strategies for a live set

[SubFunk]

one more... i think the beauty of live is already given by the fact that if you do not arrange your set 100% planned and structured in scenes, but rather create a lot of loops with variations that fit together... the spontanious way of creating an arrangement on the fly (by just assigning those to triggers) can turn one track into dozens of different moods and creations... then you do only need a bit of tweak 'n efx here and there...

my 2cents.

[earsmack]

I wish they would put all that crap in a FOLDER in the Applications folder (on the Mac) - sheesh! At least find the apps before an update and install to the same location.

[nuxnamon]

you could do all that was suggested but you could also look at your computer specs.. If your running a G4 or something, then yeah your going to be limited no matter what you do.. When CPU starts affecting your creativity, maybe take a look at upgrading your rig..

[Sage]

First rule in live performance (regardless of genre) is to keep things simple. Also, have a set up that actually works, if the laptop isn't powerful enough, then it's not powerful enough, end of, you've got to have the right tools for the job, sometimes you need a pneumatic drill, sometimes you need a hammer...

[master swing]

you could do all that was suggested but you could also look at your computer specs.. If your running a G4 or something, then yeah your going to be limited no matter what you do.. When CPU starts affecting your creativity, maybe take a look at upgrading your rig..

I know I would reach the limits again, but that extra bit could be cool.

[nebulae]

OK a couple of strategies beyond just converting to audio...

Suppose I want to do a realtime lowpass filter sweep, and I love a particular Analog, or Operator, or Sylenth sound. I basically record the sequence with the filter totally OPEN or even inactive. Then I take the wav file and put an EQ8 on the track and map the filter to my midi controller. I then get the sound AND the filter sweep with the most minimal of resources used. Still a live feel and still a performance. Granted, you may not be using the synth's filter, but who can really tell that difference in a loud club with a lot of other shit going on. If you need grit, add a saturator after the EQ8 and you can get pretty close to most filters.

Another idea: if you use Live's native plugs and synths, it's pretty safe to drag in a rack that you're going to use. So if you have a strict 8-track setup. And you have a set track for kick, bass, bleeps, pads, etc. You can drag in various racks from song to song as needed. That way, you don't have all your clips and all your tracks and all your plugs and all your synths instantiated all the time, which would slow down any system.

As for sends, I always have reverbs and delays on a send, hardly EVER as an insert. First, sharing a verb creates a sense of togetherness for the liveset. Second, it's far less CPU intensive to have dry synth parts that get sent to a verb, which also sounds pretty natural in most cases.

Also, if you've got a multicore CPU, be clever about how you distribute your resources. Each track in Live is assigned to a particular CPU. Which means if you have 4 cores, and you max out the CPU with 1 track, you're basically too heavy on that one track, and you should break out the load over multiple tracks like sends. This is easier explained with an example, but I hope it makes sense.

[master swing]

good strategies, thx!

[anybody human]

+1 on the computer upgrade, +1 freeze and flatten to audio
However, don't forget external effects. Buy a Memory Man, man! Sherman Filter, Frostwave, even a pawn shop reverb pedal, whatever works. Some people still don't think so but knob twisting is playing an instrument (especially analog). There's always technique and theory and soul involved. People I've seen that do it well are thoughtful, they have a philosophy, and a defined/refined esthetic. It takes skill but it's so cool when it's done right.
Cool that you have a partner in crime. You can get a lot done with 2 brains and four arms.

[Johnisfaster]

knob twisting is playing an instrument (especially analog)

so what you're saying is twisting a midi controller knob or the knob of a digital synth is less like playing an instrument then?

[7G]

Buy some hardware...
I use a Powerbook G4!!!