zircon Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 I'm getting paid a reasonable sum of money in the near future and I would like to invest some of it back into my music career. The one thing that I feel has been lacking in my progression as an artist has been my total lack of live shows. Now, I do live in Philadelphia, so there are lots of possible venues, plus I imagine there is at least a decent demand for electronic music around here. I've been partially inspired by seeing a video of The Crystal Method endorsing M-Audio products, and them showing how they fit their entire live rig in a large suitcase. I have a spare one as well. Most of my current gear is locked to my studio; for example, I have a nice Korg X-50 keyboard that I had planned to use for live stuff, but unfortunately the power cord is a bit flimsy and it is not small enough to carry around in a suitcase. So, I'd like to pick up some new gear. Here's what I'm thinking: M-Audio KeyRig 49 - $100.00 This is a very slim, no-nonsense controller with pitch/mod wheels, a couple buttons, and a fader. USB-powered. The use of this one would be obvious. M-Audio Trigger Finger - $150.00 I've heard pretty much nothing but good things about this little device. USB-powered, plus assignable pad controller with various fun knobs/sliders. This could have any number of uses; I just think it would just be nice to have a secondary controller with a different tactile interface. Sennheiser HD280Pro Headphones - $100.00 I have Beyerdynamic DT880s at home, but they are both somewhat fragile as well as semi-open. Very little isolation. This HD280 model seems sturdy as well as highly isolated, which would be great for monitoring live. M-Audio Studiophile DX4 - $150.00 M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 - $150.00 I can't pick between these two, and I'm not sure if I should be looking at another option. I figure that depending on my location, I might not have any sort of sound system to work with and will have to set up my own. Two decent monitors are much better than laptop speakers, even if they're not exactly giant PAs. M-Audio FireWire Solo - $200.00 My laptop is getting a bit old, but with an 80GB hard drive, 1.8ghz Pentium M processor, and 1GB of RAM, I think it SHOULD get the job done. The only thing that is really lacking is the sound, which is onboard and, frankly, abysmal in terms of driver efficiency. The F/W solo seems to be a reasonable choice, but I've never used it, and it's a little pricey. My Presonus Firebox really works well - it's just I don't want it to get stolen ($300). Looking strictly for a rugged FireWire interface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pezman Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 The one thing that I feel has been lacking in my progression as an artist has been my total lack of live shows. This is all I read. Dickinson College (mah skool) would love to have you (Carlisle, PA). IF you could send us your CD first so I could radio pimp you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweex Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Out of curiosity, what exactly do you mean by "Live shows?" Since you would be doing more electronic music than anything, it would seem you'd be serving more as a DJ. Even if you are performing in more of a band-type set-up, I still have some suggestions from my experience as both a DJ and band musician. 1. The keyrig 49 is a decent piano. I use the Keystation 88es, which is like the big brother to this but with semi weighted keys. The KeyRig is ok, but the Axiom line is MUCH more sturdy and roadworthy. It can take much more of a beating (and it will) than the KeyRig. Also, the Axiom will leave you with room to grow. 2. The Trigger Pad is phenominal. If you were to use a program like Live, triggering your song would be SUPER easy. I've done it numerous times while DJing and it works like an absolute charm! You will have complete control over the progression of your song. You just stem the parts out, and trigger them when you're ready. 3. The Sennheiser's are wonderful. Good for live shows and studio recording. Their response is relatively flat, but are a little lower on the low end, but that's not too surprising. They are wonderful for noise cancelation. I own two pairs of them. 4. The monitors have me somewhat confused. If you want to use them for personal monitoring during your show, that's one thing. If you want to use them as your projectioning system (i.e. PA system) that's something else. In all honesty, for either situation, I wouldn't suggest these. Your monitoring will need to come from your headphones. Reason being is that the speakers projecting your music will be facing away from you, and you will be hearing a risidual delay from the bouncing of the sound, which will throw you off beat. You will trigger things too late. The headphone (especially noise cancelation headphones) will keep you in time. It feels weird the first couple times you do it, but you get used to it. If you are planning on using them for your PA system, I would also advise against that. Studio monitors are not designed for that kind of thing. If you're focusing on live shows, your best bet will be to go with a small 2-4 channel amp and speakers. Behringer makes cheap, but VERY reliable gear. 5. If the Presonus works, use it. Yeah you have the potential of having something stolen or broken, but doing live shows is an assumed risk. This is precisely why I have my clients sign a contract (which you are more than welcome to see, if you'd like). You know the presonus and its quality, so I suggest you stick with it!! My two cents. If you have questions, hit me up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJT Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 i'm not interested in pimping anything besides your credit. i know you'll understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanthos Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 The Axiom line also includes a number of triggers; 8 I think, on the Axiom 61. I recommend that over the keyrig line as well, if you don't mind the extra weight (it's not that heavy; they're not fully-weighted keys). