The Bunker Podcast 227: Otodojo

The Bunker Podcast

For this edition of The Bunker Podcast we're releasing @otodojo's live set from their album release party at The Bunker in April. artist video explanation accompaniment: youtu.be/h-xMUetPiTg?si=9qj-4DNHj2dHUBtT artist statement: In February 2023 I focused on developing a new live set for my debut with @thebunkerny for an album release, named one of the best releases of 2023 by @mixmag-1. I trained the set with performances at Bossa Nova Civic Club with Perfect Party Look Book and at Forest City Lodge with Microtones in Ithaca. Maybe describing this can help you process some live set ideas. My previous approach to delivering this material live (originally at The Long Count Cycle, then at Technically Yeah) was using stems as a bedrock and improvisation on top. Even though this worked fine, it got a bit stale for me and I wanted to be as satisfied as a listener when a groove sets in. So I decided to go fully based on MIDI information and instruments, with an added challenge that my CPU can’t take too much of a load, so I needed to make sure I disabled certain instruments before bringing others in. A disclaimer is that I am not fully endorsing all of the equipment in this list, there are some caveats that I’m happy to discuss. In Ableton I created custom instruments through stock plugins like operator, collision, wavetable - these instruments are divided into ones I cycle through and ones that are constant throughout the set. The constant ones exist in instrument racks and are freely interchangeable through chains - all of the parameters are mapped to the same knobs on my Novation Launch Control XL enabling me to wash through several instruments running varying sounds. I also have stored macro variations for those instruments in case I need some sound immediately without menu diving (like 1/16 note hi hats). The cycled instruments instruments are mostly from my tracks in Amphibious / Aural Spirits that are all controlled by four channels on my Xone K1. Initially I tried using Tip by K-Devices and Map-8 to disable a swath of devices (thanks One Child Policy for the tip!). Yet I found that the CPU load was comparable with just leaving the devices on and simply stopping clips. This made for a much better workflow. I slowly progress through the cycled instruments while improvising with the constant instruments and the main drums / accenting discussed below. My iPad is running Werkbench by Karl Scholz @karlalamusic, a sequencer sampler app that can easily form interesting polyrhythms and is great for anything sample-related, like live accenting, bass lines, drums, etc. For the main drums I didn’t want to be too focused on sequencing as it takes up a lot of time, so I just wanted to scroll through patterns that I generate beforehand. I opted to use a modified version of Instant Haus by @alexkid which stores drum patterns for four-five instruments. Modifying this was a bit challenging as it is difficult to determine what kind of patterns I think can stay interesting over an hour time period. This is playing Smackos 808 Simulator by @legowelt-official as well as other custom drum instruments. For acid lines I am using a Roland TB03 on lend from Indy Nyles and sequencing the 303 with Sting by Iftah Gabbai as well as his Microtuner device coupled with note echos (I believe this is the most CPU intensive part of the set).I am using Ableton Push as a means to do miscellaneous control and Jaw Harp / Mic for some added organic-ness. I am running all of this through an Apollo Twin Duo and Allen & Heath Xone 96 at the club.