Well, I have the opportunity to perform in the breaks of stand up comedy. I believe I will have about 15 min for my performance which I could prepare for. I will perform all my songs. All songs that I have created are combination of Motif and Cubase SX3. I created those song in my home studio - On Motif, in Song mode, each track have its own instrument, then I would first record that instrument in MIDI in Cubase and then that MIDI into audio in Cubase as well. So, my main board for creating music in Cubase. Sometimes I use VST Instruments from Cubase and some effects as well.

I never had this kind of experience of going live. What is the best approach for me? I will play 3 songs. Should I record from Cubase my song without vocals (I will sing) and without some parts as .mp3 or .wav file and then playback it and sing and play with it? I will be alone on the stage.
Or should I save those song from Cubase as MIDI and transport them to Motif and have all songs on Motif?

I’m little bit confused and don’t know from where to start. Can somebody help!

Be prepared. Know how you feel the most comfortable. If you are completely at ease reconstructing your computer on stage (and since you are the fill-in act between main courses) you want to be the most efficient you can be.

The less gear you have to hook up, the better (would be the smart thing to say)… If you have time to troubleshoot the situation and can ensure that plugging your computer into whatever they have in the club is not going to be trouble for you in terms of ground issues, etc… and deal in advance with a place to safely put your computer, etc., etc., and you are totally comfortable in that environment - go for it.

But coming on stage with just the keyboard and a microphone plugged into that keyboard would seem the most relaxed. (I’d transfer the tracks to the Motif sequencer and leave the part you play and the vocals out.)

If you require the VST plug-ins then you have no choice you have to go the computer route, but if you can place the basic tracks (sans the vocals) in your Motif, then that seems to be the most reliable… however, you have the issue of having to load the file.

And while that is certainly going to be quicker than setting up a computer rig, you do have to allow for this in your setup. So be prepared, know what you need to do.  And practice it.

Seriously… create your data and then do a mock setup. Plug the keyboard in, connect it to a sound system, load your data and get an approximate idea of what time that takes.

From the stand point of the audience - they don’t (generally) know what you are doing, but when they see the computer they will assume it is doing everything. And scretly they sit there hoping it crashes (lol).

If you are standing there with just a keyboard and the mic plugged into it, they may never see you hit play on the squencer, and they will be more focused on you and your performance - sure they still are not sure where all the music is coming from, but at least they are focused on you and your performance (and not being distracted by the computer).

Just my two cents. Let us know.

thanks BM,
for now, I will have 3 songs. One song I transferred all MIDI tracks from Cubase to Motif (since all Voices are coming from Motif), and it works just fine. However, in that song, on one part I would like to use an short audio of me singing - only to thicken my singing. I saved that as .w2s and everything is great - except I’m not sure how to import that audio into that song on Motif. I’m not sure even if that is possible (because of the memory of Motif).

For now, the easiest way (that I see) is to record all songs to .mp3 the way I want and then play along and sing along. Mp3 songs would be played from computer. But I’m not sure how to connect all the gear. I’ve never done this. Will I need my Tascam audio midi interface? Probably there will be somebody to assist me. If going this way, I will have to make sure that .mp3 song is not louder or softer than my MIDI instrument I’m playing on Motif.

The problem is with other song where I have used some effects and as I see, the only way is to import audio into Motif - but I’m afraid it’s too large for Motif Classic. It would be beautiful if I could have Cubase project transferred to Motif (not copy paste, but to arrange it the same way in Motif). Is that possible with XS?

(I’d transfer the tracks to the Motif sequencer and leave the part you play and the vocals out.)

Leave the playing part out is understandable, but Vocals? Vocals are audio file. I assume what you wanted to say as leaving vocals out - is generally speaking..

Basically, if one song needs computer, then the easiest way is to do all the songs the same way - on computer.

hm hm.. I’ll see…

Okay,

I’ve been practicing but always more is better. I wont be in the breaks of stand up comedy, I’ll be one of the performers but but with music and hopefully wont give more laugh to audience than comedians… LOL..

I decided how will I perform my songs. I attached picture of how it will look like. Simple, I will play music from Cubase (one song imported on one audio track). I found it easy because when i want to go to the next song, I just press B on laptop, then down and then space (start next song). I recorded those songs the way I will play them - moved away instruments that I will play live, and so far at my home it is working.
Why Cubase? First, it is better if someone looks into monitor on laptop and sees Cubase, then Media player!
Second, it is easier for me to go from song to song. In Media player when song finishes, automatically next one starts to play which is not something I want.
And laptop - I think it looks cool on my Motif specially under some lightning and the space on Motif is as reserved for my Acer.

On Motif while on stage, I will be in Song mode, since in every song I will be using 2 instruments, I will just switch between tracks.

Any suggestions, ideas, thoughts, good wishes are welcome :))

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