Best way to incorporate drum loops/sequences into a live performance

[BluMunk]

I have a vague idea of what I'd like to do, but this will be new for me, so I'm not sure what the right tools are:

I'll be performing with just myself and vocalists, and there are sections of the original material where there are kind of 90s electronic drum with rap-esque vocals on top. I'd like to be able to trigger these sequences, maybe have them loop for a variable number of times, and then be able to step to the next one when I'm ready (and to be able to trigger the next sequence to start when the current sequence is done playing, not necessarily at the exact moment I trigger it). I'd want to have like 4 different sequences (plus an outro, so I guess 5), some of which will flow directly into each other, and sometimes there will be no percussion, just piano at variable tempos.

I've got a Kurzweil Forte, and that's probably the only relevant piece of gear I have. Maybe I can do this all on the Forte? I'm happy to add something else to my arsenal if it makes sense to do so, but also happy to not throw $$ at this if I don't have to.

[John H Carter]

NI Maschine can do this (I do it for a few songs), and I assume Ableton too. 

[Docbop]

A newer approach is the Akai MPC Key 61 which is like a Ableton, Maschine or Push but has a keyboard too so you have both worlds at your disposal.     The video below Derrick runs the band for a church doing similar approach with his Kronos, Montage, and Roland sequencing on those.   He does it the all the parts so if a bass player or other musician doesn't show up he can then just punch up that part and keep the music going.   He seems to really like the Akai MPC Key 61 from other videos he's done on it. 

 

 

[GovernorSilver]

3 hours ago, BluMunk said:

I've got a Kurzweil Forte

 

I don't have a Forte but this video implies you can indeed load drum loops into your Forte and start/stop them at will. 

 

 

[elsongs]

Best is to have a workstation keyboard that has an onboard sequencer, or what I do is have a laptop + audio interface + USB controller keyboard setup. I personally use Reason 12 as both a sequencer and a VST/RE host. Each song file automatically stores a plugin/effects setup, even without any notes recorded in the sequencer. So in songs that require drum loops/sequences, I'll have a sound that plays a patch that I play live on the keyboard, and I can start the sequencer from the transport controls on my keyboard (I use a Nektar Panorama P6, which works seamlessly with Reason).

I also have a copy of Reason on my studio DAW computer, and I can even work on a song on that computer, and copy the song file to the laptop version. As long as I'm usng the same plugins, the file adapts easily from the studio computer to the laptop with little or no modification.

[BluMunk]

Thanks for the thoughts so far! It's looking like I can set up exactly what I want in the Forte, after watching this video:
 

 

[ProfD]

40 minutes ago, BluMunk said:

Thanks for the thoughts so far! It's looking like I can set up exactly what I want in the Forte, after watching this video:

 

When I read the thread, I already knew the Kurzweil Forte was totally capable of accomplishing the goal.

 

So, I'm glad @GovernorSilver linked the video above and that you also found a video too. 

 

KB workstations have powerful features underneath the hood that become more apparent depending on how one utilizes it.😎

[Franz Schiller]

Regarding the use of drum loops as demonstrated by the Forte above...I have a Kurzweil PC4-7, and I've been wondering about this, specifically when using RIFFs (not audio loops). I can set up a single loop easy peasy but...

 

Let's say you have 3 sections of a song, and you need a different drum loop for each section. How would would you set up a multi so that when you trigger the 2nd or 3rd loop loop, it ALSO ends the 1st loop. The idea here is not have to manually end the 1st loop. I think on drum machines, it might be called a choke group? Anyway! 

[Sean M. H.]

Im

3 hours ago, Franz Schiller said:

Regarding the use of drum loops as demonstrated by the Forte above...I have a Kurzweil PC4-7, and I've been wondering about this, specifically when using RIFFs (not audio loops). I can set up a single loop easy peasy but...

 

Let's say you have 3 sections of a song, and you need a different drum loop for each section. How would would you set up a multi so that when you trigger the 2nd or 3rd loop loop, it ALSO ends the 1st loop. The idea here is not have to manually end the 1st loop. I think on drum machines, it might be called a choke group? Anyway! 

 

I'm not in front of my PC4 (or its manual) at the moment...but don't the RIFFs let you configure both a "Start RIFF" key and a "Stop RIFF" key for each?  If so, you'd just set the "Stop RIFF" key of RIFF #1 to the same note as "Start RIFF" key for RIFF #2.  I'll try to confirm later when I get home if nobody has already done so by then.

 

---------

Edit (duh...I have a soft copy of the manual on my phone):

 

They actually call it "Trigger Range" and "Release Range" vs. Start and Stop.  The nice thing about it being a range instead of a single trigger note is you can configure it such that you don't need to as precise when triggering in context of a live performance.  Maybe have 2 or 3 trigger...leave 2 or 3 notes that neither trigger or release (for some separation)...then have the next 2 or 3 notes release/stop

 

[Franz Schiller]

Thanks Sean! I'll experiment with that method.

[murphybridget]

To achieve the electronic drum sequences and rap-esque vocals, you might consider using a MIDI controller or a pad trigger system alongside a sampler or a digital audio workstation (DAW).