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For local gigs, my main keyboard is a Korg Kronos that is excellent in providing me with basic sounds I use (piano, organ, synth, strings, horns). However, it is heavy and is difficult to travel with. Someone suggested I look into a midi setup that uses a software on a laptop that provides a midi controller that would give me access to various instrument sounds on the fly as required during a live performance. I guess another way of describing it is, I"m looking to a workstation brain on a laptop that I can play on a Midi controller live (just as I do on my Kronos. I'm new to Midi technology, so I find my head spinning trying to sift thru all the programs and device available. In most cases, the gear seems far more oriented to recording songs and their playback (live or otherwise) than what I'm looking for. I don't pre-record any sounds. Any advice anyone can offer would be very appreciated. I would need access to about 40 sounds/voices. Thanks again, Perry
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There are many lightweight midi controllers, they tend to be fairly inexpensive compared to workstations - how much of a quality keyboard action is relational to weight of the keyboard. Do you need weighted keys? Will un-weighted or semi/light weighted suffice? Nektar makes several 61k controllers that are feature-full and portable.

 

For ease of setup and use, with most every type of sound you"d need in one shot I would suggest a MacBook or MacBook Pro with large SSD hard drive and Apple"s Main Stage software. Done.

 

If you prefer Windows, a similarly spec"d laptop with Cantabile software and picking and choosing your favorite VST instruments is also viable.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Hi, Perry -

 

Quick question:

 

Would the plan be to fly to gigs, and rent a controller from local backline companies? Or, would you be traveling with a lightweight controller?

 

In either scenario, it seems that, due to inexperience/discomfort with MIDI technology, and the fact that your needs don't appear to be too complex, the simplest solution would be to rent a keyboard with internal sounds at your destination (since you'd be renting something anyway), or to travel with a lightweight keyboard with internal sounds.

 

You'd be saving yourself a lot of work and headaches. If budget allows, you could rent a Kronos on the road (or another keyboard you're familiar with), and just bring a thumb drive containing your set lists/patches. It's always a good idea to have a list of alternative keyboards you can live with, especially if you're not always performing in major markets. Alternatively, you could bring a module with you, and just MIDI it to a locally rented controller. Granted, modules aren't as popular as they once were, but there are some options out there, both new and used.

 

If using a rental instrument, it's always best to communicate directly with the backline company to find out what units they have in stock, and what condition they're in. Don't be afraid to ask detailed questions! I've been faced with situations where the only instruments available in a city weren't ones I was too familiar with; fortunately, nowadays, you can pretty much download any manuals you might need in advance, and keep the PDF on your phone or tablet for handy reference. Sometimes, I'll print out a few pages of important info I'll definitely be needing, but it's best to have the entire manual available, just in case.

 

Of course, relying on backline opens up another can of worms; namely, the heartache of dealing with a problematic/malfunctioning rental unit. FUN!!

 

All of the above notwithstanding - your proposed idea (using a laptop, etc.) is a solid one, but there is a learning curve, and more complexities to deal with if you go that route. Of course, many do, with excellent results. I'll leave the advice on that to others, as it's not really my area of expertise.

 

Hope this helps - good luck!

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For ease of setup and use, with most every type of sound you"d need in one shot I would suggest a MacBook or MacBook Pro with large SSD hard drive and Apple"s Main Stage software. Done.

 

If you prefer Windows, a similarly spec"d laptop with Cantabile software and picking and choosing your favorite VST instruments is also viable.

 

GigPerformer and Camelot Pro are other options for managing the sounds, on either Mac or PC.

 

Mac advantages: Simpler to initially configure. More likely to not need an external audio interface. $30 Mainstage also gives you a full library of sounds (the other control environments require you to locate, download, install, and configure your sound libraries separately).

 

PC advantages: Some VSTs (sound sources) are PC only. (Of course, Apple's Mainstage is Mac only, so it depends what you want.) PCs are available in tablet or convertible touchscreen models, which can be useful for things like on-stage patch selection. On a Mac, you'd need to add an iPad to get touchscreen access to your sounds/configurations.

 

(In theory, you could also just use an iPad alone, but practically speaking, I think that environment is not rock solid enough to depend on exclusively. An iPad is great as an adjunct, but I wouldn't suggest it as a source of everything with no backup.)

 

If you get a PC, look into ways to control when it updates. I got bit once by it insisting on updating when I was in the middle of something. It provided a 30 minute warning, but I could find no way to tell it not to do it. That would have been a disaster at a gig! ;-) But I'm told you can control this... you just have to know that you need to control it, before it actually happens!

