My small live rig isn’t either modular, nor monome based, but I hope the ideas are useful:
The mechanics of the gear are straight forward:
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Audio from the two main sources: Digitakt for sampled percussion, and bass and bell lines, and mangling field recordings. MicroMonsta for pads, chords, fill, and sometimes lead. These are mixed, passed to the PiSound where the RaspberryPi runs SuperCollider and runs a range of master bus effects over them: reverbs, delays, filters, etc…
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Control from Launchpad Pro and UC44 runs to RaspberryPi where in SuperCollider the control can be very flexibly routed on the fly: Notes on the LP grid to Digitakt or MicroMonsta. Some faders to Digitakt for track volumes; encoders (banked) and faders to RPi for controlling the effects; buttons on both devices to control routings
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The RaspberryPi also serves as master clock, Ableton Link node, WiFi hotspot (for connecting other musicians), and a master recorder, recording everything I send to house.
I sometimes substitute a different synth, or a different keyboard controller. And I’ve started exploring how to incorporate both a KMI BopPad and a Jambé.
Over the last few years, I developed some guiding principles for the rig:
- Should be able to get it from my car to where I’m playing in one trip.
- Should be self-contained: I bring my own table, 2’ x 2’ at the standing height - and everything fits on it.
- No screen between me and the audience.
- I should know the instrument well enough to play it without labels on controls.
- Rather than bring “infinite possibility” with me, I want a clear instrument - even if that instrument is awash with timbral options.
Musically, what I do live depends a lot on the context of the performance:
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Open Mic style show: If I’m on a bill with many others, playing a short set (15 ~ 20 min.) - I’ll do a total improv. set. This is usually a continuation of my Infinite Set, where I start with just the last pattern of the last set, and a selection of about 100 samples. Then I go from there. I’ll usually plan a mood before the show, and do 2 or 3 practice sessions. These are never repeated after the performance.
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Longer solo set: For shows 30min. or longer, I’ll prepare a selection of parts that flow into each other. Some of these segments will be composed, some will be improv over a basic idea, with perhaps sounds preselected, and an aim for hitting the next transition. The composed works are generally composed in structure, timing, timbre, and key - exact notes are left to performance. These shows are heavily rehearsed, mostly so that I can execute the transitions. They are repeatable in that I’m playing the same music each night. But not in the sense of down to every note.
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Ensemble sets: I did a fair bit of work with two keyboardists. For these sets (between 20 min. and an hour) - we played totally improv… but found that playing as tracks worked best, rather than trying to be continuous. We’d play tracks between 7 and 15 min. long each, agreeing on stage to a tempo and feel - and going from there. These are rehearsed by simply playing together in a rehearsal studio every week. If we are playing sets within a few days we tended to repeat the basic feel of the tracks, and reuse patches and samples.
I hope next year to be able to pull together a longer format show: a full two hours or more. This will be like the longer solo set above, but probably with a more extended set of composed pieces, and of course more thoroughly rehearsed. This will let me play some of the more complex musical ideas that I currently only ever explore in the context of studio compositions.
I do use samples - esp. field recordings from around the world. I almost always chop these, stretch them, and mangle them a fair bit. I don’t use music clips or samples, nor do I pre-record or pre-sequence any of my music. This is just personal preference: I find using pre-recorded clips take me out of the head space of instrumentalist.
Venues have a strong effect on my performance. Here’s some things I’ve learned along the way so far:
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In cafes, people like breaks so they don’t feel awkward getting up and moving, ordering more coffee, etc. They also talk and move around in bars and clubs, but somehow the darker environment, they don’t feel awkward and do so even if you don’t give them breaks.
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If it is a more formal space: folks are sitting in chairs, they introduce you, dim the lights… Then I try to present more of a story: The audience is hanging on you more, and they want to anticipate the cadence that leads to the end (even if you give them a few false starts). In this context I think of the whole performance more as theater.
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If it is a less formal environment: a gallery opening, say, or music at a BBQ (yes I’ve done this), then I can do more ambient, more texture based work.
As for sound in venues: Be Prepared!
I’m always sure to know what the PA situation is in detail. One too many times arriving to find I’m playing through a single bass amp! If I can, I’ll even go to the venue in advance to see and hear the system. For smaller venues this is crucial, as the person booking you often has no idea what they have or can’t describe it correctly.
I do have a set of moderate PA speakers (ZLX-12Ps) which can power a cafe, gallery, or odd space up to about 200 people. I’ll use these if the venue doesn’t have decent sound. Pro tip: buy long (25’ or longer) power cords (14AWG or heavier) and long balanced audio cables. I also have a two extra mixers (8ch and 16ch), which I sometimes need to bring. If I’m driving to the venue, I’ll put a crate of cables, adapters, and one of the extra mixers in the trunk of my car… just in case!
