Live techno set - your workflow

Elektron Gear Analog Rytm
#21

I did a live set once with only a MK1 Rytm, Infinity Looper, and Vestax DJ mixer (to mix the loop with the Rytm.

It can certainly be done, and all the tips about pattern setup that you’ve heard here are crucial.

I’d go one further and advise to setup your patterns to no more than 4 patterns per “tune”, with those all referencing 1 kit.
Similar to the “Parts” scheme on OT, this gives you 4 tunes per pattern bank.
For one project, that gives you 64 tunes to work from without changing projects.
From these 4 patterns, using mutes, performance tweaks, and fills, you should be able to arrange each tune live in front of your audience, based on the energy they are giving you. Not based on a pre-ordained arrangement in song mode.

To take your 64MB Project RAM over 127 sample slots further, which you will want to do to actually get 64 unique sounding tunes into one project, I recommend using some sample chains. This way you can have hundreds and hundreds of sample hits to work from.

There are a lot of threads here on the subject of Rytm sample chains to search, if you wish to take the dive. As well as free chains for Rytm (different than OT chains!) in the Files section, all right here on Elektronauts.

Going back to the Infinity Looper. I think the Boss RC-202 has surpassed it in sound quality, price, and functions. It’s really all about the MIDI sync and record quantization. Until the RC-505 ($$$) and RC-202, only the Infinity was winning in the “quantized record start” category.

But whichever stereo, quantized looper you may choose to go with, a mixer with a stereo aux send (not just stereo return) will be crucial to making it work simply and effectively.
Unless it has the word “Octatrack” on the faceplate, of course :wink:

12 Likes
#22

thank you for this in depth answer!!!
this is the direction I’m looking for.
But basically you and most of the people here are saying: There is no really good standalone techno live set workflow and the Rytm has to have friends on stage to be taken seriously… I’m I right?
I own an OT, DN, Tempest and some Moogs and what not… I just really like the idea to take one(!) thing on stage and play the hell out of it.
I did couple of times also live sets with only the Tempest. I mean only the T! There are no FX, only 16 patterns. but hell fun playing it live (yes, I did also finger drumming) and it was also very scary :bomb: but it worked! It’s also just another drive on a big sound system!
I never used the 4 Parts thing on the OT… perhaps it’s time to take a look! :slight_smile:
About the 4 Patterns per song (which is actually really good!): are these 4 full patterns, in the sense of 4 complete full blown song parts, where you mute/unmute things, or more line “entry pattern”, “main pattern”, “variation”, “transition pattern” ?
Thank you again, your comment is very helpful!!!
cheers!

#23

Yep, that sums it up.

You could certainly set it up that way and I am sure some do. For techno, your intro pattern can be a pretty busy pattern, made more simple for the intro by simple muting. So for me personally, my 4 patterns are all just variations.

I don’t use transition patterns. I just used the looper for transitions. Break things down a little to a few raw percussive elements in the 4th variation pattern, loop it with a looper/mixer, fade over to the loop so it is playing, then load my other tune on the Rytm, and start mixing it in.

No one will be disappointed if you bring OT + Rytm on stage instead of just a single Rytm :wink:

In fact, you could do some fun things with the pair by assigning OT MIDI track parameters to Rytm FX parameters, overcoming the single Rytm FX track LFO.
Nothing too crazy, but if you’re mostly using the OT for looping, using a handful of OT MIDI LFOs set to key FX parameters that you could simply turn up the depth on could really push your tracks out there, especially for breakdowns.

9 Likes
#24

yes this makes totally sense! because if you don’t have a looper you can just make hard transitions without sacrificing a bunch of patterns only for that.
and yes, you are right again, no one will be disappointed if there are more blinky & cute elektrons on the table :wink:

greets!

1 Like
#25

I have played multiple live sets using the Rytm exclusively.

You can find two examples here:
liveset1 (unfortunately somewhat distorted due to me being too stupid to level the recording properly)

liveset2 (here I cheated and used a Heat alongside the Rytm :slight_smile: )

The transitions are not insanely smooth but I don’t think its too bad. I usually have some transition patterns where I remove parts to thin out the patterns and transition to the full pattern when the mutes are set properly (this is usually the part I screw up, as well as accidentally muting too much before switchting :slight_smile: ). I then just improvise with the pattern until I’m bored and transition to the next one. I like to use pad sounds and lots of delays for transitions. For pads you can use infinite sustain to transition over into a different kit, but this is also easy to mess up.
I have never used song mode.

I usually have a similar layout for the different sounds, which comes naturally from the limitations of the different voices but vary for some kits, e.g. when using voices 1-3 as synth voices. Consistency in the assignments helps a lot with not messing up transitions due to wrong mutes.

So far I don’t really use scenes and performance mode but just do live tweaking instead. I want to incorporate a midi controller at some point to allow me to control the performance macros with sliders.

6 Likes
#26

I’m trying to construct a live set using only the RYTM + Ableton and Overbridge. Anyone use this kind of setup? How do you think I should go about this?

#27

…what do u need ob for, in a live set?
…i would’nt trust ob in a stage situation…

2 Likes
#28

Was going to use it in sync with Ableton synths/sequencers. But is there any better alternative way??

#29

MIDI would be more reliable, as Overbridge is BETA and rather complex.
If all you need is synchronization, keeping it simple with MIDI sync would have less room for error.

1 Like
#30

Cool thanks! I’ll try MIDI sync to Ableton and RYTM from my MOTU Ultralite MK4 interface, since I’ve been getting glitches from OB lately…

#31

damn

1 Like
#32

Would it be possible to somehow use Overbridge and Ableton for looping and cross fading between kits in a live situation?

#33

Sure, that would be possible.

#34

I actually managed to do it last night. I’ll post how later. It’s a really cool way of switching between kits and patterns more fluidly.

1 Like
#35

…i can only repeat myself…overbridge is made to be a smooth bridge to get ur elektron gear involved into ur studio…i can’t recommend it for any use on stage…
computers are not sexy on stage, anyways…

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#36

Check the YouTube tutorial below for setting up Ableton as a looper and cross fading device which really helped me transition between kits and patterns in a more fluid and manner.

2 Likes
#37

I think it is an excellent idea to start doing a live set with just the Rytm alone.

I’ve mostly played out using a Rytm Mk1 +OT + Digitone combo, but I started with just the Rytm. I am sort of wanting to get back to just using Rytm. Perhaps with a small looper and upgrade to Rytm MK2 to get the better performance controls. There’s so much you can do with just Rytm alone and I find it easier to get into a flow state when using just Rytm alone (again, maybe with a a simple looper+fx to add to it).

I used to use the Kaoss Pad KP3+ for looping and FX and it works really great if you are running it from a mixer. But if you’re running your Rytm through it, it will degrade the sound quality of your set. It’s hard to get proper gain and craps out on you very easily. I have been thinking about getting the Eventide H9 for looping and effects, but I would need to do more research to find out if it would actually work.

But back to Rytm. I’ve not used the song mode. I like the 4 patterns per song method, too. I intuitively ended up doing that after many experiments. It has also worked great with 160-170 BPM DNB type sets for me. For techno, 4 patterns almost feels like overkill to me. You can jam out quite nicely with just one pattern, especially if you are good with scenes and performances.

I like using scenes to control intensity first and foremost. They are always similar in each pattern and found in the same place. For example, pads 1-3 are progressively making things more intense, pad 4 is a breakdown and pad 12 is outro.

Consistency is key with everything, using similar controls and sounds in the same places throughout the entire set. Keeping things as simple and straightforward as possible. You want to have to think and remember as little as possible because a live situation is always very different from practicing at home. It brings many distractions and potential issues to worry about on top of what you have going already.

I like mixing up different types of transitions within the same set. Sometimes using a looper to mix in smoothly, sometimes drowning the song in a massive reverb and starting the next one while the tail is still going, sometimes just cold stop, pause and start the next one, sometimes slow down the tempo and bring it to a halt that way, etc.

When I’m preparing and practicing for a performance, I use a spreadsheet to make notes. I could probably do without if using the Rytm alone but I would still probably do it as it helps me focus and memorize things.

13 Likes
#38

thanks for sharing your workflow…something to consider limiting gears and optimizing patters with scene and performance.
do you load up samples or and one shot samples?

#39

You don’t need another looper just use the OT as your looper. You can set up the OT to do short loops without even having to sample. You can set up your delay effect to become a looper and it also works on your master track. Go to the effects setup page turn on lock and turn off pass through. Now when you send level is set to zero the loop will engage. You can set your delay time to maximum.

5 Likes
#40

That’s one trick I use lately. Though I just map the crossfader to the feedback, so I can feed the delay/looper with the send knob then flick the crossfader over to engage the loop.

2 Likes