Turning My Studio Into an Instrument

davidkain · Post by **davidkain** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:35 pm

Hey folks,

I have a problem. Gear lust is a part of it, and I'm sure you can relate! I am continually buying new things that I *think* will be what sets me over the top and finally gives me the studio of my dreams. That hasn't happened yet, and I don't think it's happening any time soon. In the end, I feel chained by my workflow. Something tells me that the answer is in front of me, however, and I'm just not seeing it.

But I'm rambling. The gist of this is, I have an idea as to what I want, but I have no idea how to build it. That's where you come in. You're smarter than I am, more experienced. I need your help!

Here's the exercise. I'll tell you what I'm looking for, and what I have access to. If you think it's possible, let me know how I can put my resources together to create what I'm dreaming of! Buying new gear isn't entirely out of the question, but only if it is absolutely vital to the studio. I really appreciate your taking the time to help out a genuine newb.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR:
I love electronic music. I hate programming with a mouse. I want to be able to create electronic music live, in real time. I want to build a song up from nothing, and have that translate well to a performance. Right now the closest I can come to that is trigger prerecorded loops, which isn't what I'm after. Real-time performance of on-the-fly sequencing. It's possible, but I'm just not getting it.

WHAT I HAVE:
My resources are limited. Here's a list of what I have. I *think* it's more than enough to get the job done, but like I mentioned above: if there's a piece of gear that would tie this all together and let me do what I want to do, I'm not opposed to it.

MacBook 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (4GB RAM)
Propellerheads Reason 4.0
Ableton Live 7
Native Instruments Komplete 5
Korg KAOSS Pad 3 (my favorite!)
Korg Kontrol49
Behringer BCR2000

My current setup is robust, but sequencing is laborious, and impossible to do in a live situation. I have guitarist and singer/songwriter friends who come over to jam, but inevitably I end up working on the mouse & keyboard more than twisting knobs, pushing buttons, and having fun!

In the end, I'm looking to have an instrument I can learn and play with friends and on my own. Electronica (everything from cheesy trance and jungle to Radiohead) is my passion, otherwise I'd pick up a guitar.

Thank you so much for reading this far, and PLEASE help if you can!

Cheers,
--Jeff
davidkain001 (AT) gmail.com

Grappadura · Post by **Grappadura** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:47 pm

the mackie emulation for the bcr could be interesting for u.

luv2spin31 · Post by **luv2spin31** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:54 pm

new gears are all good, but i think it can stopped the creative process.

i say stripped the studio down to the basic and work from there...

prebentious · Post by **prebentious** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:56 pm

Max/MSP can replace the mouse with a little ingenuity.

LoopStationZebra · Post by **LoopStationZebra** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:14 pm

I guess I'm just not following. You have nearly all the ingredients right there in your list in order to set up a totally impromptu jam session with MINIMAL mouse usage. I say minimal, because inevitably you always have to mouse around a bit for one thing or another.

The only other piece of gear that is VITAL for serious on-the-fly live work is a foot controller. An FCB1010 would allow you to:

1. Start recording immediately into any clip slot you assign. No mouse work required.
2. Send CC messages to dummy clips that can in turn change your synth patches. No mouse work required.
3. Fire off entire scenes that are loaded with clips. No mouse work.
4. Send CC messages to dummy clips that control VSTs or AUs.

It's all there. Waiting for you to pounce! LOL.

Providing you have feet, of course. To control that FCB...

Your BCR controls faders, effects, etc. No mouse work.

I play totally live. I never use prerecorded clips. I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to play until I step up to the rig. The only thing that I really use a mouse for is to cut and paste clips into scenes that are further down. For instance, I'll load up each of my 12 or so tracks with clips - maybe 2 or 3 scenes deep - playing live stuff with either my guitar, bass, or synth. After I load up a bunch of clip slots, I'll start grabbing certain clips and paste them into scenes further down the scene list. Setting up a mood, if you will. One scene may have an E-bow guitar clip and a synth pad riff. I'll copy the same clips to the next scene below, but add an impulse clip from earlier on..

Am I making sense? Is this what you are after?

What kind of sound card do you have, BTW...?

