I know when I undertook making this project a reality that there would be challenges, but I am now realising that perhaps I did not consider all the practical aspects before moving forward. That’s part of the process right, or did I just not think about it enough? In the beginning I wanted to have an actual installation in a venue, reacting to the music being performed in real-time. However, having the reality set before me of executing a live show in Beijing in the Spring, I have realised that such a procedure is not practical without carrying multiple pieces of equipment and having a well-versed team to assemble it. I’m a one-man-band, and although I know I can apply myself in the practical sense of setting up an event and DJing, this is an entirely different set of circumstances.

Unlike setting up a DJ booth, some lights and a visual feed on a loop, this needs to have simultaneous audio and visual elements captivating an audience in real-time. Therefore, setting up a camera with a live feed of a water dish vibrating on a speaker is not practical. I cannot be expected to travel 5000 miles with these tools and incorporate them into a visual display without another human assisting in control, or managing the situation while I am playing music. Subsequently, I figured the best way to test this concept is to write a number of original tracks, then play them through the speaker and dish installation at home and film the results. The next step would be to fuse the master audio with the filmed video in Final Cut and add any desired effects, or other motion picture layers. This way I could black out the surrounding area of the dish and reduce the ‘raw’ element of the film.

Then how do you perform this if it’s reverse engineered? Is it classed as intuitive, or just engineered? I see it as a recording of an intuitive moment. The question still arises, how do you perform it? Well, having spent hours and hours looking into this, some DJ software allows one to play video files, like audio files, and projected to a separate screen. Basically DJing with music videos. Sweet! However, my choice of DJ software in the past has always been Traktor Pro, and although this is the best available in many respects, it does not support the use of video. On the other hand, Native Instruments’ main competitor, Serato, does indeed. Sweet! Or is it? Nope, Serato does not support the use of third-party MIDI controllers, audio interfaces, or DJ mixers that are not on its list of ‘approved hardware’. Bollocks! So, the Allen & Heath Xone 96 mixer and Xone K2, which are both MIDI assignable with audio interfaces built-in, that I already own, are redundant. Plus the older UC-33e MIDI controller and Focusrite Clarett 4 Pre audio interface too. So if I wanted to use Serato, I would need to buy the software, plus a new controller with which to use it. At the moment, for one show, I feel reluctant to do this. Is this a negative attitude? In reflection I should be prepared to invest in the best software for the job. That would be Serato. However, I do not have desire to purchase any of their choice of primarily amateur style MIDI controllers, or audio interfaces. A solution would be to simply use Pioneer CDJs and a Serato approved DJM mixer. These are again pieces of equipment I do not intend to spend upwards of £5K at this early stage to rehearse on. Yes, a set of CDJs would be handy, but not essential without many gigs currently in the diary.

Other DJ software such as Dex 3 and Cross DJ, have similar capabilities to Serato, but on the positive side are open to all MIDI controllers and audio interfaces. Bonus! Or is it? Both applications are by no means as powerful, or professional as Serato, but I have to make a compromise. Having tested each demo, I decided to pay the £90 for the full version of Cross. This works a treat with video files and is compatible with all my audio and MIDI devices. Sweet! Or is it? Well, no. My laptop, a 2012 13″ MacBook Pro cannot cope with mixing video files. The video output lags significantly, plus it sounds like the fans are running to maximum. Therefore, I need to upgrade in order to pull this off. Thinking ahead, this is an investment I have to take seriously.

Having just spent £3K on a top specification 27″ iMac as my studio computer, I have felt kind of peeved I now needed to buy a new MacBook Pro. Apple have gone down in my opinion since Steve Jobs passed. Their laptops are no longer built for the user, but for their business model. Just the fact that one cannot upgrade the hard drive or RAM after purchase is scandalous. Plus, the lack of port variety means purchasing adapters. Looking back ten years, the now discontinued 17″ MacBook Pro had three USB slots, plus Ethernet, FireWire, Thunderbolt, Line In and Headphone Jack. Now it’s simply four USB-C ports. No doubt this is the newest, best technology out there but having to buy adapters is a dent in the pocket on top of the £3000 for the actual laptop. I may sound like a miserable, old man but I know many share my sentiment. It’s for business, not for the user. Nontheless, without making this post too tangential, I have invested in a 15″ MacBook Pro with a top specification graphics card and processor. After all, this needs to last and be capable of handling increasing video quality in the coming years.

 

Spending the best part of a month trying to find suitable software, working MIDI controllers and which laptop to get, I am finally reaching a stage where I can primarily focus on music and video production. Lets not even get started on how much time I spent trying to find a cabin bag to house my Xone 96 DJ mixer, which I wanted to make the trip to Beijing with. Fail. Luckily the venue are able to source a Xone 92.

The event in Beijing is during a festival weekend and although this is a voluntary venture, it’s a great opportunity for me to test this vision in public. The Three Shadows Photography Gallery is a well-renowned establishment in the Chinese art realm and the venue for my debut show. I am grateful for this and need to contain my quarrels about worthy technical investments that will provide greater opportunities, with expansive capabilities and efficiency in their execution. I guess the inpatient perfectionist inside me is crying out for control, familiarity and simplicity in the face of the unknown. There may be times when I fall down, but I will always get up, dust myself off, laugh and continue. Otherwise what is the point in trying anything?