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My very own rig planning thread


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It's my turn! :cheers:

 

Some of you may know that I play in Carter & the Capitals, a funk-soul band. My rig has consisted of a Studiologic Sledge above a Nord Electro 3 73, running into an EV ZLX-12p for the entirety of my time in the band (about four years now). I also use this rig (and variations of it) with some other projects around town.

 

I also haven't made any major gear purchases in a while. Traded up from my PX-5s to an SP6 last summer and bought a Key-Largo. Otherwise, I've been busy paying the rent and buying cat food for the last few years. The GAS is real.

 

Well, our thirst for truly amazing synth sounds is leading me to a reinvention. I've happily used the Sledge for a few years now thanks to its large front panel, solid feeling keyboard, and fairly fully stocked list of features, all for a very competitive price. It does things my Juno simply can't. But it also sounds... pretty good. Not amazing. A more skilled programmer would get better results than me, I'm sure, but a recent electronics issue also pushed me to move on.

 

I've had my eye on the OB-6 for a while now and am finally on the cusp of being able to pull the trigger. The module, that is. So here's the plan:

 

The Juno sits above the Electro where the Sledge was, the OB-6m and the Key-Largo sit on a side case/table beside me. Juno is MIDIed to the OB and everything runs through the KL, outs to FOH and my EV monitor. Gives me a real solid one-two synth punch and brings my tone up a few notches in a hurry.

 

Now, that's relatively simple, I can figure it out myself. But obviously, these kinds of changes get ya thinking, so I've got a few questions about next steps...

 

1) Say I wanted to control the OB-6 from the Juno OR the Nord. I want to be able to mix and match so I could say, play a Juno pad, trigger an OB lead from the Nord, but then later in the song play a Nord Mellotron string patch. Then next song, play an OB patch on the Juno, and a Nord Rhodes. I've found this MIDI Solutions Programmable Output Selector. This would do the job? Connect a footswitch and off I go?

 

2) Though I don't play a ton of B3 in this band, I'd love to add a Leslie sim to the mix. Would help for other gigs too. I'm looking at the Micro Vent 122, is there a better option? Love the small footprint and more-or-less reasonable price tag.

 

3) I'm also envisioning adding a few stompboxes to the mix. Probably patch my Carbon Copy in on the Juno and maybe also some sort of OD/Distortion. Maybe eventually add some sort of amp sim on the EP side as well, like a Strymon Iridium or similar. Would there be an advantage to running these through the FX Loop of the KL? The drawback would be that they become master effects and I have to turn the knobs on the KL if I want to be switching things. But then I would also have the flexibility of moving things around. Might be something I have to experiment with once I'm there to see how much twiddling I can afford to do live. It's a high energy band with a lot of movement on stage. I'll probably be putting all this stuff on a pedal board with my Leslie sim, dampers, and expression pedals, plus a power unit.

 

4) Anyone have any recommendations on a side table/case setup? Ideally, I'd be able to have the OB, KL, maybe my Furman power bar and the MIDI Solutions box all strapped in and ready to go and I could lift the top of the case off and plug everything in, like you see with some touring guitar players' pedal boards. I haven't had time to look into this part of it too much yet, my apologies.

 

I think that's it for now... Heh. I can also post some crude diagrams if that makes things easier. I ain't no EE.

 

I'll also probably eventually start a separate thread about cleaning/restoring my Juno, which has some old tape residue and a few other things. And then I'll probably paint it. (Dave Curtis might get a message :laugh:)

 

I also will eventually have to replace the Nord... maybe with a CP73, maybe a Crumar Seven, maybe another Nord, who knows... and fill out an IEM rig... but I won't have that kind of money for a while. :deadhorse:

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Is the JUNO reliable? Do you have replacement parts and/or a trusty service person ready? I'd be hesitant to rely on a vintage piece of gear...

Life is subtractive.
Genres: Jazz, funk, pop, Christian worship, BebHop
Wishlist: 80s-ish (synth)pop, symph pop, prog rock, fusion, musical theatre
Gear: NS2 + JUNO-G. KingKORG. SP6 at church.

