Multiple device workflow

The Lounge General Discussion
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How do you approach using multiple devices at once to make music, and more specifically, play live?

The most I’ve ever done was having an Octatrack and one other piece of gear (Monomachine / Nord Modular / Nanoloop 2) and even that sometimes gets overwhelming for composition and generally organising everything. I’ve been attempting a setup of Digitone + Volca Drum, and thinking about including the Octatrack as well, but it’s taking me a long time to set things up even with just the two devices.

I always feel like there’s something quite precarious about using multiple devices together, even multiple Elektrons, but then I see videos of people with 5 or more machines going at once, and wonder how on earth they’re coordinating everything.

So how are you doing it? How do you approach composition across multiple devices? One project per setup? Extensive notes? Just wing it because it’s IDM and nobody knows if it doesn’t sound “right”?

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Personally I have a three machine limit. That works for me.
Octatrack is master sequencer and clock. I use it to sequence all the samples, and send midi sequences to the drum machine. The third bit of gear is a synth, which I use for improv. The core is that the octatrack sequences are solid enough to be listened to as is, basic but complete compositions if you will.

I have my own method for writing patterns and playing them. Recording is simply me playing live and pressing record. Playing live shows is the same except I do it infront of people and dont record it.

Keeping all the sequencing in octatrack helps me stay focused. I use the drum machine front panel controls to create dynamic drum mixes, and tweak sounds. I leave a couple of drum tracks empty so I can do live sequencing if I feel like it. The improv synth is the same, all front panel controls, if the synth has a sequencer I use it, if not, then I just experiment.
I dunno I guess it depends how well you know your gear. Also the old maxim, keep it simple, really works. You dont need to include every trendy elektron trick known to the internet to give a good performance. I never see Karen Gwyer touch the cross fader on her octatrack and her live sets are intense! A lot of it is trial and error I guess, eventually you find a way that works.

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Yeah I think this is one of the key things I’m going to try to keep in mind. I’ve been in a “make a sound pack” mindset for so long with the Digitone that I feel like some of my simpler patches aren’t using it enough.

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#restofthefuckingowl

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My DN is the core of my setup. It keeps my other gear in sync through a midi solutions quadra thru and sequences the gear as well. The fact that the Digitone controls all my other synths makes it feel like it’s all coming from the DN anyway. As long as I’ve dialed in the sound I want from the other gear, it doesn’t get too complicated. Almost like I’m just adding voices to the DN by adding the Reface CS, BS 2, and Virus. My Machinedrum doesn’t receive note data from the DN, only clock.

Another idea that keeps it less complicated is that each piece of gear has a job to do within the track, be it bass, lead, chords, melody. I typically decide this within the first 30 min of getting a nice pattern going accompanied by the Machinedrum. Commit to it.

Patterns are solely created on the DN and MD. Typically use 2/3 different variations of the drums and 4/5 different patterns on the DN (verse, chorus, bridge, etc…) and throwing manual mutes in and out for more variation. My interface allows me to have all gear on, or simply 1 piece of equipment powered up (no running gear through other gear inputs)

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Live, I currently use a Digitakt, Digitone and a Circuit Mono Station, with a Keystep controller into the Digitone for some live synth performance.

I keep myself sane by having detailed but easy to read coded notes about each pattern and how they work best with patterns on other devices. I have dozens of patterns on each device and having these written breakdowns of tempos, genres, even which tracks have what parts in a pattern … it keeps it all manageable.

I try to create and perform music with structure and (hopefully) memorable grooves and melodies, so just winging it with random selections and hoping for the best isn’t really an option.

Side note, having multiple devices makes for easier transitions and flow between songs without having to create intermediate patterns and being forced to stick with certain song orders because of those pre-planned transitions on a single device. At its coarsest and simplest, I can have a song on the DT and another on the DN and simply cross fade between the two synced devices.

So in many ways, multiple devices makes my job easier when it comes to performing live.

