Awesome video, thanks. Improvising with this stuff is a noble task. And I know the goal of this vid wasn’t a proper showcase of the sound design capabilities of these synths… but damn that little Swarm kinda blew the syntakt away IMO. That audio rate modulation build up was nuts. :)
Another great video. Thanks a lot for sharing all this. I am looking forward to see your creative workflow in the studio. Happy to see your channel growing you really deserve it.
Great explanation of your well thought out rig! I love the build up on the Swarm using the LFO. I lent my swarm to a friend as I was focusing on the DFAM, might have to get it back off him!
Hello, some good advice for a live gig, thanks for sharing :) I wanted to know what are those angle cable at the back of your Octa, it is so difficult to find good ones. Cheers.
Compelling stuff Eric. Love the way you use the Swarm, I do a similar thing with the 0-Coast & Strega. Be nice to see a vlog of your whole live performance
This video is FANTASTIC. Instant subscribe! It's been so helpful! I've been struggling with what it means to truly improvise techno, and this walkthrough has both validated some thoughts I've been unsure about as well as taught me a bunch of new stuff. It's also stoked more inspiration as well! The one thing I still struggle with tho is melodic elements... I can't help but add them. This sort of naturally leads me to "songs," or components that naturally go well together but don't always go well with OTHER components. I'd love to see a video specifically about what makes a good component of improvised techno.
Maybe I missed a section, what do you use the Launch Control XL for? I recently got a digitakt and am working out what I want to do for a live semi-improvisational setup Seeing you break down your steps, methodologies and reasons for some decisions was great! I have a Launch Control XL and OG 16knob launch control I use them when I VJ but also got them with the intention of using them with synth stuff Also have a bome box. When purchasing a drum machine, I was split between the digitakt, with its sound design depth and external midi sequencing options, and the TR8S with its simplicity, more sample tracks and more immediately performance friendly layout My intention is to utilise the launch control's to replicate some of that "mixer layout" kinda vibe of the tr8s using the digitakt as a brain. Curious if you do anything like that or have tried or considered it?
That said Been able to borrow a TR8S from a new friend aaaaaaand now I want both 😅 (Maybe one day, or maybe there'll be a future version that refines the concept further 🤷♂️) For now, needa get deeper into digitakt land!
It works great with the Digitakt. The 8 channels align perfectly and you get control of your most used functions to avoid menus. I use it currently for the 1010 Blackbox for volume and filters. I love how flexible it is to use with anything you want. You will need a USB MIDI host box between the Digitakt and the Launch Control, but it works great. Thanks for watching!
Another great video ! I've been following your videos and Ezbot's channel as well. I'm currently using the template for a live situation like yours but i still not figure out the correct definitions/steps behind the recorder to avoid the loop to overdub. Do you have any tip ? Thanks !
Make sure you have a clean copy of the template. I’ve needed to reload a couple of times when I inadvertently messed with settings. The loopers have been the most tricky. I keep a clean version saved as a project template that I only use in case of emergency. I immediately save as a new name so the template stays clean. Thanks for watching!
Awesome and very helpful as usual, thank you! when time allows I am planning to set up live rig but for more of a dub / ambient / glitch / idm type of performances where different patterns / patches / drum kits can be mixed and matched live in different configurations, I have Akai Force and planning to use it as clip and sample launcher / melodic sequencer and mixer and Octatrack for more of the rhythm side and mixing/looping/effect stuff, main problem is finding time to set everything up and practice, hopefully it will happen sooner or later, thanks again for all your thoughts and tips!
Great video! Interested why you don’t just use the Octatrack to play back the vocal samples? It can do that right? So with this setup do you cue elements in your headphones before you bring them in (without using the live looping on the OT), or do you not feel the need to do this as you’ve set up kits of sounds that all work together?
It is able to do a lot that I don’t use it for. I have all 8 tracks used as through machines, neighbor machines, and loopers for performance. There aren’t any tracks left to launch samples. The workflow for changing loading and using samples on the OT can also be very menu-divey. The Blackbox workflow lends itself perfectly to my style of performance. I only use the cue in the live looping example. The rest is learning how to modify the sounds on the fly to what I want to hear live.
Great run through as always… what are you go to scene numbers on the Octatrack? And that swarm delay sound you got was that delay from the swarm or from the Syntakt?
Check out his RUclips channel EZbot. There are videos about it there. They have links to download it from his Patreon or another site. Well worth it. Thanks for watching!
