Playing other peoples tunes on Ableton Live

Discussion in 'Music' started by chris l, Feb 4, 2005.

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  1. chris l

    chris l Jack!

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    Playing other peoples tunes on Ableton Live

    I reckon it's pretty lame if you use it to play other peoples tunes - it's just cheating, no beat matching or skill involved at all, you're just deciding which tune comes next, and maybe using the effects inside live to alter them a bit.

    If you're using your own loops and stuff it's different, your making the tunes as you go along, not looping someone elses full tunes until your ready to drop the next.

    Someone like Chris Liebing - for example uses it properly:

    He has Live running, plus final scratch AND turntables, this means he can manipulate his own loops into tunes using ableton (like he's done on his stigmata CD), Plus he can play new tracks using Final Scratch, AND he can play other peoples tunes on the decks.

    This means sometimes he can do a whole set from just Ableton, or just Final Scratch, or even just the decks :eek:

    Personally I reckon that's the right way to do it otherwise there is no skill involved - the program syncs everything up for you. At least if your using your loops your creating the music then and there and it's your music - not someone elses.

    But I'd be interested what people think :D
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  3. Rossy

    Rossy . Staff

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    innit. Personally I've never been one for caring how hard a time the DJ's having aslong as he makes the set flow and play stuff I rate.
  4. Jase

    Jase Blue Booked

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  5. BRID

    BRID Has name in red. Staff

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    How many dj's have massive success on the back of 'scamming' it by only using ableton live?

    NONE.

    Being a successful DJ is about producing, putting together a good set... and in Tiesto's case - Selling your soul to the devil.

    OK i take that bit back, Tiesto made it to the top on the back of some incredible productions and amazing livesets which still sound good to this day.

    I think alot of people look at ableton as cheating, but why arent the people whinging about it getting paid 5 grand a night to DJ themselves? .... because it takes alot more than being technically competant to be able to rise to the top.

    Thats what separates wannabes and whingers from superstars.
  6. Jon Mack

    Jon Mack Registered User

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    comfortably numb !
    why? it's boring!!
  7. Jase

    Jase Blue Booked

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    technology is boring and lifeless

    its the easy way out, and dont say it aint, cos they make stuff to be easier, not to make it harder
  8. DRM

    DRM Registered User

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    lol thats the most ridiculous statement ive heard today.

    well done gave me a laff :lol:
  9. Jase

    Jase Blue Booked

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    your very welcome ;)


    what part of the statement would you like me to back up?
  10. ManofScience

    ManofScience Guest

    i'm a vinyl purist... but thats rubbish.

    a DJ plays music - on what format it is, is irrelevant. times change.
  11. fizz

    fizz Registered User

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    what you paying for when you get into a club then for entertainment?? sweaty people jumping all over ya? to spend more money at the bar? perve at the skimpy women your trying to pull who are pulling the most ugliest of faces whilst almost swallowing their tongues?

    might as well put on a cd then.


    DJs should be made to work, to entertain, i like all this new technology, its exciting but its getting to a point now where a machine is taking over the human interaction.

    I remember reading a post not so long ago about linking the CDJs into the pioneer mixer so everytime you cue up the next track on the CDJ and you move the volume fader it starts playing....well if thats what a DJ has to do to get paid the promoter is being well ripped and so are the punters. again - might as well put a cd on.

    im with J on this... stick to vinyl. Or possibly limit CD decks to what their main functions should be.
  12. ManofScience

    ManofScience Guest

    i was talking more of the format, i.e. CD, vinyl, live, etc... using software to mix it - seems souless, i agree.
  13. fizz

    fizz Registered User

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    times change yes, but part of the problems and tasks a DJ has to play to a crowd comes from tune selection, the time it takes to find the next right one out of his bag/box (taking in to consideration what vibe is flowing, what feeling should come next, to up the tempo or not), as most pro djs dont really plan their sets and dont have all vinyls in set order from the previous practice set the night before.
    If your struggling to find the right tune and yer running out of time, its a problem for the DJ to work on, thats what hes getting paid for. Why not make it easier for him and just let him quickly select a track on the CDJ which autocues it for him as well. At the moment DJs are definitely getting overpaid, its sooooo much easier...more so for CD jocks and the commercial terrorists! (ask J he will tell ya hehe)

