Client: Self
Year: 2008
Role: Sound Design, Instrument Design
Most electronic music performances in 2007 were someone pressing play on a laptop. Istanbul had an avid live scene that pushed against that, and Monome was gaining traction. I wanted a set where I controlled everything in real time.
Ableton Live was the industry standard, but it didn’t have the performance tools I needed. Max for Live didn’t exist yet. So I built three plugins in Max, synced them separately, and used Ableton purely as the host.
S1: Step-Sequencer
S1 is a sample-based step-sequencer for live performance. It handles drums and melodic samples. Point it at a folder, set the speed to half, normal, or double, and build a sequence.
The point is real-time control. Every step’s volume, pitch, and effect send (built-in delay) can be tweaked while the sequence runs. Randomize any parameter at adjustable speeds. The sequence keeps evolving as you perform.
L1: Loop Chopper
Ableton Live could make loops, but it couldn’t improvise new phrases from a loop in real time. L1 does that.
Load a sample, chop it into seven cells. Each cell gets its own size, pitch, and MIDI key. Hit randomize and L1 generates a new phrase from that single loop. Record the output back in Ableton.
M1: Master Controller
Running multiple S1 and L1 instances during a set gets unwieldy. M1 controls sample loading for up to 8 instances from one window. It has a performance timer too, because you lose all sense of time mid-set.
I performed as Buggy Boy with these plugins at venues around Istanbul. Here’s a set from that era. The gear nerds got it. The rest of the crowd danced.