What Is A Live?
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nellboy replied on Fri Aug 17, 2007 @ 4:05pm |
 Coolness: 38855 | live sets are fuckin stressful man... most clubs are set up for DJ sets... very little goes wrong aside from the needle skipping every now and again..
this year alone i've had the following problems: - dodgy power supplies blowing my computer, my soundcard, my controller, and all three, happened more than once... fuckin saphir - doing my soundcheck, everything sounds good, have to take down my stuff to make way for the DJ, set back up under pressure, and plug into the wrong connection - everything sounds like shit for my whole set, and i can't find the problem... - dealing with plugging into mixers that don't like laptops - plugging into phono = distortion, plugging into line = not enough volume - overloading the buffer on my computer with the number of samples/FX i'm running... big problems - a makeshift table for my live set falling off the stage with all my shit on it... nearly destroyed me right there and that's just this year... i've had many more problems than that... sometimes i wanna just burn mp3's and do it like that, but fuck that... what's the point? the advantage of doing a live set is that it's 100% original material so you're not really competing with DJ's for space... it opens doors where they might otherwise be shut... the promoters appreciate the fact that it's live, even if half the audience can't tell the difference... also it's interactive... people can see what you do, and see the effect of it, ... and also, when you write a new track, you look forward to playing it out... |
| I'm feeling pensive right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Deadfunk replied on Fri Aug 17, 2007 @ 4:08pm |
 Coolness: 153110 | yeah, |
| I'm feeling promiscuous right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» databoy replied on Fri Aug 17, 2007 @ 7:54pm |
 Coolness: 106220 | One way to work with dodgy electrical circuits is to buy a ups (universal power supplie). It will protect your electronic gear, will supplie you with steady current and if there is an outage, will give you five minutes of electricity to find the problem. A power conditionner, like a Furman for example, can also help but wont give you the extra 5 minutes.
Most of the professionals that i know abide by a simple rule when it comes to live performances: K.I.S.S. or Keep it simple stupid. The only peoples you are impressing when making your live act uselessly complicated are the 4 geeks looking over your shoulder. I believe it is up to each individual creator/producer to decide what he needs and what he wants to bring up on stage. Cus ultimatly,the important thing is to get everyone dancing and having fun. Thats what most of the peoples are there for anyways. If you are judging a producer by the number of buttons he tweeks, your missing the point. |
| I'm feeling transformation right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Deadfunk replied on Fri Aug 17, 2007 @ 11:26pm |
| Coolness: 153110 | kiss is my #1 rule!
simple but effective! |
| I'm feeling promiscuous right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nellboy replied on Sat Aug 18, 2007 @ 12:54am |
| Coolness: 38855 | @databoy:
regarding the power problems, the solution is to play with batteries... I wish I had known it was the power that was fucking my system at the time, but now i do... you learn from adversity... and the reason i make things complicated is that it's a better set that way... if something is really working well, then i can work with it... it's all about versatility... i don't make my live sets so they can look impressive, i do them so i have enough control over them to optimize how good they sound on the night, with a given audience who react well to some things, and not so well to other things, and a certain type of system which may enhance certain aspects of the set... e.g. if the kick is too low or the snare is getting lost in that particular room, you can adjust each level individually... if a filter sweep/buildup is really getting everyone off, then you want a) control over the length of the filter sweep and b) control over when everything comes crashing back in with a shuddering climax (theoretically) in order to keep building... there are many more examples i can name... i don't really care about the audio nerdz standing behind me watching everything i do... the balance I have to strike is maximizing versatility without causing system problems (e.g. overloading the buffer).. in the end, i just want everything to sound good... is that missing the point?... have you played many live sets?... ever have any problems? |
| I'm feeling pensive right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» djsalim replied on Sat Aug 18, 2007 @ 10:33am |
 Coolness: 34355 | a live is what you live hahaha |
| I'm feeling dj milas right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nothingnopenope replied on Sat Aug 18, 2007 @ 10:36am |
 Coolness: 201330 | a live set implies the music is original, made by the person playing it. Most live sets are not much more involved than DJ'ing though if it's a very basic ableton set. It can get as complex as you want though.
