The Orb - Techniques, Technology, Live Performances

Techniques, Technology, Live Performances

The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld was mainly recorded on a Mitsubishi 48 Track digital machine running in sync with an Otari 24 Track analogue machine. The majority of the parts regardless of bass, drum loops etc. were recorded to tape for the entire time available (15 minutes as limited by the Otari analogue machine) without a break. As well as parts committed to tape there would invariably be other elements running "live" from Akai Samplers, triggered from an Atari 1040 computer synced to tape. Once all parts were assembled a mix would be built up by Falconer. Having completed this multiple mixes would be run off to DAT. It was also normal at this stage for Paterson to free form extra material and effects from either CD, Vinyl or DAT as a live source being combined with the final mixes. After Falconer had completed an initial "safe" mix, Weston would then take over the mixing desk and produce multiple mixes and would in turn be followed by Paterson. Once multiple mixes produced, a final mix would be edited together by Falconer from the source DATs. This was done by transferring the required elements to a 1/4" analogue tape machine and editing them together with a razor blade to produce the final version.

In The Orb's early DJ events in the 1980s, Paterson and Cauty performed with three record decks, a cassette player, and a CD player all of which were mixed through an Akai 12-track mixer. They used their equipment to harmonise recorded music and sound effect samples into an "endless sound continuum" for audiences of worn out dancers. Even after The Orb began producing original material, they kept the same sample-heavy model for live acts by spontaneously integrating obscure samples into their pre-recorded tracks. During promotional tours for Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld and U.F.Orb, The Orb performed using a digital audio tape machine and experimented with other media sources such as dubplates. The tape machines held individual chords, rhythms, and basslines for each composition, allowing The Orb to reprocess them and mimic the act of DJ-ing. Members could then easily improvise with these samples and manipulate them using sound effect racks. Often, The Orb had a live musician accompanying them, such as Steve Hillage on guitar. Their shows in the early 1990s would often be three hours of semi-improvised, continuous music featuring a wealth of triggered samples, voices, and pre-recorded tracks which were barely identifiable as the original piece.

The Orb began performing regularly at the Brixton Academy in the early 1990s, where they used the high ceilings and large space for their "well-suited amorphous sound", frequently performing their newest and more experimental pieces there. Andy Hughes took Weston's place at live performances after the 1993 tour, though Weston did reappear for The Orb's concert at the rainy Woodstock '94. The Orb played for late night raves on the first two nights of Woodstock '94 in addition to artists including Aphex Twin, Orbital, and Deee-Lite. The next year, The Orb's touring group consisted of Paterson, Hughes, Nick Burton on percussion, and Simon Phillips on bass. This ensemble of live performers and electronic music created a "cacophony" of "gigantic, swarming sounds". Though The Orb's performances use much onstage equipment and many props, Paterson prefers to present The Orb as "a non-centralised figure of amusement on stage".

The Orb used ADAT recorders for performances from 1993 to 2001 and utilised large 48-track decks, which Paterson described as basically being a "studio onstage". They hooked synthesisers, such as the ARP 2600, to MIDI interfaces to recreate specific sounds that appeared on their albums. The Orb's methods of studio music creation changed as well. For more recent albums such as Cydonia, The Orb used inexpensive equipment such as Korg's Electribe products, which Paterson described as employing more of a "bedroom techno" approach. Despite their use of laptops during performances and in-studio computers, Paterson says that he still cherishes vinyl and does not find purchasing CDs or downloading music to be nearly as satisfying.