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted October 15, 2007 Author Share Posted October 15, 2007 Pezman; Noted. Also, sorry I keep forgetting about the CD... will mail that out soon. Tweek/Kanthos; I was considering the Axiom, but take a look... http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Axiom49-main.html It seems bigger & heavier, plus it has redundant knobs/faders which I already have on the Trigger Finger. Even the 49 key version has a list of over 3x the Keyrig's price, which is the main reason I was avoiding it. The Keyrig primarily caught me eye because it's a mere $99. Having a light and compact setup is a priority for me because I will almost definitely have to take public transportation to get to shows and I really can't be carrying a whole bunch of stuff. One large suitcase is my goal. With regards to the monitors, I was planning on using them as a backup PA... like I had mentioned, depending on where I'm performing, I might be in a small room with 20-30 people and no sound system built in. What Behringer gear would you recommend? Moving my Firebox around still just isn't an idea I really like... one thing is it's really sort of nestled in my studio setup and having to completely disconnect and reconnect it would be annoying. I'd have to actually move my computer out from its enclosure every time because of my (bad) desk design. So, I do want a new card/interface. Thanks for the advice so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pezman Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Pezman; Noted. Also, sorry I keep forgetting about the CD... will mail that out soon. Jeremy Pesner HUB Box 1793 Dickinson College Carlisle, PA 17013 Having a light and compact setup is a priority for me because I will almost definitely have to take public transportation to get to shows and I really can't be carrying a whole bunch of stuff. One large suitcase is my goal. I think we still need to know exactly what you'd be doing. DJing? Playing along to prerecorded music? Building up tracks on the fly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweex Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Tweek/Kanthos; I was considering the Axiom, but take a look...http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Axiom49-main.html It seems bigger & heavier, plus it has redundant knobs/faders which I already have on the Trigger Finger. Even the 49 key version has a list of over 3x the Keyrig's price, which is the main reason I was avoiding it. The Keyrig primarily caught me eye because it's a mere $99. I still maintain that the Axiom would be a more durable keyboard to go with. It's just under 10lbs, so it would be managable. The extra trigger pads, knobs, and faders are not superfluous. When I said "leaves room for growth" that's what I meant. Your show, as you develope your style, will become more and more complicated, and you'll want to make sure you can expand. The Axiom will certainly help you with that. For me, I am MUCH more partial to semi weighted (if not fully weighted) keys, but that's just personal preference. Never take M-Audio's price quote seriously. They always over price it . You can get the Axiom 49 at MF for $80 less then what they're estimating: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/MAudio-Axiom-49-49Key-USB-MIDI-Controller?sku=706314 Please don't misunderstand me. The KeyRig will get the job done for you. My thought is just that you will be able to expand your show further with the Axiom. With regards to the monitors, I was planning on using them as a backup PA... like I had mentioned, depending on where I'm performing, I might be in a small room with 20-30 people and no sound system built in. What Behringer gear would you recommend? Well, your typical performace type will determine this. However, I'm affraid you may have hit a bit of an impass, but perharps I'm wrong. Here's what I mean: Doing live shows, especially starting out, you most likely will be required to have your own PA-esque system. When I DJ, 80-90% of the time, I have to bring my own stuff. I really don't think studio monitors are the way to go. Even in a room of just 30 people, they will absorb more of the sound than you can imagine . This is why dry tech rehearsals in theatre (rehearsals with no actors or audience) is so misleading for sound designers. I would recomend keeping your PA-esque system as analog as possible. Here's what I mean by that. Keep your computer, synths, etc. as digital as you want, but make sure that you can convert the output to an analog form, be it RCA, 1/4", or XLR. It's not hard to do. Radio Shack has just about everything you would need. Patch that signal into a small mixer board (I seem to remember reading that you have the Behringer 802 which is precisely what I use to connect my DJ mixer to before I run the line out to my amp) and then you will connect that to your amp or powered speakers (I suggest passive over powered, though). The problem is that with an amp and speakers, you're looking at a lot of equipment. In your situation, that doesn't seem to be an option. Hence the "impass." I'm not really sure what to suggest here, mate. I can always give you suggestions for Behringer equipment, but in this case, it doesn't seem you'll be able to use them. However, one avenue of doing music you ought to look into would be sports events. It may mean you're playing more popular