I´m not really a techno guy: I listen to Kraftwerk, some old Jeff Mills stuff, modern techno/noise stuff like L.I.E.S Records and I really like Legowelt. However, as a DJ, I didn´t dig techno records. So when a really nice crew of DIY, techno kids asked me to DJ at a street party on next 31 October, I declined - but told them that I can do a live set! After all, although I´m into leftfield hip hop/ambient stuff, I think that some of my favorite hardware were designed thinking about more electronic sounds.
I´m struggling right now to build a basic live frame. My idea right now is to focus on the Analog Rytm, playing some keys/pads/effects on the OP-1 (the maximum acessible presets number) and the radio to some sound effects and using the SP 404SX to create some noisescapes. I want to keep it quite minimal because (i) it´s the first time that I do something like that and I don´t want to be confused by a lot of options and (ii) it´s a street party and the infraestructure is somewhat precarious and with those premises in mind, I´m thinking about playing the maximum number os synth parts of the OP-1 on the Analog Rytm (sampling before to be sequenced).
Does some have experience with lives using the AR and the OP-1+SP404SX? You MIDI sync (not exactly an option for me with the OP-1, but I can MIDI sync the AR with the SP404SX)? Some ideas and logistic sugestions? :)
@speckdrum I wouldn’t do it with three different devices.
It would be OK for short loops that you would sample. But for a whole song, it’s taking risks.
It’s not sufficient that the OP-1 is rock-solid on the clock side : you need the same precision from the other devices.
So if not synchro on the OP-1 side, I think I would use it only for triggering samples (12 seconds on each drum set btw, with 25 different settings !) + ambient/drone sounds.
You could prepare Tape on OP1 with lots of sections and shift between machines as lead ,while others take back seat/support role.
People do good sets with just OP1(and 1 external effect), with a full Tape.
Thanks a lot for the ideas, @speckdrum, @LyingDalai and @Spheric_El ! I´ll try to use the maximum number of samples right on the Analog Rytm, to simplify things - basslines are delicious to do on the AR, and leads/pads can also be nicely sequenced. The SP404SX will be used only for noise textures (so the tempo isn´t important) and vocal samples (that I can play with the pads, also without tempo problems).
The problem I´m facing right now are the arpeggiators: do you folks think that I should make them on the OP-1 live or sample the arps into the SP404SX? If I use the OP-1, there`s a way to store que sequences or the only option I have is to sample on the tape?
And talking about the tape, how do I navigate “flawlessly” on a live? Muting the OP1 channel (I have a DJ mixer and a 4-track mixer) using the shfit to jump between the points?
Finally, the OP-1 effects are unique and surely adds a lot of character (although I like the SP404SX effects a lot and I´m planning to use my Strymon Timeline - the idea is using just one machine/channel of the AR to the more melodic parts so I can route it to the Timeline and to the mixer channel!), but if I use it as an audio processor (Analog Rytm > OP1 > Mixer) maybe I´ll lose some “punchiness” of the drum machine - not forgetting the compressor that I could use if the signal is routed on the other way (OP1 > Analog Rytm > Mixer). What do you think?
Playing arps live off OP1 may be a bit messy without midiclock.It depends on how confident you are playing live.If you are a good keys player then the sequencers have lots off possiblities (and storage).Sketch is good for unusual arps at high speed…
Maybe go the safe option with the 404 (and use the OP for toppings and risers or use Tape like a turntable- all manual,with nothing to beatey to keep it simple).
Just some thoughts ,but good luck how ever you decide to do it.
If you are not used to playing live an are unsure of the setup, i’d keep it as simple and as minimal as possible a setup.
If it’s a street party then people will be all over the place and you might not get a decent (safe) spot for all your gear. Last thing you want is for someone drunk spilling anything on the table your gear is setup on.
op-1 input sums to mono, so i wouldn't plug the AR into it... definitely the other way round. just my opinion.
Def. I would use the OP-1 for FX and one shots in between RYTM songs so you can switch to the next pattern. I use this same rig, but I play whole songs off the RYTM and OP-1, difference is I use the Octatrack for transitions which really helps bring the whole thing together.
op-1 input sums to mono, so i wouldn't plug the AR into it... definitely the other way round. just my opinion.
Def. I would use the OP-1 for FX and one shots in between RYTM songs so you can switch to the next pattern. I use this same rig, but I play whole songs off the RYTM and OP-1, difference is I use the Octatrack for transitions which really helps bring the whole thing together.
how do you do that exactly? I’d like to know what your transition process is - do you sample in layers? or whole ‘mixdown’? is the op-1 running through the AR? are the op-1 and AR sync’d?
op-1 input sums to mono, so i wouldn't plug the AR into it... definitely the other way round. just my opinion.
Def. I would use the OP-1 for FX and one shots in between RYTM songs so you can switch to the next pattern. I use this same rig, but I play whole songs off the RYTM and OP-1, difference is I use the Octatrack for transitions which really helps bring the whole thing together.
how do you do that exactly? I’d like to know what your transition process is - do you sample in layers? or whole ‘mixdown’? is the op-1 running through the AR? are the op-1 and AR sync’d?
sorry for the thread hijack!
Check out the Octatrack transition trick. There are seem great youtube tutorials.