 

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I'm in the midst of a minor rig overhaul--which I have to admit was at least partially forced on me by a power surge that ate one of my boards. BUT...I have a rule of thumb that you have to factor in psychic cost to the price of anything you buy or use. If the "tax" on using the Juno is uncertainty about it, I'd save the $75 on having it looked over and apply it to a new board that ticks all your boxes, including some you were currently going to do without. My own .02, really pretty spectacularly unhelpful, but submitted nonetheless.

Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material.
www.joshweinstein.com

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Lol no, come on you guys! I asked a bunch of questions and floated a few more topics and this was none of them!

 

The Juno has been rock solid for me. I haven't been using it as much in recent years, but I have toured with it on land and through air and have never had problems with it. I've had issues with the Sledge, my PX-5s, rental gear, etc but not the Juno. I know it's old and there are voice chip issues and stuff but it's been good for me. Not saying I'm gonna use it forever, but I'll get someone to look at it at some point in the next six months and go over things.

 

Again, just keep in mind that I already own the Juno and that the OB-6 module is quite at the top of what I can spend right now (plus the other accessories I'm talking about). I can't afford to add more to the bill. Also, both sounds are integral to the band. One of our singles is almost entirely Juno, while we also cover a lot of Prince and do a lot of OB-flavoured things.

 

Now, like I said, if you have something that sounds just as good and is cheaper, by all means. But the key is sounding just as good, not sounding almost as good. I've done that.

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+1 eric/davedoerfler. If you need the Juno AND the Obie AND the Electro, and maybe a vent, and a MIDI switcher, then that's getting into Wix-with-Macca levels of complexity, and you might be better to look at a soft-synth rig. IMHO life's too short to spend time wiring all that up before a gig.

 

Can the Obie cover for your Juno? (Or even the Electro with a suitable sample?)

 

Cheers, Mike.

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Add me to the clamoring throng voting for the OB6 keyboard. You're really not going to like this: sell the Juno while folks are still offering stupid money for it. Yeah I know it's got that sound that these kids today claim to need. But the OB6 will cover the gig and then some. A fool and his money will happily fund your purchase.

 

 

9 Moog things, 3 Roland things, 2 Hammond things and a computer with stuff on it

 

 

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I have one of your albums saved on Spotify and listen to it from time to time - I enjoy it very much.

 

I went through similar thoughts when I bought an MFB Dominion 1 for my progressive metal band, At the same time, I added an Amp modeler and was trying to think of every possible combination I may want to do. Dom 1 into Kronos, Out to amp sim, back into Kronos, out the mains, and that's just audio. One larger gig I wanted to solo out front on a Keytar instead of the Dom 1. So now it's wireless MIDI and a MIDI solutions box to handle som midi controller mismatches and midi cables back and forth between multiple devices. Fast forward to a gig where stage space was limited and I left the Keytar and Dom 1 at ho,e and just replicated patches in the Kronos. I don't think anybody knew the difference.

 

My question is around your live gigs. Use the best sounds possible on the CD, but are you over complicating things live for something that may not fully translate? The more interconnected devices you have, the more opportunity for something to not work and screw you up.

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.

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FWIW ... I"m pretty sure all the Sledge control send MIDI CC. Not sure how it will integrate with the OB6

"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

 

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4 ????

 

My preference would be to have a controller surface setup that eliminates the need. But ... OB6 is pretty complex. The Sledge does have a lot of knobs.

"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

 

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If I see you Wishlist Eric, I would think a Nord stage 3 (or equivalent), with an OB6 keyboard on top and a pedalboard with some stomp boxes and your Key largo, would be your rig. Though it would require some deep pockets....

Rudy

 

 

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My 2 cents:

 

I agree with the consensus that the OB6 keyboard version would save you on a lot of these headaches. If you really miss the Juno sound, maybe eventually add a JU06 if you need it?

 

What stand do you use again - maybe a pedaltrain with your pedals, stomp boxes, KL & power would fit? If not, I like the look of these Ultimate Support device stands they just launched but I haven"t used them yet.

 

The Carbon Copy is mono in/out, not sure if you run your keys stereo or not (not to open that can of worms) but the fx loop on the KL is stereo. What I would do in your situation:

 

Electro 3 - vent - KL input 1

OB6 - KL input 2

TC Flashback & Strymon Iridium in KL FX loop

My Site

Nord Electro 5D, Novation Launchkey 61, Logic Pro X, Mainstage 3, lots of plugins, fingers, pencil, paper.

