Show and tell: my live performance setup
How I use the iPad and iPhone together on stage for a portable, powerful performance rig
Before jumping in - I want to express my deepest thanks for your patience while I took some time off from Substack. I’m hoping to start posting more regularly again, now that (sort of?) a routine with the kids is developing, and I have more familiarity with what to expect day to day.
The ongoing support from paying subscribers has been massively appreciated during this time. Thank you!
Today’s post is all about how I approach a live performance with my band Hotel Neon. I thought this would be especially relevant because coming up on Saturday, December 9, we’ll be performing at the Gatherings Concert Series here in Philadelphia. Joining us will be Lowercase Noises and Slow Meadow from Albuquerque and Houston, respectively, in what will be a great follow up to our tour together last year.
If you’re in the area and available, please do stop by - it’s free to attend in person. For those not in the Philly area, there will also be a live stream on YouTube. Check the event page for details: http://www.thegatherings.org/142gather.html
Video demo:
I’ve prepared a somewhat lengthy video about this topic in which I play through one of the songs in our setlist and demonstrate the template I’ll be performing with. You can check it out on YouTube for a visual companion to this post.
The gear: iPad, iPhone, and interface
Those who are familiar with my process will know that I use a revolving door of Laptop, iPad, and Octatrack to make my music. For this show, I’m using the simplest of all setups: just the iPad, with my phone as a MIDI controller on the side.
This setup is all about a couple key things:
Have as much fun as possible, with room for improvisation.
I don’t want to stand in front of people and launch clips or backing tracks all night. I’d like to “perform” my own loops and transform samples in creative ways. We never play a set the same way and we never go into a song following a defined path…I have to be able to respond to dynamic changes and new ideas from my bandmates.
Use the most portable and efficient layout of gear to play the set.
I hate to check bags, so I’ve put in place a “carry on only” rule for fly dates. I also want to minimize stress at the venue; playing shows can be hard enough even without gear failures at soundcheck or floundering around looking for the source of a signal interruption. I want my stuff to be portable and simple to use, period.
Maximize playability.
Effects and software instruments I use will ideally be “playable,” meaning that they are engaging and fun to use. This is why I gravitate to the iPad so much; touch/gestural control of sound is inherently more fun than, and a welcome relief from, the linear “point-and-click” nature of the studio.
Audio interface: iConnectivity Audio 4c
Long-time readers will know that I have a special affinity for the iConnectivity Audio 4c interface, and that I use it to connect and integrate my iPad with my laptop in the studio.
The headline features are amazing but I won’t rehash them here. I have prepared a few posts in the past about it; if you’re not already familiar with them, it may be useful to read them to understand what I’m referring to with the iConnectivity hardware and my philosophy behind all this. (See those here and here)
Instead, I’ll highlight the things I love the most for live performances:
Design. I very much appreciate the slim geometry of this interface! The single, low profile button on the front is the only protruding piece anywhere. It’s very easy to slide it into a small case when traveling. It’s also a hefty, sturdy piece of metal, and very confidence-inspiring when tossed about.
Self-contained charger and USB Hub. Typically, using an audio interface with an iPad means that you’ll need a healthy charge on the iPad prior to the show, or potentially a power adapter plus USB hub…especially when using MIDI controllers. But not so with the Audio 4c, because the USB2 port charges the connected device while also processing audio and MIDI, which means my iPad is fully juiced for the duration of the show without any extra adapters. It’s so nice - indescribably nice - to not turn anything off after sound check out of fear of battery drain, to not worry about powered USB hubs, and to forget about the battery meter in the top right of the iPad status bar. It can stay connected and powered on all night with no risk.
USB Audio and MIDI. Because audio and MIDI is sent between iPad and iPhone through USB and bluetooth, it eliminates excess cable connections. Replicating this would normally require two interfaces, two output cable pairs, two DIN MIDI pairs and so on…but here, I don’t need anything more than 2 USB-C cables (for iPad and iPhone) plus the 2 balanced TRS cables I use to send to our on-stage mixer. Fewer cables also means fewer points of failure to identify and correct in the event of an on-stage disaster (and yes, it has happened before! Nothing like hot-swapping a USB cable mid-set).
The iPad
The crux of the setup is, of course, the iPad connected to the Audio 4c interface on Port 2 (for those asking: I use a 3rd Gen iPad Pro 11” from 2021).
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