ASEC Modular Live Performance & Setup Walkthrough | Thomann

ASEC is one of Berlin‘s most promising newcomers when it comes to techno live performances. Get a glimpse at his impressive skills and into his setup.
Gear used:
1010 Music Blackbox Sampler:
www.thomann.de/de/1010music_b...
Elektron Analog Rytm:
www.thomann.de/de/elektron_an...
Elektron Digitone:
www.thomann.de/de/elektron_di...
Arturia RackBrute 6U:
www.thomann.de/de/arturia_rac...
Moog DFAM:
www.thomann.de/de/moog_dfam.htm
Strymon Timeline:
www.thomann.de/de/strymon_tim...
Doepfer A-143-3:
www.thomann.de/de/doepfer_a14...
Doepfer A-124 Wasp Filter SE:
www.thomann.de/de/doepfer_a_1...
We use Triad-Orbit stands for our cameras, lights and mics: tho.mn/triad
Recorded and mixed with Universal Audio: tho.mn/uadx
Monitors optimised through Sonarworks: tho.mn/sonar
Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00
Webshop: www.thomann.de
Facebook: / thomanninternational
Twitter: @thomann / thomann
Instagram: @thomann.music / thomann.music
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ENG: www.thomann.de/blog/en/
FRA: www.thomann.de/blog/fr/
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ITA: www.thomann.de/blog/it/
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FIN: www.thomann.de/blog/fi/

[@asecmusic]

Hey Everyone - thanks for watching, happy to answer any questions that anyone might have :)

[@asecmusic]

@PHANTOMOVDAOPERA Thanks for the kind words! Digitone is a nice tool for getting some of these kinds of metallic, modulated FM sounds. I don't use it in the studio but it's a great tool for live use. The Digitakt however is a simple sampler that works well as a groovebox for programming drums and whatnot. That said, if you want to use Digitakt purely for studio use, I don't really see the advantages of the Elektron box over a DAW like Ableton Live. I would say if you're looking for a synth go for Digitone. If you're looking for a simple live-use sampler go for the Digitakt.

[@SebastianDot]

Awesome performance! Do you use the sidechain in the RNLA?

[@asecmusic]

@@SebastianDot I've never used the sidechain, the RNLA is simply on the master bus but could imagine running just the synths through it and then sjidechaining them against the kick for example. Nice idea, might give it a try :)

[@quantaraum]

hey im just starting off.. can you recommend me some beginner gear?

[@asecmusic]

@@quantaraum Sure! I'm interested know what you're trying to achieve firstly. Do you want to produce, play live, bit of both?

[@claudiongleur]

yes! more propper techno artists showcasing and explaining please! super nice guy this asec. wouldnt mind longer/more indepth ;)

[@asecmusic]

Hey Claudio - thanks for watching, would love to do something more in-depth some time soon! :)

[@claudiongleur]

@@asecmusic cool-looking forward to that!

[@boysfromdawood6995]

@@asecmusic 💚

[@MrRachele]

This is so much more interesting than DJ sets every other video on YT. Really enjoyed hearing how someone else works. Makes me feel like I am not alone in the way I approach a live set. And always great to learn something new too. Big ups to ASEC. Sounds lovely too.

[@ThomannSynthesizers]

Great, stay tuned for more videos like this! We got a bunch of good stuff in the pipeline 🔥

[@lasseyoyo5653]

some of the most impressive techno ive seen 😁

[@vvvictoriav5958]

just discovered how good this channel is. nice work

[@nikherold290]

Thomann you rock! or better, you Techno!

[@BenjaminDamage]

Great work!

[@furia151]

that is just blasting! great music and super, super informative clip. I learned so much from it, so many thanks lad!

[@ThomannSynthesizers]

Glad you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for more like this. We actually even have a new video with ASEC coming in a few days

[@juulzwaarspulbeats2905]

super cool this!!

[@MoringaKing]

Woooooooow Nice performance 👍

[@romtieche]

Super great man !

[@marcus268]

Well played!

[@GodsofRuin]

Ace sounds and nice breakdown!

[@SzymonPorekPorowski]

Greate job i love that video😎😀

[@ameeva8655]

amazing showcase ASEC! This was so so clarifying. Just two weeks ago I added a Rytm to my Digitone in order to push Ableton away and focus on a dawless / live mindset and this was hella inspiring. What I'm missing the most right now are the FX chain I had on my Digitone in Ableton. Would you go into the pedal world or build a small modular fx rack? It was so interesting to see you have a bit of both with that distortion and the strymon. What I need is basically saturation and reverb to make the digitone more ambientish. Thanks a lot for the amazing video!

[@damiansalza7297]

Dope!

[@lasseyoyo5653]

sick!

