using a drum machine/drum synth while djing?

Drake44444 · Post by **Drake44444** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:17 am

I have recently been experiment with Ableton by using drumazon. Does anybody use a hardware or software drum machine during dj sets?

MdM · Post by **MdM** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 9:28 am

I'm using this one:

and this one too:

the 2 machines are in sync with live,and with the dx200 i have 3 drum track and a great fm synth track.. i use the internal sequencer and i record too some midi ltrack in live, than i turn the knobs..

I think this way is more funny and add more "live-feeling" to your pefomance.. Controller is great too, but some real instrument under my hands makes me very happy..

Drake44444 · Post by **Drake44444** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:33 pm

Thanks for the input. What is the first machine? The graphic isnt loading.

Right now I am trying to use drumazon vst controlled by a BCR and midi keyboard. I decided to go with internal sequencer as well, instead of writing my own patterns with midi.

Der geile Ami · Post by **Der geile Ami** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 2:55 am

I have a rs7000 and used to dj. I was never really serious about djing, but took it out on a couple of gigs or jams. With most drum machines you have the awkward issue of tempo syncing. You can easily match a record to a running sequencer, but it is more difficult to bring ina drum machine to an already playing record due to the sensitivity of the tempo control. If the sequencer has to stop at any time, many only allow single digit bpm adjustments as default. Many allow finer resolution, but perhaps as an annoying shift function or suffering from the roughness an older cd player experiences.

There are boxes that extract a midi tempo from audio, but not all are that great at it. It's annoying to have to maintain tempo syncing on a device you are supposed to be jamming with. Live musicians have the same issue, but the trained advantage of actually determining the tempo with their physical playing.

Perhaps ableton makes this process suffer with fewer headaches, but I dont dj anymore, so have never thought about it.

Some people do use ableton for more than just samplig or effects in their dj setups, but the ones i have seen are laptop sourced.

Why not dj within ableton? I realize you lose the physical manipulation, but I truly consider this tactile feedback for tempo fine tuning a crutch against creative development. I dont think anyone in the crowd is going to complain about a lack of spinning discs if someone is jamming out beats live on pads or keys.

Drake44444 · Post by **Drake44444** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:53 am

Yep, thats what i am working with. Ableton and a Korg zero 4 and drumazon 909. I have to use midi to control the BPM, but other than that i really like using the 909

Drake44444 · Post by **Drake44444** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:40 am

I sorted out some of the timing problems by using the internal drumazon sequencer, but starting it by starting a blank clip.

Not only does this make sure it starts in beat, but when i move the tempo it stays in beat.

However, Drumazon does get glitchy when run from a live clip and the knobs start being turned by phantoms and i have to trigger another clip. And there is no stopping it once you start it. You have to hit the channel kill

s.k. · Post by **s.k.** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:48 pm

make sure you disable it from receiving midi from any other channels. sounds like the phantom comes from some midi clips you have there.