A Vow of Chastity for electronic music?

[Lo-Fi Massahkah]

When I'm not feeling it I make sounds, lots, I'll put Live into record and start changing patches on my synths, tweeking, doing variations, get bored, move to a new sound...more of the same, at the end I get about 2hrs of tweeked sounds, load them into Protools, strip silence and add them to the Library.

That would be a great tip. I find that when I start a project I spend plenty of time patching that rythmic texture instead of making the song. So I'd benefit from having a bunch of sounds tucked away on my harddrive for future use!

Thanks,
Mikael

[Lo-Fi Massahkah]

don't forget the biggest limitation of them all...

running live on a Mac

Well - at least I don't suffer that problem! But don't let this thread mutate into a Mac vs. PC thread. Please...

We're getting some interesting input here!

/Mikael

[AdamJay]

don't forget the biggest limitation of them all...

running live on a Mac

Well - at least I don't suffer that problem! But don't let this thread mutate into a Mac vs. PC thread. Please...

We're getting some interesting input here!

/Mikael

oh, i'm not at all trying to instigate. its actually an honest remark about this whole "Limtations" thing.
having to bounce down occasionally, etc. all because i just can't go as high processing wise as on a PC. i'm actually saying that there is a good aspect to the slowerness on Mac with regards to Live - it really does induce a limitation. and this whole thread is about how Limitations breed creativity yes?

[mcconaghy]

don't forget the biggest limitation of them all...

running live on a Mac

Hey, I do that!

I sometimes limit myself to using 3 instruments, like FM7, Elektrik Piano, or EVP88 if I happen to be in Logic at the time, and Battery. I've been experimenting with using nothing but Battery, Impulse and Simpler lately, but I might add Operator to that list - lately I've been really digging it, especially the Covert Operator patches.
I do like limiting ones self to 3 or 4 instruments, it encourages a different kind of creativity.

[Lo-Fi Massahkah]

oh, i'm not at all trying to instigate. its actually an honest remark about this whole "Limtations" thing.

Sorry, man! That was not meant as a remark to you. Rather to those coming in late - maybe not reading the whole thread!

Cheers,
Mikael

[drush]

i've been ~arguing the advantages of the quasi-limitations a mac can bring relative to Live for a long time (yes, that was while buying 2 different amd-based machines -- but i always had the G4 tower and have since replaced the not so powerful powerbook with a 1.67pb. way too many computers, i agree ;]). there's something to be said for being able to run a bazillion tracks, but unless i'm really clear on what i'm doing it tends to get me where i used to be when i had too much hardware -- a bunch of muddled nothing.

yeah i know this isn't a mac thread (thank god). but on the whole i agree with you Lo-Fi. not exactly down to the level of discipline you are describing, but you have the right idea. at least, it works for me too. i was never productive when i had a room full of knobs and lights, as much as i liked looking at them.

[hacktheplanet]

don't forget the biggest limitation of them all...

running live on a Mac

Plus, they only have one mouse button? What's up with that?!

[Alexander]

This is a very interesting thread, because right now I´m suffering from the same problems ant I´m thinking about similar strategies.
@drush: your statement sounds f*****g familiar

My plans for the next months are to concentrate on my fantom-s, Q and Epiano and to use the Fantom as my main sequencer. I want to use live as a tool for strange loops and to record guitar only.

No Plugins, no other hardware synths.
I hope I manage to stick to this path.

Whenever I try to integrate everything I´ll loose myself in configuration/computer problems or g.a.s because something is missing to create the perfect integration.

[andrewbrewer]

my limitation ... no vst plugins. if i'm in ableton, just live fx / instruments. if i'm in audiomulch, just mulch contraptions.

[drush]

@ Alexander: if you need any more incentive, think about the number of really landmark tracks that were made with very little equipment. much like adam was saying.


not that i'm personally moving off Live... ever.

[MrYellow]

Never let a song contain more that eight tracks.
Need more? Bounce! Or even... "Kill your darlings!"

A good Dogme-esk variation on this might be.....

