How do you perform live?

[Sentierum]

It may be a hilarious question, but I have a "instrument player" background and my electronic interests are quite new!
So you know, if I want to make a gig with some new stuff to me it sounds like call the other musicians, rehearsals, build an interplay, build a show, pick up the van and play your gig.

Life as a "producer" to me looks more individualistic and self centered, and this sounds pretty new to me.
When you are performing live what do you actually do? You create your own songs in real time with sequencers? Or you act more like a DJ mixing up your own finished works? And if you do so, you are more focused on your own tunes or you use to make a selection of some other artists work? And what gear do you use?

 

[Dark Lizardro]

 

[smoothassilk]

Most producers don't really perform their tracks live, but they do DJ.

 

[xiris]

yup most guys DJ a combination of their stuff + stuff from the label(s) they're signed too [if applicable] + other tunes they like. Guys like Keys n Krates have a more "live" setup. They make the "live" component more interesting by playing unreleased tracks/dubplates/VIPs/other music they never released to give people some value for their money. Netsky also had an album he wrote that he performed live w a band, but i'm pretty sure he had that live component in mind when he made the album. I'm sure there are others too, i just don't know them by name,

 

[smoothassilk]

If you have hardware you can actually perform live in the same way a traditional instrumentalist can.

I went to an open mic night recently and a guy did an ironic cover of turn down for what (shit tune, but it was hilarious) on his hardware with live drums and vocals.

 

[Dark Lizardro]

Industrial acts like Combichrist perform live with people controlling the computer plus live playing synths through a controller, a live drummer, a live guitarist and a vocalist, much like a "normal" band. Some producers from other genres do the same. The possibilities are endless, depending on what you want to achieve. Let's not forget that Pendulum was a full live band performing dnb.

 

[Brex]

There's always the route of using a midi keyboard, drum pads and launchpad to record loops and midi patterns and trigger them as and when you want too.

Not a great example but it could easily be expanded upon

 

[Strobys]

This is an example of dj-ing and live performing. They mix up guitar, sax, piano etc., but sometimes they'll just drop a dj-set

PS. It's a band from my hometown (in Belgium), they are pretty great!