perspective the Bridge creates a balance of both worlds Is this an advantage It entirely depends what you want from DJing As we all know every up has a down Whenever I do product trainings my DJ clients tend to avoid certain tedious or time consuming processes With that said DJing with
214. dio interface for outputs SL3 and so on no control CDs are required because of a direct connection to the CDJ itself To top it all off HID supplies the software hardware combo with increased low latency responsiveness Serato ITCH In line with these partnerships comes Serato s hardware software combo ITCH Ser ato s intent with the ITCH software is to provide a platform for the hordes of digital DJs who are actively seeking out new methods of performance Relationships with respected hardware developers such as Allen amp Heath Numark Denon and Vestax have resulted in some interesting hardware software solutions In particular the Allen amp Heath Xone DX mixer provides hardware control over ITCH S internally focused mixing environment With a specifically designed DJ mixer of Allen amp Heath caliber ITCH is coupled with a hardware device that provides a powerful USB 2 0 soundcard and unmatched control over the DJ FX cues looping and especially ITCH s four Decks with tempo matching and beat sync Needless to say because of the boom in laptop based DJing it will be interesting to see where Serato takes the ITCH concept over the next few years This page intentionally left blank 1 0 Intro to Ableton Live s mentioned in the previous chapter the millennium bordering years repre sented a significant turning point not only for DJ culture but also for the music industry as a whole Copyright and ownership became
215. disco and so on Additionally Hard Wax shares the building with the respected Dubplates amp Mastering studio There is talk that Hard Wax is putting its foot into the digital download waters as well fingers crossed m bleep com Online music retail subsidiary of legendary UK based Warp Records Bleep offers music from more than 300 labels through a multiformat digital catalog as well as CDs vinyl and other merchandise dustygroove com Chicago based online importer of rare vinyl ranging from jazz funk soul and Latin to hip hop You can also find all of your turntable based extras such as needles cleaning and so on undergroundhiphop com Boston based online retailer specializing in underground hip hop DJ culture A must visit for DJ gear merchandise a huge catalog of rare vinyl CDs and supplies for urban graffiti artists Chapter 4 Finding Organizing and Storing Your Music 59 oe Music and Gear juno co uk As online retails shops go Juno has everything that digital DJs require dozens of musical genres available in vinyl CDs and multiformat music down loads You can also order piles upon piles of various DJ kits Vinyl junkies should definitely look out for Juno s seasonal sales gems can be found at a fraction of the cost m turntablelab com Independent DJ specialty store focused on equipment music production hardware software and of course music sales all pieced together and handpicked by a passio
216. discovered scratching accidentally Ostensibly Theodore was playing music in his house and as mothers do his told him to turn it down Having held the platter still while she chided him he immediately identified the creative significance Chapter 2 The Evolution of DJing 11 Figure 2 3 Grandmaster Flash of moving vinyl back and forth across a stylus The importance of Theodore s discov ery extends to the core of DJ culture by lending musical credibility to the craft Scratch ing turned the turntable into an instrument the contemporary guitar In 1983 pop music got its first proper taste of DJ culture via Grandmixer D ST Effec tively serving as the percussive force behind Herbie Hancock s track Rockit turn tables were permanently embedded inside the ears of the MTV generation Once Rockit reached the music video circuit it went on to win a Grammy and five MTV Music Video Awards and thus the notion of DJ as artist was presented to pop culture As luminaries go perhaps the greatest role model in early hip hop s DJ culture was Afrika Bambaataa As founder of the Zulu Nation Bambaataa believed in an organi zation that unified hip hop Beyond the oft applied ethnocentrism amongst DJ com munities through Zulu Nation Bambaataa put himself forward in a social communal context to blend the unifying effects of dance and music culture pulling kids away from gangs and guiding them into music Musically no stone wa
217. dividual radio DJs gained wide spread exposure a position solidified once the advertising world saw radio s potential within post World War II markets It took innovative radio personalities such as Martin Block to cement the foundation upon which DJs have built their home within the music industry As the 40s drew to a close record labels recognized the playlists of Block and his cohorts as a band s primary breaking force Around this time abundant dubious sources claim to have coined the term disc jockey nonetheless it is certain that the term arose because of Block and his superstar contemporaries Increasingly DJs shaped the manner in which popular culture consumed and under stood music Terms such as rock n roll and rhythm n blues were popularized by DJs in the 50s to classify the music they played Fundamentally a DJ is a salesman Radio DJs sell a sponsor club DJs sell a sound scratch DJs sell the concept of turntable as instrument avant garde DJs sell high art and so on Historically the relationships between a DJ s success financially anyhow and his listenership have been mutually inclusive there is a reason why it s called DJ culture In the early days of radio DJs were a democratizing source of fresh music that often transcended contemporaneous social and racial barriers Home stereos provided deseg regated access to musical diversity within a time of debilitating social isolation With radio the mas
218. e 16 patchbay 257 PC computer specifications 25 26 Peel John 23 peer to peer P2P technology 54 Perry Lee Scratch 9 Pettibone Shep 15 phonograph cylinder invention 6 7 pie slices 12 Pioneer company 228 pitch bumping 83 268 Pitchfork website 61 Planet Rock 11 playback positioning 66 67 playing track 120 122 playlist creating 97 99 deleting 103 duplicated tracks removing 103 exporting 101 102 Favorites 100 folders 99 History 101 importing 95 97 102 103 iTunes Music Store 56 Preparation 100 101 removing tracks from 103 renaming 103 resetting 103 sorting 99 100 Plug in Browser 262 263 Power Plant 17 Pray Doug 14 pre listen cue 27 Preparation playlist 100 101 preset dump 322 previewing tracks 307 processor speed 26 product manual 4 Propellerhead 257 Pullen Stacy 19 punch phrasing 10 Q Qbert 14 quantization 147 148 quick mix theory 10 R Radikal Technologies manufacturer 49 radio DJ 8 radio station Internet 59 Rafik 14 Rage 20 RAM random access memory 26 Rampling Danny 17 Rascal Dizzee 23 RCA channel input 29 Record Without a Cover 12 Recording indicator Traktor Scratch Pro 79 recording within Serato 217 218 reggae 9 10 registration Ableton Live 233 Serato Scratch Live SSL 188 189 Traktor Scratch Pro 68 relative deck mode 127 Relative mode Serato 211 renaming playlist 103 Repeat launch mode Ableton Live 2
219. e Check the Mixing in Sync Phrases Beats and Bars section later in this chapter for further information on how to optimize your mixing through Trak tor s visual Phrase Bar Beat display Working with Cue Points If you are unfamiliar with the concept of cue points think of them as bookmarks posi tioned within your tracks Traktor offers a few different types of these bookmarks as place markers each with its own distinct purpose Nearly all cue point functions are handled through either the Deck Transport section or the Cue Panel subsection of a Deck s Advanced panels Essentially cue point status breaks down into two main cat egories temporary or saved In Figure 7 21 the blue upward facing arrow found within the Waveform and Stripe display represents Traktor s temporary cue point current cue point in the manual an on the fly cue position controlled from each Deck s transport controls Labeled Cue Cup and In Out each control is intended for instant auditioning playback positioning prepping saved cue point positions and so on Figure 7 21 Traktor s temporary current cue point Saved cue points on the other hand offer a virtually unlimited number of bookmarks at your disposal You can save numerous track positions intros breakdowns vocal sections and so on Once you determine a handful of cue points up to eight are mapped to MIDI assignable hot cues For example you could map eight different hot cues
220. e Hardy and Knuckles implemented local pro ducers reel to reel recordings into their sets which further engendered the DIY aes thetic into Chicago s homegrown scene This manner of thinking set an example that hastily spread across Chicago with the release of Jesse Saunders track On and On Generally considered one of the first true house tracks the simple rhythm structure and straightforward melodic content spurred the subsequent explosion of bedroom producers The expansion of home studios combined with the welcoming nature of the house s early professors and allowed the music to mature on its own accord for years Removed from the contaminating touch of the major music industry Knuckles and Hardy cre ated a metaphorical Petri dish within which Chicago s house DJ producers prolifer ated This framework not only nurtured house legends such as Chez Damier Marshall Jefferson Larry Heard Lil Louis and Derrick Carter but it also provided the founda tion upon which DJ Pierre and Marshall Jefferson partly established the sound of the acid house movement with Phuture s timeless Acid Tracks release squelching Roland s TB 303 sound into the sonic archives alongside their TR 808 and TR 909 drum machines Significantly global ripple effects arose out of the early Chicago house years particu larly within the UK and across Europe young British visionaries such as Danny Rampling Paul Oakenfold Nicky Holloway Johnn
221. e addition subtraction or shifting of per cussion vocals bassline crash cymbals snare rolls and so on In combination these phrases contribute to the commonly understood pop music song structure of intro verse chorus verse chorus bridge verse outro or some combination of the like Now the importance of mixing within these boundaries is entirely subjective but within some styles of DJing it makes perfect sense to match phrases But remember as much as mixing within these borders fits it can also just as easily be tossed out the window for creative effect As an example load a track into Deck A and duplicate it or a remix of it within Deck B Play both tracks with a one beat offset in between Now try that with all four Decks playing the same track a beat apart Yet one more example of Traktor refreshing old vinyl DJ staples To mix within this framework there are a couple of considerations that will help every thing run smoothly m Navigate to Preferences gt Deck Details gt Deck Heading and choose Beats some where within one of the rows Notice that the beats appear within the Deck display in the format of x x x Phrase Bar Beat As you can see in Figures 7 41 and 7 42 the Beats option I have chosen in the bottom right of the Deck Details Preferences are reflected in the Traktor GUI Deck Details Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 149 Show Cover Art Top Row Title Remaini
222. e coffee is the digital audio signal conversation is the analog audio signal and the poor server is a depiction of your slightly aging CPU Given that it s 7 30 a m in our example nobody can bother talking until a full coffee is in hand Halfway through the first cup the server returns and tops you off Conversation ensues unbroken Once again you finish half of your coffee and miraculously the cup is full again This is a properly configured buffer Not only are you amped but also breakfast conversation has flowed along wholly uninterrupted As the restaurant gets busier your table has to work harder to maintain a conversation On top of that the coffee is going down like water All of a sudden you pick up your mug to find the dregs sloshing around the bottom Con versation halts and you have to flag down the server for more of the good stuff This break in conversation is analogous to what happens when an audio buffer goes dry With a larger cup of coffee the server wouldn t have to work as hard to keep your cup full once it gets busy Conversely coffee gets cold in an oversized cup you won t drink it and thus your 7 30 a m responsiveness will dissipate With a tiny cup forget it Anyway there is a happy medium in there somewhere but it requires a bit of experimentation If the basics of audio buffers are still confusing substitute coffee with beer and the waiter with a bartender and it might make more sense Chapte
223. e enough for most purposes as this is the same Red Book standard used for CD quality audio Default SR amp Pitch Conversion effectively instructs Live to process audio files with a higher quality algorithm What this translates to is a higher degree of accuracy when pitch shifting and a more precise result with Live s real time sample rate conversion There are few reasons to turn this setting off however note that it can be disabled from individual clips via the little Hi Q button I ve already mentioned latency a few times however it remains a major industry buzz word particularly concerning recording technology In case you haven t been following along sequentially latency can be simply defined as the time it takes to convert analog audio to digital data and back Every system will have a degree of inherent latency that is unavoidable however to what extent is primarily determined through the combina tion of audio drivers and CPU power Lower latency will re create a more accurate experience at the expense of CPU drain Specifically there is always a measure of milli seconds between twisting a knob or pressing a key button and so on or singing into a mic playing a synth and so on and hearing the result through your speakers Within Live the length of this delay is controlled through the Buffer Size setting Think of a buffer this way Say you go to a breakfast that serves endless cups of coffee The cup is your buffer th
224. e point behavior m Click upon the waveform and the Deck will jump to the relevant beat and stop playback m Click and hold upon the waveform in a stopped Deck Playback behaves like the Cue button that is the track plays until the mouse button is released m Right click upon the waveform in a stopped Deck Playback behaves like the Cup button that is the track begins playback from the point that is clicked Note Don t confuse the mouse control Snap mode with the Master panel Snap mode The latter applies only to cue point and loop behavior When it is engaged setting cue loop points snaps to the closest beat on the Beatgrid Mouse Sensitivity Right click Control click on any fader knob buttons to access a drop down menu of parameter adjustment options The self explanatory choices see Figure 7 12 of Min Fine Default Coarse and Switch dictate how the buttons will respond to mouse clicks Figure 7 12 Choose an option to define how the mouse behaves with the and parameter controls 130 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Advanced Mouse Control Although a mouse cannot replicate the control depth of an external device the ghost pointer is one particularly useful feature For example with the ghost pointer you can quickly cut or boost an EQ frequency at the click of a button In effect this process yields results much more quickly than manually clicking and dr
225. e so many other tracks getting in the way Serato really thought this one through as is evidenced within a section that we have seen once already shown in Figure 9 25 Figure 9 25 Turn to these functions when quickly searching through your music collection is a must Let s say for example that during a gig I am looking for a track cataloged on the label that I release some of my music with Platzhirsch I have already created a Smart Crate that filters for tracks tagged with the label name but for this scenario I want to be a bit more specific As you can see in Figure 9 26 I have enabled the Browse function by clicking on the button located on the right side of SSL s GUI With Browse active and any random Crate selected I am given an intuitive filter system of the fixed criteria Genre BPM Artist and Album When I select an artist name the Crate is then narrowed down to files tagged with that data 204 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer The Prepare panel on the other hand is Serato s virtual equivalent of earmarking or angling vinyl in a record box While tearing through your Crates at a gig simply press Ctrl P to drop a track into this purpose made temporary Crate Don t worry too much about filling the Prepare panel earmarked tracks are immediately erased when they re loaded into a Virtual Deck Tip If you want to keep the Prepare panel s contents for future use
226. e still providing multiple layers of depth to those who like to fiddle Much of DJ culture spawned around percussive breaks that by nature contain rhythmic elements that make people want to shake their backsides Incorporating Maschine into a contemporary DJ set allows performers to layer metrical imagin ings over their entire music collection In conjunction with software such as Traktor or Ableton MIDI clock integration frees artists from the constraints of beat matching and allows them to focus on a set s other performance aspects Hit Record and freely drum along to add some live authenticity quantize your recording out put so even if you re the opposite of sober you still sound perfectly in control or merely engage Maschine s Step Sequencer for ultra precise beat programming Figure 3 7 shows off Maschine s software side No matter what style of music you play the Maschine library provides DJs with more than 4 GB of genre spanning samples Samples can be stretched over eight Chapter 3 Gear 39 OMASCHINE BPM 125 01 10 05 SCENE 3 OMASCHINE D o SSS ee Pitch Gute i Pp i ON Start Reverse Type 1 in Tune ii a oranana o eas iai i e E Kick Ordinance 1 ait E i E Clee HH Ordinan i E penHH Ordinance 5 C EJ Kick Ordinance 7 Marve Ordinance 1 E Clee HH Ordinan E Shaker Ordinance EJ Hick Ordinance 3 E Kick Ordinance 4 E Clap Ordinance iid Metallic Ordinance 3E LEJ Cra
227. e your music files If the reference file is lost so is all the prep work Traktor for example embeds the data gained from analyzing directly into a file so that the information such as Beatgrids and cue points is never lost Again at some level these are all concerns that at some level are addressed in the Ableton Serato Bridge Note Don t let the disadvantages of Live s Browser scare you off they are nei ther functional problems nor design flaws Put simply Traktor or Serato and Live were each originally constructed with a stylistically different artist in mind Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 299 So when DJing with Live think of a creative way to store your music and stick with it For example create a folder structure by date in other words create a new folder every week and dump all of your new music inside of it That way you maintain some semblance of organization between new tracks and old tracks Or create a music folder containing a genre specific file structure hip hop house dubstep and so on The most important thing here is to ensure that all asd files are contained within a folder structure that is both easy to maintain and easy to modify What Are the Best File Types Compressed audio is without a doubt an amazing technological achievement however the reason it was conceived in the first place was to solve a problem that no longer widely exists Several years ago hard drive space and Inter
228. eart of DJ culture It s fairly safe to assume that every DJ has heard at least one 308 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer track that he feels could have or should have been constructed differently a little more percussion here rearrange loop or entirely remove the vocals there extend the intro outro and so on Even if you prefer the more traditional experience of Traktor or Serato don t forget that Live is an exceptionally powerful audio editor Note Remember that Live s editing tools are all nondestructive As mentioned ear lier a clip is simply a reference to an audio file stored on your hard drive Live exe cutes all edits in real time so there is never any permanent damage to your music From the get go using Live to edit your music files should feel somewhat familiar Established word processor functions such as Cut Copy Paste Delete Undo Redo and so on are all readily applicable to clips via standard OS X Windows key combi nations Conveniently Ableton created a list of these and other hotkey combinations and stuck it right at the end of the user documentation I won t go over every function here but let s quickly take a look at what editing a track might look like 1 If you are not there already press the Tab key to flip to Live s Arrangement view 2 Open the Browser and find a track that needs some editing Drag the song from the Browser and drop it onto any empty
229. ected playlist and automixing continues If all tracks have properly configured Beatgrids enabling Sync on both Decks will ensure that Traktor not only mixes the playlist automatically but also mixes the relevant tracks in sync 1 Determine the Auto Crossfade Time setting and as shown in Figure 7 27 whether you want the transition smooth or sharp located within Preferences gt Mixer A higher value equals a slower smoother transition Figure 7 27 Adjust these sliders to determine the auto crossfade behavior Select the desired playlist When every track within the playlist has been played if you want playback to automatically jump back to the beginning check Cruise Loops Playlist from Preferences gt Loading Load an analyzed track into Deck A Click Play on Deck A and raise the Volume fader otherwise Cruise mode cannot be engaged Click the Cruise button from the Master panel Once engaged as in Figure 7 28 the next track within the playlist will be loaded into the parallel Deck for example Deck B Figure 7 28 Cruise button engaged Deleting Cue Points 1 23 Within a Deck s Advanced panel select the relevant cue point via the Previous Next Cue Point arrow the drop down Cue Name List or the pertinent hot cue button Click the Delete Cue button represented by the trashcan icon Working with Loops Repetition in music predates the modern understandings of loop based production by several gener
230. ed earlier Creating Customizing and Saving Your Traktor Profile The more time spent with Traktor the more obvious personal workflow patterns become Even though Traktor employs a handful of fundamentally static industry standard design choices most features can be configured to complement any DJ s per sonal touch All GUI layout effect collection controller and audio device settings are unique to your Traktor profile Cue points loop points Beatgrids artist and release info and so on are all embedded in audio file metadata With a button click you can import your personalized Traktor fingerprint onto another computer or more impor tantly you can revive it should fate ever decide that it s time to euthanize your laptop Layout Appearance Although the overall theme and positioning of Traktor s GUI cannot be drastically changed you can show hide specific sections of the layout and generally optimize them to fit different performance styles For example many scratch DJs prefer a less cluttered workspace so they strip back Traktor s GUI to the barest minimum as shown in Figure 6 19 TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO i 2 DECKSCRATCIe O DF 4 Relish Shed Remix 07 25 31 00 Untitled 06 36 123 00 0 Substante 07 25 HD0 aa 06 38 HDO et gt oo pie ve 1a T EE 4 8 6 4 x1 PRESENTATION PL i l LAAG M TAABANI L HOTEL SHANGHAI FEB EMSLEY TRACKS AUGUST PROMO BPM EMSLEY TRACKS i 1 ESSEN DUB DEEP a SSi ARLY S
231. ee that Live has caught a missing file Clicking Locate takes me to the window shown in Figure 10 10 through which I can manually locate the missing audio file or allow Live to automatically scan specific portions of my hard drive E File Management The File Manager helps organize all the files you work with in Live samples movies presets Live Clips and Live Sets The current Live Set has not yet been saved cay This Live Set belongs to the Project Temp 6 Figure 10 8 File Management lets you maintain files across individual sets or larger projects 242 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Figure 10 9 Whoops found a missing file Click Locate to resolve missing file errors Figure 10 10 Use this window to define missing file search criteria Live s Interface Through Live which is at odds with many of the industry s most popular DAW appli cations Ableton has managed to design a GUI that feels right at home on a relatively small laptop monitor a widely visible precondition of digital DJing One way that Ableton accomplished this was by optimizing Live s GUI into two pages the Session Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 243 view and the Arrangement view each of which is further subdivided into scaling fold able windows Note Simply launch Live and press the computer keyboard s Tab key to jump between the two views Although undeniably powerful many DA
232. eecccceeeseecccceeeseeceesaaesceceeaeees 93 Tait Your NI USC icc6e fie shai ca vachunsta asada a a a a 93 Maintaining and Navigating Your Music Collectioni ccccccccccccssseececeeeeeeceeeeeees 103 Creating Customizing and Saving Your Traktor Profile ccccccccssssseececeeeseeececeeeeeees 112 LIOC PGs FANG e aanteosxiresnteoen est some tens E EE 112 dis oy cae Gacy Ie i Cenn tearen ncn etncn en non Nu nercenc ny terete cence aac enn any ene Une ST ne UN a ST me Renn srt 115 The Traktor Root Folder wicvavassvosxeuossiecanes ieren i cued iveient AEE 116 Maintaining Multiple Collections sci caziseiitscbitsadidectiiuatideebiiscdedeotideatitnotiteadenetiteadeinats 117 Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 119 oto oadin amp Tra Roerne a 119 Intro to Playing and Mixing Tracks Inte riially sisscvssecusssavaiscianaddvhad doratvercAvoraivesanuosaixends 120 toS yacine Tra KS i T T A A EE 122 Deck N 2 oo eat V1 a E EE EEE E 122 DE E a aa i E EEE EE EE E EAEAN EA EEEE 123 VIII The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer CIO CIN IAG ter e ai a a A T T 123 COREME E E aa E E E E E ee EE 124 Intro to Playing and Mixing Tracks with Timecode Vinyl CDs ccccccccceceeeeesseeeeees 125 W em ohod Calibrate ar A 127 Mouse Cont olyas en ended ail and eat dew eee shee 128 Pie pan apioniaird Perro E E E E A E A E tenet aia aces 130 Beaterids Cue Pont and LOODS eresas a a e A e AEE
233. elevant cue point via the Previous Next Cue Point arrow the drop down Cue Name List or the pertinent hot cue button 2 Click the Map button in Figure 7 26 located on the right hand side of the Cue Advanced panel MAP Figure 7 26 Use the Map button to organize your hot cues 3 Click the new hot cue button Alternatively mapping to an occupied hot cue will overwrite it Using Load Cue Points Load cues offer DJs a powerful tool over their track loading behavior Taking influence from hip hop s needle dropping load cues instruct tracks to load into a Deck cued up at a virtual sticker that marks the perfect point to drop in a track Moreover load cues are particularly useful in cutting out extended intros or other unusable sections If you are using the timecode vinyl CDs try mixing in Relative 138 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer mode after setting load cues across a handful of songs The speed at which you can bang through tracks is mind blowing i Check the Initially Cue to Load Markers box from within Preferences gt Loading Follow the steps for storing cue points Click on the drop down Cue Type list and choose Load to reassign the cue point s behavior Using Fade In Out Cue Points In situations where some automated DJing is needed fade in out cue points activate Traktor s self mixing functions whereby two parallel Decks A B or C D automatically mix in and
234. ength options Once a loop is engaged a fluorescent green tinge spreads over the length of the selected loop see Figure 9 39 216 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer o1or4a x F a E oosid 00 065 X 0010 4 x Figure 9 39 Although it doesn t look green in this black and white book you can see the tinge that spreads over the selected loop Tip The visible autoloop lengths are MIDI assignable but they re also instantly accessible with the hotkey combinations The left Deck uses Alt 1 through 5 and the right Deck uses Alt 6 through O If autolooping doesn t offer enough precision use the manual loop in loop out com mands for increased looping accuracy There are a few different methods of working with manual loops From a stopped Deck 1 Click the In button 2 Use the mouse or control vinyl CD to scrub to a desired endpoint Alterna tively the left and right arrow keys on the keyboard make micro adjustments hold Shift to make larger ones 3 Click the Out button 4 Start playing From a playing Deck 1 Click the In button 2 When the playhead reaches a desired endpoint click the Out button You should see the In Out buttons start flashing 3 If you need to adjust your manual loop points click In to adjust the loop in point or Out to adjust the loop out point If you selected In Out will continue flashing and vice versa Although the track appears to have
235. ent Table choose Add In gt Modifier gt Modifier 1 Repeat Step 2 and add Modifier 2 3 and 4 Highlight Modifier 1 and click Learn oS a a a Press DX2 button 1 to bind learn the assignment Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 161 Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Modifier 2 3 and 4 Under Assignment Table choose Add In gt FX Advanced gt Wet Dry Advanced Highlight Dry Wet Advanced and click Learn S oe ae eS Twist DX2 FX Control knob 1 to bind learn the assignment 10 While Dry Wet Advanced is highlighted click Duplicate three times Next verify the behavior of the parameter by adjusting the mapping details so that they mirror the following Traktor Type of Interaction Button Command Controller Mode Assignment Options Mapped To Cond1 Cond2 Modifier 1 Button Hold Global Set to Value 1 Ch16 NoteD6 Modifier 2 Button Hold Global Set to Value 1 Ch16 NoteD 6 Modifier 3 Button Hold Global Set to Value 1 Ch16NoteA6 Modifier 4 Button Hold Global Set to Value 1 Ch16NoteA 6 Dry Wet Fader Knob Direct FX Unit 1 Soft Takeover Ch 16CC 006 Mi 1 Advanced On Dry Wet Fader Knob Direct FX Unit 2 Soft Takeover Ch 16CC 006 M2 1 Advanced On Dry Wet Fader Knob Direct FX Unit 3 Soft Takeover Ch 16CC 006 M3 1 Advanced On Dry Wet Fader Knob Direct FX Unit 4 Soft Takeover Ch 16CC 006 M4 1 Advanced On Now let me explain this mishmash The four unlabeled DX2 buttons sequentially send a value of 1 from Modifier 1
236. ent page an incredibly useful feature for archiving one off performances or catching the elusive lucky mistake that only ever seems to happen in the moment Figure 10 12 Use the Live transport control bar to instruct Live s playback behaviors Figure 10 13 The Record button As you become familiar with Live s efficient audio editing features you make yourself dependent on the Arrangement view for virtually all of your audio reworking As I am a big fan of analogies think of the Arrangement view as equal parts workbench draftsman s table easel canvas sewing kit and Lego set The tools within this page let you break melt mend combine cut paste copy and duplicate both audio and MIDI data to creative effect Regrettably given the brevity of this chapter I am only going to cover Live s Session view for it exhibits the necessary feature sets for the performance style upon which this first book is based The second book in this series will take a more focused look at Live s Arrangement view specifically the vital features it presents to adventurous DJs Note Don t forget that there are many useful Live specific handbooks out there Of particular note are Ableton Live 8 Power Course Technology PTR 2009 by Jon Margulies and Ableton Live 8 and Suite 8 Create Produce Perform Focal Press 2009 by Keith Robinson Check them out Session View Figure 10 14 shows Live s Session view At first glance the i
237. ents 2000 saw two major software innovations birthed out of Germany s cap ital Berlin based developers Ableton and Native Instruments each independently released a software package that set industry precedents for capturing the artist s expe rience While Ableton Live began primarily as a music production platform it was later 65 66 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer designed and adapted around the performing musician with Traktor DJ Native Instru ments envisioned the true potential of a digital DJ performance Note Because it doesn t technically fall under the definition of a DVS Ableton Live is covered in later chapters Meanwhile Apple s unimaginable grasp of form and function spawned the first generation iPod in 2001 singlehandedly altering the public perception of music con sumption for millions of people The continued growth of the consumer DJ market saw Stanton release the Final Scratch bundle in 2002 The following year Stanton paired with Native Instruments and produced the hardware software combination of Traktor Final Scratch Soon after New Zealand based Serato Audio Research joined the mar ket with Serato Scratch Live in 2004 in partnership with famed Washington based audio hardware manufacturer Rane The end of 2006 saw the complete dissolution of the partnership between Stanton and Native Instruments and in 2008 after countless version upgrades product enhance men
238. er or ADAT Lightpipe The interface in Figure 3 2 RME s Fireface 400 is extremely rug ged highly portable and offers multiple input output and MIDI options for traveling artists i PIC L i aim x z o wE ADAT CT i EA PF HOST Taa i mit TATI Ea hit Wo I a i P SPEIS i 5 9 d FOO are ai gt E Ew 4005 net OLT iPd 00O O O OIO OOO IE 5 y vE LUTS LANCE LY ie j BALANCED LIME ext LITS ETAR m OuUTPU A a a Figure 3 2 The RME Fireface 400 boasts pristine sound and offers an abundance of features for an interface of its size Don t worry too much if you do not recognize some of the input terminology If you are just getting into the studio side of things it isn t something that you need to be well versed on at this point Converters Many audiophiles determine the overall worth of an audio interface through the char acteristics of its converters In loose terms think of analog to digital A D converters as a digital camera and digital to analog D A converters as a photographic printer A D converters capture the experience of the physical analog world guitars vocals vinyl archiving and translate it into the digital realm as a digital audio file of some form Much like the quality of a camera lens the quality of an A D converter deter mines how accurately a recording picture is captured On the other hand D A converters reproduce the captured digital sound into a physical an
239. er face such as RME s Fireface 400 could serve as your one stop workhorse between the studio and the stage Hardware Configuration 1 Connect the external audio interface to your computer 2 Connect the primary stereo output of your audio interface shown in Figure 5 6 to the applicable line or CD input of your DJ mixer 3 Engage the line or CD input on the relevant mixer channel Figure 5 6 Routing for an external audio interface with External Mixing 14 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer If you are using an audio interface with two or more stereo outputs repeat Steps 2 and 3 for the remaining channels Software Configuration 1 Open the Traktor Preferences 2 Under the Audio Setup tab choose the external audio interface from the Audio Device drop down menu Leave the Sample Rate at the default of 44 100 Hz For now adjust the Audio Latency to about 15 milliseconds Once everything is up and running try incrementally lowering this setting Lower latency values translate to more responsive control but demand a fast computer To adjust the latency on soundcards that use ASIO click the Settings button nested alongside Audio Latency 3 Under the Output Routing tab choose External as the Mixing Mode 4 Set Output Channels A B C and D to appropriate audio interface outputs for example assign Output Channel A to Out 1 2 Output Channel B to Out 3 4 and so on 5 Click o
240. er are the MIDI Track In Out indicators These indicators will flash when one of Live s tracks is sending or receiving MIDI The intent of this chapter was to get you comfortable moving throughout Live s GUI Knowing what you re reaching for will help speed up the ho hum mouse and software side of things and let you focus on the performance instead In the next chapter we ll dive right into the software s single most defining element the Live clip 1 1 Ableton Live The Clip Concept musicians it would probably be a screenshot of a Live clip see Figure 11 1 Basi cally the clip represents Ableton s elegant redesign of the Post it note The primary function of an audio clip is to mark the specific location of an inspired idea an audio file on your hard drive The central purpose of a MIDI clip is to store a specific sequence of MIDI control data MIDI notes automation envelopes and so on f imagery could be used to portray the experience of most contemporary laptop Dig a bit deeper and you ll quickly find that like Post it notes clips have multifaceted uses that range from spontaneous musical note scribbling or doodling to digital flip books of organized ideas Tip Right click OS X Control click on any clip and notice that both clips and Post its share pretty color options too This feature is quite useful when filling Live s Session Mixer with the pieces of your Live set Audio and MIDI clips are depic
241. es Further Last fm also developed a mobile application for the iPhone Android that is incredibly handy when you need to hear some new tunes I happen to have my Last fm playing in the background as I type this Other Resources There is absolutely no way for the average person to stay 100 percent on top of music output at the moment Sagging print media sales have resulted in the death of many great music magazines however some were able to adapt and resort to online content Chapter 4 Finding Organizing and Storing Your Music 61 Last fm FH oO E Love Gan Play Skip Hello jasonemsley Start listening with Tunes to update your Last fm profile ic Now Playing This is called scrobbling Check your profile My Recommendations to see your recently played tracks top charts My Radio Station and music recommendations My Loved Tracks a My Neighbourhood b Recently Played gt Um Recently Loved P p Recently Banned gt UP My Tags ooo ja Friends Enter an artist or tag to start a ia Neighbours listening to Last fm radio b L Histor 7 Artist Scrobbling on hk 5 Figure 4 4 The straightforward interface of the Last fm application Additionally the blogosphere is hit or miss though it still functions as a good resource once you find credible sources Some notable online sites are m pitchfork com m xir8r com m residentadvisor net m hypem com m urb com m thewire co uk m factmag com
242. es simultaneously In most cases the mapping for each device is automatically configured through a drop down list of preselected devices in other words there is no need to load any custom template files Instant Mapping One distinct advantage of Live s native support is that it offers a type of focused control over the currently selected instrument effect device For example say that you have two audio tracks AudioA and AudioB Upon each track you drop Live s Auto Filter effect device Using a natively supported controller the hardware knob that sweeps the filter cutoff on AudioA is exactly the same knob that sweeps the filter cutoff on AudioB As you switch between the two tracks the knob intelligently switches to the focused device Simple as that Note If you don t see your controller within the drop down list proceed to the following Manual Mapping section Your controller will still work great the process is just handled a bit differently Now if you would prefer that AudioA s filter cutoff remains locked to the previously mentioned knob simply right click OS X Control click on the device title bar and choose Lock to Control Surface see Figure 12 31 Locking the assignment lets you grab the intended filter cutoff irrespective of where the Live GUI is currently focused Be aware that some natively supported MIDI controllers do not offer this behavior If you don t see the Lock To option it is probably n
243. es with out even touching them If you have used any Faderfox controllers in the past the most drastic difference is that they now operate via USB 2 0 no more MIDI only from Faderfox Check them out at www faderfox de At the top of the DX2 there is a bank of four knobs and four buttons Perhaps unsur prisingly this section is labeled FX Control Considering that each of Traktor s FX panels combines four effect parameters with four effect buttons it seems logical to tie the two together The immediate problem is that the DX2 FX Control section only provides enough control for one Traktor FX panel Upon the DX2 the four central gray unassigned unlabeled buttons shown in Figure 8 9 are a logical location to assign four independent modifiers Figure 8 9 Our four modifier buttons Unless you are also using a DX2 disregard the values within the Mapped To sections that follow as they will differ from your MIDI controller I have simply included them as a reference point to show two things the first to show how a standard MIDI assign ment would appear and the second to display macros or multiple Traktor commands mapped to the same MIDI fader knob button I encourage you to adjust and apply the following steps to your own control surface Here is but one way you could use modifiers to transform the DX2 s top left FX Con trol knob from one Advanced FX Wet Dry Knob to four Open Preferences gt Controller Manager Under Assignm
244. ess a button on your MIDI controller 9 Repeat Steps 4 through 8 up to six more times Hot cue 1 is usually the first grid marker 10 Ensure that the Assignment Table reflects the following table Traktor Type of Interaction Button Command Controller Mode Assignment Options Select Set Store Button Hold Deck A or Device Set to Hotcue Target Value 1 Select Set Store Button Hold Deck A or Device Set to Hotcue Target Value 2 Select Set Store Button Hold Deck A or Device Set to Hotcue Target Value 3 1 4 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Once you have four or so hot cues mapped out to your MIDI controller start a track within another Deck and start banging around on the new hot cues Enable Deck Sync and Quantize once again and notice the behavior change once Traktor forces tempo locked playback Tip Experiment with some effects on top of your improvised sampler Deck If your hot cues are drum hits saturate delay or reverb tails with a bit of distortion to add presence to your drumming HID Devices A relatively recent feature addition to Traktor HID Human Interface Device technol ogy represents a step forward from traditional MIDI What HID has over MIDI is a more accurate control response for example it is specifically useful with extra sensitive pitch adjustments Additionally HID hardware displays replicate track information sent directly from Traktor s Decks While configu
245. essing power To help put this in perspective if you want to blend your tracks with a hardware DJ mixer you have to enable a stereo output pair for each software audio track in question in other words Track 1 to 1 2 stereo Track 2 to 3 4 stereo and so on Each software output should coincide with an available hardware output on your audio interface In this external mixing situation all cueing pre listening is done from the DJ mixer itself The downside of this setup is that audio routing to Live s internal effects or return tracks is slightly more convoluted On the other hand if you use a MIDI control surface to do your mixing other setup options are possible For example rather than dedicating individual track outputs to your audio interface the only stereo outputs required are one pair for the master out and one pair for the cue out This type of internal mixing offers the most flexibility with regard to Live s internal signal routing for example for effects and so on 236 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Sample Rate and Latency Now that Live recognizes your setup s audio input output settings you have to tell the software how best to handle these audio signals Simply stated Live s Sample Rate determines the quality at which Live records and plays your audio files There are too many factors involved to cover in this brief chapter but suffice it to say that 44 100 Hz should b
246. exact playback position had looping not been used Now if during all of this you discover loops that you want to keep click on the tiny disk icon see Figure 9 40 and the loop will be saved to the next available loop slot To prevent accidental changes click the Lock icon that appears and if you no longer want the loop simply click the X icon immediately to the right Figure 9 40 Save the loop to the next available loop slot Recording DJ mix tapes have been around for years and with the prominence of online social networks they are more prevalent than ever In combination with the SL3 Serato s Record function provides an easy means of archiving a performance or throwing together a demo mix Alternatively you can also use Serato s Record function to archive your vinyl collection for use within your Serato sessions Using the hardware routing example back in Figure 9 2 as a guide ensure that you are sending a copy of the DJ mixer s master output to the SL3 s Aux In for example this could be a dedicated record out a monitor booth or a second master output To record within Serato 1 Set the quality of your recordings from Setup gt Hardware gt Recording Bit Depth CD quality audio is 16 bit and that is more than sufficient for demo mixes 24 bit on the other hand records at a higher quality ideal for archiving your vinyl collection 218 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer 2
247. example for Internet radio stations You can copy ripped streams to your hard drive in several different formats drop in AU OS X and VST OS X and Windows effects over the top of your recordings combine Audio Hijack with AM FM software streams to record proper radio con tent use it to break DRM encoding if you have any encrypted music files and of course you can also record samples from all of your favorite DVDs Finally tell Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live ane Aucio Hijack Pro Caa Lote GQ ATIePiver Recording Bin input Schedule E Quick Record Format Default System Input Forintemet distribution high MPS VBR 128 kbps Joint Stereo E DVD Player CY iChat ipi iTunes T QuickTime Player Name recordings with Same date irme Safari When recording finishes Do Nothing Scripts jw Skype E System Audio Limits C Start a new file every 2 0 Gigabytes Files Save recordings to Music Audio Hijack Select C Stop recording after 1 0 Hours Silence Monitor Off Figure 12 6 Audio Hijack s GUI is straightforward and gets right to the point 303 Audio Hijack to record your Skype phone video calls later you can blackmail all of your friends when they annoy you or just blend some of the absolutely priceless gar bage that they say into your tracks DJ sets Configuring Live for a DJ Set The difficulty with defining how to use Live as a DJ tool i
