nervous about performing live

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:54 am

There's a video here of how my partner and I play live, it might give you some ideas. Our rig is set up so we don't have to look at, or touch the computers at all when we play. We'd much rather get into the music along with the crowd.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1siG6_Pd-Mg

mohler · Post by **mohler** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 5:34 am

Nice one Pitch!

Thanks for the walk thru, that's really helpful.

Contra · Post by **Contra** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:24 am

Pitch Black wrote:There's a video here of how my partner and I play live, it might give you some ideas. Our rig is set up so we don't have to look at, or touch the computers at all when we play. We'd much rather get into the music along with the crowd.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1siG6_Pd-Mg

yo pitch that shit was sick as FUCCCCCKKK!!!!!

sorry, i was like whoa.

Creator · Post by **Creator** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:22 pm

Your first live set, literally just play your full tracks as pre warped files,
then gradually lower it into smaller segments.
i did this when i first started.
i now have say maybe each track as 25 loops,
then i have 15 other live channels with audio with a drums one, hats one, leads one, bass one, samples one, noises, and a few others.
then i have a live mic channel with fx, 2 open midi channels with a different synth on each. (normally i set up arps on one and pads on the other.)

then you can literally improvise your WHOLE SET!

mohler · Post by **mohler** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 2:04 pm

Pitch B, Nice DJ setup!!

synnack · Post by **synnack** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 6:10 pm

Great thread! Lots of good suggestions. One day I will finish my site I was doing that documents all these. I will add some of these for sure.

Current state: http://www.syntheticnation.com/laptops/laptop.html

missjade · Post by **missjade** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:56 pm

stonee wrote: 1) first off, what should i be doing when im performing live? I feel like I should always be doing somthing, because i come from a band backround. is it as simple as making sure your tracks are running smoothly, or should be as complicated as controlling as many things as you can handle? should I just turn some unlinked nobs to make myself feel better?

you should just be playing your set the way you want to play it!

the people who feel like they need to prove to all the chin-scratchers that they're DOING something--trying to look all technical & impressive-- are really wasting their energy. it's not about putting on an act, it's about expressing yourself and putting your shit out there. i'd rather see a performer having fun, rocking it & interacting with the crowd than trying to make themselves look cool or nerdy.

the ones that get so caught up in doing as much as possible tend to get so deep into it that they lose touch with the audience... that for me is a total vibe-killer!!!

prebentious · Post by **prebentious** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:04 am

You CAN have two instances of Live running at once! Duplicate your Live folder (in applications). Then you can open both copies.

friend_kami · Post by **friend_kami** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:03 am

missjade wrote:
stonee wrote: 1) first off, what should i be doing when im performing live? I feel like I should always be doing somthing, because i come from a band backround. is it as simple as making sure your tracks are running smoothly, or should be as complicated as controlling as many things as you can handle? should I just turn some unlinked nobs to make myself feel better?

you should just be playing your set the way you want to play it! the people who feel like they need to prove to all the chin-scratchers that they're DOING something--trying to look all technical & impressive-- are really wasting their energy. it's not about putting on an act, it's about expressing yourself and putting your shit out there. i'd rather see a performer having fun, rocking it & interacting with the crowd than trying to make themselves look cool or nerdy. the ones that get so caught up in doing as much as possible tend to get so deep into it that they lose touch with the audience... that for me is a total vibe-killer!!!

now. im about to have my first live gig soon aswell. played alot out, but never as a single electronica act, so im pretty excited, but yes.. moving on:

now, my setup is slowly getting exactly where i want it (could use more buttons though -.-), and when i practice i tend to end up dancing my ass off. its pretty easy to do because i tend end up on a 200 or so bpm with a ton of breaks and cuts and whatnots.. see, i can get totally lost in it, really.

so are you saying that if i do get lost in it and starts to dance like a maniac while mashing buttons and whatnots, thus loosing contact with the audience, would that break it for you? for me as an observer its more the other way around, but perhaps it depends on what style you do?

