Solving Challenges with My MIDI Controller for Live Performance

Today felt like an uphill battle as I worked on refining my live set. My goal is to organise everything efficiently and make it simple and effective for live performance. This means figuring out how to manage my drum pads, Logic Pro, and MIDI controller for live performance so I can focus on what truly matters: singing, performing, and connecting with the audience. While I haven’t solved every issue, I’ve learned a lot and made some progress.

Exploring Logic’s ‘Performances’ Feature

Yesterday, I discovered Logic’s ‘performances’ feature. This allows you to change an instrument on a channel strip using MIDI program change data sent from a controller. I thought this would be a game-changer, as it would let me switch instruments efficiently during a performance. Unfortunately, it turns out Logic only allows one instrument per MIDI program change channel. This limitation means I’d have to rethink how to streamline instrument switching.

Performance feature limitations

Trying Instrument Stacks in Logic

Next, I experimented with Logic’s instrument stacks. These are designed to group multiple instruments, letting you play them all at once or split them by MIDI channel data. This sounded promising however, my current MIDI controller, the Alesis V61, can’t switch MIDI channels on the fly. Even with a new controller like the Akai MPK Mini Plus, this method would involve cycling through channels, which would be less efficient than simply pressing a button to switch instruments.

'Summing' stack which allows playing all instruments in the stack at once

Drum Pad and Keyboard Separation

One challenge I’m determined to solve is how to use my drum pad and keyboard to play different instruments at the same time. Right now, I have to select a single instrument, which means both the keyboard and drum pads are locked to that instrument. This creates unnecessary steps during a live performance—steps that need to be timed perfectly. I want fewer opportunities for error, so I’m exploring ways to separate the MIDI channel data for these devices.

Laying Out the Second Track

I’m preparing the second song in my live set, and while I haven’t started practising it yet, I’ve made good organisational progress. I’ve laid out empty cells in Logic’s loops view, representing the instruments I’ll play in each section. I’ve also created a detailed table outlining the structure of the song, which will guide me when I’m ready to learn the parts.

Keeping track of what I'm playing

Empty cells represent what I'll be playing for each section

Overcoming Drum Pad Limitations

The second track has 16 samples I want to trigger during the performance, including drum sounds, sound effects, and key backing vocal lines. Since my current MIDI controller only has 8 drum pads—and 4 of those are used for playback controls—I’m planning to buy a standalone drum pad for playback. This will free up all 8 pads on my main controller. Even then, it’s not enough for all 16 samples. Luckily, the Akai MPK Mini Plus offers an easy way to page through drum pad mappings, which should solve the problem.

Why Upgrade to the Akai MPK Mini Plus?

Upgrading to the Akai MPK Mini Plus will simplify my workflow dramatically and be a much more flexible midi controller for live performance. It offers more buttons, dials, and features like MIDI channel switching directly on the device. It also has a screen for feedback, making it easier to manage during a live set. Plus, its compact design is ideal for travelling, which is becoming more important as I plan future performances. Compared to my current Alesis V61, it’s a significant upgrade in both functionality and portability.

Akai MPK Mini Plus

Alesis V61

The Journey Continues

While there’s no visible progress on my live set today, I’m learning and moving closer to a solution. Each challenge I solve will make the final performance smoother, more engaging, and more enjoyable for the audience—and that’s the ultimate goal.