248. eyboard key d Pay particular attention to the slider located under the Max heading Because I adjusted the Max value to 20 dB every time I hit the d key the send pot now only jumps to about 50 percent Try this with other parameters such as Live s instrument or effects devices as well i b a a 1 Audio Mixer _ inf ae _ 20 0 a8 Figure 12 29 Use the Key Mapping Browser to assign parameter Min Max ranges Click the Key button press Command K OS X Ctrl K Windows or press Esc on your computer keyboard to exit Key Mapping mode Note Don t forget that you can also use the computer keyboard as a MIDI key board to send note values to your MIDI tracks If you would rather use the com puter keyboard to control Live s functions instead make sure that you disable the Computer MIDI Keyboard button see Figure 12 30 located in the top right corner of the Live GUI Figure 12 30 The Computer MIDI Keyboard button Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 321 MIDI Mapping Although both MIDI and key mapping employ a virtually identical process MIDI con trollers are decidedly more diverse than computer keyboards therefore configuration involves a few additional steps Live breaks controller types into two camps those that have native support and those that don t Natively supported control surfaces boast one overarching advantage plug and play Through what Live calls instant mapping you can connect up to six supported devic
249. f software parameters onto expressive hardware control surfaces allow ing them to virtually reach into the application s feature set Furthermore a five pin MIDI input output port is essential when considering an audio interface for advance performance and studio setups One powerful feature that is often neglected is that some digital DJ software sends and receives MIDI clock timing infor mation to a drum machine for example or from another computer running Traktor Ableton or even instruments such as Maschine This effectively syncs all of the slave equipment together to the same master tempo bpm and allows artists to perform with creative expression rather than worrying about beatmatching Drivers Simply stated an audio driver is the software side of an audio interface or other exter nal device that determines the communication between the interface and the computer Drivers automatically function in the background once a device is connected minus the occasional updates they require very little thought What is important to know about drivers is how they affect the latency of your music software A simple definition of latency is the time it takes to convert analog audio to digital data and back The more efficient the driver and the faster the computer pro cessor the faster the conversion rate and thus the lower the latency Where this con cerns digital DJs is best exemplified while using Traktor s timecode vinyl When you
250. f tools with which to perform and experiment in ways that were unimaginable 15 years ago at much less cost Famed multimedia artist John Oswald said Musical instruments produce sounds Composers produce music Musical instruments reproduce music Tape recorders radios disc players etc reproduce sound In effect the unique sound of a scratch DJ s performance transforms turntables traditionally used to reproduce sound into an instrument used to reproduce music The celebrated efforts of scratch pioneers such as Grandmaster Flash helped shape the sounds of turntablism into what would eventually become composition in its own right with the DJ as composer producing new forms of music Turntables laptops Digital Vinyl Systems DVS effects units drum machines synthe sizers modular software even iPhones and iPads these are just some of the hardware tools instruments available to contemporary DJs So how do DJs benefit from having so many options With options come opportunities DJs have the rare advantage of being at the epicenter of an industry in which sampling in any form possible is encouraged Think about the relatively recent history of hip hop house and techno Despite the copyright legalities of how and where the samples are ripped fundamentally they exist at the heart of DJ culture and will continue to do so with or without the permission of the recording industry s legal system Needless to say
251. fects Covering the entire scope of Kore s functionality would require its own dedicated book however you can see where it excels in the DJ realm through the following features m Simply stated if you are looking for a comprehensive rack for your software Jz synthesizers drum machines Kore can host the Maschine plug in and effects look no further Not only does Kore host plug ins it can also be loaded as a plug in itself within host applications such as Live Load Kore upon one of Live s aux channels for direct control over an extraordinarily versatile effects unit Suppose you want to layer some classic Roland TR 909 drums and TB 303 acid lines over a track playing in Traktor or Live while causing chaos with your effects If you re fortunate enough to own one or both of these timeless Roland gems it is completely understandable if you are hesitant to bring it to a gig Sod s Law dic tates that partiers like to spill things drinks speaker stacks and so on at the most inconvenient times Say hello to Kore 2 Within minutes you can have Maschine or any VST AU 909 drum machine your choice of 303 emulator plug ins as well as a rack of delays reverbs distortions and so on ready and waiting for your tweaking Using the Kore hardware you can switch between a virtual rack of different instruments and effects with the press of a button tweak filters and drum decays modulate delays and reverbs and mute and
252. fects knobs are positioned like the EQ section of any standard DJ mixer Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 179 2 22 DRY WET DATS WET I Figure 8 21 The X1 s FX controls Assigning X1 s Controls Let s assign Traktor s EQ to the X1 Effects knobs 1 Open Preferences gt Controller Manager and select Traktor Kontrol X1 under the Device Setup 2 Click Add In gt Mixer gt EQ gt EQ Low Click Learn within Device Mapping 4 On the X1 hold Shift and twist the bottom left Effects knob to bind learn the assignment 5 Repeat Steps 2 through 4 for the rest of Traktor s EQ section Notice two things First while in Traktor s MIDI Learn mode the X1 s Shift button behaves somewhat like a predefined modifier there is no need to assign modifier con ditions for simple X1 Shift actions They can of course still be used Second pay particular attention to the Mapped To section in Figure 8 22 Each assignment displays a name instead of a MIDI CC note message to some extent sharing HID device behavior Obviously this presents tremendous benefits when troubleshooting your TSI mapping file as well as customizing the X1 as a whole Further when assigning LED outputs which are explained in the next section rather than having to flip through a huge string of MIDI CC note messages you can select precisely where you want to send Traktor s LED outputs by name 180 The Laptop DJ H
253. ferences gt Record Warp Launch and turn on the Auto Warp Long Samples option Second I have mentioned this already but Live provides numerous situation specific warp algorithms see Figure 12 10 Many performers opt for Re Pitch because it pro vides a good balance of sound quality and CPU resourcefulness On the other hand the two Complex modes theoretically use the most appropriate algorithms for entire tracks Try a few options and judge with your ears When you settle on the best case Warp mode go to Preferences gt Record Warp Launch and choose it within the Default Figure 12 10 Test out Live s warp algorithms with some of your tracks to determine what sounds best for you Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 30 7 Warp Mode drop down menu In the future each time a folder of music is analyzed Live will default each track to the selected Warp mode Finally each track will need to be judged on a case by base basis If the default Warp mode doesn t cut it for a particular track apply a different setting within the clip specific Sample box Additionally Live does its best to optimize Warp Marker placement but auto detection is not perfect As I said when working with Traktor s Beatgrids find a couple of perfectly warped tracks and use them as your reference Play the reference tracks alongside those that need warping in order to help you fine tune the process If necessary refer back to the Beatgrid tutorials found earlie
254. ffect units and more From Science and Experimentation One must wonder what Thomas Edison or Emile Berliner would do if presented with the cultural significance of their early inventions Edison s development of the phono graph cylinder in 1877 marked history with an unprecedented reality The entirety of the audible world could be permanently stored onto a medium specifically designed for on demand playback Figure 2 1 Thomas Alva Edison with his early phonograph cylinder Chapter 2 The Evolution of DJing 7 Berliner took the concept one step further Edison s cylinder presented obvious market able disadvantages so in 1887 Berliner squashed it literally The result was a flattened gramophone disc capable of indefinite reproduction from a single master copy some what similar to the 12 inch vinyl EP still common with DJs today Remarkably it would be decades before the medium saw any by today s standards widespread com mercial success Yet vinyl s prosperity would never have been realized without the help of another category of DJ every modern DJ s namesake the radio jock S J z gt up 1 an _ 4 a li J i H US gT l ms a t Figure 2 2 Emile Berliner and his early phonograph disc The first decade of the 20th century has numerous accounts of engineers fiddling with various radio technologies The year 1906 saw Canadian Reginald A Fessenden trans mit the
255. files asd not your actual data Even though the Reverse button should be relatively self explanatory when used spar ingly reversed samples become a very powerful part of sound design especially when liberally slobbered with effects Note that the instant you click the Reverse button Live quickly creates a duplicate reversed copy of the sample The name remains but Live tags the new sample with the letter R Take a stale piano melody apply a liberal dose of effects and then reverse it BAM you ve extended the sample s sell by date The buttons Hi Q Fade and RAM each apply particular treatments to your clips and how they will ultimately perform within your Live set Hi Q engages an evolved audio playback algorithm that improves Live s ability to pitch shift audio files though at the expense of CPU Personally I find it best to leave this mode engaged If you find your self running out of CPU overhead you are better off axing a few plug in instruments effects before lowering your audio fidelity The Fade function simply applies a quick fade in fade out on the currently selected clip If you are not meticulous about editing your loops leave this setting engaged Other wise files that are not cropped at what is known as the point of zero crossing click or pop at the end beginning of the loop points Naturally there are countless arguments and examples showing how these clicks and pops can be used musically Finally enga
256. first receivable radio waves One year later American Lee de Forest fabricated the triode a crucial piece of technology that served as the catalyst to commercial radio s explosion hence why he is often trumpeted as the father of radio Interestingly avant garde composers were some of the first to embrace the gramo phone German composer Stefan Wolpe purportedly took to the decks at a Dada event in the 1920s and employed eight yes eight gramophone turntables to simulta neously play records at variable speeds In 1922 23 Hungarian composer L szl Moholy Nagy wrote two texts within which he ponders the gramophone s use as a musical instrument beating scratch pioneers Grand Wizard Theodore and Grandmas ter Flash to the punch by more than 50 years The year 1939 saw American composer John Cage arrange Imaginary Landscape No 1 a composition requiring the use of two variable speed turntables to perform using frequency based tone recordings Cage would go on to compose Cartridge Music in 1960 whereupon inanimate objects were played by musicians using old phonograph cartridges Despite the fact that art and science embraced the turntable early on decades passed before DJ culture conceptualized the turntable as a standalone musical instrument Once it did it began by accident 8 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer To Popular Culture Still nameless it wasn t until the early 1940s that in
257. formation storage specifically designed for rapid access to particular types of data To put this in perspective an application such as Traktor temporarily deposits song data into RAM once a track has been loaded into a deck This allows for immediate gapless audio playback when cue points are used to jump to different positions within a track Many new computers are sold with 2 GB of RAM which is sufficient but you should consider upping all the way to 4 GB or more for the simple reason that audio applications love their memory not only is RAM relatively inexpensive but it is also quite easy to install Four gigabytes is a must if you plan on performing with some of the advanced setups explained in Part 2 of this series of books Note If upgrading laptop RAM feels slightly intimidating take a couple of minutes and search for tutorial instructions on YouTube Connectivity CPU speed is considered sexy in the computer world but a laptop s connectivity is definitely not sexy Thus it is often overlooked when shopping for laptops Chapter 3 Gear 2 Controllers hard drives audio interfaces these all require independent connections of varying types so make sure that you factor in what else you plan to attach to your machine For example it s a safe bet that even if you are unfamiliar with what a USB 2 0 con nection is at some point you have probably used one Printers computer keyboards mice MIDI controllers soundc
258. found on any standard club mixer the monitor and master outputs each have their own discrete stereo gain control Think of an audio interface as the heart of your software s audio signal flow the device converts all incoming audio Traktor or Serato s timecode vinyl microphone inputs and so on from analog to digital A D and all outgoing audio from Traktor Serato Live and so on from digital to analog D A To clarify remember that each stereo channel on a four channel mixer offers specific input types these generally being line level as for a CDJ a CD based turntable and or phono level as for a turntable Generally each channel on a four channel mixer is set up to receive the outputs of a CDJ a turntable or an audio interface laptop Bearing this in mind each stereo output 1 2 3 4 and so on of your audio interface connects to a line level input on the back of any typical DJ mixer For example this is clearly labeled upon the rear of the Native Instruments Audio 8 DJ interface in Figure 3 1 Notice that each of the channels CH has an RCA output pair totaling 28 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer four stereo outputs So if each of the four Traktor decks represents four independent stereo outputs then you would need a DJ mixer with four line level inputs one for each of the four decks Phew make sense now GROUND Figure 3 1 Notice the various connection types on the
259. four or so clips with each clip representing different takes or even fills If you engage Legato mode you can seamlessly jump between each of the clips without restarting them in other words the playback position across the differ ent clips remains on the same beat bar phrase throughout Skipping across different clips in this fashion can create some interesting and unexpected dynamic changes while retaining the groove and feel of your set Tip When DJing with Live try cutting tracks into pieces and placing the clips vertically within a track If you set each clip to Legato mode you can improvise a remix of your custom track edits on the fly Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 2 I have mentioned the Quantization setting a few times already With regards to clips specifically the Launch box provides the option to release individual clips from the Global Quantization settings set within the transport control bar You can of course leave clips to follow the default Global Quantization settings However if there are particular clips that you want to play outside the launch behaviors of your overall Live set use the drop down list to customize how you want the clip to launch For example if your Global Quantization is set to 1 Bar and you have your clip Quanti zation set to 1 16 you have 16 opportunities to launch that clip in relation to the quantization count of your Live set s Global Quantization Directly below the
260. from reggae and hip hop to turntablism and the back alley ware houses of UK hardcore Reggae and the scene s Caribbean roots not only leaned on the movement to remain dedicated to the sound system but also transplanted the toaster to the stage as an MC However unlike U S hip hop of the early 90s jungle presented the MC as part and parcel of the musical emission Vocalists often ported their mics through a series of effects processors such as reverb delay and so on in order to blanket the MC s atmospheric lyricism over the top of driving percussive beds Turn tablism made its way into the performance often highlighted by the characteristic rewind the DJ s crowd s or MC s call to stop the record in place and promptly 22 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer spin the EP back to a particular phrase or to the beginning of the track Sonically one of the most distinctive properties that crossed over into everything from UK garage to dubstep and grime is the bassdrop the dramatic silence before a track s explosion back into interwoven bass and percussion Almost in parallel to the splintering of jungle into drum n bass surfaced a well dressed style of UK dance music that acquired house s soul and emotion Restructured percus sion was shuffled and meshed with pulsing low end to result in early UK garage UK Garage to Grime and Dubstep For the most part the shared similarities between UK
261. ftware design that adapts to the user s artistic process not vice versa Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 131 Something that Native Instruments nailed on the head is that its DJ products appeal to any skill level On one hand a DJ application needs to meet plug and play expectations for DJs who just want to mix two records together On the other hand veteran per formers should find that advanced customization options are both immediate and intu itive After all powerful results manifest through logical processes Beatgrids Cue Points and Loops If the Master Clock symbolizes Traktor s heart the Beatgrid is the nervous system Functionally a grid marker is a type of cue point but it s also much more than that Grid markers and their Beatgrids direct Traktor s internal playback and Sync functions looping Deck sync Beatjumps Traktor s tempo based FX and so on Working with Beatgrids In most cases Traktor s automated tempo estimation sets Beatgrids relatively well especially when working with music that has steady machine generated tempo for example virtually all 4 4 electronic dance music As a word of advice Get in the habit of double checking your Beatgrids whenever you import analyze new music into the collection Although the process may seem complicated at first Beatgridding a track will only take a matter of seconds once you get the hang of it Adjusting Beatgrids 1 Set Traktor
262. g ine continuously amplified noise and you have your event space With all of that background noise Serato needs to know what information to keep and what to ignore this point is referred to as the threshold To calibrate Serato 1 Click on the Setup tab so that you can see the scopes see Figure 9 32 L R Balance CVO2B On Xe O3 31 848 BO C 16x _ Bx 4x 2X om ii 72 0 dB threshold Estimate Figure 9 32 Adjust all of the appropriate Calibration settings from this Scope panel 2 If you re using a turntable set the needle on the record but leave the deck stopped If using a CDJ insert the CD but leave the CDJ paused 3 Click and hold the Estimate button found at the bottom right of the Scope panel refer to Figure 9 32 until the threshold more or less stops moving 4 Start playback on the turntable CDJ The scopes should jump to life 5 Use the zoom 1x 2x and so on if the view seems distant 6 Adjust the L R Balance and P A Balance controls so that the innermost ring is as close to a perfect circle as possible Notice that the four corners of the Scope panel each contain different values Top left displays current playback position on the timecode record top right displays the RPM that is vinyl s 33 RPM or 45 RPM bottom left is the estimated threshold level while the bottom right represents the most important value the fidelity of the control signal For the best perfor
263. g art instal lations running a record label networking with international music communities or specifically in relation to this book performing While Traktor progressed DJ culture s methodologies Live on the other hand opti mized studio workflows into a product that is equally comfortable for a pasty studio tan or a lead singer s big hair Go to Google Images and type something like recording studio Results will range from tiny in home project studios to beautiful wood lined multimillion dollar control live rooms For fun search for Vince Clark studio How s that for a control room Now how do you get all of that gear on stage 231 232 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Simple Ableton Live To its credit Live s inherent modular nature makes it very difficult to pigeonhole You may be familiar with the Big Five digital audio workstations DAWs Pro Tools Logic Cubase Nuendo Digital Performer and SONAR You may also be familiar with some of the loop based production suites ACID Reason FL Studio and so on As with all software each of these examples has relative pros and cons What Live man ages more effectively than any of the aforementioned is that it provides a vehicle for an artist s Live experience on the stage in the studio and in the figurative gray area in between Yet for these same reasons Live is also somewhat more difficult to de
264. gain stops playback The sample does not restart as with Trigger mode See Figure 9 58 Figure 9 58 On Off mode m Repeat mode When this mode is active launched samples will repeatedly play from start to finish until playback is stopped see Figure 9 59 Load loops within the Play From function to engage automatic looping Figure 9 59 Repeat mode Additional Vinyl Behaviors Because SSL is almost entirely constructed around the technology of Serato s control vinyl it is pretty easy to understand that the records do much more than just move the Virtual Decks Open Setup gt Vinyl Control and you will find a list of additional features specific to the Serato records For example I mentioned earlier that loop in out points are adjustable with the control vinyl but several other useful behaviors also exist The relative specific option Drop to Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 225 Cue Points is particularly useful in this mode the first five intro segments of the control vinyl instantly jump the Virtual Deck to any and all corresponding cue points estab lished within your tracks Choose Enable Next Song on Flip and you can jam through a sequentially organized Crate without touching your computer keep flipping the record to load the next song in line If that is not enough if you choose to Enable Vinyl Scroll the innermost track of control vinyl side A and control CD track 2 allow you to manually scroll through the currently sele
265. ging the RAM mode places the entire audio file into your computer mem ory If you are streaming dozens of clips off of your hard drive you might experience 286 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer audio dropouts when for example Legato mode is engaged within the Launch box If the D icon within the top right corner of Live s interface flashes your computer is tell ing you that it s having trouble streaming audio from the hard drive Because the bal ance of speed and capacity is of the essence Ableton recommends loading RAM with short quick samples and loops or those using Legato mode rather than entire songs Located directly below the aforementioned Sample box functions are the Transpose Detune and Clip Gain controls Essentially when you transpose a track you are shift ing the key of the song in semitone steps Understanding that there are 12 semitones in an octave if you adjust the Transpose control to 12 st or 12 st the track raises or lowers an octave respectively For example if you transpose a track that is in the key of C to 12 the song is still in C but higher in pitch by an entire octave This partic ular setting is particularly useful when matching the relative key of two or more tracks Jump immediately below to the Detune controls if you need to adjust the pitch with a finer resolution Essentially Detune allows tuning micromanagement with a value range reflected in cents
266. gt Native Instruments gt Traktor gt Settings gt Backup Settings Note that the NI online user forum s DJ Area is incredibly useful when it comes to var ious controller mappings If searching does not yield an answer try creating a new thread The forum is home to dozens of power users who are generally more than happy to lend a hand You can find NI s online user forum at www native instruments com forum Manually Configuring Your Audio Setup Even though Traktor s Setup Wizard streamlines the configuration process situations will arise when a bit of flexibility is required A busted soundcard dodgy mixer inputs bad cables and so on are just a few examples of why it is critical to have a working knowledge of Traktor s audio routing versatility On any given club night artists around the world perform on differing digital setups When a DJ s only setup options involved CDJs turntables and a mixer artist change overs were for the most part seamless and straightforward There was no pulling apart the DJ booth no panicked cable yanking no bumping into turntables or the artists using them that last one is a lie and no frenzied search for empty power sockets I won t name the culprits but P ve seen a few epic performance and changeover disasters all because one performer or another was unfamiliar with his setup Don t get me wrong everyone lives through a mischievous computer backstabbing at some point However
267. h the main waveform display and the track overviews and stacks the entire Virtual Deck section into horizontally scrolling rows see Figure 9 10 For reference Serato compares this expanded waveform view to the horizontal structure of DAW arrangement windows If not enough Virtual Deck data is available click the Show Hide Deck Controls button Audio 2 Alex Cortex TERE A a A TEL INT Check For Pulse 127 0 F Ben Klock 06 22 5 j fete fet feng fertie Tetum flengen comment Figure 9 10 SSL s Stack mode Note You will only be able to see SSL s third or fourth with the right hardware Deck within Stack mode Library View Considering the importance of music to a DJ set it s hardly surprising that the success of a digital DJ app partially hinges on the capabilities of its track browser After all what s the point of DJing with a digitized music library if you don t have immediate access to your tracks Fortunately Serato is keen on direct visual cues as evidenced by SSL s four different Library views Click one of the icons found at the bottom of the GUI shown in Figure 9 11 to flip through the available Library layouts Album Art List Album Art Grid 1 Simple List Album Art Grid 2 Figure 9 11 Click one of these icons to flip through the available Library layouts m Simple List A text list arranged by the criteria of your collection metadata for example artist title and so on see Figure 9 12
268. hand side of the Live GUI 2 Navigate the chosen File Browser to a folder you wish to assign as default 3 Right click OS X Control click on the folder and choose Set as Root as shown in Figure 10 42 4 Click on the bookmarks at the top of the File Browser Choose the option to Bookmark Current Folder as shown in Figure 10 43 Now this folder appears within the drop down menu allowing you to instantly jump from one location to another without having to dig through file hierarchies Look at the bottom of the File Browser This small window is known as Live s Preview tab see Figure 10 44 a useful feature if you want to pre listen to any source material 264 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Figure 10 41 Use Live s File Browser to access your Live clips music files presets Live sets and of course your tracks Figure 10 42 Choose Set as Root from the menu Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 265 Volumes no LIVE LIVE_MAY s Processed Consolidate Bookmark Curent Folder r Library Curent Project Desktop All Volumes Home Figure 10 43 Choose Bookmark Current Folder Figure 10 44 Use Live s Preview tab to pre listen or audition your material prior to mixing it to the crowd such as tracks loops MIDI files and so on against the currently playing audio For example if your Live set is playing at 120 bpm click on any audio file within the File Browser and it
269. hapes Fine tuning only operates vertically in other words on the amount or depth of the parameter adjustment Note that this is a simplified example You can create multiple complex assignments within each clip again totally independent of any other clips within your Live set For example if you were automating plug in parameters one clip could automate a synth s filter cutoff filter resonance ADSR envelope contours LFO rates oscillator tunings internal effects and so on Utilizing the same note sequence across several duplicated clips each containing inde pendently varied envelope settings leaves performers with potential that reaches far beyond traditional DJ software applications Throw some Follow Actions into this equation and see what kind of musical insanity you re left with There are a few other features within the Envelope box that require mentioning By default envelopes are linked to your clips in other words envelopes follow the Loop settings located within the Notes box MIDI clip or the Sample box audio clip If you click on the button labeled Linked envelopes become unlinked and gain their own independent Loop controls found directly to the right of the Link button From there you can determine the envelope s start and end points as well as configure overall looping behavior As an example say that you have automations assigned to a drum loop that is one bar in length After a while the loop and
270. he Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer And what about Part 2 My goal within the forthcoming second volume is to shift gears from this discussion and create a guide aimed at a more experienced intermediate advanced user base The intended reader ideally has some familiarity with any combination of the previously discussed hardware and software maybe even with a bit of supplementary production experience Just remember it doesn t matter if you re new to laptop DJing and or pro duction there is no reason to steer clear of advanced material To be honest I generally find that diving in at the deep end is usually the best way to learn Some highlights m Descriptions and diagrams of advanced performance workflows techniques and stage setups catered to contemporary digital DJ sets m Advanced performance techniques with the new Traktor Pro 4 and Traktor Kontrol S4 bundles m Powerful Ableton Live performance and production techniques with a focus on MIDI clips the Arrangement view Max for Live and third party plug ins m In depth performance tips for the new Serato Ableton collaboration the Bridge Embracing the new digital DJ tools of NPs Maschine and Kore 2 but also introductions to Max MSP and how to make the most out of nonspecific hardware controllers such as the Monome and Apple s iPad m Artist interviews tips tricks and techniques And of course much more In conclu
271. he currently selected cue loop point Store Cue Saves the currently selected cue loop point Each cue loop point is sequentially mapped to the next available Hot Cue button Although only eight hot cues are available the total number of storable cue loop points is virtually limitless Map Hot Cue Once engaged load a previously stored cue loop and click any one of the eight hot cues shown in Figure 5 20 to store at that location Figure 5 20 Traktor s Cue Loop Management Advanced panel Hot Cues Color coded cue loop point favorites that provide immediate loading of previously stored cue points blue fade in out points orange load points yellow grid markers white and loops green Clicking any empty gray hot cue point will automatically store either the current cue point or the active loop Beatgrid Panel Move Beatgrid Slides the initial Beatmarker shown in Figure 5 21 and thus the entire Beatgrid left or right 3 4 So 6 7 l O tia aol Be LT in auto GRID 22 x2 RESET J Oooo Ee j 9 10 Figure 5 21 Traktor s Beatgrid Management Advanced panel Adjust Beatgrid bpm Increase decrease the Beatgrid s bpm Move the Beatgrid shift left right m Adjust the Beatgrid bpm compress expand Beatgrid Lock Locks the Beatgrid in place and disables all Beatgrid panel settings to prevent accidental changes 9 10 Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 8 Tempo Displays
272. he menu shown in Figure 11 14 For future reference bear in mind that all of the options concern envelope specific editing features For our pur poses choose Draw mode at the bottom Depending on how precise you want to draw your envelope use the same menu to choose a resolution from under Fixed Grid Also shown within Figure 11 12 the chosen grid value will determine how fine 280 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Figure 11 13 Use breakpoint envelopes to automate Live s parameter behaviors Cut Envelope oo Cut Time OX Copy Envelope do Duplicate a6 D Duplicate Time dD Delete Del Delete Time gt J Del Clear Envelope Widest Wide Medium v Narrow Narrowest Fixed Grid 6 Bars 4 Bars 2 Bars 1 Bar 1 2 14 18 1 16 1 32 oti Triplet Grid 33 Draw Mode do B Figure 11 14 Right click OS X Control click within the Envelope window to access further edit ing features the steps are between your breakpoints selecting off allows extremely accurate break point editing Obviously different situations require different settings so experiment with these options for a few minutes until you get the hang of using them Note Press Command B OS X or Ctrl B Windows to enter exit Draw mode To assign automations to MIDI or audio clips 1 Double click on a clip within an audio or MIDI track to bring up Live s Clip view 2 Click on the Envelope box If you don t see it click on
273. he selected tracks 4 Click the downward facing arrows on the right of the text entry fields to choose a previously assigned category 5 Click Restore to revert track information to its previously stored data 6 Click Apply or OK to accept any changes 7 Click Cancel to exit without making any changes Deleting Tracks Invariably we all need to remove some garbage from our music libraries at some point or another Traktor offers a few different ways to do so Deleting from the Traktor Collection 1 Select a track or multiple tracks under Track Collection within Traktor s Browser List 2 Right click Control click and choose Delete 3 Choose one of the delete options shown in Figure 6 11 Do you really want to delete the selected tracks from the collection a E delete from collection additionally remove Traktor tags may take some time additionally delete file s from hard drive Figure 6 11 When you need to bin those promos m Delete from Collection Chosen tracks will be deleted from the Traktor collection only m Additionally Remove Traktor Tags Chosen tracks will be deleted from the Traktor collection and any Traktor specific tags will be removed for example cue points loops and so on m Additionally Delete File s from the Hard Drive Chosen tracks will be deleted from Traktor and erased from the hard drive Caution Pay close attention to the Delete mode you have chosen If you acci den
274. hecked and decide whether you want the global section to display the FX the Master Clock or the Audio Recorder Tip If your layout has a visible Global section consider duplicating it within the Preferences and configuring two global states one showing FX and one show ing the Master Clock and Audio Recorder 4 Click on the Deck Details tab Check and uncheck the various options a few times and note how they affect the GUI Choose Full under Deck Size A amp B and Deck Size C amp D to view the expanded Decks Check the Adv Controls check box for both pairs of Decks and ensure that Cue is chosen from the drop down boxes directly below the Adv Controls very simply labeled A B and C D Finally if you are using the Traktor s control vinyl CDs check the relevant Scratch Panels options Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 115 5 Check the box labeled Show Cover Art under Deck Heading Along with track data Traktor s Decks will now show the currently loaded track s cover art 6 You can configure the Traktor Deck Heading to show up to nine different types of information related to the currently loaded track s metadata Load a track after organizing a few categories to view how collection data is displayed 7 Check both options from under the Pitch Controls heading to view the Phase meter and the Pitch fader 8 Finally click on the Browser Details tab and briefly note the various options Ensure that all are checked
275. hin the CDJ s settings Traktor s control vinyl CDs are frequency dependent and thus any coloring of the 2 kHz carrier signal will cause tempo problems with Traktor s playback When Should I Calibrate Obviously calibration isn t necessary if you are not using the timecode vinyl CDs however when using Traktor Scratch s external control media ensure that you cali brate the Decks in each of the following circumstances m Every time you launch Traktor or change the hardware configuration m Every time you change Traktor s Input mode m Every time you switch between real vinyl CDs and the control vinyl CDs Tip If you are scratching with Traktor s Key Lock function engaged open Pref erences gt Transport gt Key Lock and enable Scratch mode and HiQ to get the best results Additional Timecode Configurations When using Traktor s control vinyl CDs familiarize yourself with some of the medi ums extra behaviors see Figure 7 11 For example the Absolute Mode settings give you one less button to assign press every time Traktor switches to Relative mode If you use looping which you will this will be a lot Scrolling a playlist with the record Track Start Position 0 min Turntable Speed 45 rom Tracking Alert Load next track when flipping record Use playlist scrolling zone Switch to Absolute Mode in lead in v v v Switch to Absolute Mode when loading Figure 7 11 Double check the
276. hin the clip Overview box see Figure 11 24 at the bottom of the Sample display Once the small magnifying glass appears click and drag vertically to zoom in or out or horizontally to scroll through the clip s timeline Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 287 Figure 11 24 Click and drag within the clip Overview to change waveform zoom level and positioning If you want the Clip view to follow the playback positioning within an audio clip engage the Follow switch within the transport control bar shown in Figure 11 25 From Preferences gt Look Feel gt Follow Behavior you can choose whether the clip scrolls across the playhead think audio tape or across the currently zoomed page Figure 11 25 The Follow switch Mmmm Warp Markers At the foundation of Live s prominence within the music world lies the Warp Marker Simply stated Warp Markers are the reference points Live uses to sync audio clips to one another via the Live set s master tempo For example a 4 4 two bar loop recorded at 120 bpm is 4 seconds a 4 4 two bar loop recorded at 90 bpm is about 5 3 seconds Using the Warp function s time stretching algorithms what were once disparate tempo ranges can be creatively merged together Among other things this lends itself well to creative reworking of slower hip hop beats to the tempos of house techno dubstep and beyond The way that this works is fairly straightforward in fact the Ableton ma
277. hybridization meshes well with current digital DJ setups and helps to remove the stigma that still taints mouse driven music production and performance Note My intent with this Hybrids section is to prime you for Part 2 of this project to introduce themes and to hint at the forward thinking performance techniques that will be covered in Part 2 Because this book is concerned with the structural foundations of digital DJing the following products step slightly beyond the scope of Part 7 Thus will only outline these hardware software combos for now Native Instruments Maschine Taking the history of DJing into account you can see why the launch of a groove pro duction studio such as Maschine was so successful The MPC inspired hardware alone is a throwback to long established styles of production and performance within DJ culture This hardware provides creative access into an immensely powerful production environment benefitting any adventurous user willing to brave Maschine s logical learning curve Layer percussion on top of preexisting tracks or compose entire pro ductions from beginning to end Maschine is a tool with undeniable potential From a DJ s perspective Maschine attacks on several fronts m Workflow speed is a substantial factor when weighing the purchase of a new piece of gear As shown in Figure 3 6 the Maschine controller is intentionally laid out to expose critical features to a performer s fingertips whil
278. ical user interface GUI 192 History panel 205 hot cue 214 Human Interface Device HID support 228 ID3 tag 205 importing from 97 installation 188 189 Internal mode 212 ITCH software 229 Library Mode 194 Library view 195 197 loop controls 215 217 music loading and importing 198 199 Noise Map 208 Offline mode 189 198 organizational structure 201 208 partnerships 228 recording within 217 218 registration 188 189 Relative mode 211 Serato Rand partnership 187 Song Browser 203 204 SP 6 Sample Player Deck behaviors 225 Display menu 222 enabling 222 Hold play mode 224 Level function 223 Level meter function 223 Mode function 222 On Off play mode 224 Output Select function 222 overview 221 Overview function 223 Pitch function 223 Play button 223 Play From function 223 Repeat play mode 224 Sample banks function 223 Trigger play mode 224 vinyl behaviors 224 2285 Stack mode 195 Super Knob mode 219 system requirements 187 Tag Edit mode 205 third Deck setup 213 Ultra Knob mode 219 updates 34 Index 339 updating 188 189 website 188 Stack mode Serato 195 start position timecode configuration 128 storing cue point 136 streaming media 59 60 stripe track 111 Super Knob mode 219 Sync function Traktor Pro 122 125 syncing Clock Master 123 124 Deck Master auto 123 Deck Master manual 122 123 feedback signals 124 125 Master Deck 122 123 Syncro Start function 168 1
279. ically map them across all six slots When you have loaded a few samples launch them by clicking the Play button by hitting the hotkey combination of Ctrl Z through N or by mapping the SP 6 buttons onto an external MIDI controller Tip Because manually beatmatching the SP 6 slots to the Virtual Decks is some what awkward apply the Virtual Deck technique of Instant Doubles to automat ically match a track s playback position and Gain and Pitch values While the track playback automatically does its thing in the SP 6 Player you can manually do your thing with an instantly doubled copy layered on top SP 6 Play Modes Before you jump into a performance with the SP 6 it s a good idea to get comfortable with the mechanics behind each of the Play modes 224 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Trigger mode Pressing the Play button plays the audio file through to the end see Figure 9 56 To stop hold the Alt key and click the currently playing slot s Play button or press the appropriate Alt Z through N hotkey combo Press the Play button repeatedly to retrigger the loaded sample from the beginning Figure 9 56 Trigger mode Hold mode Holding the Play button plays the audio file as long as the button is pressed see Figure 9 57 Release Play and playback stops Figure 9 57 Hold mode m On Off mode The Play button acts as a toggle clicking Play launches the sample and clicking it a
280. ications Live provides several creative alternatives to shape that something into existence We will take a closer look at this later but at some level Live s Warp function and resultant Warp Markers can be compared to Traktor s Beatgrid and grid markers For example once a track is warped playback is entirely synced to Live s Master Clock tempo and thus beatmatching is automated On the other hand if you are into turntablism you want to manually beatmatch your music or you simply love the aesthetic of turntables and or CDJs Live is probably not what you are looking for Note Since started writing this book Ableton and Serato have joined in a cre ative partnership to release the Bridge Using what is termed Ableton Transport Control ATC Bridge provides you with tempo control over your Ableton Live Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 233 sets via Serato s timecode vinyl and software It is still early days for the software but ATC stands to be an incredibly powerful means of manipulating Live s clips track levels sends and so on within the Serato GUI As I mentioned in the previous chapter synced playback frees artists from beatmatch ing s unavoidable time constraints In turn this time can be creatively refocused toward other performance techniques Again this approach is neither better nor worse It s simply different Installation Registration and Updating As I mentioned in Chapter 5 the proce
