SpaceDrum Live at Chicago’s Outset
Last weekend, the ALAN team joined Outset’s first-ever Merch Mart, as both a local Chicago exhibitor and performers. The event brought together a diverse community to share their work, exchange ideas, and connect through a shared passion for music and creativity. For us, the event was an opportunity to debut a pre-production SpaceDrum in a live performance setting and put it through a real-world test.
Live On SpaceDrum
One of the highlights of the day was an improvised performance by ALAN team members Jay and Roland. With Jay leading the melodic side of the performance and Roland crafting evolving grooves on SpaceDrum in real time, the set unfolded naturally through listening, interaction, and spontaneity.
SpaceDrum’s FillMaker was enabled to create fills every two bars, with Roland alternating between the positive and negative ranges of the fill energy. When FillMaker is in the positive range, the intensity of selected channels is increased to create energetic fills. When FillMaker is in the negative range, the intensity is reduced, allowing for dramatic drops and moments of space within the groove.
PartMaker was also enabled, operating on a similar philosophy of positive and negative zones. PartMaker allows performers to create alternate versions of a groove with selectable bar lengths. Just like FillMaker, Roland swept between the positive and negative ranges of PartMaker throughout the performance, bringing constant variation and movement to the arrangement.
What we learned
The outdoor performance also provided an opportunity to observe the pre-production hardware under demanding conditions. Over the course of the set, SpaceDrum operated continuously in direct sunlight with temperatures reaching the high 80s while remaining a central part of the performance. It integrated cleanly into the live DJ booth setup through its stereo mix output and was externally clocked from Ableton Live through an audio interface into SpaceDrum’s MIDI DIN input. Across the hour-long set, the instrument maintained stable synchronization, responsive controls, and a consistent performance experience.
As the first time playing live on the pre-production hardware, this was a meaningful milestone for the team. We were pleased to see SpaceDrum perform exactly as intended in a demanding live environment. From clock stability and audio integration to the responsiveness of the controls, the instrument consistently delivered throughout the set. Seeing the pre-production hardware translate successfully from the studio to the stage was an exciting moment for the team as we move closer to shipping to our very first customers later this summer.