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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There's no need to buy a controller if you just want to try this out, thought, right? The Kronos will work fine as a MIDI controller.

 

Then later if you decide it's something you're still interested in you can look for a lighter weight controller.

 

And your existing laptop (or desktop) computer might also be fine just for trying it out, depending on what you have.

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There's no need to buy a controller if you just want to try this out, thought, right? The Kronos will work fine as a MIDI controller.

 

Then later if you decide it's something you're still interested in you can look for a lighter weight controller.

 

And your existing laptop (or desktop) computer might also be fine just for trying it out, depending on what you have.

Very practical approach

Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands

Tommy Rude Soundcloud

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I think the whole reason he's asking is to NOT bring the Kronos due to weight and bulk. Not to add a laptop to what he's already got.

 

I've been sequencing and now using DAWs on computers since the late 80s and don't want to do it live. I just don't trust computers and the fiddliness of it...though I am thinking about bringing an iPad into my rig when gigs return. I realize others have been very successful with laptops so I'm somewhat of a holdout. Bottom line is that I always want a backup option, whether it be a hardware keyboard, 2nd laptop etc. Either that or I bang a tamborine for the rest of the gig if my laptop ****s the bed.

 

Unfortunately there aren't a ton of self-contained options that can compete with the Kronos, especially considering weight. I'm considering using my Modx with an ipad mainly for organ, that is a pretty lightweight and (so far in my testing) solid rig. If something were to happen to the ipad connection I would use the internal Modx organs, which don't sound as good as B-3x (the app I'm using on the ipad) but they could get me through. I don't think the cx3 engine on the kronos sounds as good as B-3x either.

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Another perspective:

 

I use my iPad for stuff like this almost exclusively now. The newest iPads are amazing for running music apps live; I run gigantic racks of synths and effects without any trouble at all, and I have had exactly four crashes during a performance in the past five years, all attributable to my eventually pushing a very old iPad beyond its limits.

 

Camelot Pro exists for iOS, and there are other "virtual keyboard racks" such as KeyStage, but my recommendation for this sort of thing is a program called AUM by Kymatica.

It's a virtual mixer you build yourself, with channels having audio sources (virtual instruments) and prefade and postfade sends for as many effects as you feel you need. It's quite easy and unintimidating to learn the basics, and later on when you feel comfortable with it, there's a deeper feature set that you can explore.

There are a bunch of fabulous-sounding apps that tend to be much cheaper than Mac/PC equivalents, and you can build a rack easily for very little cash.

 

For interfacing to the outside world: if you just want to use an iPad with a Lightning connector as a sound source, then $100 will get you the Korg plugKEY. You plug it into your iPad's Lightning port, plug a MIDI controller into its 5-pin MIDI In Jack, and take audio out of its two 1/4" outs. There's also a little USB Micro-B port on the side where you can plug in a wall wart to keep your iPad charged while you play.

Simple, very reliable, sounds great; they haven't updated it in years and there's really no reason to, other than to maybe add an input for a controller that does MIDI over USB rather than with a conventional MIDI cable.

 

As for the iPad itself: the latest model 10.2" iPad (the one that's just called 'iPad", not iPad Mini, Air, or Pro) is quite powerful, uses the Lightning port that's compatible with the plugKEY, and is quite affordable. The one with 128 GB of storage will run you $500 with an extended AppleCare warranty.

 

BTW, that model may be the last one they ever make that has an actual headphone jack. That can be handy as an emergency audio output (the D/A actually sounds quite good) or just useful for listening while you play with app setup while lying on the couch -- an addictive way to work for many folks. And speaking of new ways to work... I will also note that at least for me, working with a multitouch screen is much nicer than using a mouse and keyboard, especially when playing live. I find it much more inspiring.

 

If you want a laptop to run things, then yes, there are three main choices if you only want a virtual instrument rack and nothing else: Camelot Pro, Mainstage, and Gig Performer. All have advantages and disadvantages (price vs. features, platform, user interface, ease of setup, etc). Many people here in KC use them, and any number of them can give you solid tech advice and help on getting set up and working.

 

On those occasions when I do drag a laptop onstage, I use Ableton Live, which does everything they do and way more... but more importantly, it's what I am COMFORTABLE with, having used it as my primary DAW since version 4 many years ago. If you don't need to fire samples or backing tracks and you're entirely new to this way of working, I don't recommend Live or any other DAW; stick to the performance software above. But if you do eventually decide you'd like to turn your live sets into recorded compositions, working in a DAW will give you a huge head start. YMMV.

