Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

My new gift, a Keytar


Recommended Posts

I showed up at band practice yesterday, and this was waiting for me.

48129303356_68b55dcd30_c.jpg

 

The whole band was there waiting for my response. I should have known something was up, those guys are never early.They, along with my partner in the studio, went in together on it, and had evidently been conspiring behind my back for a while.

 

I am pretty firmly in the "keytars are the epitome of not-cool" school, so I doubt I'll be playing it out. I did try it out last night, but the included strap was way too short for me to play comfortably. But still, it was a pretty hilarious gift.

Turn up the speaker

Hop, flop, squawk

It's a keeper

-Captain Beefheart, Ice Cream for Crow

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Replies 34
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

I haven't played the new Vortex with the sliders. Looks sweet.

 

But my wireless Vortex with the USB stick is plug and play with my Kronos. Fun with splits, aftertouch and ribbon snd PB and accelorometer, pads can trigger Kronos virtual pads. Range is pretty good too, can go just as far as my wireless bass, about 40 feet into the audience.

 

All you have to do to humor your band is play one song where you have a solo. Buy a cool strap, and hang it off your rig while onstage for the cool factor until it's time.

 

All you need is 30 seconds of actual play time to make it worthy of gossip for your fans...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I agree it's about the dumbest thing ever.... However, people go nuts when I play mine. It's undeniable.

 

Jim%20FF%20small.jpg

Korg Kronos 2 61, Kronos 1 61, Dave Smith Mopho x4, 1954 Hammond C2, Wurlitzer 200A, Yamaha Motif 6, Casio CDP-100, Alesis Vortex Wireless, too much PA gear!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1) Context

2) Execution

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agree - show your appreciation for what is not a usual event with bands. Even one song in or added to the list where you take a solo on it (or in my case where I'd do some of my usual LH bass since we have no other bass player - I played electric bass before switching to keys when my fretting hand started getting sore as I got older).

 

I just revamped by church setup (which stays in place) for stereo with a small mixer. Little bigger mixer with additional channels, I could see doing this, if the budget gets to a point where it isn't needed for other things. Next addition will be a Z stand mounted mic boom with a tablet holder to replace the present music stand and be close enough that I can read it without having to buy the 12" iPad pro.

 

Curious how much practice needed to get the different key position (vertical instead of horizontal) down pat.

 

Howard Grand|Hamm SK1-73|Kurz PC2|PC2X|PC3|PC3X|PC361; QSC K10's

HP DAW|Epi Les Paul & LP 5-str bass|iPad mini2

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Jim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just received an Oberheim XK MIDI controller that I bought from eBay. It's a pretty compact design and only weighs 15 pounds. I might turn it into a keytar. It uses a wall wart but I can rig a 5 wire MIDI cable to carry power then I only need one cable.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Keytars: Cool or not? Meh.

 

But what IS most certainly cool is the fact your band chipped in to buy you some gear. That's AWESOME!

 

 

 

So true. And I hope I'm not sounding unappreciative, there was much hilarity on all sides when it all happened. And yeah, these guys are awesome, they're not just my bandmates, they're also some of my closest friends in the world. We jammed on Chameleon for about a half hour after I got the Alessis hooked up to Native's Monark in MainStage.

 

The Alessis is kinda cool, a wireless midi controller with a ribbon and some other non-standard performance controls. I may find something to do with it after all...

Turn up the speaker

Hop, flop, squawk

It's a keeper

-Captain Beefheart, Ice Cream for Crow

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1) Context

2) Execution

 

This!...and

 

 

The new vortex2 Wireless with Sliders is a huge upgrade from the original. Especially the brushed aluminum red model :cool: and of course the original Hammered Copper model was a favorite :)

 

2ZsOEN.jpgRjddVG.jpg

 

 

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any of you guys gig with this wireless? (I see the cable in David's photo of the series-1 vortex) Any problems or note hangs?

 

I just got one at Gearfest but still trying to research the wireless range (ft) away from the dongle and any glitch/issues using it wireless.

 

~ vonnor

 

 

Gear:

Hardware: Nord Stage3, Korg Kronos 2, Novation Summit

Software: Cantabile 3, Halion Sonic 3 and assorted VST plug-ins.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Schweeet David!

 

I looked it up and it's set to send wireless MIDI to a PC/Mac. How about an iPad?

