Ohm64, Griid, and Live Mashup
We’ve been working with good people over at Liine for some controller/app integration, so when I saw this video from Ohm64 user Dudu Aram (aka Ali Disco B) using the Ohm64, Griid, and Live, I had some questions about integration. His mashups look well conceived and his setup is very compact. He’s using the Ohm64 as his customized “instrument”, which is precisely why we created it in the first place. I thought it might be beneficial for me to share our discussion publicly, and turn it into a QA session.
I recently saw your video mashups on the forums using the Ohm64. Looks like you were using Griid, and Live? Can you tell us more about your setup?
Well before that setup I tried a lot of different gear, especially controllers. I believe i found my favorite setup using a macbook pro running Ableton Live 8 (I like to use only original Live plugins to keep the computer in a good CPU usage), an M-box soundcard using just 2 outputs, and a controller. I love the Livid Ohm64 and the Ipad running Liine Griid. Sometimes i carry a synth with me. The Mopho Keyboard, or for smaller setups, the Korg Monotron.
How do you pick songs for your mashups?
The first thing is i need to enjoy the son. The second thing is a classic song for dancers to understand what a dj can do remixing the tracks live. Sometimes electronic music gets boring for me, and I like to mix it up with Hip-hop, rock’n'roll, pop, disco… and vice-versa. So i decide on tracks and chop only the cool parts that I like. I don’t need to play the full song, just my favorite parts. After that, i analyze the keys using “Mixed in Key” (www.mixedinkey.com).Before using Mixed in Key i used to find the key with the piano, which is a very slow process. So after choosing, choping the cool parts, and analyzing the keys, i like to make a very organized session in Ableton Live. The way I organize the songs it is very helpfull to see the songs on the Ipad running Griid. Sometimes i do need to remaster the pieces i’ve chopped. I like to “equalize” the songs with distortion and use very high compression, this is what makes old songs modern.
How does Griid interact with the Ohm64, or does it at all?
Before working with the Ohm64 i tried TouchOsc with an Ipad, which is really cool for knobs and faders, or note buttons. But when you use the buttons to play it like a drum machine or an MPC, the Ipad has latency. So, i prefer to use the buttons on the Ohm64 for the drum kits or fx i would play like a MPC because there’s no latency. Most of the people use those buttons to launch the clips. I like to work the fx and the percussions, or scratch songs in this space on my Ohm64. I like to launch my clips in Griid so i can read the name of the music I’m lauching. Most of my live technique takes place on the Ohm64, like live glitches, fx interaction, crossfades, etc… With these two controllers I recreate live remixes and mashups. Both controllers have very cool interactions on the stage. I don’t have problems with this setup running at the same time. It’s perfect.
What kind of controls are you using the iPad for vs. the Ohm64? How do you find the work flow between the two?
On the Ohm64 i just have controls for mix and fx. I can’t launch clips on the Ohm’s clip bank because i use the buttons for fx and work flow. With the Ohm64 editor i change the 32 central buttons for “Ctl” and the other 32 I still leave in note mode. In Ableton i did my macros with 8 fx chain for channels. So in the buttons 1,2,3,4, 9,10,11,12 (image 1) are the fx chain of my rack in Channel 1. For each of the 4 channels i have one fx chain with 8 fx to push buttons. (Image 2). In that fx chain i just turn on the fx when the button is pressed. When i release the button the fx stops. With this i can make live glitches with a lot of different fx, and play the fxs like ”percussion”, completely changing the song. The other 32 central buttons i use for samples, which can be drum kits, scratch sounds, or vocal pieces to play and record live loops. In the other side, the Ipad is very helpfull to find the clips I want to build my live mashups. Liine Griid is my sample library, and the Livid Ohm64 in my mixer and fx control.
Where can we see/hear more of your work?
I have this blog about technology, music, video, future, nature… http://alidiscob.com/ and I update it everyday. As Dj producer “Ali Disco B” you can find more things on Itunes, Beatport, and a lot of my tracks can be download for free here in my http://soundcloud.com/alidiscob . Also my Vimeo page http://www.vimeo.com/duduaram is where I upload things I do as Dj and commercially. In my http://www.youtube.com/alidiscob I have my test stuff like my video studies. I’m starting VJing on the side with my Dj gigs now. So I preparing my live shows using Ableton 8 and Modul8 (www.garagecube.com/modul8/) controlling via Ohm64. In these websites I will upload the stuff I’m producing right now. My page on http://www.facebook.com/duduaram is still pretty new. As you can see i have a life on the web where is easy to find me, so everybody can message me that i will reply.