Anyone performing live ambient, space, or new age electronics?

[jackmazzotti]

what about playing at a prison or hospital

[Vintage73]

Talk about a captivated audience.

[Pulse Width Modulation]

I have played outdoors and I can tell you it is a challenge. It is very difficult, especially without a dedicated sound man, to know what is being heard by your audience. In a club or other defined space, you can get a feel from the stage because the sound bounces off the walls and comes back. Outside, the sound just keeps going. I have played shows where we couldn't be heard and others where we could be heard from the highway two exits down. It is really hard to judge.

I should have known it was too good to be true, but maybe for a small enough crowd it might work?

By the way, all the comments and feedback are giving me great ideas and a lot more confidence! Thanks everyone! Keep writing!

[GaryG]

If people can't tell if you're checking their email, you'll have failed.

Easy fix for that one:



http://www.fractalspin.com/products.php ... %252dshirt



(though personally think it would have been better without the 'retard' quip)

[Pulse Width Modulation]

[quote="GaryG"
Easy fix for that one:



http://www.fractalspin.com/products.php ... %252dshirt
[/quote]

Hee Hee! I think I'd use that for CD title!

[jackmazzotti]

Talk about a captivated audience.

they might appreciate it more

[zerocrossing]

One thing that's crucial to me is that I keep an audio looper or two on a send...
If you go the computer route for live (I would at this point) make sure you don't focus on the computer. Get good knobby controllers and maybe something like the Maschine or Spark for beats (if you're doing rhythmic stuff) It's better to control a filter sweep with a Hot Hand MIDI or Roland D-Beam than it is to use a mouse. If people can't tell if you're checking their email, you'll have failed.

Thanks for the tip about the looper! I think that might open some possibilities I could easily transistion to.

I think you're right about not over-doing gear, but it's good to have several hardware controllers to give some freedom. I have a 3-keyboard system. Two separate keyboard controllers going to my PC is important for getting some good layering of sound.

Also, For simple performance tweaks, I use a Roland Alpha Juno 1. It is a great go-to synth for real analog leads, pads, and effects that need simple filter cut-off, envelope, and auto-chord tweaks. I also have a Moog MG-1, but it's old and kind of wonky. I would only use it in the studio, or a bigger, more special show as sort of an "icing-on-the cake" synth. For VA synths, drum machines, arps, and analog-type sequencer VSTi's, my Korg NanoKontrol works great! But I had to find a way to make it more intuitive. Even though every VSTi has a different architecture, I picked the most common parameters I'm likely to use, and assign them to the same controls on the Nano (Filter Cutoff is always dial 6, resonance is always dial 7, etc.) That way I only have to remember one set of controls for synths, one set of controls for drum machines, and one set of controls for a sequencer. Anything else that is special to a particular VSTi, I can always mouse. Then I got a hold of some small peel-and-stick scrapbook letters from a craft store, and labeled the NanoKontrol. Now, it's a lot more intuitive to use live, and it also makes patch-building a snap![/img]

Three sounds like way too many controllers considering you can get so much traction out of a single 61 key controller. Some basic "performance" patches splits and some MIDI channel changing should be plenty. The Novations and Akais have pads on them as well (the Novation's suck, the Akai's are good.)

I think back to audience would be death. Side is fine. See if you can find performances of Imogen Heap on youtube. She uses a lot of electronics in her show but she doesn't let them come between her and her audience. Also, she's awesome. Uses an audio looper a lot with great results.

[zerocrossing]

arkaos

Is that still around?!

Man that was a staple of my shows back in the 90s. Used it all the time. I'm mad Apple dropped .swf from Quicktime because Flash was a good way to get tiny animations going. I stopped using it though, because I found that people couldn't really tell I was controlling it with my Roland GR system.

[zerocrossing]

A webcam is a good idea!

I always envision a concert being outdoors in a natural setting. You can't plan the weather, but how cool would it be to have your audience in lawn chairs watching a summer sunset gradually turn the clouds from orange to pink, and open up into twilight, or a spot where crickets and birdsong become your inspiration?

Check youtube for Thomas Dolby performances. He had a wireless webcam built on a head mount so you could see what he was looking at. It was a little distracting but kind of cool too. He's also a great person to learn from in terms of using computers to put on a live show. When I saw him he was running two Mac towers running Logic... I think the only hardware synth he had was a Virus Ti.

[trimph1]

what about playing at a prison or hospital

Actually I have done just that..and got a lot of questions from the audience as well about how I did certain things..you'd be surprised....

[vurt]

what do you want from your audience?
are you looking for people to be impressed or are you looking to entertain people?
ive done a couple of gigs in art gallerys where i set up in a cupboard, not being seen or able to see my audience except for a couple of occassions where i nipped to the loo (the can for americans or the head for any navy seals)

i wasnt looking for any sort of praise i was just looking to provide an atmosphere for some friends artworks.
i have also done a few gigs where i was on a stage in front of people, i was using a laptop for part of my sound, reaktor specifically, but i set my gear up across the table so that the only time i was near the laptop was just before i started, opening up the relevant pieces in reaktor. so no one could suggest i was just checking mail.
no visuals just almost complete darkness aside from the glow from the laptop screen.
although i do like doing stuff with visuals too, but then i get my friend who has all the makings of a light show involved. then its projectors, oil lamps, spots and all manner of lighty up things

you need to decide what you want from the experiences

[Pulse Width Modulation]

what do you want from your audience?
are you looking for people to be impressed or are you looking to entertain people?
ive done a couple of gigs in art gallerys where i set up in a cupboard, not being seen or able to see my audience except for a couple of occassions where i nipped to the loo (the can for americans or the head for any navy seals)

i wasnt looking for any sort of praise i was just looking to provide an atmosphere for some friends artworks.

I think that really hits it home. There might be a lot of gigs where you can fade back and let the music support the atmosphere of the event. Last Friday, I got to visit a friend of mine spinning trance at an art reception...Perfect! People's attention was on the artwork, but the music added so much to the overall atmosphere. If you crave attention, some situations may not be your cup of tea. In these places, not only do you need to perform for people with varying levels of interest in your music, but also in very intimate venues. A few weeks ago I played background music on guitar for a charity auction. I was placed right next to the bar, with a huge crowd of loud, party people having drinks. At one point I had about 4 intoxicated and very loud men chatting it up and BS-ing right in front of me. They kept leaning backwards and bumping into my music stand, hardly aware that I was there, but I laughed it off and kept playing, knowing that I was doing my job. Afterwards, the feedback suggested that the music added the atmosphere we needed that it was noticed and really appreciated, and I got the chance to practice performing for a very tough audience. If there comes a time to perform an actual concert, that might be easier!