Numa Piano X73 /// Kawai ES920 /// Casio CT-X5000 /// Yamaha EW425

Yamaha Melodica and Alto Recorder

QSC K8.2 // JBL Eon One Compact // Soundcore Motion Boom Plus 

Win10 laptop i7 8GB // iPad Pro 9.7" 32GB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It sends wireless midi to it's USB Stick/Dongle so I'd guess if you can get that connected to an iPad and had software on the iPad that can read in from a MIDI port it should work.

Gear:

Hardware: Nord Stage3, Korg Kronos 2, Novation Summit

Software: Cantabile 3, Halion Sonic 3 and assorted VST plug-ins.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, the original vortex top right was not a wireless unit.

 

I was able to run a 25ft MIDI cable with no issues.

 

The Vortex 2 Wireless is paired with a USB dongle, and must be use with a host (PC/MAC/Kronos/and other keys...)

 

When I use it, I use an iConnectivity Audio 4+ that has a USB Host port. From there I can distribute it anywhere in my rig. Depending on the venue, I'm rock solid to at least 50 feet. After that it depends on stage design, etc..

I only use it on a couple songs. Even then, I don't stray too far from my general set up area until I mosey over to the guitar or bass player (like in the pic above)

 

One way to ameliorate this is to have the Dongle up high so you never lose line of sight.

 

Suggestion. if you get one, buy a replacement dongle from Alesis in case you lose the one it comes with. You just pair the dongle with the keyboard thru the software.

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any of you guys gig with this wireless? (I see the cable in David's photo of the series-1 vortex) Any problems or note hangs?

 

I just got one at Gearfest but still trying to research the wireless range (ft) away from the dongle and any glitch/issues using it wireless.

 

~ vonnor

 

 

I have found the best way to test for glitch is to simply start playing some note intensive passages while manipulating the mod and pitch...just to jam up the data that's flowing.

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Dave, my laptop sits on top of my rack behind me on stage. I figure I'll just plug the dongle in the side of computer instead of in the hub (which is inside the back of my rack).

 

Good advice on the extra dongle - and I guarantee I'll always bring a 25ft USB cable as a backup.

 

One of the switches on my LiquidFoot LF+ Mini is always set as ALL-NOTES-OFF just in case, and I plan to duplicate the key range routing on another controller if I'm out and about.

 

~ vonnor

Gear:

Hardware: Nord Stage3, Korg Kronos 2, Novation Summit

Software: Cantabile 3, Halion Sonic 3 and assorted VST plug-ins.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[font:Century Gothic]f u thinking keytars ain't cool![/font]

 

Was there a keytar in that picture?

 

Well, this is the kind of pictures that makes you want to become a "Queutard".... Ok, ask your French friends, they will explain it....

 

Stage 2, C2, NL2X+TC Pedals, P08+Tetra+H9, P12+TC Chorus D50+PG1000, 2 Matrix 1K, Proteus 2K, TX802, Streichfett, Drumbrute. Guitars:G&L Legacy, Asat X2, Ibanez Artstar AS153.Bass: L2000, SR1200&2605.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any of you guys gig with this wireless? (I see the cable in David's photo of the series-1 vortex) Any problems or note hangs?

I've always had an aversion to stuck MIDI notes, which translates into an extreme phobia of wireless MIDI. Instead, I just ordered this for

my AX-Edge:

 

http://www.airnetworking.com/Pictures/Nady_Bass.jpg

 

My reasoning is that bass rigs, like keyboard rigs, require a wider and flatter frequency response. I'll give a full report after it arrives and I work with it a bit.

Does anyone else here use wireless audio with a keytar?

-Tom Williams

{First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com

PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently sat in with a band for a medley of tunes. All they had for keys was the singer's keytar. Man, that was tough, playing position, finding sounds, etc. I told them afterwards that I have a keytar at home, I played theirs onstage more than I've ever played mine! LOL

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

Link to comment
Share on other sites

N&I:

 

All this discussion about the keytar itself seems to be avoiding the question: why did they give you a Keytar of all things?

 

Perhaps its similar to your significant other giving you a pair of dancing shoes.

 

I think they are inviting you to join them front stage to participate in the part of the fun that you dont get behind a keyboard stack. And the gift eliminates any naysaying.

 

Its that act that Im interested in. What song, what musical part. Context and execution, as said earlier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Argh, this is my life. I've been looking for an Oberheim Xk off and on for years, and one pops up on Ebay and is nabbed while my back is turned.