281. ide Live s internal audio MIDI signal flow or sound can be bussed through a dedicated external audio interface to any number of exterior destinations for example a cue mix hardware effects units a DJ mixer and so on You can apply effects individually to each independent audio or MIDI channel cen tralize them upon aux sends or apply them across the entire master output Live s Session view is divided into a few discrete sections most of which can be shown hidden and resized via an assortment of controls arranged around the rim of the Live GUI For example click the black triangles in the upper left and lower left right corners to show hide the respective Browser Info and Detail views see Figure 10 16 Further click and drag the thick black lines bordering each section to resize that particular panel 246 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer aram nd i a a Audio To in a Cs Ls Figure 10 15 Live s various track types Figure 10 16 Click to show and hide Live s various view panels Tip If you are new to Live click the small black triangle in the bottom left cor ner of the GUI You can also press Shift on your keyboard When the Info view is visible a concise parameter description is provided describing the feature currently located under the mouse pointer Live s Session view shown in Figure 10 17 can be broken down into a number of functiona
282. ie iHa i MATS 4 4 ATS p iji iji ies mowa History Prapare All TATT F Hote Shanghai carly fi Me t WF Hobe Shasghm mid E pra b F Hd Shanghai bate BB nao F Colgne E rarte k London The Hiva E ram 4 P a M Fa e a 0S e T A f i g Bir Orirgl Mix Mark Erim Prg Pong EP GSTI Mopsrhirech Shalpiitii Minimal it Ale Corbis R Poke Ci P trhrich Scheliplerien it Alex Corie i ret Piatthrech Scholplertias 01 lemor Emmy dmoppar r BHi EP GF i i M trhrich Shalsi p Aken im F W Edi aami Rao Figure 3 4 The Serato Scratch Live GUI m With the lean toward vinyl based DJing it s no surprise that Serato built in a dedicated audio recorder equally suited for archiving a vinyl collection and recording mixes What is the most exciting thing about SSL s future Back in 2008 Serato and Ableton announced a creative partnership that would reveal what the companies are calling the Bridge essentially the middle ground that lets performers blend the playback of Live s 36 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer clips with the DVS technology of SSL The creative potential of Bridge released in Sep tember 2010 immediately after the writing of this book seems infinitely promising And speaking of Live Ableton Live Emerging at the beginning of 2001 Live was introduced to the software music world by a group of like minded individuals driven by the goal of harnessing an
283. ignment functions and status feedback messages The actions dictated by the control bar are global and thus share the same layout in both Arrangement and Session views As some features pri marily concern the realm of production I will only cover the handful of controls essen tial to performance To get going or to stop simply press your spacebar In Figure 10 46 you will notice that the control bar is broken into four dedicated sections Figure 10 46 Live s control bar The first subsection of the control bar regulates Live s tempo behavior Shown in Fig ure 10 47 each icon manages a specific aspect of Live s playback timing For example artists performing alongside DJs or live musicians may find the Tap function partic ularly useful From a standstill hitting Tap four times to the beat of the currently play ing track will launch Live s playback in sync to your count in If the tempo is not quite Tempo nudge Tap tempo Metronome up down Project Project tempo time signature Figure 10 47 Live s tempo controls 268 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer on keep tapping and Live will adjust the playback tempo to suit Note that the Tap button is assignable to computer keyboard or MIDI controller messages definitely something you should consider in place of tempo tapping with your computer s mouse or trackpad Immediately to the right of the Tap function is the Tempo dis
284. igure 12 20 In particular notice that the EQ Eight has no Wet Dry control whereas the Simple Delay does The reasons for this are simple as you will see R AACA Eeee Figure 12 20 EQs are designed to treat and replace an entire signal whereas delays are gener ally used to creatively blend the dry wet signals Now there are circumstances when control over an effect s wet dry balance makes sense Depending on the result you are going for wet dry balance on a reverb can create a subtle sense of space with a low wet dry ratio However a full on wet reverb could be equally powerful when used to creative effect Any number or type of effect is usable as a channel insert effect but remember two things In a live context the same effect copied across several tracks simply creates more somewhat needlessly to think about and sucks up significantly more of your precious CPU power hence the creation of Live s return tracks Send FX Send effects on the other hand are designed for an altogether different purpose Think of them in two ways First return tracks are the meeting point for related sends for example all Send A s come together at Return A One standard practice saves CPU power by utilizing return tracks Using the same plug in on multiple tracks can unnec essarily suck up loads of precious CPU headroom Instead drop the relevant effect on a return track and send groups of signals to the single effect unit Note
285. igure the In Port and Out Port such that Traktor is sending to and receiving from the device Click Add In gt Transport gt Play Pause Click Add Out gt Transport gt Play Pause 3 4 Select Learn and press the relevant MIDI button on your MIDI controller 5 6 Click Add Out gt Output gt Beat Phase Monitor Notice that I did not include Learn steps for the two Out commands That s because there aren t any When sending LED outputs messages you have to determine what MIDI channel your hardware controller receives on in addition to whether it listens for MIDI CC control change or MIDI note on off messages Check your hardware s user documentation as that is most likely where you will find that information To illustrate here is what my Assignment Table looks like within the Controller Manager Traktor Type of Interaction Button Mapped Command I O Controller Mode Assignment Options To Play Pause In Button Toggle Deck A or Device NA Ch01 Target Cc 104 Play Pause Out LED Output Deck A or Device NA Ch01 Target CC 104 Beat Phase Out LED Output Deck A or Device NA Ch01 Monitor Target CC 104 Notice that all three commands reference the same MIDI CC assignments As men tioned previously in this chapter the Mapped To configuration will most likely differ However the point is for you to see that all three assignments will ultimately refer to the same hardware control As you can see in Figure 8 24 the drop down l
286. in works Thus when I first used Serato years ago my nose was a little bit bent out of shape when I discovered Serato s static key assign ments Admittedly SSL s keyboard control template is highly logical however there is no leeway if and when the end user wants to customize certain actions The other side of this argument brings to mind another audio industry standard Pro Tools Using a fixed keyset engineers can jump in out of any Pro Tools based studio and expect the exact same results every time they touch the keyboard This also makes perfect sense in Serato s case when for example DJs tag with other artists Sure they may still need to bring their own tracks on a USB stick but while playing everyone is on the same page no matter whose computer is getting used Tip For Mac users a company called iSkin designed a customized keyboard overlay that fits Apple s MacBook line of laptops The overlay displays SSL s key board shortcuts in a logical color coded arrangement One additional benefit of the overlay is that it protects your keyboard from the inevitable spillage dust and key wear Visit www rane com and navigate to the Ranestore for more information Assigning MIDI Controls If you are new to working with audio software and or hardware get into the habit of seeking out and installing the latest software audio driver and or firmware updates prior to testing everything out So before proceeding check to see that y
287. int isn t quite precise enough define a move amount and shift your loop out point over by whatever degree you deem necessary Once you are looping what you want store it to the next unassigned hot cue slot Here is an overview of the control actions as they stand in the preceding assignment table Encoder Button 1 Button 2 Result Twist NA NA Define autoloop size Push NA NA Set autoloop Push Hold NA Set manual loop in point Push NA Hold Set manual loop out point Twist NA Hold Move loop out point Twist Hold NA Set loop move size Twist Hold Hold Loop jump Push Hold Hold Store currently active loop to the next unassigned hot cue Do not forget that this process is 100 percent modifiable to suit your needs If you don t like the behaviors by all means substitute the buttons knobs to fit around your MIDI controller Better yet experiment with an entirely different blend of configurations The Hot Cue Sampler A lot of the language in this chapter and with Traktor in general speaks of a synced performance within which absolutely nothing falls off the Beatgrid Remember that this is purely an option not a requirement If you uncheck Quantize from the Master panel and the Sync buttons from the Decks Traktor s cue related behavior jumps into a free run state in other words if you don t click a hot cue in time with the master tempo playback sync will fall apart spectacularly This is obviously not the best configurati
288. into a random desktop folder Traktor will find them Automate the import process or manage it manually it s up to you Here s how 1 Open Traktor s Preferences and click on Data Location You can see the Data Location Preferences window in Figure 6 1 Directories displays the locations on your hard drive of the Traktor root folder where all Traktor s collection information is stored and the iTunes Music Library xml file from which Traktor reads your iTunes data You can con solidate both on an external hard drive but be sure to connect the hard drive when you start Traktor or you will get missing file error messages when loading tracks Click the button on the right hand side if you ever need to choose a new file path Music Folders on the other hand allows you to add your own additional files from an external hard drive or for example a file on your desktop used for promo downloads On both OS X and Windows you will notice that the computer s user music folder is also listed for example Music or My Music Click Add at the bottom of the list and browse to any parent topmost folder holding your music Click OK or Choose Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 95 Directories Root Dir yes Users jasonemsley Documents Native Tiines Music Library yes Users jasonemsley Music iTunes iTune Music Folders FATBOY TRAKTOR Figure 6 1 Designate the locations of your music files FATBOY is my extern
289. ion Mode Hold Assignment Global Button Options Set to value Figure 8 10 Notice how the Mapped To commands are all duplicates of one another but assigned to different FX units 2 will jump to the current DX2 knob position in other words roughly 100 percent which is not what we want Thus make sure that Soft Takeover is set to On in these scenarios The FX Panel parameter will remain at its current position until the DX2 knob meets matches the software position Within the current configuration if no modifier button is held the DX2 s leftmost FX Control knob does nothing On the other hand if I hold the leftmost button on the DX2 Modifier 1 is sending out a value of 1 Within the Controller Manager the Modifier State 1 indicator displays the number 1 Note Notice that each repeated dry wet control in the preceding table has a modifier value 1 to 4 attached to it As mentioned unless a Modifier button is held the DX2 knob doesn t do anything Expanding upon our example you could assign each DX2 FX Control knob to Traktor s FX Select parameter Add In gt FX Advanced gt Effect Select for each independent FX panel Leave no control behind So what does this mean Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 163 Another way to think of modifiers is as if then statements If Modifier 1 button 1 is held on the DX2 then FX panel 1 is active If Modifier 1 button 2 is held on the DX2 then FX
290. ion for the cue point CAREEN 01 AutoGrid 02 loop 1 eo 04 vocal 1 05 vocal 2 O06 loop 2 Figure 7 23 Use this drop down menu to name cue points or select cues not assigned to one of the hot cue buttons 7 To change cue point types click the Cue Type drop down menu shown in Figure 7 24 and select an option Figure 7 24 Choose a cue point type from the drop down list Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 137 Setting Hot Cues 1 Ensure that Snap is engaged from within the Master panel to ensure that the hot cue snaps to the Beatgrid 2 Ensure that Snap is engaged from Preferences gt Transport gt Mouse Control to ensure that mouse clicks within the Waveform display instantly snap the cue position to the Beatgrid 3 Click any empty gray hot cue button shown in Figure 7 25 from 2 through 8 The 1 button is generally reserved for the initial grid marker Eo ee ENESES Figure 7 25 Click any unassigned hot cue slot to store a new cue point or loop 4 Change the cue type as needed Tip If you like the loop or autoloop currently playing click any empty hot cue to store the current loop for future use Remapping Hot Cues As you work with hot cue mapped cue points loops and so on you might run into situations where you want to replace existing hot cues with new ones or simply rearrange those that are already assigned 1 Within the Deck s Advanced panel select the r
291. ions of MIDI controllers offered very little in the way of visual feed back information perhaps understandably given that they were primarily designed to send out MIDI rather than to receive it However if you look at any number of exam ples from this current generation of MIDI hardware it is pretty rare to find a device that isn t dominated by flashing buttons and knobs While we have seen that Traktor responds to incoming MIDI commands with varying degrees of complexity the software is also capable of sending outgoing MIDI informa tion to hardware controllers offering LED feedback Fortunately as far as assigning outbound MIDI commands goes the process is nearly identical to what we have already covered while MIDI Learning Traktor s internal controls LED feedback is incredibly useful for several reasons but the most important in my eyes is that you can look away from your computer and focus instead on your perfor mance instruments Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 181 Assigning LED Outputs Let s say that I want to launch Deck Play Pause from my Maschine controller s Trans port section and have the hardware Play button blink in tempo with the Deck s bpm Note that the following LED output steps can be mirrored for almost any backlit MIDI hardware control Create the following control assignments 1 Open Preferences gt Controller Manager 2 Choose your controller from the Device drop down menu Conf
292. ions to the clips can for example auto mate a sequential progress through the clips or be used to randomly trigger clips within that particular group The first option Follow Action Time determines how long bars beats and sixteenths the currently selected clip s will play before a Follow Action is triggered Each clip is given two potential Follow Actions simply labeled A and B Whether Follow Action A or B is triggered is determined by the probability entered within the value fields at the bottom To explain this if your values are 1 999 see Figure 11 11 Action A will trigger 1 time in 999 not such great odds If on the other hand you set the odds to 1 1 what will you get That s right Action A and B each have a 50 percent chance of launching Any number can be entered of course but the results are more predictable when smaller values are used 2 8 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Figure 11 10 Clips assorted into Follow Action groups Follow Action rial Figure 11 11 Use this dialog to define Follow Action behaviors and probabilities Now the actual Follow Actions themselves are fairly self explanatory The only two that might need some clarification are Any and Other Using Any will trigger any clip within the relevant group including the currently playing clip Alternatively Other will trigger another clip but will never retrigger the same clip I recommend trying all of the
293. ished via external recording devices just one more piece of gear to lug around Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 83 Traktor s Audio Recorder shown in Figure 5 17 allows DJs to record laptop mixes without connecting a single cable or entire stage performances through the house mixer Further the Audio Recorder provides the perfect solution to ripping your entire vinyl library into the Traktor collection 2 3 oe 6 Figure 5 17 Use the Audio Recorder to capture your performances 1 Broadcasting On Off Start stop Traktor s broadcasting 2 Recording On Off Start stop recording 3 Input Gain Manually adjust the Audio Recorder input volume 4 File display Displays the length and file size of the current recording 5 Recording meter Audio Recorder volume meter 6 Cut Seamlessly trims a recording file into individual gapless recordings Decks The turntable s digital progeny Traktor s Decks shown in Figure 5 18 are the advanced laptop equivalent of a traditional DJ s stage setup Nearly all of the DJ staples have been re created across Traktor s four Decks from slip cueing and pitch bumping 1 2 5 WH Prime Expansion 07 49 120 00 Rick Wade 07 49 0 0 m YOTI a E 3 4 SYNC MASTER E 10 r dlk Sia F P 6 H E Mow MEET aA a FSR ii 7 12 9 Figure 5 18 The layout of Traktor s Decks 84 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performe
294. isplay Plugins SP 6 Sample Player SL 3 Aux Deck DJ FX SL 3 AUX Deck Serato Playlists Flashing Geck indicator Y Enable SL J AUX deck plugin Figure 9 36 Ensure that you enable the Aux Deck plug in if you want to use SSL s third Virtual Deck From the hardware side simply route your connections in the same manner as the left and right Decks The only obvious difference is in the labeling that is you route in and out through the Aux 1 2 input output on the hardware as you can see back in Figure 9 2 Note One minor drawback of employing the third Virtual Deck is that you are only able to view the waveform displays via the Stack View mode however the third Deck still functions no matter which display you choose It may take a little bit of getting used to but in my opinion the option of using a third Deck versus not using a third Deck far outweighs being a stickler over GUI layouts Cue Points and Loops Cue points and loops are one of DVS technology s unquestionable attractions DJ soft ware s digital feature sets almost always bring forth some form of attack from the ana log crowd cues and loops on the other hand rarely elicit any negative responses because of what they bring to a DJ set Of all the tools in Serato s arsenal it feels as if SSL s Cue and Loop functions could use a bit of refining Don t get me wrong they work well However within a performance setting Serato simply doesn t execute cues and
295. ist lets you manually set the relevant MIDI output message 182 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer 127 Figure 8 24 Determine your hardware MIDI settings before assigning LED outputs Press the newly assigned Play button on your MIDI controller and notice the behavior as it blinks in time with the Beatgrid Additionally click Traktor s Play Pause button with your mouse and note your hardware s response Note Many modern MIDI controllers let users configure the inner workings of their hardware through specially designed Controller Editors In many cases you can completely reconfigure the state of every button on the device If control features are not behaving properly or you simply want them to behave differ ently open the respective Controller Editor and verify the actions of the relevant MIDI controls I am not going to exhaustively detail the LED output commands but you should be aware that all of the MIDI input controls are duplicated at the MIDI output stage Though as you have seen with the Beat Phase monitor there are powerful LED output Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 183 assignments exclusive to the MIDI Output drop down menu For example some MIDI controllers have LED VU meters You could very easily send Traktor s master output to your hardware device in order to monitor the master volume Further controllers such as AKAI s APC40 or Novation s Launchpad ha
296. it Warp as X Bar Loop This option instructs Live to apply warping to create an evenly cut loop The length of the loop is intelligently determined by what Live deems as optimal As I have mentioned before the natural timing drift of human musicians is made plainly obvious when applying Warp Markers to band based songs or loops Likewise if you sample loops and tracks from vinyl records the inherent pitch fluctuations of a turntable will translate directly to your recorded audio file This is one particular area where Live proves more powerful than traditional DJ appli cations such as Traktor or Serato For example Traktor s Beatgrids can only be glob ally adjusted against a song in other words individual grid markers cannot be manually manipulated to fix imperfect timing Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 291 While Auto Warping undoubtedly speeds up the preparation of a Live set be aware that no software is perfect and Live will make mistakes from time to time Ableton is well aware of this through manual Warp Markers the company has devised an intu itive toolset that allows Live users to individually customize Warp settings across any and all audio files Tip These days many artists intentionally bounce back and forth between dif ferent software tools to exploit the exclusive advantages provided by differing applications For example if you prefer the immediacy of DJing with Traktor you may have noticed
297. ixing workflow While running through each of the steps use Figure 7 2 as a quick reference for the controls mentioned Amidst the following walkthrough test out a few of the different EQ models found at Preferences gt Mixer gt EQ Selection gt EQ Type as well as the two filter types located at Preferences gt Mixer gt EQ Selection gt Filter Selection If you plan on mixing Traktor s output from an external DJ mixer it may still be a good idea to familiarize yourself with these facilities should you find yourself in a sit uation where a mixer isn t available such as on an airplane 1 Load a track into Deck A lower the Channel fader and press the Play button 2 Click around on the stripe and the Waveform display to get a feel for how the mouse affects each section 3 Click Deck A s Cue button to pre listen to the track Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 121 Cue Cue mix volume LFO RESET CRUISE TICK FILTER Filter knob Io ALT i Eq section Channel gain Cue Filter on off ey MIDLO H2 FX Channel fader Crossfader section Figure 7 2 Use the Mixer section to test out Traktor s powerful internal mixing features A E a a 10 12 13 14 Adjust the headphone mix headphone volume from the Master panel Adjust the Mixer section s Gain knob and notice how it affects the prefader VU meter Raise Deck A s Channel fader to send signal to the master
298. k on the icon see Figure 9 5 located at the top of the Serato interface Helpfully when you click on the icon a list of Serato s preset keyboard shortcuts appears When the tooltips option is enabled hovering over any icon within the GUI including within the Setup page brings up a synopsis of the feature as well as keyboard shortcuts and or behaviors related to that function section Walia ee a Figure 9 5 Click this icon to display a list of Serato s preset keyboard shortcuts Display Modes Speaking of how a DJ s mind works because performance styles are unique to the individual Serato optimized the SSL interface into four views Visualizing precisely how audio files play in relation to one another is a crucial factor within the realm of digital DJing as such SSL s four Display modes represent one of the application s most defining characteristics In particular each Display mode provides a unique view over how a song s transient data corresponds to that of an opposing Virtual Deck Click on any of these Display Mode icons see Figure 9 6 to change SSL s layout perspective Classic Vertical mode Classic Horizontal mode Figure 9 6 Click one of these four buttons to change Serato s layout appearance 194 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Library Mode If you click on the Library Mode button Serato s Virtual Decks are effectively squashed down into minimal info windows
299. l of digital DJ software Serato Scratch Live Serato Scratch Live ocieties around the world are commonly understood through their cultural norms customs belief structures mannerisms and so on all come together to shape an external view or a popular understanding of who a group of people are It s a classification system that applies well to multilayered groups of like minded people collectives if you will such as the youth movement constantly redefining DJ culture Part of what keeps DJ culture so fresh is the continuous challenge to these norms by a steady stream of new ideas new talent and of course new tools Sure it s not what it was but cultural throwbacks are constantly bubbling up through the cracks and being adopted by the next generation of DJs At the root of these societies are the subcultures the support structures that keep the bigger picture dynamic enough to remain relevant Turntablism for example almost singlehandedly established the DJ as artist archetype by morphing a playback device into a performance instrument Today through companies such as Native Instruments Serato and Ableton DJ culture is once again evolving into the next generation With 2004 s release of Serato Scratch Live commonly known as SSL or just Serato the Serato Rane partnership gave the DJ market a product that is quite possibly DJ culture s truest summary Getting Started As software DJ products go getting Ser
300. l devices to play obvious rhythmic material drum loops for example While monitoring the playback of all devices adjust the Sync Delay slider refer to Figure 12 42 until everything properly falls into place If you do not see the Sync Delay slider click the small triangle to the left of the MIDI output device Live as Slave Using this configuration Live serves as a slaved device in other words Live receives the MIDI clock sync signal from an external Master Clock source This signal could also be used to sync other applications on the same computer another computer run ning Live Traktor or Maschine as well as any number of other MIDI capable hard ware drum machines effect units and so on 1 Ensure that your hardware is connected and configured properly that is the input of your receiving MIDI interface slave connects to the MIDI output of the sending device master computer drum machine and so on Navigate to Preferences gt MIDI Sync Tab Find the appropriate MIDI input device from within the list and check the On button located under the Sync header see Figure 12 43 330 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Input LAC Driver Bus 1 oa on on MIDI Clock Sync Delay 000ms s p e a Figure 12 43 Receive MIDI clock from a master source by enabling the Sync input button 4 After you enable the sync input the Ext button see Figure 12 44 will appear in the to
301. l hard drives for tracks that may not have been imported into Traktor s collection m Archive Located immediately under the Explorer icon the Archive icon tracks and records a playlist of Traktor s playback history Each playlist is time stamped with the Traktor session date and provides additional information columns offering start time duration and Deck playback history m Audio Recordings Provides a list of every recording made with Traktor s Audio Recorder m ilunes Provides instant access to all iTunes playlists History A playlist that provides the current session s playback history After every session the History playlist is stored or archived under the Archive icon mentioned a moment ago Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 91 8 Cover Art Displays the cover art embedded within the metadata of the track currently selected within the Track List This chapter was written with a dual purpose One goal was to provide you with a reference focused breakdown of Traktor s most critical features The other was to dem onstrate the versatility that allows these features to easily integrate with the needs and wants of stylistically different DJs You are highly encouraged to flip back to this chap ter from time to time to refresh your memory You never know you may have missed something important This page intentionally left blank Traktor Pro Getting Started f you found the previous chapter a little bit dry ple
302. l or CD as well as verifying the presence of the left and right audio channels Turntables in particular are often host to any number of unpredictable complications For one most nightclubs do not take good care of their equipment You should always carry your own needles cartridges because a snag with either can lead to missing chan nels leaving Traktor unhappy Moreover other possible annoyances reveal themselves through bent tonearms damaged RCA cables faulty grounding leads and so on Don t let this scare you off the control vinyl route It is simply something Traktor users should be aware of Thankfully Calibration provides DJs with useful feedback to help troubleshoot unexpected situations missing channels dusty needles skipping control vinyl CD incorrect input modes and improper tonearm weighting are but a few 126 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer examples Much of this information can be gleaned from the Scope or Vinyl view shown in Figures 7 8 and 7 9 To begin Traktor s Calibration process Figure 7 8 Scope view displays timecode clarity as well as potential complications Click the RST button to begin the Calibration process Figure 7 9 Vinyl view Also known as Sticker view The current timecode position is displayed 1 Choose the appropriate Input mode Timecode Vinyl or Timecode CD Line on the front of the Audio 8 DJ interface or as you can see in Figure 7 10 from
303. l performance modes features and behaviors that cater to various performance styles It s an application that doesn t care whether you are a hobbyist or a professional musician just remember that knowing your instru ments simply provides you with the ability to clearly communicate your inspiration More often than not this knowledge comes through a little bit of good ol preparation When Should Calibrate The intent of Serato s calibration process is not unlike that of any other DVS technol ogy Essentially the record passes along an analog control signal which in Serato s case is a combination of a 1 kHz sine wave and what it refers to as the Noise Map Without getting too deep into things the tone is used for both track playback speed and direction and the Noise Map is used as a song position pointer Considering all of the unforeseen variables between the control record CD and the SSL software every scenario has to be independently configured For example bad tonearms and or bad needles give Serato a headache nearly as badly as dodgy wiring Another major factor is the amount of background noise where you are performing Needles styli are extremely sensitive tools if ever you rip vinyl try the silly game of yelling really loudly at your needle Play back the audio file and listen closely You Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 209 should be able to hear yourself and yes I ve actually tried it sad right Now ima
304. l sections m Transport control bar m Session Mixer m Clip Track view m Live Browser Info view Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 247 1 Transport control bar 3 Clip track view Cerp deco Sect Here 5 Info view 6 Status bar Figure 10 17 Live s Session view m Status bar m Overview Together these sections form the fluid structure that sets Live apart from other DAWs Unlike the mix edit approach of many other sequencers what could be considered Live s Mix view was also intentionally designed as a performance interface The grid based clip slots see Figure 10 18 smack dab in the middle of the Session view Figure 10 18 Use the clip slot grid to hold play record and arrange all of your Live clips 248 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer were constructed as the antithesis of the timeline based Arrangement view Rather than following a scrolling sequence of events audio and MIDI files in the form of Live clips explained in Chapter 12 are triggered or played using a methodology uncon cerned with linearity The overall principle is fairly simple The clip grid is composed of clip slots each of which holds independent clips housing individual sounds be they loops samples entire songs or MIDI files Entirely dependent on you as the performer clips can be individ
305. lane within the track display 3 The track display s default view size is too small for proper editing Using Figure 12 13 as a reference navigate to the right hand side of the GUI and drag downward on the bar bordering the Edits box and directly above the Deck A track name This expanded view makes precision editing significantly easier Insert point figure caption here Figure 12 13 Drag downward on this bar to resize the view 4 Suppose you only want to keep two bars of your sample track If you move your mouse up to the beat time ruler above the loop brace shown in Figure 12 14 the mouse pointer will change into a magnifying glass Click hold and drag up or down with your mouse to zoom in or out of the song s waveform respectively Additionally you can drag left or right to optimally position the waveform for editing purposes Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 309 Figure 12 14 Drag up or down on Live s beat time ruler to zoom in or out of your tracks respectively 5 Following my example displayed in Figure 12 15 click and drag directly on the waveform within the track display to highlight the section you want to edit Press Ctrl L OS X Command L to engage the Loop switch Press Play to ensure that the loop points are where you want them If everything is good to go press Ctrl E OS X Command F to split or slice your loop into a new clip Alternatively if you won t be using the rest of the track you a
306. laylist Maintaining and Navigating Your Music Collection It can be difficult to keep thousands upon thousands of tracks in order not to mention in mind Playlists do offer a systematic process such as that found within the iTunes application but the iTunes application and its playlist model are not designed for the 104 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer sometimes manic environment of a DJ performance Mercifully NI considered this when designing Traktor s Browser Now that your Traktor collection is organized into at least a few playlists it s time to run through how to navigate and maintain all of this stuff Editing Track Information Metadata The biggest problem I have with a digital music library is its intangibility There is something to be said for physically handling vinyl and or CDs However I have to admit that it s pretty tough to beat the gains I have achieved with regard to custom ization Instead of messing up my wax with a permanent marker I can now make comments rate and edit my digitized files without defacing the vinyl they were ripped from Within Traktor there are a few different ways to edit track data Using Inline Editing Edit Visible Metadata 1 Click on any track in the Traktor s Browser List 2 Double click on any info field tfor example Title as I have done in Figure 6 9 Knasterhouse Tobias Becker 2009 9 11 Stripe Tr R Floating DVS 1 i 20
307. lding all of the tracks that you played in the order that you played them History Crate You can export playlist data for distribution in various formats SSL also offers a function that allows you to export and post Serato playlists to your serato com profile Moreover using the Live Playlists option lets you post this information in real time Enable or disable these plug in options under Setup gt Plugins Take note that several other History options are accessible for more detailed informa tion on the History panel s functions refer to your Serato documentation Caution Be aware that turning off all network related services during a perfor mance is an industry wide practice with good reason Even if you are not con nected to a WiFi network your wireless card will still actively scan for one as a result you may experience USB dropouts and or general poor audio perfor mance If you must have an Internet connection test in your home or studio before trusting the setup at a gig File Management Undoubtedly the most fascinating part of digital DJing file management is a necessary evil that is required knowledge of all performers On the surface file management pri marily concerns two functions working with ID3 tags and the how and where of track locations on your hard drive Editing ID3 data the metadata tags saved to your music files is the simple behavior of for example changing the artist name or adding a com ment to
308. lessly bend around situational need Onstage or off Ableton s impressive design choices are apparent through the simple fact that mapping never hinders preparation practice or most importantly performance For example while I was performing a few years ago in Hamburg almost immediately one of my controllers decided that it would be funny to commit suicide in front of a few hundred people I won t name the manufacturer even though the incident spelled the death of my second unit but two things saved me First Live didn t skip a beat and continued to loop the clips that were playing second I was luckily performing with a couple of other controllers The dead device was mapped to Live s track volumes and sends about a minute later everything was reassigned to the living breathing devices and I finished up my set a little bit sweatier than usual Afterward my dead controller joined his buddies Becks Heineken and Budvar in the club s trashcan Getting back on track the simplicity of Ableton s Mapping function clearly saved me from an embarrassing outcome Key Mapping Basically Ableton broke controller assignments into two types key mapping and MIDI mapping Key mapping opens up the assignment of Live s internal functions to a com puter keyboard Track Mutes Solo Cue and Arm Session Recording are as readily assignable as clip start stop Select Track or transport functions As an example try mapping any track s
309. lessly switch from tweaking synths to controlling Live s play back functions aux sends and so on Note Shortly after the release of Kore 2 Native Instruments began releasing themed library expansion bundles known as Soundpacks Because Kore 2 utilizes the audio engines of all of NI s currently available products Soundpacks provide the power of the Komplete library without the user having to own NI s individual products Soundpacks such as Deep Freq Deep Tranformations or Deep Recon structions instantly map their controls across the Kore controller and offer unique otherworldly effect treatments to your DJ set Chapter 3 Gear 43 Alternatively powerful effects such as Reaktor based and aptly named The Finger are affordable and do not require the full version of the Reaktor software What makes The Finger particularly effective within DJ sets is the fact that while it is an effects unit it can be played much like a live instrument to mash up sounds and remix tracks on the fly Check out Warp recording artist Tim Exile s demonstration and explanation of the concepts behind his custom designed instrument on the NI website Monome Arguably the Monome supports the most open ended contributory community of users and developers on the market From the Monome s prototype in 2005 to com mercial reality in 2006 Philadelphia based Brian Crabtree and Kelli Cain have distilled the popular understanding of what a music contr
310. ling post industrial landscape led the three to venture clear mentally and physically of their surroundings in search of inspiration A shared love of personal musical expan sion eventually led to the discovery of synth based European acts such as Kraftwerk long cited as a foundational element underpinning the stylistic developments of house techno hip hop and more Beyond their years they realized that while Chicago s house music and New York s disco were propagated from within DJ culture techno was necessarily conceptualized from the ground up as musicians first That is not to say that the club context of music did not have its effect Family visits to New York allowed Saunderson to sneak into Levan s Paradise Garage and Mancuso s Loft Simultaneously May made regular trips to Chicago to immerse himself in the atmospheres of Knuckles Power Plant and Hardy s Music Box Taking this insight into the studio inspired the creation of the first true techno records In 1985 as Model 500 Atkins unveiled No UFO s as Rhythm Is Rhythm May loosed Strings of Life in 87 while in 86 as Kreem Saunderson released Triangle of Love and of course the insanely successful track Big Fun in 788 Devoted to the end they additionally launched their individual labels Metroplex Transmat and KMS respectively Techno s second coming birthed new artists DJs and entirely new techno subgenres In the late
311. llation processes vary not only from developer to developer but also between Mac and PC platforms as well as current operating system versions for example Mac OS X 10 5 x versus 10 6 x Refer to the software docu mentation or the company s online knowledge database for specific information on software and driver installation troubleshooting and if necessary technical support For visual learners I have also found that trawling YouTube for hardware and soft ware setup tutorials often yields some fantastic results With SSL Serato users buy into a particularly attractive ideal There is no registration process and all updates are completely free Yes free Updates are regular include dozens of fixes improvements and involve the massively devoted user base in regular public beta tests With the relatively recent update to SSL version 2 1 Serato included a level of product enhancements typically associated with paid upgrades Most software companies charge for these major service updates especially when graduating a full point level such as 1 0 to 2 0 Not Serato I cannot pretend to know how the company pulls it off but this is unarguably enticing from a consumer s perspective Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 189 Be that as it may this exception does come with one major caveat Serato runs in what the company refers to as Offline mode when no hardware is connected that is with much limited functionality The SL3 effectively act
312. loop assignments displayed across a zoomed out view of the loaded track Pitch fader Operates in the exact manner of a traditional turntable Drag downward on the fader to speed up a track and upward to slow it down Key Lock Engages the Key Lock feature Pitch Adjust Incrementally bump the Deck s pitch up or down Right click Control click on the icons to set the Pitch Adjust precision Transport controls Deck playback controls dependent on Deck mode state m Internal Playback Cue functions enabled m Scratch Control Control Vinyl mode enabled Audio Through Function disabled 12 13 Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 85 Autoloop controls Sets automatic and manual loop points Open Close Advanced Panels Show or hide the Advanced panels for parallel Decks Decks Advanced Panels Three pages comprise the Advanced panels each of which is chosen from the left hand side the Move panel the Cue panel and the Grid panel The Advanced panels epito mize modern track management and manipulation Save and name various types of cue points edit move manipulate and store useful track loop sections and manage Trak tor s Beatgrids within an environment specifically designed for the combination of speed and efficiency Loop Move Beatjump Panel 1 2 D Move modes Switch between Beatjump Loop Loop In and Loop Out modes Move sizes Determines the amount of each Beatjump or loop move in beats
313. loops quite as elegantly as Traktor does 214 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Cue Points and Hot Cues SSL lets you embed up to five cue points hot cues within a track s ID3 data more than enough for most purposes How you seek out cue point positions is a simple mat ter of how you are using Serato For example with the offline player hardware dis connected playback behaviors are controlled by the keyboard and mouse whereas with the control vinyl CDs cue points are best found by needle dropping and or spin ning backward forward within the track Note Remember that by definition cue points and loops can only operate within Relative REL and or Internal INT modes Figure 9 37 displays the Cue Point section When you find a good location setting a cue point is a simple matter of clicking the icon within an empty cue slot Jump to cue points with the Play icon delete a cue point by clicking the X icon reshuffle cue point ordering via drag and drop and even change cue point coloring by clicking directly on the colored box On the other hand if you prefer that your cues remain chronologically ordered navigate to Setup gt Playback and check Sort Cues Chronologically Note Refer to the user documentation for a full list of keyboard playback controls Figure 9 37 Use this panel to control and manage your cue points Cue point playback behavior while in Internal mode is straightforwa
314. ly sends can be combined with return tracks to incorporate hardware effects into your Live set such as delay pedals or Korg s popular Kaoss Pads If you look at Figure 12 21 you ll notice that I am about to assign return track B s output to output 5 of my RME From the hardware side of things my particular signal goes RME output 5 mono gt Empress Effects Superdelay gt either a mixer FX return or back into the RME and a Live audio track Now every time I use send B audio is routed out to my hardware delay In some situations I route the delay pedal back into a dedi cated audio track This way I can send the delayed signal into other return tracks for example reverb vinyl distortion or send those effect outputs back through my Superdelay Figure 12 21 You can also use return tracks to bus audio to an external source such as a delay pedal 316 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Tip There are dozens of effects pedals on the secondhand market eBay Craigs list and so on Finding the perfect unit requires a bit of patience and research but they re usually comparatively cheap and always a hell of a lot of fun When working with effects remember that even though there are generalized guide lines these usually exist to achieve a specific result If established isn t your thing remember that the best results are often achieved through experimentation Live s Virtual Gear
