NWLC Workshop Notes – Using Tracks, Loops, and Music Software to Enhance Your Live Sound

Phillip Edwards, Interactive Worship Live

–          Always uses click track and loop track

–          Loop track – percussion, ongoing – no set song structure

–          Why run MultiTracks?

• Some have tough time with the idea of using something that’s not live onstage
  • But, many do it – MWS, Coldplay
• You can fill in missing players – drums, bass, etc… if you’re missing it
• MultiTrack Masters can be your whole band.
  • You can adopt technology to your band to sound more current
• Or just part of your band…
  • Loops for percussion
    • Gives you a sonic sound that’s in the house
    • Doesn’t lock you in to a specific part of the song
  • Leave in the live strings, real horns, synth noises, key melodic hooks
  • Replace a missing musician
  • Video Capability
  • MultiTracks can become another musician on the stage
• Incredible Teaching Tool!
  • Solo parts in rehearsal so musicians can learn their parts
  • Export mixes so musicians and singers can learn parts for rehearsal purposes
    • They can rehearse with it during the week
  • Mute what you have live on stage and you sound like the original with the right mix

–          Ableton Live – Berlin, Germany

• Created for DJ Market
• How does it work?
• Video track, too – pre-produced, so it follows the song in time
• You can assign a few measures to loop, so if you want to repeat the chorus, you can just push a key on computer and repeat the intro as many times as you like.
• Or, you can push a button and it can go to the Bridge, or go the Chorus, so at the end of the current section, it will jump to a new section.
• You can play it like you’re playing an instrument
• PC or MAC
• Can have a Guide track – tells people in ears, “Intro – 1,2,3,4”;
• The click track just disappears – to them….
• With only one electric guitar player, we could add in all those other sounds.
• Audio interface, you can split the sound into more than two.
• Long-term – use audio interface, not 1/8 inch cable with L-R split
• Training videos available
• Live Intro – $99 – does everything except the video track

–          How do we do this at my church?

• 1. Foundation = Click Track
  • Main hurdle – getting drummer to play with click track
  • Lovingly encourage them to stick with it
  • It may seem strange to hear the click track, but our goal is to play in time.
  • If they get off, just stop the click, and restart
  • It helps keep the tempo without always having to have either the drummer or piano always pounding the beat. They can hear it, and know when to come in
  • Band has to have click tracks, they let the singers decide whether or not they want it.
  • TAMA Rhythm Watch – Click track
  • Westone UM2’s Dual Driver In-Ear Monitors ($279)
  • Call and talk to Dale, tell him you took this class, and get 10% off
• 2. Choose a Music Director
  • Goal of a MD is to bridge communication between band and worship leaders
  • Pro Co Panic Button ($175)
    • A/B button – A singing voice; B, talk to Band
      • Mic into it, one goes to house, one to band.
  • WL communicates to
  • This would allow me to talk to people who I want to (band, tech) and not to the whole house, using the same mic.
• FC200 Roland
  • Foot pedal for guitar players where you can control from pedal
• Open Labs Keyboards
  • Open Labs Neko keyboard
  • Built in computer to the keyboard – with Ableton Live on the keyboard
• ProSonus Firebox – audio interface
• When you sign up through Interactive Worship Live – , you get some free tracks
• Need:
  • Laptop connected to audio interface via firewire
  • M-Audio Firewire 410
  • Recommend FW 400 6 pin connection to laptop and connect hard drive thru audio device
  • Get the Firewire 400 to connect to audio interface!!
  • Buy computer – 7200 RPM drive; that would fix the lag
  • On the Go 100 GB drive

–          IWL Lite

• Play from iPhone or iPod touch, iPod
• Very lite program