Live's influence on your music.

[Martyn]

wow, Martyn, are you THAT MUCH depressed?

Nah, I'd have to be pretty f**ked up to subject christmas shoppers to smoke on the water,......then again, maybe

I am starting to wonder if Live is really the creative tool i thought it'd be though, without slagging it too much there are some real half hearted ideas in version 4, and a lot of things that don't work quite as they should. I've used nothing else for over a year now and have nothing to show for it other than a LOT of very unsatisfactory, (to me) unfinished tunes.
A lot of people have had great success with it, so maybe it really is just me

[noisetonepause]

"tracks"? "done"?

I dunno. I'd say it needs editing.

But all in all we do fucking rock, though.

-Paws

[Machinate]

"tracks"? "done"?

I dunno. I'd say it needs editing.

But all in all we do fucking rock, though.

-Paws

"some editing" = "done". Period.

[drez]

I'd say Live4 has opened my world up quite a bit. I was a Reason Only user before Live3 and I couldn't finish a tune...but that was my own fault. I have ADD and couldn't stay "focused" long enough to finish anything.

Live has allowed me to wander around alot more creating clips and piecing a songs parts in a non-linear writing method. This works great for me. I can write a bunch of pieces and then start assembling them into something I like. I've also started listening to music "better" and trying to write what I really want to write.

Also, I started taking some medication to help me stay focused and this has absolutely changed my life for the better, not just my music. So for me, a combination of events have helped.

I don't have lots of time...I work alot, have a wife, kid and baby on the way, so I don't get all the time I need, but I have been able to focus on a few songs that I like (of the many "loops" I too have created) and I am making steady progress and finally happy with it. I get to work with my VST's, Reason, and Live at the coffee shop a couple times a week and I've never felt better about my music.

Sooooo, has Live affected my music?

I hope so, have a listen to this and let me know

[Moonburnt]

A lot of people have had great success with it, so maybe it really is just me

I'm sure you're not the only one. As much as i love it (don't get me wrong!), I don't find it has revolutionised my composition process, though it obviously has for a lot of people, so maybe it comes down to what sort of methods people had prior to using Live. I prefer to start without a computer, and the main advantages live offers me are in terms of jamming & recording the initial ideas, and remixing finished ideas. I am hoping that the midi side of things will be developed further as that would definitely make it a bigger part of my workflow, i find the midi view a tad awkward in its current form. One nice thing about using a variety of apps is that they all give you a different way of approaching a track, so you don't end up getting stuck with a comfortable little formula - a program's interface has such an impact on how you work and therefore what you end up with!

[Screen]

Yeh, had a major effect on me! I got so hooked onto Live that my the late nite strain on me eyes was too much, and endless loops/options effected my creativity.

I think a combination of eye strain (even with a decent LCD monitor) and loadsa options, was way too much for me.

It used to be "Simpler" during the Atari ST days heheh

I guess I prefer the minimalism in creativity.

Hence, now I mostly compose back as I used to on Acoustic/Electric Guitar (and trusted pen & paper) and then bring in the ideas via Guitar Rig in L4.

So Martyn, maybe going back to the guitar might help

[Architect]

People these days are so spoiled! Live is just a tool, and an excellent tool at what it is supposed to do, if you don't fucking want something to loop then turn looping off. YOU are the composer, musician, artist, etc you have total control over what type of music you arrange, people have to realize it's up to you to put out the type of music you want, how the hell can you blame a software program for your inability to be creative?

I do all types of stuff with Live, I got synthesizers plugged into Live and record those non-looped and sometimes looped with different variations into Live. I'm about to get a guitar and plug that in and get busy, I got drum machines plugged in, soft synths, etc.

Now depending on the way you work and make music maybe Live isn't for you, but if not then go use Logic or whatever else you got WHO CARES just MAKE GOOD MUSIC. These are all tools, your mind, talent and spirit does the rest!