Creative question / playing songs live

Hi, I have a question about creating and playing back songs on MPC 1000 / jj os.

While I initially created more sequences for various synth riffs and the different parts on the song (like intro, verse, chorus, break, chorus, or similar) for electronic music. I find that it is probably better to create the different parts by using several tracks in one sequence and track mute/unmute.

I fail however in making good transitions between the different parts of a song. A lot of electronic music have good breaks between two different parts of songs. And using sequences results in abrupt changes, meaning I actually have to create the intro to a new part/sequence as a separate "mix" sequence.

Is there no easy way to mix parts together? Instead of mute/unmute tracks, you could maybe fade them in? Seemingly all mixing is at PAD level, not track level, which bothers me. Is there no way of totally muting MPC output by midi cc or similar (and I mean all output, not using volume, because I would like to have more abrupt/tremolo type muting to all sound)?

I have my synths using digital-in and monitoring:on and the MPC as final output of sound. Sorry for the messy questions, hope you can answer some of it Cheers

have you ever tried just using one long sequence for the entire track?

that way you can just fade tracks in and out and use the track mutes.

Well, I think he want's to be able to compose on the fly live. Correct? I have been grinding hard on this problem for the last six months or so. One way I have dealt with it is to resample the track you want to fade in or out, WITH the fade. Make that a sample and record it to a track. Then when you want to fade it in, you just unmute the fade-in track, let it fade in, then mute the fade in track and unmute the regular loop track. Ideas and Techniques started opening up for me when I started to realize that whole tracks, sequences and even songs can be turned into samples. Everything is a sample.

Hope that helps.

-JF

EDIT: I realize I mis-read your post robot. Thats a cool solution too.

Thanks for the ideas guys! I have though about making samples of everything, but since I'm using some sweet synths, I really like to be able to change the sound "real time" (filter / resonance). So I'm doing MIDI for now.

Although I like playing everything back in "track mute" screen, I could maybe go to the actual tracks while they are playing, then un-mute it while using a slider for level (or velocity) and thus gradually increase it?

I should probably look more into sampling my synth stuff. Especially when nearing "completion" on a song (if there is such a thing . Could be cool to chop my own synth rifs to pads, and then play around with it.

for this purpose i compose my sequences very similar to each other with few changes so it evolves

organicly when i mute/unmute, swich between the sequences live....

Yeah, the synth thing is tricks becuse a lot of the appeal of a synth is the way it shifts organically. I find that it's really all about what you ar and are not willing to sacrifice in terms of your sound vs. ease of live performance. You usually end up having to make some concessions. Especially if you're working solo. The upshot is that Every Single Act ever has had to do the same thing, and often those "Concessions" lead you down new and unexplored creative roads.

What about assignable outs to a mixer? That way to can fade and use the mixers effects?

tkjelsrud wrote:Hi, I have a question about creating and playing back songs on MPC 1000 / jj os.

While I initially created more sequences for various synth riffs and the different parts on the song (like intro, verse, chorus, break, chorus, or similar) for electronic music. I find that it is probably better to create the different parts by using several tracks in one sequence and track mute/unmute.

I fail however in making good transitions between the different parts of a song. A lot of electronic music have good breaks between two different parts of songs. And using sequences results in abrupt changes, meaning I actually have to create the intro to a new part/sequence as a separate "mix" sequence.

Is there no easy way to mix parts together? Instead of mute/unmute tracks, you could maybe fade them in? Seemingly all mixing is at PAD level, not track level, which bothers me. Is there no way of totally muting MPC output by midi cc or similar (and I mean all output, not using volume, because I would like to have more abrupt/tremolo type muting to all sound)?

I have my synths using digital-in and monitoring:on and the MPC as final output of sound. Sorry for the messy questions, hope you can answer some of it Cheers

imo, i think its best to lay down all your basic parts of your tune (verse,chorus,bridge) before you mess with the transitions, using midi sequencing seems alot easier to tweak your sounds to satisfaction before you lay it down on record... as for live stuff, the track muting in a long sequence seems to be the way to go... dont be afraid to use outboard gear and then resample back into the mpc for your transitional stuff as well... vary your sounds around a constant loop (and changing the loop focus each time) works well. for instance, vary your drum patterns around a looping bass part at first, then vary your bass and synth parts around a looping drum part and so on... hope this helps.

Do it all live! No sequencing, nada. Bang them pads, throw some shapes. I'm throwing down two and three finger claws All. Day. Long.

Jfalconcrest wrote:Do it all live! No sequencing, nada. Bang them pads, throw some shapes. I'm throwing down two and three finger claws All. Day. Long.

its all about the claw friends!

but the claw using the claw dont mean nothin till you use the talons too:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOoNLy10Zlk

I found that clip... disturbing

Good look on that Bob Log Clip! I know a few cats that do this type of thing. My favorite is this dude Gull, who I saw live on the ave in Richmond Va. He's the one who inspired me to stop sequencing...

- http://www.myspace.com/gullface

Jfalconcrest wrote:Good look on that Bob Log Clip! I know a few cats that do this type of thing. My favorite is this dude Gull, who I saw live on the ave in Richmond Va. He's the one who inspired me to stop sequencing...

- http://www.myspace.com/gullface

wow!! nice job that guy is an inspiration.. Ive got mad respect for people who overachieve beyond normal capabilities. Do you use anything else live besides your MPC Jfalconcrest? Im working on a setup right now which consists of two loopers, a guitar,laptop,MPC,Bass, and percussion.... almost got it tweaked to where I can do changes on the fly kind of similar to what that band Battles does...Only problem is I would like to record my performances (to edit and use later) so Im going to have to either invest in a rackmounted patchbay (to redirect signals back into my laptop) or use a harddisk recorder.

To Jfalconcrest, your page is dope man love the tunes... If you ever head out west and want to do a show in Las Vegas,Nevada P.M. me.