...playing your computers like instruments live in front of an audience. i mean, i don't care HOW many fixes, patches, tweaks, optimizers, you use to get a system running "perfectly," the fact is no computer is 100% stable.
imagine fiddling with ableton in a club full of ecstacy-riddled people when all of a sudden the music STOPS because OSX or Win2k crashes. oh and btw, there's a agent from a record company in the crowd who's been told you're the "next best thing."
i dont know, maybe it's just me, but i'd be nervous. but, i suppose its the fine line between triumph and disaster that fuels the energy of this art.
you people all are all crazy...
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lasers and their beams
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2002 12:10 pm
- Location: philadelphia
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dirtystudios
- Posts: 1196
- Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2002 1:28 am
even your decks aren't 100% stable. i mean...shit man...what if you burn out a motor? or the power goes out? or someone bumps the table and the needle skips? hell while we're at it, what if the warehouse collapses? or you have a heart attack? what if, while listening to the new dirty vegas single, you crash your brand new pontiac vibe into a gasoline tanker on the turnpike and die in a fiery inferno of twisted metal and bubbling, melted vinyl never even making it to the club to play that benefit show for the local orphanage where you were to headline with paul oakenfold and sandra collins who are going to now make fun of your driving skills with all their famous friends forever even though you're dead and your poor crying momma is committed to wearing all black for the rest of her life? what then..huh? what then?
shit happens. you can't avoid it, you can only deal with it. and so what if we use computers? why would you even care? if we're being fucking stupid then mind your own buisness and let us be fucking stupid. next time our nerdy little computer show falls to pieces they will all point and laugh, then head on over to your infinitely more stable and thumping show for a rockin' good time bouncing around to a bunch of nice and safe, familiar songs that they've all heard a thousand times already.
so neener neener.
k
p.s. goddamn. do i have issues or what?
shit happens. you can't avoid it, you can only deal with it. and so what if we use computers? why would you even care? if we're being fucking stupid then mind your own buisness and let us be fucking stupid. next time our nerdy little computer show falls to pieces they will all point and laugh, then head on over to your infinitely more stable and thumping show for a rockin' good time bouncing around to a bunch of nice and safe, familiar songs that they've all heard a thousand times already.
so neener neener.
k
p.s. goddamn. do i have issues or what?
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Guest
I trust my computer based setup live as much as any tube based head and cab or strings breaking, etc. If you have something to say, go out and say it! Watching someone bordering on "triumph or disaster" may put some live edge into the show.
You could always play safe and mime to a minidisk, or "mix" some turntables over a TR808\909\303\??? and god the music world REALLY needs that at the moment!!
You could always play safe and mime to a minidisk, or "mix" some turntables over a TR808\909\303\??? and god the music world REALLY needs that at the moment!!
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Guest
You know, i understand what u mean, i would never have done this 5 years ago.
however, the technology is a lot better now, and thanks to ableton so is the software.
I don't know much about the windows side of things, but i know that in Mac OS X the stability is no longer an issue.
nothing is perfect, but it is now to the same level of an other musical instrument.
If you do manage to crash live, then you just reload it. System level crash negilible on OS X with good drivers. I'm sure windows is the same too.
Having said that, the number of people who have crashed live in performance would probably be 1 or 2 on this whole forum.
What I would like to see is "smarter" millitary style backup solutions... more of the separation of devices.
Miltary uses 3 computers in spyplanes, which monitor each other so if one goes down then the others kick in to compensate.
Be nice if software would do the same, like if one software crashed, and it was the master tempo generator then the other softwars/ computers would become the master. def worth loooking into.
thats why i would also like to see implementation of VSTi's as a separate app. If something went wrong, then at least the loops would go on, while VSTi engine reboots.
Preferably (on OS X) we would simply patch into an audiounit host and patch back into live. and yes, audiounit hosts are now available, go to osxaudio.com
cheers all.
This is truly a very exciting time for mainstream electronic music!
I say we will see mainstream "popular" groups with laptops (with alternate hardware controllers) on MTV in about 12 months.
I know it will prob be one of us.
however, the technology is a lot better now, and thanks to ableton so is the software.
I don't know much about the windows side of things, but i know that in Mac OS X the stability is no longer an issue.
nothing is perfect, but it is now to the same level of an other musical instrument.
If you do manage to crash live, then you just reload it. System level crash negilible on OS X with good drivers. I'm sure windows is the same too.
Having said that, the number of people who have crashed live in performance would probably be 1 or 2 on this whole forum.
What I would like to see is "smarter" millitary style backup solutions... more of the separation of devices.
Miltary uses 3 computers in spyplanes, which monitor each other so if one goes down then the others kick in to compensate.
