Hey everyone! Maybe this is not the most typical question here.
I’ve been making electronic music for about 12 years, but I’ve never really been interested in DJing. So whenever I perform, it’s usually a live set. I normally do everything straight from Ableton and don’t bring hardware synths to gigs. Although, to be fair, I don’t own that much hardware anyway — just an Arturia DrumBrute and a Behringer Crave.
A few days ago I was unexpectedly offered a last-minute slot at one of the biggest and coolest underground clubs in my city. On top of that, the live set is going to be filmed for a broadcast.
The problem is that I’ve been spending the last couple of months finalizing a new 12-track album, and I basically have zero preparation for this live set. The offer really came out of nowhere.
So here’s my question: what would you do if you had one week of evenings to prepare a one-hour live set?
I have a bit of a mental dilemma.
Option 1: Take all the tracks from the album, put them into one Ableton project and work on transitions between them. This seems like the easiest solution, but I’m wondering whether the video could potentially get blocked once the album is officially released. Also, is it even a good idea to tease the album before its release?
Option 2: Make 8 tracks of generative blips and bloops and perform them together with a live drum machine. This also seems relatively straightforward, but:
- I’ve never done anything like this before.
- I’m afraid it might end up sounding like something I put together at the last minute.
Option 3: Go in a completely different direction and make something ambient/noise-oriented. But I’m worried that this might be disappointing in the context of my usual style.
Option 4: Download 5–6 sample/loop packs that fit my style, pick 4–5 bass loops, 6–7 leads, 10–20 percussion sounds in compatible keys, and basically improvise by switching between them while playing the drum machine live.
Some important context:
I have a Push 2, and stylistically I play minimal/raw techno. Not the modern, super-heavy kind, though — something closer to outsider house and minimal techno.
Sometimes I jokingly call my style “outsider techno” haha.
Anyway, that’s basically it. I hope it makes at least some sense. Feel free to ask questions if you need more context.
I’d really love to hear about your experience and how you would approach this.
Thanks everyone in advance, and sorry for the machine translation!
. But its easier to jam on a working drumkit. Or on pre-set sounds. Or maybe cut out parts of your album (lead/bass) and jam with the drums on a machine?