Ableton Transport Control & Mixtape for Serato Scratch Live
By Paul Dakeyne
| Posted in DJ
Serato have today released two new tutorial videos to help DJ/Producers and artists better understand certain workings of the Bridge software, which unifies both Ableton and Scratch Live into one beautifully collaborative engine. These videos are of ‘teaser’ status at this stage, of course, because although Serato Scratch Live is now officially at version 2.1, ‘The Bridge’ remains currently in public beta-testing – but perhaps that may be changing very soon?
The first one looks at the Ableton Transport Control application which offers turntable-style tempo control of an Ableton Live set, including clips, scenes and even manipulation of effects.When both Serato and Ableton are open, an Ableton Live transport track appears in the users Serato library. This is simply dragged to an unoccupied deck in Serato, and then this deck can control Ableton’s tempo and playback. Using Scratch Live or indeed the Itch interface (crikey!) the tempo of an Ableton Live set can be changed, transport position nudged or even looping the Ableton clip or scene is possible. DJ’s will love the fact that when the ATC (Ableton Transport Control) is active, Scratch Live’s main waveform display gives visual indication of bars and beats, basically meaning that a jock can ‘see’ and match the down-beats from two programs as if they were one – which is exactly what Bridge brings to the table really.
Ableton Live can be transformed into the ultimate loop player by synchronising a Live set to the groove of an active Serato deck’s MP3 track. Effects and start points stay in time with whatever is happening on the controlling deck. The added bonus of course is that this method frees up the second Scratch Live deck offering the DJ some amazing creative expression. To assist the DJ in keeping everything in time, the ‘nudge’ function helps make additional fine tuned tempo adjustments). To further control the Ableton side of the fence via ‘Bridge’, dedicated controllers (Akai APC’s/Launchpads etc) can be integrated with everything necessary to visually check available through the Serato/Bridge interface. The software is even intelligent enough to offer a specific resizable grid view , deferring to whichever controller is connected. Check out the video below to learn more.
A term which harks back to the days I actually started in the DJ world, then relating to cassettes (magnetic tape encased in a small plastic case for any [very] young turks out there) but now adopted as trendy, nay hijacked terminology, is ‘mixtape’. We’ll all know this of course as a DJ’s 21st century calling card, referring to a sequenced or mixed set of tunes presented on CD or MP3 download (usually via social media channels)to promote/entertain the DJ’s musical style and presentation skills. The trouble is, these Mixtapes are usually an hour plus in length, and more often than not, most DJ’s would either make a beat match mistake at worst or simply not be happy with a key clashed mix perhaps. If super skilled and none of those applied, they may just wish to edit down (or out) certain sections to make the mix flow tighter and more concise or even add/overdub some wild effects not possible or conducive when performing the actual session.
Worry thee not, dear DJ friends. The new Mixtape feature in Serato/Ableton Bridge is quite literally the answer to any or all of the above problems and desires. Serato state: “Depending on your Serato hardware setup, fader movements, EQ tweaks and Crossfader cuts on your DJ mixer are recorded as automation and can be edited after the tape stops rolling”. A user doesn’t even need to have Ableton Live running: all performance gestures are recorded as an Ableton Live set which can be launched later and added to with additional effects, loops and even instrumentation – awesome eh? Again, check the video below for the full low down.
Well, we wait patiently for the official release of The Bridge. For certain though, users of Ableton Live 8 and Serato Scratch Live are set to have their groove well and truly rocked!
Tags: Ableton, Bridge, itch, scratch live, serato, serato 2.1, serato scratch live bridge, serato the bridge, Transport Control