live Live Performance: How complex is your .als set?

[anonymouse]

I'm curious as to what sort of clip lengths people are using when performing live, and reliance on realtime FX/synths.

Maybe those who are experienced users of Live in a live setting can say -

1. Audio Sample Clips:

What percentage of their live Live .als set is:

[a] 1 shots,
4 - 8 bar clips
[c] longer than 8 bars
[d] full track clips (eg 256 bars)
___

2. Compared to use of samples, what amount of VST effects & instruments and/or Live internal effects & instruments do they subject their CPU to when playing Live?

[a] a very light amount
[b) a significant amount
___

3. More midi clips than audio sample clips? Is your set

[a] primarily Midi
primarily samples
[c] equal number of clips for both
___

4. How wide (left to right) and deep (top to bottom) is your set in terms of number of clips?

eg 8 x 32

___

5. Do you use follow actions?

___

6. How long does your average set last?

___

7. Do you use more than 1 .als for a performance?

___

[mokomo]

1. Audio Sample Clips:

What percentage of their live Live .als set is:

10% = [a] 1 shots,
70% = 4 - 8 bar clips
20% = [c] longer than 8 bars
None (I just use original stuff) = [d] full track clips (eg 256 bars)
___

2. Compared to use of samples, what amount of VST effects & instruments and/or Live internal effects & instruments do they subject their CPU to when playing Live?

[a] a very light amount (mainly ableton effects, though using operator more and more)

___

3. More midi clips than audio sample clips? Is your set


primarily samples


___

4. How wide (left to right) and deep (top to bottom) is your set in terms of number of clips?

eg 8 x 32

10x50+ish

___

5. Do you use follow actions?

just recently started to use them

___

6. How long does your average set last?

anything from 45 mins to 2 hours
___

7. Do you use more than 1 .als for a performance?

only if i also use decks to blend things together

[AdamJay]

1. Audio Sample Clips:

What percentage of their live Live .als set is:

[a] 1 shots, - 10%
[b) 4 - 8 bar clips 25%
[c] longer than 8 bars 55%
[d] full track clips (eg 256 bars) 10%
___

2. Compared to use of samples, what amount of VST effects & instruments and/or Live internal effects & instruments do they subject their CPU to when playing Live?

[a] a very light amount

___

3. More midi clips than audio sample clips? Is your set

primarily samples
___

4. How wide (left to right) and deep (top to bottom) is your set in terms of number of clips?

12 channels x 115 or so Rows (now that i've switched to 12 channels from 8 )
___

5. Do you use follow actions?

Yes
___

6. How long does your average set last?

90 Minutes
___

7. Do you use more than 1 .als for a performance?

No
___

[D K]

[a] 1 shots, - 40%
[b) 4 - 8 bar clips 35%
[c] longer than 8 bars 25%
[d] full track clips (eg 256 bars) 0%
___

2. Compared to use of samples, what amount of VST effects & instruments and/or Live internal effects & instruments do they subject their CPU to when playing Live?

quite a bit, like 50%
i use live as an fx processor for external sources
___

3. More midi clips than audio sample clips? Is your set

depends on the tune, could go either way
___

4. How wide (left to right) and deep (top to bottom) is your set in terms of number of clips?

clip # depends on the tune, i try to keep it to 8 tracks of audio+whatever midi needs
___

5. Do you use follow actions?

Yes
___

6. How long does your average set last?

60 Minutes
___

7. Do you use more than 1 .als for a performance?

yes

cheers
doug
___

[Pitch Black]

We use two powerbook 500Mhz with an equal sized set on each.

1. Audio Sample Clips:

What percentage of their live Live .als set is:

20% [a] 1 shots,
60% 4 - 8 bar clips
20% [c] longer than 8 bars
0% [d] full track clips (eg 256 bars)
___

2. Compared to use of samples, what amount of VST effects & instruments and/or Live internal effects & instruments do they subject their CPU to when playing Live?

[a] a very light amount, using audio tracks only and one VST (auto-pan)
___

3. More midi clips than audio sample clips? Is your set

primarily samples
One track of MIDI firing video on third powerbook

___

4. How wide (left to right) and deep (top to bottom) is your set in terms of number of clips?

110 tracks x 230 Scenes

___

5. Do you use follow actions? No.

___

6. How long does your average set last? One hour and 30 min to One hour and 45 min

___

7. Do you use more than 1 .als for a performance? No, just one on each Tibook.

[MrYellow]

1. Audio Sample Clips:

What percentage of their live Live .als set is:

5% [a] 1 shots,
50% 4 - 8 bar clips
45% [c] longer than 8 bars
0% [d] full track clips (eg 256 bars)
___

2. Compared to use of samples, what amount of VST effects & instruments
and/or Live internal effects & instruments do they subject their CPU to when
playing Live?