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:19 pm

stfu, get off the web, and go make music. you're blaming your toys on a lack of output, the problem is you.

we all do this. it's called denial.

if you want to learn guitar, go learn it, but it's not like you'll be making music with that overnight.

focus!!

gibheid · Post by **gibheid** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:31 pm

You have everything you need right now. By asking for alternatives you are simply postponing the confrontation of your worst fear. The time has come for you to face the agony of actually being an artist.

Right now you're in love with the idea of being a music performer, but the future planning needs to cease and the actual practice needs to begin NOW! Electronic music is no different from any other musical form: you have to serve your time and earn your chops. There is a world of push-button nobodies out there who wave their credit cards at gear suppliers to buy the latest and greatest trinkets to hide the fact that they are talentless no-hopers. Real innovators just do it. Unless you investigate and explore what you've got right now, you'll never evolve much beyond a me-too copy kid.

That's not meant to sound harsh, neither is it a criticism of you or your work.

It is, however, a stark reality. Some people are lucky and can take this drudgery in their stride, most of the rest of us have to face the pain barrier and evolve or die.

So you hate using your mouse. Hate it, but use it anyway. You'll soon break through this psychological barrier and the hate that seemed such an insurmountable hurdle will soon evaporate.

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:49 pm

gibheid wrote:Right now you're in love with the idea of being a music performer.

lmfao!!! sooooooo true.

OP - all this smart ass advice applies to all of us at times.

LoopStationZebra · Post by **LoopStationZebra** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:03 pm

gibheid wrote:There is a world of push-button nobodies out there who wave their credit cards at gear suppliers to buy the latest and greatest trinkets to hide the fact that they are talentless no-hopers.

Hey! Some of us push-button nobodies have feelings you know.

Homebelly · Post by **Homebelly** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:21 pm

I don't perform with Live, so i have no actual experience of how to set it up.
But if i am getting what you want to do right, which is to be able to start with a blank canvas and then build a song from there just by pushing buttons and moving sliders to change parameters in real time, then i would say you have all you need. Add to the kit you have Live 8 and the new akai controller and i can see you not wanting any thing again for a very long time...

Jekblad · Post by **Jekblad** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:28 pm

here's the deal:

setting up something that's playable NEEDS to have limitations. You can't build one thing that does it all. (well, maybe with max 4 live:-)

Anyways, decide on some harsh limitations and build yourself a custom set for that. It's about taking what you have and making it sound good. A sine wave and a filter can go a long way in the right hands.

good luck.

PS. once you set it up it'll be fun. for awhile. then you'll have to make new ones. Then you'll get bored of making new ones. It's a cruel world we make music in.

drumrak · Post by **drumrak** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 5:39 am

of course sequencing in real time is impossible, BUT i think i know a solution!

YOU CAN PLAY THE KEYBOARD WITH YOUR FINGERS

pulsoc · Post by **pulsoc** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:20 am

LoopStationZebra wrote: I play totally live. I never use prerecorded clips. I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to play until I step up to the rig. The only thing that I really use a mouse for is to cut and paste clips into scenes that are further down. For instance, I'll load up each of my 12 or so tracks with clips - maybe 2 or 3 scenes deep - playing live stuff with either my guitar, bass, or synth. After I load up a bunch of clip slots, I'll start grabbing certain clips and paste them into scenes further down the scene list. Setting up a mood, if you will. One scene may have an E-bow guitar clip and a synth pad riff. I'll copy the same clips to the next scene below, but add an impulse clip from earlier on..

Links or it didn't happen...

starving student · Post by **starving student** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 9:58 am

no offense but this is too corny

starving student · Post by **starving student** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 10:02 am

just sit down for a moment, think about why you make music, write some songs maybe start with 3 at a time so you don't get bored, write some songs about those reasons why you make music, when you've got a few done practice playing them, then go play them for other peole while you do the same process over again and build up your selection of songs. and though I hate to agree with tone deft, get the fuck off the internet, girlfriends are better.

Turning My Studio Into an Instrument

Turning My Studio Into an Instrument

It's time to break the pain barrier.

Re: It's time to break the pain barrier.

Re: It's time to break the pain barrier.