Sharing your approach to live gigs

well it amazes me at how skilled Mr. Dataline aka Cenk can handle a dozen machines so clever and fast! He really is a wizard.

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I have two sets. One is a DnB set using just the OT. Each part is a song made up of 4 patterns. Everything pre sequenced. Basically I just hit play and tweak away at the knobs and scenes until I feel its time for the next pattern. I dont use song mode.
The second set is techno. Using OT TR8-S and Lyra. Each pattern is a song, OT and TR are pre sequenced. Lots of tweaking and sound shaping live, concentrating on texture and layers.with improv on the OT and Lyra. Lyra being 100% improv. I also have a scene set up for resampling so I can go fully weird and make a sequence up on the fly if Im feeling it.

My advice would be keep it simple. A little goes a long way. Dataline is cool, but sometimes I feel it would be nic if he calmed down a bit and let those knobs be still a while.

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My approach to live gigs vary depending on the project, ranging from 100% improvisation to 100% composed and rehearsed, zero-improv stuff. Also my role in those gigs vary, but more recently its been a part of the rhythm section (playing drums with an AR or MPC). Next gig is going to be turntables-based :diddly:

When on the elektrons and not on a improv set, Everything is premade into pattns, which then get more or less ā€performedā€ live. Elektron boxes are cool af for such duties with all the numerous performance tricks they have up their sleeve (pattn / kits reloads, perf macrosā€¦)

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Agree with keeping it simple. I think itā€™s important to let things breathe as well. Improv stuff is all well and good but with electronic music I think itā€™s somewhat redundant sometimes. Where the real magic for me lies in playing live is when you hit an fx sweet spot and can ride on that for a while (filter feedback for example). Sometimes if thereā€™s too much activity happening all the time (delay freeze addicts take note - I have also been guilty of this :joy:) it can take away from an audienceā€™s enjoyment as the material never plays straight long enough for them to catch on to it properly

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I donā€™t do live gigs. But I can confirm this from a consumer side. :slight_smile:
I think you can go wild on a track if you are in a position where the audience already knows the original version pretty well. Stuff the Chem bros or underworld doā€¦
If you are a no name with no name tracks I mostly enjoy the development of the tracks without echofreeze every 2-3 minutes. If the artist has a good feeling when to hit a sweet spot and how to go on from this point of the ā€œsetā€ itā€™s mostly enjoyable.
But: if you are more into experimental music your perception of sweet spots might take longer to reach the audience. Then itā€™s art, I guess :thinking:

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Very interested to hear solutions to the dreaded ā€œAll your eggs in one basketā€ approach.

Had one bad experience using only laptop/Cantabile/VSTā€™s/external usb keyboard.
Never again.

Backup CD/USB stick? Most live acts Iā€™ve worked with, in my promoter capacity, will resort to that in dire circumstances. Youā€™ve usually still got a few synths to noodle over the top of the pre-recorded material with.

To my mind, if youā€™re going to have a backup, then it may as well be a pretty safe fall-back solution.

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Thanks everyone for sharing your setup approaches and good tips! :3lektron::thup:

For the record I will note on my sketch pad :smile:

  • check the room acoustics before the set.

  • worry about the visuals.

  • avoid drastic FX abuse (echo freeze type).

  • spending time tweaking subtle nuances around an fx sweet spot (eq, filterā€¦) to keep a mouvement may be a good idea.

  • keeping it simple or consider working with stems /backing tracks.

  • still leave room to improvise and adapt if the crowd isnā€™t into it.

  • having a backup solution is something to think of! :fearful:

  • check pro live setups :
    Octave One, Sebastian Mullaert, Maayan Nidam, Atom and Tobias, Voices from the Lake, kink.

This week I am trying to create 1 or 2 basic tracks filling the 8 voices of the rytm, seeing if I can get to something with the AR only :smiley:

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I am surprised that many elektronauts use the digitakt for a live setup!
I have to look into it further!

Hi,

The iconnectivity playaudio12 and a second laptop can be a nice solution. Never heard of someone using it though

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Thanks!
Of course!

Or maybe 2 usb sticks.
Always have two on my keyfob.

Maybe I should get another :slight_smile:

Thanks!

Will check it out.

You already have lots of good replies here, but Iā€™ll add my own anyway.

I currently play live with Digitakt + Blofeld. The DT runs through a stereo distortion.
I use patterns Iā€™ve prepared earlier but thereā€™s a large degree of improvisation. I use ā€˜global BPMā€™ and never/rarely stop the track, instead nudging it faster or slower according to what suits the pattern. Each ā€˜songā€™ only uses two or three patterns. I improvise vocals over the top if inspiration strikes.

Hereā€™s the thing: in dance music, eight tracks is a lot. If you have a really great groove going with just a kick and hi-hats and a melodic tom part, thatā€™s cool. You can get a really good vibe going just with that. When you add another element, it should feel like a big change. Usually weā€™re using quite big, carefully-produced sounds, right? So restraint is really important.

One of the virtues of minimalism is that you can really go to town with the FX. Messing with filter settings over a busy track sounds lame; over just a kick and snare and simple bassline, it can sound sublime.

Of course, this means your patterns have to be pretty interesting. But youā€™ve got plenty of time to work on that at home.

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Brilliant advice. Thank you!

Iā€™ll try to be short.
I use a Dark Trinity running through a Strymon Deco, with an Alesis Q49, a mic, VP-03, Mackie Mix4 for live gigs.
Most of it is semi permanently plugged in and packed in a case.
At gigs, all I have to set up is a stand, my case, plug in power, and 2 XLR outs. Takes about 5 mins.
I know the rig like the back of my hand, so I wont be confused about anything.

I do a mix of using the arranger on the OT to sequence full songs, some areas I play keys/pads no sequencing, sometimes I am playing over beats or sequences, a lot of the time Iā€™m just twiddling performance knobs and pads.

For me the most important part is that I make it fun for myself, and hopefully interesting.
I get pretty anxious before gigs. I want things to go smoothly, so I try and make my rig and my performance within my abilities under stress, dark lighting, maybe some drinks etc.
I allow myself plenty of room for mistakes and growth.

As much as I like honing my craft to perfection, itā€™s important to get out there and play and let that guide my path as well.
Currently I am incorporating a light show, merch, and a few other tricks.
Slow process sometimes $$$

Donā€™t over apologize for mistakes, most people wont notice anything went wrong unless the sound goes completely off.
Remind yourself, it takes a special someone to throw themselves out there and perform, in whatever capacity, try and have fun because it can be nerve racking.

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Thank you!
Superb advice.

So true!

#truth

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scnr

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puff puff pass

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I usually approach from the side of the dance floor over to stage left and up from thereā€¦ :smile:

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