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

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Someone suggested I look into a midi setup that uses a software on a laptop that provides a midi controller that would give me access to various instrument sounds on the fly as required during a live performance. I guess another way of describing it is, I"m looking to a workstation brain on a laptop that I can play on a Midi controller live (just as I do on my Kronos.

 

Perry, my iPad-based advice above or the laptop-based advice given by others will handle the sound creation end of things quite nicely. As for a MIDI controller, there are gazillions of options, and rather than mention any in particular (yet), I would encourage you to think about the stuff brought up by other folks, as well as a few other bits and pieces:

 

1. Will there be an option to have a MIDI controller keyboard waiting for you at the other end of the line? If so, then you need a travelling rig that is ready to go just by plugging in one MIDI cable from the keyboard to the soundmaking device.

 

2. If #1 applies...

 

2a. Will that keyboard also have sounds on board for stuff like piano and organ, as well as a good key action that will make you happy?

2b. If so, will you want a second keyboard to trigger other sounds like synths?

 

3. If you DO want a keyboard of your own...

 

3a. Ergonomically, how miserably uncreative will you be if you don't get a keyboard with certain features: too few keys, smaller-than-traditional keys, light keyboard action (no fun for piano), no waterfall keys (no fun for organ), no aftertouch (no fun for anyone -- just kidding! (maybe)), etc.? You don't say whether your Kronos has the semi-weighted keys or the graded-hammer action... if the latter, will you hate playing a keyboard that doesn't have one?

3b. Will you be driving? Flying? Willing to chance a checked bag? Needing to carry everything on board with you?

 

Note that we're not yet thinking about technology or various alternatives yet. We are ONLY thinking about ergonomics and logistics: what will make you comfortable and happy vs. uncomfortable and unhappy, and exactly HOW portable does it need to be? Once we answer those questions reliably, then we can make suggestions.

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

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I use my iPad for stuff like this almost exclusively now. The newest iPads are amazing for running music apps live; I run gigantic racks of synths and effects without any trouble at all, and I have had exactly four crashes during a performance in the past five years, all attributable to my eventually pushing a very old iPad beyond its limits.

That's good to hear. My hesitation mostly comes from needing it to run about 40 sounds... but the strain isn't so much a matter of how many sounds, but rather how many apps you need to be running simultaneously, to have the instant access to the 40 sounds you need. On a Mac/PC, additional sounds come as plug-ins rather than as entire apps of their own, which I assume probably lowers the overhead required, and more than that, Macs/PCs are unlikely to simply ungracefully abort from running out of memory as an iPad can, due to different memory management systems. I think that if you can get all the sounds you need out of, say, 3 or 4 iOS apps, that should be viable... I'm not sure how much I'd want to push it beyond that (though the specific apps matter, too). But certainly, if the OP already owns the iPad, it's not much of an investment to try that approach, most of the apps are pretty cheap and/or have limited functionality free versions to try. But once I have it set up with all the sounds I need, I'd want to run an entire multi-hour gig's worth of playing and patch changes through it successfully at home, and then gig with it some number of times using a board that has its own sounds for emergency backup. But once it has sufficiently proven itself, I could be comfortable with it.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Ipad apps sound tremendous, of that I have no doubt. I have Moog Model D, Zeeon and now B-3x and they are quality. B-3x in particular is better than any hammond sound I've ever had my mitts on.

 

I'll probably start slow with just organ (with my modx organs as backup) but moving forward my main hesitation is over the control and not the sound.

 

I found out by accident that multiple ipad apps can respond to midi input, I was messing with Zeeon and heard an organ...wtf? I had left B-3x on :) So if your master keyboard can send on different channels per patch or zone, I don't see why you can't just leave apps running if they can be set to respond only to specific midi channels.

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Yeah, back when fly dates were a thing, I'd always much rather fly with a Nord Stage 2 or 3 Compact than deal with getting sounds I liked out of backline gear, or worrying about additional potential points of failure in a laptop rig. Put a Stage 2 or 3 Compact (73 keys) in the official Nord gig bag, then put that inside a Pelican 1750, and check it. There'll be room for a sustain pedal or a swell pedal down at one end of the case outside the gig bag. Just under 50 lbs. total weight. You have your sounds and your keys, no fiddling. Depending on the types of places you're playing, venues will often have a keyboard stand and bench you can use. Cables and DI in a backpack, done.

 

If I'm doing a lot of piano playing and the budget allows, I'll rent a weighted 88 and a two-tier stand. The glory is it can be just about anything with a 5-pin MIDI out, and you can just control the piano sounds in the Nord. I usually try to get a CP300 or P250 because the Nord Stage 2/3 Compact sits neatly on top.

