The Performance
Watch Erin Barra (Mamma Barra) perform Broken Banks from her Undefined EP using Ableton Live and the Push and an Akai LPK25.
This soulful throwback style track gets a different treatment for her live sets than the version on the album. With lyrics inspired by a slam poet, an old school breakbeat and her stunning vocals, this is really a treat.
The Breakdown
In this video we get an inside peek into the musical life of Erin Barra. She brings us fresh insight on things like turning a studio recording into a live performance with Ableton’s Drum Rack and the Push, and using the Chain Selector in a live application. She also offers her perspective on how to keep your shows interesting and memorable from her many years touring and playing live.
00:38 Inspiration for the song
02:25 Juxtaposing a 3 bar drum loop with a 4 bar guitar phrase and why
04:24 Using studio stems to sample in live show with Drum Rack
06:35 Working with Producer/Engineer Ari Raskin
07:24 Drums
08:43 Bass
09:23 Automating chain selector to change instruments for you
11:05 Alternate which skills to showcase for each song to keep the overall set interesting
13:09 Troubleshooting
16:15 Guitars
17:36 Touring
Follow Erin Barra on her social networks: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & SoundCloud
Erin Barra performing Graceland by Paul Simon
Watch Erin Barra (Mamma Barra) re-create her take on Paul Simon’s Graceland from scratch.
This video was an excerpt from her Elite Session in 2013. Erin builds the rhythmic foundation of the track from the ground up using the Ableton Push. Kick, claps, bongos, bass line and chords that she uses for the performance are all created in front of your eyes. Then she proceeds to lay the backing vocal harmony parts down as well.
Once all of the parts have been created she then gears up to perform the track as she would in a live setting.
Performance starts at 06:07
Following the set up phase, Erin brings her unique rhythmic sensibilities and melodic interpretation to the 1986 Paul Simon classic in her performance using Ableton Live and the Push.
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