You must play all sounds in the here and now. No pre-recorded material,
only that which you can play in realtime, be it via your hands, feet, elbows,
tongue, or chin for that matter.

Using keyboard splits and no quantise would bring in a very live feel.... and
because it's all being played at once direct to audio it would have the feel
of the now.

-Ben

[ishimaru]

don't forget the biggest limitation of them all...

running live on a Mac

Word. I used to be on the PC with all of my bootlegged programs and vst's. I bought a Mac (G41.25x2) to get legitamate with my music. The first thing I got was Ableton. Never been more happier with a purchase than this one.

Here's my current set up.

G4 1.25x2
Mbox PTLE
Ableton
SH101
Juno2
M-Audio BX8
Eurorack mixer

I don't use any FX other than the ones in Ableton and PTLE. So my set up is pretty minimal. Finding a workflow on the Mac was a little difficult at first but everything is just starting to come together.

[Pitch Black]

A limitation which might be heresy on this thread:

don't use Live.


Ahem.




Adam, you mentioning owning an SQ80 reminded me, thats the first thing I learned to sequence on. Got me thinking its time hook up My Atari and S3200 and get sequencin'

*scuttles off*

[dave-g]

Hi,

I have a strong tendency to get all tangled up in the multiple options my DAW, plugins and synths give me. That definitely draws from the song writing. So I came to think of a set of Dogme rules (compare von Trier's/Vinterberg's Dogme rules for film - http://www.dogme95.dk/the_vow/vow.html ) for electronic music composition.

What could som rules be to help focus on the songwriting? I came up with a few:



This is just what I came up with in the moment. But I strongly feel that I need boundaries. Maybe I shouldn't use all of the rules on one song or all the time. Maybe you'll have a "pool of rules", and every time you start a new song, you randomly select three of the rules for this particular project.

I know where you are coming from lo-fi and couldn't agree with you more. getting "back to basics" is the creative cleansing we all need once in a while. it should be manditory for any creative person really. in some ways it forces you to explore the full depths of your equipment and your own skills, for some it just makes you appreciate all the goodies this modern world has to offer.

Last year I travelled to NYC and went to the village vanguard to hear a popular jazz trio. the whole night I had to remind myself that "there are just 3 guys playing acoustic instruments" no effects, no plug-ins, no "nothing" BUT talent. It was really amazing to hear such great music being improv'd live, right in front of me. I've been to lots of concerts and seen lots of live bands, but seeing this trio really made me think. great music is about 2 things really, composition (or structure) and performance. if you've got those, you're doing pretty well.

stripping away some of the gear and focusing on those aspects should hopefully bring in new ideas. flaws are a part of life and should be left in. if you screw up that badly, try another take. my mother once told me that all quilters will add an intentional (or unintentional in some cases) flaw to their quilts as a way of saying that no one is perfect except for (insert your favorite deity here).

I do admit that it's hard to resist going back and tweaking an old track when I get a new plug in or find a patch that would really work better than the one I've used. but hey, it's done, get it out there, learn from it and move on to the next piece. I've known guys who have more talent in one finger than I have in my whole body but they will just sit and tweak for years on something and in the end never release anything. I think i'll make them sit down and read this thread

There is beauty in simplicity, listen for it.

Dave

[FaX-01]

i've been ~arguing the advantages of the quasi-limitations a mac can bring relative to Live for a long time (yes, that was while buying 2 different amd-based machines -- but i always had the G4 tower and have since replaced the not so powerful powerbook with a 1.67pb. way too many computers, i agree ;]). there's something to be said for being able to run a bazillion tracks, but unless i'm really clear on what i'm doing it tends to get me where i used to be when i had too much hardware -- a bunch of muddled nothing.

yeah i know this isn't a mac thread (thank god). but on the whole i agree with you Lo-Fi. not exactly down to the level of discipline you are describing, but you have the right idea. at least, it works for me too. i was never productive when i had a room full of knobs and lights, as much as i liked looking at them.

Bit of a moot point though with iMac 2.0ghz G5 being so affordable and having as much juice as a Pc laptop by in large :wink: .