Now, where did I put those note sheets … :thinking:

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Yeah, this is why I’ve started experimenting with a multi-device setup more often. It was so easy with Nanoloop 2, since each track’s patterns weren’t tied to each other at all, so things could be mixed and matched very easily. That’s the one thing that Elektron gear is missing compared to Nanoloop :smiley:

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That’s what octatracks looper is for, grab a bit of audio, play it back as a loop. Even if you change patterns on the octatrack the captured loop will just keep playing.

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For me, making a track on multiple devices is far more easy than performing on multiple devices.
At the moment I make most tracks with OT, DN, A4, DFAM and Mother 32.
I don’t use the elektrons in the same way, as if I would use only one of them and try to get most out of it.
I might only use one polyphonic pad on the A4, and 2 melodies on the DN. Maybe some drums on the OT, but adding the kick from the A4 or DN because they sound great in the drum department. I might add a bass or lead line from the mother cause it sounds just sweet and I might add a weird percussion loop or bass from the DFAM. The I would sample the moogs to the OT, so that I can save the state of the whole song.
I certainly don’t use each machine to its full potential. I could probably create more or less the same track on one machine, like I made lot’s of tracks recently only on the OP-Z and I like them as much as my other stuff.
But each machine adds a different flavour and workflow, so it’s just entertaining for me. And it’s more convenient and faster to dial in a nice bass sound on a moog for example when I need one quickly.
Performance is another thing. I would go crazy with big setups. I can only handle the OT + one other machine. Either synth or additional drums.

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Yeah, for the gig I’ve got coming up, I want to limit it to 2–3 machines for sure; not just because I can’t handle more than that, but also because I don’t want to take too much expensive gear out to a gig where I’m potentially only playing for 30–45 mins. Maybe I can just work on “power pairs”, e.g. DN/Volca Drum, OT/MnM, DN/Nord Lead, etc. Sometimes just the possibilities of what I can combine overwhelm me almost as writing/performing using multiple machines :stuck_out_tongue:

Good point about not necessarily maximising each machine. I always forget I can run the Monomachine in poly mode, for example.

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good point. Me neither.
I prefer to have them save and tidy at home :slightly_smiling_face:

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It’s one of those dilemmas that usually ends with me taking just nanoloop 2 to a gig :stuck_out_tongue: I do get a weird sense of satisfaction going up on stage and just pluggin a gameboy micro in, with no other gear at all, and then getting a ridiculously huge sound out of it :metal:

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The last couple of times I performed was with an A4 and eurorack combo. That was only for short 10-15 minute sets though. The eurorack side was fantastic for live tweaking but doesn’t have the patch recall that I always feel I need for longer sets.

Recently tried pulling together a longer set with MPC Live, euroack, Toraiz AS-1 and Nord A1. Definitely felt like it was a device or two too many and quickly got overwhelming. In the process, discovered the MPC is definitely not a good performance instrument - much less hands-on and fun than the Elektrons. If I need that functionality I think I’ll stick with laptop and controller in the future.

Latest acquisition is the DN and I’m loving the combination of that with the eurorack. The 4 midi tracks plus track scaling is opening up a lot more possibilities than I had with the A4. I can’t help wondering whether a DT will be the perfect addition to that or make it overwhelming again.

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I consider the model samples as drum machine add on to the OT for live performance.
As many others, I considered it to be a bit of a joke when it was released. But for live use… one deep elektron menu machine is enough challenge for me.
In that regard elektron sequencer with knob per function looks really attractive to me suddenly :slightly_smiling_face: or a volca drum maybe :thinking:
sorry for getting slightly offtopic… setup fantasising starts again

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Last year, I played lots of shows with a blofeld, streichfett and volca fm, all sequenced by the digitakt. It worked well in 95% of the shows, but it was a big hassle to set up. The biggest challenge was to not load the wrong patches or patterns or integrate changes to the setlist without confusion or errors. The whole thing turned out to not be so much fun after a while.
I now reduced my stuff to just DT, DN, OT and the OP brothers for portable fun and sample fodder.
I tried to get the three elektrons to work together, but each one is so powerful on its own, that I tend just to focus on a single machine at a time. So my humble advise would be not to force things just for the sake of using all the stuff simultaneously :man_shrugging:

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I’ve never used the MPC Live, but I’m curious why you feel it’s not a good performance instrument. Is it the workflow? Sequencer features?