 

If you prefer a single weighted board, I've found the Nord Stage 2 EX HP76 is flyable in an SKB 3i-5014-TKBD (no gig bag) at 49 lbs even. However, in my experience so far, the HP76 action doesn't seem to hold up to the rigors of travel as well as the SW73 action does. I've had keys get jarred out of place, requiring partial disassembly on site to pop them back in. An acquaintance of mine had similar issues when flying with his. I flew with the Compact actions for over a decade, going back to the Nord Electro 2, and never had an issue. It might just be because the HP76 in that particular case leaves less room for padding, but it's the only case I've found that comes in under the standard weight limit.

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Ipad apps sound tremendous, of that I have no doubt...moving forward my main hesitation is over the control and not the sound.

For a system where you can't be sure what board you'll be playing it from (or you simply want independence from any particular controller), a USB hub and something like a Korg NanoKontrol can give you a portable, predictable set of buttons, knobs, and sliders. I've never tried connecting multiple devices to an iPad through a hub, but it should work. I know, no one likes an octopus of pieces and adapters and wall warts (the hub probably has to be powered)... but the benefit is you're still only traveling with maybe 5 lbs of gear. And a NanoKontrol is small enough that you can probably find a spot for it on almost any board.

 

I found out by accident that multiple ipad apps can respond to midi input, I was messing with Zeeon and heard an organ...wtf? I had left B-3x on :) So if your master keyboard can send on different channels per patch or zone, I don't see why you can't just leave apps running if they can be set to respond only to specific midi channels.

Yes, as long as you enable background processing on those apps, that will work. If your controller has easy control over which channel it transmits on (or zoning), that's an easy way to select sounds from multiple apps. If you again want to be free of any dependence of what a controller can or can't do, then an app like Keyscape, Camelot Pro, or iMidiPatchbay allows you to selectively trigger sounds from different apps even if your controller is doing nothing but sending on MIDI channel 1. But either way, there's also the caveat I mentioned in my previous post... the more apps you have running "live" at once (even in the background), the more you increase the possibility of an app running out of memory and just exiting. So you'd want to to some heavy duty stability testing before going live.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Depending on your budget, Nord Stage 3 is half the weight. No fussing with midi, computers etc.

 

I second that. If the budget is lower, I'd consider a Roland VR-730 or lower still, VR-09.

____________________________________
Rod

Here for the gear.

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For local gigs, my main keyboard is a Korg Kronos that is excellent in providing me with basic sounds I use (piano, organ, synth, strings, horns). However, it is heavy and is difficult to travel with. Someone suggested I look into a midi setup that uses a software on a laptop that provides a midi controller that would give me access to various instrument sounds on the fly as required during a live performance. I guess another way of describing it is, I"m looking to a workstation brain on a laptop that I can play on a Midi controller live (just as I do on my Kronos. I'm new to Midi technology, so I find my head spinning trying to sift thru all the programs and device available. In most cases, the gear seems far more oriented to recording songs and their playback (live or otherwise) than what I'm looking for. I don't pre-record any sounds. Any advice anyone can offer would be very appreciated. I would need access to about 40 sounds/voices. Thanks again, Perry

 

Are you in the city. The Kronos isn't that bad weight wise? Which one do you have though?

"Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello"

 

 

noblevibes.com

 

 

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You could avoid a laptop with something like the Kurzweil SP6-7, PC4-7, or a Yamaha MODX-7. Nice and light. There are other sizes of the MODX as well but I'm not sure what size of Kronos you have.

 

If you really want to go with a laptop, make sure you have a decently high-spec laptop (not less than 16GB memory) and a solid audio interface. Mainstage or GigPerformer on MacOS, or GigPerformer with some virtual instruments on Windows. That said I wouldn't go that route since you aren't very experienced with MIDI! I have a fair bit of experience and I still find Mainstage challenging!

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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Have you considered the Kronos LS? It's a lighter version of the Kronos with all the same sounds.

Kronos 88 24.1 kg / 53.13 lbs.

Kronos LS 17.8 kg /39.24 lbs.

The trade-off is the lighter semi-weighted synth action.

 

The Roland FA-08 is even lighter 16.5 kg /36 lbs. 7 oz., and still has weighted keys.

 

Even lighter the Roland RD-88 13.5 kg / 29 lbs 13 oz, also with weighted keys. Allows you download sounds into the keyboard and you could use MainStage or iPad app to fill in any gaps.