    You take away that hunt for the vinyl, that problem, by having all the tracks stored on one cd, or a memory stick and again the machine takes over and you dont have hands on control. Again, might as well put on a CD. I like hunting through my record box, checking the sleeves, it feels better. Also I recognise some of my tunes from sleeve covers and not the name...
  14. ManofScience

    ManofScience Guest

    same with me... and order they are in.. not alphabetical, usually chronalogical...

    i bet i could remember the order of a pack of cards!



    actually. no.
  15. Mr. Revel

    Mr. Revel Registered User

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    i think using anything is fine. Watching a DJ cue a record up doesnt add to my night, so i dont mind if they use technology. Building a good set with some special bits is more important than just using vinyl.

    I wouldnt even care if it cued the tunes up for you, as its not exactly hard to do! it only takes about 30 seconds anyway! That time could be better used with loops, samples, effects etc imo.
  16. Jase

    Jase Blue Booked

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    Aye all that :up:

    a few extra comments i could go with that fizz almost touched on would be the hunt for vinyl. theres no longer a buzz about gettin a track first, or hunting out rare ones that nobody has thought about playing. All you do these days is get a track ID and go get the mp3. no more hunting through racks of records and travelling to get your set, you just go get it for free online. a definite buzz i lost from a few years ago and its all down to technology making things alot easier.

    i myself prefer to see a cover and not have to worry about remembering every track name, u get used to ur box, u stick ur hand in at the right place and you select the track. anyone who knows me will tell u i can tell u what the cover and logo colour is before the artist name. its not efficient at all, and thats just the way i like it - alot more fun
  17. BRID

    BRID Has name in red. Staff

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    A DJ's job is to make people dance, its not to please the nodders at the back.

    PVD doesnt even play records or cd's - he plays timecoded vinyl which is fed into a laptop and that manipulates soundfiles.

    Would i look down on him? NOPE

    ARE YOU? Shame on ya.
  18. Jase

    Jase Blue Booked

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    sorry m8, but thats exactly why theres so many try hard djs around these days.

    we're talking about djs and technology, not anything else, if your going to comment, keep it on topic and not try some cheap stab
  19. Jase

    Jase Blue Booked

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    nice one, your first statement is completley correct :up: ;)

    paul van dyk is boring to watch. and its called final scratch m8 ;)
  20. MK X

    MK X Registered User

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    dj's should use anything there comfortable with firstly and secondly why, should they just use just vinyl??? i understand your a vinyl purist mate as am i, but as already mentioned times change, and now u'll find most of the big names using CDJs etc as its more convenient to transport cds around instead of heavy bags of vinyl & they can play unsigned tracks not in the shops for months or even there own tracks they've been working on and wanna test out. imo i aint got a problem with it, i seen two sets last year that were outstanding played by ben lost at vuzz & jon o bir down at our place and both played a full set off cd, i dont see a problem with it.

    doesnt matter what a dj uses, as long as they build a set in the right manner and u enjoy yaself.
  21. fizz

    fizz Registered User

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    not laughable mate, its like if you really enjoy driving and they give you a car that drives for you, or you enjoy a nice walk here and there and your suddenly wheelchair bound.

    Or your employed as a police officer for 20 years and suddenly an army of robots takes yer place cos its easier and cheaper.

    What if your a football player with exceptional skills of Ronaldinho and you play a 5 a side game against a weak oppposition of sunderland and you find it too easy scoring 25 goals in 30 mins... you get bored!!!! i know i would.

    I bet you would feel a bit peed off if you went to see The Corrs miming at backing tracks, throughout their live tour just cos miming is easier for them.

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