nursers Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 Like a lot of us, I end up playing gigs that involve squeezing into spaces much tighter than ideal. I actually have two rigs, one for an average space and one for a really tight space. The downside of the smaller rig is no line mixer, IEMS out of my MODX7's headphone jack (which means I don't hear much of the band) and no power conditioner as they are all in a rack case that I sit on an X-stand and it won't fit in those smaller spaces. What I'm interested in is: how do you make the best of tiny spaces and does anyone use a floor based rack mount system that can tilt upwards or have some other useful ideas? Quote The Keyboard Chronicles Podcast Check out your fellow forumites in an Apple Music playlist Check out your fellow forumites in a Spotify playlist My Music: Stainless Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Wright Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I just set up a 6u shallow rack so the rear cover can be left on, and the rack on the floor, pointed straight up. I had the rack on an amp stand on an angle, with the power connections at the back, but Tony suggested the power up front. Works good Quote "I cried when I wrote this song Sue me if I play too long" Walter Becker Donald Fagan 1977 Deacon Blues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Williams Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I use a small digital mixer (Behringer XR12) as a concentrator for my keyboards, condensing 5 or 7 inputs into a stereo pair. I have it preset to a pretty decent unity gain mixdown, but in a pinch I can use an Android tablet to tweak volumes or EQs. I used to use it as a 5x14 inch (13x36 cm) floor unit -- it sat unobtrusively beside my keyboard stand -- although now I have it in a small rack with a couple of radios (keytar receiver and IEM transmitter) and a power conditioner. Quote -Tom Williams {First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I don"t know.... This forum says my pics are blocked file types. I can show the most compact way. Non angled. Straight sunny side up under the 88. Your actual footprint is pretty much the size of the master board. The rack is a Furman Distributor, front patch panel, one space line mixer, IEM Transmitter. Inside are the Vent and the DIs. It"s a 4 space rack. I never need to touch the rack anyway. Everything is controlled through the Kronos and pedal board. Outside amp of sound check knock on wood you don"t touch the rack. Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I"ll try this. This is a rack bag with rubber feet for standing upright. Use black gaff tape to cover the Gator logo Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I've worked over time to eliminate a rack. Occasionally it means putting a small piece of gear in the floor, but my footprint is an apex stand. Exception is my original band when I have some space on stage and want to put on a show....then I bring out 3 keyboards in an L shape and a Keytar. Quote 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 More sharing options...
nursers Posted October 6, 2019 Author Share Posted October 6, 2019 Great responses - thanks! CEB: quick question, I use a similar power conditioner but all the connections are at the back of the rack so I have to have both covers off at each end. That's the challenge I'm trying to get around. Great pics though! Quote The Keyboard Chronicles Podcast Check out your fellow forumites in an Apple Music playlist Check out your fellow forumites in a Spotify playlist My Music: Stainless Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 The bag has rubber feet on the bottom. Its designed to allow the cord to pass out the bottom. Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I had a lot to stuff in my racks in a small space so I designed the racks as a keyboard stand. http://www.analoguediehard.com/tour/offsite-rig/stage-system-keyboard-tiers-racks-1.jpg More details on my webpage.. Although the pictures show a parallel setup, I have used it in an "L" configuration to squeeze into small spaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Williams Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I had a lot to stuff in my racks in a small space so I designed the racks as a keyboard stand. That would never work for me, as I possess legs. Quote -Tom Williams {First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotiDave Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I"ll try this. This is a rack bag with rubber feet for standing upright. Use black gaff tape to cover the Gator logo Lol - nice rig but that doesn"t qualify for the OP criteria of small stage. You could do most anything (in reason) you want on that separate keyboard riser. Me - I ride naked. AX-48 stand, 1.MODX7 board, a dual stereo or mono outs to the DI. 1 sustain and one latching switch pedal. Boom. I use the FOH monitor for my sound, so i can bring in some band mix with my keys. Quote The baiting I do is purely for entertainment value. Please feel free to ignore it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 We usually play pretty big clubs but the rig is really compact. The size of the bottom board sets the footprint. I play through IEMs. The rack and pedalboard sits under the board. Another cool thing is those Monolith stands I use. When trying to maneuver with your board during setups and tear downs you can walk straight through the stand. You don"t have to walk around like on an X stand or my 3 tier K&M setup. That can be really handy in tight quarters if you use a heavy board. PS - Regarding the Monolith. I"ve had three. Never had any issue. A weld finally broke on the first one. I"ve had it 10-15 years. But. DB had trouble with the top tiers. He went through two sets of tiers and couldn"t keep them tight. So ask around regarding this stand. Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursers Posted October 7, 2019 Author Share Posted October 7, 2019 Thanks again CEB! I see what you mean about the rubber feet, I might need to do some investigation into something like that Quote The Keyboard Chronicles Podcast Check out your fellow forumites in an Apple Music playlist Check out your fellow forumites in a Spotify playlist My Music: Stainless Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowboyNQ Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 David as you know I use a rack system too, but for tiny footprint gigs I leave the entire thing behind. I take one 61-key keyboard and a super small and cheap line mixer that I literally dump on the floor, along with a cheap stereo DI box. I use it to control my personal monitoring and I hear the rest of the band via a combination of lead vox's monitors and our guitarist facing his amp across stage rather than towards the audience. Ironically, you have inspired me to potentially improve this system and get a separate small rack unit for a rack-mount line mixer. I'm thinking of placing that above my one keyboard on a two tier stand. Shouldn't increase footprint and will be a cleaner and more acessible solution than what I'm currently doing. However I'm putting this upgrade on hold as I have anti-GAS and hate spending money on equipment. Need to play a few more shows first to build the cookie jar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Coda Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 What I'm interested in is: how do you make the best of tiny spaces and does anyone use a floor based rack mount system that can tilt upwards or have some other useful ideas? Who says a rack has to be "on stage" ? I´ve worked w/ "off stage" racks for decades ... several (large) ones. Today we don´t need those rigs urgently,- but I don´t see any difference in using smaller racks "off stage" too. As long as there´s full control via MIDI,- which is just matter of organization,- there should be no problem. Avoid latest/greatest software rigs because everyting VST3 doesn´t work w/ "old school" MIDI PrgChanges anymore ! A.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatricklov Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 When I gigged out regularly, I had a power conditioner, wireless mic unit and a Roland JV-2080 in a shallow rack. The rack went on an angled amp stand, which could go on either side of me or sometimes in front of me depending on the venue. It was nice because it boosted it off the floor to within my reach. I ran my keyboard and JV-2080 to a small Behringer mixer on the floor near me, then ran that out to the main board. I'm not sure if an amp stand would help you out, but something to consider? Quote MainStage; Hammond SK1-73; Roland XP-80, JV-90, JV-1080, JV-1010, AX-1; Korg microSAMPLER; Boss DR-880; Beat Buddy; Neo Instruments Ventilator; TC Electronic ND-1 Nova Delay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EscapeRocks Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Here's my latest rack. Everything, including power, it on the front side. This allows me several stage setting options. On a big stage, I can set it up on the stand, and put my Macbook on top. On small stages, it can sit on it's back, under my keyboard stand The power connector is the Neutrik Powercon . It's the connector far left on the i/o panel. This setup has been rock solid. The Focusrite 18i20 can also be a standalone mixer, so whether I am using Mainstage, or just hardware boards, this rack handles both. Back side of i/o panel showing power cable from the power conditioner connected to the Powercon connector. power cable with Powercon Connector Back of rack has a hinged and vented panel for emergency access, and airflow. Quote David Gig Rig:Depends on the day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursers Posted October 8, 2019 Author Share Posted October 8, 2019 When I gigged out regularly, I had a power conditioner, wireless mic unit and a Roland JV-2080 in a shallow rack. The rack went on an angled amp stand, which could go on either side of me or sometimes in front of me depending on the venue. It was nice because it boosted it off the floor to within my reach. I ran my keyboard and JV-2080 to a small Behringer mixer on the floor near me, then ran that out to the main board. I'm not sure if an amp stand would help you out, but something to consider? Thanks! Yes I think it might be something I'll explore. I may also need to migrate to a shallow rack - I'd gone for a deep one so I could have the power supplies etc comfortably mounted behind their units etc, but it makes the depth too large to fit on a keyboard stand etc, Quote The Keyboard Chronicles Podcast Check out your fellow forumites in an Apple Music playlist Check out your fellow forumites in a Spotify playlist My Music: Stainless Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursers Posted October 8, 2019 Author Share Posted October 8, 2019 And thanks for the rig update David - have always loved the way you have everything set up like that! Would love to know the specific rack you're using there? Quote The Keyboard Chronicles Podcast Check out your fellow forumites in an Apple Music playlist Check out your fellow forumites in a Spotify playlist My Music: Stainless Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 I like that power connector. Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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