315. mance you ll want this number at or above 85 percent if it falls below try recalibrating your system 210 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Tip One of DVS technology s biggest snags stems from grounding issues With the needle on the vinyl and the turntable stopped you want the RPM value in the top right of the Scope panel holding steady at 0 0 If the value seesaws up and down try adjusting the threshold If you hit 24 and the problem persists first double check the turntable s grounding forks ensure they re fastened to your Serato hardware or to the DJ mixer If they seem okay try moving power sources such as power strips away from your setup If they can t be moved shift your setup somewhere else in the booth Scratch Live Modes From the beginning SSL was formulated to augment the vinyl DJ s experience without abandoning DJ culture aesthetics Part of the difficulty was that Serato not only had to encapsulate performance mechanics well over 30 years in the making but it also had to counterbalance the old with the new all in order to remain relevant within a massively fickle consumer market The result is Serato s own recipe of external vinyl CD control with an approach quite similar to that of its direct competitor Traktor Scratch Pro Absolute Mode While you are performing in Absolute mode see Figure 9 33 needle positioning on the control vinyl CD directly corresponds t
316. mands additional controls exist that provide another slant on performance control Engage MIDI Mapping mode and have a look for these hidden control options m Track Launch Once you engage MIDI or Key Mapping mode Track Launch see Figure 12 38 appears directly above the Track Pan Volume controls When assigned this command launches whichever clip slot is currently in line with the current scene that is rather than launching an entire scene of clips as done by the Scene Launch button only the clip slot within the relevant Track Launch s channel strip is played If no clip is loaded the clip Stop button is engaged stopping any clips currently playing in that track K Figure 12 38 Assign Track Launch to globally control an entire channel strip s clip playback Scene controls The four controls located below the Stop Clips button see Figure 12 39 supply direct control over Live s scene navigation If you assign Scene Launch to a MIDI or key command pressing any button launches the currently selected scene of clips Scene Up and Scene Down step the currently selected scene up or down respectively Finally Scene Select is a control Figure 12 39 Assign these parameters to your control surface to quickly navigate through scenes in Live s Session Mixer Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 32 intended for a MIDI endless encoder pot once configured twisting one direction steps scenes up while twisting the
317. master Flash 7 Grandmaster Flash Saddler 10 11 graphical user interface GUI Ableton Live 242 243 Serato 192 Traktor Scratch Pro 76 77 Grasso Francis 14 15 grid marker 132 133 Griid iDevice based application 51 grime artist 23 groove clips 274 275 Grooverider 20 G Technology 64 GUI graphical user interface Ableton Live 242 243 Serato 192 Traktor Scratch Pro 76 77 H Hard Disk Overload indicator Ableton Live 270 hard drive connectivity 63 64 file management and 61 speed 62 63 Hard Wax record shop 19 22 Hard Wax website 58 Hardy Ron 17 Hawtin Richie 18 20 48 Header section Traktor Scratch Pro 78 79 Heard Larry 17 Heaven London based club 20 Henke Robert 36 Herc DJ Kool 10 Hexler products 49 HID Human Interface Device technology 174 175 228 hip hop DJing history 10 11 modern 13 underground DJ culture 58 history of DJing 1 2 to future 24 to genre 9 24 to popular culture 8 from science and experimentation 6 7 venues 5 6 History panel Serato 205 History playlist 101 Hobbs Mary Anne 23 Hold mode 163 224 Holloway Nicky 17 Hood Rob 18 hot cue controllers and 172 173 versus cue point 214 remapping 137 setting 137 Hotcue button Kontrol X1 controller 178 house home music 16 17 Human Interface Device HID technolo gy 174 175 228 Humphries Tony 22 hybridization 37 38 hypem website 61 iApps 50 icons track 106 ID3 tag 205
318. meley 06 42 98 i aa 45 A o LHA Ba ai ABS REL INT l AES AEL INT CRUSHER T on TA REVERB on M T rF HEE PHASER Tig DEPTH DEF EFH mam U oom A ogr woe UWD oe e APR x ODLORFR m y LS ox oa75 LOW DEWE r L r 0 i T 74 ima Record SP 6 DJ FX MIDI panel sm oe All j j i x DE z E JE sted dero A jesper dahkback_ marra york_blank Rd DOS P Cae z k diar tei NP Hetel Shanghai sarhy E Hone nuse e DE HUFO DOWNLOADS 4 SSS e u a sh athens iy W nuce maceme e O DE PATIH ii ae perikanan 1 prenn 5 Bp MI LIBRARIES b Pieced ca Merve sboll_orocer dh plates ol records O14 ee iii s i rie ae i thomas krama th mal jars dk nected 001 DE TRakroR 3 CEEA E venous 13 11 09 v Traka Inwtoler Mecinphg z E INTL AI TRAKTOR PRO ACHP i a B WHATPEOPLEPLAY Relocate Loni Files Bing Original Mix Ping Pang EP 6 50 72 Mpsrhirech bhalma Gouth Hit Peuken Und Teerceten 1 GgideT P trhiich Scholiplecies e Empathy Box I Kipple Trex 6206 52 Matrhirech Schallplatten 019 s l Fifer Piitrhiri h Schelpe T IEA AEL OE nom nE Album art display Song browser Crate amp playlist display Figure 9 4 Serato s GUI Note Notice the Line Phono Status under the Hardware Setup The list corre sponds to the SL3 s input dipswitch settings When you are using Phono turn tables a menu titled Phono Sensitivity appears For optimum performance match this value to the
319. mputer USB 2 0 and FireWire Be aware that USB 2 0 is the protocol used on the majority of MIDI control surfaces on digital DJ applications and also on many portable hard drives however if you venture away from the prepackaged DJ hardware software combinations such as Chapter 3 Gear 29 Traktor or Serato you will find that the recording industry is mostly dominated by external FireWire audio interfaces Therefore you must ensure that you are not using up all of your laptop s USB and FireWire ports Outputs As mentioned previously the ability to pre listen cue to tracks is critical to a DJ per formance Therefore begin your search for a soundcard that supports a minimum of four independent audio channels two stereo pairs one for the cue output and one for the master output The number of outputs presents a favorable versatility for both experienced and begin ning digital DJs For example if you have an audio interface with eight outputs four stereo pairs each output can be connected to independent inputs on a four channel DJ mixer adding the strengths of hardware mixing and flexibility between different stage setups Further advanced performance setups thrive with extra outputs when used for hardware effects sends or as autonomous signals from other software applications for example while running Traktor and Maschine simultaneously Although the bulk of DJ mixers make use of RCA channel inputs this is not a trait sh
320. n that beats fall with systematic precision and with little dynamic variation Now of course this has its time and place however as an example drummers often intentionally play a little bit loose In combination with a human s natural dynamic variations this injects a certain style or groove into their music Note that groove can be applied in both directions just as it can breathe new life into static tracks it can also strip songs of swing and correct imprecise timing To add groove to your music 1 Double click any clip within your Live set to open the Clip view 2 Click on the Hot Swap Groove icon see Figure 11 6 to directly open Live s Browser to the groove templates The icon will change to an orange X signifying that auditioning groove templates is possible Add In Figure 11 6 Click this icon to test your clips using new groove templates 3 To audition the groove templates navigate to the Live Browser and either double click your selection or click the orange Hot Swap Selection button Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 275 4 Once you have found a fitting groove template click the Groove Pool icon see Figure 11 7 to open Live s Groove Pool see Figure 11 8 Figure 11 7 Groove Pool icon Current Sets Groove Pool Amount Swing84s OLe 0 100 o Ji Figure 11 8 Live s Groove Pool 5 Adjust the various settings as you see fit 6 Once you are satisfied with the groove
321. n the Close button to accept the settings These configuration options are entirely dependent upon the specifications of your audio interface For example the two stereo outputs of NI s Audio 4 DJ will allow external routing of Decks A and B only Although it is not essential to have more than two stereo outputs it does present Traktor with more routing flexibility External Audio Interface The Audio 8 DJ and Traktor s Control Vinyl Traktor Scratch Pro offers a digital solution to traditionalists who prefer the feel of vinyl precise control over their music turntablism the ritual of beatmatching the culture of DJing and the desire to spin a mixture of digital music alongside their own vinyl collection This particular configuration as well as that with Traktor s control CDs requires the full Traktor Scratch Pro bundle the control vinyl CDs will not function without either the Audio 4 8 or a Traktor Certified mixer This setup fits best with DJs who prefer the analog feel but welcome the advantages of a digitized performance setup Hardware Configuration 1 Connect the Audio 8 DJ to your computer s USB 2 0 port and route your setup according to the following or as displayed in Figure 5 7 2 Connect the multicore cable labeled Audio 8 DJ Output to the Audio 8 DJ Out 1 2 CH A Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 75 i n t Figure 5 7 Routing for the Audio 8 DJ and Traktor
322. nate staff focused on quality Great source for merchandise and general DJ culture amazon com It s Amazon and it has everything enough said Amazon s recom mendation system is great for finding some invaluable audio related reading If You Know What You re After m discogs com If you know what you re looking for vinyl or CD wise Discogs is the place to find absolutely anything used It s basically the eBay of music but be prepared to pay a premium for the rare goods Streaming Tunes Internet radio isn t exactly a new invention but it has taken quite a while for usability to reach the levels that music lovers should expect While the primary method and therefore limitations of streaming radio stations are fundamentally the same you must have access to a stable Internet or mobile data connection the companies that have made names for themselves have done so by taking a relatively new approach in the world of radio They ve made it bilateral Individual users affect the balance of what is played through the airwaves A process of individually chosen likes and dislikes creates a filter that effectively personalizes radio stations based on listening habits Artists and record labels are given the oppor tunity to upload their creative output while click through links allow listeners to pur chase what they like an incredible feature for DJs on their downtime Most of the larger services offer downloadable player
323. nd MIDI notes or even as a step sequencer Obviously the faders are designed for track volumes but they also double as send and pan level controls If that s not enough simply remap the layout to suit your needs Further six APCs can be linked to Live simultaneously making Live easily one of the most adaptable performance platforms on the market Other Noteworthy Controllers Let me point out that the preceding list of controllers is not intended to display the only viable solutions available to digital DJs As mentioned earlier each was chosen to rep resent a different approach The massive number of DJs going digital has prompted an influx of MIDI controllers into the market The following list represents some of the more versatile options Manufacturer Model Website Faderfox DJ3 www faderfox de DX3 DL3 FX3 FT3 Allen amp Heath Xone 4D www xone co uk Vestax VCM 600 www vestax com Novation Launchpad www novationmusic com Korg nanoSeries www korg com If none of the controllers listed above catches your interest Swedish site www digitaldj se boasts an extraordinarily comprehensive list of digital DJ gear ranging from CDJs to 48 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer mixers and MIDI controllers of all types If spreadsheet price points and feature sets aren t enough links for each controller click through to a dedicated page containing YouTube product videos and PDF user documentation It
324. nd upon the advanced concepts men tioned here For now we will take a look at how to prepare Live for a MIDI synced setup Live as Master Using this configuration Live acts as the Master Clock source in other words the MIDI clock sync signal is sent from Live to a separate slave destination You could use this signal to sync another application on the same computer another computer running Live Traktor or Maschine as well as any number of other MIDI capable hardware drum machines effect units and so on 1 Ensure that your hardware is connected and configured properly in other words the output of your sending MIDI interface master connects to the MIDI input of the receiving device slaved computer drum machine and so on Ensure that the slave device is set to receive MIDI clock If the slave happens to Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 329 be another computer running Live also refer to the following Live as Slave section Navigate to Preferences gt MIDI Sync Tab Find the appropriate MIDI output device from within the list and check the On button located under the Sync header see Figure 12 42 Figure 12 42 Send MIDI clock from a Live as master scenario by enabling the Sync out put button Press Play from Live s transport control bar You should see the slave device begin playback You will probably need to adjust the sync signal s offset The best way to equalize the difference is by setting al
325. ndependently fostered fundamental techniques and ideologies that persist through many of their DJ progeny Grasso visualized a DJ set as more than a sequence of prerecorded music he believed in the individual journey of each evening The showmanship of Grasso s performances erased the common view of DJs as venue accessories and in its place established the night club industry s rock star lynchpin The pursuit of this goal began at the New York club The Sanctuary and bequeathed several rudimentary techniques that persist to this day Among them are the slip cue tfinding and maintaining a record s cue position while the turntable platter continues to spin beneath the slipmat and beatmatching using a turntable s pitch control to maintain matched tempos between two or more decks Further Grasso is also said to have mixed duplicate records to extend sections of a song for the dance floor nearly simultaneous to Kool Herc s experiments with pre hip hop funk records Where Grasso s early Sanctuary experience yielded the key technical and performance manifestations of modern DJs the days of Mancuso s Loft club represent the realiza tion of abstractions on the ultimate dancing environment The Loft is widely considered to be the simultaneous birth of modern nightclubs and disco music a rejection of New York s growing nightclub exclusivity and pretension Rather the Loft s principles were based around a love of music a love of dan
326. nearly four times the con trol precision of MIDI Further bidirectional feedback between Traktor and the X1 informs DJs of parameter status removing the need to look at the computer m Built upon a robust Maschine like chassis the X1 see Figure 3 11 sits flush against its sibling controller thereby streamlining an advanced performance setup Seating the X1 inside the optional protective casing places the controller at standard club mixer height enabling unobstructed access to features such as playback cue points looping effects and so on Figure 3 11 The handiness of the X1 becomes obvious when reaching for your software con troller suddenly feels logical m For DJs using all four Traktor decks a second X1 can be hot plugged for immediate access to Traktor Decks C D and all of the related controls There is no setup or configuration necessary 46 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer m Like the Maschine and Kore controllers the X1 can be switched to MIDI mode to extend instant integration to any other MIDI capable software Note Serato users Native Instruments created an X1 controller template expressly for SSL In addition to preconfigured software controls the X1 bundle includes an alternate Serato specific hardware controller overlay Akai Professional APC20 APC40 If you use Ableton and want a controller with features conceived to reach inside of Live the APC40 is your go
327. nectivity 28 29 converters 30 31 drivers 31 32 inputs 29 30 MIDI 31 outputs 29 reasons for 27 28 selection considerations 28 Traktor audio setup 70 71 SoundCloud website 60 Soundflower system 302 Soundpacks 42 SP 6 Sample Player Deck behaviors 225 Display menu 222 enabling 222 Hold play mode 224 Level function 223 Level meter function 223 Mode function 222 On Off play mode 224 Output Select function 222 overview 221 Overview function 223 Pitch function 223 Play button 223 Play From function 223 Replay play mode 224 Sample banks function 223 Trigger play mode 224 vinyl behaviors 224 225 speed hard drive 62 63 processor 26 Spooky DJ 14 Spotify website 60 SSD solid state drive technology 63 SSL Serato Scratch Live Absolute mode 210 album art 195 197 206 Analysis function 199 200 audio setup configuration latency settings 190 191 overview 189 SL3 hardware setup 190 software setup 190 193 Aux Deck plug in 213 BPM estimate 200 Bridge 35 36 calibration process 208 209 Classic Horitonzal Mode 194 Classic Vertical Mode 194 controller assignment keyboard shortcuts 226 MIDI controls 226 228 overview 225 Corrupt File icon 200 crate copying 207 deleting 201 history 205 moving 201 refreshing 202 smart 201 202 standard 201 cue points 213 214 display modes 193 195 DJ FX plug ins 218 221 features of 34 35 File button 198 file management 205 208 graph
328. net bandwidth were expen sive and in short supply Today 4 GB HD movies download in well under a half hour What is my point Simply put compressed audio formats such as MP3 MP4 AAC and so on are con sumer level file types that are optimized and squished so that we can fit more than 10 000 songs onto our iStuff iPhone iPods iPads and any other MP3 players In some respects this makes sense However artists performing as professionals should be using audio in a professionally encoded format Professional studios never use com pressed audio during the recording process in order to capture audio at its most pris tine So why should this practice diminish in the performance realm Stick with WAV AIFF files whenever possible To be sure Live s versatility is further exemplified by the number of file types that it supports however note that all com pressed audio formats are decompressed into Live s Decoding Cache on import For example if I tried to save space with MP3 files any MP3 loaded into a Live set would then exist on the hard drive as a compressed and a decompressed file in other words even more space is ultimately used Unfortunately it isn t always possible to obtain WAV or AIFF Mac specific files through online record shops Beatport for example gives customers that option granted at an extra expense If you have a large CD collection you already have music files in at least 16 bit 44 1 kHz o
329. new audio clip Let s try it for ourselves First right click OS X Control click on a short loop and choose the Slice to New MIDI Track see Figure 12 16 Once the loop is chosen a box containing various slicing options will pop up see Fig ure 12 17 The upper drop down menu tells Live how and where to make slices within your audio clip whereas the lower menu contains different Slicing Preset configura tions such as chain effects and macros I recommend testing these out on your own but pay particular attention to the macro controls tweaking them can yield some interesting results Tip After you have sliced your audio clip take note that each drum rack pad is able to hold individual effect chains Dropping different types of effects onto random pads often leaves you with some pretty crazy results Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 311 Edit Info Text Extract Groove s Deactivate Clip s Show in Browser Slice to New MIDI Track EERE EEE EEE EE ri Pe eee gg _ E S888 eal ERE EEE Figure 12 16 Try using the Slice to New MIDI Track command on sections of old songs that you ve grown tired of Afterwards you ll look at your music library in a whole new light Figure 12 17 Use the context menus to define how your loops get sliced to a new MIDI track As soon as you start digging through tracks to chop up bear in mind that this feature maintains a ceiling of 128 slices Therefore rather than trying to slice a wh
330. ng Tin BPM Middie Row Artist Total Time Tampo Bottom Row Label Release Beats Figure 7 41 Configure your Deck Details here i On 05 54 124 00 A Pn Jason Emsley 06 44 0 0 v Figure 7 42 View your Deck Details here m Navigate to Preferences gt Transport gt Beat Counter see Figure 7 43 and adjust the Bars per Phrase slider as desired As an example 16 bars per phrase will count up from 1 1 1 to 1 16 4 before progressing to 2 1 1 Figure 7 43 Adjust the slider to configure how many bars per phrase are shown in the Deck Details Ensure that you establish your grid marker on the first downbeat of the track Doing so will guarantee a proper readout within the Deck Display allowing you to drop tracks at the right moment If the grid marker is set properly cueing to the track s first downbeat should show 1 1 1 within the Deck Display Mixing in Key Simply stated the DJ technique of harmonic mixing is finding a creative blend between two or more tracks that have a relationship of the same key a relative key sharing harmonic space within the Circle of Fifths and so on Music itself is composed of organized sounds falling somewhere within the frequency range of human hearing gen erally between 20 Hz and 20 kHz Where does Traktor fall into this equation Traktor provides DJs with tools to blend and manipulate musical frequencies into new and interesting cohesive compositions Tip If harmoni
331. ng from the live playback of keyboards percussion and so on 148 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer With regard to Traktor quantization refers to playback synchronicity in reference to Traktor s beat based Beatgrid In practice this is particularly useful when moving through cue points or hot cues working with loops or simply jumping around within a track Timing is kept entirely synchronized through each jump even with the Deck Sync function turned off One thing to be aware of before jumping around within a track is that you should consider what the crowd is hearing Unintentionally moving from an audibly complex section to an intro drum loop can sound pretty terrible To engage the Quantize func tion simply click on Quant within the Global section s Master panel Mixing in Sync Phrases Beats and Bars When you are playing songs that follow a traditional song structure certain sections of tracks tend to mix together more smoothly than others Taking an example from electronic dance music again some type of audible shift usually occurs every 4 8 16 or 32 bars Subtle emotive or obnoxious whatever form it takes is usually fairly obvious within a track s progression Simply stated a musical phrase can be seen as a unit of music exhibiting some form of definitive structural completeness Commonly phrases can be distinguished from one another by varying intensity for example th
332. ngs us to the most important aspect of digital DJ software control It doesn t really matter if you are using a keyboard and mouse or a tabletop of MIDI control hardware as long as you are able to use your tools to perform then you are doing your job If you have past experience with MIDI capable software there are parts of Serato s controller assignment that will instantly feel familiar and there are others that might feel somewhat limiting Of particular note is Serato s lack of external MIDI clock and LED output functionality The former allows performers to sync drum machines and or other performance software such as Traktor or Ableton the latter allows customiz able bidirectional LED states on certain MIDI control surfaces A common application of LED status deals with parameter on off buttons such as with Deck playback or 226 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer effect unit states don t confuse this with Serato Approved hardware which does sup port this behavior Keyboard Shortcuts SSL s control behaviors are probably best exemplified through keyboard shortcuts or hotkeys Because Serato upgrades are released fairly often and quite commonly with new feature additions it would be best to refer to Serato s user documentation for a list of supported hotkeys Personally I prefer to have the option to customize control behaviors within my soft ware it s simply the way that my bra
333. nment The hardware doesn t function as a soundcard outside of Serato whereas the Audio 4 or 8 can be used as a standalone audio interface in conjunction with other studio applications such as Ableton or Logic and SSL does not offer a software only internal mixing mode Serato s ITCH application does offer software only mixing however so check the serato com website for more information There has been talk about releasing for example ASIO drivers for the SL3 for some time however as of the writing of this book the driver is currently unavailable Finally the most potentially deadly situation Serato users find themselves in concerns the moment when artists switch over Unlike Native Instruments passive DJ products which pass signal through the multicore cables from the turntables using real vinyl or CDJs using standard CDs with or without a computer connected the SL1 and SL3 require either an external power supply or a direct connection to a computer via USB If this connection gets severed during a performance the audience is treated to a loud thump followed by 190 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer silence If you re prepared this doesn t really pose an issue so just be aware of this minor difference Note If you are unfamiliar with the term software only mixing refers to the ability to open your laptop on an airplane for example and mix without con necting any external h
334. not DJ with Live Unlike Traktor or Serato which digital analog aside are both evolutions of traditional DJ culture Live seems to have fallen into this category through guilt by association Nonetheless DJ culture has unquestionably influenced Live s development as much as Live s development has trickled into applications such as Traktor or Serato This is plainly evidenced by the recent Live Serato Bridge functionality Advantages and Disadvantages So has Ableton become the ultimate DJ application At the end of the day bloggers reviewers online forums and so on don t have the answer it s up to the individual artist Although Ableton was more of DJ culture appropriation than say Traktor or Serato it still stands among the industry s most powerful DJ tools because of its adaptability For example DJs who feel trapped by Traktor or Serato s two or four deck structures are free to expand their track count options inside Live s relatively open ended design Along those lines whereas Traktor and Serato have somewhat fixed signal flows Live s track based routing options allow performers to send receive and reroute audio virtually anywhere Factor Max MSP into the equation and Live s boundaries expand even further If you produce as well as perform music Live could very well be your one stop solu tion There really isn t any other software on the market that so efficiently allows artists to flip between the stu
335. nterface I mentioned this already but the efficiency of communication between your computer and its audio hardware is known as latency Within DVS software latency is understood as the time it takes between moving the control vinyl and actually hearing the result of that movement for exam ple scratching out of the speakers As you can see in Figure 9 3 the degree of Serato s latency is controlled from Setup gt Hardware gt USB Buffer Size Latency Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 191 POWER SUPPLY ly fy Figure 9 2 Hooking up the SL3 to a DJ mixer Hardware Playback Vinyl Gontrol Library Display Plugins USB Butter Size Latency 10 15 E E Iz a et ee es Pe E ee ee ed er he ee L 0 8 S O o8 i fb Pp eee F Figure 9 3 Use this slider to adjust SSL s latency settings Tighter control is achieved with a lower buffer size unfortunately though there is no magical absolute value Because the degree of this setting is ultimately controlled by the speed of your computer try lowering the setting until you experience dropouts pops and or glitching Just above that point is your optimum value 192 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Virtual decks Current track panels Track overview display Main waveform display Tempo matching display SCR Toe Lie a 6 e eE ET ey ge i 18 37 f Sneak cn lil Parallels ize E Mark Broom OF7 26 67 Jason E
336. nterface appears somewhat simplistic and dry Trust me when I say that this is a good thing Live s Session view is structured such that necessary features are compartmentalized and can be shown hid den for clear instantaneous access Live performers do not need years of technical experience as producers audio engineers or DJs to understand Live s logical signal flow Within the performance realm the vast majority of artists utilize Live s Session view because it represents a methodical approach to controlling sounds live not too far removed from the straightforward audio routing inherent to a DJ mixer One Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 245 T kiai HO i BO 7 a gt a E Gi a a E B gt HE P I rai 1 WSS 23 Cait a Fa ica ica ca Jc afc il E i gt QS Figure 10 14 Live s Session view advantage is that this particular DJ mixer isn t hardwired meaning that you can add and remove components as you like Don t have enough channels Add a few more Need some more effects Drop them in an aux track Don t like nightclub DJ mixers Find a MIDI controller that you love and use the intuitive MIDI Mapping mode to construct your own Notice that Figure 10 15 shows four types of channel strips audio MIDI return and master Each type provides independent audio sources with a discrete signal routing path to virtually any location ins
337. ntrolled effects 6 Cruise Activates the automatic playback of the currently selected playlist Also known as Autoplay 7 Tick Sends the Beatgrid synced beat tick to the monitor output Use as a metronome or click track while setting Beatgrids Cue must be engaged on the appropriate Deck in order to hear the signal The Master Clock Panel The Master Clock panel shown in Figure 5 12 represents Trak tor s virtual heart because it provides the pulse for any and all timing information sent to Figure 5 12 Traktor s Master Clock panel Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 81 and from the application Everything from internally syncing Traktor s Decks to slaving a drum machine to using Traktor s MIDI clock revolves around the Master Clock panel 1 Deck Master mode Manual All Master Deck tempo and Sync functions are assigned by hand m Auto Traktor intelligently assigns one of the Decks as the master tempo source 2 Clock Master mode m Int The master tempo dictates the internal clock source to which Traktor s four Decks are synced m Ext The master tempo is determined from an external MIDI clock source 3 Master tempo parameters Master Clock Tempo Displays the current master tempo and relevant offset yellow phase meter Tick Sends the Master Clock synced beat tick to the monitor output Tap Manually adjust the Master Clock by tapping in the tempo Master Clock Pitch Bend Temporarily bump the Master
338. nual uses standard office supplies in its analogy explaining Warp Markers and it works very well Using Ableton s example as a guideline think of time as a ruler an audio file as a rubber band and Warp Markers as pins or tacks If every inch represents a beat 4 inches make up one bar So Let s say that your Live set s tempo ruler is set to 120 bpm If you used your tacks to stick a 90 bpm track rubber band to the ruler it would stretch over the 4 inch mark well past your target Since you want your 90 bpm song to play at 120 bpm the outer tack must be moved back to 4 inches without cutting or losing any of the audio file s content As the loop is made shorter the most visible change is that beat transients are brought closer together Figure 11 26 shows the 90 bpm track set against our 120 bpm ruler On the other hand Figure 11 27 shows our 90 bpm track once it has been brought up to 120 bpm Time the ruler hasn t changed however the track s playback in relation to time rub ber band has changed The track plays more of its beats in less time therefore the track plays at a faster tempo If you are one for analogies moving these tacks bears some similarity to moving Warp Markers 288 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Figure 11 26 Pre time stretch iNT RT IMA TT AU AAMAMD LMM 184200 LAA A 8 LA Hy m Ti PTY TPA Figure 11 27 Post time stretch Note tha
339. o NI s Maschine controller robust and designed for the inevitable rough treatment gear receives in transit I was fortunate enough to be in NI s Berlin office on a few occasions during the early stages of the X1 s development so I got to witness various degrees of the X1 s progression from its concept stage to its final release A commendable effort was focused on the finer details from the knobs of the X1 s Effects section to the push encoders of the Browse and Loop Sections even the mechanics of the click down buttons scattered around the rest of the X1 were all carefully chosen Most of the default Traktor assignments are sound The click down encoders in Figure 8 15 make browsing Traktor s collection fast and effective Figure 8 16 displays Traktor s intuitive Transport section controlling syncing cues Beatjumps scratch con trols and so on FX inserts are assigned via the clearly labeled FX buttons however for me the most important part of the entire controller is the Loop section shown in Figure 8 17 DJs are given direct access to loop in out and autoloops nested immedi ately adjacent to the Hotcue page command the primary controls I consistently reach for track after track Figure 8 16 Use the X1 s Transport section to control Traktor s playback behaviors Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 177 SEO i n OSIZE LIP amp ir Loe ig 4 Figure 8 17 Use the Loop knobs for experiment
340. o on m All tempo changes must be enacted from the master tempo external source m All Deck Sync functions follow the incoming MIDI timing information Confused The single best way to understand these settings is to test each of them out Although there are subtle differences between each mode they each serve a specific purpose To help you understand Traktor s powerful Sync function let s do a quick run through of internal syncing 1 Check Int within the Master Clock area of the Global section 2 Load and play tracks into both Deck A and Deck B Note the cyclical shifting of the Phase meter s yellow bar on the Slave non Master Deck 3 Click and hold the Pitch Bend buttons on either Deck and notice how the Phase meter adjusts accordingly Alternatively click and drag the Phase meter s yel low bar to bring the phase back in sync 4 Press the Sync button on both Decks yellow active Each Phase meter s yellow bar should hold steady in the center Figures 7 5 through 7 7 show the Phase meter in various states 5 Notice that the Deck playback never drops out of time Try slowly adjusting the Master Clock tempo by clicking the and buttons and notice how the synced Decks follow accordingly Additionally double click on the Tempo field and try entering a new bpm Figure 7 5 Phase synced Figure 7 6 Phase 1 2 beat ahead Figure 7 7 Phase 1 4 beat behind As you can see Traktor s Sync feature
341. o the playback position of the loaded track in other words needle dropping with the timecode vinyl emulates needle dropping with real vinyl Use Absolute mode if you want Serato to behave as true to vinyl as possible ABS REL INT Figure 9 33 SSL s Absolute mode Note You may have noticed that the Loop functions are missing from Absolute mode The reason for this is simple Once a loop is engaged the absolute Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 211 positioning of the control record is no longer relevant in other words the audio file s playback position becomes relative to the control vinyl CD s playback speed direction only Switch to Relative mode to combine Loop functions with external vinyl CD control Relative Mode While you are performing in Relative mode see Figure 9 34 the control vinyl CDs only control the forward backward scratching movements in other words needle position ing has no relation to track playback positioning Use Relative mode if you are after skip less playback if the needle accidentally jumps for example while scratching or when some punter bumps the decks the track picks up precisely where it left off 06 08 99 4 Mo 19 45 ABS REL INT HM 00 00 2 MH 00 369 gt 03 12 6 MH 04 570 song rtist Figure 9 34 SSL s Relative mode Additionally you should immediately notice that Relative mode offers several addi tional performance features over Absolute mo
342. oach digital DJing from a particular context These days its common to meet artists who use lap tops to perform to dig for music as record crates as home studios and even as mobile offices to run their record labels These artists might use Ableton to produce their tracks bounce out those ideas and then directly import them into Traktor or Serato Because Traktor doesn t offer support for third party plug ins they might run Ableton in the background as an advanced effects rack If that s not enough the option is there to just stick with Ableton alone and sync up a drum machine in order to inject live elements into a DJ set Despite all of the choices the unifying theme here is the ubiquitous laptop which in and of itself is digital DJing s double edged sword The upside Computers provide artists with possibilities that would be virtually unaffordable if not entirely impossible to spread across individual hardware equivalents The downside Jumping into bed with any digital music software assumes a certain degree of computer proficiency Loosely it s sort of like playing the guitar if a string breaks then what For these reasons the first few chapters are constructed to help explain this potentially confusing subject matter Each subsequent chapter is thereby designed to define and demonstrate the potential offered by three innovative software packages Traktor Scratch Pro Serato Scratch Live and Ableton Live 331 332 T
343. ocuments gt Native Instruments gt Traktor m PC My Documents gt Native Instruments gt Traktor Tip Copy the Traktor folder somewhere safe You ll be happy you did on the off chance that your hard drive blows up To reassign the Traktor root folder 1 Open the Traktor Preferences and click on the Data Location tab 2 Click on the button on the right hand side of Root Dir 3 Point the OS X Finder or Windows Explorer to the new location of the Traktor root folder 4 To go back to the original location click Default Dir Maintaining Multiple Collections As an example let s say that you want to maintain Traktor s collection between two computers your studio machine where you do all your collection management cues loops playlists and so on and your laptop with which you perform To successfully accomplish this you will need an external hard drive to house all of your data Studio computer 1 Connect the external hard drive to your studio computer 2 Copy your music library to the external hard drive For example if you keep all of your tracks under a folder called Music drag and drop this file into a logical location on the connected hard drive 3 Copy the Traktor root folder to the external hard drive Unless otherwise specified it will be under User gt Documents gt Native Instruments gt Traktor 4 Launch Traktor and open the Preferences 5 Select the Data Location tab and click Ad
344. ode configuration 128 Turntablelab website 59 turntablism DJing history 12 14 U Ugsmag website 61 Ultra Knob mode 219 undergroundhiphop website 58 updating Ableton Live 233 Serato Scratch Live SSL 188 189 Traktor Scratch Pro 68 URB website 61 U S Copyright Act 54 USB port 63 V versions 9 Vestax VCM 600 controller 47 Village People 14 Villalobos Ricardo 22 vinyl behaviors Serato 224 225 Vinyl mode mouse control 129 von Oswald Mortiz 19 W Walker Johnny 17 Warehouse 16 17 Warp Marker Ableton Live 287 293 Warp modes Ableton Live 293 294 WAV file type 299 300 website Amazon 59 Bleep 58 Boomkat 57 Cycling 74 302 Discogs 107 Dusty Groove 58 Factmag 61 Hard Wax 58 hypem 61 Juno 59 Last fm 60 61 Pitchfork 61 ResidentAdvisor 61 Serato 188 SoundCloud 60 Spotify 60 Turntablelab 59 Ugsmag 61 undergroundhiphop 58 URB 61 The Wire 61 xlr8r 61 Wet Dry Advanced parameter 165 Wolpe Stefan 7 World DMC Champs Germany s Rafik 14 X X Ecutioners 14 XLR input 29 xlr8r website 61 Favorites 100 transport functions Ableton Live 268 folders 99 Transport section Traktor Kontrol X1 History 101 176 importing 95 96 102 103 Tresor 19 Xone filter 151 preparation 100 101 Trigger launch mode Ableton Live 275 removing tracks from 103 Trigger play mode Serato 224 Z renaming 103 triode 7 resetting 103 TSI Tracktor Settings Info
345. of complexity a benefit during a performance Right click OS X Control click on any device parameter inside your Rack As you can see in Figure 12 24 you can map any assignable parameter directly to a macro command and thus your MIDI controller Show Automation Show Automation In New Lane Copy Value to Siblings 2 Edit MIDI Map Edit Key Map Edit Macro Map Map to Macro 1 Map to Macro 2 Map to Macro 3 Map to Macro 4 Map to Macro 5 Map to Macro 6 Map to Macro 7 Map to Macro 8 Figure 12 24 Use this context menu to assign and manage your macro commands 318 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer But there are so many controls and only eight macros Luckily one macro can hold several assignments For example try assigning delay time and delay feedback chorus feedback and reverb wet dry to the same macro Map this macro to any knob on your MIDI controller and you have an incredibly powerful effect for building dance floor tension using only one movement Stretch this kind of behavior across a controller like Novation s APC40 and you have a seriously devas tating combination of sounds Note If your macro list becomes unmanageable click Edit Macro Map within the context menu shown in Figure 12 23 Use this Macro Mappings window to view and manage all of your macro assignments accordingly Regrettably the depth of what is possible with an instrument effect Rack goes beyond Part
346. of playing There are tons of Monome community member made patches available that let you play synthesizers drum machines and so on in dozens of different ways that are just not possible with other controllers The Controllers When the idea of the digital DJ first became a reality the proverbial line in the sand was drawn across DJ culture Over time DJing evolved out of the obscure corners of warehouses and nightclubs and a living breathing jukebox became the center of atten tion DJing became a legitimate stage act and DJs became performers At first the introduction of laptops caused a backlash from fans and artists in part because nobody wanted to go and see a stage act stand in front of his laptop and fiddle with a mouse Most people get their fill of that at work every day Fortunately the development of specifically designed MIDI controllers helped legitimize the perfor mance side of digital DJing Chapter 3 Gear 45 Consequently Native Instruments and Ableton with AKAI have independently designed their own devices specifically aimed at steering their respective DJ software Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol X1 Regardless of whether you perform with Traktor s control vinyl the X1 simply can t be beat with regard to its wide reaching scope of functionality and ease of use m When considering a controller for precision control know that the X1 uses the Native Hardware Library NHL technology providing
347. of the Traktor manual for detailed information on all available parameters and how their behaviors can benefit your performance However there is one particularly potent section of Traktor s Controller Manager that I feel needs highlighting modifiers Modifiers Throughout the process of personalizing Traktor s MIDI configuration you may have noticed how easy it is to run out of unassigned MIDI controller knobs buttons faders and so on Even mapping Traktor s controls across the most comprehensive MIDI devi ces requires a fair amount of planning preparation and everyone s favorite patience As you sequentially map out Volume faders FX panels EQs loops cues and so on at some point you will probably run out of unassigned hardware controls So what then Meet Traktor s modifiers For basic comparative terms think of a modifier as the Shift Ctrl OS X Command or Alt OS X Option keys on your computer s keyboard Also known as keyboard Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 159 shortcuts Traktor s modifiers are somewhat like the standard Save Copy Edit and Print hotkeys used by most word processing applications In essence a modifier activates an alternate task when used in combination with any key button fader knob When you run out of unassigned hardware controls defining a modifier will for example allow you to use one knob to control Traktor s EQ filter and FX parameters Traktor p
348. ol knob 1 controls the wet dry balance for FX panels 1 2 3 and 4 respectively Now while simultaneously holding DX2 buttons 1 and 2 DX2 FX Con trol knobs 1 2 3 and 4 change the effect type for FX panels 1 2 3 and 4 respectively Now let s say that we want to get really crazy with our effects yay Just for fun let s assign one last dual condition modifier to simultaneously control the wet dry mix for all four FX panels The relevant assignments could be 1 Open Preferences gt Controller Manager 2 Under Assignment Table highlight the bottom most Dry Wet Advanced within the list as I have done in Figure 8 11 Control VO Assignment Mode Mapped to Condi Con Modifier 1 In Global Hold Chi6 Note D6 Modifier 2 In Global Hold Ch 16 Note D 6 Modifier 3 In Global Hold Chi6 Note A6 Modifier 4 In Global Hold Chi6 Note A6 Comment Modifier Value Modifier Value Modifier Conditions M4 a il Type of Controller Fader Knob Interaction Mode Direct Assignment FXUnit4 Gi Soft Takeover Invert Figure 8 11 The Duplicate button can save you loads of time inside the Controller Manager 3 Click Duplicate four times Notice within the following table that by duplicating the Wet Dry Advanced parame ter we have retained the MIDI Learn Mapped To assignment Again we still want to use DX2 knob 1 to control the overall wet dry balance we re just taking it one step 166 The Laptop DJ Handbook Se
