cliffr

robert_e_bone


@Bristol

I forgot to answer your other question, about Forte.

I use the Performer Edition, just have no need for the more expensive one.

I CAN tell you that Forte has been my GO TO live performance software for years now.  It has some amazing capabilities, the 3 principal ones for me being:

1.  Super easy building of incredibly complex presets - doing so by allowing inclusion of all kinds of VST synths (and effects), and then taking snapshots of each combination of settings from each synth - also which plugins are muted or active, and also zoning and routing, and all of that.

2.  Each of the saved presets is INSTANTLY switchable to another, as it includes an ability to have for instance an instance of Kontakt loaded with a giant piano sample, and you can tell it NOT to load samples when it comes back to that preset - so it leaves those samples in memory, making switching to that piano preset instantaneous.  And, its memory management is superb, keeping a small footprint for each preset, allowing massive synth racks to be set up without killing performance.

3.  Once the bank of presets is loaded, you can trigger preset changes from any midi event - for me I use a Behringer FCB1010 midi foot pedal board to switch between presets, so it is all done hands free.  Additionally, once you are in performance mode, that list of presets is displayed in giant font size on your computer screen, so it is super easy to see the presets without having to bend over to look at the screen.

The above may not seem like much, but our band prided itself on having the ability to instantly and seamlessly switch from one complex sound to another, and we could transition without a break in sound from faithful covers of diverse songs, like from Floyd's Money, to Baba O'Reilly, to Won't Get Fooled Again, to Genesis's Firth of Fifth.  That ability ROCKS!

Bob Bone

Hey Bob,
 
that sounds awesome, Forte is headed for the top of my shopping list !.
 
I'm not playing live these days, but that could change any time.
I've had a few invites, and there are times I'd like to, but I need to get a decent laptop set up and Forte sound like it really does the business for live gigging.
Sounds like we're the same generation too with similar likes.
 
I find it funny talking to the young ones sometimes about music, you mention bands like Yes, and even Led Zep and you get a blank stare ... because they don't have a clue who you're talking about.
 
Cheers - Cliff

Here is a link to the Brainspawn Forte site.  They have a demo downloadable:  http://www.brainspawn.com/

Bob Bone

Sidroe


Congrats on the White House job. I just want to inquire about how long it takes between songs to load the next song and it's plugs. My problem performing with Sonar live has always been the time it takes to get the next song up and running. If you use playlist, when the first song ends the second song song starts and some of the instruments are still loading. Thus, several parts are missing when the song starts until everything gets loaded. If you load manually, it takes a good 30-90 seconds to load all the samples in those instruments. I was used to using an old Yamaha W5 for years where you just load a complete set worth of songs and hit play. Non-stop music for 45 minutes to an hour. I tried Sonar in live situations and the only way I have found to get seamless back to back performance from song to song is to use the Tts-1 as my tone generator. It sounds okay and gets the job done but will never touch the sound of my using Kontakt, Toontracks, Garritan, etc. I am interested in how you get such quick load times between songs if your using Sonar for your sequencer/playback. Any help from anyone would be appreciated.

I will use Sonar for some of the songs in the gig, and will also use a VST wrapper program called Forte, from Brainspawn, for much of it.  Look for some other comments I posted in this thread on why Forte is my go-to live performance software.  Preset switching is instantaneous, even with several instruments loaded into a multi-rack in Kontakt.


Here again is a link to the Forte site - and they have a downloadable demo version:  http://www.brainspawn.com/


Bob Bone

I appreciate the info from Robert and Cliff. I just always tried to keep things real time for on the fly editing. I will look into Forte. 

robert_e_bone


Would it be bad form to put my Chia Obama on top of my piano, like a bust of Beethoven?

Bob Bone

It'll be ok if you have a lava lamp to go with it. :-)
 
NIce one!

Just wondering if they'll have the money to pay you?

Congrats. I'm totally jealous and completely happy for you.

G

on the chia pet Obama head... I think someone will let you know real quick.... they will search everything you bring in..... 

On running Sonar live from a computer..... all I can say is I hope that system runs solid as a rock. Of all the times it needs to be stable..... this would be the one.  Murphy's Law states that if something can go wrong, it will. 
I would seriously consider freezing the synths to wave and let Sonar be your player if you plan to use it live. Heck I would export the tracks to a play list and work from a stereo track running in Sonar if that's what you want..... 

Anyway... politiks aside... what a cool honor to be invited to play the WH inauguration balls. Take pictures. 

Guitarhacker


on the chia pet Obama head... I think someone will let you know real quick.... they will search everything you bring in..... 

On running Sonar live from a computer..... all I can say is I hope that system runs solid as a rock. Of all the times it needs to be stable..... this would be the one.  Murphy's Law states that if something can go wrong, it will. 
I would seriously consider freezing the synths to wave and let Sonar be your player if you plan to use it live. Heck I would export the tracks to a play list and work from a stereo track running in Sonar if that's what you want..... 

Anyway... politiks aside... what a cool honor to be invited to play the WH inauguration balls. Take pictures. 

Well, my computer is pretty high-end, specs in sig, and I never ever crash in Sonar (or anything else for that matter).


Nonetheless, I will be using Sonar for only some of the stuff, more than likely will have a bunch of tunes set up as backing tracks, and will record my piano playing live over the top - just to have a recording of me playing 'live' at the WH.  I am just background music, so I can load projects in between songs, and besides, I have a separate keyboard with its own sounds to cover me while loading projects.




The bulk of the evening I will be running Forte, for playing tunes that don't need a rhythm section - ballads, classical, easy listening, that sort of thing, and I haven't crashed live with Forte for going on 5 years now.


What I think I might do is print out a picture of the Chia Obama and bring that along, just to get it in a picture - hee hee.


Bob Bone

robert_e_bone
This is off topic - couldn't help myself.

I had submitted a volunteer form online a couple of weeks back, to play piano/keys for one of the presidential inauguration balls they will be having here in DC at the end of the month.

Last night, I got an email from the White House - I got selected to play for one of the balls! :)

So stoked - anyways, I had indicated I had a computerized rig and all of that, and I will get to bring X2a to my jam there!  I have some projects set up that I will play along live with, having drums, bass, etc on midi tracks.

I'll try to get a picture of me, the computer screen showing Sonar up and running, and the background of the ball room, and will post it and also send it to the Bakers for their scrap book.

Too cool - had to share, hope the tux and my waistline get along.

Bob Bone

You are big league!!! I am humbled and will disappear into my little hole.

I got bumped and din't play, though I did attend.
 
Too many divas and not enough stages.
 
Would have been the coolest gig I have ever done.
 
Bob Bone

Bob - that's remarkable that you'll have that experience. I will read your future posts with an understanding now that you've made it to the highest office.

Thanks much for you in your attempt to get a photo of the screen within the setting. Sounds like a tough photo to shoot but it will be col for us users and for the Bakers for sure!