Prime Go and Ableton Live (Are 3 decks possible?)

Engine DJ Hardware Standalone Controllers
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Hello, Everyone! This is my first post here, but have been getting help from many of you with other things that were new to me when I switched to Denon. Now that I’m trying to expand my mixing abilities, I’m trying to see if a new setup is possible with my current gear.

Essentially what I’m trying to find out if there is ANY way to use Engine OS, Prime Go, and Ableton Link to have more than two channels to mix music? Basically use the two channels on the Prime Go and then use Ableton Link as another channel to play live loops or programmed samples.

As I don’t have a big budget, I wanted to see if I need anything else to make this work, or if it is even possible?

This is my current gear:
MBP i7, 2.2GHz, 16GB RAM
Denon Prime Go
Scarlet 2i2 (2nd Gen)
Akai MPK mini MKII
Akai APC40 MKII (just ordered this)

I know that this is easier to set up with a 4 deck controller, but since I’m using my computer, I was wondering if this is possible to do. Any help with this or guidance would be incredibly helpful. Thank you so much, in advance!

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Just set up Abelton how you like it with just your controllers and sound card first. Then plug the main out from your sound card into the aux in your prime go. Then use Link to sync your prime go to Abelton.

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This will be my first time using Ableton, but this somewhat makes sense to me right now. I can’t really visualize it at the moment. Lol! Thank you for helping me out!

One last question, would I need the full version of Ableton of will the Lite version that comes with the APC40 work?

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the light should also do the work. (it´s basical only limited in max number of lines you can use. As I know in lite you have only 16 audio tracks, while the pro version have unlimited.)

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Thank you so much for clearing that up. I highly doubt I’ll be using all of what the lite has to offer, as I don’t plan on producing (any time soon). My goal, at the moment, is to figure out how to use my two channel Prime Go and add another channel through Ableton/Engine OS.

The reply offered a solution, I believe, but I was a little confused about it, since I haven’t set anything up like this before. The hard part about finding this online is that I couldn’t find a post on a Reddit sub that focuses on DJ/Controllers or a proper YouTube video. This is why I brought my question to the source of the product that I’m using in hopes to find an answer. Thanks for your help! :smiley:

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Here’s a video on how to setup you’re sound card to Abelton

Use you computer, sound card and apc first then take you time in finding out how you would like to use it.

When you find out what you want out of Abelton then use rca cables from the out of your sound card and plug into the prime go aux input.

In this method you don’t get headphone monitoring for Abelton tracks on your prime go.

The set up you’re using is not a ideal one for what you want. While technically it is possible, for practical use it is not.

You need a mixer that can monitor all inputs. The prime go can monitor the 2 decks only.

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Thank you so much for this! I’ll definitely try this out.

My final question would be IF I wanted to monitor the Ableton tracks, I need a controller that can have more than 2 decks, right? I.e. The Denon Prime 4 or any other equivalent 4 Deck controller. I know that with Rekordbox, you can have 4 decks loaded. Does Engine DJ offer this?

Edit: I might be out of luck. I sold my DDJ-1000 because I wanted to break away from my computer, but now it seems that I would have needed it all along because of what I’m trying. I might end up getting another one in the future or the Prime 4, if that would work?

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I think you might have the wrong impression of engine dj.

The engine software for your computer is only a preparation tool for denon hardware.

The prime 4 will do. But my best advice is to this.

Use what you have right now until you find out what you can actually do. No use buying anything if you don’t know what to do with it.

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Thank you so much for clarifying this to me! You’re absolutely right, I had a different impression of what Engine DJ is. Now that I know what it is, I can work on just using the apc and my computer to try and figure out what I can do with it. Later on, I can decide if I want to get another piece of equipment. Thank you so much!

Edit: After thinking about this a bit, I think my best option is to try and figure out (after more research) what I can do with the current hardware that I have. I might be able to use 1 deck on my controller and another on Ableton, but as of now, I think it may be easier to learn how to use Ableton Live solely for doing live mixing or looping, since I only a 2 in 2 out audio interface. Again, thank you so much @Wyley1 for all of your help!