Best way to use Live with a set list

[vgermani]

I'm trying to use Live for my band project. I'm hoping to have Live be the master for external MIDI sync, MIDI patch changes, and overall setup of each song. Can anyone comment on how they are using Live to do something similar?

I am hoping I can somehow chain Live sets to auto-load, one after another to follow the set list but I have yet to find any info on this. Is it possible?

Also, is there a way to have Live start the song automatically once the file is loaded?

Thanks for your help!

[skumborg]

I don't know much about external MIDI sync and MIDI patch changes, but here is my experience and knowledge on the subject matter:

I started out by having a Live set for each song, that my band would perform. In the beginning it loaded fast enough, because the audience would make applause and the singer would talk to the audience between the songs. I made a folder with short cut-files (what's the name for this?) named like: "01 First song", "02 Second song" etc. I don't think you can have Live auto-load or auto-play a set. Because I'm using a Roland SPD-S for starting/stopping/jumping the songs I could select the next song in the folder fast by simply touching the mousepad (maybe that even wasn't necessary) and pressing "arrow down" and "enter". This would load the song, and I could play it right after.

We now use a DMXIS light interface (VST-plugin) and that makes a longer loading time - too long to wait for during a live performance. My solution is to set up all songs in one set (or simple all songs played by that specific band). Then, when it's loaded, it's all cool with no delays. I just made a Live set with 40 songs together - that took a long time, but it's worth it. I'm able to do this, because I export every track from the original Live set as a wave-file and then insert them in the big Live set. When I have to change something (percussion, vocals etc.) I have to open the original Live Set with only that ONE song. Then export the track(s) again and replace them in the big Live set.

I can jump through the songs with the alphabet and numbers on my keyboard (the computer keyboard) using key mapping and locators. On the set list I would right the "secret" letter/number that represents the song. I have a lot of colleagues who does it the same way: all songs in one set and control with locators and MIDI/key mapping.

Unfortunately, there ain't no easy way to collect or combine whole Live set. You can copy all samples/MIDI clips from one Live set to another, but not the locators.

And one more thing: I use only the arrangement part, and not the session/looping part.

That was a long answer - hopefully you'll understand and see my points

[vgermani]

Thanks for your response. That's what I was afraid of...having to put all songs in the same live set. Luckily, I'm not really using Live to do more than send clock, patch changes and do the occasional automation so it shouldn't be too taxing on my system. But I will have to have at lest 3, if not 4 or 5 VST/AUs open at the same time in order to do it this way.

Is there an easy way to set "jump" points in Live so that I can jump to different parts of the set in case we want to do something out of order?

Thanks again!

[skumborg]

You can jump back and forth through locators - one at a time - and you can jump to a specific locater too. Using key/MIDI mapping.