Steve - Your LaunchClip Author & Moderator

Get Yourself a Decent Pair of Headphones

June 24, 2014 / Steve / 0 Comments

If you plan to gig in clubs, or need to mix late at night, you’ll want to find a reliable set of cans. After a few entry-level options, I did some research online and picked up a pair of Pioneer HDJ-2000s at my local Guitar Center.

Set Up Your Session for DJ Cueing
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My audio interface has served me well, going strong for nearly five years now. The M-Audio Fast Track Pro has since been discontinued, but it's essentially a portable, USB-powered, 4-output audio / midi interface with a front headphone jack. The benefit here? Not only does it fit in a backpack, having the 3/4 channel allows you…
Packing Your DJ Bag
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When packing for a recent gig, I noticed I was carrying way too much shiz in my bag. I was familiar with the venue's booth, but something always tells me to be prepared, just in case. Bad cables, missing adapters, poor lighting - who knows? I splurged on a dedicated MONO EFX 365 bag. It comfortably seats my…

Hyper-Quick Track Warping Tips

May 23, 2014 / Steve / 0 Comments

If you DJ in Ableton, chances are you’ll be spending a significant amount of time warping your tracks. There are some great YouTube videos out there, but I thought I’d share my techniques. Using these steps, my newly added tracks are typically ready for prime time in just under a minute.

Harmonic Mixing with Mixed in Key

April 18, 2014 / Steve / 0 Comments

Take your DJ sets to a new level by learning to mix tracks of the same, or complementary root key. Mixed in Key is an affordable solution that scans your library to detect the key (and energy level) of each track added.

Transposing Tracks for Ableton Sets
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Traditional vinyl DJs use pitch bending techniques to shift the key of their incoming or outgoing track. This provides some flexibility for blending otherwise incompatible tracks. For Ableton DJ sets, I use what I call the "Y Technique" with Mixed in Key to jump across and around the clock face of the Camelot Wheel (Circle of…
Deeper Discoveries while Warping Ableton Tracks
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In a previous post, I outline how I warp tracks for my Ableton DJ sets. Here I'd like to share a few additional discoveries and learnings I've encountered along the way. Your Ear vs. Ableton's Because Ableton has built-in transient detection, it may recommend Warp Marker locations that aren't necessarily where you want or expect them to…
How I Mash Up - Part 1
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When I stumble on a good mashup during an Ableton session, I just want to capture that shiz and share it. Mashups force you to split your roles to both DJ and Producer, making Ableton the ideal environment to play. On one side, you can be highly experimental and responsive in Session View; on the other, you're editing and mixing down the arrangement. Here are some…
Tags: tracks, track, session, key

Chasing the Beat: Fixing Ableton Latency Issues

March 21, 2014 / Steve / 0 Comments

So you’ve got your MIDI controller all set up: you record enable the track, the count-in starts, and you attempt to lay in that nasty synth. You’re playing perfectly in time with the metronome, but the audio is chasing your beat by what feels like a whole minute. Even if it’s a few milliseconds, this experience can be both frustrating and distracting. Good news, I’ve got the fix for you.

Is Your Child Showing Signs of a Future Producer?

March 14, 2014 / Steve / 0 Comments

Yes, I had a Casio keyboard in elementary school. It was a gift from my Uncle Peter, and came with a dozen on-board drum patterns, each one tempo-controlled from a dedicated fader. My favorite preset was the “16 beat” – I could rock that shit at any speed. Piano lessons be damned.

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