There are a lot of cool semi Modular’s out there. I like the swarm because it has the two filters and patchable LFO. I’m excited to try the new East Beast when it comes out. Also EOWave who make the swarm showed a new four voice synth that looks cool. Thanks for watching!
Fascinating! I’m not able to perform live, but elements of your workflow would apply equally well in a producer’s workflow I reckon. If I may ask, how do you go about creating your sound palette? Currently I tend to work on a song at a time, but I can see real value in your mix and match approach. How do you fashion sounds that work for essentially an album full of songs? Really interested! Thanks for these videos, they’re really helpful!
Thanks! Yes I use some of these methods in production too. I do sound design sessions where I don’t produce but rather make sounds and patterns I like. I save them for easy call up when I’m writing tracks. This helps me keep the flow when producing so I don’t have to stop and search for or make a sound.
I see you have replaced your Digitone with a Syntakt. I know you have done some videos about the Syntakt, but will you / have you done a video about the switch over? I just bought a Digitone, hahaha.
I use it to play samples in clip mode to time stretch them to the current bpm. There is a bit of setup for each sample but it has worked well for me. Thanks for watching!
The first thing is to have the bare minimum which is the skill level to deliver once booked that comes from learning and lots of practice. Put together audio and video examples of your live performances (not studio produced mixes) and have them ready if asked (links to SoundCloud or Mixcloud work well). How to get the first shows can be challenging. There are a number of different ways but it comes down to exactly what you said. Contacts. It is important to network both in person and virtually. Go to events and meet other performers and promoters. Sadly building a social media following has become more important. This can be a great way to get your mixes out and listened to. If your following starts telling the promoters they want to see you perform, this will be a great ‘in’ with promoters you don’t know. Ultimately promoters and venues are businesses and need to attract people by booking acts that will do just that. If you can demonstrate through your in person and online following that people will attend your show, they are more likely to book you. An often overlooked part of this is being someone the promoters and venues want to work with. No one wants a demanding prima donna. Everyone wants to work with people who are friendly, kind, and helpful. Finally you have to deliver once you get the first bookings. This means playing a quality set, and most importantly ‘play your slot’. This means play the proper sound, vibe, tempo, energy level for the time slot you are booked for. Understanding that your music was booked as a part of a broader event and working in between other artists shows skill. Getting people to dance at any tempo in any time slot shows skill. Banging it out to imply you should be the headliner shows insecurity and lack of awareness that the event is bigger than just one person (especially a newcomer). Be patient and build. There are few real shortcuts. Thanks for watching!
@@SURCOlive wow that was actually a really good and informative answer 😀 thanks for beeing this helpful and inspiring (just discovered you recently) Yeah I guess after the move I will Start practicing more and more for live techno impro. At least I finally understood what role gear actually plays and that I am the artist using Tools to express my cteativity. Currently I only use circuit tracks and rhythm when jamming in This difection and it more more Starts to feel second narute. I Personally dont See myself beeing in a crowd of a techno Act I must say....although I quite enjoy listening to this music but also in my more active metal days I was furtuned to be more of a performing Lead guitarist than moshing in the crowd xD On to circuits it is now Sir!
@@TheCuri you can upload live jams on RUclips and stream on twitch, it's not about viewers at first, it's about getting your self exposed playing live. Slowly you will learn more, gain experience and be more comfortable!
Your channel has been such a treat to dive into as an elektron guy myself.
Awesome. Glad you are digging it!!
This is sick, excellent explanation. Cheers!
Thanks man! Your template is sick!
Awesome video, thanks. Improvising with this stuff is a noble task. And I know the goal of this vid wasn’t a proper showcase of the sound design capabilities of these synths… but damn that little Swarm kinda blew the syntakt away IMO. That audio rate modulation build up was nuts. :)
great explanation, very inspiring.
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!
Another great video. Thanks a lot for sharing all this. I am looking forward to see your creative workflow in the studio. Happy to see your channel growing you really deserve it.
Thanks for watching!
Great explanation of your well thought out rig! I love the build up on the Swarm using the LFO. I lent my swarm to a friend as I was focusing on the DFAM, might have to get it back off him!
Very interesting and informative!
Thanks!
Hello, some good advice for a live gig, thanks for sharing :)
I wanted to know what are those angle cable at the back of your Octa, it is so difficult to find good ones.
Cheers.
Nice video!!, really good breakdown of your set-up. Learned a few things already!