[a] a very light amount

However I use many VSTi's in Bidule or Forte. These are restricted in CPU
use by muting when not in use.
___

3. More midi clips than audio sample clips? Is your set

N/A

Live3...... Bidule is my MIDI processing area, step sequencers etc.

___

4. How wide (left to right) and deep (top to bottom) is your set in terms of number of clips?

15 cols
However many rows it takes.
___

5. Do you use follow actions?

N/A Live3

___

6. How long does your average set last?

Till the cops come

___

7. Do you use more than 1 .als for a performance?

No

-Ben

[MrYellow]

110 tracks x 230 Scenes

How's that working out PitchBlack?

Lots of tracks for cross-fades? How you using them?

I tried using a diagonal approach at first but found the CPU climbed....
However now I know not to put too many effects in each track....

One thing that might help.... If the effect is switched on, but has no audio
running through it, does it chew CPU?

-Ben

[Pitch Black]

110 tracks x 230 Scenes

How's that working out PitchBlack?

Lots of tracks for cross-fades? How you using them?

I tried using a diagonal approach at first but found the CPU climbed....
However now I know not to put too many effects in each track....

One thing that might help.... If the effect is switched on, but has no audio
running through it, does it chew CPU?

-Ben

Hi Ben, Not for crossfades, each individual "song" is about 8-16 tracks wide (a milti-track layup) Each Tibook is sending 8 individual audio outputs thru a Multiface. Both Tibooks are chasing MIDI clock. One andles the basics: kk/sn/bass/hats/perc and the other handles the "instruments". We have a total of 16 separate outputs into an external desk because we do a full live dub mix of every song. Each "song" has about 12-25 Scenes that are triggered from the assignable buttons on my ReMote 25. In addition there are Tracks and Scenes for "live" playing over the top. We use the "diagonal" approach with each song listening to a different MIDI channel.

Because we have 4 hardware FX sends on out mixing console (a Behringer 2642A) we don't use that many internal plugins - about 6 sends inside Live and a few as inserts on tracks. So there is never a great demand on internal FX for each song. I'm pretty sure that plugins waiting in the wings not being accessed don't chew up any CPU until they're used. That seems to be the case.

If you like, I can send you an .als to check out (2Mb)

cheers
paddy

[djastroboy]

1. Audio Sample Clips:

What percentage of their live Live .als set is:

zero = [a] 1 shots,
20% = 4 - 8 bar clips
zero = [c] longer than 8 bars
80% = [d] full track clips (eg 256 bars)

2. Compared to use of samples, what amount of VST effects & instruments and/or Live internal effects & instruments do they subject their CPU to when playing Live?

[a] a very light amount
[b) a significant amount
Very heavy VSTi use. Playing one or two audio files take a few percent of CPU
and the VSTi's take me till it bleeds, err crackles.

3. More midi clips than audio sample clips? Is your set

[a] primarily Midi
primarily samples
[c] equal number of clips for both

all audio

4. How wide (left to right) and deep (top to bottom) is your set in terms of number of clips?

3x0 to start, 3x(1-10) loaded, everything comes in from the browser

5. Do you use follow actions?
Yes.

6. How long does your average set last?
1-6 hours

7. Do you use more than 1 .als for a performance?
No.

[anonymouse]

thanks for the replies to this. very interesting to see how differently people are using Live. food for thought!

[SimonPHC]

1. Audio Sample Clips:
[a] 1%
65%
[c] 25%
[d] 9%
2. a very light amount
3. primarily samples
4. 12 x 70+ (2 audio ins for MD and TB-303, 7 audio with loops, 3 Impulse)
5. very rarely
6. min: 45 max: 110
7. no

[cosmosuave]

1. Audio Sample Clips:

What percentage of their live Live .als set is:

[5%] 1 shots,
[80%] 4 - 8 bar clips
[10%] longer than 8 bars
[0%] full track clips (eg 256 bars)
___

2. Compared to use of samples, what amount of VST effects & instruments and/or Live internal effects & instruments do they subject their CPU to when playing Live?

