How many folk here play live sets with (mainly) live drum/synth synthysis

I'm making choons in ableton. I'm trying to under the fundementals of layering, texture and understanding the vst i'm using as much as i can. I also trying to automate my synthysizer(s) and effect(s) so i can drag them into my live set.

I want a midi controller - http://www.chemical-records.co.uk/sc...fo?Track=MPK49 - so i can have as much control as possible over my patterns and variables within the effects and synthesizers.

personally, when i see folk play mp3s it confuses my as to how much control they have over there live set and how much they are using there midi controller to controll only effects.

what do other people use to play live sets? and how do you use it?

share your knowledge.

I play a live PA

I generally run about 8 tracks of audio + 2 vst synths at any one time.

I split my tunes up into parts, bass, main percussion, hats, stabs etc and turn some parts over to live vsti synths

Every channel has a high and low pass filter, some have extra effects, plus I run a bank of 4 effects vsti`s over the master outputs as well as master out filters.

I use a BCF2000 as my controller, and just about manage to do everything, I`m at the limit of what I can manage really at the mo, but I get better all the time. I do play about 2 or 3 fully recorded tracks in each pa to test new material and tracks that just can`t be played live.

I would say I play as live as I possibly can up to my current abilities.

I have seen some woefully pathetic "live" pa`s in ableton though.

Just Djing tunes together with maybe some extra effects. Terrible.

at the moment im still playing a ableton dj set with loops and fx thrown over the top and a few tracks done live (only 2/3 though).. but then i dont advertise it as a live pa.

im still working on a full pa but im getting nowhere fast.. i just find the final sound doesnt cut it compared to some live pa's ive heard.. so until it does i wont be playing it out.

excellent. Just to clarify for others its tips/discriptions on architecture and stucture etc of what your using in your software rather than the debate of why one might not be live. Just incase..

Right now i'm playing with drumatic, have 6 separate audio tracks to route (whenever i want total control of drum sounds) my midi triggered drum sounds through and have a bit of beat repeat repeat on with (a subtle bit) of glitch and camel distortion thingy. right now i'm messing with recorded midi patterns and automated beat repeats to get the hang of this changing time signature lark and changing variables on the drumatic synthesizer.

Right now i'm wondering if its possible to change patch's for your vst drum/synth pattern in the middle of a live set.. i.e patchs for moving from choon to choon..

for the live pa im working on i use ableton live, d16 drumazon, audiorealism bassline and kontact aswell as audio channels.

i use drumazon and bassline in pattern mode so its easy to change for each track and i have all the midi clips mapped to kontakt on differant midi channels (depending on the sound i want)

i also run 6 audio channels - usually kick/snare/perc/cymbals/vocal/fx

each channel has ableton 3 band dj style eq, low pass filter and delay & im currently experimenting with fx on the master out to try and get the right sound. currently i just have a compressor and eq.

its all controlled with a behringer bcr & bdf

I've always had a hard time considering a set "live" if it didn't involve the playing of an instrument that wasn't sequenced.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tocsin

I've always had a hard time considering a set "live" if it didn't involve the playing of an instrument that wasn't sequenced.

---

unfortunatly most of us arent blessed with 4 hands :hmmm:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tocsin

I've always had a hard time considering a set "live" if it didn't involve the playing of an instrument that wasn't sequenced.

---

Techno thrives on sequencing though.

Without rigidly sequenced programming Techno wouldn't exist.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rhythmtech

at the moment im still playing a ableton dj set with loops and fx thrown over the top and a few tracks done live (only 2/3 though).. but then i dont advertise it as a live pa.

im still working on a full pa but im getting nowhere fast.. i just find the final sound doesnt cut it compared to some live pa's ive heard.. so until it does i wont be playing it out.

---

ive seen ye billed as Live loads of times:eek: ... either way im still undecided where i stand with the whole thing..

i suppose if a performer is and looks like he's trying hard and changing things up...
then all is good for me

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dirty_bass

I play a live PA

I generally run about 8 tracks of audio + 2 vst synths at any one time.

I split my tunes up into parts, bass, main percussion, hats, stabs etc and turn some parts over to live vsti synths

Every channel has a high and low pass filter, some have extra effects, plus I run a bank of 4 effects vsti`s over the master outputs as well as master out filters.

