Using the Digi/AIR plugins live

[badseed79]

I'm really enjoying using the new plugins in PT8 LE, especially miniGrand, DB-33, and Boom!

Given their low-ish loads on both CPU and RAM they would be great to use live (I use an Openlabs Neko with Ableton Live, with Reason, NI B4, Scarbee and assorted other plugs to play live).

Does Digi / AIR have any intention of giving us a way to use them live with other applications? I'm more hesitant to use them on my recordings if I can't reproduce the sounds live.

badseed

[H-man]

Badseed-

I'm really clueless how to use an app. such as Reason or PT live. How do you go about doing it? I just got my first Macbook, and really want to use it live with my Axiom keyboard. I think this would really add some nice layers to my sound.

Should I take my rack with my converters and just run a line out of the converters into the PA, or would you run that into a nice clean sounding amp?

I would love to hear about your setup. I have Reason 4 and PT8, and I agree, the AIR VI's would be awesome live. Thanks for the info.

[RussUK]

You would need to run them via Pro Tools live, this would mean either taking your existing interface with you on the road or investing in a portable one from the Mbox range,of course if you invested in a larger interface this would give you the option of having separate outputs for your instruments and greater control in the mix.

It may sound a bit scary taking a computer out live, but I was doing it 20 years ago with some pretty big names on huge tours, and the computers seemed to cope with the tough world of touring then (it was crossed fingers most of the time), I'd feel much more secure these days!

[badseed79]

Originally Posted by RussUK

You would need to run them via Pro Tools live

Unfortunately PT is really not engineered for rock-solid live usage. For example, adding or removing effects / VI's etc results in short audio pauses.

It'd probably be okay to run backing tracks etc, and even simplified VI operation, but I wouldn't trust it for anything rigorous that needs a lot of controlling (ie we're getting into live vocal manipulation, and some live looping too).

[RussUK]

Originally Posted by badseed79

Unfortunately PT is really not engineered for rock-solid live usage. For example, adding or removing effects / VI's etc results in short audio pauses.

It'd probably be okay to run backing tracks etc, and even simplified VI operation, but I wouldn't trust it for anything rigorous that needs a lot of controlling (ie we're getting into live vocal manipulation, and some live looping too).

Have you played with Transfuser yet?

[badseed79]

Originally Posted by RussUK

Have you played with Transfuser yet?

Not yet, was thinking of giving the trial a go after reading about it on the AIR users blog.

But from what I can see it's still reliant on running PT LE, as it doesn't seem to have a standalone mode.

So I don't think it'll help me use any of your cool new plug-ins in our live shows, without having to sample them into a seperate format which I really cannot be bothered doing. Unfortunately it looks like I'll have to buy ezdrummer instead of strike for our drummer to use live (with a Roland TD20).

Thanks for the replys though. I guess I can understand Digidesign not wanting other software developers to use RTAS VI's and plug-ins, but from a users perspective it kind of limits their usefullness.

[Stiff]

I wouldn't trust PTLE in a live situation. But hey, that's just me, I know people who use it live with success.

[Sofine]

Transfuser is absolutely inspiring. I have used it on most of my recent tunes in some capacity or other. Besides the quality loops that come packaged with it, the effects and workflow are outstanding. Beatcutter is too cool to even try to describe.

Re live. I have been toying with the idea of MPC5000 (wuth the new hard disc dstreaming feature), however, transfuser, vacuum and structure have caused me to rethink this. I may now consider a souped up laptop, launch protools with instances of transfuser, structure and vacuum on multiple intrument / aux tracks. You can route audio / midi into Protools and have these instruments / effects do their thing without even hitting play in protools - which would significantly reduce the likelihood of a crash. Yeah, no MTC or sync, but I could live without that for the first few gigs, until I get more confident about it!

[RussUK]

Originally Posted by Stiff

I wouldn't trust PTLE in a live situation. But hey, that's just me, I know people who use it live with success.

So when a guitar string breaks or a drum stick or a fuse in a power amp is it 'cancel the gig?'

In my experience the odds are the same.

[H-man]

Originally Posted by Sofine

Transfuser is absolutely inspiring. I have used it on most of my recent tunes in some capacity or other. Besides the quality loops that come packaged with it, the effects and workflow are outstanding. Beatcutter is too cool to even try to describe.

Re live. I have been toying with the idea of MPC5000 (wuth the new hard disc dstreaming feature), however, transfuser, vacuum and structure have caused me to rethink this. I may now consider a souped up laptop, launch protools with instances of transfuser, structure and vacuum on multiple intrument / aux tracks. You can route audio / midi into Protools and have these instruments / effects do their thing without even hitting play in protools - which would significantly reduce the likelihood of a crash. Yeah, no MTC or sync, but I could live without that for the first few gigs, until I get more confident about it!

Yeah, true, you could load up istances of any VI's you want to use live and just use them without putting much load on the CPU. This is always true when not hitting play in PT. It's too bad you cannot use the AIR VI's as a standalone app. too, like Reason. This would make it much more flexible. Heck, I bet Digi would sell a lot more VI's going that way. I think I'm going to take my rig to my next practive and give it a go.