Re: Turn All That S**t Off

["matt davignon" <mattdavignon@hotmail.com>]

At least some drum machines (maybe all?) let you program the phrases/loops 
in real time. You just set up a click track (you can turn the click level 
to 
0 on mine), and build your rhythms from scratch. If you have to use a drum 
machine in a solo performance, that seems like it would be the way to make 
it the most interesting. Unless it's a rock song. I saw a musician named 
Quintron who had triggers for electric snare and bass drums under his feet 
while playing an organ. That worked really well, although it seemed to 
lend 
itself to simple rhythms. (Certainly not a complaint.)

Personally, I learned to take out all elements of my live show that I 
can't 
make up on the spot. I've seen enough live shows with the musician(s) 
playing over a CD of pre-recorded music or a drum machine program that I 
made a personal vow never to put people through that myself. Most 
musicians 
who I've seen play pre-recorded music at their shows seem to think that if 
the pre-recorded music parts are really dynamic and interesting, it will 
take away the turn-off of having pre-recorded music on stage. It doesn't. 
In 
fact, it often makes it worse, since the musician winds up generating only 
a 
tiny fraction of the music live.

I know I'm stepping on a lot of toes here. I'm not saying this to attack 
anybody, it's more in the direction of trying to be constructive 
discussion. 
A lot of audience members will be too polite to tell you this, so hear I 
am 
giving an audience member's perspective.

Matt

>From: "Gary Lehmann" <relayonemanband@cts.com>

>
>Upon further reflection the phrase was "good honest drum machine".
>I sort of agree with Bill Fox in principle, but I always wind up 
>cluttering
>my performances with some sort of Sonic Helper--otherwise I'd be playing
>acoustic guitar and harmonica (not such a bad deal).
>"All we need is drummer, for people who only need a beat."
>Maybe sample the beat live, using Max/Rick's method of "playing" the drum
>machine?
>Gary
>

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