Thank you
Glad it was helpful! Thank you so much for watching!
Very interesting workflow. I tried to make something like this with a cheap looper pedal without success… obviously. Nice music, man! 🙌🙌
Thanks!
Compelling stuff Eric. Love the way you use the Swarm, I do a similar thing with the 0-Coast & Strega. Be nice to see a vlog of your whole live performance
Thanks!
This video is FANTASTIC. Instant subscribe! It's been so helpful! I've been struggling with what it means to truly improvise techno, and this walkthrough has both validated some thoughts I've been unsure about as well as taught me a bunch of new stuff. It's also stoked more inspiration as well! The one thing I still struggle with tho is melodic elements... I can't help but add them. This sort of naturally leads me to "songs," or components that naturally go well together but don't always go well with OTHER components. I'd love to see a video specifically about what makes a good component of improvised techno.
So happy you got something from the video! More coming soon. Thanks so much for watching!!
great vid. thanks
Thanks for watching!
Maybe I missed a section, what do you use the Launch Control XL for?
I recently got a digitakt and am working out what I want to do for a live semi-improvisational setup
Seeing you break down your steps, methodologies and reasons for some decisions was great!
I have a Launch Control XL and OG 16knob launch control
I use them when I VJ but also got them with the intention of using them with synth stuff
Also have a bome box.
When purchasing a drum machine, I was split between the digitakt, with its sound design depth and external midi sequencing options, and the TR8S with its simplicity, more sample tracks and more immediately performance friendly layout
My intention is to utilise the launch control's to replicate some of that "mixer layout" kinda vibe of the tr8s using the digitakt as a brain.
Curious if you do anything like that or have tried or considered it?
That said
Been able to borrow a TR8S from a new friend aaaaaaand now I want both 😅
(Maybe one day, or maybe there'll be a future version that refines the concept further 🤷♂️)
For now, needa get deeper into digitakt land!
It works great with the Digitakt. The 8 channels align perfectly and you get control of your most used functions to avoid menus. I use it currently for the 1010 Blackbox for volume and filters. I love how flexible it is to use with anything you want. You will need a USB MIDI host box between the Digitakt and the Launch Control, but it works great. Thanks for watching!
Another great video ! I've been following your videos and Ezbot's channel as well. I'm currently using the template for a live situation like yours but i still not figure out the correct definitions/steps behind the recorder to avoid the loop to overdub. Do you have any tip ?
Thanks !
Make sure you have a clean copy of the template. I’ve needed to reload a couple of times when I inadvertently messed with settings. The loopers have been the most tricky. I keep a clean version saved as a project template that I only use in case of emergency. I immediately save as a new name so the template stays clean. Thanks for watching!
@@SURCOlive I've tried to load a clean template and now works as expected. Nice to have your suggestion about it. Have fun. Thanks.
Thx for your job.
Thanks for watching!
Awesome and very helpful as usual, thank you! when time allows I am planning to set up live rig but for more of a dub / ambient / glitch / idm type of performances where different patterns / patches / drum kits can be mixed and matched live in different configurations, I have Akai Force and planning to use it as clip and sample launcher / melodic sequencer and mixer and Octatrack for more of the rhythm side and mixing/looping/effect stuff, main problem is finding time to set everything up and practice, hopefully it will happen sooner or later, thanks again for all your thoughts and tips!
You can do it!!
@@SURCOlive hopefully! 😜
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching!
Great video!
Interested why you don’t just use the Octatrack to play back the vocal samples? It can do that right?
So with this setup do you cue elements in your headphones before you bring them in (without using the live looping on the OT), or do you not feel the need to do this as you’ve set up kits of sounds that all work together?
It is able to do a lot that I don’t use it for. I have all 8 tracks used as through machines, neighbor machines, and loopers for performance. There aren’t any tracks left to launch samples. The workflow for changing loading and using samples on the OT can also be very menu-divey. The Blackbox workflow lends itself perfectly to my style of performance.
I only use the cue in the live looping example. The rest is learning how to modify the sounds on the fly to what I want to hear live.
Thanks for sharing! Great tips. BTW, is the “cue’ing” all setup via the Octatrack? Thx!
Yes the OT has a cue out and since everything is run through it, I like to use that.
@@SURCOlive Thanks!
Great run through as always… what are you go to scene numbers on the Octatrack? And that swarm delay sound you got was that delay from the swarm or from the Syntakt?