For my own stuff it could either be ableton improv, where the songs are made on the spot, or a more dj-style set, or if I'm playing atomic children stuff it's just me on a keyboard. Update » nothingnopenope wrote on Sat Aug 18, 2007 @ 10:38am footnote: most drunken people don't know the difference between a dj set and a live set, unless you have a whole bunch of instruments on stage. |
| I'm feeling gangsta right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» ApR1zM replied on Sat Aug 18, 2007 @ 12:27pm |
 Coolness: 164905 | thanx for the ups idea i have that for computers at work i dont know why it wouldnt work with the computer and the gears :D i seriously
never thought of that heahaehae ! so yeah if you wanna protect your equipement out there buy a cheap ups they have some at bureau en gros or future shop or any kind of computer shop :D |
| I'm feeling crunk not punk right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» cedric replied on Sat Aug 18, 2007 @ 9:10pm |
 Coolness: 48055 | malade ton commentaire milas.c'est pour quand ton premier live? |
| I'm feeling s'en crisse right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» djsalim replied on Sat Aug 18, 2007 @ 9:22pm |
| Coolness: 34355 | j ai pas encore eu un fou qui m engage :) Update » djsalim wrote on Sat Aug 18, 2007 @ 9:30pm je me demande comment vous aimer la music alors que vous n aver pas le sens de l humour mamiya |
| I'm feeling dj milas right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» databoy replied on Sun Aug 19, 2007 @ 4:30pm |
| Coolness: 106220 | @nellboy
I dont know about batteries live, the batteries in my laptop just arent strong enough to power my comp., hard drive and controler, not to mention my mixers and outboard fx. Do you carry around a car battery and a converter? My job for the past 8 years has been as sound man for radio-canada/cbc and part of my job has been to set up and operate remote studios in all sorts of locations from bars to shopping centers to schools to boats... the first thing you have to do is do a survey of the place you're gonna set up. Do you have a clean electrical circuit? Isolated from the light circuit, there cant be anything that can make the voltage fluctuate like a fridge or microwave ovens... If I have any sort of equipement that needs rebooting in case of a power shortage, i bring a ups. As for keeping thins simple, you can do whatever you want with you live set. If you want every single sound and loop to be tweekable independently, well more power to you. I've personaly seen too many live sets come crashing down in mid flight to even take the chance of that happening to me. I also find the monitoring in the dj booths usualy quite bad, mixed with the room sound makes for a pretty muddy picture. In that context id rather not be taking important mix decisions. If i where at the foh, id be in a better position to make those decisions. As for live experience, i must have done about 200 shows as part of a three piece heavy metal band. I'v mixed more than a thousand radio shows. As for my electronic music, i've played only once live and the show went off without a hitch. Pretty good for a first.I also always have a cd running in the background so if anything happens to my computer (someone spills his beer in it) all i have to do is bring the pot up on the cd, try to make it as seemless as possible. Always have a plan b. |
| I'm feeling transformation right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nellboy replied on Sun Aug 19, 2007 @ 6:07pm |
| Coolness: 38855 | bear in mind that i'm from ireland, and am used to a reliable source of power... no offence, but canadian power really sucks...
out of curiousity, how do you find out about the venue's power when you're dealing with managers that neither care, nor know in many cases?... and barstaff that look at you like you're a moron when you ask them about their power source... it's great that you were employed by radio canada where it's in the professional realm, and everyone is getting paid to do a specific job, in an efficient way... that's not the realm that many of my gigs have been in though, although some have been... most artists have to deal with less than perfect circumstances, as well as the bigger gigs... when you haven't been trained in this, unfortunately you make mistakes, and that's how you learn... familiarising yourself with the many things that can go wrong takes some time when it's not your job and you're not being paid and trained by someone to know this and you're dealing with barstaff who are not audio professionals... you getting me? |
| I'm feeling pensive right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» databoy replied on Sun Aug 19, 2007 @ 6:58pm |
| Coolness: 106220 | If the managers of the venues you play dont know anything about the electricity, you realy should invest in a good ups.
[ www.tripplite.com ] Take it from someone who is used to not having his gigs not blow up in his face. p.s. "bear in mind that i'm from ireland, and am used to a reliable source of power... no offence, but canadian power really sucks..." Dude, that's the most retarded thing i have heard in quite a while. |
| I'm feeling transformation right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nellboy replied on Sun Aug 19, 2007 @ 9:23pm |
| Coolness: 38855 | Originally Posted By DATABOY IF THE MANAGERS OF THE VENUES YOU PLAY DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE ELECTRICITY, YOU REALY SHOULD INVEST IN A GOOD UPS. [ WWW.TRIPPLITE.COM ] TAKE IT FROM SOMEONE WHO IS USED TO NOT HAVING HIS GIGS NOT BLOW UP IN HIS FACE. P.S. "BEAR IN MIND THAT I'M FROM IRELAND, AND AM USED TO A RELIABLE SOURCE OF POWER... NO OFFENCE, BUT CANADIAN POWER REALLY SUCKS..." DUDE, THAT'S THE MOST RETARDED THING I HAVE HEARD IN QUITE A WHILE.
