Your opinion will change my future

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
ryryry203
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:40 pm

Your opinion will change my future

Post by ryryry203 » Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:54 am

I am a producer out of NYC trained in Studio production but I have never stepped into live performance. I have the opportunity of a lifetime, opening for an artist that rhymes with wife rardy, but this is in a couple months. They, the people that offered me the gig, think I know how to do live performance based on my studio material. I have exactly six months to get what I need and learn my ass off...my budget is about $2,000.

...I don't have a clue about live performance...

I am completely based in Ableton, I own an APC-40 and a Trigger Finger along with a home studio consisting of KRK Rokit 8's and a USB keyboard, and a Behringer vmx1000 dj mixer (but i hate it and only use it for my speakers...i think it actually hurts my sound quality)

I have a 17" macbook pro juiced out due to the nerd I originally got it off of (800GB memory) and its up to date with Lion and is from late 2011 so the thing is beautiful and I have Ableton Suite along with Massive.

So...what do I do?

I have been told to get the Xone:92 which I liked over the 900nexus but then I was told all I need is a Soundcard and a Midi Controller. I have no idea really how to get all my tools routed correctly and I was told by a third person id have to use traktor.

Im not listening to them anymore, I am listening to you. What should I get?

On the 10 scale...Id say I am a 8.5 on Ableton and a 9 on Massive. I need to send some guy a recorded demo of myself djing (fading in/out, effects, etc) to prove to him I can handle myself by October or they find someone else. Help?

pencilrocket
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Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:46 am

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by pencilrocket » Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:14 am

Do you think you need expensive gear other than good song produced by you?... Producers don't necessarily have DJ skill, but fans don't care. David Guetta have huge fan base, Tiesto too. If you are talking about pure DJ, that'll be another story. You'll have to get turntable skill or pursue your controllerism...

ryryry203
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:40 pm

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by ryryry203 » Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:25 am

I need to know if there is a need to get a mixer such as the xone:92 or 900nexus?

What would I need to move from studio to live crowd?

I am going to be performing with another Dj as we are a duo and we have two macs powered with ableton live suite and I own the apc-40...what more do i need?

gjm
Posts: 3679
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:53 am

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by gjm » Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:44 am

Lets see:

You are a producer trained in studio production.
You know Live Suite 8.5 / 10. (Thats actually very good BTW)
You have an APC40
And you are completely based in Ableton Suite, supported by Massive.

So in all of your 'work' as a Ableton based producer you have not put 2 & 2 together or connected a few dots with the software and equipment you own so that you can play with the faders and knobs on the APC ( while quizzing a few peeps in your circle of influence) to get to a point where you can figure how to play in a Live situation? :?
iMac - 10.10.3 - Live 9 Suite - APC40 - Axiom 61 - TX81z - Firestudio Mobile - Focal Alpha 80's - Godin Session - Home made foot controller

gjm
Posts: 3679
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:53 am

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by gjm » Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:57 am

AND on top of that, someone has offered you an opportunity (that I am sure is not lost on them) to perform live without having once seen you do the business? :lol:
iMac - 10.10.3 - Live 9 Suite - APC40 - Axiom 61 - TX81z - Firestudio Mobile - Focal Alpha 80's - Godin Session - Home made foot controller

ryryry203
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:40 pm

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by ryryry203 » Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:06 am

Its not that I don't know how to Dj with ableton...im wondering what more can I do?

Why do other artists use an expensive mixer and CDJ's? Thats what I don't understand...is there a need for me to get a mixer while already having the apc-40?

The CDj's and the mixer, in EDM/dubstep terms, what do they do for me that I don't already have?

I was going to buy the Xone:92 for the Eq and cuing because thats what I saw I needed...but then i was told I should just get a Denon midi controller because i real don't need the mixer. But i already have the apc-40.

Do you get what is confusing me? Im trying to figure out how to take my setup and improve to be good enough to get this live gig?

And yeah man I don't live dj a lot, i sit in front of a screen and fuck around for endless hours making tracks, but playing those live (cuing, effects, everything out of studio that needs to be done in front of a crowd) I have no clue what i need to get/do.

ryryry203
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:40 pm

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by ryryry203 » Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:12 am

And the oppertunity was based on tracks I produced that were really good, I'm a great producer, but I'm a studio producer.

