Anyone using Live for experimental/non-rhythmic music?

[oivindi]

I have been playing around with Live before, and I'm currently fooling around with the Live 8 demo.

However, I rarely ever make music consisting of beats, but make more abstract, experimental stuff.

I still can't get rid of the feeling that Live is mostly a tool for those working with rhythms/beats.

Are there anyone out there doing experimental stuff with Live that isn't locked to a time signature?

[4.33]

session view is designed for loops, so your material got to have some rhythmic structure (not neccessarily beats) to loop adequately.

you can work in arrangement view, disregaring the grid, in fact, you can even disable it

then you can paste everything to the session view an turn looping off, so you'll get one-shot recording pile, which you can trigger ad lib

[oblique strategies]

This is what I primarily use Live for. I chose Live 1 back in 2002 because it replicated the hardware that I had been using for many years: mixer, sound sources, & signal processors, rather than the piano-roll sequencer model of most computer based music applications.

There are some useful features that only work with warped or looped clips, which is a drag. But for the most part, it gets the job done. I can highly recommend Live.

[oblique strategies]

session view is designed for loops

I disagree with this statement. Session view is excellent for non-loop based, & non rhythmic music. Again, this is how I primarily use Live.

[swishniak]

yeah - i use session view for alot of non-quantized music. check out routing possibilities; effects on sends / feeding tracks through clip envelopes (automated effects and envelopes) / resampling that all into a new clip / etc..

[LoopStationZebra]

I'll often just turn off the click track and - in either session or arrangement view - just start recording. One clip can be nothing but a 10min drone. Play that clip back and record yourself beating on a coffee can into another clip, lol. Or whatever you fancy. There's nothing that ties you to a beat except your own preconceived notions, heh.

In arrangement view you can chop up the clip into sections, slide them around, etc. It's not unlike how many ambient/experimental artists lay down tracks. They'll record tons of stuff and various lengths and just piece them together in a way that makes sense to them.

[polyslax]

session view is designed for loops

I disagree with this statement. Session view is excellent for non-loop based, & non rhythmic music. Again, this is how I primarily use Live.

Agree with oblique on this. I only record in Session view, and I'm sure not making dance tracks.

[Anubis]

Like oblique said, Session view is good for anything. Click on the sig.

[33tetragammon]

This is what I primarily use Live for. I chose Live 1 back in 2002 because it replicated the hardware that I had been using for many years: mixer, sound sources, & signal processors, rather than the piano-roll sequencer model of most computer based music applications.

There are some useful features that only work with warped or looped clips, which is a drag. But for the most part, it gets the job done. I can highly recommend Live.

same here.live was (and still is)the only daw that reminds me of that hardware feeling.
clip envelopes are so amazing when used with vst's or whatever.

i rarely produce beats,but when i DO,i use live 8's wonderful midi step recording in combination with drumracks etc.

now all i need is an apc 40 to really increase my live performances.

[creature]

I did an album of experimental droney ambient stuff not too long ago all using Live. Was first done in Live 6, but the extended version re-release what done in Live 7

Used the arrangement view. Infact I dont think I have ever used the session view. lol

You can check the album out here. All freely streamable.

http://creature.bandcamp.com/album/nigh ... s-extended

[coldbuggin]

i use session all the time for non-rhythmic music. in fact, last summer i did a whole drone based sound installation running out of live

[Warminstrel]

I think maybe that if non bpm based 'avent garde' music is your thing then tools used are not too important.

That 'Rachmiel' dude uses live I'm sure..

If pushed Eno could knock "music for airports" out on live in a trice.

Loads of generative stuff done on live too with fancy routing and stuff (I've seen some IDM chap showing off a live based rain genrator somewhere on youtube??)

Update: like here in fact, some bloke called "bobby henke" or someone??(!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL4MMJMXEFk

I'd even say, as i write that live is prolly one of the BEST daws for open creativity you can get. Combined with a touch of 'paronoiac critical method' and your sorted.

[Nick the Zombie]

About 5 years ago I did a dark ambient/drone album (released on Foreshadow) completely in Live: http://virb.com/nickmaxwell

Both session and arrange views were heavily utilized. Some of the stuff is looping, some of it is a linear, improvised performance. All native live effects, etc. Might not be your cup of tea, but it's definitely experimental/abstract stuff so you can see that Live is very useful for these genres.

[hangar17]

session view is designed for loops

I disagree with this statement. Session view is excellent for non-loop based, & non rhythmic music. Again, this is how I primarily use Live.

+1

check my sig too if you wanna hear what i do and possible with live =)

[ewistrand]

session view is designed for loops

I disagree with this statement. Session view is excellent for non-loop based, & non rhythmic music. Again, this is how I primarily use Live.

Agree with oblique on this. I only record in Session view, and I'm sure not making dance tracks.

What? Your music not dance tracks?

I'm with oblique and the slaxter here; I record in Session view, and nobody's ever accused me of making dance music, unless you're talking extra-terrestrial polka...

ew