Man + Ableton + Lemur (4) = Full Orchestra

**JWreck** · 10-01-2014, 02:16 PM

Hey guys,

I just made this video demonstrating my new live performance concept. The vibe I'm going for is a one man orchestra. I had posted this as an addition to my thread in the "show us your setup" and decided I would add it here to.

I made the project files available for download through my splice profile which is www.splice.com/jarek

If you have any questions let me know!

**ProfessorStrangeman** · 10-01-2014, 02:22 PM

Thanks for making this its own discussion post first off! I think most of us could learn a lot from you.

My question with these kinds of things always is; How much of that would happen if you weren't standing there?

Ie; are some drum tracks automated? automated synth changes like filter cutoff? etc

Thanks in advance!

**JWreck** · 10-01-2014, 02:40 PM

I certainly know what you mean and thank you for the kind words.

I will be totally honest, a lot would happen if I wasn't standing there.

When I finish a song I go back through it and take notes about which instruments standout out the most during each phrase of the song.
After I decide which instrument I want to play during which each specific phrase; I take out those parts and put them into samplers in Ableton.

As a failsafe; I have the samplers that I am playing rendered to backing tracks as well. These backing tracks are brute force side chained to the sampler MIDI tracks. That way when I play something on the lemur, the respective backing track is totally muted. However, as a should a lemur fail, or my router, or something else, the song will still go on and play just as it would if it were an mp3.

I do want to maintain my integrity as much as I can when it comes to live performance. However, having the extra safety net gives me the few extra seconds I need to trouble shoot issues if/when they decide to happen.

I want to make this project as live as possible but at the same time I have to remind myself that I am just one guy. So to say that it is a full on live performance would not be true. In this project Ableton Live is my band or my accompaniment, and I am just the soloist.

**ProfessorStrangeman** · 10-01-2014, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by JWreck

I certainly know what you mean and thank you for the kind words.

I will be totally honest, a lot would happen if I wasn't standing there.

When I finish a song I go back through it and take notes about which instruments standout out the most during each phrase of the song.
After I decide which instrument I want to play during which each specific phrase; I take out those parts and put them into samplers in Ableton.

As a failsafe; I have the samplers that I am playing rendered to backing tracks as well. These backing tracks are brute force side chained to the sampler MIDI tracks. That way when I play something on the lemur, the respective backing track is totally muted. However, as a should a lemur fail, or my router, or something else, the song will still go on and play just as it would if it were an mp3.

I do want to maintain my integrity as much as I can when it comes to live performance. However, having the extra safety net gives me the few extra seconds I need to trouble shoot issues if/when they decide to happen.

I want to make this project as live as possible but at the same time I have to remind myself that I am just one guy. So to say that it is a full on live performance would not be true. In this project Ableton Live is my band or my accompaniment, and I am just the soloist.

That's so cool!! Really great system and very well put answer. Can't wait to see more from you in the coming times!