For a couple of months, I've been working on new music for a longer set. I was inspired by Martin Sturtzer's work and wanted to build something that was both longer and yet simpler than what I've done so far.

The idea is to build a full set out of eight tracks. Each track is a single eight bar pattern with the arrangement done live to bring the different parts in and out. Every track has the same eight conceptual parts: kick, snare/clap, shaker, hats, bass, sharp synth, softer synth, and atmosphere/lead. Each track is a single row of clips on the LaunchPad Mini, and each part is a column. Once I've filled every square on the LaunchPad, I'm done writing.

For the live performance, each column on the LaunchControl maps to a part. The faders are MIDI mapped to switch between different MIDI clips so that I can bring parts in and out and do fills using the faders. The knobs are mapped to various synth parameters, effects sends, etc. I use all of that to build an arrangement on the fly within each track and to transition between them.

I've only got about five of the eight tracks roughed out now, but I figured it made sense to start recording live jams of each separate track before I work my way up to performing the full set. This is the first one.

The atmospheric sounds that come in at the beginning are a bunch of notes I recorded playing my Telecaster, run through Reason's granular synth and then layered with lots of reverb and delay (of course).

Video: https://youtu.be/Uz-bpeLmVGE

8x8 Part 1

Tiny Wires