how i'm looping these days

[Zoe Keating <cello@zoekeating.com>]

ok, FINALLY i am in one place long enough to write this email. i'm in  
london, where it is COLD.

i think fabio asked how i am looping 12 tracks with minimal foot  
swtiching.

so...

dummy clips in ableton live

the setup goes like this:

- my foot taps a button on the FCB1010
- the FCB1010 sends PC messages to Ableton
- PC messages launch clips or scenes or a sequence of clips
- some of the clips are midi clips containing notes
- midi notes are translated in midipipe and sent back to Repeater1,  
Repeater2, and Ableton*
- these midi clips work like sequencers, sending batches of timed  
commands to the Repeaters (record, stop record, next track, record,  
pan, mute, etc)
- some of the clips are blank audio clips
- the blank audio clips contain envelope information for the audio  
coming in from Repeater1 and Repeater2 (like an automated mixer. for  
example to fade out the audio of a Repeater)

Sounds complicated, but its actually very simple. whereas before  
every button of the FCB1010 controlled a single function of a  
Repeater, now i have a button to do the batches of things I tend to  
do, but i only have to press the button once.

Snags:

- Repeaters can't deal with midi messages fired at them in close  
succession. i have to space things out so no messages are sent  
simultaneously, however, with clever spacing of the sequenced events,  
it "seems" simultaneous.
- I think it might be my midi interfaces (emagic) but sometimes notes  
are dropped. i can still "take control" of the repeater at any time  
when an error occurs though by using the same old banks I always used  
on the FCB1010.

anyway, that's the long and short of it. its been pretty  
revolutionary for me because i can spend more time playing the cello  
and less time worrying about hitting the right sequence of footswitches.

my time is about to run out on this internet access (so expensive  
over here!!) or i would write more.
ask questions if you have them.



*Note about Abletone: my intention was to use the Looperlative for  
the extra 4 loops, but I had some difficulties using the unit and  
found it quicker to program Ableton. also, since i have to travel  
pretty far and wanted all my gear to fit in a 5 space rack, i decided  
to lose the Looperlative and use the computer (have my motu and power  
supply in the 5th space). this is not to say i won't use the  
Looperlative later, i just ran out of time and had to move on to a  
tool i was more familiar with.