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I have an OB-6 desktop - as you know, they sound great and are almost impossible to get to sound bad. Dave Smith does a remarkable job in settign the parameters so that everything has a useful control range that gives meaningful control over the sound. A very nice piece.

 

But, you might consider using a computer based rig with the sound spectrum you need. I have found it fun to own several very nice hardware synthesizers and to have taken the time to figure out what they do best. But I can't take them all out to play - it would be ridiculous in space, setup time, complexity, etc.

 

So, I made the decision that all patches I like will be sampled into UVI's Falcon. This is so much cleaner than Kontakt and has a full sound design set of capabilities. It has a gorgeous UI, is easy to use, etc.

 

I use Chicken System's Translator (the autosampler) to sample the synths. To sample, I turn off all effects. I set the patch volume so it is consistent across all my samples. I sample in minor thirds over the useful compass of the patch, typically 12 velocity layers, 4-8 sec per sample. If it is to be a pad, I generally use 8-10 sec as that is two bars at any real tempo. Shorter keyboard type sounds are 3-4 sec. The autosampler software puts all the wave files into a directory, along with a basic keymapping for Falcon. Inside Falcon, it takes only a few minutes to adjust the amplitude envelope (release phase) to match the original patch since the attack is already baked into the sample. I select all the samples and strech them up one semitone and down one semitone so every key is playable - this is drag and drop in the UI. I then copy the effects and tweak them until they are the same as the hardware synth. I now have a patch that is musically indistinguishable from the hardware synth.

 

This works for all "played from the keyboard" kind of patches. If you want to do real-time manipulation of the synth engine, there's either more work involved, or its the wrong approach and you should keep a synth in the rig. The OB-6 is wonderful for real-time knob twiddling as there aren't that many of them, and its easy to learn.

 

The thing about sampling one's own hardware synths is that it greatly expands their usefulness. Features like "patch remain", complex splits and layers all become easy to do in either Falcon, or in GigPerformer/Mainstage. All this is much easier to do in the laptop than a workstation, and it is completely portable across whatever keyboard I currently think is the best for me to lug around.

 

So, my current rig thinking is that I have one synth for real-time manipulation and one 88 note keyboard selected entirely for how happy it makes me to play piano on it. Currently, this is the the Non-Linear Labs C15, which uses ribbons and pedals to excellent effect and a Nord Grand. If it is just piano and synth, that's all the rig is. If more is needed, the laptop enters. My GigPerformer file gets more and more useful over time, with patches, splits and combinations that are exactly what I want them to be. And I have my own library of synth sounds that grows and stays with me, even if I decide that I would rather sell a synth and explore something new. My sonic investment in a particular sound is then permanent, and I get to keep it.

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Love that you are expanding your rig. You have a great band. :thu: It's good to have new sounds while holding on to the old, but I'll join the chorus for rig simplicity. Whenever I start planning a new rig, I get more than I need. Later, I am grateful to slim down. Perhaps it's impossible to avoid that cycle, lol!

 

Like the others, I would consider the OB6 keyboard (with effects!) first. Then tweak the outboard effects chain as necessary. Instead of best-of breed stompboxes I would look at an Eventide H9 for it's flexibility. The distortions, delays, rotary,etc are quite good and you will enjoy patch memory. I imagine you will be able to get the OB6 to get close to your Juno sounds, but if not, the aforementioned JV-06 or Deepmind desktop (with effects!) could be options. Hopefully, you won't need either module.

 

So ideally two keyboards and maybe an H9 for a simple, reliable rig which allows you to enjoy making music.

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Rudy, yes the H9 runs only one algorithm at a time. It's not going to be as open ended as (for example) a Line 6 Helix. One my guitarists has three! However, there are two good reasons why a single H9 could do (for now):

 

1) Some of the algorithms are multi-effects. For example the pitchfuzz algorithm has a distortion going into three pitch shifters and then two delays.

 

2) With an OB6 and an Electro (for now :D ) there will already be basic effects so this is the polish at the end of chain. For example, one could use the drive/comp on the electro to thicken a sound before going into the rotary algorithm on the H9. Would this compete with a vent in a studio setting? No, but it might be quite fantastic live.

