Using a laptop on stage?

[Fredriktunn]

Hey People.

I wanted to ask your opinion on using laptops on stage. I would like to to use my computer based software i.e Using what i have recorded on cubase and also using Korg Legacy, Arturia Minimoog.

But.... I am a novice in this field. So would i simply transfer the recorded stuff onto a laptop, arrange it and then somehow amplify it?

Then there is the issue of MIDI, do i have to sync my synth to the laptop? I want to amplify the stuff from the laptop, then maybe just play the leads or melody live over the recorded stuff, that would seem the best option.

So, if you have any suggestions for me, they would be welcomed

Kind Regards.

[The Cancer Years]

I made everything into mp3's played them through the sound card and then used all external hardware for parts I played.

NOW I am using mp3's having reason open and playing the parts along with them.


I am not going the laptop route now though, I am building a rack computer out of a server and a monitor with a kayboard built in.

It's expensive but laptops are kinda buzzy with the sound.

[fuckrapsputin]

I use a laptop when playing live. basically i put all of my drums, some loops and stuff into ableton live and then use it in live mode or what ever as opposed to the normal sequencer. then i use a sampler to play other loops and use effects, i also use a kaoss pad and a mixer etc...

and as for laptops being buzzy i've found none of this. i use an Audiophile USB soundcard hooked into my mixer then all of it into the PA and its fine.

Mind you my music is pretty ghetto so i wouldn't notice buzzing anyway...

but yeah, Ableton live is killer for using a laptop live, you can have your loops and sequences in it and actually control the sequence in real time and have a lot of fun, its a good time

[Soundwave]

I'd either stick with all hardware of all software live as there are endless problems with PC sound and MIDI latency when putting the two together which probably explains why no one really mixes the two live.

[Stab Frenzy]

We use a laptop when we play live, running Live 6. We don't use any soft synths but we do run a few things like live vocals through Live's fx and haven't had any problems with latency or buzzing or anything, but that's probably because we use a Macbook and a Motu interface.

You should make sure you use a DI with a ground lift with your laptop, that can be the source of a few problems.

I'd either stick with all hardware of all software live as there are endless problems with PC sound and MIDI latency when putting the two together which probably explains why no one really mixes the two live.

I have to disagree here, I know quite a few people who'll use a laptop and hardware on stage together. There's no reason not to do it, a laptop is a piece of hardware after all.

[Soundwave]

We use a laptop when we play live, running Live 6. We don't use any soft synths but we do run a few things like live vocals through Live's fx and haven't had any problems with latency or buzzing or anything, but that's probably because we use a Macbook and a Motu interface.

You should make sure you use a DI with a ground lift with your laptop, that can be the source of a few problems.

I'd either stick with all hardware of all software live as there are endless problems with PC sound and MIDI latency when putting the two together which probably explains why no one really mixes the two live.

I have to disagree here, I know quite a few people who'll use a laptop and hardware on stage together. There's no reason not to do it, a laptop is a piece of hardware after all.

It can be ok when just playing along to a laptop but getting syncing software and hardware sequencers together tightly is very tricky especially with XP in the cooking pot. I know you don't get this problem with the good ole ST but you can't run softsynths on one.

[fOZf8]

Soundwave, that is mostly an issue of poorly supported sound cards....I've played many...I emphasive many shows incorporating soft synths, recorded bounced tracks, and live midi running hardware synths AND syncing and manipulating video with the same midi source...all in time. It requires a solid tweaked PC and a sound card with properly written drivers to do this in XP, or you can just use a good Mac. =]]

[Stab Frenzy]

I totally agree with fozzie. After all, if you bought a cheap arse bit of hardware and tried to sync it properly it could f**k up, the same goes for computers. Especially ones that run windows.

[Umbe78]

I did some gigs with a notebook , guitars and nord lead2 .... also without soundcard!!!
Everythings fine

but .... no vst instruments except the drums... some wav samples

[Soundwave]

I totally agree with fozzie. After all, if you bought a cheap arse bit of hardware and tried to sync it properly it could f**k up, the same goes for computers. Especially ones that run windows.

I’m using Sonar 3.1 on a purpose built AMD64 dual core getting a 2.9ms latency using ASIO and Terratec Phase 28, the drivers are also pretty up to date.
Maybe I’m doing something wrong but the main MIDI out from the card is connected to a thru box which then goes to my Polymorph, 309, Regalwerk (controlling the percussion section of the 309) and an AN1X.
Recording audio to the PC with everything in sync will always result in a minute lag off the beat on the recording which always need to be corrected later when syncing alongside internal softsynths. When palying pre recorded tracks alongside the exteranal hardware its in all sync as they've all been acting against the same lagged MIDI clock but the recorded beats are never bang on with the note marker which means the 2.9ms latency of my PC is the least of my worries. Recording external MIDI sequencers synced to the PC always reveals a few ms time lag, the Quasimidi’s aren’t quite as bad but the AN1X can be up to 1/5th of a 32 note behind.
Everything in the outside worlds syncs nicely together and everything in the software world syncs together but trying to get both to work together in a rock solid harmony is let down by the limits of MIDI perhaps with XP. I’ve come to accept that MIDI is c**p and dated and MIDI latency is something I’ll have to live with and correct in post production. Maybe I should get a Mac, which I’ve heard are better but not perfect?
Maybe I should post this in the help section?

[Stab Frenzy]

Macs run audio and midi as an intergrated part of the OS, unlike ASIO which runs as a background task on windows. What you should be checking out though is latency compensation, I'm not sure if you can do it in Sonar, but it works really well in Live.

[EddieJ]

I use Live on a tablet PC as a MIDI sequencer (no audio).

[Soundwave]

Macs run audio and midi as an intergrated part of the OS, unlike ASIO which runs as a background task on windows. What you should be checking out though is latency compensation, I'm not sure if you can do it in Sonar, but it works really well in Live.

I often use a handy little freebie plugin on the softsynth parts called sampleslide which is basically a time delay that works in ms. I have to run this at around 24ms to let MIDI catch up but it means tweaking softsynths alongside can be sluggish. I find getting sort out what your doing on one first then moving to the other is the best working practice.

I thinking I should have bought a Mac like everyone else.

[brian.only]

played many shows w/ g4 mac and live- zero problems.
I've had more problems w/ my amps in the past really...

[avmus]

Check this link out. I use Live on a G4 powerbook for a lot of prerecorded tracks. I then play through other tracks live. This is a practice, but I use the same setup for gigs. This song has a lot of bass that was recorded in the studio and then used as our main sequence.