Preparing an ambient live set - video

[Johnny Mandrake]

hey guys

i am going to perform ambient during summer, yesterday i had recorded some sample video. please take a look, enjoy and feel free for critical commentary

[betadecay]

Very nice music!


But what I find much more interesting: you use MASCHINE!! All the videos about maschine that I know, explain something with drumpatterns etc. But Maschine seems also be good to make ambient.


I do not need more synths, but I feel somehow, that I could need a controller like Maschine (especially after watching your video and this one:

).

Unfortunately I do not know much about it, and the videos do not really help me, they only show me how to create a number one track in 5 minutes.


Although this might be a bit off topic: would it be possible for you, to say same words how you use Maschine? Perhaps that my help me find to find out, whether I should invest some money there or not.


As I understand it, you can load every VSTi into Maschine (like a DAW) and do something with them. But what exactly? It seems to be good, to play repeating patterns, but it is also possible to play notes or even chords?


And which version of Maschine would you recommend? The one that you have, or could the new Maschine Jam be better?

[windspace]

Very nice music!


But what I find much more interesting: you use MASCHINE!! All the videos about maschine that I know, explain something with drumpatterns etc. But Maschine seems also be good to make ambient.


I do not need more synths, but I feel somehow, that I could need a controller like Maschine (especially after watching your video and this one:

).

Unfortunately I do not know much about it, and the videos do not really help me, they only show me how to create a number one track in 5 minutes.


Although this might be a bit off topic: would it be possible for you, to say same words how you use Maschine? Perhaps that my help me find to find out, whether I should invest some money there or not.


As I understand it, you can load every VSTi into Maschine (like a DAW) and do something with them. But what exactly? It seems to be good, to play repeating patterns, but it is also possible to play notes or even chords?


And which version of Maschine would you recommend? The one that you have, or could the new Maschine Jam be better?

+1. I am curious also about how people use controllers like Maschine, Launchpad, etc. in the performance of ambient music. I have personally never used one, so the mechanics of it are murky to me. I see it conceptually as similar to setting up a four track tape with different tracks and using the faders to move from sound to sound. Am I seeing it right?

[Johnny Mandrake]

Maschine is a very efficient software and controller that gives huge spectrum of possibilities. Native Instruments advertise it as an very universal device but - unfortunately - usually they are showing beatmaking, finger drumming etc.

Personally I am using in different ways: as a DAW for arranging tracks and main works in home studio and as a "heart" in my downtempo live acts (for triggering and live modifying loops, sending midi sequences to hardware synthesizers, as a great multi effect for synthesizers, as a arpeggiator etc etc).

Setup from Ambient Landscape video is based on a long complex loops (approximately 2 minutes one) that are equalized, filtered and mixed live. This way of playing is very easy, but gives lots of chill and calm to myself. It's way more fun than being ambient dj wich is simply boring as hell for myself. In the background I also used binaural beats from external generator.

But on my youtube channel you can find also this video (already shown at the forum):

I will describe you what is happening here, because it might be interesting for you:

Two or three sounds (I am not sure if the yellow pad is also connected) are sequenced by the Mininova arpeggiator, the blue pad is some looped drone. All the four sounds are not looped wav files but some plug ins so I am able to tweak the parameters. In 8:28 I am enabling keyboard mode and arpeggiator in Maschine on one of the sounds so from this time it is controlled by arp from Mininova and from the controller which gives pretty creepy result.

This track was recorded in a similiar way as the one from the second video: https://soundcloud.com/johnny_mandrake/winter-drone

But Maschine gives more and more ways of playing, by chords, by live looping and many others, it only depends on your creativity. On my yt channel you can also find downtempo jams. Personally I would like to have additional Jam controller in my setup. Both of them will give even more possibilites.

If you have more questions feel free to ask, I like to share knowledge and I know how hard is to find something about playing ambient on Maschine.

[windspace]

@Johnny Mandrake: Thank you for your prompt reply! And for further videos to explore. I will no doubt have more questions; I will try to refine to be more specific!

[Ambient Mechanics]

@Johnny Mandrake: Thanks for taking the time to go into all of this for us..and for sharing your videos in the first place..much appreciated. :thumbsup:

Like the others guys who have replied, I've often thought about adding a Maschine to my setup in order to get that "gigging" feel from mixing, but given the near total lack of info out there about using to make ambient music..as well as the cost involved..well, I just never bothered to be honest. Reading your posts here has rekindled that idea again.

As has already been said..any and all help / info you can share with us would really be a great help.

[betadecay]

Maschine is a very efficient software and controller that gives huge spectrum of possibilities. Native Instruments advertise it as an very universal device but - unfortunately - usually they are showing beatmaking, finger drumming etc.

Yes, this is the problem... as I said: how to create a number one hit in 5 minutes...


Many thanks for your explanations - I will have a look at the video ASAP.


Seems, that NI will sell some more Maschines in the next time...

[Johnny Mandrake]

When I will have some time I will prepare another video for you guys that shows technique how to combine keyboard playing (also with arpeggio) with different additions from Maschine, same like this recording:

https://soundcloud.com/mandrakes-experiments/zoom0027

[Johnny Mandrake]

hello my friends, I have another portion of ambient played on Mininova and Maschine:

I am connecting Mininova's OSC1 V Sync, OSC1 Density, OSC2 V Sync and OSC2 Density and filter knobs via midi with volume knobs with instruments made in Absynth and Kinetic Metals vst (modified with delays and reverbs) which are triggered and latched from the Mininova's keyboard and tweaked during plaiyng.

Have fun and feel free to ask questions

[betadecay]

What I (don't) understand :uh::

- you have the Mininova directly connected to Maschine - via MIDI...? So you can control the Mininova using the Maschine knobs?

- you have Abysnth and Kinetic Metal running inside Maschine - and you trigger their sounds with the Mininova?

- what about the audio from the Mininova? Or is it just an external controller for Absynth and Kinetic Metal?

:confused: :hmmm:

[Johnny Mandrake]

- I am connecting Mininova and Maschine by two midi cables (Maschine Out > Mininova In and backwards). I can control knobs in both ways by midi learn, but in this case I am controlling volume of of virtual synthesizers by Mininova knobs, but by the same knobs I am controlling sound from Mininova which gives me ability to modify two sounds by one knob operation.

- Yes, I have Absynth and Kinetic Metals (and Reaktor and Massive, that I forgot to write) triggerd by Mininova keyboard. In this case I am using only one latched note, but it's fun to play on the keyboard or to turn on arpeggiator. I am tweakng parameters of this sounds (especially Kinetic Metals) by Maschine's knobs.

- The audio signal from Mininova is routed into one Maschine pad where I had add space reverb (basic from Reaktor) and long delay (Replika). Maschine is also nice device to add tons of effects for external synthesizers.

[Johnny Mandrake]

In 4:12 my Maschine controller got crazy and turned on some colourful pads. I don't know what happend. Probably it drown in drone with me ;)

[betadecay]

Thank you very much, this was very helpful!!!

[Johnny Mandrake]

the same set as yesterday, but used in different ways. please be kind for me, I am not a keyboard player :( I only tried to show you possibilities of connecting Mininova with Maschine. You can easly see flashing pads when reciving notes from Mininova (keys and arp).

[betadecay]

Seems, that I still have to learn about maschine, now, I know only the basics. Hope, I'll find some more time for this.