How to Avoid Onstage Laptop Disasters

I’ve been using laptops onstage for about 20 years, and so far (knock on polypropylene wood plastic composite), I haven’t had any showstoppers. But that’s only because I’ve learned — sometimes the hard way — what causes showstoppers. Plus I’ve learned how to remedy issues before the stage lights come up. Following are some of the most important lessons I’ve learned.
Practice Safe Performance
Amazingly, Murphy’s Law (“Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”) was formulated before the advent of the personal computer — but it might as well apply to our favorite silicon pet brains. Here are some ways to help you break that law.

Assume your computer and hard drive will die, because someday they will. Sorry, but wishful thinking does not influence mechanical devices. You always have to operate your computer under the assumption that the worst can happen at any time and typically at the least convenient time.
A mirrored computer is good insurance. Two identical computers are better than one computer so that if a computer fails, you can just replace it. However, if that’s not possible…
Bring all data necessary to reconstruct your set and any host programs. Maybe you’ll be able to borrow someone’s computer, but if all else fails, you can buy a new computer and install what’s needed to fulfill the maxim that “the show must go on.” For best results, do a trial run on a practice computer first (that old desktop can be useful), because of…
“Gotcha” data and copy protection. Many programs register online, so if there’s no internet, you’re in trouble. However, most companies offer some kind of offline registration, typically by placing the authorization on a USB memory stick. Make sure you have this for your host and plug-ins. Also, remember that programs typically have folders that store your customizations and preferences. Reinstalling a program will reset these to the defaults, so make sure you have a copy of any folders that store custom settings. Also make sure you have any needed drivers.
Don’t overlook demo programs. Many trial programs are fully functional for a period of time. Before you go on the road, download the trial version but don’t install it. If your hard drive fails and you can’t reinstall your host program due to authorization issues, you may be able to get through the gig with the demo version.
Never install a new program version or plug-in just before a gig. If you’ve ever done this, you already know why not to do it. Make sure everything has been used and tested before it goes public.
Dongles are your friend for live performance. I never thought I would praise dongles (fig. 1) in public, but you’re all at a safe distance — so if you throw a rock, I won’t get hit. Seriously, when you have to reinstall programs, having everything on a dongle avoids online authorizations and challenge/response issues.

Figure 1: iLok remains the most common dongle; the third-generation model (the silver unit above) is small, has a crack-proof aluminum frame, and accommodates most security cables.

Clouds can dissipate. I don’t know why companies chose the term “cloud.” Sure, clouds are cute and fluffy, but they can dissipate and rain on your parade (I would have preferred “vault,” but no one asked me). Anyway, never trust the cloud: servers go down, wi-fis go wacko — and remember Murphy’s Law. Always have physical backup too, preferably on an SSD drive (fig. 2) that’s not affected by shock or vibration. If you’re just using it to back up important data and programs, you may not need to pay for lots of capacity — a 250GB model may be enough.

Figure 2: Glyph’s Atom SSD 250GB drive works with USB 3.1, USB 3.0, or Thunderbolt 3.

Learn what’s needed to boot your Mac or Windows machine from an external drive. Image your root drive to the external drive, and aside from some potential authorization glitches if you authorized to a hard drive, you’ll be okay. For information on booting from an external drive, see 5 Survival Tips for Using Laptops Live.
Always carry a spare power supply. Power supplies can get lost and can fail because they’re under constant stress. You especially want to have any model-specific power supplies, like the Apple MacBook Pro MagSafe 2 Power Adapter (fig. 3) for MacBook Pro models with Retina displays. (Note that this particular package also includes an AC wall adapter that can make life much easier when traveling or taking the stage.)

Figure 3: It’s always prudent to carry a spare AC adapter, especially if it’s a special-purpose type.

