A New Approach To Performances - Feb 2, 2025
(AKA, "What do you MEAN I can't use one MIDI controller for two programs at once???")
Many of you may know that I perform live! At conventions, at clubs and bars, and wherever else the world needs a dose of eurobeat, I've been performing my work on stage for many, many years now! Fewer of you may know that I've tried different approaches to my shows over the years— for a little while, I'd just play the songs end to end; then I learned how to DJ, and now most of my sets revolve around DJing.
Lately, I've been revisiting that, and trying to figure out new and more compelling ways to perform. For the last year on and off, I've been attending choreography classes. These have not resulted in me properly learning routines, but they HAVE boosted my confidence tremendously. As well, in the last few months I've dreamed up possible performance methods and workflows that are less DJ-centric so I can focus on singing, crowd interactions, the occasional novelty (maybe some keytar sections or playing a drum pad?), and some fun video effects.
Today I began putting that into action by trying out my various MIDI controllers, trying new configurations in Ableton Live and Bitwig Studio, and... failing. A lot.
It turns out, some of my ambitions of mapping multiple functions in two applications to one MIDI knob were a bit more ambitious than I thought they would be. Getting programs on the same computer to talk to each other is surprisingly more difficult than I thought it'd be. Getting Resolume Avenue and Bitwig to communicate worked, Avenue and Ableton surprisingly less so. And even then, getting one or the other to handle MIDI clock information in basic integer values has proven frustrating.
Instead of still trying to mix between two "decks" like DJs do, I may do it one of a few ways: * Pre-mix the set in Bitwig or Ableton, find "pause points" for water/audience interaction. I'd basically be performing to an automated experience, which would be easier to predict and work around, but with little to no flexibility. * Load in songs as clips instead of full-length audio, which would buy me back my cue points from the DJ years; but I'd still have to mix between songs, which increases potential failure points. * Find more innovative ways to use Traktor (my current DJ software of choice) and video/lighting programming, or pre-mix a few songs together and THEN load those into Traktor. Current performance method wouldn't change dramatically, but the overall visual appeal would improve. * Make shorter versions of my songs I play through from start to end, like a traditional concert. (Doesn't seem right, given the nature of eurobeat; but it's not far from what a few eurobeat stars do already!) * Keep pushing towards building a whole one-laptop visual audio extravaganza, restraints be darned.
...I want to see what I can do with some MIDI automation and video for now, with maybe one play-in "novelty" and automated vocal effects with some optional ones I can dial in any time. It'll be a bit weird to surrender some of my control over which songs play when, but I want to start building a more compelling, less DJ-specific live set where I'm a bit more of a performer. I think I'm onto something with this, though time and figuring out the tech will tell.
I'll be chipping away at it in the month(s) ahead. Who knows? If I get it ready in time, it may not be long before it gets a test drive at a real show! 😉
