Fairly new Denon user here, but I’ve been a DJ for over 40 years. Now I bought a SC-4 recently and am totally ecstatic about it. I watch a lot of YT and am quite intrigued by drumpads/samplers to enhance the DJ-ing even more. Is there a way to use these in the stand-alone mode with the SC-4. Or what are your recommendations on using with the SC-4? Do I need Ableton, or other software to run these? Cheers,
Ruud
Hello @Ruud_Stam , Welcome to the forum. You have a one shot sample player in the SC Live 4 - details here:
Or You can use AKAI MPC one/live/X or AKAI Force running Ableton link in the same network as your SC Live 4 - they will sync together.
There’s a new mini sampler from Roland called the Aira Compact P-6 which (although it doesn’t have Ableton Link) is under 200 Euros.
TBH the onboard EngineOS “sampler” is extremely limited. No looping, no sync…
Also consider running a sampler app on your phone or tablet. Some of those will have Ableton Link and are probably the cheapest option.
Ah, that sounds great, thanks!
I think I will go for the Ableton link solution… Thanks anyways!
Let us know what solution you choose, whether app, hardware etc. 
OK, I’ve been looking into this a bit, but some things aren’t really clear to me. I like the Native Instruments Maschine Mikro MK3 a tlot, but could that be connected to the SC Live4 in stand-alone mode? Or do I have to use Ableton link always?
sorry for being so ignorant, just struggling to get my head around this all…
Ableton link works only in stand alone mode.
The Mikro is only a controller, so you’ll have to connect it to a computer running Maschine, which could then sync to the SC Live via Ableton Link.
Also bear in mind that using Ableton Link doesn’t mean you have to run (Ableton) Live.
Link is a protocol that allows things to sync together, but it’s an open thing, so will work without using Live.
Using an app on a tablet or smartphone is the cheapest option to have something that will sync to the SC Live. Next up would be an Akai MPC.
Ok, that makes it a lot clearer… I was looking to install it…
When the SC Live is standalone, it would be using Link via the onboard system. If you connected the SC Live to a computer with DJ software, you could still use Link - but it would be the DJ software that was doing the syncing.
@Ruud_Stam worth pointing out a couple of things: With the Live 4 you will use the Aux input (and so have no cueing) which means you need to get the Link timing right - there is an offset in the menu which allows you to account for the latency introduced via AUX in. (It absolutely is possible though!) With the Live 4 you may want to analyse your samples and throw them into a folder - that way you can run them as tracks on channels 3/4 which is an excellent solution for loops - with the advantage of Cueing and all of the FX capabilities.
I run a DJS1000 through via “The Missing Link” which delivers Link to a MIDI device - if the Ableton link gets out of sync (the downbeat is no longer the first ableton beat for example) then the sync goes out of the window! I tend to match the tempo manually and then use the playing track jogs to adjust - most of the time it works fine but occasionally generates a total cacophony!
Let us know how you get on with this! The SP404mk2 is also a good option for getting loops/samples and beats running!
New to the party is the Ableton Move. It has Link (of course) and is 399 GBP.
Hi Pwnda,
Thanks for that input. I was looking at the Nektar Aruba, but am not sure it will sync with the SC4. It seems to be a nice piece of equipment, not as good as the DJS1000 ofc, but that is outside my budgetrange…
The Ableton Move looks promising too, but I am waiting for more reviews on that one, before I dive into that…
[edit] I just asked Nektar-support if there is a way to sync the SC4 with the Aruba…
Hey there - JFYI - the Aruba does not have Ableton Link but does have MIDI link and so could use a hardware (Circuit Happy - Missing Link) or Software link to convert the midi clock to Ableton. Looks nice - I also saw the Ableton Move and think it is interesting!! Will watch for reviews as it gets used!!
I just had a look at the Aruba. It’s just a controller rather than a standalone unit, so will need to be hooked to a computer.
Apologies - I was reading it as a standalone device!! (My bad!!)
Mmm, I thought there was 16 sets of samples in the stand alone mode of the Aruba. And that one can use those sets using your own samples…
I just want to do some finger drumming, and use a sequencer… Think I have to do some more research… 
SP404mk2 might be your go to here!!
Yeah, it looks like a great device, but I 'm not really convinced about the buttons to do fimger drumming…