speaking of live gigs, you guys have problems fitting your songs in your set? i tend to end up fucking up other peoples shit because while mine is good as is, it feels unsuitable for performance. is that just me critisizing myself?

anyways, good luck to the OP. please record your set, so we can listen to it when its done, love to hear it!

a tip i took up on and am currently using for my setup is that all effects with a rate or similar/frequency or Q settings/dry wet controls etc attached to it is mapped to the same knob (ie: knob labeled X for dry/wet controls, knob labeled Q for q/frequency settings, RPT for beat repeat grids/LFO rates/autopan rates etc.. you get the idea.).
this usually includes instruments aswell as effects. then i have various ways of selecting which or the different effects/instruments i will control, using dry wet controls, toggle switches and preset switches.

this way no matter what im doing i always know what to do to tweak it the way i want it.
ofcourse, you have to find what works for you, for me it makes perfect sense.
it didnt at first, but im telling you: making a set template and making it work for you not only is inspirational but it will make you think twice about how to use/abuse your hardware and your audio.

edit: typos and grammar. oh, and some missing words. gotta love not sleeping heh.

stonee · Post by **stonee** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:24 am

wow pitch, just wow... i am truly shocked! thats amazing! maybe, someday, in another life i will be able to be allowed to touch a setup like that, haha. thats so amazing looking!

and prebentious, I tried what you suggested. it works. i cant belive I didn't think of that. you are my new god.

thanks to everyone that posted. this helped me out an amazing amount!

lets not let this thread die. this is probably one of the most helpful threads to ever exist here.

in the meantime, post your setup/method.

once I get my new interface, and decide how to set it up, I will post up my plan.

also, once i get my external hd, i will record a small set for you guys to look over.

simpleton · Post by **simpleton** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:38 am

stonee wrote:...should I just turn some unlinked nobs to make myself feel better?

I think that's a splendid idea stonee. Just get high and fake it.

friend_kami · Post by **friend_kami** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 4:32 pm

stonee wrote:wow pitch, just wow... i am truly shocked! thats amazing! maybe, someday, in another life i will be able to be allowed to touch a setup like that, haha. thats so amazing looking!

and prebentious, I tried what you suggested. it works. i cant belive I didn't think of that. you are my new god.

thanks to everyone that posted. this helped me out an amazing amount!

lets not let this thread die. this is probably one of the most helpful threads to ever exist here.

in the meantime, post your setup/method.

once I get my new interface, and decide how to set it up, I will post up my plan.

also, once i get my external hd, i will record a small set for you guys to look over.

please do. its always good to see other peoples setups.

@pitchblack: damn. i hate you. what are those two knobboxes btw? custom build?

MarkH · Post by **MarkH** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 4:48 pm

YILA wrote: no love for fist pumping here..

I don't agree. If you're mixing, tweaking, cutting, whatever, then fist pumping augments your performance.

I agree that fist pumping by itself is a cheap way to get a crowd going. I think a lot of DJ's do this and don't deserve the crowd's cheer.

audio.android · Post by **audio.android** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 7:13 pm

stonee wrote:
audio.android wrote:i really like the flow of your song "Adventure but sleep instead".
*looks at above post*

thanks man! that means alot to me!

haha, but seriously, thanks!
knowing that people I have never met like my work is definatly confidence inspiring to performing.

no problem. i can really feel emotion in that song -- the way you bring the different musical elements in and out. kind of feels like thoughts entering and exiting my mind.

stonee · Post by **stonee** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 8:33 pm

audio.android wrote:
stonee wrote:
audio.android wrote:i really like the flow of your song "Adventure but sleep instead".
*looks at above post*

thanks man! that means alot to me!

haha, but seriously, thanks!
knowing that people I have never met like my work is definatly confidence inspiring to performing.
no problem. i can really feel emotion in that song -- the way you bring the different musical elements in and out. kind of feels like thoughts entering and exiting my mind.

this comment acually made my day, thanks!

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