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Also that LS keybed lacks aftertouch but you might not need that.

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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For local gigs, my main keyboard is a Korg Kronos that is excellent in providing me with basic sounds... However, it is heavy and is difficult to travel with.

 

There's no need to buy a controller if you just want to try this out, thought, right? The Kronos will work fine as a MIDI controller.

.etc, etc, etc.....

 

Maybe we can all convince Perry to purchase a Montage 8, and then set up a Go Fund Me to hire Sven to be his full time roadie to eliminate the "heavy" and "difficult to travel" constraints in his initial post.

J a z z  P i a n o 8 8

--

Yamaha C7D

Montage8 | CP300 | CP4 | SK1-73 | OB6 | Seven

K8.2 | 3300 | CPSv.3

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For local gigs, my main keyboard is a Korg Kronos that is excellent in providing me with basic sounds... However, it is heavy and is difficult to travel with.

 

There's no need to buy a controller if you just want to try this out, thought, right? The Kronos will work fine as a MIDI controller.

.etc, etc, etc.....

 

Maybe we can all convince Perry to purchase a Montage 8, and then set up a Go Fund Me to hire Sven to be his full time roadie to eliminate the "heavy" and "difficult to travel" constraints in his initial post.

 

Which is why I suggested some other things that are much smaller and lighter. My concern is the complicated midi setup that is often needed with Mainstage and similar, considering he is a novice at it.

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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Public Service Announcement:

 

When I first started using MainStage (years ago, since version 1.0!) I would lose all audio output sometimes.

Thinking it was a computer glitch, I'd reboot and all would be fine.

 

It was only many months later I realized that if I hit the "M" key on the keyboard, it would MUTE the output!

SO... the first rule of thumb, if you hear no output at a soundcheck...make sure the concert is not MUTED (The symbol is in the upper right corner of the concert.)

 

Just my 2 cents for anyone going this route; it's the little things like this that can discourage you in the beginning.

 

Good luck to you!

Tom

Tom

Nord Electro 5D, Modal Cobalt 8, Yamaha upright piano, numerous plug-ins...

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There is one solution that does not require MIDI

 

It does not compromise on size, or weight.

 

It has its own onboard sounds.

 

It weighs less than 9 lbs.

 

It is compact in size yet has full size keys.

 

It can be used as an effective MIDI controller so is very useful as a MIDI learning tool.

 

It is made by a company the Op is used to.

 

A Korg Kross 2.

 

Why over complicate a mobile setup when a simple solution is there?

Col

 

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There is one solution that does not require MIDI
There are several such solutions (Yamaha MX61, Roland DS61/VR09 spring to mind). Some have better keyboard actions than the shocking action on the Kross.

 

Before I recommend anything, I would want to ask the OP:

- Is it just weight that precludes you travelling with the Kronos? Would a Kross-sized board work for you?

- What about your Kronos would you be willing/unwilling to compromise on? (Organ model, aftertouch, expression pedal, touchscreen, particular sounds etc.)

Cheers, Mike.

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Perry also posted on another forum, where he explained that he wants to be able to fly into a gig with a duffel bag's worth of gear, and connect to whatever keyboard/controller he rents locally. So that particular use precludes any self-contained keyboard at all.

 

What I infer from the rest is, if he's going to have to assemble that setup anyway, he might as well use it for his local gigs as well (rather than maintain two separate setups), in which case, sure, he could use his Kronos as a controller, but if that's all he's using it for, he might as well replace it with something lighter as well.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Someone suggested I look into a midi setup that uses a software on a laptop that provides a midi controller that would give me access to various instrument sounds on the fly as required during a live performance. I'm new to Midi technology, so I find my head spinning trying to sift thru all the programs and device available.

 

Provided that you also "want to connect to whatever keyboard/controller you rent locally", Gig Performer provides the Rig Manager, so you can easily switch to whatever MIDI controller you want/rent (e.g. during a sound check).

Member of the Gig Performer team
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Could just get a YC61 and call it a day. It definitely covers all the instruments listed and it only weighs 15 lbs. I would not like running off a laptop for gigs just to have a handful of common sounds.

Keyboards: Nord Electro 6D 73, Korg SV-1 88, Minilogue XD, Yamaha YPG-625

Bonus: Boss RC-3 Loopstation

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See post #5 at https://www.keyboardforums.com/threads/help-for-traveling-keyboardist.31947/

 

The problem with the hardware is that I need to fly to certain gigs. So I'm concerned about taking anything that can't fit into a duffle bag for the flight. I was planning on renting a midi keyboard from a local music store for these gig dates.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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