Im using Ableton Live because of the capability to create custom effect chains and using a bit of real-time performance/sampling.
To give some examples:
– Using Live’s Looper, a few controller buttons and apropriate channel rooting, I had the loop-recorder/sampler Traktor now has before it was in there. I could also choose on the fly if i want to loop-record deck A, deck B or both dekcs (master) and I also had a, guess what, a low-high cut filter on that.
*To be sincere, when I saw Traktor implementing those sample decks with the filters beneath, I remember bragging secretly to myself that I had come up with an idea that later on a huge djing software company thought – kinda gave me a self-confidence boost lol.*
– Imagine Traktor’s reverb followed by a sidechain compressor (driven from a non-audible kick drum) – for those not into production techniques this creates the effect of a “pumping” reverb effect, so commonly used you might even think what you just heard wasnt the DJ’s FX but a sound from the originally played track. Not doable in any DJ software (even those with VST support) because you need an extra channel for the compressor input). Yup, its doable in Live, imagination is your limit.
– In my typical, well – prepared DJ set for a club, I’ll usually accompany the classic two decks with a drum synthesizer, usually using hi-hats, toms or snares of it, a sampler with some swooshes and wooooashes and well you know what I mean, sound effects categorised in drops, rises, explotions all mapped to my keys and one synthesizer for a bit of electro-bleepy sequenced noises.
Of course, I have to add the fact that being primarly a producer and wanting to “inject” live-performance (playing synths and samplers) to my DJ sets played a big part in choosing Live. I must say it must seem a very awkward program for a guy coming from vinyls or cds and despite the custom effects and whatnot I wouldnt recommend it to an experienced Vinly or CD DJ who wants to just go digital – Traktor should feel more apropriate to him.
