OK, I thought I would share my opinions on how a laptop could best be
integrated into a live show in a way that would make it more like an
instrument than a playback device. I have never actually done the
following, but have thought alot about it. First and foremost I would
suggest that the best and simplest way is to play along on a real
instrument while the laptop is doing its thing. Whether you are banging
on some bongos or playing the harp, real instruments offer a complexity
of tone you will never ever get from any circuitry. Aside from that,
what options are available to the computer musician for improvisation
and performance???
I use Logic Audio as a sequencer on the Mac platform. The main feature
for live performance and improv is called "Touch Tracks" With Touch
Tracks, you can take any pre-composed sequence involving any combination
of midi devices and assign it to a key on the keyboard. You can
furthermore set how it is to respond when that key is pressed, for
example, you can set it to loop, play once, be gated, etc... furthermore
you can control whether it will snap to the beat or be freeplaying
etc... What this accomplishes is the effect (minus scratching of
course) of being a DJ who is surrounded by the equivalent of 88
turntables all with custom composed records of his own material. You
then have the cabability of taking a song in any of many directions and
lingering on a part as the audience desires, coming back to it
spontaneously, creating new combinations of grooves you never tried
before, all on the spot and spontaneously.
Another powerful feature of Logic is the ability to make complex
transformations of incoming Midi information. Thus with a simple fader
box like the Peavy PC-1600, one could dynamically change the MIDI
configuration of their entire setup in real time with the press of a
button, and also be continuously varying any sound parameter with ease.
Another great device to include in this setup is the Roland Octopad,
which allows you to trigger sequences/notes with a drum surface....
I would love to do this kind of stuff live, but so far I have not
mustered the genius level of conviction to programming it all so that it
worked flawlessly. But, Logic does provide the tools, and if I ever get
a chance to quit my 9-5 job, I will set myself to it and hope to pull it
off live someday. I also play the guitar by the way it t would be great
to step away from the synth after setting up a groove to lay down a
killer solo in front of an audience... Ahhh bliss....
Just some thoughts
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