 

It's always a trade-off, between precision of sound and complexity of rig. I haven't found the magic cure myself. ;)

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Alright, thanks for all the thoughts, folks, and apologies for taking a few days to get back. I still have to do some budgeting and planning ahead to see what I can do and when I can do it.

 

I'm wondering what everyone would have said if I stuck to my original simple rig redesign, with the Juno controlling the OB, those two and the Electro going into the Key-Largo, and leave it at that. Would probably still want to build some sort of enclosure for the OB/KL and a pedalboard, but nonetheless. I could also switch the Juno for the Sledge if there are issues. Or maybe I sell both the Sledge and Juno and get an OB-6. Or a Prologue 16+OB-6m. Who knows!!! :snax:

 

+1 eric/davedoerfler. If you need the Juno AND the Obie AND the Electro, and maybe a vent, and a MIDI switcher, then that's getting into Wix-with-Macca levels of complexity, and you might be better to look at a soft-synth rig. IMHO life's too short to spend time wiring all that up before a gig.

 

Can the Obie cover for your Juno? (Or even the Electro with a suitable sample?)

 

Cheers, Mike.

 

Yeah, the OB could probably at least do the job live. I'm a little nervous about going down to 49 keys, even though I could likely play 90% of my parts no problem. Buuuut, there are some tunes (say 1999 or Jump) where I've gotta hit some big basses and chord stabs. Also, a small thing, but due to the CDN dollar, the keyboard version is a little $1K more than the module. A bit of a price jump.

 

As far as the complexity of the rig, not gonna lie, I'm probably being swayed by some of the rig rundowns I've watched in the past year and my dreams of getting somewhere near that lol. John Fossitt with Bruno Mars (who plays a LOT of Juno in that show), Matt Johnson with Jamiroquai, Ty Bailie with Katy Perry, etc. Nowhere near what they do, but there's rarely a better GAS igniter than watching those guys go through their rigs.

 

Vonnor's rig with the multi-pin connector and some of those pedalboards from the other thread are also super intriguing. As you say, there might be a lot of wires. If I can lock everything down and minimize setup time by implementing a few of those things, I think I might be able to make it work.

 

Add me to the clamoring throng voting for the OB6 keyboard. You're really not going to like this: sell the Juno while folks are still offering stupid money for it. Yeah I know it's got that sound that these kids today claim to need. But the OB6 will cover the gig and then some. A fool and his money will happily fund your purchase.

 

Ah, here's the way to get me to sell. Yep, I just looked up prices and they're even more inflated than I remember them. Oof. Would certainly help get me over the hump financially, but at the same time, the Juno is one of the last thing I'd want to sell... because yeah, it's that thing and that sound and would look really cool in that keyboard cave I'm envisioning in my future. But ughhhh you may be right. Mine isn't in perfect cosmetic condition but works well and has a hard case. I could probably get at least $1,500 for it, maybe even more. Gah.

 

Eric are you sure you need an electro? There are other options.

 

The Electro is already my mainstay, it's been on 90% of gigs and sessions since I bought it almost ten years ago. But it will need to be replaced eventually. I'll honestly have a hard time replacing it, it really checks a lot of boxes for me.

 

If I see you Wishlist Eric, I would think a Nord stage 3 (or equivalent), with an OB6 keyboard on top and a pedalboard with some stomp boxes and your Key largo, would be your rig. Though it would require some deep pockets....

 

Ugh, you're totally right, too. I might prefer more keys on the top tier but ultimately that's a pretty bulletproof two-board rig for most stuff I do. Unfortunately, as you say, that's almost $9,000 list price. Before taxes. And accessories. :(

 

If you really miss the Juno sound, maybe eventually add a JU06 if you need it?

 

Ah, the four-voice polyphony is a dealbreaker unfortunately. Maybe a DM12 module.

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The Juno is very bare bones synth. What makes it cool is the Roland Chorus.

 

May be worth consideration if you part with the 106.

 

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/June60--tc-electronic-june-60-vintage-analog-chorus-pedal?

 

Anyone out there try the June 60?

