The Process

Now I have almost got the AudioAddictz set beaten into submission, I thought I would spend a moment to reflect on the process of writing a live hardware set.

I (slightly verbosely) regard it as like taming a large and unruly beast. Hardware seems to have a mind of its own and often when, as when I started this set, I find that things very rarely sound how I left them. In fact they often sound pretty dreadful. This is due to a couple of things. Often, if I have played a gig, I will have tinkered with things to fit the venue. And after a gig, or indeed after writing I will have played about with the sounds to fit what I have been doing, bringing things louder to listen to them while writing and so on.

So the first stage, is the listen though the tunes I am thinking of including. Take not of any problems, things that sound wrong, too loud, too quiet, the inevitable channel on the drum sub-mixer (a different one each time) which is playing up, any missing samples, etcetera etcetera. Then I will decide on a set list, and load these tracks into the RM-1x in the right order.

Then it is time for a rough mix, from the start, zeroing all the channels and build up the sound. I normally do this for one or two track that I know well. Invariably other will not sound right, and then it is a case of going through each track and changing the mix or the sounds at source to get something sounding more or less homogeneous. At this point there is also a choice – will I play the set with a more fluid structure (which can be more exciting, but can sacrifice some of the slickness) or program the tunes to a set structure, which allow me to work more on playing the synths themselves and create a smooth and polished set. This will depend on the gig – is it a rough and ready kind of night, where I might want to react more to the crowd, or something that I want to be perfect. For this set I am doing the latter, which can mean programming some of the control changes, and also putting in program changes to control the Electribes to play the correct patterns without my intervention.

So then it is a job of working out the flow of tracks, how long each section plays for, and what tricks and extras I will be adding in. Once this is done, it is full run through, often stopping and starting a few times, until I have a feel for how things sound. At this point I might need to substitute a tune, change the order or things like that.

Then I will zero all the channels and build up to mix the tune where I feel I have least leeway to change things at source, often something where the kick or a key part sounds too quiet, and go through the whole process of tweaking the sounds again to get everything sounding right across the whole set.

I think, to an extent at least, seeing a live set, played on hardware, allows a certain amount of forgiveness comparing the sound to that of a CD, or  a DJ. This is not of course an excuse for poor production values, but in the adrenaline of the live show things sound live, and sound exciting. This is something that producing a set for radio I am very concious of: There will not be the visual element and the excitement of a live gig. I am trying here, to make the sound every bit as good as a finished track.

I am nearly there with this set. Then it is practice.

The final set list for this one is (I think):

Intro
Knob Twiddling (Real Live Knobs Mix)
Take Your Pills
K in Strobelight (Acid Mix)
Jump and Twist
Fuck Law and Order
Inner City Noise Pollution
Manhattan
Perfect Drug
Santa Ana
Fuck Toy
Acid Power
New Shit