I have a few MPC’s & think the MPC 2500 is great at performing, I really like the workflow. IMO it has a good bread & butter sequencer, I use it as the brain of my set up. When playing live I also use a sp404sx, it really helps with transitions / effects.

I love that there are so many possibilities when it comes to playing live, so many ways to go about it. I prefer 2-3 machines, it’s enough to keep it interesting & add variety without overwhelming me.

I enjoy playing live more than programming sequences / songs, so the first 2 years I made music, every track was performed live. Even though I made a lot of shitty music the first few years (just jamming & having fun) My performing skills increased immensely. I wasn’t worried so much about how my music sounded it was more about enjoying myself, feeling the music & gaining skill. Still… I got to a point where I wanted to include programming, I knew my tracks would benefit from it (I can only do so much live). So now I use a mix of playing & programming.

Building live sets can be fun & also frustrating. I have a feeling @pselodux has experience with playing live, but when you first start putting together a live set I think it’s best to keep it simple. Slowly add more live playing during the sets / add more devices, sounds (if it feels right) as you gain experience. Learn by doing is the best way :upside_down_face: When performing (even at home alone) you’ll run into roadblocks, which helps you think of better ways to do things that you would have never thought of. So practicing the live set is important IMO.

Approaching composition across multiple devices -

1 - Like someone else mentioned having each piece of gear in charge of certain sounds helps.

2 - I make simple notes. At first my notes were too detailed, which was more distracting then helpful.

3 - Use gear you’re comfortable with & gear that has a performance workflow you like.

4 - I like to build a set in a way that’s safe. I put together the “backbone” set, which is the entire set with the least amount of live playing. That way if I get nervous or distracted or whatever, I don’t have to do a lot of live playing if I don’t want. But I make it so I can add a lot of live playing if I want to. For example finger drumming or playing melodies live. I’ll have the pattern done & ready to use if needed, but I can also play it in live if I want. I’ll also record some of the songs in full, ready to go, that way I can just play the song without doing anything live (incase I see someone I want to talk to or I get distracted or have equipment malfunction, ect).

5 - When performing I like having 2 samplers, so I can go back & forth (play track on sampler 1, transition into track on sampler 2, transition into track on sampler 1, ect). I really like using the MPC 2500 & sp404sx when performing. I play a intro on the sp404sx, which goes into a track in the MPC, perform with mutes & sp404sx effects, a little live playing on top (vocals/1 shots, a finger drumming section, maybe a live melody section), then use the sp404sx effects to transition (or vocals, a mini beat, ect). which goes into a track that’s on the sp404sx.

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I felt similarly about the MPC when I was using it for live shows. As powerful as it is in terms of features, it always seemed kind of rigid as a performance tool. The music I was creating and performing felt “competent” but I had some difficulty finding the “ooh! aah!” factor. Elektron boxes, I get to “oohs” and “aahs” much more easily.

It’s probably just me and the way I’m wired. Others LOVE their MPC Live boxes. Me, I seem to get on like a house fire with the DT/DN combo.

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Hey, I really like nanoloop and LSDJ but my GBC sounds like shit and I can’t be bothered modding it. Would you say the Micro is a good device for this out of the box?

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Some great advice there. I do something similar in building a “backbone” set and then making more and more of it playable live as I gain confidence.

I think with the MPC Live, it cemented my mistrust and dislike of touchscreen interfaces. I found myself much more prone to mistakes than when I gigged with an MPC 1000 a couple of years ago. My eyesight isn’t the best, particularly in low-light environments, and I find a more tactile interface suits me much better.

Elektrons also have that Control All feature that encourages live tweaking. I really missed anything like that on the Live.

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I totally get that, I almost sold my 2500 for the Live, but I had a strong feeling I wouldn’t like the touchscreen.

I love the 2500’s sequencer & workflow, but I also love to mangle & mutate audio & rhythms. So my plan is to add the Digitone &/or Digitakt to my set up, but keep the 2500.

I want to live in both worlds :yum: