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Using a MacBook Pro whilst gigging?

B

bmh16

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 5, 2008
155
0
South Wales, UK
Right, looking at getting an upgrade to my MacBook soon. iMac was on top of the list but the problem is as in the next 2 or 3 months we might well be looking at the possibility of gigging but i presume the MacBook won't be up to this, so whilst i wanted to get an iMac initially, is getting an MacBook Pro a better option and what model would i need to buy to ensure that it has enough quality to use for gigging purposes?

Thank you.
 
bmh16 said:
Right, looking at getting an upgrade to my MacBook soon. iMac was on top of the list but the problem is as in the next 2 or 3 months we might well be looking at the possibility of gigging but i presume the MacBook won't be up to this, so whilst i wanted to get an iMac initially, is getting an MacBook Pro a better option and what model would i need to buy to ensure that it has enough quality to use for gigging purposes?

Thank you.
Click to expand...

what is it going to be used for on the gigs? sound mixing, light production, synthesizer sampling?
 
ViciousShadow21 said:
what is it going to be used for on the gigs? sound mixing, light production, synthesizer sampling?
Click to expand...

On the structure of a duo where someone is singing and the other (me) has the mac which has the song on, i haven't looked into this, so i wouldn't know what i would be doing whether i would be mixing or what? As we have only just started out we would want to be prepared and be able to get the money in time for such events. Sound has electronic sound, rnb style vocals, pop structure of verse and chorus, i guess from first hand thinking
 
bmh16 said:
On the structure of a duo where someone is singing and the other (me) has the mac which has the song on, i haven't looked into this, so i wouldn't know what i would be doing whether i would be mixing or what?
Click to expand...

sorry im a little confused and maybe im reading this wrong, but someone is going to be singing and your going to be on your computer reenacting the rest of the band? sorry if i've miss understood
 
ViciousShadow21 said:
sorry im a little confused and maybe im reading this wrong, but someone is going to be singing and your going to be on your computer reenacting the rest of the band? sorry if i've miss understood
Click to expand...
what are you using as a host software/hardware? Ive always wanted to try playing live guitar using Protools and GuitarRig thru a computer but always fear the lag :( Hopefully my MBP arrives Friday so I can put that to test :)
For kicks I play in a top 40 cover band using a PRS SwampAsh and Line6 Spider II Bogner combo :)
 
if you don't need to re-enact the whole band, you can use ableton live to trigger the basic rhythm section of the songs you need and do an accompaniment with piano or guitar using a VST plugin either through MIDI-In or USB/Firewire. whatever your choice, you will need a quality firewire or USB audio interface to make sure the lag and program are synced properly.

i gig with a MBP for DJ gigs using Serato which works pretty well. for guitar stuff, i am still a hardcore fan of my tube amps with a nice mic in front of it. out-of-studio mixing is done on the MBP for logic and ableton sessions.
 
bmh16 said:
Right, looking at getting an upgrade to my MacBook soon. iMac was on top of the list but the problem is as in the next 2 or 3 months we might well be looking at the possibility of gigging but i presume the MacBook won't be up to this, so whilst i wanted to get an iMac initially, is getting an MacBook Pro a better option and what model would i need to buy to ensure that it has enough quality to use for gigging purposes?

Thank you.
Click to expand...

I had often used my MacBook while giggling, and my new 17" UMBP is just as suited for this purpose. In fact I often laugh my ass off when I see my wife using her 17" Dell Studio. So have no fear.

Oh, wait, ummm... Never mind.

Sorry, had to.
 
I've used my black macbook for the past year with no problems. I suspect the Pro would only be better.
 
BlueJayLouchE said:
Yes!

Have you seen the APC40?... thoughts?
Click to expand...

that should work pretty well. i was using a korg kontrol49 for a long time which was fine for me. together with the APC40, you'd have full control of ableton for anything you could possible want to do. akai makes solid stuff so this ought to be well made. i suggest you try em out at a local store.

most of the time, i dont bring a controller with my mbp since i do editing on the lappy when i am flying and waiting at the airport. i test and edit loops in between flights so i can just import them into existing sets or songs.
 
bmh16 said:
On the structure of a duo where someone is singing and the other (me) has the mac which has the song on, i haven't looked into this, so i wouldn't know what i would be doing whether i would be mixing or what? As we have only just started out we would want to be prepared and be able to get the money in time for such events. Sound has electronic sound, rnb style vocals, pop structure of verse and chorus, i guess from first hand thinking
Click to expand...

Sounds to me that you will be using the computer for the background music while you and the other person will be singing. The computer will just be one aspect of what you will be needing ie: sound system, microphones. In that mix you will need some type of audio mixer that will have the computer and microphones inputed into it. The Macbook Pro will be just fine for what you need, even a Macbook will do as it will be for the backing audio tracks. I deal with a lot of small bands and bigger groups that use a laptop as either to play the main audio tracks or reinforce the musicians on the stage.

A laptop will suit you just fine, besides if you are going to be traveling around and performing the more compact you can get your gear the easier it is for set up and tear down...
 
jonbravo77 said:
Sounds to me that you will be using the computer for the background music while you and the other person will be singing. The computer will just be one aspect of what you will be needing ie: sound system, microphones. In that mix you will need some type of audio mixer that will have the computer and microphones inputed into it. The Macbook Pro will be just fine for what you need, even a Macbook will do as it will be for the backing audio tracks. I deal with a lot of small bands and bigger groups that use a laptop as either to play the main audio tracks or reinforce the musicians on the stage.

A laptop will suit you just fine, besides if you are going to be traveling around and performing the more compact you can get your gear the easier it is for set up and tear down...
Click to expand...

Thanks all!

Yep you got it! I'm using Logic Studio btw if that makes much difference. My current audio interface is weak. The Mbox 2 i was looking at, would that be a good enough audio interface to use? I will think long and hard whether to keep this MacBook (and get an iMac to improve home editing/mixing) or get the MacBook Pro to give me more power on the move!
 
I use the MB Pro with Logic and Pro Tools, Ableton Live too.
It works without problems...
You can mix live your songs, mute/unmute tracks, play with plugins etc.
Ableton Live is more geared towards gigging (what a word) :)
A USB controller of some sort would come in very handy though.
And use a fast FW800 drive whereon the audio resides.

Oh...before I forget. Don't go away from home without your power adapter! :D
 
kinohaitsma said:
I use the MB Pro with Logic and Pro Tools, Ableton Live too.
It works without problems...
You can mix live your songs, mute/unmute tracks, play with plugins etc.
Ableton Live is more geared towards gigging (what a word) :)
A USB controller of some sort would come in very handy though.
And use a fast FW800 drive whereon the audio resides.

Oh...before I forget. Don't go away from home without your power adapter! :D
Click to expand...
Ok thanks! I've seen Pro Tools mentioned to me before, never really looked at what it is, Ableton Live too, what do they do and do they work with Logic in some way or other then?

What sort of MB Pro should i look at getting too then?

Thanks again :)
 
Pro Tools is very fast at editing audio and recording it; it's most used in studios around the world. Look at it like a digital tape machine with added functions, like mixer automation and plugins. A bit of MIDI too.
For live applications I would say Ableton is propably most suited:
it's basically a sample player/multi tracker, that converts all imported audio to a tempo, set by the user. This is great, say you have a bunch of allready edited loops on your drive, in different tempos. You open a song in Ableton, set the tempo to whatever you want and import some loops. It will convert the tempo of the imported stuff, which is very cool. The other thing is that AL arranges the song into slots, and you can trigger these slots with a keyboard or controller. Say you have a intro/verse/chorus/bridge and so on. All these sections have different slots. When you choose a slot it jumps to the beginning of that section the NEXT bar. Handy, because you're choosing to go to a different slot somewhere in the preceding bar of the previous section.
Than, you just add more tracks, and AL has builtin plugins that are a lot of fun, for live tweaking, filters and so on.
This is gonna sound like a commercial for Ableton Live...
Anyway; the software is also designed to never crash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMg34DXvfB4&feature=related

I'd get a 17in MB Pro if you want to view a lot. Otherwise a 15in will do. I have a last year model, dual 2.5 and it's fine.
 
I mis-read the title and thought it said "Using a MacBook Pro whilst giggling" :eek:

Nothing useful or constructive, but it did make me giggle whilst viewing the forums on my MBP.
 
I use mac laptops exclusively for live electronic music (using Ableton as a live DAW running various soft synths and hardware synths/drum machines and sequencers) it's not uncommon for my sets to have 8 channels of audio running at the same time with 20+ plugins running for live manipulation (including waves, and SSL plugins)

Until a few weeks ago I was running all of this off a 2.0ghz white macbook with 2 gigs of ram. It handled it all pretty ok, it wasn't at the limit of what was capable but it was getting there. I now have a 2.53ghz macbook pro with 4gb of ram and the thing flies! I can throw everything I can it and it handles it fine. The other issue was cooling/physical strength of the case. The MBP stays about 20 degrees c cooler than the MB, something that's very very useful in a sweaty club/venue! Also the plastic MB flimsiness was issue for me, laptops can get knocked or beer spilled on them and I think the MBP will handle that much better!

That being said I think the MB unibody or even the plastic one will be perfect for your needs. I used my plastic macbook to record live bands that ended up on MTV and channel 4 in the uk no problems. You could load up all you logic sessions with all your tracks and use it like a tape player. look into a program called onstage at

http://www.fluqe.com/

This will allow you to jump between logic sessions super fast. Or you could lay all the stereo bounces out at home and just play them at the show

WHATEVER you do DO NOT buy an Mbox. Digidesign make sh*t hardware (the preamps and A/D converters suck) invest in a good firewire interface (Such as the Focusrite Saffire/RME Fireface/MOTU traveller) you'll be thankful in the long run, plus you can use it at home. I also dislike pro tools, but that's for geeky technical reasons I won't go into here.

For your house maybe just get a big screen for your laptop?

Hope this helps.
 
sochet said:
I use mac laptops exclusively for live electronic music (using Ableton as a live DAW running various soft synths and hardware synths/drum machines and sequencers) it's not uncommon for my sets to have 8 channels of audio running at the same time with 20+ plugins running for live manipulation (including waves, and SSL plugins)

Until a few weeks ago I was running all of this off a 2.0ghz white macbook with 2 gigs of ram. It handled it all pretty ok, it wasn't at the limit of what was capable but it was getting there. I now have a 2.53ghz macbook pro with 4gb of ram and the thing flies! I can throw everything I can it and it handles it fine. The other issue was cooling/physical strength of the case. The MBP stays about 20 degrees c cooler than the MB, something that's very very useful in a sweaty club/venue! Also the plastic MB flimsiness was issue for me, laptops can get knocked or beer spilled on them and I think the MBP will handle that much better!

That being said I think the MB unibody or even the plastic one will be perfect for your needs. I used my plastic macbook to record live bands that ended up on MTV and channel 4 in the uk no problems. You could load up all you logic sessions with all your tracks and use it like a tape player. look into a program called onstage at

http://www.fluqe.com/

This will allow you to jump between logic sessions super fast. Or you could lay all the stereo bounces out at home and just play them at the show

WHATEVER you do DO NOT buy an Mbox. Digidesign make sh*t hardware (the preamps and A/D converters suck) invest in a good firewire interface (Such as the Focusrite Saffire/RME Fireface/MOTU traveller) you'll be thankful in the long run, plus you can use it at home. I also dislike pro tools, but that's for geeky technical reasons I won't go into here.

For your house maybe just get a big screen for your laptop?

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

i agree with some of what you say. i have an HD system at home and it works well..however, i also have an RME rig at my rehearsal space as well that sounds a bit warmer than the HD. that RME rig is set up with an OCX clock and apogee rosetta 800 converters. ive had the HD for a while and i am very comfortable with PT, especially PT8, but to say Digi makes sh*t stuff is a farfetched opinion....heck, a majority of the stuff recorded nowadays professionally are done on PT and they certainly don't sounds like sh*t to me.
 
Yes a lot of music today is recorded on pro tools, but the majority of of studios I've seen/have used don't use an entire digidesign rig. YOu can use the PCI cards and then say use preamps and a/d converters from say Apogee or Prism. For the money you're paying for the right the hardware isn't very good at all (and don't get me started on LE, limited track count? no plugin delay compensation? Fruity loops has that now ffs)

You're the fist person that's ever spoken to me individually about liking their hardware (a long held slogan for Digidesign at Abby Road is dodgydesign) but hey, to each their own. If you can get the results you want out of that setup, more power to you!

Also you can't really judge finished products on quality of Digidesign's products, it would have gone through various preamps, desks and ever tape. After all they're gonna be re-converted and encoded at the mastering stage using high end stuff like Crane song, Lynx etc. (there's a reason why you NEVER see Digidesign products in high end mastering houses, past getting files out of projects etc.) Also there are "Differences" in the way British engineers and American engineers mix too, so I guess what's good for me isn't good for you.

For the money you're paying it's a bit of a con, At the end of the day you're paying for the software, which is all good but there are much better options for the money.

Take that Mbox for example, I have synths with higher end a/d converters! The gain of the preamps is around 24dB below that of say the Focusrite, making them unsuitable for Ribbon mics. It can't go above 48khz sample rate and everyone I know who has one have issues with connection to the computer. Seriously, get the rosetta into your main studio, or ask to try a Prism box and you won't regret it!
 
My band used to use a couple of iMac G5's a few years back. Never had any problems. We had the iluggit cases or whatever they were called. At the time, it offered us more bang for the buck, larger screens etc, and they looked pretty classy on stage. I'm on a newer iMac now and would definitely consider gigging with it again.

btw, the Native Instruments Audio Kontrol 1 is a killer deal and sounds pristine.
 
I recently sold my Digidesign Digi 002 Pro Tools board.... right before I got my new MacBook Pro. In fact, a lot of the money I got for that funded the new Mac laptop.
I miss it VERY much now :(
Hopefully I will be getting a new one this summer... maybe the Digi 003. I can't wait to start using Pro Tools again...especially to finally use it on a Mac :D:apple:
 
<Off Topic>

I read the title of this thread and thought it said, "Using a MacBook Pro whilst giggling."

Then I saw 15+ posts and thought; "wow, a lot of people giggle while using their computer" and "why would you giggle while using a MacBook Pro."

Once I opened it, I started to giggle when I found out I was mistaken. Then I decided I'd post this so others can giggle whilst using their MBP.


:D:D:D

</Off Topic>
 
fleshman03 said:
<Off Topic>

I read the title of this thread and thought it said, "Using a MacBook Pro whilst giggling."

Then I saw 15+ posts and thought; "wow, a lot of people giggle while using their computer" and "why would you giggle while using a MacBook Pro."

Once I opened it, I started to giggle when I found out I was mistaken. Then I decided I'd post this so others can giggle whilst using their MBP.


:D:D:D

</Off Topic>
Click to expand...

Well done, you're only the fourth person to mention it in the thread! :rolleyes:

About the 17 inch MacBook Pro, what model should i be looking at getting, what add ons etc.?

About the audio interface i have a £400 budget here i have given myself, what is the best i can get with a budget for this?
 
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