music from time to time, but they almost always have their own PA system for you to patch into. It may sound crazy, but high schools are not a bad place to start. Just a thought. Moving my Firebox around still just isn't an idea I really like... one thing is it's really sort of nestled in my studio setup and having to completely disconnect and reconnect it would be annoying. I'd have to actually move my computer out from its enclosure every time because of my (bad) desk design. So, I do want a new card/interface. Not sure what to tell you here. I just run my sound directly out of the headphone port of my Mac. 1/8" to RCA > DJ Mixer (Behringer DJX700) > 802 > amp. You know just as well as I do that sound in a live context is MUCH more forgiving for little imperfections in it's quality. You have a lot of wiggle room, so if it sounds fine without an outboard interface, I would go without it. Less for you to carry/setup. Setup time can be a bitch if you have a lot of stuff . Having a light and compact setup is a priority for me because I will almost definitely have to take public transportation to get to shows and I really can't be carrying a whole bunch of stuff. One large suitcase is my goal. I know the video with CM that you're referring to. They were talking about a road-worthy studio setup, which is much different from a live sound setup. Unless the venue does have (and allow you to use) a sound system for you to patch into, one suitcase will be very VERY difficult. To be honest, I'm not sure how it would be possible . I promise I'm not trying to be a dream smasher here, and I'm really not trying to be pessimistic about this. I'm more than willing to help you try and brainstorm all this. Let me know . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted October 15, 2007 Author Share Posted October 15, 2007 Pezman; I'm looking exclusively to perform my own music and/or remixes. NOT DJing. I have no experience as a DJ and have no desire to do it. FL has a pretty cool 'live' mode; I can set up a whole bunch of patterns and trigger them (either with a controller or the mouse) in sync. I can assign various track levels to faders to bring in additional parts as necessary (playing, but muted) and add leads/bass with the keyboard. For some songs, the Trigger Finger could either be used as an MPC to trigger drum sounds, or I could set up a pentatonic scale for soloing, or any number of things in between. Short answer: there will always be some pre-recorded stuff going on, but I'm generally creating new material. Tweek:I really appreciate the advice. I'd rather you tell me "Nah, that's not going to work" than "Sure, that would be fine", which would encourage me to buy a bunch of crap that I wouldn't be able to use, in the end So, just to go through a few things point by point... * With regards to the interface, it's not an issue of sound quality. It's an issue of my on-board drivers being ASS. A single chord in Zebra 2 can create 20% CPU usage - not so bad, but inexplicably, even at 30ms latency, I get cracks and pops. Asio4All doesn't help (no crackles, but unusable latency). I'm sure with a better interface this would not be an issue. I'm actually looking at this now; http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UA1EX/ Cheap, tiny, probably will be an improvement. * As for speakers, perhaps I am just being pessimistic about the venues I'll be performing at. I can do without them and instead just make sure there is an adequate PA wherever I'm going. * I will think about the Axiom more. I trust your opinion on it. Again, it's something of a cost issue. If I got that, would I really need the Trigger Finger...? Redundant pads, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzumebachi Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 From personal experience I have learned that if you REALLY want to hustle, you're definitely gonna need your own sound system (and you won't be able to fit that in a suitcase). Especially since you're going to be electronic (ie: you won't have loud ass guitar amps and loud ass acoustic drums). Some places are going to have some rigs set up for you, but most of the smaller venues you're gonna play are not. First you'll need at least one monitor so you can hear yourself. Or you can wear headphones. Or both. Peavey actually makes some pretty decent gigging monitors, but if you want something rugged that's gonna last, I suggest JBL. For your PA system, again, JBL makes some quality shit. If you're gonna be playing some larger, outdoor venues you'll want something bigger though. And you'll probably need a bigger amp. My band was lucky in that we were able to borrow some crown amps and stackable stadium speakers from the student association at New Mexico tech. Without that stuff we would have never been able to play outdoor gigs: Like this. You're not fitting all of that in a suitcase, mate. Plus if it rains, you'll want protection: And I can't stress JBL quality enough. We played out in the mud: (the JBL speakers are just in front of the camera where you can't see em). All our stuff got completely soaked in mud. But even after that, the JBLs like the day they were new. However our one peavey speaker never worked again. In addition to all this you'll also probably have a mixer, racks full of compressors, EQs, light controllers, and power conditioners. You'll also need some snakes, and lighting rigs if those aren't provided for you. Overall you're looking at several thousands of dollars worth of gear just to get started. And probably a van or large truck to haul the stuff around with. And a couple of friends to help you set up. Otherwise you're gonna have to stick to playing places with their own sound gear (like karaoke bars and high schools like tweek mentioned). And people wonder why musicians can't make money doing live stuff anymore. It's still fun though: JBLs can even survive transvestites! (Ok maybe I went overboard on the pix. Sue me. I'm bored and have nothing better to do.