349. older tree shows up navigate to the folder Figure 9 17 To import music into Serato s Library click the File button and point Serato to your music folders Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 199 or files that you want to import Click and drag the folder or files and drop it or them on the icon labeled All within the Crates and Playlists window found on the left side of the screen You can apply this process to individual audio files subfolders or an entire directory of music As I said there are also a handful of other import methods available m Open the OS X Finder Windows Explorer and drag files or a folder directly into the Crates and Playlists window Dropping the files folder onto the All icon will import all of the songs into the overall Library dropping the files folder onto a Crate will import all of those songs into that Crate and dropping the files folder onto a blank space will create a new Crate with all of the relevant songs m Open the OS X Finder Windows Explorer and directly drag and drop files onto one of Serato s Virtual Decks The track is immediately ready to play and now resides within the Library m Navigate to Setup gt Library gt Read iTunes Library Selecting this option will show and import the files within your iTunes Library Bear in mind that this does not include any DRM protected m4p files on the other hand m4a iTunes Plus files are supported m Load a CD into your laptop s CD DVD dri
350. ole song carve out shorter audio clips and slice those up instead Figure 12 18 shows one of my audio clips after using the Slice to New MIDI Track command The Track view of your new MIDI track displays the new drum rack and all of your slices as played from Live s Sampler instrument device As you can see I have clicked on Slice 16 from the Pad section This correlates to the highlighted slice within the Sampler s Sample display So what is the best way to learn how this all sounds Experiment for yourself Finally refer to the Live manual for more information about the Slice to New MIDI Track command as well as the devices it uses A few features were added since the 312 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer A Figure 12 18 Tweak the macros and or the Sampler s parameters to drastically alter the sound of your sliced audio clip release version of Live 8 a theme that may continue with future updates With that said the user documentation should reflect the specifics Looping Given that Live so efficiently handles audio looping within a production context its onstage efficiency is hardly surprising It s simple Loop controls are global meaning that once assigned to a MIDI control surface the same controls are used to manipulate any clip you select within the Session Mixer Figure 12 19 displays the Loop controls which are found within both the Notes box MIDI clip and the Sample box audio
351. oller Mode Options Cond1 Modifier 1 Button Direct Set to Value 0 M1 1 Modifier 1 Button Direct Set to Value 1 M1 0 If that s not enough modifier action let s go a little bit further Leaving all of our previous settings as they are let s say that I want to expand upon the single Wet Dry FX Panel control I still want independent control over the individual FX panels but I also want to use the same DX2 FX Control knobs as used for the wet dry mix to select the types of effects across all four panels 164 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer This would be a perfect example of a situation within which to use two modifier con ditions The concept is the same but the implementation takes one more step that is pressing an additional Shift function Once again using the computer keyboard example the action of two modifiers is a lot like emptying your trash on Mac OS X Command Shift Delete Another way to think of utilizing two modifiers is as if and then statements And in this equation represents the second modifier If Modifier 1 and Modifier 2 are held then knob 1 on the DX2 is set as the effects selector for FX panel 1 As mentioned we will build upon the previous assignments explained within the mod ifier examples above To assign the second modifier and relevant controls Open Preferences gt Controller Manager Under Assignment Table choose Add In gt FX Advanced gt
352. oller should be Monome as a com pany a device and an idea serves as a noteworthy case study into the delicate balance between form and function The minimally designed control surfaces force performers to rethink the methodology of making music A lack of faders knobs crossfaders key boards and an on off switch frees users from traditionalist methods and assumptions while simultaneously rewarding discovery and experimentation Brian s explanation of the Monome concept sums up the theoretical approach of the community as a whole by saying The wonderful thing about this device is that it doesn t do anything really Abstractly this says enough The concrete reality is that the Monome controller can be adapted for whatever situation is desired at any given time It is likely the purest most flexible and most beautiful control device to date As you can see in Figure 3 10 the various Monome controller models are absolutely gor geous pieces of equipment Figure 3 10 Simplicity in form and function with a Monome you truly are performing on a piece of art 44 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Using the Open Sound Control OSC protocol the Monome is able to speak to any number of MIDI compatible applications such as Ableton through a simple OSC to MIDI converter The controller s versatility becomes obvious when interfacing with applications such as the visual programming language M
353. ollow the Master Clock tempo 4 Press Play on all four Decks All tracks should be playing back in sync 5 Use the Traktor Browser to load tracks into the various Decks and notice that they immediately jump into synced playback Autoloop Loading If you like the idea of the Synchro Start function the next natural step belongs to Autoloop Loading Not only will your tracks immediately load presynced but they will also cue to a designated playback position with looping engaged This style of performance is particularly powerful when executed across playlists of preconfigured tracks Ensure that Traktor is properly set for Synchro Start playback as listed previ ously and then modify the following 1 Store a load cue point at the desired start position within a handful of tracks 2 Store a loop point of the desired length directly on top of the load cue point in other words click the load cue point hot cue click the desired autoloop size and then click the next unassigned hot cue slot or the Store button to store it 3 Open Preferences gt Controller Manager and select the relevant mapping under Device Setup 4 Select Add In gt Load gt Load Loop Play 5 Click Learn and press a key on your keyboard or a button on your MIDI controller 6 Test out the assignment on a few different tracks Note If you have or use extremely short loops think locked grooves you may want to adjust the Auto Detect Size slider in Figure
354. ompetitors such as Faderfox s DX3 and Allen amp Heath s Xone 1D Small form fac tor readily accessible knobs faders and buttons rugged build quality and bilateral symmetry speak to the mirrored configurations of traditional and digital DJ stage set ups However the advantage users gain with the X1 lies within the fact that NI devel oped a controller intended primarily for its own DJ software Software integration is enhanced through what NI refers to as its bidirectional Native Hardware Library NHL control protocol This proprietary data stream gives DJs nearly four times the resolution of MIDI s 128 steps which is great when considering the importance of smooth filter sweeps accurate FX control and so on Plugging in the X1 provides instant plug and play functionality out of the box If you have Traktor launched and you pop in the X1 via the provided USB 2 0 cable you are prompted with the instructions as shown in Figure 8 14 Click OK and touch any of the X1 controls magic If you use all four Decks hot plugging a second X1 instantly provides control over Decks C and D Traktor Native Instruments A Traktor Kontrol X1 has been connected Do you want to replace your current FX presets with the Traktor Kontrol X1 FX presets Figure 8 14 The X1 s connection prompt 1 6 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer The X1 Layout The X1 hardware itself is built upon a similar chassis t
355. on as a whole It s a perfect example of software that was purposely designed to capture the artistic experience Even where that expe rience has nothing to do with recording Ableton has done its job when Live adapts around our creative moments So you have reached the end of Part 1 s content Within the next and final chapter I will briefly summarize what we ve covered thus far with the slant of introducing where Part 2 will take us Parting Thoughts for Next Time 13 J hen I started this project I assumed that 350 pages or so would be suf ficient to complete a music technology manual of this sort However by the time I was about halfway through it my editors and I reached the con clusion that the project would make more sense in two parts an initial volume for beginner intermediate users followed by a second volume aimed at a somewhat more experienced audience As a result of this decision I am able to make the project alto gether more comprehensive This initial volume is intended to offer a bit of introductory direction to a wide ranging DJ audience although more specifically it is directed at the gear freaks who share a common interest in the tools that make modern DJ culture tick By no means does this book exhaust every option on the market but it does present the three products central to shaping the future of digital DJing For these two parts taken as a whole I felt that it was important to appr
356. on if you are aiming for smooth transitions in your mixing however without automatic quantization enabled you can trigger hot cues at will much like a groovebox phrase sampler or a drum machine Further if Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 173 you also uncheck Snap mode cue point behavior will not magnetically snap to the closest Beatgrid Why does this matter Because now you can set a cue point anywhere inside a track in other words hot cues do not have to sit on beat Store a hot cue on a kick snare hat and ride Map each hot cue to individual MIDI controller buttons think NI s Maschine controller What do we have An improvised drum sampler Don t limit yourself to mapping the drums from tracks you already have Create your own loops find one shot sound FX on the Internet even record your own found sound D J software doesn t get much more individualized than this And so on 1 Uncheck Quant and Snap from the Master panel 2 Set the Mouse Control to Vinyl from Preferences gt Transport gt Mouse Control 3 Load a track with some interesting percussion 4 Click and drag to any drum sound within the Waveform display for example a kick drum 5 Click an unassigned hot cue slot or click Store and remap your hot cues 6 Open Preferences gt Controller Manager and select the relevant mapping under Device Setup 7 Click Add In gt Cue Loops gt Select Set Store Hotcue 8 Click Learn and pr
357. one of your tracks This data is stored onto the file itself so if you bring the track to another computer the same data instantly appears exactly as you stored it Press Ctrl E to jump into the Tag Edit mode If you hold down Ctrl and press the left or right arrow keys on your keyboard the text entry box will jump to the previous or next field respectively As an alternative you can simply double click within a field to make quick changes to specific track info 206 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Album Art One particularly useful addition to DJ software is the inclusion of album art Not only is it a good way to tie visual aids to your music but it also helps inject a bit of character into the inherently dry nature of digital file structures If your ID3 tags do not already contain any album art images simply drag any JPEG or PNG image file from the OS X Finder Windows Explorer and drop it directly onto the relevant audio file while one of the Album Art views is visible Alternatively select a track within the Song Browser and drag and drop the image file directly onto the Album Art window located in the bottom left corner of the GUI see Figure 9 28 If you want to hide the Album Art window simply click the Album Art button to toggle it on off To change the viewable image size navigate to Setup gt Library and adjust the album art size accordingly a Album Art W Edit Figure 9 28 S
358. ontroller from the drop down menu As you can see in Figure 8 2 I have chosen my Maschine controller for this example If you are using a standardized MIDI device that only offers a five pin DIN MIDI connection no USB FireWire like the previous generation of Faderfox MIDI controllers you will need to choose the In Port of your MIDI interface for example the Audio 8 DJ MIDI input Device Setup Device Generic MIDI None IAC Driver Bus 1 Audio amp DJ MIDI ing Traktor Virtual Input i 0 0 i j Maschine Controller Assignment Table All Ports Figure 8 2 All connected MIDI capable gear should show up within the In Ports menu 4 Leave the Out Port and Device Target as they are for now Note Device Target is a useful assignment if you are using two or more con trollers For example one controller could be assigned to Deck A s functions while the other is assigned to Deck B s and so on Assigning Traktor Controls to MIDI After you have created your MIDI controller within Traktor s Controller Manager use these instructions as a generalized guideline for assigning Traktor controls to your MIDI hardware 156 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Note Bear in mind that Traktor s Interaction modes are entirely dependent on the type of hardware control and the specific Traktor command you are assign ing For example if you are binding a software command to a key on your com pu
359. or s most hotly disputed features Basi cally Sync automates the traditional beatmatching process to allow artists to focus their attention on other aspects of their performance Think about it Gather all the minutes spent beatmatching and what are you left with Time Digital DJs see this extra time gained as creative potential Like it or hate it the Sync function embodies a progressive concept through which digital DJing is developing and diversifying Acting as Traktor s heart the Master Clock panel see Figure 7 4 exhibits top level control over the Sync function Subdivided into two parts the actual sync behavior is either controlled by the Deck Master or by the Clock Master each of which deter mines specific playback conditions Figure 7 4 Use this panel to establish Traktor s Deck Sync behavior Deck Master Manual m The Master Clock tempo is determined by a manually chosen source that is by clicking the Master button at the top of the desired Deck Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 123 The Master Clock tempo displays that of the Master Deck Caution If you stop the current Master Deck ensure that you reassign a new master If you were to change the tempo of the stopped Master Deck and then press Play all of the Intermediate Synced Decks would jump up down in tempo following the Master tempo Deck Master Auto The Master Clock tempo and therefore status is automatically as
360. ot supported by your hardware Cut Copy Duplicate Rename Edit Info Text Delete Group Fold Show Preset Name Lock to Control Surface 1 APC40 Figure 12 31 Lock your go to parameters to a control surface for instant access to crucial functions 322 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Open Live s Preferences and click on the MIDI Sync tab As you can see in Figure 12 32 I have used the Control Surface drop down menu to choose two natively supported con trollers the AKAI APC40 and the Novation Launchpad The Input and Output options are just as simple Input tells Live where to listen for incoming control data and Output sends outbound status feedback to a controller In other words changes made in Live send levels clip status and so on are instantly reflected on controllers that support such behaviors Axiom 25 Classic Axiom 4961 Classi Picku Axiom DirectLink Figure 12 32 Use this drop down menu to assign any and all natively supported control surfaces For some controllers to operate with Live they may require what is referred to as a preset dump If you look immediately to the right of the control surface output chooser you will find the dump icons To receive this preset transfer your controller will have to be waiting for Live to transfer the information How the device is readied for preset dumps varies with the make and model so refer to your user documentation for f
361. ou have the latest updates from the manufacturer of your MIDI control surface s Within the last Traktor chapter I mentioned that one of my biggest gripes about the application is how controller assignments are handled within the Controller Manager Although Traktor supplies the most versatile MIDI implementation of any DJ software the window is simply too small and is a bit clunky to work with However within SSL and Ableton as you will see next MIDI assignment is simple and elegantly carried out To assign a MIDI command Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 22 Ensure that your MIDI devices are all connected properly via USB 2 0 or an external MIDI interface Click the MIDI button from the top right corner of SSL s GUI You will see the MIDI panel pop out underneath the Virtual Decks Within most audio applications this mode is commonly known as MIDI Learn clicking a software command with the mouse tells the application to listen for incoming MIDI messages Any incoming MIDI data from a hardware knob for example is then bound to the software command To view SSL s hidden parameters for example commands for the Left Deck Library or the Right Deck click the Show MIDI Panel button see Figure 9 60 Show MIDI Pane Figure 9 60 The Show MIDI Panel button As an example let s say that we want to assign a MIDI control knob to scroll the Song Browser Hover your mouse over the knob icon As you can see
362. ould cut portions think pie slices out of a few different EPs and then mix match and glue them back together as a new EP One project in particular 1985 s Record Without a Cover exemplifies Marclay s art ist as D J experiments in that he managed to express the life of a primary DJ tool vinyl The release was precisely as it sounds a limited uncovered record that was intention ally unprotected All damage wrought through transport storage and use was individ ual to each copy its life In addition to a person s intangible musical experiences Record Without a Cover also made each person s listening physically unique Although it was not exactly a record for the typical dance floor Marclay challenged cultural understandings of how to physically interact with vinyl Although not directly influenced by hip hop s formative years Marclay expressed a strong understanding of it In an interview with Music magazine Marclay explained HipHop didn t grow out of that kind of white nerdy high art culture It came out of the streets It was a simple direct way to make music And also a cheap way Rather than expensive musical instruments it was just some cheap records and a couple of Chapter 2 The Evolution of DJing 13 turntables There s an economic reason for this happening And in some strange way these two movements the Experimental music and the HipHop culture have kind of grown separately and there are very li
363. our MIDI Sync Setup esseeensssseeesssseeensssseersssseeesssseeeesssseeesssseeessseeeee 237 Creatine and Sane Y Our Live Sobeni eis e N E AN a ah 239 Live siner I or setae cc cere N R EE EE deen nama eaeeantnennamnotueaaened 242 E EN E T E EAEAN 243 SEO N N E E E E N EN N 244 I E E AN I AN E E E E E E E E O E E E E E 260 Mive e Sieh shu 6 EDA E E E E E aera Date En We ena a 267 Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 271 Slava Asi ve MDS osaa a a ANS 271 The CMDs Vite Wy arsine wscheinis ohh cseakeae A eaeadeaeidea ep eageleaneiaeeiaasaemiaenaeelaeelans 272 UEO o P metre A me rer O A nit N E Rite RUT N ROT nt are ern ere een nen Een ene eT 273 Toe Laon cigl le creer ane mn erent an tee eet OEO 275 Parcona ea C G EEN ANN 278 Sampie Box Audio i DI rre A A A A AEA 284 Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 297 Advantages and Disadvantae 69 ix scaricosssseguevestawnedueesdawmacemesdamads NEEE AER NERENS EEES 297 What Are the Best Pe Types aa o R 299 Rippe Vinyle a bab anbneneenree 300 Rippine Other Sources seer 301 X The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer EEE a A DAES EE IEE EET OE EE AE AE E E E 303 Preparine Your Muse Collecti ON ssri iissa a e aE E OE O 305 PETEN A K r E E E dasa de neue EAE aucuan ama uieaeMnanuiaae ek 307 Gitte rac ks srna a E A 307 EOOD O eae E EE E E E E E S 312 TE ES 55h St ENET EL A own ew sew NETIA T E E E E EET E 313 Mapping Lwe s Controller Assi NMEN S sereas EE A ARA 319
364. ouse effect the tempo changes inherent to DJing alter the pitch of prerecorded audio unless special processing is applied This special processing is the task of one of Live s numer ous Warp modes I ve already mentioned that Live uses Warp Markers as the means of tacking tempo changes to a bpm More important than the tacks themselves is what happens to the rubber band time stretching between them Given that one song usually sounds quite different from the next Ableton uses Warp modes to achieve the best results for vary ing musical content The drop down menu shown in Figure 11 36 displays the various Warp modes that Live employs Figure 11 36 Use this contextual menu to choose the appropriate Warp mode 294 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Beats mode Best suited for tracks and loops that have distinct rhythmic characteristics for example percussive house techno or hip hop loops transient bass or rhythm guitar parts and so on The way that Beats mode handles audio is fairly straightforward It loops the end of transients The Granular Resolution Transient Loop Mode and Transient Envelope settings allow you to alter the manner in which this time stretch function is manifested Tones mode Uses a form of granular resynthesis to time stretch tonal material with extended decay stages for example pianos synths guitars or FX styled noises The Grain Size parameter sho
365. ovided within the Session Mixer Audio Track When you re DJing with Live audio tracks are the performance bread and butter For example you could use one audio track to play songs from your music library another to pipe a singer s voice through effects on Live s aux tracks yet another for one shots FX and or pads and a few more for snippets of your own productions Further audio tracks are able to host any assortment of effect plug ins under the VST and Audio Unit formats or chosen from Live s wide array of bundled audio effects Figure 10 24 shows an example of an audio track Dragging the triangular track Vol ume handle fader determines a track s signal output level whereas dragging the track pan pot shifts the output balance left and right across the stereo field The numbered Track Activator button turns a track s status on yellow and off gray essentially acting as a mute button In Solo mode engaging the Solo Cue button S singles out the chosen channel by mut ing all of the other tracks In Cue mode engaging the Solo Cue button headphone Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 251 Figure 10 24 Live s audio track icon reroutes that particular channel s output through a specified physical output on your audio interface in other words this is one way you could cue or monitor your tracks before blending them into the main mix Which output this is depends on the interface output that you choose from
366. owledge Today this mentality could be loosely compared with peer to peer networks at some level a la carte 16 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Internet radio music blogging online music journalism and an attitude of This is who made it this is what it sounds like and this is why I love it Disco died a hard death in the very late 70s and early 80s A backlash against the ostentatious pomp that Studio 54 and its ilk exemplified was one of a dozen reasons behind disco s demise however disco s last gasp began as is typical once the major labels saw profitability in the genre and shoved it down the world s throat The adverse reaction was for dance music to return underground Among other examples disco s next evolution began when Larry Levan set New York s Paradise Garage in motion Frankie Knuckles moved to Chicago and primed the Warehouse for the birth of house music and Detroit futurists Juan Atkins Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson awoke techno Figure 2 6 The former Paradise Garage House There was a time when house was more than just a style of music Chicago house heads in the 80s were house in the same way that today people who embody hip hop culture are hip hop The term house emerged not from any stylistic underpinnings linked to it today but rather from roughly 1977 onward within Frankie Knuckles resident club the Warehouse Effectively one well known
367. p left corner of the Live control bar Click on Ext to activate Live as slave ext vae 120 00fun fim 41 4 ow Figure 12 44 Click the Ext button and Live will listen for any incoming MIDI clock signals 5 Press Play from the master device for example a computer or drum machine You should see Live begin playback Notice that the small indicator light to the right of the Ext button flashes in time with the incoming MIDI clock signal 6 You will probably need to adjust the sync signal s offset The best way to equalize the difference is by setting all devices to play obvious rhythmic material drum loops for example While monitoring the playback of all devices adjust the Sync Delay slider refer to Figure 12 43 until everything properly falls into place If you do not see the Sync Delay slider click the small triangle to the left of the MIDI input device And Next In my eyes one of the most important things about Live is that it manages to thrive within this functional gray area between DJs musicians studios and stages Sure it s not a DJ application in the traditional sense but it can certainly be used for DJing Pointing out this simple fact through example was the intent of these Live focused chapters Yes Live and its parts can seem deeply complex to those new to digital DJing however Ableton has constructed Live in such a way that the intuitive thought process behind every action permeates the applicati
368. phone monitor output 5 Set the Output Master to the primary outputs of the external audio interface This should reflect the same output used to connect the audio interface to powered speakers or an amplifier 6 Click on the Close button to accept the settings Skip ahead to Navigating the User Interface once you have completed the steps listed here for your particular configuration Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 73 External Audio Interface External Mixing Traktor s External Mixing mode is primarily designed for DJs who want to swap their decks for a modernized digital setup yet still prefer the feel and performance of mixing tracks with high end DJ mixers With a setup such as this you can relinquish traditions of beatmatching and spend more time experimenting with the idea of Traktor as instrument rather than Traktor as jukebox Emphasizing MIDI control this configuration encour ages you to creatively manipulate Traktor s internal effects cue points loops and even MIDI synced hardware such as drum machines synths FX processors even partner up and sync another computer running Traktor Maschine or Ableton Live Note Be aware that Traktor does not maintain proprietary hardware require ments if you don t plan on using the timecode vinyl This means that performers can design and customize each aspect of their DJ performance to suit changing needs For example if you produce as well as perform a single higher end int
369. ping 268 preset dump 322 registration 233 return track 253 Sample Display 286 287 Scene controls 326 scene launcher 248 Session Mixer 248 250 Session view 244 248 signal routing 256 259 as slave 329 330 Tap function 268 tempo controls 267 Track Launch feature 326 Track Status display 252 tracks editing 307 310 previewing 307 slicing options 310 312 transport functions 268 updating 233 Warp Marker 287 293 Warp modes 293 294 Ableton Transport Control ATC 232 233 About window Traktor Scratch Pro 79 absolute deck mode 126 Absolute mode Serato 210 Acid Tracks 17 Acquaviva John 19 A D analog to digital 27 30 Advanced mode FX panel 81 82 144 AIFF file type 299 300 album art 195 197 206 Allen amp Heath Xone 4D controller 47 Amazon website 59 analog to digital A D 27 30 Analysis function Serato 199 200 APC20 controller 47 APC40 controller 46 47 Appleblim 22 Application menu Traktor Scratch Pro 78 Arm Session Recording button 301 Arrangement view Ableton Live 243 244 ATC Ableton Transport Control 232 233 Atkins Juan 16 18 48 Audio 8 DJ 74 77 Audio Hijack Pro application 302 303 Audio indicator Traktor Scratch Pro 79 audio interface buffer size 31 32 connectivity 28 29 converters 30 31 drivers 31 32 inputs 29 30 MIDI 31 outputs 29 reasons for 27 28 335 selection considerations 28 Traktor audio setup 70 71 Audio Recorder FX
370. play No matter whether Live is the master tempo source or synced to external gear this field reflects Live s current playback bpm When Live sets the master tempo click within this field to man ually type in an overall bpm value Tip Much like a turntable s or CDJ s pitch fader the whole number coarse and decimal fine fields are independently assignable to MIDI controller buttons faders knobs for hands on tempo changes If you find yourself performing with other artists and you are not able to MIDI sync your setup for example you re playing with a vinyl DJ the next two controls will become your best friends The two Tempo Nudge buttons are Live s way of allowing you to emulate the vinyl CD DJ staple of pitch bumping or temporarily speeding or slowing playback to bring drifting tempos back into sync It should be fairly obvious that these buttons are at their most powerful once they are assigned to some type of controller be it a computer keyboard or MIDI hardware The second subsection of the control bar houses Live s transport functions Many of the functions shown in Figure 10 48 concern the Arrangement page so we will skip over those for now However pay particular attention to the Quantization menu shown in Figure 10 49 The selection that you make here will determine the global launch behavior of your audio and MIDI clips with respect to individual Clip Quan tization settings For example most performers I know use
371. plug in parameter controls Once control parameters have been mapped the two tiny dis play boxes squished between the Key and MIDI buttons will flash when mapped parameters are received or sent respectively Key map CPU load mode switch meter Computer MIDI p _ _ keyboard Wj KEY MIDE Key MIDI Hard disk in out indicators overload indicator MIDI track in out indicators Figure 10 50 Here you will find Live s Key MIDI Map modes as well as critical system status feed back displays To the right the rectangular box containing a percentage value is Live s CPU Load meter As you begin adding instruments and effects to your Live set this percentage will gradually increase as further demands are placed on your CPU Consider removing plug ins if you near 80 percent or so as you will likely begin experiencing unpleasant audio artifacts dropouts and so on 2 0 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Akin to the CPU meter is the Hard Disk Overload indicator represented by a box containing the letter D If Live is demanding audio from your hard drive faster than the drive can provide it this icon will flash signifying that your HD is overloaded If this happens try loading some of your larger audio clips into RAM instead of stream ing them from your HD discussed in Chapter 11 under the section titled Sample Box Audio Clip Finally the two boxes smashed into the upper right corn
372. ption called LiveControl wires up Hexler s TouchOSC iPhone iPad application as an Ableton Live Remote control surface Although a bit of setup is involved the LiveControl template is premapped to Live s features in other words you do not need to use the Osculator application to label each and every iPad button knob fader and so on which you would otherwise have to do without LiveControl For comparative purposes the controller behaves somewhat like the APC4O in that feedback status between Live and LiveControl is bidirectional that is changes made within Live using a mouse or another controller are instantly reflected back to the iPad iPhone and vice versa Check out LiveControl at www livecontrol q3f org Finally if you are simply after an interesting approach to controlling Live s Clip Matrix check out the iDevice based application Griid made by software developer Liine liine net This simplistic software app utilizes the multitouch screens of the iDevices to creatively manipulate Live s clip playback Ironically two of the Liine s founders are techno stalwarts Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva Venturing into the world of open ended controllers can be a little bit daunting at first It usually requires a bit of DIY on the artist s end so my advice is to approach the process with a bit of patience One major plus is that the user communities are generally quite helpful worst case there is almost always a way to
373. r to the modern adaptations of looping hot cues auto beatmatching and instantaneous needle dropping 1 2 10 11 Track Cover icon Displays the loaded track s album art Track Info A display of track metadata artists title and so on Customize the Deck Heading display under the Deck Details tab within the Traktor Preferences Deck mode Configures the input type for each Deck m Internal Playback Traktor s Deck playback is controlled with an external control device m Scratch Control Traktor s Deck playback is controlled with the control vinyl CDs Audio Through Traktor s Deck acts as a line input for external devices microphones drum machines and so on Any input signal can be fed through Traktor s EQ or FX Sync controls m Sync button Immediately syncs the loaded track to the master another Deck the internal Master Clock or an external Master Clock Master button Sets the relevant Deck as the Master Clock tempo Phase meter Visual display of the sync offset between any playing Deck and the Master Deck or Master Clock m Pitch Bend Temporarily bump the Deck tempo up gt or down lt Waveform Visual representation of the currently loaded track s playback position Use the plus and the minus to zoom the track view in and out respectively Jump to Track Start Restarts the track from the beginning Stripe display Visual representation of all cue point and
374. r Note that this feature is only visible when either MIDI or Key Map mode is active m Press Ctrl K OS X Command K to enter Key Map mode and then assign the Track Launch button immediately above the In Out section to any key on your computer s keyboard Note that this feature is only visible when either MIDI or Key Map mode is active m Simultaneously launch an entire row of clips known as a scene by clicking any scene s Launch triangular play icon button from under the master track title bar Don t forget that stopping clip playback is equally important Not only do empty clip slots host individual clip Stop buttons both audio and MIDI tracks have dedicated MIDI keyboard assignable clip Stop buttons directly above the In Out section Further there is also a button within the master track channel strip clearly labeled Stop Clips Click this to initiate a global all stop command across the entire Live set Lastly just like the play commands Live s stop commands are all directly linked to the Global Quantization setting located within the Live control bar The Clip View As mentioned previously a Live clip can be distinguished as one of two types audio or MIDI Double click on any clip and Live s Clip view will automatically pop open along the bottom of the GUI No matter whether you selected a MIDI or an audio clip Live s Clip view looks similar under both circumstances For Live to exhibit synchronized
375. r 10 Intro to Ableton Live 23 Like the coffee or beer in the previous example the rate at which the buffer is expended varies on a case by case basis Every computer is different and every artist configures his Live set individually thus each Live set will make different demands of the CPU My optimum Latency Setting will differ from yours and we will each have to arrive at that point with a bit of trial and error Within OS X adjust the Buffer Size by dragging the horizontal slide display with your mouse or by clicking directly on the value and typing in a new number Within Windows click the Hardware Setup button and make the necessary adjustments directly from your soundcard s dedicated control panel Start from a higher value and gradually work downward If your computer is relatively new a good buffer size to start from would be 512 If you hear unpleasant audio arti facts clicking popping and so on you have gone too far Raise the value until the artifacts go away and you should be good to go Be aware that adding further plug ins and audio files might make this value irrelevant once your CPU strains to keep Live s input output in order Tip Concerning the perfect balance of input output latency check the Live Les sons found under Help gt Help View from Live s application menu bar Once the Live Lessons panel opens on the right hand side you can view the full list of Ableton Lessons Under the heading Hardware Setup
376. r Smart Crate filters select the Smart Crate and click the Edit button to the right of the Create Smart Crate button Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 203 Tip If you want to avoid making accidental changes to your Serato Library nav igate to Setup gt Library and check Protect Library The Song Browser The Song Browser is a criteria based organizational overview of the tracks contained within your entire Serato Library or within individual Crates playlists Clicking on the header of any criterion will reshuffle the Song Browser into that order or its reverse for example click on Artist and your tracks will alphabetize by Artist Name tags click it again to reverse the order Tip If you are having a hard time viewing the Song Browser s text press Ctrl or Ctrl This will grow or shrink the font size respectively Further right click OS X Control click on any header and a drop down criteria checklist will appear Select deselect the metadata that you want displayed within the Song Browser rearrange the columns by clicking and dragging the column header titles such as Artist Label and so on and then resize any columns by dragging left or right on the relevant handlebars that separate each column header Browsing Preparing and Searching Searching for music during a performance can get pretty hectic One obvious downside of having access to so much music is that once you go on the hunt for something specific there ar
377. r example sparse drum intros are perfect for looping and lend well to layering with other tracks If you produce your own music use the airplane train car to quickly throw together some interesting drum loops sound FX beds pads and so on and use them to add some individuality to your DJ set If you re into mash ups looping is one of the most powerful features you will find within DVS products Get the crowd s attention by creatively remixing the hooks or other recognizable elements of popular songs on the fly Def Leppard and Kanye never sounded so good H x IN OUT LOOP Figure 9 38 SSL s performance focused looping controls Basically autolooping factors in a track s bpm data so that looped playback remains audibly seamless and perfectly in time The action of setting an autoloop is as simple as clicking one of the five visible number buttons at the bottom of the Loop section Each number represents a number of beats for example four beats make up one bar in 4 4 time so clicking the number 4 sets a one bar loop Let s say that you have engaged a four beat one bar loop Click 4 again to disengage the loop Alternatively you can also click the Loop button to engage disengage loop ing While an autoloop is engaged clicking another autoloop length will automatically adjust the loop length and continue playback If the visible loop lengths are too long or too short simply click the left or right arrow to expose further l
378. r what is known within the audio industry as Red Book audio With regard to importing Apple s iTunes is probably the most direct process available and it s free Note Mac users have it slightly easier Double click on the CD icon from the desktop or select it within the OS X Finder Simply lasso and then drag and drop the AIFF files wherever you store your audio files done 300 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer If you choose to use iTunes remember that the import settings do not automatically default to WAV or AIFF Go to iTunes Preferences gt General gt Import Using Click the drop down menu and choose WAV Encoder see Figure 12 1 Insert your CD right click OS X Control click on the CD s icon within the iTunes Browser and choose Import CD AAC Encoder AIFF Encoder Apple Lossless Encoder Import Using MP3 Encoder WAY Encoder Details 96 kbps mono 192 kbps stereo normal stereo optimized for MMX S55E using MP Use error correction when reading Audio CDs Use this option if you experience problems with the audio quality from Audio CDs This may reduce the speed of importing Note These settings do not apply to songs downloaded from the iTunes Store Cancel Figure 12 1 Configure iTunes to import files in WAV format What you do with the imported files is then up to you but as I have said before think of a formula and stick with it
379. r within the Live chapters Previewing Tracks Despite the lack of a few DJ focused features the Live Browser is still an incredibly intuitive search tool If you have dedicated an output on your audio interface to the cue out auditioning your music collection is simply a matter of selecting a track inside the Browser window The selected track will pop up within the Preview tab see Figure 12 11 at the bottom of the Browser and play from the output selected from the Cue Out drop down menu see Figure 12 12 Alternatively try dedicating and pre listening to tracks from a dedicated cue channel as in our sample Live set As you can see here I have my cue out routing to outputs 3 4 of my RME Fireface With the Preview headphone button enabled tracks will automatically play when selected By default clips audition in sync with the project tempo click the Raw button to hear them as they were recorded Figure 12 11 The selected track appears in the Preview tab Cue Out ii Wa F Master Out ji 1 2 Figure 12 12 Use these two menus to separate your cue mix from the master out Note You can audition more than just audio files with the Preview tab You can test Live clips incorporating plug in instruments and or effects devices against the currently playing music without having to actually load the clip instruments or effects Editing Tracks Without question the dub re edit or remix remains a foundational element at the h
380. rd Launch a cue point while a track is playing and the track jumps back and continues playback from the cue point hold the cue point and the track engages a stutter loop On the other side launch a cue point while a track is stopped and the track jumps to the cue posi tion Hold the cue point and the track plays until released at which point the track jumps back to the cue point and stops Tip The difference between a cue point and a hot cue is simple Cue points are generally managed and preset whereas hot cues are still standard cue points but they are designed for performance To enable hot cues go to Setup gt Playback gt Enable Hot Cues Hot cue playback is MIDI assignable but it is also mapped out to and controlled by the keyboard s number keys The left Deck is 1 through 5 and the right Deck is 6 through O Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 215 To set hot cues during a performance simply click a number key corresponding to an empty cue slot To overwrite an existing cue point press Ctrl in combination with the respective cue point number key Looping Looping Looping The Loop controls shown in Figure 9 38 provide instant access to SSL s real time looping behaviors You can store up to nine loops per track each of which is embedded into ID3 data for future use and cross Library compatibility The simple yet powerful parameter controls encourage performance focused looping as a seamless inspired pro cess Fo
381. rd from there Given the fact that Serato s software effects plug in Pitch n Time remains a profes sional staple within the audio industry discovering the level of professionalism in SSL s DJ FX is hardly surprising Intro to the DJ FX Plug ins The first thing that you want to do is enable the DJ FX plug in from Setup gt Plugins gt DJ FX gt Enable DJ FX Plugin Next click on the DJ FX tab see Figure 9 41 Record SP 6 DJ FX Figure 9 41 Click the DJ FX tab With the DJ FX panel open it should be pretty easy to grasp what s going on The somewhat modular signal flow of SSL s DJ FX offers two effects units that are freely assignable to any or all of the Virtual Decks each of which is independently capable of Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 219 holding up to three chained effects Note that the audio signal flow passes from the left unit through to the right so you should definitely try some experiments with the order ing of your effects Unfortunately Decks can only utilize one effects unit at a time however with three chainable effect types this shouldn t pose too much of a problem SSL s DJ FX offers two different performance modes m Ultra Knob mode Use this mode see Figure 9 42 and its single knob to globally control a customized blend of parameters from all three effects units As you can see in Figure 9 43 using this effect is simply a matter of turning on the effect assigning a Virtual Deck num
382. re editing press Ctrl J OS X Command J to consolidate the loop into an entirely new audio file independent of the song from which it was taken One advantage here is that when you re using the Collect and Save feature you ll use less disk space www hi 1 j U if I l Jla hth lh ahaa Figure 12 15 Our pre slice loop 6 Select your new loop by clicking on the clip s colored title bar You can use Ctrl C Ctrl V OS X Command C Command V to copy paste the tracks into the Session Mixer drag it from the track display and drop it into an appropriate folder within the Live Browser for example Loops or click and hold on the clip s title bar press the Tab key to flip to the Session Mixer and then drag and drop it onto an empty clip slot 310 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer The previous exercise merely serves to introduce Live s audio editing potential Exper imentation is the key try cutting a section for example drum hits vocal parts or even micro sampled clicks and cuts into small slices consolidate the parts into new files and rearrange them into your own customized version Further drag and drop the edits into one of Live s sampling instruments such as Impulse or Sampler and use the instru ment s control parameters to manipulate and mangle the audio data I guarantee that you will be surprised by the results Slice to
383. rget under Device Setup At this point simply load a track into Deck A and press the newly assigned MIDI control button to start playback press it again to pause Simple right 158 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Modifier Modifier Conditions Type of Controller Button Interaction Mode Hold Auto Repeat Resolution Invert Figure 8 7 Select which Traktor Deck you want the MIDI assignment to affect Tip Keep in mind that you don t have to stick every single parameter onto your MIDI controllers Your computer keyboard is just as useful for button specific commands In fact Native Instruments constructed a default Key Mapping layout the behaviors of which are clearly laid out within a one page PDF document You can find the document within the Traktor root folder under Settings gt Keyboard Mappings gt choose either Perform or Preparation Don t worry if the Controller Manager feels slightly overwhelming and cumbersome If I have one complaint about Traktor it is that the Controller Manager s window is too small to clearly display all of the necessary information Nonetheless once you gain a bit of familiarity your workflow with MIDI controller mapping will grow to be quick and effective Unfortunately defining Traktor s 200 or so available parameter assignments and inter action subsets goes beyond the scope of this book I highly suggest that you refer to the last section
384. rids Of course you would then want to create one specifically for performance transport controls effects autolooping and so on Assigning Controls Possibly one of Traktor s most challenging qualities is the somewhat open ended nature of the Controller Manager Although it presents the advantages of countless control possibilities it is all too easy to get lost in the midst of configuring the Holy Grail of layouts For me the most effective way of learning these types of applications is to systematically work through little milestones Start with something small consider what you want to accomplish and then break it down into its components Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 155 For example you will probably use your MIDI controller to operate Traktor s Play function Determine what controls are relevant and construct your controller mapping from the ground up It often helps to sketch an outline of some form especially once your controller mappings become more complex First things first ensure that your MIDI controller is connected to your computer before proceeding Creating a New Control Device The first thing we need to do is define a new control device within Traktor s Controller Manager 1 Navigate to Preferences gt Controller Manager 2 Under Device Setup click on Add and choose Generic MIDI This will create a new empty controller TSI mapping 3 Click on In Port and choose the name of your c
385. ring hardware devices within the Controller Manager you may have noticed a few manufacturer names within the Device drop down menu Denon s DN HC4500 and several of Pioneers CDJs including the CDJ 400 CDJ 900 MEP 7000 and the new CDJ 2000s shown in Figure 8 13 are all preconfigured for Traktor through the HID technology Figure 8 13 Pioneer s CDJ 2000 Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 175 One particularly useful feature of HID devices becomes immediately apparent when creating MIDI mappings The moment you MIDI Learn a command rather than a MIDI CC or note on off message Mapped To assignments display named parameters rather than numbers In other words the Play Pause button of a CDJ will show up as Play Pause If you use any of these devices remember that once you are happy with a MIDI map ping simply click Duplicate within the Edit drop down menu Define the In Ports for both controllers Out Ports are locked set the Device Target to the respective Deck A B C or D and you should be good to go Traktor Kontrol X1 In light of how long Native Instruments has developed the Traktor product line it seems somewhat surprising that it took so many years for the company to independ ently manufacture its own DJ controller However considering DJ culture climate in 2010 all appearances show that it was worth the wait A string of design similarities is apparent when comparing a few of the X1 s direct c
386. rlin based Moritz von Oswald and Mark Ernestus more or less singlehandedly developed the dub techno genre in the early 90s and opened the historic Hard Wax record shop in Berlin www hardwax com As a whole Europe widely adopted this electronic explosion exemplified through an influx of artists Aphex Twin Autechre Peter Kuhlmann Future Sound of London the Black Dog Dr Motte of Love Parade fame Orbital Speedy J Surgeon Regis Female Baby Ford Mark Broom Thomas Fehlman CJ Bolland Carl Cox far too many to mention Akin to house techno was permeated early on with an understanding that electronic music s fundamental gear requirements made music production a process for the every man Not surprisingly the techno name insinuates a musical symbiosis with technol ogy From a performance perspective techno boasts an exceptionally high percentage of performers embracing forward thinking performance methods Jeff Mills technical rider requests a setup of no fewer than three Pioneer CDJ 1000s two Technics 1200s and a TR 909 pretty impressive especially given that he has been performing this way for years Richie Hawtin has progressed from his 99 release Decks FX c amp 909 20 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer constantly incorporating new technologies into his performance setup in the persistent pursuit of artistic growth Utilizing MIDI clock he binds together a pair of laptops to
387. rmation file sorting 99 100 115 116 zero crossing 285 Zulu Nation 11
388. rovides DJs with eight modifiers per mapping each of which is unique to the mapping in question In other words they do not cross over to other mappings and they can be used afresh within each new mapping you create for example if you use two or more MIDI controllers Each of the eight modifiers has eight assignable values 0 to 7 The bar labeled Modifier State within the Controller Manager is specifically designed to help you troubleshoot which modifier is assigned to where and at what value For example if you press a button on your MIDI controller that is currently assigned as a modifier one of the modifiers 1 to 8 will flash the value assigned to it 0 to 7 Confused Out of context Traktor s modifiers and their relationship to MIDI hardware can be somewhat complex The point of this section is to get you experimenting with modi fiers Don t forget you always have the option to start over For this example let s start from a clean slate with the Faderfox DX2 controller displayed in Figure 8 8 Figure 8 8 Faderfox s DX2 MIDI controller Note As was wrapping up the writing stage for Part 7 of this two book project Faderfox released the third generation of their wonderful compact MIDI control lers have not had a chance to play with the new series yet but based on my 160 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer past experience with the second generation can recommend the devic
389. rowser Tree Choose Create Playlist Folder 1 2 3 Enter a name for the new Playlist folder 4 Click OK 5 The new Playlist folder will appear alphabetically under the Playlist icon with a tiny plus over the icon Clicking the plus icon will expand contract the folder 6 As when creating playlists either drag and drop some playlists highlighted tracks or folders from the OS X Finder or Windows Explorer into the folder or right click Control click on the Playlist folder itself and choose Create Playlist You can even create more Playlist folders to create a deep subdirectory of categorization Sorting Playlists Anyone who has played out with vinyl knows that earmarking a handful of maybes is many a DJ s organizational M O at a gig Traktor s digital equivalent begins with categorical playlist sorting Organizing Playlist Sort Order 1 Click on any column heading to alphabetically sort the playlist by that category for example clicking on Title will rearrange the playlist by title 2 Click the column heading again to invert the playlist sort order 3 Click on the icon to reset the playlist to its original state Manually Organizing Playlist Sort Order 1 Click on the column to reset the playlist sort order 2 Click and drag tracks to the desired position within the Browser List The orange line dictates where the tracks will be dropped If you have not reset the original sort order you will noti
390. ry few things in life are more exasperating than having to work within a poorly designed graphical user interface GUI I m sure that most people will agree that mod ern computer software should work for the end user not the reverse Unlike the sym biotic evolving relationship between musicians and conventional instruments such as violins bass guitars or drum sets laptop artists are interfacing with a device more 78 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer widely associated with Excel spreadsheets and email than with audible emotive tex tures A computer s nonspecificity does have its advantages but the aforementioned associations make the GUI concepts of familiarity and immediacy that much more important when artists adopt a laptop as their instrument Application Menu Although the Application menu is actually part of the computer operating system rather than Traktor s full GUI shown in Figure 5 9 it does offer a handful of helpful options The menu provides direct access to various peripheral functions Preferences layouts the user manual RTFM or the Service Center lt TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO IX E Atsarb f 20000001_Original Mix 05 03 124 00 _ Sound Zeit 1_Original Mix Omar a 06 23 2076 T A A LEen Sender Berlin ESPEN TAT PL O PLATTHIASGH YEAR O TARANING LOOPS h ESSEN DUB DEEP O ESSEN MIDDLE O LONDON THE HIVE SHANGHAI FEB O EMSLEY TRACKS PROMO MIK 2 MAY OO ESSE
391. s DVS the laptop quickly became The intention of this chapter is to expose the essentials of one DVS bundle in particular Traktor Scratch Pro Traktor is currently the strongest example of DVS technology s bright future because it offers the most progressive feature array an enormous dedi cated user base helpful technical support quality assurance resources and of course software stability So how did DVS software come about The Digital Vinyl System In short DVS applications embody the response from innovative music software com panies to a digitizing music industry The foundations were laid once MP3 encoding technology was made public in 1995 at which point the new media format demanded a portable container Thus the first MP3 players hit the consumer market in 1998 That same year Dutch developer N2IT fashioned a piece of music software that allowed consumers to emulate their DJ heroes with songs stored on their hard drive They named it Final Scratch By the turn of the millennium many international DJs had attained an almost mythical god like status often reinforced with five figure fees and jet set lifestyles With such widespread influence it is hardly surprising to hear that 1999 saw music retailers sell more turntables than guitars When millennium doomsday theorists predictions of universal implosion proved base less the human race rejoiced in their good fortune Among mankind s other forward movem
392. s If the beat tick still matches the track tempo you re finished If not proceed to the next step Click on the Jump to Track Start button see Figure 7 14 and find the first grid marker By default the first grid marker gets assigned to Hotcue 1 Figure 7 14 Jump to Track Start button Verify that the grid marker sits on the first downbeat most often a kickdrum as shown in Figure 7 15 If it does not there are three primary ways to adjust the location Figure 7 15 A grid marker situated directly on the first downbeat m Click the Move Grid Fwd Bwd buttons to slide the grid marker and the whole Beatgrid along the track s waveform A left click will slide the grid marker in fine increments A right click Control click will slide the grid marker in coarse increments Hold the mouse button for continuous movement m Click on the Delete Gridmarker button shown in Figure 7 16 Use the mouse to find the initial attack of track s first downbeat Click the Set Gridmarker button shown in Figure 7 17 to set the initial grid marker and establish the Beatgrid Figure 7 16 Delete Gridmarker button Figure 7 17 Set Gridmarker button 12 13 14 15 Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 133 m Click the Reset Gridmarker or Auto Grid button see Figure 7 18 Note that this may not work properly if Traktor s automatic grid marker was not correctly set to begin with Figure 7 18 Au
393. s Crossfader to blend deck outputs 1 Crossfader Controls the output balance levels between the currently assigned Decks 2 Auto Crossfade button Clicking either button initiates an automatic transition from one Deck to the next Clicking it again will stop the transition Auto Crossfade speed is configured under Preferences gt Mixer gt Crossfade 3 Manual Crossfade button Click to incrementally adjust the Crossfader or click and hold for a continuous transition Adjust the accuracy by right clicking Control clicking on either Manual Crossfade button 4 Deck Assignment buttons Click to assign unassign the Decks from Crossfader control Browser Functionally serving as Traktor s record crate the Browser is like a filing cabinet for the music files on your hard drive The album art you can see in Figure 5 24 helps maintain vinyl s crate digging nostalgia expedited through transparent track access customized playlists and other useful track organizing features All track information edits to among other things artist and release names label bpm track key ratings and so on and expanding to cue points Beatgrids and loops are all directly embedded into file metadata via the Traktor Browser You never have to worry about losing your customized collection data fJ Ki PRESENTATION El PLATZHIRSCH 6 YEA E TRAINING LOOPS ESSEN DUB DEEP O ESSEN MIDDLE LONDON THE HIVE fJ HOTEL SHANGHAI FEB EMSLEY TRAC
394. s Save tivdes a Csadtamine Osadeentes 188 Manually Configuring Your Audio Setup sscssccsssssssscccsesssssccteessscscecessesesceeeses 189 INawicatine the User Miter face aa T 193 Your Musi Collecion and the Serato Browser penres roinas ioti Ena AEE 198 loading and TImpornne Your Misi sersaron iona o a A 198 Orsanizine Your Music LIDAS eeraa ern A A E E E 201 Contents iX Preparationiaiid Perr orman Cenia a aa a aA 208 Wonen Should Cali ate core cies acs vise cleseld ie ec treeiaed eau anaes anne sicactlenn vale Se 208 S A CC Laie Bye IV ASS ssateatas a rO EEO 210 ue Deck Pics Tanana a NN 213 ie Poat nd LOOPS anri E E E RS 213 DEE We Vins a E E estsare tenets 218 PE e P TET a a RRC ARG E OR 271 Nitro t6 Controller ASS eimen siira na E E E OROT 225 DOA tee O16 tl Sar Nee ne NE ear NS aR A NS RTE eT EE Rod DEES Red SITE ie STE Gn STE Ten TE ere 226 ASSiomine MIDI CONTO S sisaneianssteanakanisuasesuerasuetesenes tates dsduneaiesesiustanosdsauntenesaesuntenens 226 SU AW OE OG Ch cease yc aicaissitecie evi assed ave ae cde debiacsed E 228 Serato E E a A E tel tala al a aaa al al nal nal nal TE 229 Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 231 SOs What K EVE eriein E EENEN EEANN OEE EEA 231 I istallation Registration and Updating yy iui 2s ioe suissinighdeceadeiasieddaveianierssbeieoberssyeaneuenteinaees 233 MVS SP RGR CIN CCS ieooer st tars n clue E cue cheered eee carne OE ATEN 233 Conneunrne Your Audio SeU Paniere a 233 Configuring Y
395. s as SSL s hardware dongle in that full software functions are linked to a mandatory hardware connection Depending on what you re after this difference really may not be that big of a deal SSL s Offline mode still retains the entire feature set essential to pre gig collection main tenance which we will discuss in the section titled Your Music Collection and the Serato Browser Manually Configuring Your Audio Setup If any one single process is absolutely crucial to DVS technology it is the hardware setup Do whatever it takes to remember the sequence of steps Practice in your home or studio create a mental checklist tattoo it onto your hand trust me it will pay off in the end Note To be sure the Serato Rane partnership has yielded a powerful DJ tool however you should understand that the hardware software combination does have certain limitations For example Native Instruments Audio 4 or Audio 8 hardware is required to use Traktor s timecode vinyl however the Audio 4 8 double as true audio interface solutions that is they can be used as sound cards for DAW applications or for general computer use Further Traktor s soft ware audio engine is compatible with virtually any third party audio card If you perform with Traktor internally no control vinyl CDs your audio output options are still completely open ended In this regard at least the SL3 and Serato operate in a relatively closed enviro
396. s based collective of techno freaks Droid Behavior m Tobias Becker of Platzhirsch Schallplatten m My phenomenally patient and supportive editors Orren Merton Cathleen Small and G W Childs The multitudes of writers producers DJs and music fans who contribute to music culture s all engrossing ever changing discourse About the Author Jason Emsley is a California bred London based DJ producer whose pursuit of electronic music found him a home several years ago on the seminal Cologne Germany based techno label Platz hirsch Schallplatten and upon the influential Kompakt booking roster After three years of work ing from the Los Angeles based Native Instruments office he and his wife packed up and sailed off to explore further opportunities in Europe Currently Jason continues to work in a freelance capacity for Native Instruments as their UK based DJ product specialist During the course of writing this book Jason designed and opened his recording studio in East London The Format Project is a room full of audio hardware and software where he continues to host product trainings assist and collaborate with like minded artists design sound and produce his own blend of electronic music Contents WE CUCU O tlc ds stash Se ate ate eke ee a ee ee ee xi Chapter 1 Redefining the DJ 1 Where Do We Stir areneda ea wera TE DEAETE AAAA ETATE TA A A AAA 1 DELO INS araia a a eteee ei eusteustaeust 2 Goals OF This PO ec
397. s breeds and performance methodologies Despite years of change and adaptation the primary defining characteristic of DJing has remained consistent the unifying behavior of performing some type of audio to some form of audience Today a sizable percentage of that audience can be found partying inside one of the world s multitude of nightclubs The DJ s milieu nightclubs are purpose built environ ments where we bathe our ears in a special type of amplified sound they re not just dimly lit to make us look better though it helps One positive byproduct of a club s poor visibility is our heightened sense of among other things music Although it would be interesting to delve headlong into a thoroughly exhaustive project on DJ culture for me to accomplish my goals with these books the primary focus remains on the characteristics that outline a modern DJ performance There was no way around the fact that conscious omissions had to be made DJ culture is simply too vast to fit an unabridged approach within this chapter However this decision does not free me from the desire to provide you with a condensed synopsis of DJ cul ture s pivotal events and personas As the clich goes it s a lot easier to see where you re going once you understand where you ve been History Although the term DJ was conceived much later during the early 1900s those we now refer to as DJs were generally bound either to the field of radio broadcas
398. s left unturned Bambaataa was a fervent collector of danceable records His diverse taste is obvious when you consider that Bambaataa created a track widely considered as one of the most influential precursors to modern dance music Planet Rock Ironically the triumvirate of Herc Flash and Bambaataa represents a vital aspect not only of early hip hop but more loosely of all encompassing genre free DJ culture Herc embodied perception crowd awareness and an appreciation of sound Flash epit omized technical proficiency work ethic and attention to detail while Bambaataa per sonified an understanding of DJ culture s youth movement and the powerful substance behind musical analysis and exploration 12 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Turntablism The turntable has always appealed to the avant garde musical realm for its obvious instrumental potential From early experimental compositions arose avant garde turn tablists such as Christian Marclay Marclay s experiments with turntables and DJing began in parallel with hip hop around the mid 70s With methods inspired from punk rock as well as the Dada and Fluxus art schools he attempted to find a middle ground between pop music DJ culture and high art Never spending more than a dollar on thrift store purchased music Marclay intentionally maimed and wounded records in order to coax new music out of damaged vinyl On other occasions he w
399. s made slightly complex by the fact that there is no single way to do it With that said the intent of this section is to provide a bit of context so that you can decipher your own workflow Therefore I have constructed a simple DJ focused Live set to help guide you through the rest of this chapter Before proceeding please download and open the Live set file titled dj_tutorial als from www formatproject com djhandbook1 zip Tip When you configure a layout that works save it as a default template Go to Preferences gt File Folder gt Save Current Set as Default Click Save and the current configuration will load every time you launch a new Live set This feature is especially helpful if you constantly reuse the same workflow in other words things such as key MIDI macro mappings and plug in inserts are always reloaded within a custom default template 304 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Shown in Figure 12 7 the Live set I have put together is relatively straightforward Although there are six tracks in total remember that this setup is intended purely as a guideline You are encouraged to add subtract and modify as you see fit I have labeled the tracks as such Figure 12 7 Live reshaped for DJs m Cue track Used to earmark tracks dragged directly from the Browser If desired the cue track s Solo Cue button can be left on at all times for instant pre listening Additionally it
400. s report known as the consistency check 1 Right click Control click on Track Collection within Traktor s Browser Tree as I have done in Figure 6 16 2 Choose Check Consistency The consistency check primarily resolves three things shown clearly in Figure 6 17 Relocating Missing Tracks 1 Click the Relocate button at the bottom of the Consistency Check window 2 Point the OS X Finder or Windows Explorer dialog to the location of the missing tracks and choose Open 3 If many tracks are missing or you do not remember where the files are stored simply choose higher up the folder tree for example selecting your entire hard drive scans its entirety This may take time but if the track exists Traktor will find it 110 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Track Collection Save Collection Check Consistency Import Music Folders 8 Import Collection Export Collection Save as Webpage Clear Collection Reset Played State Analyze Async Figure 6 16 Use Check Consistency as the first step in troubleshooting your music library Consistency Check Report Show Overview Missing Track Total Tracks Tracks Missing Tracks Not Analyzed Tracks Missing Stripe Total Tracks To Analyze Figure 6 17 My Consistency Check report Yep failed Note Cancelling the Relocate process does not damage the track collection Removing Missing Tracks Click the Remove button at the bot
401. s some effects devices paired in serial Each effect adds its own color to the source audio Repositioning the four effect units might alter the sound at the output however the signal always moves from the left to the right Figure 12 22 A simple device chain connected in serial Chapter 12 DJing with Ableton Live 317 Racks on the other hand join several serially connected devices into parallel groups When dropped into a Rack the aforementioned example would represent one of sev eral parallel device chains Within Figure 12 23 you can see how the Audio Effect Rack contains three chains The first chain contains exactly the same configuration as the example back in Figure 12 22 however it shares Rack space with two others Each chain receives the same vocal loop as its input The vocal is then independently pro cessed in serial through each individual device chain Finally the signals meet and blend at the Rack s output stage Q On 0 00 0 32 Soft Rand Stereo Figure 12 23 You can use Racks to house multiple serially connected device chains in parallel Now consider this Racks behave like all other devices loaded into a Track s device chain An effect Rack can follow an instrument Rack Moreover an instrument Rack can hold chains of other instrument or effects Racks You can mold cascading tiers of Racks into a complex hive of sound sources and or sound processors How is this kind
402. s the track s key by one semitone EQ Using the imagery of Traktor as a toolbox the kit s metaphorical wrenches can be found in the frequency bands of Traktor s EQ section Think of EQ as the DJ s means of delicately plying or forcefully wrenching an audio file s frequency range into submission Generating anticipation by briefly cutting the bass is one example of a DJ staple used for years on end Simultaneously cutting the bass from Track A and slamming in the bass of Track B is another Manipulating mids and highs causes tracks to smoothly glide together and in situations where two tracks have an uneven balance of loudness levels EQ is there to fix the problems on the fly Essentially DJ EQs provide performance optimized controls to balance and mix the frequencies of two or more tracks Traktor provides DJs with four different EQ models Allen amp Heath s Xone 92 Pioneer s DJM 600 Ecler s Nuo 4 and the Traktor born Classic EQ Choose one of the EQ types from the drop down list shown in Figure 7 46 from Preferences gt Mixer gt EQ Selection Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 151 EQ Selection g yp I Classic oa P00 Figure 7 46 Use this drop down to select your preferred EQ model Note If you cannot see the Traktor EQs navigate to Preferences gt Layout Man ager and check the check box labeled EQ Fader This will expose Traktor s Mixer section within your currently selected layo
403. scribe Is Live a DJing application In the traditional sense no That is a realm more aptly fitting software such as Traktor or Serato However as I stated in Chapter 1 I don t believe that tools or venues should necessarily define DJs Instead only a broad answer describing the action of DJing is necessary The fact that so many artists are using Live not only for music production but also as the heart of their stage performance speaks volumes about the adaptability and potential Live offers performers With that said how does one DJ with Live The tricky part of answering this question is that Live is so much more than a DJ prod uct If you want to mix two tracks together it s easy If you want to mix your music files alongside your own productions in combination with plug in VST or Audio Units instruments and effects you can do that too On one hand Live provides the means to deconstruct tracks into pieces and reshuffle them as desired On the other hand Live also provides the means to construct tracks from the ground up piece by piece Imagine a DJ mixer in which each channel represented individual instruments for example drums on Audio 1 basslines on Audio 2 vocals on Audio 3 and so on Don t like particular sections of a track Within seconds you can edit them out Every music col lection contains tracks that would exhibit a higher degree of dance floor sensibility with a bit more or less X Y Z Unlike other DJ appl
404. seamlessly employ various software performance applications ranging from Ableton Live to Native Instruments Traktor Pro and Maschine software in conjunction with various MIDI controllers NI s Traktor Kontrol X1 as well as his custom built MIDI capable Allen amp Heath Xone series mixer Figure 2 8 Richie Hawtin performing vinyl free with NI s Traktor and Maschine software Over the past decade or so this techno frame of mind has spread at an exponential rate Digital technologies and the Internet are allowing for the rapid cross pollination of genres sharing everything from performance techniques to what were once consid ered genre exclusive characteristics Jungle and Drum n Bass Nearly parallel to Detroit techno s second wave in the early 90s the UK s underground DJ culture saw a visionary urban community spawn its own brand of dynamic elec tronic dance music Born in the UK from reggae roots the distant Caribbean sound system culture suffused London s warehouse party circuit with an emphasis on dance music s quality and presence of percussion yet specifically honing in on low and sub low end properties while simultaneously speeding up the oft sampled broken beats characteristic of late 80s and early 90s hip hop Several sources claim credit for naming jungle however how the music was shaped remains more significant Ingenious DJs Fabio and Grooverider experimented on crowds at their resident nigh
405. seemingly random assortment of MIDI mapping assignments if you look closely you will see that each is assigned to 8 A2 or MIDI Channel 8 MIDI Note Value A2 Instead of using a Scene Launch that strictly follows horizontally related clips you use a single button to fire off precisely assorted clip slots kind of like a preprogrammed reset if a Live perfor mance drifts too far off message The only limitation to assigning multiple parameters to a single hardware control is that vertically organized clip slots cannot use the same 378 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer MIDI assignment individual audio or MIDI tracks are only able to play one clip at a time Figure 12 41 Link multiple assignments to a single awesome button Finally you can also combine various hardware devices irrespective of make and model For example the tiny Korg nanoKONTROL paired with a wireless USB com puter keyboard is an ultra compact ultra portable fader pot and Clip Launch Session Mixer combination Syncing Live I touched on this within the Traktor chapter and now it comes up again The potential of applications such as Live as well as the Bridge and Traktor creates a powerful assortment of tools for adventurous performers MIDI clock allows an artist to harness the strengths of various hardware and software developers and merge them together to creative effect Part 2 of The Laptop DJ Handbook will expa
406. ses now had instant access to multiple channels of shifting musical con tent yet few people with whom to share it Given that society remains gregarious to the end specialized DJ focused nightclubs began to sprout up across the U S and Europe This became especially evident as radio jocks migrated into the nightclub environment and events catering to specific styles of music and dancing grew global roots For centuries groups of musicians have performed for crowds All of a sudden bands found themselves replaced by a dynamic sound source able to supply hours of stylisti cally different music For music fans DJs proved to be receptive to the communal mood of a dance floor For promoters and venues DJs provided a simple cost effective solu tion to an evening s musical programming Creative DJs embraced this opportunity and experimented with interesting new meth ods of playing records The most resourceful of the lot utilized equipment to its fullest often completely bypassing the intended design One turntable turned into two or more dancers responded favorably to percussive tracks by way of sweat seamless mix ing hypnotized the dance floor dragging vinyl across a stylus conveyed voice and expression aggression sadness comedy and percussion EQ manipulation generated controlled tension but most importantly as much as the world s music influenced DJs DJs now equally influenced the world s music Decades later this theme contin
407. settings click the Commit button within the Clip box MIDI notes are adjusted appropriately within MIDI clips whereas Warp Markers are shifted and saved to the relevant audio clips Note that these settings will not permanently alter your audio files Finally the Nudge controls allow you to bump a clip s playback position backward or forward to the degree of your Live sets Quantization setting Much like Traktor s Beatjumping this feature can be used when DJing either to line up track phrases so that they smoothly mesh together or to intentionally knock them slightly off beat for creative effect Note Enabling Live s MIDI Learn function opens up a hidden control feature within the Clip box labeled Clip Scrub Assign this to any endless encoder upon your MIDI controller to emulate vinyl platter control to some extent Test out different Global Quantization settings to see which works best for your performance style The Launch Box Directly adjacent to the Clip box you will find the Launch box see Figure 11 9 Each individual setting within this panel controls specific clip playback behaviors inside Live s Session view note that they are not found within the Arrangement view For example the four options found under the Launch Mode drop down menu configure how the currently selected clip s will play m Trigger Routinely the go to clip playback method setting Launch mode to Trigger configures the selected clip s to play when
408. signed to the track with the longest uninterrupted playtime Once the current Master Deck is stopped another master is immediately assigned via the same criteria All synced tracks follow the Master Deck s Pitch fader The Master Clock tempo displays that of the Master Deck Caution Quick pitch fader movements within the Master Deck cause all other Decks to lose their sync status Use gradual movements Clock Master Internal Traktor s internal Master Clock creates a stable Master tempo source the go to setting when DJing with a four Deck setup without the control vinyl CDs Entirely hand over beatmatching responsibility to Traktor s Master Clock All Deck Sync functions follow the tempo settings assigned within the Master Clock tempo field Used when sending MIDI Clock to external sources for example drum machines another computer running Traktor Ableton Live and so on All Deck Master buttons are all grayed out Master Clock Parameters Master Clock Bend Momentary pitch bend function Temporarily bumps the tempo up down Master Clock Tempo Click the or to adjust the overall Master Clock tempo up down Tap Manually tap in or adjust the desired Master Clock tempo 124 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Clock Master External m Traktor receives master tempo from an external source for example drum machines another computer running Traktor Ableton Live and s
409. sion if I had to attach any single experience to my motivations behind this book it would undoubtedly be the window of time that I spent working from the Hollywood based Native Instruments office It was an environment of creative profes sionals who didn t take themselves too seriously yet who provided a professional level of service across some very serious music software products The relaxed ambiance of the office was operated with a managerial resourcefulness that recognized the viability of a mobile workplace This flexibility allowed me to create a position where I was able to spend a few months out of the year gigging in Europe handle customers midweek via email from random WiFi enabled hotels and coffee shops spend some time working with my colleagues in Berlin and then eventually land safely back at my desk in L A several weeks later only to discover that my col leagues had casually piled their unwanted junk all over it Jerks Chapter 13 Parting Thoughts for Next Time 333 All the same the day in day out sometimes heated interactions with DJs producers composers sound designers and all other manner of audio freaks led me to appreciate certain ideas that every music lover appreciates the same ideas that I do my best to pass on to my clients while freelancing for NI performing solo or developing my own independent messes inside my East London studio This page intentionally left blank Index A A Guy Called
410. ss of software installation varies from developer to developer as well as between the Mac and PC platforms Please refer to the software documentation or the company s online knowledge database for specific information on software and driver installation product authorization troubleshooting and if nec essary technical support Once Live is installed activated and updated ensure that your computer is also run ning the most recent relevant hardware drivers for any audio interfaces or MIDI con trol surfaces you plan on using You can check that you are running the latest Live version by clicking Help from the application menu bar and selecting Check for Updates Live s Preferences When you re new to any music software application it s a good practice to do a little digging inside the Preferences As a performer s location changes so do the require ments of audio routing and MIDI hardware as well as the look the feel and the over all behavior of an application These simple reasons are but a few that spell out why an artist must learn to adjust the nuts and bolts that hold together his software For the purposes of Part 1 of this book the audio and MIDI preferences are the most relevant Other settings and configurations will be noted as needed of course but take note that Part 2 will necessarily delve into more of the advanced Live configuration settings Configuring Your Audio Setup Part of what makes Live such a
411. sssecsssecscossscossscecsscecsscscrsoscreoscreoseseo 38 Native Instruments KOre Zoras rearea EEE eee aes 40 MONON oresoao REE EREET ORNE ONTEN 43 vi Contents VII NS GOUT EOM CUS enana aa a a a a asd deed a a aa 44 Naive Tnsruments Traktor kontol Xt a wacvancunanseeraneerannveevensvanmaneveaias 45 Akai Professional APC20 APCAO nissoriiinr eenen a a a a 46 Tfaktor Gerutied versus Traktor Ready ci iaidiinse ianieiaededetdeieneietiee NA 48 Other Hardware Considerations asirni aaa na aa a e ae 48 PRONG iaa E eonee 49 Chapter 4 Finding Organizing and Storing Your Music 53 The New Crate Dieting ais cae cae dices Sarasa E E E A E EE E TET 53 esl nes MUSIC STOLE anii EEE E A 55 DEDO ae a a a a N 56 Oher E sental 1s ht poise irceeGrcvbaceuGies Sesion aaa aeons a7 Hard Drives The New Record Cra te ainiveiwnscouseiisust rane ae EA EA EA EA 61 Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 65 The Diria Vinyl SyS ENa aa a A AAE A A T AN 65 Traktor Scr Ch Pioner e A abou apanenaoiaes aausaninnie dda uianadewi ne nenndeaaeMnednG 67 Installation Registration and Updating cacnnussuuiansuiartenuieneueiucivincdsinteuns 68 TEE Seti Niza rianne a ucicams wcaie orale aaa a a easel oun iaawi aula eens 68 Manually Configuring Your Audio Setup cccccccccsssssccececessecccecesececcceeenscecessuaneees 70 INavieatine the User TME I Caan a a a E 77 Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 93 Your Music Collection and the Traktor Browser ccccccssss
412. st enough Say hello to Traktor s intelligent incremental search functions To begin a search 1 2 Click in the Search field or press Command F OS X or Ctrl F Windows Type in a few characters of an artist track label and so on As you can see I have done this in Figure 6 15 Qr Jaso nl Figure 6 15 Use Traktor s Search function to quickly find your music Yay can spell my name Each letter you type will narrow search results based on the text entered Pressing Tab will return Traktor to hot key control for the currently selected playlist allowing you to browse through the search results Additional Search field controls include m Pressing Enter will extend the Search field text to cover the entire track collection m Pressing Esc will cancel text entry m The Search field text will remain in place and effective until cleared In other words if you search Britney Spears in Playlist A and switch from Playlist A to B once you navigate back to Playlist A your search results for good ol Britney will remain in place until you cancel the search by pressing Esc or clicking on the X directly to the right of the text Note Hot key assignments do not work when using the Search field Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 109 To refine your search 1 Click on the small magnifying glass on the left hand side of the Search field 2 Choose one of the search criteria from the drop down lis
413. strong grasp on how all of Traktor s constituent Fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at it there is a silly number of DJ specitied MIDI controllers on the market choosing which way to go is often a difficult decision Product marketing word of mouth Internet forums salesmen and so on all present biased opinions But at the end of the day the perfect controller is a matter of personal preference there are just as many reasons to control Traktor with a MIDI keyboard as there are to control it with a MIDI mixer Do your research and bear in mind that Traktor should be configured to your specifications Envision how you would like to control each section and the features that comprise it and factor those mental mappings into your purchasing decision So in the spirit of examining the bigger picture let s drive the car instead of playing with the engine Intro to Controller Assignments Most popular DJ focused MIDI controllers have a TSI mapping file either included within the Traktor installation support files or provided directly through the hardware manufacturers themselves For the least amount of fuss use Traktor s Setup Wizard to automatically load controller templates Alternatively click on Preferences gt Import to bring up a dialog box pointing to the preinstalled TSI files of various manufacturers Again these files are fine as a starting point however you will probably want to make changes as yo
414. strong performance platform is the flexibility of its internal signal routing Unlike the fixed signal path of traditional DJ mixers Live s Mixer section enables performers to customize precisely how audio flows throughout the application on its way to an audience Further with a multichannel audio interface artists can freely send multiple audio streams to any desired external destination for example a headphone cue mix or external effect sends or they can connect indepen dent track outputs to a mixer for DJ styled control 234 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Audio Device All of Live s external signal routing begins within the Audio Preferences tab shown in Figure 10 1 Your options for Driver Type will primarily depend on what type of com puter you are using For example OS X users should only see Core Audio whereas PC users will likely find MME DirectX and or ASIO As mentioned in Chapter 3 Stein berg s ASIO driver will yield better performance and lower latency If there is not an ASIO driver available download the free ASIO4ALL driver at www asio4all com Immediately following Driver Type are Live s Audio Input Output settings As you can see in Figure 10 1 I have selected my RME Fireface 400 Windows users will only see one option whereas OS X users are given independent input output options If you are not recording or receiving any external audio simply leave Audio Input Device
415. sts an impressive collection of underground music spanning a wide array of electronic music subgenres and format options The passionate staff takes the time to provide shoppers with well written opinions and reviews not just label supplied press releases 58 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Or _ Beatport Downloader Deathort DOWNLOADER 0 Ready to Download 0 Re Dow browse Choose your folder structure Reoommendec Flat Artist Gatalog 4 Release Mame a LabelGatalog 4 Rolease Name Of Custom User Defined Choose your file naming Reammended TrackiD_ TrackName_MixName Artist Track_MixName a Label Track _MinName r gt Custom TrackName Mixhame is required and automatically apoanded Type Your Preferred Separatori A Label F Artmiia TrackAame Mis ame T E Volumes no BEATPORT DOWNLOAD i Label_Artist s _ Track Hame Mix Name mpi l Apply Settings Figure 4 3 The Beatport Downloader Beatport s standalone download manager application m hardwax com One of the last remaining bastions of vinyl purism Absolutely peerless vinyl CD retailer based in Berlin and founded by one of the members of the famed Basic Channel Chain Reaction and Maurizio dub techno imprints Mark Ernestus Hard Wax is a mecca for techno and house especially so for rare vinyl rereleases and classics Also sells incredible dubstep reggae dub
416. successful mass market online music retailer in large part to drive sales of its iPod music hardware Apple called it the iTunes Music Store Upon opening Apple offered more than 200 000 download able songs using a pricing model that would influence the future of online music retailers Apple s efforts permanently changed popular listening habits and created all new expectations about how to sync one s digital life More importantly the iTunes Store proved that a future of legalized downloading is possible At the time this book was written the iTunes Store is thought to represent approximately 70 per cent of the world s legally downloaded music The largest advantage to buying music through iTunes is its user friendly interface as shown in Figure 4 1 and its exemplary search and recommendation functions iTunes Tee q Movies TV Shows App Store Podcasts Audiobooks iTunes U Sign In o Electronic lt Music Videos iTunes Essentials Pre Orders Music Movies Live Music Free On iTunes i AEI E TAN AS Just Added N 2 it My ee wh ey WAT NO iTunes LP saat au ec nd e a AGU indie Spotlight REWER RAY a Ah NE ay AY AY gt A Redeem Best Albums of 2009 seer gt id k 1 E Fever Ray Great Lengths See Mystery Lights JJ N 2 Guns Don t Kill Waiting for You Jarvik A Ext al Fovor Ray Martyn YACHT JJ Major Lazor King Midas Sound Pevereli 1 Fireflies ae ved oe Owi City a f if OL A