 

"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

 

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I still have to do some budgeting and planning ahead to see what I can do and when I can do it.

Since you are not in a great hurry it is always best this time of year to wait one more month and see what is unveiled in 30 days at you know what. ;)

 

:nopity:
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I'm a little nervous about going down to 49 keys, even though I could likely play 90% of my parts no problem. Buuuut, there are some tunes (say 1999 or Jump) where I've gotta hit some big basses and chord stabs.
A basic ROMpler can cover Jump - and 1999 too (although having a real Obie is cool for both). MIDI into it from something with 61 keys on those tracks?

 

As far as the complexity of the rig, not gonna lie, I'm probably being swayed by some of the rig rundowns I've watched in the past year and my dreams of getting somewhere near that lol. John Fossitt with Bruno Mars (who plays a LOT of Juno in that show), Matt Johnson with Jamiroquai, Ty Bailie with Katy Perry, etc.
Those guys have roadies/techs. In my world, load-in and teardown are the low-points of the gig, and I've worked hard to minimise the effort.

 

Good luck with your thoughts Eric.

 

Cheers, Mike

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I'm going to counter a lot of these thoughts. I agree with Math of Insects that you have to factor in the psychic cost of an instrument, and reliability concerns can really wear on you. But as you've said, you've had all kinds of modern digital keyboards fail on you, while your Juno has stayed strong. On top of that, there's a psychic value to gear and instruments as much as there's a psychic cost. I can play my Nord instead of my Clavinet on a gig, and most people won't know the difference, but I will, and I'll play differently because of it.

 

You should do what makes you enjoy performing the most, because we're not in this business for money here (though, to quote Almost Famous, "some money would be nice"). Getting your equipment setup so that it gives you that dopamine hit of "yes, that's what I'm about" is just as much a factor as reliability and ease of setup. Not that you should ignore the latter two, of course, you just have to find the balance that works for you. Those Yamaha keyboards with the DJ sounds that they used to have in the music room at my junior high school were reliable and easy to set up, but I'm not taking one to a gig.

 

You tour a lot more heavily than I do; I play 95% of my gigs within an hour of my home (working on changing that ratio in the coming year), and I'm carting all my gear in my own car, no band van or trailer to speak of. If I were traveling further, I probably wouldn't be carting the Wurli and the clav, sure (though my six-month stint in a touring band was spent with a Nord Electro on top of my Wurlitzer, and I have no regrets). But you've explained that you have a backup board for your vintage piece, you know the risks involved, and you seen to know what you want. Take any advice you find helpful, but make sure you wind up with the rig you really want to play, not what someone else would want to play in your position. I've had plenty of people give me "advice" about how to make my gigging with my vintage boards more efficient: "don't." I've grumbled about maintaining them, and I've grumbled about carrying them, but I have never regretted the performance when I've brought them. So, take what you will.

 

Now, all that said, I can't speak to specifics on any of the gear you're looking at, but I think having a tabletop with all of your modules and mixers ready to go and pre-cabled so you just have to hook up to your keyboards and monitor is a good thought -- otherwise you are, indeed, spending too much time plugging things in. You could probably get a pretty standard DJ road case; they make long rectangular ones with foam interiors where all your gear could just sit; you could even cut out the foam so they stay exactly where they need to be. You could set the whole thing on a dreaded X-stand or a piano bench or whatever is easy to carry and complements your space onstage. Or, depending on the profile of your modules, pedals, and the Key Largo, you could look at something like the Onstage Stands laptop stand, which costs less than $20 US, screws onto a mic stand, and can hold a couple of small pieces just fine; you could velcro everything down, throw it into a sturdy case or bag, and be done with it. That's my setup with my Seaboard Block and Behringer X-Touch Mini whenever I don't have a keyboard on the gig that has a big enough flat surface to rest them on.

 

Edit: I realize the other thing I'm envisioning, aside from a DJ case, is one of those tables with a foam surface that drummers/percussionists use to lay down various shakers and other toys on a gig. That might be just what the doctor ordered for you.

 

TL;DR: make sure your butt is covered, make sure the challenge of setting up the rig isn't going to outweigh the joy of playing it, but make sure you're really playing what scratches your itch as a musician collaborating with other musicians.

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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