Live performance

[dcardone]

Dear guys,

I've been playing keyboards for quite a while, but now I'm pretty much active playing live. I can't afford to pack more than 2 keyboards on the road, so I must optimize my gear as much as I can. I've seen recently some videos, specially from Genesis' last live tour, where Tony Banks carries no more than 3 synths, and in most occasions he plays more than 3 different sounds on the SAME keyboard on the SAME song. The thing is I don't see him punching buttons to switch between programs.

Is there any way you can program the patch changes "externally" without having to navigate throught the patches and punch buttons while trying to keep time and not miss the solos????

Hope you can help me on this one!
Best Regards,
Daniel.

 

[keyplayer]

Which ever one that is setup as the MASTER keyboard in the chain, you can setup "control" change messages and activate them with a footpedal on the fly.....if you have a decent synth, you have 2 pedal outlets on the back....one will be labled hold and the other is labled "control"...with the extra footpedal in the control jack, you can make program changes with the pedal.....the pedals are synth specific usually....check there website or your owners manual for details on the model of the pedal

Keyplayer

 

[Skot]

Just wondering, what keyboards do you have? I have this same problem, and I am also consolidating gear right now to get down to 2 keyboards for gigs. Any more than that is not much fun to handle.

 

[Ergo]

Just wondering, what keyboards do you have? I have this same problem, and I am also consolidating gear right now to get down to 2 keyboards for gigs. Any more than that is not much fun to handle.

Well it's a hard question really, I play a lot live aswell and I'm useing 2 keyboards, I think most of the time it's just a image to have a lot of keyboards, but of course sometimes it's usefull, for exampel when you need many sounds and don't have time to change on your "main" keyboard then it's great I think ^^

 

[RotorOnTop]

I play live gigs and use 2 keyboards not because it looks good, but because I needed a good organ sound that I wasn't getting from my synth, so I carry a Hammond XK1 drawbar organ with me, plus a KC550 amp, and a Motion Sound rotary horn, all runs through FOH and on-stage monitors.

 

[dcardone]

I have a KORG TR Workstation and a Nord Lead 2X. I use one for the "classic" sounds (pianos, strings, etc.) and the Nord for crazy stuff. This synth is awesome!
I was just checking out info on external sequencers and found out that you can save program change midi data. Perhaps creating songs on a sequencer which contains ONLY program change info makes is possible to just punch one button on the sequencer instead of many buttons on each keyboard....

 

[ptooner]

Actually, there's an easy solution. I used to use a BEhringer FCB1010 midi foot controller. You just set up your foot buttons to correspond with the patch you want and hit the buttons as needed. I think that's the right model number. I eventually sold it as I found it just as easy for me to set up the patches I wanted as favorites on my Fantom and it's easy to change to the few I use on my Yamaha P80.

 

[Nillerbabs]

Talking of solutions and what gear we have - I'm the happy owner of a Nord Stage. It's just awesome, especially in this matter. It has pretty flexible split points and separate the keyboard into three zones, in which sounds can be layered in one or more.
If the internal sounds wouldn't be enough for you - I think the would, unless you need i.e. accordion, strings, mellotron and such... - this baby is also an MIDI controller. What do you say? When I don't mind lugging it with me, it's the only board I use, and it does exactly what I want it to - and exactly, what three boards might do as well.

 

[Mourndark]

I normally just use my ProKeys as a master running through my JV-1080. That gives me up to 16 patches in various layers/splits and if I need more space than the 32 slots onboard, I can store more rest on a laptop. I'm considering getting a midi pedal because at the moment I have to take one hand off and move it to wherever the rack is to change patches. I occasionally take an additional small controller if necessary. The only problem live is finding somewhere to put my 19" case (it has a patch bay as well).

 

[GigMan]

Talking of solutions and what gear we have - I'm the happy owner of a Nord Stage. It's just awesome, especially in this matter. It has pretty flexible split points and separate the keyboard into three zones, in which sounds can be layered in one or more.
If the internal sounds wouldn't be enough for you - I think the would, unless you need i.e. accordion, strings, mellotron and such... - this baby is also an MIDI controller. What do you say? When I don't mind lugging it with me, it's the only board I use, and it does exactly what I want it to - and exactly, what three boards might do as well.

I'm in the market for an 88 key machine w/bread and butter sounds - prospective candidates are the Yam. S90ES, Roland RD700GX or RD300GX & the Kurzweil PC3X... I'd even consider the Stage though it's price tag makes me gag - but because of this very reason (no strings and other add'tl sounds - accordian, brass, etc...) I have to pass on it. I use my Triton Le for string lines usually but sometimes I need to produce a layered stings-over-piano sound on my bottom keyboard, which is currently a Roland FP2.

Plus I've heard the Stage's acoustic pianos - even with the new/improved downloadable samples - are not it's strong point, so that turns me away as well.

I heard my friend's band recently - he plays a Stage, sounded awesome on the organs and elect. pianos!

 

[Nillerbabs]

I've heard the Stage's acoustic pianos - even with the new/improved downloadable samples - are not it's strong point, so that turns me away as well.

I heard my friend's band recently - he plays a Stage, sounded awesome on the organs and elect. pianos!

I very much agree with your last statement - especially the Rhodes and wurlies are just awesome, and the fx do a great job!

Of course acoustic pianos are a matter of taste. I went to the music shop the other day and tried the RD300GX. I have to admit that the acousic pianos were great (however, these were the only sounds that could possibly match my NS, I think ). Anyway, There's been lots of discussion about whether the NS samples are too raw or just realistic - I support the latter. I think they sound more "true", and even though a Roland piano patch might sound great, when I close my eyes, I find it easier imagining myself playing a real grand on the Stage.

 

[bsr2002]

Dear guys,

I've been playing keyboards for quite a while, but now I'm pretty much active playing live. I can't afford to pack more than 2 keyboards on the road, so I must optimize my gear as much as I can. I've seen recently some videos, specially from Genesis' last live tour, where Tony Banks carries no more than 3 synths, and in most occasions he plays more than 3 different sounds on the SAME keyboard on the SAME song. The thing is I don't see him punching buttons to switch between programs.

Is there any way you can program the patch changes "externally" without having to navigate throught the patches and punch buttons while trying to keep time and not miss the solos????

Hope you can help me on this one!
Best Regards,
Daniel.

I use three sets of keys as well but I use them for the unique sounds they have. Right now I'm using KORG KARMA, Motif 6 Classic And Motif ES6. I just got a Fantom X6 which will be replacing the Motif Classic after I'm done programming it.

Also, what will save time from changing alot of buttons during performance is how you split your keyboard up

 

[Mourndark]

Also, what will save time from changing alot of buttons during performance is how you split your keyboard up

Definetly - it's generally good to keep the number of changes in a song to a minimum, for example doing The Model (Kraftwerk) I use 7 different keyboard zones.