Serato DJ Pro General Discussion

Talk about Serato DJ Pro, expansion packs and supported hardware

DJ set is clipping during recording in ableton live 9

purpledisco 4:32 PM - 28 December, 2017
Hey guys, back again.

Trying to record my set in Ableton. I don't know this platform yet at all but I've recorded out of it before. I do it from session view and check the master in arrangement view - when I run tests, the playback is blaring like I've blown the speakers out. Ive poked around playing with knobs hoping it'd be the gain I'm turning down but nothing works. So I've lowered my knobs on my actual mixer which works for ableton but now I can barely hear myself playing out of my monitors unless I turn their dbs up 100% (and that's still low).

Before this, I tried recording out of serato DJ with my sl3 but its been doing the same, I've switched aux out to master 2, volume levels were right - I have no idea whats up. Been searching high and low on the internet for tutorials but its all on remastering a mix. Not for this, specifically.

Thank you for reading
R-A-C 1:17 AM - 29 December, 2017
always a good start is to tell what gear you have
purpledisco 2:06 AM - 29 December, 2017
Quote:
always a good start is to tell what gear you have


Thank you.

Gear:
Macbook Pro
2 technics
Pioneer Nexus 900
Dicers
SL3

Softwares:
Serato DJ
Ableton Live 9
Tommy Deem 9:51 AM - 29 December, 2017
Why don't u record in serato??
dj_soo 10:43 AM - 29 December, 2017
plug the monitors direct into the mixer then you can play as loud as you want while still maintaining a reasonable level when recording.

Also, why not just record in serato?
RR437T 12:32 PM - 29 December, 2017
What are you using for a phono preamp? Check to make sure its set to the specs on your cartridge. Also make sure you are running the signal through just 1 phono preamp. With DJ gear, its easy to make that mistake because you may have several components that offer phono inputs. You can only use 1. After that, its a line level source.

If any of the above applies to you, no amount of gain adjustment can fix the problem. It has to be dealt with directly.
purpledisco 5:26 PM - 29 December, 2017
Quote:
plug the monitors direct into the mixer then you can play as loud as you want while still maintaining a reasonable level when recording.

Also, why not just record in serato?


There are two inputs on my monitors, I have them hooked up directly to mixer in the master with microphone cables. The other input is with a quarter inch.. last time I had both of these plugged in and it worked but I was also using SSL and an M Audio sound card. All I have now is the SL3

I tried recording through serato but the same thing happened! Muffled and blown out, tried switching plugs around; levels were barely in the yellow
purpledisco 5:29 PM - 29 December, 2017
Quote:
What are you using for a phono preamp? Check to make sure its set to the specs on your cartridge. Also make sure you are running the signal through just 1 phono preamp. With DJ gear, its easy to make that mistake because you may have several components that offer phono inputs. You can only use 1. After that, its a line level source.

If any of the above applies to you, no amount of gain adjustment can fix the problem. It has to be dealt with directly.


I don't think I have any phono preamps.. Just the SL3. There are phono switches on the side, for on and off. I don't know what those are for.. and what does checking specs for your cartridge do, I've never heard of that. Sorry, I'm still a bit of a beginner. Is that done in my Serato DJ settings??
purpledisco 5:32 PM - 29 December, 2017
Quote:
Why don't u record in serato??


I tried recording through serato but the same thing happened - muffled and blown out, tried switching plugs around; levels were barely in the yellow
RR437T 6:32 PM - 29 December, 2017
Quote:
Quote:
What are you using for a phono preamp? Check to make sure its set to the specs on your cartridge. Also make sure you are running the signal through just 1 phono preamp. With DJ gear, its easy to make that mistake because you may have several components that offer phono inputs. You can only use 1. After that, its a line level source.

If any of the above applies to you, no amount of gain adjustment can fix the problem. It has to be dealt with directly.


I don't think I have any phono preamps.. Just the SL3. There are phono switches on the side, for on and off. I don't know what those are for.. and what does checking specs for your cartridge do, I've never heard of that. Sorry, I'm still a bit of a beginner. Is that done in my Serato DJ settings??