 

Have fun with it, but watch out for heating issues (they added a voltage regulator later on and bolted it to the back of the case as a heat sink) and for the pitch/mod paddles coming loose (Permatex is your friend).

 

Dr. Mike Metlay (PhD in nuclear physics, golly gosh) :D

Musician, Author, Editor, Educator, Impresario, Online Radio Guy, Cut-Rate Polymath, and Kindly Pedant

Editor-in-Chief, Bjooks ~ Author of SYNTH GEMS 1

 

clicky!:  more about me ~ my radio station (and my fam) ~ my local tribe ~ my day job ~ my bookmy music

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As someone who has unapologetically played keytar for decades and who's probably owned ten of them at one time or another, I will happily talk about why they're wonderful to anyone who will listen.

 

I am well aware of the fact that they can (and often do) look truly idiotic on stage. That said, I find that they embody an almost entirely different methodology for playing than traditional keyboards do, they require a different approach, and present different rewards.

 

Alas, the currently available crop is pretty thin: The Roland AX-Edge has a lot of the right features but is fabulously expensive for what it does and looks ridiculous (even for a keytar, which is saying something!). Conversely, the Alesis Vortex 2 Wireless is actually a huge bargain as a MIDI controller; as is often the case with keytars, it provides the user with immediate access to a large variety of left-hand expression controls, something which IMO you can never get too much of.

 

Some tips for the OP from a once and possibly future Vortex 2 Wireless owner:

 

1. The included USB wireless dongle is best thought of as a way to not clothesline yourself when playing on stage, not as a way to walk far away from your rig and get out in front. If you're really serious about mobility, invest in a proper wireless MIDI setup and add it to the keytar; otherwise, stick to wired for safety's sake. Anything beyond 10 feet, you're asking for trouble.

 

2. As stupid as it sounds, if you want to take it on stage, invest in a guitar stand for it, and try it first to make sure it will actually work without dumping the keytar on the floor!

 

(The one thing that nobody ever seems to think about any more when designing keytars is practicality. While you're cleaning up the beverage that squirted out of your nose while reading that last sentence out loud, let me explain.

 

A keytar doesn't HAVE to have a useless, impractical design in the name of cosmetics. If someone built one that was relatively utilitarian in shape, it would draw a lot fewer laughs. The Yamaha KX1 and KX5, the Casio AZ-1, and the original-original-no-not-the-AX1-do-your-homework-kid Roland AXIS, all had one thing in common. You could set them down on stage without them falling over because they weren't all weird angles and bad balance, and without damaging a cable jack. You shouldn't need a damn guitar stand for a keytar, and that's a huge failing of the Vortex 2 Wireless: it's got a slanted bottom edge and all the damn I/O is down there. Feh!

 

But I digress.)

 

3. Get a very long strap and wear it as low as you can. You're not playing a Chapman Stick! Get it away from your shoulders so your arms can extend semi-naturally; you'll find it way more comfortable, and as a side benefit, it looks considerably less stupid.

 

4. Do not dance while using it. Ever. Do not run around on stage with it. Do not even walk over to the guitarist or bassist and grin at him while swaying back and forth in time to the music. Nodding your head is acceptable, barely, as long as you don't headbang. Walking back and forth a few steps around your rig to reach various keyboards that are far apart, or walking across the stage to confer quietly with other band members, is OK... it shows that the keytar has practical value and isn't just silly stage dressing.

 

5. If you shred on it, don't make the "oh my God I need more fiber in my diet" face. Please. For ALL our sakes.

 

 

 

Dr. Mike Metlay (PhD in nuclear physics, golly gosh) :D

Musician, Author, Editor, Educator, Impresario, Online Radio Guy, Cut-Rate Polymath, and Kindly Pedant

Editor-in-Chief, Bjooks ~ Author of SYNTH GEMS 1

 

clicky!:  more about me ~ my radio station (and my fam) ~ my local tribe ~ my day job ~ my bookmy music

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Argh, this is my life. I've been looking for an Oberheim Xk off and on for years, and one pops up on Ebay and is nabbed while my back is turned.

 

Have fun with it, but watch out for heating issues (they added a voltage regulator later on and bolted it to the back of the case as a heat sink) and for the pitch/mod paddles coming loose (Permatex is your friend).

 

I had the hood open and there was a voltage regulator bolted to the back of the case. I've read of owners complaining of unreliable Panasonic keybeds in their XK, but my unit does not have the Panasonic. Feels like the same keybed in my Matrix6.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...