Leaving the studio and walking on a stage to perform in front of a lot of people is a whole different story. And I've never done it, and I sure as hell don't want to blow it, so I'm trying to prepare myself while I have months before the date so I don't suck ass and lose my shot.

I honestly don't know what i need hardware/software to take my ableton live based tracks to the realm of Iive performance and thats why I'm practically begging for help.

I have a budget of $2,000 that I can spend on upgrading equipment, buying a mixer if needed, a new sound card, cdjs???, an effects pad....see i don't know...what do i need?

Before posting this...my plan was to buy a sound card and a midi fighter. But like I said earlier, this is my shot, I need some help.

ryryry203
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:40 pm

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by ryryry203 » Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:22 am

And Yes...I convinced some guy who has never seen me live that I am worthy of an opening act. Crazy, as it seems, but that is what happened because he figured if I knew studio id know what I was doing live.

Dubstep is mostly studio as it is...i just need to know what I need to do outside of the studio and what gear will help me find success

gjm
Posts: 3679
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:53 am

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by gjm » Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:24 am

Surely you would not trust your one shot of a lifetime with the Ableton forum...?

Isn't Dubspot in NYC? Do a course with them, even if it costs you $1000. Show up and spend time with someone for a couple of months. Tell them to keep it hush if you don't want word to get around? Or hire someone local, a certified Ableton trainer perhaps. There has got to be some in NYC. Buy them for a couple of days to help you make the transition. If it is that serious, get serious help one to one. Don't faff around here. :wink:
iMac - 10.10.3 - Live 9 Suite - APC40 - Axiom 61 - TX81z - Firestudio Mobile - Focal Alpha 80's - Godin Session - Home made foot controller

gjm
Posts: 3679
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:53 am

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by gjm » Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:25 am

ryryry203 wrote:And Yes...I convinced some guy who has never seen me live that I am worthy of an opening act. Crazy, as it seems, but that is what happened because he figured if I knew studio id know what I was doing live.
Shame on him :roll:
iMac - 10.10.3 - Live 9 Suite - APC40 - Axiom 61 - TX81z - Firestudio Mobile - Focal Alpha 80's - Godin Session - Home made foot controller

sporkles
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Location: Schmocation

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by sporkles » Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:38 am

Check out Tom Cosm's "Moving from the studio to live performance" video: http://vimeo.com/1701545. You've already got the tools you need.

3dot...
Posts: 9996
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 11:10 pm

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by 3dot... » Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:28 am

go with what you have..
it's enough...
you have everything you need to perform..
so work on your live set and chops...make it work..
8)
Image

Tarekith
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Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by Tarekith » Tue Jun 05, 2012 2:12 pm

Here's how I convert my songs to live sets:

http://tarekith.com/ableton-live-apc40-live-pa-set-up/

DJing and live performance are two very different things, that require different approaches and different gear. You already have the gear needed for a live performance, if you want to dj however, then yes you'll need a mixer and a soundcard, and hope you can pick it up fast enough to get your mistake done well enough of the promoter.

Try checking out Abletonlivedj.com for more info on DJing with Live.
Tarekith
Ableton Forum Administrator
https://tarekith.com

simmerdown
Posts: 3761
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2011 3:36 pm
Location: Northwest Nowhere

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by simmerdown » Tue Jun 05, 2012 2:23 pm

practice practice your set, til it is like muscle memory, then you can improvise....it is not going to be just the gear that will make it work

i think thats friggn great....Leap and the net will appear
Last edited by simmerdown on Tue Jun 05, 2012 2:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

simmerdown
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Location: Northwest Nowhere

Re: Your opinion will change my future

Post by simmerdown » Tue Jun 05, 2012 2:24 pm

gjm wrote:
ryryry203 wrote:And Yes...I convinced some guy who has never seen me live that I am worthy of an opening act. Crazy, as it seems, but that is what happened because he figured if I knew studio id know what I was doing live.
Shame on him :roll:
no, shame on you gjm...parade pisser

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