I love most of the scene effects. I use high pass and lofi a lot. Also the Daft Punk and the freeze. Yes the delay on the Swarm is from the Syntakt.
Where can I find the "performance template" from easy bot?
Check out his RUclips channel EZbot. There are videos about it there. They have links to download it from his Patreon or another site. Well worth it. Thanks for watching!
I REALLY like how you are using the Quadrantid Storm. Does you know of a slightly cheaper alternative? Thanks for putting out these vids!
There are a lot of cool semi Modular’s out there. I like the swarm because it has the two filters and patchable LFO. I’m excited to try the new East Beast when it comes out. Also EOWave who make the swarm showed a new four voice synth that looks cool. Thanks for watching!
@@SURCOlive thanks for the response man…my Analog Heat just arrived so I’ll be busy for the next little while :)
@@RussRogers love mine. I use it end of chain for a final ‘master’ of my live rig. I have a preset that I made and I never touch it. Hahaha
Do you have the drum patterns programmed in advance, or all those improvised live?
I have some basic beats like 4/4 kicks, but I modify the sequences live.
Fascinating! I’m not able to perform live, but elements of your workflow would apply equally well in a producer’s workflow I reckon. If I may ask, how do you go about creating your sound palette? Currently I tend to work on a song at a time, but I can see real value in your mix and match approach. How do you fashion sounds that work for essentially an album full of songs? Really interested! Thanks for these videos, they’re really helpful!
Thanks! Yes I use some of these methods in production too. I do sound design sessions where I don’t produce but rather make sounds and patterns I like. I save them for easy call up when I’m writing tracks. This helps me keep the flow when producing so I don’t have to stop and search for or make a sound.
@@SURCOlive great, thank you. Will have a go using that method.
@@lrkx_ let me know how it works out.
I see you have replaced your Digitone with a Syntakt. I know you have done some videos about the Syntakt, but will you / have you done a video about the switch over? I just bought a Digitone, hahaha.
Yeah I was happy to swap out 12 synth voices for 4. ;)
Does the blackbox time stretch? thx
I use it to play samples in clip mode to time stretch them to the current bpm. There is a bit of setup for each sample but it has worked well for me. Thanks for watching!
How does Newcomer get contacts to get the first Shows booked?
The first thing is to have the bare minimum which is the skill level to deliver once booked that comes from learning and lots of practice. Put together audio and video examples of your live performances (not studio produced mixes) and have them ready if asked (links to SoundCloud or Mixcloud work well). How to get the first shows can be challenging. There are a number of different ways but it comes down to exactly what you said. Contacts. It is important to network both in person and virtually. Go to events and meet other performers and promoters. Sadly building a social media following has become more important. This can be a great way to get your mixes out and listened to. If your following starts telling the promoters they want to see you perform, this will be a great ‘in’ with promoters you don’t know. Ultimately promoters and venues are businesses and need to attract people by booking acts that will do just that. If you can demonstrate through your in person and online following that people will attend your show, they are more likely to book you. An often overlooked part of this is being someone the promoters and venues want to work with. No one wants a demanding prima donna. Everyone wants to work with people who are friendly, kind, and helpful. Finally you have to deliver once you get the first bookings. This means playing a quality set, and most importantly ‘play your slot’. This means play the proper sound, vibe, tempo, energy level for the time slot you are booked for. Understanding that your music was booked as a part of a broader event and working in between other artists shows skill. Getting people to dance at any tempo in any time slot shows skill. Banging it out to imply you should be the headliner shows insecurity and lack of awareness that the event is bigger than just one person (especially a newcomer). Be patient and build. There are few real shortcuts. Thanks for watching!
@@SURCOlive wow that was actually a really good and informative answer 😀 thanks for beeing this helpful and inspiring (just discovered you recently)
Yeah I guess after the move I will Start practicing more and more for live techno impro. At least I finally understood what role gear actually plays and that I am the artist using Tools to express my cteativity. Currently I only use circuit tracks and rhythm when jamming in This difection and it more more Starts to feel second narute. I Personally dont See myself beeing in a crowd of a techno Act I must say....although I quite enjoy listening to this music but also in my more active metal days I was furtuned to be more of a performing Lead guitarist than moshing in the crowd xD
On to circuits it is now Sir!
Awesome! Keep going!!
@@TheCuri you can upload live jams on RUclips and stream on twitch, it's not about viewers at first, it's about getting your self exposed playing live. Slowly you will learn more, gain experience and be more comfortable!