I use a BCF2000 as my controller, and just about manage to do everything, I`m at the limit of what I can manage really at the mo, but I get better all the time. I do play about 2 or 3 fully recorded tracks in each pa to test new material and tracks that just can`t be played live.

I would say I play as live as I possibly can up to my current abilities.

I have seen some woefully pathetic "live" pa`s in ableton though.

Just Djing tunes together with maybe some extra effects. Terrible.

---

Thats EXACTLY or there abouts the same as me

except i use around 10 tracks of audio and 2 VSts, and have reverb and delay on some sends with 2 dials controlling 5 sends on the right and 5 on the left.

i wish i had more hands though.. and i use fully formed tracks as well, perhap 2 or three in an hour, placed mainly so i can go for a WEEEE! if needed :lol:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tocsin

I've always had a hard time considering a set "live" if it didn't involve the playing of an instrument that wasn't sequenced.

---

it isnt sequenced unless I sequence it though is it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RDR

it isnt sequenced unless I sequence it though is it.

---

I just don't consider it the same as "live." I've done "live PAs" with the following setups:

1.) 1 person on sequencer + 1 person on keyboards + 1 person on visuals.

2.) 1 person on Traktor + 1 person on keyboards + 1 person on visuals.

3.) 1 person on Traktor + 2 people on keyboards.

4.) 1 person on sequencer and keyboards + 1 person on visuals.

5.) 1 person on Ableton and keyboards + 1 person on additional Ableton rig + 2 people on circuit bent noisemakers + 1 person on visuals.

From an audio standpoint, the only time I came close to doing a Live PA by myself was situation 4, which I only did twice. In my opinion, if there's no true way to make a noticable mistake, or to truly improvise off the cuff, it's just hard for me to consider "live."

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tocsin

From an audio standpoint, the only time I came close to doing a Live PA by myself was situation 4, which I only did twice. In my opinion, if there's no true way to make a noticable mistake, or to truly improvise off the cuff, it's just hard for me to consider "live."

---

I **** up a few times during a set most of the time. I am right on the limit of what I can manage though, as I try to make my pa sound like a DJ mix, and move from tune to tune fairly quickly, rather than
start with kick
build
back down to kick
next tune

I am most definitely playing live.
I`ve been toying with the idea of incorporating my new electronic drum kit into my live set up, but the logistics of karting that around with me is just crazy.
I might compromise and start taking out a keyboard as well to play in some basslines

i just put a cd on and go to the bar

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stjohn

ive seen ye billed as Live loads of times:eek: ... either way im still undecided where i stand with the whole thing..

i suppose if a performer is and looks like he's trying hard and changing things up...
then all is good for me

---

yup.. i used to do it with cubase b4 i got ableton.. again not exactly live.. more just sequenced with a midi controller doing fx.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by davethedrummer

i just put a cd on and go to the bar

---

hell yeah, take the peter hook approach

:P

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by davethedrummer

i just put a cd on and go to the bar

---

Sometimes I wish I did do that.

As an aside, when you do your squillion hour DJ sets, what do you do when you need a good shittin?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dirty_bass

Sometimes I wish I did do that.

As an aside, when you do your squillion hour DJ sets, what do you do when you need a good shittin?

---

Colostomy...

its just not my bag.

@Tocsin - ive played with someone doing live visuals, hell I VJ myself whenever I can, but they/I use video loops a lot of the time, we're talking about music no? And by your terms its invalid the be by yourself doing a set.

which is nonsense. sorry but it really is.

I have been muckin around playin live for a few years. Just trying to use machines rather than PCs/Midi Controllers.

I like to keep it simple and just mix loops I have written on the machines and try and create a thread that can be followed and loosly called Techno. Just layering samples and perc loops and effects n stuff.

Now I just use two machines and the Zero8 mixer. Will get around to maybe feeding loops from Ableton into it all.....or I may just buy another ESX-1 and just play with two ESX-1s.....??

Not playin much these dayz :(

I think there is a big confusion arising from the Ableton 'Live' name of the software and the term DJ Name (Live)

Everyone is going to have a different level of what they consistute as live. A bit like music genres and that.