Changes on the fly with loops?

[chrisfromcanada]

Okay - Is there any way (hardware, software, whatever) that I can use loops and a click in a live setting and still make changes on the fly?

I've got lots of experience using a loop/click in a performance setting where the song is the same every night. I've only used loop/click in worship when it's tied to a video track - the iWorship DVD's or Igniter Tracks that just came out.

But I'm a little hesitant to use click/loops more on Sunday morning just because of not wanting to be locked in to a certain structure with every song. I posted a really clear example (http://www.chrisfromcanada.com/?p=305) the other day on my blog about how we do two identical services and it is not at all unusual for the congregation to respond VERY differently from one service to the next even though we program the services exactly the same - same songs, same scriptures, same songs, same transitions, etc etc.

If I find myself in a situation where I'd like to add a chorus mid-song, repeat a verse, give some extra time coming out of the bridge, or do whatever with a song based on how the congregation is responding, I'm out of luck if I'm using loops.

Is there any kind of solution that would let me change my loop/click track on the fly?

[free_by_grace]

The best option I have seen is to have the click/loop controls in the hands of the main worship leader. If you want to change things up just kill the click-track and go through the rest of the song without click.

You may feel some tempo drift through the rest of the song, but this will allow the flexibility as needed.

[TroyP]

Using Ableton Live (discussed elsewhere here), you can do what I think you want to do. Just label each part of the song (intro, verse, chorus, bridge, etc.) then assign a key to fire each. If you want to repeat a section, hit the button and away you go. Live makes it easy to do this.