Phono preamps are not optional. If you play a record and you hear music you have one. Records are not like other sources. You can't just plug one in to a line level input like you can a CD player and have it play music.

When you plug a record player in, all that does is spin the platter. The music signal is generated by your phono cartridge. Its a small electrical motor that is powered by the movement of the needle through the groove on the record. You need a phono preamp for 2 reasons. First, the music signal generated by the cartridge is very weak and needs a great deal of amplification in order to be usable. Even the highest output cartridges are very weak compared to something like a CD player. Second, the lower the note on the record, the wider the groove has to be. The problem is that the groove can become so wide, the needle can't touch the side of the groove where the mids an highs are. In order to correct this, all records are made using an industry standard EQ curve, called the RIAA EQ curve. It rolls the lower frequencies off so that when the music goes on the record, the groove doesn't get too wide. During playback of a record, your phono preamp applies this EQ curve in order to make the record listenable.

As you can imagine, not setting your cart up properly, or mistakenly running the signal through 2 phono preamps by accident, can cause big problems. Your description of the problem sounds a lot like a TT issue.
dj_soo 6:44 PM - 29 December, 2017
Is your sl3 set to phono? You'd probably notice if it wasn't.
purpledisco 9:04 PM - 30 December, 2017
Quote:
Is your sl3 set to phono? You'd probably notice if it wasn't.


yes it is set to phone
purpledisco 9:09 PM - 30 December, 2017
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
What are you using for a phono preamp? Check to make sure its set to the specs on your cartridge. Also make sure you are running the signal through just 1 phono preamp. With DJ gear, its easy to make that mistake because you may have several components that offer phono inputs. You can only use 1. After that, its a line level source.

If any of the above applies to you, no amount of gain adjustment can fix the problem. It has to be dealt with directly.


I don't think I have any phono preamps.. Just the SL3. There are phono switches on the side, for on and off. I don't know what those are for.. and what does checking specs for your cartridge do, I've never heard of that. Sorry, I'm still a bit of a beginner. Is that done in my Serato DJ settings??


Phono preamps are not optional. If you play a record and you hear music you have one. Records are not like other sources. You can't just plug one in to a line level input like you can a CD player and have it play music.

When you plug a record player in, all that does is spin the platter. The music signal is generated by your phono cartridge. Its a small electrical motor that is powered by the movement of the needle through the groove on the record. You need a phono preamp for 2 reasons. First, the music signal generated by the cartridge is very weak and needs a great deal of amplification in order to be usable. Even the highest output cartridges are very weak compared to something like a CD player. Second, the lower the note on the record, the wider the groove has to be. The problem is that the groove can become so wide, the needle can't touch the side of the groove where the mids an highs are. In order to correct this, all records are made using an industry standard EQ curve, called the RIAA EQ curve. It rolls the lower frequencies off so that when the music goes on the record, the groove doesn't get too wide. During playback of a record, your phono preamp applies this EQ curve in order to make the record listenable.

As you can imagine, not setting your cart up properly, or mistakenly running the signal through 2 phono preamps by accident, can cause big problems. Your description of the problem sounds a lot like a TT issue.


very awesome and informative, thank you. I have the shure m447's, I tested my ortofon needles to make sure it wasn't my shure cartridge and it was doing the same thing. I saw my sl3 has been set to phone - all three inputs. That must be another problem. My mixer is obviously set to line bcs i use control vinyl.
purpledisco 9:18 PM - 30 December, 2017
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
What are you using for a phono preamp? Check to make sure its set to the specs on your cartridge. Also make sure you are running the signal through just 1 phono preamp. With DJ gear, its easy to make that mistake because you may have several components that offer phono inputs. You can only use 1. After that, its a line level source.

If any of the above applies to you, no amount of gain adjustment can fix the problem. It has to be dealt with directly.