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted October 15, 2007 Author Share Posted October 15, 2007 Nah, I definitely don't need anywhere near that much stuff. No mics, no mic stands, no EQs/power conditioners/racks (everything is coming out of my computer, so I can just use plugins)... remember this isn't a band. This is me, by myself, doing everything 'in the box'. For monitoring, as I said in the first post, I'd prefer isolated headphones. As for the van.. not happening. I'm not getting a car or van. This is a dense urban area, so parking alone is nearly impossible. Combine that with insurance, registration, gas, maintenance, and the cost of the vehicle itself; I do not have the money, period. I'm also not borrowing anyone else's. Public transport only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweex Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 * With regards to the interface, it's not an issue of sound quality. It's an issue of my on-board drivers being ASS. A single chord in Zebra 2 can create 20% CPU usage - not so bad, but inexplicably, even at 30ms latency, I get cracks and pops. Asio4All doesn't help (no crackles, but unusable latency). I'm sure with a better interface this would not be an issue. I'm actually looking at this now;http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UA1EX/ Cheap, tiny, probably will be an improvement. Ah, I see what you mean, and that makes more sense now. I actually have the exact same midi interface! I think it's the model just before it. It works well and I love it for "on site" recording sessions (small sessions, that is). My suggestion remains: with the RCA outputs of the Edirol, get two RCA (mono) to 1/4" (mono) cables and run that into a small mixer. if you don't want the mixer and just want to patch directly into the PA system, then thats fine too. Small suggestion (which you very well may know) is to never use the Tape inputs (RCA) on a mixing board for your music. I have yet to see one that has an inboard pre amp for them, and some don't even allow playback through the main mix. I would also suggest that you use two mono channels in the board as opposed to a stereo channel. Reason being is that many mixer boards do not offer internal preamps for their stereo channel. Almost all mono channels do. If the stereo channel does give you gain/trim control, then go nuts . Also, by not using the tape inputs and using the actual board channels, you'll have atleast a three broadband EQ capability. That's why I'm suggesting RCA > 1/4". * As for speakers, perhaps I am just being pessimistic about the venues I'll be performing at. I can do without them and instead just make sure there is an adequate PA wherever I'm going. Yeah, if there is a PA system for you to use, then your idea for "one suitcase" is much more doable. Mind you, it'll be one big-ass suitcase . * I will think about the Axiom more. I trust your opinion on it. Again, it's something of a cost issue. If I got that, would I really need the Trigger Finger...? Redundant pads, right? If it's a cost issue, then I wouldn't worry about it. In what I do, I need as many trigger pads as I can get. You know like I do that when you remote override a pad to one particular key or function in a program, unless you change it again, it will always be with that one function (in that particular Live, FL, or Reason file). I constantly run out of pads. You can use the enigma software that comes with both the trigger finger and the axiom to set the different presets to represent different notes for the pads. For example, Preset 1 for me is C1-D2, Preset 2 is from D#2-F#3, etc (pad 16 is always an auto stop button for the whole track just in case). That way I don't get cross over issues when I use the same pad for two different triggers. However, changing the preset means that you can't trigger the same sounds from the previous preset. The axiom will give you 8 more triggers to use before changing presets. The knobs and fadders can be VERY helpful for volume levels and effects controls. For "War of the Worlds" I needed to have as many different trigger pads as I could in order to trigger all the SFX for the show, and even then, I had two different Ableton Live files for all of them: one for Act 1 and one for Act 2. Depending on how much triggering you will be doing will really determine the number of pads you will want. For what I do, I need as many as possible. You, on the other hand, might not need quite as many, so you might be ok with just the TF. It's my opinion that one can never have too many trigger pads, but that's just me . If you can get by with just the 16, then the axiom wont be necesary. If you think you may need more, then it might not be a bad idea. Ideally, two trigger pads would be best (which is what I'm working towards) but I don't think you need that atm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
po! Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 have you hooked up all this stuff to your laptop and tested it? if it was me, i'd be very worried about the reliability of using a laptop, especially if you'll be running a lot of stuff. who knows when your hard drive will start spinning or your VSTi will crash or a random AIM message will go UHOH... lots of things can go wrong i'd probably do lots of stress testing of the software, and try to use external hardware wherever possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmony Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 I'm actually looking at this now;http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UA1EX/ Had it and it worked fine but I returned it after finding a good deal on a better interface. Just so you know, the ua-1ex is usb 1.0. That shouldn't negatively affect latency (I got 2.9ms with the AISO drivers), but it won't allow you to have simultaneous I/O at 96kHz, say, for recording live vocals during your sets. Why would you want to record at 96kHz during a live show? I dunno, just something to consider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted October 15, 2007 Author Share Posted October 15, 2007 Harmony; Thanks for the tip! Actually, recording the shows never even crossed my mind. That's a great idea. Maybe I will look for a USB2.0 interface though. Anyone have any suggestions for a USB2.0 interface that is as portable and without frills as possible? po; Actually, I haven't bought anything here yet. I have only used my laptop in a live performance once with a single MIDI keyboard. I would definitely test all of it out before doing anything. To increase stability I would lean towards bouncing down a lot of stuff as audio and NOT using the original synth plugins where possible. I can always apply VST filters, for example, to give motion to the sound. This should cut back on possible glitches during a live performance. Tweek; Thanks for the clarification on the mixing 'board' setup. I actually have both a Behringer 502 and 802 on hand that I just haven't been using, I suppose I should break 'em out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fray Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Much agreed on the use of PA's instead of monitors. I would give up on the idea of having any kind of sound system that will fit in a suitcase (in agreement with Tweek). But you could probably manage to carry a smallish keyboard amp (would be nice if you could get stereo sound, but that's going to be hard for public transportation). You might check out the Barbetta amps, they're supposed to be pretty impressive in terms of giving you max power for max portability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pezman Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 * With regards to the interface, it's not an issue of sound quality. It's an issue of my on-board drivers being ASS. A single chord in Zebra 2 can create 20% CPU usage - not so bad, but inexplicably, even at 30ms latency, I get cracks and pops. Asio4All doesn't help (no crackles, but unusable latency). I'm sure with a better interface this would not be an issue. I'm actually looking at this now; http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UA1EX/ Cheap, tiny, probably will be an improvement. Oh god yes. Since I only have a laptop, I've tried several times to try and get any type of decent latency with my keyboard and ASIO4ALL, but it doesn't seem to play nice enough with my onboard drivers (even though that's what it's supposed to do, IIRC). For "War of the Worlds" I needed to have as many different trigger pads as I could in order to trigger all the SFX for the show, and even then, I had two different Ableton Live files for all of them: one for Act 1 and one for Act 2. Now, what's to prevent someone from using the laptop keyboard and/or a MIDI keyboard (barring this driver shit) to trigger said sounds? Granted, if you're using the laptop keys they're smaller, and if you're using a MIDI keyboard it's not quite as compact, but in either case you get many more buttons to map to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweex Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 Now, what's to prevent someone from using the laptop keyboard and/or a MIDI keyboard (barring this driver shit) to trigger said sounds? Granted, if you're using the laptop keys they're smaller, and if you're using a MIDI keyboard it's not quite as compact, but in either case you get many more buttons to map to. Far easier to use to on the fly or when your concentration is elsewhere (like running a sound board that's broadcasting a live show over the radio or performing a live show as a DJ). Also, it's much easier to configure not to mention my Midi keyboard was being used on stage by the foley artists. Try hitting a G at the last second to trigger a sound without clipping any of the other keys that will trigger another sound. Give it a whirl sometime and you'll see what i mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 I can't help much in regards to most of what you're talking about, but I have an Axiom 61, so I'll talk about that. Firstly, the Axioms are well done, they work well and are quite nice, no complaints, the keys are about as good as action as you could expect from a midi keyboard (one that's not fully weighted that is) the 61 has 20 programable banks, and you can program every controller on the keyboard. The trigger pads work all right and everything too. One thing I should point out though is that the dials are endless, they don't stop, it can get confusing when there is no start or end point, plus since they go from midi levels 0-127, it takes over two full revolutions to go from 0 to full which is really annoying. As for price point, it's not too tricky to find one for less than the listed price, I ordered my axiom from kelly's music and computers (canadian online retailer) for $343.45 CANADIAN. That was before the big economy shift too, that's 40$ off, on a new product in canadian dollars. I also scored free shipping. (They list free shipping for orders over 100$, but the keyboard was too big so I wrote a note asking about it, they paid for the shipping after I complained). Hope that helps a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
