how to play Live sets smoothly from one song to another?

mazingerph · Post by **mazingerph** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 6:11 am

got a dillemma here.

ive just done 10 Live sets (in session mode, not arranged) but in my excitement i dont know how to chain them all together for a live gig. I cannot use the A -> B crossover feature because there are too many clips in each set that i did. and in order to do that, i have to physically merge all the songs into one session and that would be confusing. is there any way to chain them, other than copping out and play a CD in between loading songs? help!

Brian

solovox · Post by **solovox** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 12:13 am

Now get ready for the real work:

Open each set, select all loops, and copy. Close set. Open the "Show" set. Now paste all scenes (it's an option from the menu). Assign (and label) each "song" to have it's own Midi channel. Song 1 equals midi channel 1, for ex. Copy and paste every loop from your repetoire...16 tops.

Now you have your whole show in one session. Now you just change tempo (if needed) and midi channel on your midi controller to move from one song to the next. One session...all your songs.

mazingerph · Post by **mazingerph** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 6:28 am

thanks for the suggestion!

unfortunately, your suggestion would be easy to do if i had only a few clips per song. right now a set that i did consists of about 32 clips, representing different elements of the song (loops, basslines, synth arps, vocals, fx, etc) i 'build' the arrangement in real time. plus i have different fx settings per song.

if i combine let's say 10 songs in one set that would be about 320+ clips!
too confusing?

in the 'Show' set, when you say 'Song 1' you mean a horizontal row in a scene right? if i follow your suggestion correctly, a song may comprise of several scenes? or you want me to put all clips in one horizontal row?

Brian

solovox wrote:Now get ready for the real work:

Open each set, select all loops, and copy. Close set. Open the "Show" set. Now paste all scenes (it's an option from the menu). Assign (and label) each "song" to have it's own Midi channel. Song 1 equals midi channel 1, for ex. Copy and paste every loop from your repetoire...16 tops.

Now you have your whole show in one session. Now you just change tempo (if needed) and midi channel on your midi controller to move from one song to the next. One session...all your songs.

solovox · Post by **solovox** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 12:46 pm

Ha!

Sweetheart, it's much worse than you think.

My sets are over 400 clips.

Each "song" is a cluster of clips. I use a PCR-30 to fire one scene after another. Let's say you're on Song 1. The tempo (which I type into an empty scene to remind me is 120). I set the PCR to Midi chan 1, and I now have 30 different scenes I can go to. So F#4 triggers what would be the "bridge" or "2nd Chorus." I have labels on the keys, and I type the corresponding letter or word in the column in Ableton.

For song two, I switch midi channels, change the tempo, scroll down the screen, and away we go.

Yes, you will need at least 512 MB in ram...a fast computer...and a 7200rpm external firewire drive. This has all been discussed by yours truly many times...in frustration. But now I am the Live master, and it does my bidding...

As far as different fx settings per song? Not anymore, you don't! Pick the best ones, and use them for all your songs...it's the only way.

Solovox
www.solovoxmusic.com

mazingerph · Post by **mazingerph** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 1:25 pm

ah now i get it. the 30 scenes per midi channel you were referring to are the actually keyboard keys itself. i have an Ozone keyboard controller/audio interface, it has 25 keys. it's more than enough.

anyway my gig is still on the 13th so i think there's still time to try your suggestion of merging all the clips in one set. it's going to be a huge one. i think to just visually diffentiate one song from the another, i'll leave a row/scene blank in between clusters. as for the fx, i'll just do a basic reverb, delay, filter setup for all. then physically bring in other plugins during the performance.

right now im jsut using a Pentium III 800MHz dell laptop with 384 ram. it doesnt have firewire so that's an issue for a future purchase.

thanks again!

solovox wrote:Ha!

Sweetheart, it's much worse than you think.

My sets are over 400 clips.

Each "song" is a cluster of clips. I use a PCR-30 to fire one scene after another. Let's say you're on Song 1. The tempo (which I type into an empty scene to remind me is 120). I set the PCR to Midi chan 1, and I now have 30 different scenes I can go to. So F#4 triggers what would be the "bridge" or "2nd Chorus." I have labels on the keys, and I type the corresponding letter or word in the column in Ableton.

For song two, I switch midi channels, change the tempo, scroll down the screen, and away we go.

Yes, you will need at least 512 MB in ram...a fast computer...and a 7200rpm external firewire drive. This has all been discussed by yours truly many times...in frustration. But now I am the Live master, and it does my bidding...

As far as different fx settings per song? Not anymore, you don't! Pick the best ones, and use them for all your songs...it's the only way.

Solovox
www.solovoxmusic.com

solovox · Post by **solovox** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 11:27 pm

Once you hit about 300 clips you will start stuttering. I guarantee it. Start experimenting now! And yes...I leave five or six blank rows between songs...with info in the right column typed in:

name of "song"
bpm
midi channel

qminusi · Post by **qminusi** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 1:27 pm

[quote="solovox"]Once you hit about 300 clips you will start stuttering. I guarantee it. Start experimenting now! And yes...I leave five or six blank rows between songs...with info in the right column typed in:
[/quote]

Hello,

or use an other way described in this thread:
http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... 8433#28433

Sincerely
Karl