Performance tips for keys player

[Stokely]

Hello,

I've been using Live for some time but only recently have started getting ready to play out (first time in many years, and first time ever with a laptop *crosses fingers*). Anyway, I've been stumbling a bit while trying to get Live set up for live (ironically). So far so good, but I haven't gigged yet and I'm sure I'm not using it the most efficiently.

First, I was able to get racks working, and that basically meant I could use Live, since I need splits (zones) with different sounds.

I've been creating a new Set for each song I do. These are pop/rock tunes, typical 3-5 minutes. My first concern is load time; I realize this depends on which vsts I use. I have one "generic" Set that has some staples in it: a pad, an organ, a piano and a couple others. Each of these is on a different track.
So the first question is: Is a Set for each song sound typical? Or do people tend to load up one Set with all the vsts they will use for a given night/set of songs? I was afraid of too much memory usage.

Second question: Is there a way to remotely (key or midi, key preferred) arm the next track? Ideally I would be able to use arrow keys to move between tracks. The best I was able to do was to have keys mapped to *particular* tracks, which is workable.

Next, I was wondering about how to avoid clipping (inside Live, not afterward in signal flow). I'm trying to set up my vsts and tracks in such a way that it couldn't happen, but also balancing against the need for good S/N. I was considering throwing a compressor plugin on the master track. Does anyone do this?

My last question is really just a call out to any tips or tricks related to using Live as a keyboard performance platform I'm sure there are many questions I don't even know to ask. For example, would Clips be useful to me in any way even though I'm not playing sounds from them (to maybe send program changes?)

Thanks!

[Jekblad]

hey man!

one thing to consider for switching sounds would be using midi channels. This would allow your "next" type of behavior.

Generally i prefer the midi map mode as i can jump from different instruments then, but if you''re doing "per song" sets then you should be fine.

Also, i usually get all my sounds in one set, but use 8 sounds or so max (just bread and butter stuff).

Load times are scary though, especially if you're awesome synth patch loads the songs. A lot of times there's enough time on stage where's it's not a big deal. it gives the crowd a little chance to talk etc.


Compressor on your master is like meh. I would just balance the sounds using the faders... if you have a particular instrument that is super velocity sensitive maybe throw the comp on there.

Clips are useful especially dummy clips, but since the band is not sync'd w/live, not quite as much use. BUT, you have have things like a simple ramp up/down for your flanger or whatever so the effect has a little more life w/o you knobbing all over it.

You can use clips to change presets as well using the chain selector. I suppose in this manner you just map one button to "scene fire", have "advance on launch" enabled and use one button to go to your next patch over and over.

I would see what it's like to have one mega set. Just test it, maybe it works. If not use one per set. If that doesn't work then do one per song. If that doesn't work use one per measure. and so on

[Stokely]

Hey thanks!

You've just given me at least three things to research, perfect I've never even heard of "dummy clips", and generally have avoided clips completely.

Edit: just to clarify with the midi selector idea: you are saying to output on a different channel from the controller, matching different tracks (each on a different channel), right? Or do you mean switch to a different channel in order to use midi to control the Live features (if even possible)?

I've definitely got the train the band not to be spontaneous with their song choices due to load times...no big deal to *them* to bust into any song they like at a whim...

Not to open a whole nother can of worms, but...in the event that we *did* want to sync with some sequenced stuff, I assume the drummer is going to need a click track or some such? Never much thought about that. Chances are we will not do this.

[Jekblad]

no probs!

a video i did on click track stuff. Most you'll already know but it goes over the routing etc http://vimeo.com/1615961

dummy clips: http://www.covops.org/index.php/The-Cov ... sited.html

also, i think you're confusing ( or merging) two ideas just a little

Chain selector is a feature in Live Racks. It lets you change instruments. using dummy clips to automate the chain selector to you can change which instrument you are playing simply by triggering a clip

Midi channel is changed on your hardware and then setup in Live. (you have this concept perfect!)

[Kilroy]

Just to add to the midi channel point, I do more or less the same thing. I have 16 ableton tracks setup, each with a different midi input channel. I have presets on a Korg Triton Extreme that that route the notes I play to the appropriate midi channel. It works great, and I have a standardized Live set that I use every week. I use the notes feature for each track to type in a list of songs that use each sound, that way I know which sounds are getting used more, and I won't accidentally replace a sound that I thought I wasn't using.

K.