The Same Set, Deeper
Update on the live electronic set—still going with the same setup: an Ableton Drum Rack-currently a 707 kit; bass sequenced by Sting 2; the arp (sting2 mintaur), leadfrom the Grandmother, and and Tree Times atmos. Then I’ve been working on a good in-built Juno sound for the chords track.
Feeling pretty restricted by wanting to stick to Ableton plug-ins, but I do want to switch back and forth from the Push, even though I really enjoyed keeping the computer in the mix.
Really, really want to play only simple and fundamental lead melodies on the Granny. I think it’s really important.
So I don’t know if I’m going to record lines and have them in the set. And I haven’t really figured out how to get all my chords into Expressive Chords, but I know I can figure that out. I’m not that worried about that. I’m just liking playing and coming up with chords and then jamming over those.
What I’ve found is that long chord sequences don’t work, and these kind of two-chord sequences are the best.
You’ve got to treat it like Jamaican dancehall rhythms—know that even when you’re repeating yourself, you’re going to come up with something new and virtually indistinguishable, especially when you’re at my stage where people don’t even know you exist. So they sure as shit aren’t going to think that you’re repeating yourself, so chalk that under dumb things you tell yourself.
But this setup continues to be great. I just wish I made more time to sit down with it—more hours a week—which, wife is out of town this week, and that is what I’m planning to do, is really jam out this set for very long periods of time. Maybe try to stay on one song, maybe one chord sequence, for an hour, just see what happens.
So no new changes. I’ve switched instruments around and stuff like that, but the general makeup of the set is the same.
When I’m jamming on just the computer, I do miss the Minitaur the most. I think that’s kind of the essential backbone of the whole thing right now. It’s a synth I have the most experience with.
Back in the ’80s. My buddy Doug had a JX-3P, which was super cool, but we didn’t even—we just pressed preset buttons, right? And there was no like, is it analog, is it digital—that did not filter down. We were too young to get into that level of stupidity.
So I’ll say the first analog synth I bought myself was the Minitaur. I think it’s still my favorite, limited as anonymous people on the internet think it is—but are they making as much music as I am?
I think not.