417. t All subsequent text entry will apply only to the chosen criteria Other search functions m Click on the miniature magnifying glass on the right hand side of particular criteria within Traktor s Browser List for example within the Artist or Label field For example if you click on the magnifying glass directly alongside Artist the artist name will appear within the Browser Tree Search field and the entire collection will be searched for that artist Note that the search will be restricted to the column criteria or file tag data that are searched that is if you search for Artist the Artist filter will be applied within the Browser Tree s Search field drop down as explained previously m Right click Control click on any track within Traktor s Browser List and choose Show in Playlists This search function brings up a dialog box describing the various playlist locations of the chosen track Double clicking one of the results opens that particular playlist within the Browser List m Right click Control click on any track within Traktor s Browser List and choose Show in Finder Explorer This search function opens the OS X Finder Windows Explorer and displays the file location on your hard drive Collection Maintenance If you twitch when thinking about manually maintaining thousands of tracks note that Traktor provides upkeep features specifically designed to keep you on the level Therein lies Traktor s exhaustive statu
418. t MIDI Clock and shown in Figure 8 26 Figure 8 26 Use this panel to control Traktor s MIDI Clock playback performance Note When you re performing with synced setups one MIDI complication is that it has a tendency to drift over extended periods of time Occasionally it helps to give these drifting devices a slap on the back of the head in the form of a MIDI Sync message Although the function is readily located within Traktor s Master Clock panel it helps to map the function out to a MIDI controller button MIDI Learn the assignment Preferences gt Controller Manager gt Assignment Table gt Add In gt Master Clock gt Master Tempo Clock Sync MIDI Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager 185 Traktor as Slave The functional opposite of Traktor as Master Traktor as Slave sets all tempo control functions on receive in other words Traktor s Sync functions are all determined by an external master source such as another computer running Traktor a drum machine and so on 1 Z 3 10 Navigate to Preferences gt MIDI Clock Uncheck the check box labeled Send MIDI Clock Click on the Controller Manager tab click Add under the Device heading and choose Generic MIDI from the drop down menu Click on the In Port drop down menu and choose m OS X Traktor Virtual Input Windows You will need a dedicated internal MIDI application such as MIDI Yoke www midiox com m Ifyou are syncing e
419. t Rage held within the London based club Heaven At first the duo took inspiration from Detroit s concurrent output such as Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson Chicago artists such as Larry Heard and New York artists Chapter 2 The Evolution of DJing 21 such as Joey Beltram and mixed it with London s emergent breaks based productions As the crowds begged for the tougher stuff turntable pitch faders were maxed out and 33s were played at 45 turntable RPM The result was the metamorphosis into a sound more closely associated with what jungle would become In 94 and 95 respectively DJ producers such as Goldie and A Guy Called Gerald released jungle s first full length albums In congruence with California s hip hop scene over time jungle experienced a consistent influx of inner city roughness that not only painted the musical input dark and aggressive but also created a dividing line down the middle of the emergent scene As no genre is complete without its drama and offshoots DJs such as LTJ Bukem Roni Size and later Fabio were quick to associate themselves with their own brand of melodic structured jazz inspired jungle thereupon known as drum and bass Thus the UK had orchestrated its first homegrown musical genres in direct connection with DJ culture Figure 2 9 Pioneering force of jungle A Guy Called Gerald From a DJ perspective jungle adopted an assortment of performance methods moti vated by everything
420. t are exclusive to either Windows or Mac OS X though Boot Camp on the Mac runs Windows particularly well Users on both sides of the fence have positive and negative experiences so it is very important that you do your research prior to spend ing money on a laptop Above all else ensure that your purchase entitles you to a good warranty and a satisfaction performance guarantee inclusive of a return policy Few computers even those sold as such are prepared for professional audio applica tions right out of the box As a suggestion the Native Instruments Knowledge Base contains a handful of intelligible articles specifically focused on computer system opti mization Because computer operating systems change somewhat regularly NI updates its databases in kind You can find the Native Instruments Knowledge Base at www native instruments com knowledge Processor Speed Computer makers wouldn t be doing their job if people didn t drool over that extra 0 33 GHz Is it worth the 300 or so Dwelling on it will drive you nuts because six months later the ordeal will return full circle When new computer hardware offers more power software developers utilize that excess fuel to enhance their software and so the cycle continues Fortunately there are plenty of other areas where that extra money is often more effective areas that will outlive the benefits of a few extra plug ins Memory Random access memory RAM is a form of computer in
421. t these tacks can be used for more than just tempo changes Take a look at Figure 11 28 Just before the downbeat at 1 3 you can see that the kick hits slightly early As much as Warp Markers can be used to apply global tempo changes to audio clips they can also be used to correct imprecise timing Don t forget On the flipside Warp Markers can be just as easily used to disrupt the original flow of those same audio files Figure 1 11 28 Use Warp eee to fix tempo drifts stich as ihe early ee at eeu 1 3 Tip Live s Warp Markers are incredibly handy at fixing turntable tempo fluctu ations inherent when digitizing or sampling a vinyl collection Before working with Warp Markers you should familiarize yourself with three icons see Figure 11 29 Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 289 Pseudo Warp Transient Marker r ii hi MP Figure 11 29 From left to right Warp Marker transient and pseudo Warp Marker m Warp Marker The previously analogized tacks Warp Markers stick a sec tion of an audio file to a specified window of time Set Warp Markers by double clicking within the top half of the waveform display or along the gray strip immediately above it m Transient Live intelligently and automatically places these little gray trian gles as logical locations to set Warp Markers Pseudo Warp Marker Gray colored
422. t to Collection Procedure 2 1 Locate the Playlist Name nml file within the OS X Finder or Windows Explorer Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 103 2 Drag and drop the playlist file onto the track collection or Playlist icon within Traktor s Browser Tree or onto a Favorites slot Procedure 3 1 Right click Control click on the Playlist icon within Traktor s Browser Tree 2 Choose Import Playlist nml file or Import Playlist Directory folder of nml files 3 Click Open to import the playlist and all relevant tracks Other Playlist Functions Right clicking Control clicking on any playlist within Traktor s Browser Tree will pop open a drop down list of useful track collection management options as shown in Figure 6 8 Rename onsolidate Remove Duplicates from Playlist Export Playlist Save as Webpage Clear Playlist Delete Playlist Preparation List Reset Played State Analyze Async Figure 6 8 A list of playlist management options Rename Assigns a new name to the chosen playlist Remove Duplicates from Playlist Eliminates any duplicated tracks from the chosen playlist m Clear Playlist Removes all tracks from the chosen playlist m Delete Playlist Deletes the chosen playlist does not delete tracks from the track collection Reset Played State Removes any or all track icons from the Browser List Icon column m Analyze Async Analyzes all tracks within the chosen p
423. t will help to optimize your performance For example one useful default state keeps each effect unit turned on sets each parameter to a value that sounds good out of the gate and keeps the wet dry balance to 0 percent This way each time you switch effect types or click the RST button the effect will bounce back to its default with a O percent wet dry balance all you have to do is adjust the wet dry mix the effect s on off button is already defaulted to on and the effect will begin from an instantly usable point Further a snapshot with a O percent wet dry mix will erase Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 147 the chance of jumping from for example a reverb which will get cut off to a distor tion which may sound awful if unintended 1 Choose an effect type from the FX Select drop down menu 2 Engage the effect from any Deck so that you can hear the effected signal FX 1 On and so on 3 Tweak the effect parameters until you hear a sound that works 4 Turn the Dry Wet parameter to 0 but leave the effect turned On 5 Click the small Camera icon shown in Figure 7 40 to save the current effect state as a default snapshot Figure 7 40 Save the current effect state as a default snapshot Traktor Pro ficiency The DJ market tends to shy away from the word complexity perhaps understandably so Thankfully a great thing about Traktor is that it s an application that lets DJs jump in
424. t you but that s better left to the marketing guys Your best bet is to just start messing around with all of the different settings and find out what works for you Again experimentation is the key SP 6 Sample Player Aside from turntables if any one instrument could be used to define DJ culture it would have to be the sampler In the studio samplers provide artists with the tools to appropriate shape and then musically reproduce snapshots of virtually limitless source material On the stage however samplers have steadily adapted over time to serve the immediate needs of a live performance It s there whenever you need to fire off the infamous one shot alarm siren vocal phrases you have edited out of a track drum fills pads as well as virtually any other audio source you can imagine Drag and drop any playing track from a Deck onto an SP 6 slot for an instantly doubled backdrop readily primed for creative layered scratching Echo out a track use the SP 6 to drum out some one shots and slam back into your music for some improv action that ener getic crowds tend to go nuts over Serato s relatively recent addition of the SP 6 Sample Player presents DJs with new possibilities that blend well with the long prescribed techniques of turntables in DJ 222 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer culture Among other things turntablism has always been about creatively piecing together phrases of different
425. ta Return Track In short a return track see Figure 10 27 is a throughput only audio track designed as a meeting point for several audio signals hence the reason it has no clip slots Think of a return as a funnel that guides multiple signals to a controlled output Live lets you create up to 12 of these funnels each of which can handle indi vidual instances or complex chains of plug in effect units We ll cover some of the var ious uses of return tracks under the section titled Effects in Chapter 12 Master Track On the surface the master track performs one obvious function output In most performance setups this is audio s last stop before hitting external sources and 254 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Figure 10 27 Live s return track or the speakers Note that this particular channel strip shares the track Volume Pan discussed previously but also the toggle for the global Solo Cue mode While in Cue mode use the Preview Cue Volume pot to adjust the output signal Often performers choose to apply subtle dynamic treatments such as multiband com pression and or limiting as well as a touch of EQ to thicken up their sound Even a very very small amount of reverb can add nice coloring to the master output Just remember the adage that a little goes a long way As you can see in Figure 10 28 Scene Launch buttons replace clip slots Playing a scene launches every clip within
426. tally delete a file from your hard drive it s gone for good 106 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Deleting from the Traktor Playlists 1 Select a track or multiple tracks from any playlist within Traktor s Browser List 2 Right click Control click and choose Delete Delete from Collection behaves as stated in the previous section 3 Confirm by clicking Yes or cancel by clicking No Track Icons Traktor s track icons provide visual status feedback over the track collection a helpful feature when things get busy See Figure 6 12 Figure 6 12 Traktor s track icons m A B C and D locate a track within a Deck m The check mark signifies that a track has already been played m The lock icon signifies a track with a set locked Beatgrid m An exclamation point not shown signifies that the track is missing from the expected location Adding Cover Art One of my favorite aspects of Traktor s Browser is the simple aesthetic of album or EP cover art While flying through the Traktor Browser I find that visual beacons prove more efficient than text especially with regard to new music I m not familiar with by name First ensure that Traktor is displaying cover art from at least one of three locations m Preferences gt Browser Details gt Cover Art should be checked Figure 6 13 shows two of Traktor s three cover art sections HOTEL SHANGHAI FEE Makeover HOTEL SH
427. tates Copyright Act without the prior written permission of the publisher For product information and technology assistance contact us at Cengage Learning Customer amp Sales Support 1 800 354 9706 For permission to use material from this text or product submit all requests online at www cengage com permissions Further permissions questions can be emailed to permissionrequest cengage com All trademarks are the property of their respective owners All images Cengage Learning unless otherwise noted Library of Congress Control Number 2010922099 ISBN 13 978 1 4354 5664 8 ISBN 10 1 4354 5664 5 elSBN 10 1 4354 5665 3 Course Technology a part of Cengage Learning 20 Channel Center Street Boston MA 02210 USA Cengage Learning is a leading provider of customized learning solutions with office locations around the globe including Singapore the United Kingdom Australia Mexico Brazil and Japan Locate your local office at international cengage com region Cengage Learning products are represented in Canada by Nelson Education Ltd For your lifelong learning solutions visit courseptr com Visit our corporate website at cengage com Dedicated to my loving patient wife and family Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge a handful of individuals and groups of people who in different ways all influenced me to start and finish this project m My friends and colleagues at Native Instruments m The Los Angele
428. tch Pro bundle is covered within this chapter as it offers the extensive feature set required for the purposes of this book The full package as shown in Figure 5 2 com prises the requisite materials for using Traktor s control vinyl and or CDs specifically the Audio 8 DJ interface or alternatively a Traktor Certified mixer Unless otherwise noted all references to Traktor refer to an authorized copy of Traktor Scratch Pro If you are unsure which version of Traktor best suits your needs it would be best to check the version comparison chart on NI s website under the DJ products section 68 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer TRAKTORA SCAATCHPRO E ee nk it TRAKTOR SCRATCH pro t Figure 5 2 The full Traktor Scratch Pro bundle Installation Registration and Updating Software installation processes vary not only from developer to developer but also between Mac and PC platforms as well as current operating system versions for exam ple Mac OS X 10 5 x versus 10 6 x Refer to the software documentation or the com pany s online knowledge database for specific information on software and driver installation product authorization troubleshooting and if necessary technical support Once Traktor has been installed activated and updated ensure that your computer is running the most recent hardware drivers for any all audio interfaces and MIDI con trollers that you plan on
429. ted by the small colored rectangles spread across Live s grid based Session view or positioned within the horizontally scrolling Arrangement view A clip s place in the grand scheme of things is this Clips make up a Live set s sound source and are organized within horizontal playback structures known as scenes Ver tically stacked scenes make up the overall clip slot grid which is part and parcel of Live s Session Mixer the focus of these Ableton chapters Playing Live Clips Because Live s clips are sort of like its guitar strings Ableton purposefully engineered multiple ways to play them Here are some examples m With your mouse pointer click the Launch triangular play icon button on any audio or MIDI clip m Select any audio or MIDI clip with your mouse or MIDI controller and then press the Enter or Return key on your computer keyboard 271 2 2 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Figure 11 1 Ableton s soul the Live clip m Press Ctrl M OS X Command M to enter MIDI Map mode and then assign an audio or MIDI clip slot to any button on your MIDI controller m Press Ctrl K OS X Command K to enter Key Map mode and then assign an audio or MIDI clip slot to any key on your computer s keyboard m Press Ctrl M OS X Command M to enter MIDI Map mode and then assign the Track Launch button immediately above the In Out section to any button on your MIDI controlle
430. ter s keyboard Be aware that laptops often have an additional function modifier key for example Fn or similar Note Right clicking Control clicking on any favorites playlist will provide the same drop down list as right clicking from Traktor s Browser Tree The Preparation Playlist You can create any number of playlists in anticipation of a gig however most dance floors require performers to adapt something that often separates a good DJ from a great one A DJ knowing his tunes certainly factors in here but quick access for the appropriate moment is essential Specifically emulating vinyl earmarking Traktor s preparation playlist was designed to efficiently sort out music on the fly To create a preparation playlist 1 Click on any playlist within Traktor s Browser Tree It may be helpful to create a new playlist specifically for this purpose Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 101 Right click Control click on the playlist and choose Preparation Consider dragging the preparation playlist over to a Favorites slot as well The selected playlist s icon will change and small diamonds think angled vinyl sleeves will appear beside tracks within the Browser Lists s Track Icon column shown in Figure 6 6 This denotes the track as earmarked and is displayed throughout Traktor s collection as a reminder Figure 6 6 The diamond icon marks a track that has been earmarked within the preparation playlist
431. ter keyboard a button Interaction mode will display a drop down menu containing options such as Hold Direct Inc Dec and Reset The naming is fairly logical and therefore each type behaves much as you might expect m Hold actions only engage while the relevant key is held This would make sense for a Traktor command such as an EQ kill m Toggle actions act as switches turning commands on and off such as starting and stopping the Play Pause function m Trigger actions are for one off events that have no reference duration for example setting a cue point or starting an autoloop m Direct actions control a specific action from a specific hardware button for example using a button to select a precise FX type or from a specific hardware fader to control Traktor s volume fader or pitch m Inc Dec incrementally steps through next previous functions respectively m Reset jumps a parameter back to its default value Output is a unique type of output parameter that is used to control the on off LED states on certain compatible MIDI controllers Under Assignment Table click Add In see Figure 8 3 Add In Figure 8 3 The Add In button Choose Transport gt Play Pause As you can see in Figure 8 4 Traktor Control Play Pause should appear within the Assignment Table Under Device Mapping click the Learn button shown in Figure 8 5 The button will highlight signifying that Traktor is listening for incoming MID
432. tes and choose Export Playlist 102 2 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Change the playlist title if desired within the dialog box shown in Figure 6 7 Playlist Title AUGUST PROMO Destination yes Users jasonemsley Documents Export Options Gi Copy Tracks To Destination Figure 6 7 Use this window to customize the exporting of your playlists Click on the to choose the playlist destination If you want to create a mobile playlist check the option to Copy Tracks to Destination The files are directly copied in other words the destination file remains the same format as the source Double check for the newly created folder at the destination You should find the Playlist Name nml file located within the folder as well as all tracks contained within the playlist Importing Playlists Similar to importing tracks into Traktor you can import playlists in many ways Procedure 1 1 2 a Click on the Explorer icon within Traktor s Browser Tree Locate the relevant playlist Perform any of the following steps m Drag and drop the playlist onto the track collection within Traktor s Browser Tree m Drag and drop the playlist onto any Playlist folder within Traktor s Browser Tree to add tracks to the existing playlist Drag and drop the playlist onto any favorites slots m Right click Control click on the playlist and choose Import to Playlists or Impor
433. th Ordinance m Marve Ordinance 2 Figure 3 7 Maschine s software interface should be instantly familiar to anyone who has spent any time with Ableton or other loop based audio environments 40 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer banks as individual kits each of which contains 16 sound slots pads as reflected upon the controller s layout m What good would a sampler be without the ability to add custom samples Users can effortlessly add and label their entire sample library Still want to go deeper The internal Sampler function allows exploratory artists to record any manner of incoming audio for example you could capture the output of a turntable vocalist or instrument even the crowd expand it across the 16 pads at the touch of a button chop it up hit Record jam with the new sounds and there you have it improvisation How do you go about finding samples As already mentioned Maschine was designed to quickly capture inspiration All tagged content is directly accessed through the Browser via the hardware LCDs or keyword searched within the software without having to stop the music m If dry audio loops aren t really your thing Maschine bundles a wide array of built in effects Flexible internal signal routing allows complex effect chaining for use on internal drum sounds or much like Live external sound sources To add to the previous point Maschine provides one touch au
434. the Show Hide button in the bottom left corner X Chapter 11 Ableton Live The Clip Concept 281 Click on the Device Chooser drop down menu shown in Figure 11 15 and choose for example Mixer This will allow you to automate controls available through the Live Session Mixer Figure 11 15 The envelope Device Chooser Click on the Control Chooser and select the specific control you want to automate As you can see in Figure 11 16 I have selected Track Volume Figure 11 16 The envelope Control Chooser Double click anywhere along the red line of the breakpoint envelope to create an individual breakpoint Repeat Step 5 a few times and randomly drag the breakpoints around as I have done in Figure 11 17 Figure 11 17 Double click anywhere along the red line to create breakpoint assignments 282 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer 7 Play the clip and you should see a small red dot appear and bounce up and down the fader to the right of the track Volume fader see Figure 11 18 thus indicating automated volume changes Play one of your other clips and notice that the behavior goes back to normal Figure 11 18 The tiny dot adjacent to the track Volume fader indicates automated envelope data Note Hold Shift and click drag a breakpoint to overwrite previously existing breakpoints Hold Command OS X or Ctrl Windows and drag a breakpoint to fine tune envelope s
435. the clip slot grid Notice the space alongside the right of the Clip Stop Known as the Track Status display this compact area provides quite a bit of information regarding what is hap pening in that particular track for example clip loops present a looping pie chart see Figure 10 25 that cycles with the length of the loop one shots have a min sec countdown you get bar beat feedback while recording and so on CEA ES Figure 10 25 A clip loop pie chart Finally click on a track title name at the top of a channel strip and press Ctrl R OS X Command R and the track title bar will open up for renaming dquite a useful organizational feature MIDI Track As I mentioned earlier Live s tracks share several parallels This is especially the case with audio and MIDI channel strips For example if you take a look at the MIDI track in Figure 10 26 the Track Activator Solo Cue and Arm Session Recording despite the tiny quarter note icon buttons are essentially the same Further within the context of the clip slot grid MIDI and audio clips are handled exactly the same The most obvious differences are the track Volume fader and the lack of aux sends By default MIDI tracks are created for traditional or standard MIDI purposes in other words they are meant to route MIDI signals somewhere else As an example MIDI clip data could be sent to play external hardware outside of Live such as a syn thesizer
436. the drop down menu under Preferences gt Timecode Setup gt Timecode Input Mode Timecode Input Mode Mode Timecode Vinyl Figure 7 10 Choose the Audio 8 DJ s Input mode from here 2 Ensure that the Traktor Scratch hardware is set up via the instructions listed earlier in this chapter If you do not see the Scratch panels within the Traktor Decks enable the Scratch Panels check box from Preferences gt Deck Details gt Deck Style gt Scratch Panels 3 Click directly on the Scratch panel so that the Scope view is showing 4 Ensure that the Deck mode is set to Scratch Control on Decks A and B 5 Click the RST Calibrate button upon each Deck s Scratch panel to start the Calibration process They should say Waiting 6 Choose a Tracking mode for each deck Absolute mode Timecode vinyl CD provides needle drop performance in other words the track within Traktor s Deck will cue precisely to the playback position of the turntable needle or CD seek function on the timecode vinyl CD Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 12 7 Relative mode Timecode vinyl CD provides control pitch only in other words Traktor s timecode vinyl CDs will not control playback position 7 Play the timecode vinyl CDs Switch between Absolute and Relative modes to get a feeling for how they differ Caution If you are using CDJs make absolutely sure that any master tempo functions are turned off wit
437. the key quickly and easily The two main reasons why Live s effects are so ahem effective is that Ableton accepts the VST AU plug in standards and then lets you route process and control them in a logical modular fashion In addition to hosting third party effects an extensive list of Ableton s own effects devices is located inside the Audio Effects folder within the Live Device Browser For more information on the specifics of these devices and what they do please refer to the Live user documentation There are two primary ways to go about using effects within Live Insert FX Insert effects are exactly as they sound effects that are directly inserted into the signal flow For example if you drag and drop an effect device onto an audio track the signal passes through the effect unit before heading to the master track output The amount or degree of the original signal that is affected is referred to as the wet dry mix 314 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Traditionally the intent of an insert effect is to replace the existing sound dry with a treated sound wet Dynamics processors compressors limiters and so on EQs and filters are generally used to reshape modify or optimize a specific sound source In most practical cases EQing or filtering a sound would be illogical if 50 percent of the signal escaped untreated Take a look at Live s EQ Eight and Simple Delay devices in F
438. the live performance angle at the forefront Each channel strip section can be broken down into functional sections You can show hide each individual section to reduce the amount of screen clutter a useful feature for artists preferring a cleaner performance interface Glance to the series of six icons located on the far right side of Live s interface see Figure 10 20 This collection of buttons allows you to show hide the various features of the Session Mixer For example even though a visible in out section is essential when routing your audio and MIDI signals you probably won t touch it during a perfor mance Try toggling some of the buttons and take note of the changes in screen real estate Show hide in out section Show hide sends and return tracks Show hide mixer section Show hide track delays Show hide crossfader section Figure 10 20 Click through the various Show Hide buttons and notice how each button s on off state affects the Session Mixer Depending on how accurate you like to be with your mixing Live 8 allows you to extend the travel distance of your Volume faders thus affording deeper mixing preci sion There are two simple ways to adjust the size and appearance of your tracks 1 Use your mouse to grab the horizontal line bordering the top of any VU meter fader see Figure 10 21 Drag up or down to expand or contract the overall size of Live s track volume Sands A G Please see
439. the mid 90s Qbert of the now dissolved Skratch Piklz introduced the crab snapping four fingers against the crossfader s on off state while the thumb springs or returns the crossfader to the on off state depending on crossfader configuration From opposite coasts American DJs Shadow and Spooky have managed to continually shape their own versions of turntablism and DJ culture in short the former through the studio centric re appropriation of the rare and long lost sounds of the world and the latter through highly conceptualized multimedia DJ performances Many modern day DJs such as the World DMC Champs Germany s Rafik and the U S s Shiftee Craze and Klever have incorporated the power of software based DVS systems into their performances In particular merging Traktor Scratch Pro with the Maschine and X1 controllers Rafik has fashioned an impressive model of retro spective turntablism combined with progressive controllerism There is simply no way for my words to do justice to Rafik s performance Watch it at www youtube com nativeinstruments Without question turntablists exist as one of the DJ culture s most critical defining factions The DJ as artist paradigm is well exemplified through a turntablist s knack at turning existing music into entirely new cut and paste compositions Making new music out of old music is a postmodern theme that has flourished within DJ culture for decades However turntablists continue
440. the relevant Deck s prefader gain Choose Set Autogain When Loading Track to allow Traktor to determine the appropriate channel gain structure This is set under the Mixer tab within the Traktor Preferences 7 Cue button Pre Listen Monitor Click to pre listen to the currently loaded track through Traktor s internal Mixer Engage the Cue button to layer Traktor s beat tick over the relevant Deck s monitor output 8 Channel Pan button Adjust the volume output balance left right for the relevant Deck across the stereo field Crossfader To some degree a crossfader is like a volume channel flipped on its side the difference is that it is a specific class of fader that controls the balance between two volume outputs for example Deck A and Deck B Generally when a crossfader rests in the middle position both Decks will play simultaneously Drag the crossfader to the left and the track playing on Deck B will fade out as Deck A continues playback drag the fader to the right and the track playing on Deck A will fade out as the track playing on Deck B slowly fades back in Many MIDI controllers on the market have built in cross faders that emulate that of a traditional DJ mixer perfect for scratch DJs gone digital Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 89 in other words controllerism When enabled within the Preferences Traktor s Crossfader will appear as in Figure 5 23 1 4 3 2 C am o O Figure 5 23 Use Traktor
441. the same behavior as a CDJ s Cue button in other words hold down the key and the left Deck will play until you release the key when it jumps back to the cue point Further tap the key to audition the playback position As expected the Pitch fader controls the Virtual Deck s playback tempo but note that by clicking on the Range button you can change the Pitch adjustment from 8 to 10 16 50 and 100 Click and drag up or down on the pitch to decrease or increase playback tempo respectively Hold the Shift key to adjust pitch in finer increments All playback cue point and looping functions have preassigned keyboard shortcut assignments Check the SSL documentation to see what those are Caution Be careful when you switch from Internal to Absolute or Relative mode If the Internal Deck is playing to the audience and you switch to Absolute or Relative mode the Pitch fader will jump from the internal tempo to the turn table CDJ tempo not the most pleasant surprise for a dance floor Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 213 Aux Deck Plug In Since SSL was released Serato and Rane have made some great decisions when enhanc ing their DJ software hardware design One of the best thus far was SSL 2 0 s addition of a third Deck via the SL3 s Aux Deck plug in Third Deck Setup Navigate to Setup gt Plugins gt SL 3 Aux Deck and check Enable SL 3 Aux Deck Plugin see Figure 9 36 Hardware Nayback Vinyl Contro brary D
442. the sends are enabled while the rest remain disabled One often overlooked feature of Live s effects routing is the fact that you can send the output of one return track to the input of another Moreover you can also use a send to pipe audio directly back into the same return track s input generating feedback Try applying this concept across a range of return tracks and you can create unbelievable feedback networks just watch your ears Preparing Your Music Collection Whether you make Traktor Live or Serato your DJ application of choice analyzing the music collection is part of set preparation Each company takes a different 306 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer approach and the result of the process is unique to each application however no mat ter which way you go the process is relatively straightforward For instance I keep a sort folder named To Sort for music that I haven t bothered to go through yet To analyze these new files I simply right click OS X Control click on the folder from within the Live Browser and choose Analyze Audio see Figure 12 9 Figure 12 9 Analyze tracks in bulk to speed up Live s file optimization process Now there are a few options to note First let s say that I want Live to automatically apply Warp Markers to my music files while they re analyzing Because song files are fairly long I need to instruct Live what to do Navigate to Pre
443. the ubiquitous themes that permeated industry discourse By the time litigious bickering reached a fever pitch a newly digitized music culture had silently moved on Surrounding the year 2000 computer market forces created the perfect environment for a new era of digital artistry Laptops were powerful relatively inexpensive and capable of processing hard drives rammed full of digital audio files alongside software based instruments and effects Modern recording technology took what was once a stage full of gear and compressed it to fit inside a backpack We examined how with Traktor NI was able to capture and streamline years of per formance standards into an advanced performance interface thereby revolutionizing DJ culture and maturing it into the digital age Within this chapter you will see how Ableton applied a similar design philosophy to the studio paradigm and then threw the result onstage This result was Ableton Live So What Is Live Try to think of your laptop as a contemporary musical instrument Much like a guitar computers today accompany musicians everywhere between the studio and the stage However unlike a guitar a laptop is also a drum machine a synthesizer a sampler an effects rack and a multitrack audio recorder With Live the same machine can be used for recording vocalists teaching music theory controlling theater sound design remix ing engaging in multitrack music production scoring to picture composin
444. thout dropping a beat Chapter 3 Gear 33 lt TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO 06 40 122 39 ae Dependant 06 03 122 007 0 40 0 0 a Jon f T F z I Ciaro Intellect 08 00 010 Lm oor X1 PRESENTATION EE Track Cott ESSEN NOV Stripe Transients Gain 4 Stripe Transients Gain i MIX OPEN CLOSE 4 Titre Disen i Dp n Caorcirgal z 0096 6 Slripe Transients Gain E PROMO MIX 2 MAY 0 D Jason Emsley Platrhirsch Schallplatten 2009 8 20 Stripe Transients Gain 3 TES t TRAINING TRAINING LOOFRS Boards Of Canada Vilar p 2009 11 12 Stripe Transients Gain Figure 3 3 The Traktor Pro Interface No doubt at some point in your life you have heard songs with annoying intros amazing breakdowns vocals or even just a tiny section that would layer perfectly over another song in your collection Virtually limitless freely assignable cue points help mark and avoid these areas in the form of cue position pointers loops load markers tracks load to specific start points and so on m Can t find a song Traktor s intelligent track browsing methodically filters tracks via keystroke entry Use Crate Flick to scan through your music files by album cover directly import your playlists from your iTunes library or create your own virtual record crates and assign them to one of 12 assignable Favorites playlists m Experience the tightest timecode control vinyl on the market Traktor s control vinyl is embedded with a 2 kHz
445. ting or to the tenets of musical experimentation Within the last century the expansion of the DJ profession has grown in depth and scope to encompass myriad types of radio DJs nightclub DJs tuntablists high art experimentalists mobile event DJs and of course the industry foundation of bedroom DJs The venues within which these music aficio nados perform range from beautifully appointed studios owned by multinational radio conglomerates to massive nightclubs capable of housing thousands of partiers from one off illegal warehousers to intimate loft parties from wedding celebrations to cor porate sponsored events and tradeshows from bedrooms to worldwide performance 6 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer competitions and from festivals to the hidden chambers of high art s sonic experimentation Presently the popular understanding of what it means be a DJ is well reflected within videogame developer Activision s release of DJ Hero a game that places DJs center stage inside the upper echelons of rock star notoriety The method of music transmission has also evolved to use a massive range of plat forms radio DJs nowadays broadcast through any combination of AM FM short wave digital and Internet radio Nightclub DJs and others have evolved from long held traditions of two turntables and a two channel DJ mixer into elaborate stage con figurations consisting of multiple laptops drum machines e
446. tist par adigm was born Note The DJ versus the MC Simply stated DJs perform play scratch mix the percussive beat structures over which the MC vocalizes his creative lyricism One of reggae s important contributions to the audio world was that it heavily influ enced the sound of studio production At its heart this began with Jamaican DJs and their sound systems Competitive crews and their mobile setups battled for supremacy by setting up massive custom built kits commonly known as sounds in open air dance venues Respect and recognition reigned supreme as crews took pride in the sonic character of their gear and of course the unique records they brought to bear Pioneers such as Coxsone Dodd King Tubby and legendary Lee Scratch Perry were heavily influential in the development of reggae s trailblazing studio accomplishments As multitrack recorders initially entered the market Dodd and contemporaries sampled the rhythms of existing tracks and created new percussion only takes or versions Seg regated rhythms were now primed for the entry of the DJ s or MC s vocal freestyling called toasting Humorously Dodd is known to be among the first DJs to rub off and or alter artist and track names from his vinyl in order to retain musical secrecy Taking a step further King Tubby developed dub techniques early in the 1970s unin tentionally predicting the future of remixing Beyond the version a dub is a full rework ing
447. tive Instruments website Other Hardware Considerations If you are a fan of techno it is likely that you are aware of the relatively well known techno pioneers Juan Atkins Kevin Saunderson Derrick May Eddie Fowlkes Jeff Mills Mike Banks Richie Hawtin and so on More than 20 years ago Atkins Saun derson May and company were all beginning to incorporate Roland s TR 808 and TR 909 drum machines into their DJ sets In fact to this day Mills still uses two Tech nics 1200s three Pioneer CDJ 1000s and a 909 as part of his DJ setup Hawtin released the seminal Decks EFX and 909 mix CD in 1999 on his record label Minus further embedding and expanding this concept into the forward thinking DJ paradigm Check it out if you haven t heard it required listening Chapter 3 Gear 49 There are a ton of sequenced synthesizers and drum machines that integrate nicely into an advanced DJ set but here are a few that are particularly well suited Manufacturer Model Website Elektron Machinedrum SPS 1 www elektron se Monomachine SFX 60 Korg Electribe EMX1 www korg com Electribe ESX1 Radikal Technologies Spectralis 2 www radikaltechnologies com iPhone iPad Like it or hate it Apple s iUniverse perfectly suits the future of music software control lers Digging for useful audio tools inside the iTunes Store is a bit of a nightmare at times there is simply too much to sift through and most music apps are essentially toys I m sorry
448. tled WARPS Notice that this is the same loop as pictured in Figure 11 29 2 Using the previous example move your mouse pointer over the kick that hits just past 1 2 You should immediately see a gray pseudo Warp Marker 292 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer appear Consider using the Zoom function to precisely adjust your Warp Markers Hold down Ctrl OS X Command and two support pseudo Warp Markers will appear to the left and right of your mouse pointer While still holding Ctrl OS X Command double click the middle pseudo Marker to drop three permanent Warp Markers see Figure 11 33 Alter natively refer to the clip named Warp B WYN RY VV Figure 11 33 A close up showing our three new Warp Markers Click and drag the middle Warp Marker nearest the second downbeat 1 2 back in time so that it sits directly on downbeat 1 2 see Figure 11 34 Alter natively refer to the clip named Warp C Figure 11 34 Our clip warped While warping your own audio files if you are unable to move the Warp Markers precisely enough right click OS X Control click within the wave form inside the Sample display and choose one of the settings listed under either Adaptive Grid or Fixed Grid see Figure 11 35 Adaptive Grid Widest Wide Medium Nanrow Narrowest Fixed Grid 8 Bars 4 Bars 2 Bars 1 Bar 1 2 1 4 1 8 1 16 1 32 Off Figure 11 35 Choose the appropriate grid
449. to a MIDI MPC styled groovebox think NI s Maschine with each hot cue marking for example a capellas drum hits notes and so on Effectively you are transforming Traktor s Decks into an improvised phrase sampler Moreover DJs with a bit of production experience can create edit or design short tracks containing specifically selected sounds think alarm sirens vocal cuts random FX and so on Chapter 7 Traktor Pro Loading Playing Mixing and Syncing 135 The different types of temporary cue points found within Traktor are Button CUE Stopped Deck Playing Deck Clicking sets a temporary Clicking jumps the cue point and auditions playback position to the the current playback position temporary cue position Clicking and holding and stops Deck playback engages playback until release Releasing jumps back to temporary cue position Clicking engages playback Clicking jumps the playback and sets a temporary cue position to the temporary point from that location cue position without Clicking and holding sets stopping playback a temporary cue point and begins playback upon release Sets a temporary cue in Sets a temporary cue in point at the current point at the current playback position playback position Sets a second temporary Sets a second temporary cue out point at the current cue out point at the current playback position and playback position and engages manual looping engages manual looping