Mac vs. Windows
I have and use both platforms; to me, computers are appliances — not sacred religious objects. So if you’re a member of the Holy Order of My Computer Can Beat Your Computer, let’s look at the reality of which computer is best for live performance — because they both have advantages and disadvantages.
Regardless of which platform you choose, I highly recommend treating your laptop like a single-purpose appliance. Dedicate it solely to live performance, and don’t install anything you don’t need. Yes, I understand you want a computer on the road to surf the web, communicate through email, run a spreadsheet of your expenses and income while touring, etc. Either get a second computer, like a Chromebook, use your smartphone or tablet, or carry an older, “beater” laptop that’s good enough for those basic functions.
Frankly, Mac and Windows are more alike than different these days. When you open a program like Ableton Live in either platform, aside from a few cosmetic differences, it looks and acts the same. The main differences between platforms involve hardware and ports. But for running software, unless a program isn’t cross-platform so you have no choice, it doesn’t matter much.
Mac laptops have some compelling reasons to consider going that route:

You can bring an Apple laptop under warranty to any Apple store; you’re not on your own to figure things out, as you often are with Windows. And yes, AppleCare costs extra — but your performance depends on your computer. Think of AppleCare as insurance.
Apple maintains a database of names and serial numbers in case you run into issues.
If you have to buy a new computer while on the road, the odds are a Windows machine will come with bloatware that you have to remove; and it won’t be optimized for live performance, so you’ll need to do some tweaks.
Macs work well with Thunderbolt interfaces. Windows can be sketchier, although that’s changing.

I used to use a Mac for live performance, but switched to Windows for the following reasons:

A PC is less expensive than a Mac for equal performance, which makes it easier to have a complete backup computer.
PCs are available in thousands of stores, in case yours dies and needs to be replaced. There are not as many stores that sell Apple computers compared to Windows-based machines.
I’m handy enough with computers that I can optimize Windows specifically for live performance. For more information, check out Sweetwater’s PC Optimization Guide for Windows 10.
PCs are easier to maintain (e.g., user replaceable batteries, readily available power supplies), and places that do repairs are relatively common.

Security
Rule number one: never check a laptop in baggage when you fly — this is why carry-on exists. However, carry-on entails its own risks, so here are some tips on how to keep your laptop safe while traveling and at the gig.

When going through airport security, put the computer on the belt last. You don’t want the computer to just sit there at the end of the belt, giving someone a chance to walk away with it, while you’re being searched because you forgot to take the boarding pass out of your shirt pocket.
You’ll usually need to remove your laptop from your laptop bag and place it in a plastic carrier. Touch something metal, and then touch the carrier, before removing the laptop. You want to drain any static electricity from the carrier — laptops don’t care much for thousand-volt static electricity shocks. I usually hold onto something metal with one hand and grab the laptop with the other.
For similar reasons, never grab a laptop where static electricity can travel from your fingers to a port. Airplane humidity is very low, about 10%–20%, so it’s easy to generate static charges.
Put the laptop under the seat in front of you, not in the overhead compartment.
At the gig, secure your computer to a solid stand so that it can’t fall off. Bungee cords will work in a pinch.
The connectors on laptops are fragile. I use extension cables that plug into the laptop (the other ends connect to the audio cables, USB port cables, or whatever) and tape the extension cables down. Then if someone trips over a cable, it will be pulled out of the extension, not my laptop. I also highly recommend a short iLok extension cable (fig. 4) so it’s not hanging off your motherboard, where a downward hit could destroy both the dongle and the laptop’s motherboard.

Figure 4: The StarTech USB extension cable is 6″ long and lets you avoid plugging a dongle directly into your laptop’s motherboard.

Keep the cover closed at all times, unless you’re actually performing.
97% of stolen laptops are never recovered; take advantage of your laptop’s Kensington lock.

Although following these tips won’t guarantee you’ll never have mishaps, they’ll help you keep your sanity when touring with a laptop — or at least those aspects of your sanity that are laptop related!

If you need any accessories or drives for your touring computer, give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700.
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