5 Live Performance Tips That Transformed My Sets

Hey friends,

I just wrapped up a pretty big show in Berlin, and standing on that stage reminded me how far I've come since my first nervous live set years ago. Back then, I showed up with way too much gear, a rigid plan, and this desperate need for everything to be perfect. Spoiler alert: it wasn't perfect. It was stressful, overwhelming, and honestly not that fun.

1. Limit yourself (seriously)

This might sound counterintuitive, but hear me out. When I started performing live, I used only the Digitakt and Digitone. Two devices. That's it. And you know what? It was incredibly rewarding because those limitations forced me to be creative within constraints.

Then I made the classic mistake of thinking "more gear = better show." I showed up to a gig with Push 2, Moog Mother-32, Ableton Live, Digitakt, and Digitone. Five pieces of gear demanding my attention simultaneously. I felt scattered, stressed, and completely lost on stage. It was too much.

These days, I perform with Push 3 standalone and the Moog Sub 25. That's it. Two pieces of hardware. And my sets feel great. Limitations don't restrict your creativity - they enhance it by forcing you to think outside the box and squeeze every ounce of potential from what you have.

2. Be technically prepared for any venue

This one's practical but crucial. Always pack RCA adapters - you never know when you'll encounter a DJ mixer instead of a full sound system. Bring your own headphones because monitor speakers can be unreliable or nonexistent.

Here's a bonus tip that sounds weird but works: use hearing protection under your headphones. When the venue is loud, you'll be tempted to crank your headphones to dangerous levels just to hear your mix. Hearing protection blocks the venue noise, so you can hear your mix clearly at safe volumes. Your ears will thank you.

3. Test your setup outside the studio

This habit has saved me countless times. Before every gig, I tear down my studio setup and rebuild it on my kitchen table. Sounds excessive? Maybe. But it forces me to use only the cables and adapters I'm actually bringing to the venue.

This practice helps you catch missing cables, power issues, or routing problems before you're on stage scrambling to fix them during soundcheck. Plus, you get faster at setup and teardown - essential when changeover times are tight. And honestly, there's something refreshing about playing your setup in a different environment (my wife and I love flowers on our kitchen table which makes for a really nice vibe :).

4. Read the room and stay flexible

I've watched too many performers get so focused on their gear that they forget about the most important element: the audience. Playing live isn't just executing your setlist - it's about creating a connection and responding to the energy in the room.

When a pattern is working and people are vibing, stay with it longer than you planned. When something isn't landing, move on quicker. You have flexibility as a live act - use it. Pay attention to how people react, how YOU feel in the moment, and make spontaneous decisions. Your best moments on stage will come from those intuitive choices, not from rigidly following a plan.

5. Embrace your mistakes

Here's the truth: there's no setup in the world that performs flawlessly. Mistakes will happen. The difference between a good performer and a great one? How you handle them.

At my Berlin show, I played a completely wrong note on the Moog - totally out of key. Instead of panicking or trying to hide it, I leaned into it. I repeated that "wrong" note, played a correct note, then hit the wrong one again. Suddenly, that mistake became a deliberate performance technique that created tension and dissonance in all the right ways.

When I first started performing, I obsessed over perfection. I had rigid structures and perfect layouts. All it did was stress me out. These days, I view mistakes as creative opportunities - unexpected moments that push me somewhere I wouldn't have gone otherwise.

Your turn

These five tips come from real stages and real mistakes. They've transformed how I approach live performance, and I hope they help you feel more confident about taking your music out of the studio.

What's your biggest challenge with playing live? Or if you've already performed, what advice would you give someone preparing for their first show? Drop your thoughts in the comments or share them in the Melodic Minds Discord - I read everything and your insights often inspire future content.

Stay creative,
Miles