1. Don’t go outside

2. Island

3. Tiger

4. Lightbulb

Now all we need is a band name, a website, and some funky looking CDs.

Basically I have a live set with three input channels - one for Becky (flute/sax) one for Jim’s vocals, and one for Jim’s keyboards.

Each input track sends its output to three recording tracks, so it’s possible to build up to three layers from each source. There are two additional rhythm tracks preloaded with drum loops.

Now I put compressors on the three input tracks, to try and even out the sound levels (particularly the difference in input level between Becky’s sax and flute). They also really help to produce an even sounding bass track.

However, when layering three recordings from the same source, the overall sound level is too high, so I start off with the levels of the record channels turned down slightly. That means that the live sounds come through loud and clear, but are reduced when looped back.

Furthermore, I was putting a compressor on the main output channel, to stop clipping. However, this has a nasty effect when the bass line first comes in - it tends to take up the headroom and reduce all the other channels.

You can hear this on our first attempt at the live track who’s working title is “choir”.

In this second attempt I turned off most of the compressors.

If anyone has any comments or tips for creating a more even live sound I’d be very grateful. The problem is that mixing while recording and looping live is a fairly hectic business!

Cheers,

Steve.

Had a great time down the Candle Club on Monday night.

Becky played flute and sax, Jim played keyboard and sang, and I looped everything in Live.

Seemed to go down pretty well with the crowd too, which was pleasing.

Sadly we didn’t record the output of the laptop because we were a bit pushed for setup time, but I think maybe Di recorded it from the crowd on Jim’s minidisc so if I manage to track that down and the quality doesn’t turn out to be too bad I’ll post it here sometime.

Mixing stuff on stage proved a bit tricky as the foldback monitors drowned out anything going on in my headphones, which ruled out and subtle effects mangling.

A great time had by all!

Jim Becky and I got together for our final practice last Tuesday before taking the show on the road (or at least down to the Talking Heads next Monday night).

You can listen to one of the pieces we made, recorded live on a minidisc, by clicking here.

It’s quite a challenge to create 8 minutes (240 bars @ 120bpm) of interesting loop based electronic music from scratch given 2 minutes setup time. We seem to have settled on a way of working which will hopefully do the job.

The limited setup time sadly means that I can’t take my midi controllers, so everything will be done with the mouse unless I can develop a decent computer keyboard strategy before monday. So what with recording what Jim and Becky are doing, sorting out the levels, and sending audio streams off to various effect busses it looks like I’ll have my hands full.

Can’t wait!

On Wednesday night Jim and I got together for another looping practice. We’re trying to put together a 10 minute live set where most of the music is created on stage and looped on my laptop using Live. We want to take Fake Plastic Loops to The Candle Club.

This is our third practice, but the first time we’ve ever recorded the output to minidisc. It’s amazing how a set that sounds promising during production ends up as a muddy tedious mess on review. That’s how our first effort turned out.

For the second effort we decided to simplify the process, only recording at most two loops of each part. That one went much better. Still a bit ropey for my liking (like when the drum beats come in out of nowhere). You can listen to it here (including 16 FREE seconds of silence at the start). Roll on next Wednesday night when we’re practicing with Becky.

Onwards and upwards.

Fake Plastic Flute, formerly known as OK Flute, formerly known as Steve & Becky, Southampton’s second best flute based Radiohead tribute act, played the Talking Heads Candle Club showcase night yesterday, alongside some of Southampton’s brightest and best musical talent (including the Jewel-like Megan and the rockin Emma from up and coming indie band http://www.fleeingnewyork.com ).

Had an absolutely fantastic time - such a buzz being up on stage! Here are the songs we played:

Thinking about you
Nice dream
Lucky
The Gloaming
True Love Waits
Karma Police

People said nice things afterwards. Not sure if they were being polite, but we’re grateful either way!

Becky and I left the venue in a happy ready-brek style glow discussing plans for the future of FPF, which must surely include addressing tracks from Kid A and Amnesiac, and somehow working the laptop into the set.

Rock and Roll!

A bit of a delayed report, but it looks like the first public outing of OK flute went down pretty well. As usual I stuffed up “Nice Dream” partly due to nerves/forgetting chords, etc. etc., but Karma Police passed without incident. All in all an average performance.

Imagine our surprise, therefore, when we were asked to play a half hour set at the Talking Heads showcase night on Sunday 3rd July.

In a fit of optimism and post-performance adrenaline (and also partly due to the fact that we’ve not had a chance to air our rendition of The Gloaming yet) we said we’d do it, shortly after which time we considered the logistics involved in making three Radiohead songs last for half an hour.

Time to crack out the old Radiohead chord books methinks. A song from each album, that’s the aim!

Come down and see us at The Talking Heads, Portswood Road, Southampton, UK to see how it all ends up.

On Monday Becky and I will be taking our flute-based Radiohead tribute combo, OK Flute to the Candle Club (open mic night at the Talking Heads, Portswood Rd, Southampton).

We hope to be on sometime round 9.30pmish and will be performing popular tracks from The Bends and OK Computer.

Full report to follow!

This month I finally splashed out on a new laptop. Now I can try and make tunes on the other side of my bedroom door which is scary.

Last weekend I took it on a family camping holiday in Cornwall but didn’t get to do much tunage what with it being quite an anti-social activity. Still, the potential is there. I’d love to get a live set together sometime soon.