Live Looping / Performance suggestions - triggering pre-programmed automation

Tom Auger
Tom Auger Member Posts: 36 Member
in Maschine

Hey folks, been using Maschine for live real-time improv/sets and really enjoying it.

Something I've been think of is preparing a small number of loops beforehand just to have some material to get going, and I'd love a way to be able to automate the mixers fading these different sounds / groups in over (a long) period of time. After that I would take over manual control of the faders as I control the mix throughout the set.

I'm wondering what tricks you might suggest for this?

In Ableton, I might create some one-shot automation envelope clips which I could launch at the start of the set, or even trigger manually.

Is there an equivalent in Maschine?

In short, here's the proposed workflow:

  1. start the performance with all group faders at -inf dB
  2. All the loops are playing, just the volume is at 0 for most (maybe not all)
  3. At some point, be able to trigger some preset automation to bring one Group (or even 1 Sound) mixer levels from -inf to whatever I have determined is their optimal level
  4. While that is slowly fading up, switch channels and start getting the next live loop going (in the headphones on Cue)
  5. Near the end of the set, trigger some automation to bring some faders slowly down over time
  6. Continue with manual control of other faders until the end of the set

The goal here is not to have to manually ride the faders while a long fade-up or fade-out is happening - freeing up my hands to cue up the next loops or create new content.

How would you approach this?

Tagged:

Comments

  • olafmol
    olafmol Member Posts: 197 Pro

    lock states?

  • ozon
    ozon Member Posts: 1,648 Expert

    Lock States can do fades over 16 bars max, IIRC.

    How long are your long fade-up or fade-out in bars?

  • D-One
    D-One Moderator Posts: 3,255 mod
    edited October 12

    Assuming you're only talking about Maschine standalone application or M+ Standalone then Lock States is the main answer as others said, but you can also pre-record Group Level Modulation in specific Patterns and trigger those instead.

    Maschine app does not have internal Automation, it's Modulation… In this case it can be an advantage as you can still twist volume knobs during or after modulation happens since it's relative and not absolute, on a DAW usually when you touch a parameter with Automation you end up disabling the Automation lane which would be a problem for the fadeout.

    If you're using Maschine Plugin inside Ableton then you could do it from Ableton, as in trigger a Clip that sends Automation to Maschine.

  • Psyearth5
    Psyearth5 Member Posts: 295 Member
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/183758#Comment_183758

    Yes but even that can easily become 32 Bars with grid set to adapt to twice slower Tempo. 😃 I had to do it and I quickly went down the rabbit whole.

    I did extreme setups but in reality and honesty I didn't have to do it and I didn't Release those Projects and M+ , Memory and I had to delete them.

    Still I use Lock States on all my Music and I miss Program Change so I just plug MIDI device for specifically Kontakt and Reaktor sounds change otherwise Notes are enough for controlling much more than just Scenes, Section and Lock States.

    I am preparing just Drone Ambient with beautiful harmonies and it's all Lock States slowly evolving.

    Many of my colleagues can't believe that I made this in Maschine Standalone Mode only, no external sounds, for me it's too much to connect M+ to Computer for space menagment or transferring Music to then connect Mobile Phone and transfer files there so I can listen outside…if new update don't bring quick transfer to USB...😐 I'm afraid it's a sign 👋 Maschine Plus Standalone for the future.

    https://youtu.be/LiZmZ3tNyX8?si=zcL8oOZ6UfMODht9

Back To Top

Categories