statas Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 so.... i've actually been staring at this thread for about an hour... digesting and letting it percolate in my brain... so, you have decided to try to play out live....some thoughts. first you might want to take a look at the echo indigo series of soundcards, very compact, good for laptop gigging, and little chance of losing or misplacing it, and no power/usb cords to worry about getting unplugged. http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/CardBus/ http://www.zzounds.com/item--ECHINDIGOIO http://www.zzounds.com/item--ECHINDIGODJ second, forget about monitors. bad idea.(i'll come back to this in a moment.) third, if you are doing everything out of the box(laptop), don't even worry about an external mixer... somewhat redundant, as any venue with a p.a. will have some way to input signals, most likely a house mixer of some sort. besides what would you use a mixer for? you won't need to combine signals of any sort. fourth, also forget about all that other external gear, exciters, compressors, lights,tents,banners, etc etc etc... if you are starting to play out, worry about the music, not about the lights. that other stuff might be useful in certain scenarios, but until then, don't waste time worrying about it. since everything is from the laptop, you won't need any external processing. fifth, as far as midi controllers go... i recommend the trigger finger, and the x-session(not x-session "pro") for knobs and pads...the evolution uc33e is also decent if you need a ton of knobs and sliders.. these are all extremely compact.. and combined with your laptop will easily fit into a shoulder bag. i don't really use midi keyboards in my live set ATM, but an oxygen 08 is also pretty small and portable. if you play enough shows, your keyboard WILL get banged up and what not.. cheaper and disposable is better... i have used midi keyboards before, and most of them will get ruined at some point.. my oxy 08 is battered (but still functional) some keys don't work so well now, one of them is bent upwards and a couple are loose. better that this happens to something that is cheap to replace, rather than a $400 controller... http://www.zzounds.com/item--EVOUC33E http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOTRIGGER http://www.zzounds.com/item--EVOXSESSION sixth... and this is probably the most important part, where are you trying to go with this? what places WOULD you like to play? where CAN you currently play at? are you trying to do something a little more experimental and arty or something that's some straight up clubbin' trance bangers? do you want to play some small coffee shops or would you like to get a night at transit? do you know anyone in the scene? would you throw an underground party just to play? each of these has its particular merits and drawbacks... the club definitely has a sound system, the coffee shop probably not... the club might be harder to get a foot in the door, while the coffee shop probably won't be...the club will probably also be a bigger financial risk (bar gaurentees vs straight renting the club out for the night)... there is also the problem of "how many ppl can you draw?" for any venue.. are there any other artists you can team up with to make something happen? it's a lot easier to do things if you have a support crew than it is to try and go at it alone. there is a lot more to making a "night" happen than just showing up to play. and lastly, some background on me just to put everything into context. (just so you know i'm not talking out my ass).. i have been putting on shows and throwing parties here in philadelphia for the last ten years.. i have performed in many clubs throughout the city, and have contacts in many places. i have a record (yes, vinyl) out on No Room for Talent Records, and have several more in the pipeline for release in the next few months.. i have travelled and performed all across the u.s, and am going to be headed to europe to perform there soon as well.. zircon-you can pm me for contact info if you need to... oh yeah...forgot to add this... bounce down to audio pretty much anything that you don't need to control/tweak in realtime... and EXPECT your computer to crash. it WILL happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted October 16, 2007 Author Share Posted October 16, 2007 Lots of good advice statas. You live in Philly? We should talk sometime. I'll catch you on AIM late tonight or tomorrow. I will anticipate crashes but my laptop is surprisingly stable, and so is FL. I can count the crashes I've experienced in the last year on one hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverCoat Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 I will anticipate crashes but my laptop is surprisingly stable, and so is FL. I can count the crashes I've experienced in the last year on one hand. There's always something that can happen out of nowhere, regardless of your computer's history. Someone might spill beer on your laptop? Your hard drive suddenly clicks itself to death? In this case, it might be good to have a backup system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzumebachi Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 it's a lot easier to do things if you have a support crew than it is to try and go at it alone. Oh hell yes. I agree with you 1000%. One thing I neglected to mention in my post is that a few friends that can help out can go a LONG ways. You will drive yourself insane trying do everything alone; especially your first gig. Bring a buddy or two along, even if they're just there for support (or to cheer you on or whatever). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMT Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 Like this. You're not fitting all of that in a suitcase, mate. Without getting too off topic, I know exactly where that is, I'm a student over here too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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