CategoryGear

APC40: Still the best Ableton controller

I got into a controller conversation with a friend tonight. He and I have a similar Ableton setup, including Push and the first-gen Akai APC40. Given the new analog synth he was adding to his studio, he and I debated whether he could ditch the APC, and continue using Push only. It definitely got me thinking… thinking I don’t see ever parting with my APC. Here’s why.

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Gear: Trying Before You Buy

There are a few situations where it’s better to walk into your local music store, to get your hands- and ears-on that piece of gear you’re considering, prior to purchase. Whether you pick it up there in person, or find it cheaper online, at least you’ve got yourself a better understanding of the build, feel, and quality of that next purchase – before it arrives.

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Best Ableton Videos for DJ & Production

We’ve all spent days on YouTube watching Ableton videos – tips, training & walk-thrus. But with its right side “recommended / related” video list, I find myself getting easily distracted, ending up down a rat hole. What I’ve done here is collected the videos that have made the biggest difference for me with regards to using Live, learning new DJ methods, sound design tools & compression, bettering my workflow and processes, and hearing how the pros do it. Over the years, these videos have, without a doubt, boosted my Ableton DJ, producer and remix game. If you’re just starting out, or continuing your mastery of Ableton, I believe you, too, will find these to be priceless.

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Packing Your DJ Bag

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Moog Minitaur & Ableton MIDI Fix

Getting the Minitaur to perform properly with Ableton wasn’t as self-explanatory as I would have hoped. For days I was convinced the Moog was actually broken on arrival.

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Changing Your Controller’s “Clip Matrix” (Focus Box) Color

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Adding Analog Gear: Moog Minitaur

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    Getting the Minitaur to perform properly with Ableton wasn't as self-explanatory as I would have hoped. For days I was convinced the Moog was actually broken on arrival. After exhaustive Google searches, I contacted my Amazon seller and Moog Support to inform them of my issues: hardware glitches, Ableton's external instrument failing, the whole project crashing…

Get Yourself a Decent Pair of Headphones

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Chasing the Beat: Fixing Ableton Latency Issues

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.

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