Performing live with MIDI controllers: Squarp Pyramid, Vermona Drums, Moog Sirin bass & Game Boy!
170Hey all! I'm super excited to announce the launch of my new book "Performing Electronic Music Live", which will come out with Routledge later in 2021.
This tutorial video accompanies chapter 3 of the book, where I talk about MIDI and CV performance controllers. In this video, I demonstrate how you can perform electronic music without a laptop. We are using two very different MIDI controllers – a Squarp Pyramid MIDI sequencer and a MIDI keyboard – to control a Moog Sirin Limited Edition Bass synthesizer, a Vermona DRM-1 MK-III drum synthesizer and a 90s Game Boy colour. The result is a grungy, noisy LoFi warehouse rave sound. You can read a summary of the book chapter below.
** Content
00:00 Introduction
00:32 About MIDI controllers
02:14 The Setup
03:21 Performing Music on a Game Boy
06:29 The Squarp Pyramid MIDI Sequencer Overview
09:38 Bass notes
12:03 Euclidean Rhythms
14:07 Vermona DRM1 MK III
15:14 Live Sound Design: Moog Sirin and Allen&Heath ZED 12FX
16:57 Performance
** About chapter 3 "MIDI and CV Performance Controllers":
This chapter explores the design paradigms and functions governing the world of hardware controllers for electronic music performance. In order to use hardware controllers confidently, it is useful to have a good understanding of how they communicate with each other. Therefore, the first half of the chapter introduces two commonly used types of control signals. First, the old but still popular CV/Gate connection type is explained. Next, the MIDI protocol is introduced, including MIDI 2.0 and MPE (MIDI polyphonic expression). In the second half of the chapter, the vast world of hardware design paradigms is discussed. Among these are simple controls like buttons, knobs, faders and sliders, controllers that resemble traditional musical instruments, modular controllers, motion-controlled performance hardware, sequencers, clock signal generators and more.
** Find out more about the book on the companion website:
performingelectronicmusic.live
** Order the book here:
https://routledge.pub/PerformingElectronicMusicLive
** More about the book:
Performing Electronic Music Live
This comprehensive book lays out the conceptual approaches, tools and techniques for performing electronic music, from DJing, DAWs, MIDI controllers, traditional instruments, live sound design, hardware setups, custom software and hardware to live visuals, venue acoustics and live show promotion. Via the companion website, performingelectronicmusic.live, readers can expand on their knowledge with hands-on video tutorials for each chapter.
Live music is exhilarating – it creates life-changing experiences and powerful emotions. Technology can make us feel empowered, enable us to overcome limiting beliefs and allow us to achieve a high level of creative expression, no matter our background or skillset. The options are virtually endless, ranging from laptop setups to new instruments built from scratch. Through case studies and contrasting tutorials by successful artists, Kirsten Hermes guides us through many different ways in which you can create memorable experiences on stage. This is backed up with historic and scientific facts ranging from psychology to marketing. The book also features interviews with highly accomplished musicians and practitioners, including superstar trance DJ Alex M.O.R.P.H., BBC Audio R&D and live show designer Laura Escudé, who has worked with Kanye West, Missy Elliot and Herby Hancock.
The book is not a dogmatic to-do list, but rather, it explores many contrasting examples of successful approaches, to help you turn overwhelm into inspiration. Whether you are a student, hobby producer or a more advanced performer, this book gives you a comprehensive overview over your options. Students of music production courses, particularly at postgraduate level, but also researchers in the field of creative-focused performance technology will find this to be a useful, all-encompassing resource, with many starting points and resources for a deeper creative exploration.
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