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The Keyboard Corner
Synths, pianos, software, analog, digital, modeling, virtual instruments, programming tips - this is the place on the web for discussions, debates, opinions and assistance...and the occasional sports thread.
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Trending posts on MPN
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The point has already been made that different people/roles require different things. No matter what, I would always find the YT link, download the file and work on it within some sort of transcription software (I have settled on Transcribe!) after a number of years. No matter whether I can easily hear it or not, I have been making charts as a reminder of the chords AND the form of the tune. Coming into the gig I can easily listen and remember tunes, but then after not playing a tune for a year or two, coming back to it is often an at least temporary blank for me (I'm old enough to have forgotten more tunes than I can currently remember!). So my chart is a quick reminder for me, even if I don't need to keep looking at it on the gig. Just a good jump-start to get my synapses firing again. I think a good leader would prep both a playlist and YT links, but whatever the case, I take care of what I need in my preferred fashion. Jerry -
I bought a Stage 3 from fellow forumite cphollis last year and my biggest happy surprise is the synth engine on it. I knew it had one, I just didn't know I'd like it that much. It sounds better than the Modx synth by a ways (I own that as well), and certain things the Modx won't be able to do unless you just use a sample (like sync). More punch and weight to the sound for leads and poly synths (Styx, Loverboy) and for the Killers I think the Modx is going to struggle. I know "punch" and "weight" are not typically applied to Nord synths, hence my surprise I guess! I used to try Somebody Told Me on my Motif and that was...not great. Granted the Modx is newer than the Motif but other than Fm the synth sounds are not all that different. The Modx can definitely do the job--especially if you get away from the weedy-sounding stock patches--but IMO the Stage will do it better. Whether that is worth it or not is the question. I've been doing a lot of single-keyboard gigs with it and even don't mind playing piano on the waterfall action, which was an equally big surprise. So bottom line I'd agree with eric--if you envisioned single keyboard gigs, NS3 or 4 might be the ticket. Dark horse curveball--the Modx makes it quite easy to hook up an ipad. I gigged with B-3X as my organ for about a year, and also auditioned a few synths on ipad. Zeeon was my favorite poly synth at that time, and I loved the Moog apps as well. I remember playing Subdivisions at practice using Zeeon and our drummer--who plays in a Rush tribute band as well-- could not believe that the sound he was hearing came from a tablet I prefer not to gig with an ipad but it certainly can be done. -
I’ve been having this discussion with my wife. I’m away a lot (3 days a week when gigs start, which they did last month) and my wife finds it incredibly hard. But the extra income is significant, and hard to pass up. At the start of the year I couldn’t wait til gigs started again. I was at work counting down the days. Even at home with the kids, I found myself yearning for being away again. I’ve decided that the latter isn’t a healthy place to be in. When I’m away with the guys I absolutely love it. From the 8 hour drives in the van, the flights, the crappy service station food, the green room beers, the actual playing, the hotel room/bar beers, the groggy mornings back in the van…I just love everything about it. We’re an 8 piece, but we get on so well together. When we’re away it’s like being on a paid guys away trip. I just love it. But with two kids, it’s hard. Sometimes I’ll be away and think “I’d rather be home with the kids than in this shitty hotel/green room.” Other times I’ll get back home to “normal” life and feel depressed that it’s over after 30 minutes. It feels like a lose/lose situation sometimes. I find contentment very hard to grasp. Knowing I’ve got a run of gigs coming up makes getting through work easier, but I’ve had to learn recently to enjoy and be content with my family life too. Gigs are great, but the grass is always greener. We’ve a run of gigs in Autumn where I’m away 3 days in a row for 6 weeks straight. I joked to the guys that I hope the marriage counselling is included in the gig fee, lol. -
By Mighty Motif Max · Posted
All my groups use either Planning Center (church stuff, with YouTube links) or Spotify playlists. If necessary, you can usually find the same song on YouTube to slow it down, or isolated stems (which are becoming more common). Uploading tracks to Google Drive or something seems like it might be problematic for copyright reasons. -
And sidenote free... Often times learning a song by ear 'can be' more beneficial (transcription of root movement, melody and form), otherwise you can usually find a chord chart in irealB to view alongside song playback (you'll know when/where there are occasional irealb chart errors). If it's something more involved beyond the average pop/country/rock/standard cut then require a chart from bandleaders. It's usually understood. btw: If you're using 'transpose buttons' ...don't (and watch your musicianship grow).
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In MPN’s GEARLAB
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In V.A.S.T., be it the original V.A.S.T. or the newer vaster V.A.S.T. with Cascade and Dynamic, there are several ways you can use internal DSP sources with Samples: 1. Samples only 2. Internal DSP Oscillators only without any Sample 3. Samples mixed with internal DSP Oscillators In the new V.A.S.T., you can certainly use a multi-sampled Keymap, alongside an internal anti-aliased DSP Osc, e.g. a 2-block SINE+ for a single Layer, or even an aliased one like the old SAW+. For larger AA DSP Oscs, e.g. the 4-block SAW, you'd need to use Cascade Mode, a passthrough signal and a Mixer ALG. So these aren't mutually exclusive. Instead, what the manual seems to indicate is that if you want to do a traditional analogue subtractive synth, then you'd rather not use a Keymap, which makes sense since analogue subtractive synths don't use them at all. You can still use a Keymap's sample Envelope if it is set to Natural, even if the Sample itself isn't sounding via the Layer, say, if you have simply a 4-block AA DSP SAW. That SAW block effectively cuts off any of the Sample signal. However, as the AMPENV mode is set to Natural, it is the factory AMPENV for that multi-Sampled Keymap that is applied to the Layer. The Natural envelopes have more details than can be produced with a User AMPENV. The thing that happens with setting the Keymap to Silence is that it sets each key's amplitude to the same maximum amplitude. Maybe that's what you need in a certain program, but sometimes, if you are doing an emulative program, you could be better off actually referencing the emulation's Keymaps Sample although the latter isn't heard, with the corresponding Natural Envelope, or of course, you could just go into User Mode and make your own envelope. Hope this helps. -
Sweetwater might accept to deliver to Canada, but you will be charged transport accordingly and as anything going USA to Canada your item will go through customs and it is always possible to end up with extra fees - sometimes very expensive. I personally had a very bad experience about 10 years ago and promised myself to never import again from the USA unless the seller confirms on paper he pays for all possible customs and duties extra fees. Buying Kurzweil products in Canada has always been complicated. In the 1990s a few stores in the province kept a couple of them, but if you wanted something they didn't have you had to order sight unseen and wait months to get your purchase. That is how I bought my MIDIboard, K1200 and finally, around 2000, a PC2X. I hated the Fatar action on the PC2X from day one and swore to never buy a keyboard sight unseen ever again. -
How is the Canadian Distribution looking in 2024? What's the alternative if there's still no distribution? Sweetwater? Thomann?
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