I will be using Ableton Push/Novation Launchpad to cover Daft Punk Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger in Ableton Live using loops, Drum rack and samples.
The show will heavily feature a hybrid of pre-sequenced stems and real-time interactive elements, utilizing Ableton’s Session View and Drum Racks. The real-time elements will feature the iconic robotic vocal elements, such as “Work it,” “Make it,” and “Do it,” which are then broken up and sliced into individual audio samples and then mapped out in a 16-pad grid and then rebuilt in real-time via finger drumming. The second Drum Rack will feature the basic percussion elements, enabling the groove to be rebuilt in real-time before seamlessly moving into the looped elements. To enable the real-time elements, the main melodic and rhythmic elements, specifically the chopped up Edwin Birdsong guitar riff and the pulsing synth bassline, will be prepped as a series of quantized audio loops. The rhythmic risers, atmospheric sweeps, and transitional elements will be featured as one-shot elements and underscore elements that bring the entire show together and add dynamics.
In a live workshop or performance setting, this setup is meant to be very visual and instructive. The LED matrices on the controller can give visual feedback, and the audience can see how the physical action corresponds to the sonic output, such as which pad makes which word or drum sound. By utilizing the Session View in Ableton, the song can be sectioned into different vertical scenes. This allows the performer to start the backing loops with one button and have their hands available for the live vocal chops. The modular progression of this track also allows for real-time control. In a workshop setting, different components can be soloed to show how the track is constructed from the ground up. Additionally, the encoders can control live audio effects such as low-pass filters and beat repeats to make organic transitions between different parts of the track, akin to those made by DJs.