I don't think I have any phono preamps.. Just the SL3. There are phono switches on the side, for on and off. I don't know what those are for.. and what does checking specs for your cartridge do, I've never heard of that. Sorry, I'm still a bit of a beginner. Is that done in my Serato DJ settings??


Phono preamps are not optional. If you play a record and you hear music you have one. Records are not like other sources. You can't just plug one in to a line level input like you can a CD player and have it play music.

When you plug a record player in, all that does is spin the platter. The music signal is generated by your phono cartridge. Its a small electrical motor that is powered by the movement of the needle through the groove on the record. You need a phono preamp for 2 reasons. First, the music signal generated by the cartridge is very weak and needs a great deal of amplification in order to be usable. Even the highest output cartridges are very weak compared to something like a CD player. Second, the lower the note on the record, the wider the groove has to be. The problem is that the groove can become so wide, the needle can't touch the side of the groove where the mids an highs are. In order to correct this, all records are made using an industry standard EQ curve, called the RIAA EQ curve. It rolls the lower frequencies off so that when the music goes on the record, the groove doesn't get too wide. During playback of a record, your phono preamp applies this EQ curve in order to make the record listenable.

As you can imagine, not setting your cart up properly, or mistakenly running the signal through 2 phono preamps by accident, can cause big problems. Your description of the problem sounds a lot like a TT issue.

Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
What are you using for a phono preamp? Check to make sure its set to the specs on your cartridge. Also make sure you are running the signal through just 1 phono preamp. With DJ gear, its easy to make that mistake because you may have several components that offer phono inputs. You can only use 1. After that, its a line level source.

If any of the above applies to you, no amount of gain adjustment can fix the problem. It has to be dealt with directly.


I don't think I have any phono preamps.. Just the SL3. There are phono switches on the side, for on and off. I don't know what those are for.. and what does checking specs for your cartridge do, I've never heard of that. Sorry, I'm still a bit of a beginner. Is that done in my Serato DJ settings??


Phono preamps are not optional. If you play a record and you hear music you have one. Records are not like other sources. You can't just plug one in to a line level input like you can a CD player and have it play music.

When you plug a record player in, all that does is spin the platter. The music signal is generated by your phono cartridge. Its a small electrical motor that is powered by the movement of the needle through the groove on the record. You need a phono preamp for 2 reasons. First, the music signal generated by the cartridge is very weak and needs a great deal of amplification in order to be usable. Even the highest output cartridges are very weak compared to something like a CD player. Second, the lower the note on the record, the wider the groove has to be. The problem is that the groove can become so wide, the needle can't touch the side of the groove where the mids an highs are. In order to correct this, all records are made using an industry standard EQ curve, called the RIAA EQ curve. It rolls the lower frequencies off so that when the music goes on the record, the groove doesn't get too wide. During playback of a record, your phono preamp applies this EQ curve in order to make the record listenable.

As you can imagine, not setting your cart up properly, or mistakenly running the signal through 2 phono preamps by accident, can cause big problems. Your description of the problem sounds a lot like a TT issue.


very awesome and informative, thank you. I have the shure m447's, I tested my ortofon needles to make sure it wasn't my shure cartridge and it was doing the same thing. I saw my sl3 has been set to phone - all three inputs. That must be another problem. My mixer is obviously set to line bcs i use control vinyl.


Holy shit guys I figured it out lol.

I’ve been recording on an old cracked version of Ableton that I got years ago. I told a friend about this and he suggested I install the brand new program I just got a few weeks ago. Didn’t think it be a big deal but it was. Just installed and used the brand new updated version and now everything works perfectly. Although I’m still not sure why it wasn’t working in Serato DJ. Perhaps it was the sl3 running on phono.
dj_soo 10:49 PM - 30 December, 2017
if you were recording into the SL3 and the third channel input was set to phono then you would have been recoding through a phono preamp - that was the most likely culprit.
purpledisco 4:31 PM - 1 January, 2018
Quote:
if you were recording into the SL3 and the third channel input was set to phono then you would have been recoding through a phono preamp - that was the most likely culprit.


thanks so much for the help :)