[@thomasdavies6217]

Really nice set

[@asecmusic]

Thanks Thomas! :)

[@superjubs]

amazing set and setup! the bassline uses two bucket brigade delay circuits in order to detune the single oscillator.

[@jonasrake9506]

Proper!

[@asecmusic]

🤘🏾🤘🏾🤘🏾

[@Phlow]

Supanice fella :) Thankyou.

[@asecmusic]

Thank you mate - was a pleasure :)

[@Patejaar]

Lav u man!:)

[@goodboid]

Great set! Thanks a bunch. What is your master clock? I wish you'd talked a bit about the midi routing.

[@asecmusic]

Hey Thanks! So for the master clock, I'm using the Analog Rytm to clock the Beatstep Pro in MIDI mode. I use the CV out of the Beatstep Pro to sequence the Modular and the MIDI out of the Beatstep Pro to clock the Digitone and Timeline. Let me know if you have any more questions :)

[@richards7918]

@ASEC Keen to understand better your mix / signal chain in this setup. Would you share about more about your 'instruments' routing please

[@stackenblochen666]

Hey great video! What's the case asec is using in that video? Looks as if it was not too heavy, but still offers quite some space for a lot of gear.

[@dirtycelinefrenchman]

Wanted to know myself

[@edz1850]

So awesome. Really enjoyed everything. I did see a mixer module used but I didn’t see a main output mixer but an audio interface was mentioned. Is there a computer used? Can the routing be explained further please? Thank you. Look forward to more from @ASEC

[@asecmusic]

No computer and no mixing desk. I mix everything using the individual filters on the machines as well as the "level" knob on the Elektron devices for the relevant pads or tracks. I also use a cheap mixer module for levels on the modular. The audio interface just serves as a way to route multiple channels into my compressor. After the compressor, I go straight into the main input for a speaker system. I can't say that I'd recommend doing it like this because the mixing part takes quite a bit of practice but it also forces me to be precise with my movements. That said, although I'm not super keen to extend my setup (it still needs to be portable), I would definitely consider incorporating a small mixer in future though.

[@claudiongleur]

@@asecmusic maybe the 1010 bluebox?

[@asecmusic]

@@claudiongleur Nice bit of gear but I need the tactility of hardware faders or knobs because of how quickly I like to move during sets. I'm still looking for something compact enough though.

[@claudiongleur]

@@asecmusic in combo with a launch controll XL - the bluebox is midi mapable...

[@brunodimitroff1700]

@@asecmusic check out Behringer xenyx 1002b

[@leipzig1040]

21:07 king

[@PooNinja]

Create 🤘🏽

[@asecmusic]

🤘🏾

[@timc3]

Awesome stuff! For the sub pattern in the Rytm are you using some of the synth engines with a reverb from the Rytm? I presume it’s a pattern repeating really fast?

[@asecmusic]

Thanks Tim, tried to answer your question below: The sub pattern is usually a 4 / 8 step sequence of really short pulses on the steps where the kick drum is not - that's how I get this rolling effect. I don't use reverb on there because the decay of the reverb would probably mean that the kick drum would sound muddy and not cut through properly.

[@timc3]

@@asecmusic interesting, thanks for replying. I sometimes do use reverb but heavily controlled and only when using a DAW. With my elektron gear I think I need to work on the sound design for such things.

[@sminterroom2822]

@@asecmusic Hi ASEC, What do you mean by short pulses on a 4/8? By a pulse do you mean a pulse square wave for the rolling bass on the 2,3,4 of the Rytms sequencer ? Or do you just use a kick with attack and short delay for the sub sound? Thanks :)

[@sminterroom2822]

Or can someone explain to me please. Thank you.

[@geraldgoodiii6993]

Where’s the Ansome one ?

[@Tofu_Pilot]

Wow so so many pot touches did not produce audible results. Perhaps they were dusty, those pots. Extra clear that it was just a dusting in progress in the overhead shots at around the 9 mim mark. Who knew Thomann was so dusty. This is not the only live act with terribly terribly dusty pots. Dust also has for years effected adversely the DJ community.

[@paulhowe3272]

Blawan did a better job with less gear.

[@rue909]

It realy affects me reading comments like yours. There is someone introduced as newcomer, he is obviously capable of handling quite a complex system, already got recognized by Tresor und then he got invited by europeans biggest shop for synthnerds. And then this guy is cool enough to show his workflow and even answering questions in the comments JUST to read a completely irrelevant and insensitive comparison. It's art - a form of creative expression which is fun for people and for some it's the base of their income. Just enjoy OR take a deep breath and let it flow. But dont let your listening habits and subjectivw taste dictate you to devalue the craftwork of others.