I usually form the basis of the song in a single pattern in both the DT and DN, and then create slightly different patterns by copy pasting each one of them to emulate verse, chorus, bridge etc. Then I record and print each pattern into Ableton, give them different color codes, and finally come to edit in DAW.
I wanted to ask about how you approach the OB process, given that you are working in the box. I know that I can control program changes/mutes between DT and DN, and play the whole song in one go. It just feels easier to have audio clips ready to be duplicated, edited or modulated, as I am already using lots of plugins inside Ableton. But I am open to new ideas that could facilitate my workflow. Thanks!