Using Ableton Live during live performance... HELP?

[Ziggy1234]

Hi everyone, I (or rather my band) just invested in a copy of Ableton Live in order to be able to use some backing tracks during shows (mainly added percussion, some backings, and pads and sounds).
I've just started getting a hold of how the software works more or less but I do have a bunch of questions that I would live to have answered.... So here it goes:

In general, I am just curious to know how other people have set up Ableton to easily work with backing tracks during live performances. Also I would like to know what kind of controllers you use to launch the tracks.

And now for the more in depth questions:

1. What is the best way to set up Ableton for a live performance. We will use it for maybe 8 to 10 songs during our show, and it feels like the safest way is to use different live sets for each song. Is there any way to switch between live sets without having to go to the computer? Does the APC-40 offer such an option? What other ways are there? I guess you can stack loads of Scenes after each other but it will be processor heavy (as I guess all of the VSTs have to be loaded the whole time). Also, I was planning on launching the clips from a Roland SPD-S Pad, but then if everything is in the same live set, I will have to use a pad to launch the next scene every time with one pad, instead of having a dedicated pad for each scene. So if something fucks up (accidentally double tapping and landing on the next scene) you're completely screwed...

2. Is there a way to automatically switch between active instruments between Scenes. Say I am on Scene 1 using a piano sound (played on a midi keyboard), and once I launch scene 2 it changes to an organ sound?

3. Is there a way to work dynamically in arrangement view? What I mean is if it is possible to go through the arrangement, and then feel that a solo should be prolonged, to then go back to the beginning of that solo "region", but that the arrangement then goes all the way to the end. (not sure if I'm making a lot of sense here). Also, to have a click in the beginning of the song that is being looped, and then launch the first "region" of the song by a midi signal. (obviously this is all very easy to do in Session view, but can it be done in the arrangement?)

There...That's all my questions for now, I would be soooooooo happy if someone could clarify some of my questions for me...
Thanks a lot in advance!!
Cheers,
Ziggy

[Repthe508]

my band does a similar thing


i recommend u guys invest 200 bucks in a novation launchpad, because u can both launch clips really easily, and switch which midi tracks ur playing on and stuff very quickly

plus ppl love the colors!

[EnjoyRC]

1. What is the best way to set up Ableton for a live performance. We will use it for maybe 8 to 10 songs during our show, and it feels like the safest way is to use different live sets for each song. Is there any way to switch between live sets without having to go to the computer? Does the APC-40 offer such an option? What other ways are there? I guess you can stack loads of Scenes after each other but it will be processor heavy (as I guess all of the VSTs have to be loaded the whole time). Also, I was planning on launching the clips from a Roland SPD-S Pad, but then if everything is in the same live set, I will have to use a pad to launch the next scene every time with one pad, instead of having a dedicated pad for each scene. So if something fucks up (accidentally double tapping and landing on the next scene) you're completely screwed...

I haven't found a way to load a Live Set via MIDI trigger yet. But what we do in our band is load a Live set that contains around 3 songs that are planned to be played back to back in the set. Songs are in separate scenes. We use the Novation Launchpad to start um. We also use the auto-advance to the next scene to automate changes. Then after 3 songs or so, the band has a pause where I get a chance to load the next set, or a song is played that doesn't require sequencing and I load the next songs during that song.

[EnjoyRC]

3. Is there a way to work dynamically in arrangement view? What I mean is if it is possible to go through the arrangement, and then feel that a solo should be prolonged, to then go back to the beginning of that solo "region", but that the arrangement then goes all the way to the end. (not sure if I'm making a lot of sense here). Also, to have a click in the beginning of the song that is being looped, and then launch the first "region" of the song by a midi signal. (obviously this is all very easy to do in Session view, but can it be done in the arrangement?)

We've done this too. Except you have to preplan that you might wanna do this. So we preset a loop around the solo area. Then map a MIDI controller to toggle looping. So while you're in the Solo area and the band agrees that you wanna extend it, you hit the MIDI button or controller to toggle LOOP on. Let it repeat. While it's repeating you hit the controller again to turn off LOOP and at the end of the solo area it'll continue on to the end of the song.

[zalo]

bounce down cpu hungry VSTis to waves and run everything as one set

instrument racks can be used to switch between active instruments on a single track

and using markers you could do everything in arrangement view

[Ziggy1234]

Thanks so much for your help!
I just have one last question though...
Is it possible to cycle between arrangement view markers (like in many other DAW) or can you only cycle when the loop markers are set (and since you can only set one loop marker per live set, that means it will only be during one point of the set, unless someone goes to the computer and sets up a new one.)
I know I could simply hit a pad everytime to go back to the beginning of the marker, but if we choose to extend the solo for quite a bit, that is a bit of a pain..
Any solutions?
Cheers!

[zalo]

play in session not arrangement

[Ziggy1234]

play in session not arrangement

Yeah, anyway, I was gonna use session mode. It makes more sense to be able to quickly jump between parts, but also be able to set it up to automatically go to the next bit if necessary.
Now...the odd bit is just to set up all tracks in one live set... I don't understand why the live set doesn't have a sub-category like "song" and that you can chose between different "songs" with individual levels, settings, automatically. It makes NO sense to put 500 session clips in one live set to be able to play 10 songs. (ok, i'm exaggerating, but if you split your song up in each part, you'll easily have almost 100 clip rows when you're done.
How do people in general set this up??
Cheers..

[zalo]

i dont see what is wrong with 100 scenes

my current set is 8 songs 48 scenes and it works perfectly

for each song you can set up envelopes to adjust what ever settings you want on the individual tracks