Be nice if software would do the same, like if one software crashed, and it was the master tempo generator then the other softwars/ computers would become the master. def worth loooking into.
thats why i would also like to see implementation of VSTi's as a separate app. If something went wrong, then at least the loops would go on, while VSTi engine reboots.
Preferably (on OS X) we would simply patch into an audiounit host and patch back into live. and yes, audiounit hosts are now available, go to osxaudio.com
cheers all.
This is truly a very exciting time for mainstream electronic music!
I say we will see mainstream "popular" groups with laptops (with alternate hardware controllers) on MTV in about 12 months.
I know it will prob be one of us.
Whatever...
A hardware sequencer can tank just as easily... Computers are the instruments of the future, so get used to it...
Even with a hardware sequencer or some keyboards on stage... a black hole could be opened and all your equipment is lost. This is a problem because probably none of us has a black hole insurance.......
Ok, a little bit more seriously....
It's really funny for me to read this discussion about software on stage comparing to 'real' hardware on stage. Seems to be a very subjective issue depending on many different experiences.
For myself I have much much more problems with my working computer as I ever had with Live on my 'music' notebook.
But the most important thing for me is.....some of the things you can do with Live in realtime are in this easy way not possible with all the hardware of the world. So I can just recommend to think in terms of "How can I be more flexible, reach better sounding, better moods,less equipment weight, more money?...whatever.
If your result is to use keyboard with a drum machine - do it.
If your result is to use just a Computer with music software - do it.
Nothing is 100% pro or contra.
regards,
Alex
Ok, a little bit more seriously....
It's really funny for me to read this discussion about software on stage comparing to 'real' hardware on stage. Seems to be a very subjective issue depending on many different experiences.
For myself I have much much more problems with my working computer as I ever had with Live on my 'music' notebook.
But the most important thing for me is.....some of the things you can do with Live in realtime are in this easy way not possible with all the hardware of the world. So I can just recommend to think in terms of "How can I be more flexible, reach better sounding, better moods,less equipment weight, more money?...whatever.
If your result is to use keyboard with a drum machine - do it.
If your result is to use just a Computer with music software - do it.
Nothing is 100% pro or contra.
regards,
Alex
Alex -
I agree entirely. Of course, if someone gave me a Machinedrum, I'd find a way to put it in my set. I used to perform with a lot of hardware, and I found that setup times were a hassle. Also, I was really nervous letting all that hardware sit offstage while I was waiting to go on.
I have been performing music on a notebook computer with a small MIDI controller, and find the quick setup and teardown quite pleasant.
But the allure of something like Machinedrum, or the Future-Retro 777, is strong. Those machines have physical surfaces designed for live playing. I'd like to have enough gear to choose whether hardware or software was appropriate to the setting. If I, for example, had to catch a flight to get to the gig, I would not want to have to deal with a bunch of hardware.
/S
I agree entirely. Of course, if someone gave me a Machinedrum, I'd find a way to put it in my set. I used to perform with a lot of hardware, and I found that setup times were a hassle. Also, I was really nervous letting all that hardware sit offstage while I was waiting to go on.
I have been performing music on a notebook computer with a small MIDI controller, and find the quick setup and teardown quite pleasant.
But the allure of something like Machinedrum, or the Future-Retro 777, is strong. Those machines have physical surfaces designed for live playing. I'd like to have enough gear to choose whether hardware or software was appropriate to the setting. If I, for example, had to catch a flight to get to the gig, I would not want to have to deal with a bunch of hardware.
/S
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Guest
Have you ever used one of those old Roland Space Echo's everyone gets a boner over these days in a live situation? I'd trust a well researched laptop setup running live AND all it's effects AND numerous other VST plugins AND record the whole lot live to hard disk AND have controllers plugged into the system WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more than old kit like that. And I can mention one or two-hundred people that did handled the "triumph or disaster" a few thousand times with those live and managed to live with it. Hell, I bet there are probably samples of their stuff in you collection! 
This thread has really become hilarious. Nice to read something funny.
Another irony would be when you consider what is inside all the drum machine and sequencer "hardware". There is a processor and software!!
Hahahahaha. And I remember way back in the 80's (dimly) my bands Emu drumulator and our Yamaha sequencers would midi lock often enough that we had to buy two of everything so we could switch over in a disaster. My solution is to stay at home like an old man and not even think of going on stage. Such is the privelage of age and wisdom.
Another irony would be when you consider what is inside all the drum machine and sequencer "hardware". There is a processor and software!!
Hahahahaha. And I remember way back in the 80's (dimly) my bands Emu drumulator and our Yamaha sequencers would midi lock often enough that we had to buy two of everything so we could switch over in a disaster. My solution is to stay at home like an old man and not even think of going on stage. Such is the privelage of age and wisdom.