Playing live requires a considerable amount of courage, thoughtful preparation, and of course, some investment in the right (reliable) tech. Let’s explore the technical setup considerations, and other factors, that could transform your gig into a showstopper…

> play music now / back to live

Ableton Live’s Session View is renowned as the gold standard of live performance DAWs, with good reason

We’ve lost count of the number of artists who cite the live experience as the highlight of their careers. Though the music-making process is profoundly rewarding, its magic pales when pitted against the euphoric highs of playing your tracks to a mass of enthusiastic and appreciative spectators. However, with the last year-anda-bit spent mainly locked behind closed doors, and venues heartbreakingly closing around the world, the magic of the gig-sphere has been tantalisingly out of reach.

As we see restrictions lift, it’s understand- able that many artists are itching to get back out there, and even more budding performers are gearing up for their first ever shows. The pandemic aside, making the leap from bedroom producer to attention-seizing live performer has long been a daunting venture. But it needn’t be. In this feature we’ll guide you through the major considerations you need to make, with- out overly prescribing ‘what’ to do. Our aim is to help you to make the right calls and avoid any potential mishaps, feel confident and get the best from live life.

Live and let live

OK, so let’s start by boiling things down to four fundamental factors. We can broadly sort our live concerns under the following overall quarters – the gear, the performance, the gigs and the audience. Let’s begin with the first.