Preparing to use live, LIVE

HeavenSounds · Post by **HeavenSounds** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 7:34 pm

So i ordered a laptop, it'll be here monday. I plan on taking my show on the road at the end of febuary. I've gotta few questions though.

1. is there a way that i can take a set that i have on my desktop pc, save it in a self containing kinda way where live grabs all the samples and things used in the set and puts then all into one neat and tidy folder? that way i can just transfer that one file/folder to my laptop without having to jump around, copying and pasting all the eliments from the project folder from the desktop to the laptop.

2. Right now i play live three times a week in my home. Little in house gigs for my friends and stuff. Prior to playing i put together set.
But i'm wondering if there is a better form of preparation that live live users know about. I guess if some other people that used live for live ocations could share what they do, prior to, and during the performance.

See heres the thing, I'm not so much into the drum+bass/triphop kinda stuff. I play piano and guitar in my sets and i sing aswell. its more of a newage-y kinda rock that i play. so its tough.

If your still reading then your probably very confused by now. I guess all i really wanted to say is this...

USE: Traveling/performing
STYLE: newage-y rock
SETUP: Laptop, Axiom 61, EMU 1616, Guitar
REASON FOR THIS POST: Would like tips preparation and performance.

Thats says it a lot better i think. Ok, thanks guy for any input

hacktheplanet · Post by **hacktheplanet** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 7:43 pm

sparklepuff · Post by **sparklepuff** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 5:54 pm

Do you actually own live yet? If so, I'll take the opportunity to suggest reading the manual. Then check back here with specific questions that you have that you can't find by searching for them.

HeavenSounds · Post by **HeavenSounds** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 7:57 pm

?? yeah i own live, did you even read my post? other users input for preparing a live set seems like a pretty specific question to me. and the manual says nothing about tips and tricks that users use prior to performance. Have you read the manual?

for some reason this topic was post twice. in the other post people are responding as if they understand what im asking. hmmm... perhaps you better go tell them not give me any input and instead just tell me to read the manual.

fatrabbit · Post by **fatrabbit** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:15 pm

Alright.. no reason to be a dick!

sparklepuff · Post by **sparklepuff** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:29 pm

There are just SO MANY ways one can utilize Live for a live performance that it would help if you had specific questions. Like, "I'm playing my guitar, how do I fire off my scenes while my hands are working?" Answer: Get a midi foot controller. That's an example. Aside from the moving your set from your desktop to laptop question, it seemed more like a "How would you use Live with the gear I just listed?" You said yourself that "If your still reading then your probably very confused by now." Correct. My suggestion was exactly that: A helpful suggestion. There is also a chapter in the Thompson Course Technology book called 'Playing Live: Live'. A good read, I also suggest it. Enjoy!

HeavenSounds · Post by **HeavenSounds** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:30 pm

me?! I had intention of sounding like a dick or offending anyone. i just dont really like it when some comes off like that and tells me to go read the manual. the info that i was looking for isnt in the manual and besides man, 90% of the tips in here can be found in the manual but people still come here to ask. there should be nothing wrong with that. isnt this a "community"?
If someone dosnt like someone elses topic the they dont have to read it, let alone reply to it.

sparklepuff, sorry for being a dick. honestly didnt know i was.

HeavenSounds · Post by **HeavenSounds** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:33 pm

sparklepuff wrote:There are just SO MANY ways one can utilize Live for a live performance that it would help if you had specific questions. Like, "I'm playing my guitar, how do I fire off my scenes while my hands are working?" Answer: Get a midi foot controller. That's an example. Aside from the moving your set from your desktop to laptop question, it seemed more like a "How would you use Live with the gear I just listed?" You said yourself that "If your still reading then your probably very confused by now." Correct. My suggestion was exactly that: A helpful suggestion. There is also a chapter in the Thompson Course Technology book called 'Playing Live: Live'. A good read, I also suggest it. Enjoy!

Do you perform regularly with live?

thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into that.

sparklepuff · Post by **sparklepuff** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:46 pm

Also, sorry, the book by CTC is called Ableton Live 5 Power. Sure it's for the last version of live, but still filled with good stuff. Also, the MacProVideo.com Live 6 video demonstrates visually how to use Live. A good download for $45. 6 hours of video.

fatrabbit · Post by **fatrabbit** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:48 pm

Exactly, there are so many ways that it's hard to tell someone - do this or do that, unless they have a specific problem.

As per your original post, it's very possible to do what you ask (play in a more traditional live way, rather than in a Dj capacity). Before you play anywhere, run through your set as many times as you can, as this will not only ensure you give a better performance, but also alert you to any problems. For example, last night a live set of mine kept stuttering and the CPU would do up to 300-400% at times. Turns out the problem was the IAC bus, must have been some sort of MIDI loop maybe that was causing it. I didn't need it so I turned it off in the MIDI/Prefs window.

I would recommend making one Live set, with a core set of instruments (either MIDI or inputs from real instruments) that can be used across multiple tracks/songs. I would also suggest using Scenes to some capacity, so you can trigger the next section of a song or another song entirely. I'm sure you know about naming a scene to say '88 bpm', so Live will jump to that tempo when you trigger that scene?

HeavenSounds · Post by **HeavenSounds** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:53 pm

right on, well i'm not really wanting to learn how to use live since i've been using it for about a year now. its more performance tips that i'm wondering about. all performers have these little trick that they've learned from performing. so i'm mostly hoping to find someone who is seasoned at using live for performance so that i can pick his brain and hopefully get some of the tricks of the trade.

but again any input you offer i'm thankful for.

HeavenSounds · Post by **HeavenSounds** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:57 pm

fatrabbit wrote:
I would recommend making one Live set, with a core set of instruments (either MIDI or inputs from real instruments) that can be used across multiple tracks/songs. I would also suggest using Scenes to some capacity, so you can trigger the next section of a song or another song entirely. I'm sure you know about naming a scene to say '88 bpm', so Live will jump to that tempo when you trigger that scene?

Right on man, see thats exactly the kind of responses i was hoping for. Now were getting somewhere. thanks!

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:40 pm

one thing that hasn't been mentioned is that once you get your set and controllers together, play the living HELL out of your set, push it harder than you will when you play out. This helps ensure you don't spike out your CPU during a performance.

fatrabbit · Post by **fatrabbit** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 10:51 am

And learn all your gear inside out and really learn how to 'play' with them. Learning to use say a specific MIDI controller is a lot like learning a whole new instrument.

Like this guy - substitue the turntables for a guitar in your mind...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m5ZlWziIeA

More videos...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkJz0OAowdk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HANLTJZZWtM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh5lGF_v_gI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bYLBKWc_LM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df1L6ljMdJQ

This topic may be of interest too:
http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=58088

Preparing to use live, LIVE

Preparing to use live, LIVE

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