450. to and Reset buttons Press Play on Deck A and verify the Beatgrid by clicking through the Stripe display If the track continues to drift away from the beat tick and or the estimated track bpm readout is not an integer you need to make adjustments to the BPM Inc Dec that is the compression expansion of the entire Beatgrid Click the BPM Inc Dec buttons to compress expand the Beatgrid thus changing the tempo of the entire Beatgrid A left click adjusts the bpm in fine increments A right click Control click adjusts the bpm in coarse increments Hold down the mouse button for continuous adjustment Finally verify the Beatgrid one last time by clicking through the Stripe display If the beat tick and the track play back in sync click the Lock button from the Grid panel so that no accidental changes are made Figure 7 20 An example of an incorrect Beatgrid This process should quickly become second nature at which point you will fly through dozens of tracks in a matter of minutes As a suggestion don t solely rely on the beat tick to match up the grid markers Load a track that you are sure has a 100 percent accurate Beatgrid a reference track if you will into a reference Deck sync it to the 134 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Master Clock tempo and use the reference track in combination with the Tick function to fine tune Beatgrid positioning Once again trust your ears Not
451. to be out in some sem blance of nature listen when your feet meet the sand waves crashing wind in the trees children playing dogs barking Hopefully you can see where this is going Anything audible is up for grabs ready for as Chris Cutler put it the public domain of the music world Think of how many tracks you ve heard with city or nature sounds politicians random radio feed or sam ples snatched from music history s archives Combine the surrounding world with the last hundred years of recorded music history and you as a DJ have an unfathomable pool of content from which to draw Amplify it edit loop remix layer synthesizers drum machines effects vinyl records or just play one track and mix it with another The point There is no prescribed format to what or how you play as a performing DJ Goals of This Project Although there are several reasons both personal and professional why I have chosen to write this series of books one of my primary motivations for writing The Laptop D Handbook is to engender a somewhat abstract thought process into a digital DJ culture that often speaks with a concrete tongue Sometimes it s helpful to take a step back and look at DJ culture as a whole rather than immediately buying into marketing histri onics that are as often as misleading as they are insular Look at all of the tools and consider how to creatively mesh them don t just focus on the bullet points of one
452. to first run the Rescan ID3 Tags function Reshuffle the Song Browser so that all missing files are bunched together Highlight all of the missing files and drag and drop them on top of the Relocate Lost Files button If the files exist on any of your drives Serato will eventually find them Copying Moving and Deleting Crates If you are playing back to back with fellow artists in some cases it doesn t make sense for all of them to bring their own laptops and hard drives Copying a few Crates sub Crates to a jump drive is simply more efficient To copy your Crates 1 Open the File panel 2 Navigate to your external jump drive within the File panel 3 Drag and drop a Crate sub Crate onto the external drive 4 Choose Copy from the window that pops up see Figure 9 31 Copy Move Cancel Remove original references from Library Figure 9 31 Choose Copy 5 When the progress bar finishes doubles of your tracks will pop up within the Song Browser Additionally direct copies of the Crate s contents will appear on the external jump drive Note The previous actions apply not only to Crates but also to drive based files and folders moved within the File panel In an altogether different situation follow these steps but instead choose the Move command from the list shown back in Figure 9 31 Moving the files would be more 208 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer appropriate when you re re
453. to gadget m As you can see in Figure 3 12 the APC40 is more than just another standard digital DJ control surface Rock solid build quality should help put you at ease if or I should say when it gets knocked around in transit or onstage i t i Th Oss EER ES EERE SG SER Ee EER ES EERE Ee kil E al gt ae EE pE E a8 YH 1 eeee8 1105 See ji af m e i E gt f LUNES Figure 3 12 APC40 The physical manifestation of Ableton Live m The remarkable Clip Launch Matrix opens access to clip status and control scene launch track selection and so on while doubling as the Live set overview DJs can instantly jump anywhere inside the Session View Moreover the Matrix buttons use three color state dependent backlights that display clip status feedback from within the Session Mixer Chapter 3 Gear 47 m Exhaustive transport track solo mute record status as well as multifaceted device control functions lend well to the APC s versatility whether tweaking parameters in the studio or banging it out onstage m The strengths of plug and play functionality are augmented with the option to alter or entirely customize the APC s layout to suit your needs Note If your Live set stretches across several tracks the APC20 is a perfect com panion to your APC4O Essentially it extends all Live control outwards The Ses sion View Matrix can be used to launch clips or se
454. tom of the Consistency Check window All tracks reported as missing will be removed from the Traktor collection Analyzing Tracks Click the Analyze button at the bottom of the Consistency Check window All unan alyzed tracks will be put through Traktor s analyzation process With a large number Chapter 6 Traktor Pro Getting Started 111 of tracks this can take quite a long time However analyzation is a background pro cess and does not interrupt your DJing Analysis With respect to all of the collection maintenance functions on offer the analysis process is unquestionably the most indispensable to Traktor s overall performance During a scan specific track data is analyzed in order to gather the following information Bpm estimate Determines a track s recorded tempo and creates the Beatmarker Beatgrid If you want this done automatically you do ensure that Set Beat Grid When Detecting BPM is checked from Preferences gt File Management gt BPM Detection Range m Gain Value Measures properties of a track s perceived loudness to automatically adjust a Deck s Gain knob output to 0 dBFS full scale To ensure Autogain is set automatically check Preferences gt Mixer gt Level gt Set Autogain When Loading Track m Stripe Creates the visual overview of an entire track directly underneath a Deck s Waveform display If you cannot see the stripe reanalyze the track Automating Collection Management If your
455. tomation recording Think of the creative potential of automated filter modulations reverb color and so on played back in sequence with your drums Note that these automated recordings are individually saved within each pattern change patterns and you change automation recordings as well m In the spirit of creative freedom Maschine was not designed as a proprietary hardware software combo If you are traveling the Maschine software can be popped open on a laptop without the hardware connected All edits and changes seamlessly translate over to the hardware the instant it is connected Moreover the Maschine hardware controller doubles as a highly versatile MIDI device in other words it can just as easily control Live Traktor or any other MIDI capable software Tip Try using one computer to run Traktor and Maschine simultaneously one button combo switches the hardware to MIDI mode and back for instantaneous control over both applications This self contained streamlined stage setup lets you instantaneously bounce back and forth between DJing with Traktor and jamming live with Maschine Native Instruments Kore 2 The concept of the Kore 2 workstation was conceived around streamlining a performer s digital setup Whether on the stage or in the studio Kore 2 functions as an analog styled Chapter 3 Gear 41 tactile control interface giving artists instant no fuss access to an entire library of VST or AU plug in instruments and ef
456. track down further information on the Internet As this topic is more aptly placed inside a category of advanced setup and performance techniques further exploration will have to wait until Part 2 of this project At this point I hope that you understand the extent to which external hardware thrives when combined with the vast number of features modern DJ software provides For the artist hardware entirely reshapes the experience of DJing with Traktor Serato or Ableton plus crowds absolutely love it as mentioned before a DJ set is still a performance This page intentionally left blank Finding Organizing and Storing Your Music 4 raveling with vinyl these days has become both inconvenient and absurdly expensive Some airlines still allow passengers two bags without extra cost one carry on and one check in while many other airlines charge for any baggage other than one carry on This presents obvious drawbacks to luggage laden travelers and it is only the beginning of the headache that traveling with records has become Don t get me wrong I love my wax and I still buy vinyl In fact I love it so much that I still travel to gigs with a bag of at least 100 records However I was recently forced to pay 90 GBP approximately 140 USD at the time to check my records Bear in mind that particular expense was for one leg of a return flight To be sure every profession has certain unavoidable expenditures Sometimes
457. ts and service updates the release versions of Traktor Pro and Traktor Scratch Pro hit the market After 10 years of adaptation 2010 dawned with NI s diverse Traktor DJ line consisting of three hardware audio interfaces the Audio 2 4 and 8 multiple Traktor siblings Traktor LE Duo Scratch Duo Pro and Scratch Pro and a dedicated hardware controller the Traktor Kontrol X1 So how does a DVS system actually work Each Traktor timecode vinyl CD is manufactured with a constant 2 kHz carrier fre quency Traktor uses this audio signal to determine playback speed bpm playback direction think scratching and playback positioning needle dropping within a track If you want to hear what the timecode signal sounds like plug your turntable CDJ directly into your DJ mixer disregard the Audio 8 DJ connections for now switch the channel input mode to Phono Line respectively and press play on the device If you adjust your turntable CDJ pitch faders you will hear the pitch of the carrier frequency rise and or fall This is how Traktor determines the playback speed The carrier frequency itself is a stereo audio file composed of two slightly phase shifted sine waves In Figure 5 1 I have loaded Traktor s timecode signal downloadable to registered Traktor users into Logic s Sample Editor The compressions peaks and rarefactions valleys of the left and right channels are slightly uneven or said another way they are out of
458. ts seencucacaencacucsusntateusatocentensudecsniecsateccnienaut vcosiunutieesiosatecssiocumiamscwiss 3 Onne Coment a ieseica teat pes sacssans Soa a a da bet alas oad O 4 Chapter 2 The Evolution of DJing 5 LNG Oye OR ANN a Ese a atl allen ate atl Callen atlas hatte Callen Catia Ratbege Callens Secee eat 5 From Science and Experimentat ON perar a 6 TOP Opuntia Svs saan sac a a A A O N 8 Bl Rois ci ah a a a a EEE ome TOP OER done ee 9 To The ah chs vnc seem pena metres etn E IE one ne Ree EE ne Rae eee Rn eee ne Ree eee Te 24 Chapter 3 Gear 25 Computer SpE ONS reaa E E T E deen 25 WAC OP U a we ea ee ee eee 25 Procesor SPEE 0 ERR PU Ty Te TT RCO RT ee 26 INE IO GY sd ese nceesstesentene tandseessieanesensns TE 26 CONECT aie aeery merry eee eemry ee mens er E oer ee eee Emer ee rene re ee er 26 Audio Interlace SOUNGCA TG calel vide deida Deedaveroevantntastilostidien EE 27 Why Dor Ncedan Audio Tniteriace sx casaiaccescasaiaicvensn venation Et 27 What Audio Interface Is Best for Me ccccccseccssccsscesccssccsscesscesccsscesscesscescesscesseess 28 ThE SOLON a Oan uP EP To en ne Py ny rene ey ey re ee 32 Native Instruments Traktor Scratch Pro cc cece ccccssccsccsscescescesccscescesscsscescessesscesceecs 32 SC EALO SCAG C LIVE eina a a east Se ee Se eee 34 PISTON NGI Scere Stes bose ions naerenanecenans secs EAEE EE cess sess EOE 36 The PDE area E E tr OT E evens E E E A 37 Native Instruments Maschine seesesesseseesesecsesec
459. ttle interactions between the two until now Modern hip hop is less about the DJ and more about the lyricist As the MC hyped the crowd he gradually became bolder As he became more brazen he became more inno vative Lyrics birthed messages fans could identify with and MCs gained the attention of the crowd As commercial interest grew and hip hop went mainstream the DJ s position was diminished and he was relegated to obscurity The DJ who once single handedly transplanted the band front stage was once again stuck back in the corner Auspiciously turntablism remained fundamental to hip hop s four pillars DJ MC break dancing and graffiti As Marclay said there was very little interaction between hip hop culture and experimental music until now kue f Figure 2 5 DJ Spooky performing at the Tate Modern Museum London Around 1990 unrelenting study inspired DJ Steve Dee to originate beat juggling the distinctive postmodern cut and paste process whereupon a DJ dexterously manipulates a mixer s crossfader to single out intricate beats across two or more decks Since then dozens of terms have emerged to describe various performance complexities for example those mastered by the pivotal U S DJ crews of the 90s the San Francisco 14 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Bay Area s Invisibl Skratch Piklz as well New York s X Ecutioners and California s Beat Junkies In
460. tups and Techniques of the Modern Performer further Make the appropriate adjustments to the modifier conditions of the new Trak tor commands Traktor Type of Interaction Command Controller Mode Assignment Button Options Mapped To Cond1 Cond2 Dry Wet Fader Knob Direct FX Unit 1 Soft Takeover Ch 16CC 006 Mi 1 M4 1 Advanced On Dry Wet Fader Knob Direct FX Unit 2 Soft Takeover Ch 16CC 006 Mi 1 M4 1 Advanced On Dry Wet Fader Knob Direct FX Unit 3 Soft Takeover Ch 16CC 006 Mi 1 M4 1 Advanced On Dry Wet Fader Knob Direct FX Unit 4 Soft Takeover Ch 16CC 006 Mi 1 M4 1 Advanced On Using double modifier conditions we can now control the Wet Dry Advanced param eter for all four FX panels from DX2 knob 1 Remember that Modifier 1 and 4 are bound learned to DX2 buttons 1 and 4 respectively Now if we hold DX2 buttons 1 and 4 and then twist DX2 knob 1 the wet dry balance on FX panels 1 through 4 are all simultaneously adjusted Wow Tip Create periodic backups during the construction of your MIDI controller mappings If something goes wrong this will allow you to revert to a previously functional version of the current mapping To export a TSI file specific to the current mapping navigate to Preferences gt Controller Manager gt Device Setup gt Edit tab and choose Export When you are working with modifiers one of the most important concepts to keep in mind is versatility On paper modifiers are often somewhat confusing to new Tr
461. turn to the Browser for many of your Live performance and preparation needs all the more reason why Ableton designed it for speed and efficiency Shown in Figure 10 35 the Browser controls are located on the left hand side of the Live GUI in both Session and Arrangement views As with all of Live s peripheral windows the small black tri angle found underneath the Tap and Tempo controls shows hides the window from view Figure 10 35 Click on one of these buttons to access your plug ins and other Live content The primary purpose of the Browser is twofold It serves as an organizational tool that provides instantaneous access to both plug ins such as instruments and effects and Live related files such as audio MIDI and groove clips The following sections elab orate on this Chapter 10 Intro to Ableton Live 261 Live Device Browser Basically Live s Device Browser is a plug in folder that contains Ableton s Live exclu sive audio and MIDI instrument and effect plug ins The available devices are broken down into three folders Instruments MIDI Effects and Audio Effects Most are included with the standard retail version of Live with a few notable exceptions For example if you choose to purchase the Ableton Suite version of Live 8 you gain a series of powerful effects synths and samplers and an extensive sample based sound library Simply click on the Device Browser button see Figure 10 36 within the top left corner of the
462. u hone your workflow Once you get the hang of it Traktor s Controller Manager see Figure 8 1 makes this process relatively painless Try to think of Traktor s mapping files as pages for each controller Once you try mapping out a customized control scheme be aware that Traktor offers more than 200 153 154 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer 3 Preferences In Port Out Port Generic Keyboard r Keyboarc ma Add Edit Device Target Focus Modifier State 1 In Dec Mi 0 Load Selected In Deck A Trigger Ctri Left Mi 0 Load Selected In Deck B Trigger Ctrl Right Mi 0 Master Tempo Beat Tap in Global Trigger Ctr Space Mi 0 List Delete In Global Trigger Delete Mi 0 List Select All In Global Trigger Cmd A Mi 0 List Select All In Global Trigger Ctrl A Mi 0 Add In Add Out o o c o o O o io io o o Down Modifier Modifier Modifier Conditions M1 Y oO x hai Type of Controller Button Interaction Mode lne Assignment Global T t Auto Repeat Resolution invert Figure 8 1 Map out your MIDI controls through this dialog controller parameters Some of these you will use constantly others you may never touch One useful thing about creating multiple control mappings for a single controller is that you could for example create one for preparation setting and storing hot cues cue points and loops or adjusting your Beatg
463. udio and MIDI hard ware devices it may be necessary to adjust Live s incoming outgoing MIDI clock sync delay Slowly adjust the offset value until the devices are all playing back in time with one another To begin manual mapping for yourself try the following 1 4 Enter MIDI Mapping mode by clicking the MIDI button see Figure 12 34 in the top right corner or press Command M OS X Ctrl M Windows Notice that the MIDI Mapping Browser pops out in place of the Live Browser Figure 12 34 Click the MIDI button Use your mouse to click on whichever Live parameter you want to assign to the control surface for example track volume clip slot Solo Cue button send pots and so on A bracket surrounds the chosen parameter while the status bar at the bottom of Live s GUI indicates that the parameter is ready for assignment Manipulate the control surface feature that you want to bind to the Live parameter in other words if you are assigning a hardware fader to Live s track volume click the Track Volume slider within Live and then move the hardware fader You should see a MIDI parameter tag pop up on the Track Volume fader In Figure 12 35 you can see that track volume is now tied to a fader value sent from my control surface The first number lists the fader s MIDI channel while the second lists the CC number or MIDI note value Notice also that the assigned parameter is now situated within the MIDI Mapping Browser
464. ues to influence the culture of the disc jockey Chapter 2 The Evolution of DJing 9 To Genre One way or another DJs have consistently managed to irritate the music industry As hobby grew into profession professionalism brought power Before too long DJs no longer begged record labels for promos at some point labels wised up to the shifting climate and saw that consumer purchasing decisions often followed radio and club DJ playlists Predictably shady business practices eventually permeated radio Payola in particular eftfectively incentives generally financial from a record label to a DJ for regular airplay of a particular track or tracks to increase the perception of popularity Thankfully as club culture grew from infancy into disco DJs were given the conditions and the organs to shape a body of musical culture that persists as I write this sentence Reggae Few musical genres can claim to have directly impacted modern DJ culture as much as the Jamaican reggae artists of the 50s 60s and early 70s Innovative techniques were developed that sparked the deconstruction of barriers segregating stage and studio producers rose in prominence and their experiments with alternate mixdowns dubs of original tracks became commonplace thus predicting remix culture Studio effects were brought onstage while both DJs and MCs entered the studio and the notion of a DJ and his sound system suffused Jamaican culture as the DJ as ar
465. ufacturer and the model in addition to whether you are using Traktor s control vinyl CD Once you complete the process shown in Figure 5 4 Traktor should be ready to go If your device is not listed contact the controller manufacturer directly as it may have a mapping file available If the preconfigured layouts don t suit your style I highly encourage you to remap the settings to suit your needs Instructions on manual param eter assignment are in Chapter 8 Traktor Pro The Controller Manager lt TRAKTOR Setup Wizard If you would like to use TRAKTOR with an external USB FireWire controller the Setup Wizard will help you set it up Are yuu using a USB FireWire vuontrouller Ow Wr Carvel Figure 5 4 One of the Setup Wizard s unbelievably complicated questions Caution Be aware that once you click the Setup Wizard s Finish button all pre vious settings are overwritten However a backup of the current settings is cop ied to one of the following locations If ever you need to revert to a previous setting click Import from within Traktor s Preferences and navigate to the fol lowing location 70 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer m OS X Macintosh HD gt Users gt username gt Documents gt Native Instruments gt Traktor gt Settings gt Backup Settings m XP My Documents gt Native Instruments gt Traktor gt Settings gt Backup Settings m Vista Documents
466. uld be adjusted to suit the material being processed As with many things in Live this is better heard than explained Play around with this setting in combination with speeding up or slowing down the overall project tempo Doing so will give you a better impression of what granular resynthesis does Note In brief granular resynthesis is the process in which an audio file is sliced into extremely tiny fragments grains that are played in condensed or sustained loops as the file is compressed or expanded respectively with tempo changes Think of a long line of independently colored marbles where each marble rep resents one looped grain As a file is pitched down the marbles are spread apart leaving gaps between the grains Granular resynthesis duplicates the fre quency pitch of each colored marble and fills in the gaps with duplicates or loops as the file is slowed down and removes the marbles as the file is com pressed or sped up Texture mode Texture should be used for material that fits the criteria of Tones mode yet is of richer substance in other words piano chords rather than keys dense synth pads and so on Like Tones mode Texture mode also uses granular resynthesis to process audio clips however the added Flux parameter adds a variable degree of randomization to the actual grain sizes to reduce the audible side effects of granular signal processing Re Pitch mode Used to time stretch audio by adjusting
467. ulled off the ability to mesh one s life into a single streamlined interface With respect to DJs playlist cre ation could not be any more straightforward Create a new playlist add some tracks and you re finished If you use Traktor or Serato new iTunes playlists seamlessly inte grate within the respective track browsers If you receive a ton of promos dump them into a defined playlist and sync it to your 1iWhatever It s a great way to audition new music when you re in the car at the gym on the subway and so on Beatport When it comes to digging through larger online music shops one disadvantage for DJs is that many retailers simply don t extend their catalogs into subgenre peripheries Therein lies the niche for smaller DJ attentive music retailers such as the electronic music focused Beatport www beatport com shown in Figure 4 2 In January 2004 Denver based Beatport spawned from the vision of local DJ Eloy Lopez and was given breath through the savvy of CEO and founder Jonas Tempel Since its inception Beatport has become the go to website for DJs around the world Retailers such as iTunes are primarily designed for mass market consumption and thus do not offer the DJ focused features that Beatport thrives on from browsing through a label s back catalog to details such as genre specific categorizing or customized favor ites artists labels and so on Furthermore Beatport works hand in hand with DJs labels
468. urther information Logically if the icons appear deactivated your controller does not use preset dumps If you find that you need to perform some further customizing simply open the MIDI Sync Preferences and enable the relevant controller s Remote On button Once it is engaged you can use Live s standard manual MIDI mapping to overwrite existing instant mapping commands Manual Mapping Manual mapping serves two purposes First it allows you to con struct custom controller mappings that link a fixed hardware component fader knob pad and so on to a software parameter second it allows you to take specific instant mapping assignments and override them with customized manual mapping parameters For example APC40 applies instant mapping to the Pan and Send knobs located within the Track Control section Personally I don t often pan any audio within my Live sets because it was already done during the production phase Instead I drop a Low Cut Filter plug in on Tracks 1 to 8 and then assign each respec tive Cutoff Frequency parameter to the hardware Pan knobs 1 to 8 Figure 12 33 shows the bottom half of the MIDI Sync page within Live s Preferences MIDI Ports displays any and all connected MIDI capable devices In particular note Chapter 12 Lon On On On DJing with Ableton Live 323 Figure 12 33 Use the bottom half of Live s MIDI Sync Preferences to customize how your hard ware interfaces with Live that
469. using All Native Instruments software along with drivers for the Audio 2 4 8 and Audio Kontrol 1 can be found within the Update section of the standalone Service Center application You can find NPs Service Center here OS X Macintosh HD gt Applications gt Native Instruments gt Service Center Windows Program Files gt Native Instruments gt Service Center The Setup Wizard After the software is fully updated with the latest and greatest the quickest way to get going is to use Traktor s Setup Wizard By default this dialog box should appear the first time Traktor is opened Once you have completed the process it will not appear again however for future reference there are two ways to manually launch the Setup Wizard m Choose Start Setup Wizard from the OS X or Windows drop down Help options located on the Application menu not visible in full screen mode Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 69 Choose Setup Wizard found in the bottom left corner of the Traktor Prefer ences window Access Traktor s Preferences by clicking on the gear icon within the top right corner as shown in Figure 5 3 Figure 5 3 Click to open Traktor s Preferences The purpose of the Setup Wizard is simple It allows the user to automatically configure Traktor s audio signal routing screen layout and external MIDI controller mapping for future plug and play functionality If you are using a USB or FireWire MIDI con troller select the man
470. ut Almost in contradiction with the potent expression it enables EQ is an extremely straightforward function to use Each knob exhibits volume control over a particular range of frequencies also known as bands Manipulating the EQ knob clockwise or counterclockwise will respectively boost or cut any audio signal falling within its des ignated frequency range All of Traktor s EQ models are three band parametric EQs except for the Xone model which if you are familiar with the Xone 92 offers slightly more precise control with its four band EQ section Finally pay particular attention to the little buttons on the right hand side of each knob Clicking any of these buttons completely cuts that frequency range out of the audio stream This is particularly useful when assigned to MIDI con trollers with a shortage of knobs or an abundance of buttons Filters Whereas EQs generally cater to precise tweaking through boosting and cutting specific frequency ranges filters are designed for somewhat more drastic manipulation such as removing a wide range of frequencies Under Preferences gt Mixer gt Filter Selection you will find two of Traktor s Filter options Xone and Ladder Again the Xone filter is modeled after the filter built into the Xone 92 DJ mixer On the other hand the Ladder filter is based on an old school ahem filter model influenced by a particular style of electronic audio circuitry such as those found within the famed
471. ut If this is not an option route the multicore cable Mixer TT CD cable to an empty mixer channel s Line input Do not use the Phono input with line level CD signals Doing so will boost an already amplified line level signal into an extremely unpleasant and distorted mess Connect the multicore cable labeled Mixer Line In to the relevant Line or CD input channel on your DJ mixer Connect your CDJ or turntable to the multicore cable labeled Player TT CD Repeat Steps 2 through 6 for the next CDJ Software Configuration 4 Open the Traktor Preferences Under the Audio Setup tab choose the Audio 8 DJ interface from the Audio Device drop down menu Leave the Sample Rate at the default of 44 100 Hz For now adjust the Audio Latency to about 15 milliseconds Once everything is up and running try incrementally lowering this setting Lower latency values translate to more responsive control but demand a fast computer To adjust the Audio 8 DJ s latency value click the Settings button nested alongside Audio Latency Under the Output Routing tab choose External as the Mixing Mode The Audio 8 DJ outputs should automatically pre assign to their respective output channels If they do not use the drop down menus to assign each Deck to its respective output for example assign Output Channel A to Output 1 2 Output Channel B to Output 3 4 and so on Click on the Close button to accept the settings Navigating the User Interface Ve
472. ve and it will appear within the Crates and Playlists window The CD s contents will appear within the Track List and are readily available to drag and drop directly onto a Virtual Deck Note This method won t lend well to scratching it is always a best practice to import your music and perform any required maintenance beforehand Note Remember if you are dragging files folders from random locations on your hard drive Serato won t automatically know if you delete move or rename those files Once again think of an organizational structure for your music and stick with it You can find file management information within the section titled Organizing Your Music Library Analyzing Your Library If you read through the Traktor chapter then you already have an idea of what the Analysis process does to your music collection Just like analyzing music files within Traktor Serato s Analysis function scans your Library for corrupted files creates the waveform track overview measures track bpm and compensates for a track s loudness levels with the Auto Gain feature To analyze your files make sure that your SL3 or other supported hardware is discon nected Click the Analyze Files button shown in Figure 9 18 If you have thousands of 200 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Figure 9 18 As have done here click Analyze Files to begin scanning the music within your Serato Library songs
473. ve additional multicolor LEDs As an example you could assign Traktor s different cue point types to different colors on the controller Additionally color code loop assignments Deck playback states Deck mode and so on Needless to say LED output is a feature that you shouldn t overlook Syncing Traktor via MIDI Clock I have to admit that I never truly realized Traktor s potential until I synced it with some of my MIDI capable gear For sure Traktor arms performers with multiple paths of creative exploration however incorporating a variety of tools into a performance allows artists to more faithfully express themselves Rather than jump into different setup options right this second let s take a look at where to begin when considering linking Traktor up with other MIDI capable gear Note Please note that this section is intended as a primer to the advanced setups discussed in Part 2 of The Laptop DJ Handbook Effectively Traktor will fit within a MIDI synced setup in two ways Traktor as Master When you use this configuration Traktor will serve as the Master Clock source in other words the MIDI Clock sync signal will be sent from Traktor to a separate slave destination for example another MIDI capable application upon the same com puter another computer running Traktor a drum machine an effects unit and so on 1 Navigate to Preferences gt MIDI Clock 2 Check the Send MIDI Clock check box shown in Figure 8
474. vice does not require it 238 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer WOOO Preferences Input UAC Driver Bus 1 b Input Maschine Controller MIDI input port 7 Input APC4O Input Akai APC40 gt Input Fireface 509 Port 1 gt input Fireface 509 Port 2 v Output IAC Driver Bus 1 b Qutpul Maschine Controller MIDI output por b Outpul APC40 Output Akai APC40 7 Outpul Fireface 509 Port 1 Figure 10 3 Use the MIDI Sync Preferences to configure Live s MIDI behaviors If your control surface has features that send absolute values for example a knob that has finite clockwise counterclockwise positions use Takeover mode to assign the behav ior of that parameter For example if a knob on your hardware is turned counterclock wise and the Live control it manipulates is turned clockwise once you touch the hardware knob the software state will jump to the hardware value which is usually a bad thing when controlling for example an effect s wet dry mix The change with None selected is abrupt whereas Pickup is fixed until the hardware value meets the software value Value Scaling smoothly transitions between the two positions until they meet in the middle The lower half of this dialog is used to manually configure specific behaviors of your MIDI devices As you connect disconnect any hardware to from your computer you should see it appear disappear from this list Enabling the
475. walk through both Setting Up Audio I O and Driver Error Compensation Bear in mind that this process is absolutely critical to Live s overall latency and therefore performance Get com fortable with adjusting these settings because they are vital to using Live with any type of external hardware whether in the studio or onstage Configuring Your MIDI Sync Setup Now that you are able to make some noises with Live the next step is to exert some hands on control over how those noises sound while escaping With Live s Preferences open click on the MIDI Sync tab Shown in Figure 10 3 the MIDI Sync Preferences define global behaviors of all currently connected MIDI devices The top half of this dialog is used to assign any all natively supported MIDI devices Any device displayed under the Control Surface drop down menu utilizes preset con trol templates referred to by Ableton as instant mappings Simply choose your device from the menu and use the subsequent Input and Output drop downs to select the relevant port connections Given that the most modern MIDI controllers utilize USB 2 0 the Input Output ports should list most devices by name MIDI only think Fader fox second generation control surfaces won t show up under the Input Output rather select the name of the MIDI interface to which they are connected Some controllers require Live s Dump command to connect with the appropriate template presets If the button is grayed out your de
476. while the Library Track List is expanded to allow comprehensive Crate Main Library viewing see Figure 9 7 Tracks continue to play and SSL s behaviors are still accessible of course but this view is plainly intended for browsing Mici 7 SeruF ABS REL INT ABS REL INT F Audio 2 131 0 Check For Pulse Alex Cortex 0051 1 Ben Klock A ele fer jsera arit au length comment Figure 9 7 SSL s Library mode Tip Hit the spacebar to jump back and forth between your current performance mode and the Library mode Classic Vertical Mode The first of SSL s three performance modes this view takes both the main waveform display and the track overviews and vertically aligns them between the Virtual Decks see Figure 9 8 ScratTocrwLive Audio 2 AZLT ENTE EPEAT Ee OTT Check For Pulse 127 Alex Cortex Ben Klock 06 22 51 Figure 9 8 SSL s Classic Vertical mode Classic Horizontal Mode The second of SSL s three performance modes this view takes both the main waveform display and the track overviews and stacks them on top of one another between the Virtual Decks see Figure 9 9 Audio 2 131 P7 yeh Check For Pulse 127 Alex Cortex 06 08 99 ITITI TTT 1 t t Ben Klock 06 22 51 00 00 2 x 01 252 x 02 380 0 x 04 4 6 x OS IT CS umj OM ia Figure 9 9 SSL s Classic Horizontal mode Chapter 9 Serato Scratch Live 195 Stack Mode The third of SSL s three performance modes this view takes bot
477. witching FX largely depends on your controller type For example if you are using a traditional MIDI fader knob sends values 0 to 127 the values it sends are absolutely positioned thus when you switch effects the Snapshot parameters will probably be dif ferent than the positioning of your MIDI fader knob In this situation moving a hardware knob will cause the software parameter to jump to the hardware position sounding drastically out of place In this case leave the box unchecked Don t worry if this is confusing quickly test it out and you should hear the difference Under FX Panel Mode select either Advanced or Chained Mode Under Effect Pre Selection separate the list of preselected effects visible within the FX Panel drop down menus from the list of available effects removed from the FX Panel drop down menus Double click names within the relevant list or highlight a selection and choose Add Remove to define what effects you will or won t use Use the Up Down buttons to establish a sort order for the FX Panel drop down menus 144 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Advanced FX Mode As mentioned previously Advanced FX mode provides precise control over multiple parameters of one selected effect see Figure 7 34 and Figure 7 35 For performance efficiency all Advanced FX mode effects share the Dry Wet knob and Rst Reset parameters in other words if you map the controls to
478. within multiple Crates you can reorder Crates by dragging them up and down the list or you can drag and drop one Crate on top of another to form sub Crates Figure 9 21 The Make New Crate icon For example create a folder for hip hop and then drag and drop specific subgenres on top of the parent hip hop Crate When you click and hold on a Crate a dotted line will appear on the left side of the list Drop the Crate on the left to reshuffle drop the Crate on the right to create a sub Crate Depending on how deep you want to go Crates with sub Crates can even be dropped onto one another to create organizational hierarchies To create a Smart Crate click on the small blue Create Smart Crate icon see Figure 9 22 located in the bottom left corner of the GUI Use the subsequent pop up window see Figure 9 23 to define the Smart Crate s automated sort rules This type of system cuts an immense amount of time out of organizing a music collection Instead of having to per form the mundane task of keyword searching specific groupings of songs or albums dragging them to predefined Standard Crates and repeating the process for hours on end you could create a Smart Crate and define specific criteria such as hip hop and artist Figure 9 22 The Create Smart Crate icon 202 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Smart Crate Rules Match all of the following Rules Add Rule v Live update Figure 9 23
479. xternal hardware or between two computers you will set the In Port to the MIDI in port of your MIDI interface for example Audio 8 DJ MIDI Input Port 0 To avoid potential confusion set the selected device s Out Port to None Close the Traktor Preferences Click on the Metronome icon within the Global section to switch to the Master Clock panel Click Ext under the Clock Master heading displayed in Figure 8 26 Load and play a track within Deck A Click Deck A s Sync button so that playback reflects the tempo of the master MIDI Clock source the other hard ware software sending the MIDI Clock signal You should see the Master Clock tempo fluctuating with the incoming MIDI Clock signal If playback between the devices is not synchronized slowly adjust the offset function from the master external MIDI hardware software Moving Forward I hope that having read this chapter you are now able to understand the significance Traktor represents within DJ culture Through Traktor NI imagined an application that would let performers rethink their performance boundaries in ways unimaginable 186 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer as few as 10 years ago Not content with playing one record after another NI has managed to entirely encapsulate DJ culture and shape Traktor into the powerful tool that it is today In the next chapter we ll use a similar approach to examine a second progressive mode
480. y From Defines how the SP 6 plays back the loaded sample Start launches the sample from the beginning Cue defines which cue point to start playback from and Loop selects the loop in section to launch from Note that cue and loop launch behaviors are dependent on the mode selection in other words using Loop will play the sample from the loop in point through to the end of the sample unless Repeat mode is chosen m Overview Displays the loaded sample s waveform data including all stored cue and loop points m Level Use the Volume fader and Gain knob to control and optimize output volumes respectively Note that the SP 6 also utilizes its own overall gain output located on the right side of the panel Level meter Use the Level meters to meter individual slot output volumes in order to avoid clipping Sample banks Use these buttons to flip between the four sample banks With six slots per bank the SP 6 offers 24 sound source options and configurations that are automatically saved and recalled within each new session Using the SP 6 From a performance perspective the SP 6 Sampler was intentionally designed for quick actions a feature absolutely essential to spontaneity For example using the hotkey combination of Ctrl Alt Z through N instantly loads samples loops or entire tracks into Slots 1 through 6 Alternatively highlight up to six samples within the Song Browser and drag them up to Slot 1 drop the files to automat
481. y Walker and Trevor Fung imported the Balearic sound of Ibiza s legendary DJ Alfredo in part spawning the UK s immensely pivotal early acid house movement Somewhat closer to home unde niable influence was shared by a handful of imaginative young freethinkers living within the Detroit suburbs 18 The Laptop DJ Handbook Setups and Techniques of the Modern Performer Techno In their DJ anthology Last Night a DJ Saved My Life Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton wittily sum up one of techno s fundamental standards Its basic notion is this if house is just disco played by microchips what kind of noise would these machines make on their own Whereas house music principally originated as a home grown industry evolved from disco techno serves as a type of source code describing a broader international language In opposition to house s adaptation to and evolution within a purposely designed environment techno s abstract conceptualization reached beyond the physical and social constructs of its architects The narrative of the Belleville Three after their high school Juan Atkins Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson is a thing of techno legend The trio grew up with an experience atypical of young black Detroit teenagers in the 70s and 80s Although they were raised within a relatively affluent predominately white Detroit suburb their incongruous slightly dislocated experience of coming of age within Detroit s crum b
482. you can avoid many situations with some old fashioned product knowledge Knowing how to set up your equipment is one of the most important requirements for performers in fact it s part of the job description Certain circumstances demand specific audio setup configurations as such Traktor was intentionally constructed with flexible routing options in mind The following sec tions explain how and when to use them Internal Soundcard I have mentioned this already but as a general rule it is always best to steer clear of any laptop s built in soundcard when using professional audio applications Minus a few niche examples computer manufacturers rarely have the pro audio industry in mind when they are sourcing audio hardware parts Rather the internal soundcards are typ ically intended for multimedia usage watching movies listening to music playing Chapter 5 Traktor Pro Intro 71 video games and so on Using the internal soundcard is absolutely fine when relaxing on the couch or stuffed into an airplane seat but you won t be able to separate the monitor output channel pre listen or cue from the master output channel what the audience hears If you want to get the most out of Traktor an audio interface with at least two stereo outputs is a must Note If you are using a Windows PC with the internal soundcard please see the ASIO4ALL reference within the Drivers section of Chapter 3 Hardware Configuration 1 Conne
483. you might want to go do something else for a while if you own tens of thousands of tracks that something else should be going to bed for the night Even though Scratch simultaneously analyzes several files large music collections take quite a long time Alternatively you can always drag and drop an individual Crate or selection of songs on top of the Analyze Files button enacting the analyzation process manually Note Once you have analyzed your Library keep your eye out for the Corrupt File icon shown in Figure 9 19 Make absolutely sure that you delete these files from Serato s Library as they are occasionally the reason why audio applications crash Helpfully Serato provides a breakdown of SSL s error messages within the user documentation Figure 9 19 The Corrupt File icon The fix Often re encoding audio files into a compatible format resolves issues with corrupted files If it doesn t work then make sure that you delete the file from your machine because it could cause unforeseen problems beyond just SSL Set Auto BPM As noted analyzation estimates a track s tempo and writes a bpm tag into the ID3 data If you know that your collection falls within a particular bpm range check the Set Audio BPM box and choose a tempo range from the drop down menu shown in Figure 9 20 Doing so prevents Serato from accidentally doubling or halving the actual track bpm Analyze Files SetAutoBPM Range 78 155 F All Loops 3

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