[40%] a very light amount
[b) a significant amount

Use impulse ableton/3rd party FX.... Overall my CPU is never above 50%...
___


3. More midi clips than audio sample clips? Is your set

[5%] primarily Midi - Impulse track recently migrated from MicroTonic to impulse...Now using MT samples in impulse for more flexibilty audio routing and Fx...
[95%] primarily samples
[0%] equal number of clips for both
___

4. How wide (left to right) and deep (top to bottom) is your set in terms of number of clips?

eg 8 x 32

20 x 100+ - Was 10 tracks but with the change from MicroTonic to Impulse it will be 20 Tracks...
___

5. Do you use follow actions?

Yes...
___

6. How long does your average set last?

45 - 60 mins
___

7. Do you use more than 1 .als for a performance?

No...
___

The big issue that I'm finding is how to transition from one song to the next... The Xfadr is shite/Schisen (Do you haer that Ableton!!!)... So after my set on Saturday i need to devise an easy way of transitioning between songs (Dance)... i'm open to suggestions...

[ikeaboy]

I haven't settled on my new set up yet heres the old one

1. shots = 10%
2. 4-8 bar clips = 68%
3. longer than 8 bars = 20%
4. Full Track Clips = 2%

2. Compared to use of samples, what amount of VST effects & instruments and/or Live internal effects & instruments do they subject their CPU to when playing Live?


[c) a moderate amount
___

3. More midi clips than audio sample clips?


primarily samples

___

4. How wide (left to right) and deep (top to bottom) is your set in terms of number of clips?

10 x 90

___

5. Do you use follow actions?

___ Yes Some in a little solo channel on small clips for breaks and fuck ups

6. How long does your average set last?

___ An Hour, only played 90mins once

7. Do you use more than 1 .als for a performance?

___ No

[Cache]

1. Audio Sample Clips:

What percentage of their live Live .als set is:

2% [a] 1 shots,
30% 4 - 8 bar clips
0% [c] longer than 8 bars
68% [d] full track clips (eg 256 bars)
___

2. Compared to use of samples, what amount of VST effects & instruments and/or Live internal effects & instruments do they subject their CPU to when playing Live?

[a] a very light amount
[b) a significant amount

Starting to increase vst amount. chorus/flanger/delay/supatrigga/
vstis include one drum machine, one synth
___

3. More midi clips than audio sample clips? Is your set

[a] primarily Midi
primarily samples
[c] equal number of clips for both

primarily samples. 5% midi clips
___

4. How wide (left to right) and deep (top to bottom) is your set in terms of number of clips?

eg 8 x 32

12 x 150 (or whatever it takes - i tend to build each set ontop of last one)

___

5. Do you use follow actions?

No. have started to learn them, but still don't think i want to use them.
___

6. How long does your average set last?

1hr --> 3hrs

___

7. Do you use more than 1 .als for a performance?

No

i don't see the point. you can have everything in one set.

[AndrewDuke]

I'm curious as to what sort of clip lengths people are using when performing live, and reliance on realtime FX/synths.

Maybe those who are experienced users of Live in a live setting can say -

1. Audio Sample Clips:

What percentage of their live Live .als set is:

[a] 1 shots,
4 - 8 bar clips
[c] longer than 8 bars
[d] full track clips (eg 256 bars)

***to start, i make a point of never doing the same live set twice, so my starting .als varies from a totally blank template set to an .als that has a few clips grouped roughly. ie i like to keep it as live as possible; to answer this sample clips question:
1-8 bar clips, a few one shots
___

2. Compared to use of samples, what amount of VST effects & instruments and/or Live internal effects & instruments do they subject their CPU to when playing Live?

[a] a very light amount
[b) a significant amount

***i don't use VSTi during a live performance; have a template set with a compressor in the kick and bassline channel, 3 effect sends with 2 effects in each, and in the master have eq, compression, and some others.
___

3. More midi clips than audio sample clips? Is your set

[a] primarily Midi
primarily samples
[c] equal number of clips for both

***when i use midi during a live set i like to set them up live.
___

4. How wide (left to right) and deep (top to bottom) is your set in terms of number of clips?

eg 8 x 32

***my template is 10 tracks wide and 200 scenes deep.
___

5. Do you use follow actions?

***i have on occasion.
___

6. How long does your average set last?

***60-90 minutes.

___

7. Do you use more than 1 .als for a performance?

***nope

___