DJM 800 as a midi controller

[Ralph Wiggum]

Just wondering if anyone has setup a Pioneer DJM 800 mixer as a midi controller and if so, how did you set up and what software were/are you using.

I have one till Friday and am keen to know what others may have done.

Cheers,
Ralph
:)

[Pro Tool]

Yup. It just goes! Every knob sends MIDI controller info. With ableton it's a total doddle, just go MIDI map mode and start clicking and tweaking! Too easy!

[Ralph Wiggum]

Oh sweet, cheers Ehsan :-D


With Ableton, are you able to configure a midi sync of some sort or is that a given?

For example, I'm playing a record and I want to sync whatever is being played out of Ableton?

I've kind of seen the set up that you and Luke use at Lounge, but I would love to know how you both set it up, that is of course if you are willing to let me know ;D

[Pro Tool]

That's a bit more involved - but it can be done. Me n Luke have thought about using the tempo feature of the 800 but in the year we've been thinking about it I've managed to get pretty snappy at just using the keys on me lappy to get it in time so - neccessity brought about some pretty crude (and effective!) invention.

There is a MIDI out on the back of the 800 and the MIDI stuff is basically just ON all the time. There's a start/stop button on the right with the rest of the tempo controls and you're off! It'll read the tempo of yr record and TRY to stay in sync. Now, this I've not tried with the 800. I had a bit of a experimental few days with a Xone:92 and was er.... well, I still do it with spacebar and up/down arrows. But try it out and let me know if it's any good - I'm keen to hear!

[Ralph Wiggum]

I will definitely give it ago, but it will have to wait until tomorrow night.

As for what you are doing with the keyboard, that is pretty much what I'm doing with the BCD2000 and virtualdj, cue it up and throw the track in and hope for the best. My results have been surprisingly good so far.

I'll let you know the results and I'd been keen to pick your brain more over a beer or many if you're up for it :)

No aLive for you Saturday? :(

[Pro Tool]

Of course I'm up for it!

Tragically no aLive fr me this week - come to Brissie wit me n Ev. Carn!

[nicnac]

When mixing Ableton with records I prefer to beat mix the lappy myself .. refining skills and not making it too easy. There's a stigma with dj-ing with a laptop that I am trying to avoid .. a little .. its kinda not playing live and if you don't need to beat mix its kinda not dj-ing either .. ya know?

but thats me ...

[Ralph Wiggum]

Nice one nic, but fuck the stigma mate. It's just another tool for producing music, so what if it's a bit easier? :)


Sooo, I pose this, is there less stigma playing an instrument and recording a song on to 8 track tape versus creating something in Ableton or Reason and recording it straight to hard disk or playing that live?

Anyways....

Hopefully see you this weekend nic :)

Edit: San, I'd love to mate, but am pretty much broke this month. Grrr... Have fun and am keen to hear what you'll be playing with Jamie too. Do you record your sets when on tour?

[Pro Tool]

I will record it - just for you!!!

As for what naccers has said about the 'stigma' thing - bugger that. I'm loud and proud with playing off my laptop and I couldn't give less of a hoot with regard to the impression that the delivery medium has on the small section of the audience who care.

Call me a futurist - I'm all about exploiting the current technology to the max to find the most efficient, inspirational and yes EASY way to do what we do. Poo pooing a method because of a preconceived idea of how chinstrokers may respond is silly and serves no purpose other than to constrain you, the performer, in your work.

I honestly believe that the wonderment that is inspired in the small number of people who are aware of me playing off a laptop and the engaging conversations I have with them far outweighs any negativity that's recieved. Or put it this way - for every person that comes up to me asking what I'm doing and how there may well be another up the back disdainfully disapproving - but the person up front dancing their ass off showing a genuine interest is the more valuable punter.

[nicnac]

The I guess it is something I put on myself .. I have a lack of pots and faders outside of the dj mixer, so I guess I need to make something important when mixing the lappy ..

Having said that .. when it comes down to it .. I currently have no way of hooking up midi between my lappy and say an 800 so I have no choice! Love it either way!

Music is music ..

Sooo, I pose this, is there less stigma playing an instrument and recording a song on to 8 track tape versus creating something in Ableton or Reason and recording it straight to hard disk or playing that live?

No there is no difference, but this isn't exactly what I was thinking of .. If I write/compose a tune on an 8 track OR in Ableton, bounce it down and render as MP3, and play/dj that off my laptop OR a cd .. is that playing live music?

Anyway .. enough of this banter and talking bollocks .. lets love what we do and do what we love ... see ya on the weekend fo' shiz Ralph ... we'll eat a beer each together or some shit at aLive!

fckng tchn

[Pro Tool]

If I write/compose a tune on an 8 track OR in Ableton, bounce it down and render as MP3, and play/dj that off my laptop OR a cd .. is that playing live music?
Plainly not!

we'll eat a beer each together or some shit
Dude. Gross.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'm with both of yah :-D

FUCKING TECHNO for the masses :rock:


Hehe, I just realised I don't have a fucking midi cable or a midi to USB adapter, der! I'll go in search of one tomorrow afternoon, there's a little music shop up the road from where I work in the sticks that may have what I'm after.

[nicnac]

Plainly not!
rhetorical .. that was my point .. etc etc blah blah

Dude. Gross.

eat shit ... you haven't tried?

FUCKING TECHNO for the masses :rock:

.... quoted for reiteration ..

[fratts]

I've been using Live with CDJs, Vinyl and Ableton for a year with the DJM 800 and find the MIDI Sync to be really tempremental. It is hit and miss a lot of the time and it doesn't lock the BPM at times as well as latency issues and guess work which isn't ideal in a live situation.

I found the best way is as described above - Use the laptop as a deck, set Ableton quantisation to none in top tool bar and assign the nudge clip buttons and master tempo to MIDI controller or DJM.

I also TAP the tempo in to Ableton which works well with some practice and then just ride the pitch as you would with a deck.

Korg have also updated their KP3 BPM Sync and it works as well as the Redsound MIDI Sync if you want to spend more $$ or, check out the MIDI Sync guide on the Pioneer Pro DJ Forum.

Once you get it all hooked up, it's a great set up!!

[Ralph Wiggum]

Nice work there fratts.

Did you go with the Korg BPM Sync or are you happy just TAPping and syncing beat matching that way?

[fratts]

At the moment I just tap the temo, works well and good to practice especially when you have a gig and hav to follow a Vinyl / CD DJ or add ableton in to your set if you are using other formats.

I'm thinking about KP3 though as you get shitload of effects, sampling, filters and now a very accurate BPM Sync.

Not sure if you do this, but I assign the DJM TAP button to the TAP function in Ableton - works well..