i told you already, my battery on my laptop is perfectly adequate for an hour and a half set... in fact, it could go an hour longer... seriously man, you're gonna have to lay off with the insults... it's not cool, i'm not pulling facts out of my ass, they have some basis in reality... have you been to the UK or Ireland?... it's a completely different power system there... all plugs are grounded, and fused, using very sturdy 3 pin plugs, and it's impossible to bend the pins, also each plug uses a circuit breaker to avoid peaks... also, they use completely different voltage and current specifications, and EVERY plug is standardised... the overall build of plugs, supplies, and terminals is superior... why?... because standards are far more strict in europe... (the same applies to food standards incidentally)... I've never once had power problems in europe, nor heard of anyone who has had those problems, here, it seems to be a prerequisite to have your own supply because of the large number of failures in clubs (you said so yourself)... i've never once heard of a problem like that in Ireland or the UK... not once, and i've been gigging regularly for 15 years... the reason is because canada and the USA share the same supply... remember about 2 years ago when the whole north east american grid failed? so, lay off the insults man, there are some things that canada and the US do much better than europeans, but power is not one of them... it's not personal, although you appear to want to make it so... |
| I'm feeling pensive right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» databoy replied on Sun Aug 19, 2007 @ 10:01pm |
| Coolness: 106220 | I'm sorry if I insulted you, though i dont quite know how i insuled you.
Though you seem to know a thing or two about the power system in Ireland you clearly dont know much about the one here in Quebec. Canada and the usa dont share the same power supply. (wtf!?) How can you even compare Ireland with north america? I dont care weather you use a battery or a hamster in a wheel.If you dont nead the info, maybe someone else will. I dont care about getting into any kind of patriotic rivalry ether. I have not taken any of this personal but you are coming of as being quite aggressif. chill out. |
| I'm feeling transformation right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nellboy replied on Sun Aug 19, 2007 @ 10:48pm |
| Coolness: 38855 | no aggression, but you told me that what i said is one of the most retarded things you've seen in a while, and i found that personally insulting... the reason i know a thing or two about power is because my degree is in electrical engineering...
and actually, canada and the USA use exactly the same power specifications, and their grid is connected... NYC buys a lot of it's power from quebec... and you cannot compare Ireland and Britain with North America, that's my point i think... it's not patriotism on my behalf, I couldn't care less... it's just fact... |
| I'm feeling pensive right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» databoy replied on Sun Aug 19, 2007 @ 11:18pm |
| Coolness: 106220 | I'v been using "Canadian Power" for quite some time now and i have had only 2 incidents where electricity was at cause. One was caused by a week-long freezing rain storm, the other buy being plugged to the same circuit as the microwave ovens in a cafeteria. I t might suck compared to "Irish power" but it gets me through the day (and the night). Hopefully one day I'll have the chance to try "British/Irish power" for myself.
If a venue in Montreal has bad wireing or no ground, you cant blame Hydro Quebec. |
| I'm feeling transformation right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nothingnopenope replied on Mon Aug 20, 2007 @ 9:40am |
| Coolness: 201330 | each plug uses a circuit breaker to avoid peaks
I really wish we had that |
| I'm feeling gangsta right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nellboy replied on Mon Aug 20, 2007 @ 2:08pm |
| Coolness: 38855 | Originally Posted By DATABOY I'V BEEN USING "CANADIAN POWER" FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW AND I HAVE HAD ONLY 2 INCIDENTS WHERE ELECTRICITY WAS AT CAUSE. ONE WAS CAUSED BY A WEEK-LONG FREEZING RAIN STORM, THE OTHER BUY BEING PLUGGED TO THE SAME CIRCUIT AS THE MICROWAVE OVENS IN A CAFETERIA. I T MIGHT SUCK COMPARED TO "IRISH POWER" BUT IT GETS ME THROUGH THE DAY (AND THE NIGHT). HOPEFULLY ONE DAY I'LL HAVE THE CHANCE TO TRY "BRITISH/IRISH POWER" FOR MYSELF. IF A VENUE IN MONTREAL HAS BAD WIREING OR NO GROUND, YOU CANT BLAME HYDRO QUEBEC.
that's two times more than would happen in Ireland... I'm not saying it never happens over there, just that I've never heard of it in all my time performing live... microwave ovens or any other appliances don't cause problems to other electrical circuits, point finale... it's not a national pride thing, like i said, i don't care about national pride, canada is a better country in many ways.. and in future, before you tell someone that what they say is retarded, you should consider the fact that they might actually have a point... seriously man, that's pretty rude... |
| I'm feeling pensive right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» flo replied on Mon Aug 20, 2007 @ 3:11pm |
 Coolness: 146430 | security is much more hazardous in canada than in western europe, in general... this holds for electricity but also (for example) roads quality, stairs, building sites, buildings, etc... |
| I'm feeling phd powa !!! right now.. | |
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