Keyboard setups & cabling/connectivity diagrams

[WelshPhil]

Dera fellow keyboard players - I am sure we have all had the idea of trying to stick to a standard and quick setup and break-down of all our keyboards, stands, MIDI modules, MIDI cables, auddio cables and mixer /PA cabling etc.

But I was wondering if there was anyone out there who coculd recommend any VISIO- type software to "draw" or at least document a repeatable and quick method of :-
a) setting up keyboard stands and support hardware
b) sorting out AC power trailing leads and plugging in the correct adaptors per keyboard,
c) connecting the MIDI keyboard(s) to MIDI modules (if applicable) ,
d) connecting the mono (or stereo) audio outputs via the right jack-to-jack or XLR or whatever cables and linking them up correctly and quickly to either our own mini-PA mixer and power amp./speaker setup or if luckly enough, via a a proper DI system to the venue's PA system (NB> safely and correctly of course!).

I have tried to GOOGLE such drawing software to no avail - any suggestions?

I am looking for advice and possible good tips here that will benefit ALL of us and are based on experience and good old-fashioned common sense that we know works and can be repeatable each and every time we setup or take down kit.

Perhaps people coculod inclcude photos of their rig or setup and how they do things and connect devices which we could all learn from ? Just a thought!

Anyway I lok forward to hearing from you all soonest and thanks in advance for any amnd all advice, tips, colour-codijng of jack leads etc that may come out of this exercise !! Cheers. Phil

 

[b3maniac]

Phil,
I don't know of any software that is easy to use and might be helpful for that purpose. There are so many variables involved and in the end each of has a custom set-up based on our gear and preferences. There are a few suggestions I can offer:
1) think about your set-up, and develop a standard layout for your stage set-up. Have a workable alternate for those places where stage room is tight
2) rack mount modules and equipment to the greatest extent possible
3) hard wire everything in the racks (audio, midi , power , keeping the wire bundles separated by type. Include one or two extra audio and midi cable in your internal bundles. Use Velcro to keep the bundles together and in place within the racks.
4) lay out your audio cables and create "snakes" by bundling them together as much as possible. Use commercial writable wire makers to label each wire on each end.
5) when possible, do the same with the electrical power cords for keyboards on stands.
The goal is to be able to place your gear in place, connect midi, connect audio, then connect power and fire everything up. At the end of the gig, disassemble everything in reverse order and place the components in cases as you go.
Organizing these things can make a huge different in set-up and tear down times.
Cheers,
Don

 

[ootini]

I'm with Don on this. My submixer lives in a rack case and it's all wired up ready to go, I simply pop the lids of the rack flightcase and pull the cables out, each is labelled up with the name of the port to plug it in to so I know it's the same as last time. Simples. The only thing not included in the flightcase "prewired" stuff are things like my Power cables, which all live on a standard four way extender, makes no odds if I get them plugged in wrong, it's all 240v so the Roland cable will work with the Kurzweil for example. MIDI in my rig is pretty simple, only two cables so that I just know what to do with, and as I use a "controller" keyboard I know where my foot controllers go as it's only every the "controller" keyboard.
I think in my rig, a diagram, would actually over complicate it.

 

[WelshPhil]

Thanks guys. great help and much appreciated. Any photos of your rig ? I could get a better idea and uderstand how you have lebelled and designate the appropriate cables etc both power and audio etc. Thanks Phil

 

[WelshPhil]

BTW - LOVe the OOTINI nom-de-plume !!! excellent!! I am also a fellow Start Wars fan ! (I hope I got that right!)

 

[ootini]

You did indeed sir!

I don't have any pics at the moment but I will get some soon, i'm about to change my submixer.

Basically imagine this, it's quite basic.

A Roland A90 and Kurzweil K2000 on a two tier X-Frame. On the floor next to it is a Rack case containing a Rolls RM203 1u mixer and a Roland JV 1080 module at the front, at the back is a cheapo Behringer patch bay. The inputs and outputs of the mixer are plumbed into the patch bay using patch leads, the JV1080's outputs are plugged directly into channels 2 and 3 of the mixer, so no rewiring ever occurs here. There's a MIDI lead hanging out of the MIDI IN on the 1080 with "A90 (b)" labelled on the loose end, this gets hooked up to MIDI OUT (b) of the Roland A90. I then have four 1/4" cables that go from the patch bay ports connected to the stereo channels 4 and 5 which are labelled up for 4 of the outputs of my Kurzweil K2000 and two more cables that go from the Patch bay ports for channel 6 on the mixer to the audio outputs on the A90. I then have a loose midi cable that goes from A90 MIDI OUT (a) to the MIDI IN on the K2000.

I hope this makes sense, I'm toying with the idea of ditching the patch bay as it seemed like a good idea at the time, but does really do anything apart from making access to the audio connections on the mixer a little easier, but it does add a lot of interconnects that aren't really necessary (and probably add a tiny bit of noise).