Stan Martin

I respectfully disagree. Playing Brown Eyed Woman for the 5374th time opening the 4th set for a drunk audience who couldn't care less if you hit the right notes didn't give me any semblance of whether it was "good" or "great". Having yet another drunk girl fall on my Fender Rhodes, spill her beer and her boobs into the piano and my face did not tell me the song was good. Only that there were probably festivities occurring after the final set.

It's free. Download it from Harmony Central (that's where we know each other from decades ago)

This may be unpopular, but it's how I feel: More betterer newer gear does not replace scales and arpeggios and music theory and ear training. And, especially - - taste.

Locally, there are usually a few people/agents who sell to bars and clubs, when they would get something, they'd go thru their phone book and hire the pieces that they need. I still get calls from SoFla occasionally for gigs, and I haven't lived there for years.

I've just been playing the NumaX new "Stage D" for a little while after I had upgraded to the latest OS. Just outstanding The range of dynamics from dark pianissimo to FF shows that there is extensive multilayering of the samples. I turned up the string res, and you hear it when you hold a bass note and play different different notes with the right hand. You can hear the right hand notes continuing to resonate after the note has been let go. Especially if I am playing the same note in the midrange - for example, lower A in bass, A440 with the right hand.

That's what I have too

What is "better"? More commercially succe$$ful? More thought or emotionally provoking? For me, since I don't have to make money at it any more, it has to push one of my definitions of true "art" - conflict and resolution. And be emotionally cathartic.

Here's what I've recorded, first in a series for Bandcamp I improvised on Everywhere Everything /Kahan for my daughter's entrance/processional for her wedding Entrance 1 Jam.m4a

Edited my settings to this. Sounds nice. I'll use it for a while. Thanks

Add Kurzweil to that list

Just upgraded to 2.4. IMO - I hear the duplex and string resonance when using the sustain pedal. Holding the pedal down accentuates the effect of hearing all the other strings inside the grand harmonically responding to the sound waves of the played string(s). One thing that many piano players have had to deal with is - here's the acoustic grand/upright you have, now it's your responsibility to make it sound as good as you can. If you listen to much Monk, you'll hear that many of his recordings were done on out of tune pianos. We've all just had to make the best out of it, or bring a synth that emulates the pitch but can be transported and has a crappy tone. I just got off a cruise ship and felt sorry for the keyboard player who was obviously talented but had the crappiest tone from on old Roland setup SL is giving me another tweak to my tone which, probably cannot be recognized in a band mix. However, recording on your own, and not using any compression to celebrate dynamism within your own fingers releases another level of expression. I'll share one of my creations soon. Just finished a bunch of recording and will be putting it up on Bandbox

I use a MacBook Air M2 with 8 gig of RAM live with Mainstage and in studio with Logic Pro and Analag Lab Pro and other plug ins with no crashes. But I don't keep multiple projects open simultaneously. I think the key with using MainStage is using aliases for frequently used patches.

You are correct - the Nord was set to change from slow to fast with aftertouch. I had also set the foot switch to go from slow to fast, but I finally figured out how to use the aftertouch, for expressive "leaning in" to the note. Cphollis - I probably know you if you played on Atlantic Ave in DelRay a decade or 2 ago. I used to try to go to any of Jon Yurtz's Blues joints that would last a year or so. I worked a lot for Entertainment Source.

I have owned this stage piano for @ 3 months, so I think I can give an honest and completely subjective opinion on this instrument. I am not a gearhead but I do a lot of research before I make a move. I have not had this out at gigs yet - I'm not working live right now as I prepare a set list of solo renditions of jazz interpretations for publishing and live performances. To start - This is my favorite instrument I have played over the years from the first farfisas, to Rhodes to Kurzweil, to Nord and into Arturia controllers and everything running on my Mac and iPads. My happiest live performances were being able to pick up my Nord Stage EX with one hand, the stand in another, and split before the drummer, as the DI handled the outputs. That drunken fade was best handled in the car on the way home, instead of while I was still packing up before that. I digress - to give context. This piano wants me to play more and more. The dynamic sensitivity of the triple sensor keybed responds accurately to my phrasing and expressiveness, So when Beethoven or Chopin calls me for abject beauty the instrument can respond. Multiple samplings of Steinway, Yamaha, Bosendorfer, and a Fazioli(!) grand gives me the options for smoky blues or rock or Bill Evans. I'm putting them thru 2 QSC K8.2s so response across all of the spectrum is tight. I can add effects as I want while playing. The electric pianos are customizable. There are organ, synth, orchestral patches that are very workable.Not excited about the Leslie, but I use outboard patches from my Mac Air M2, which, I am happy to say, do not have any discernible latency. When I want something special, I take it from Analog Lab or Logic Pro or KingB, Another cool thing is, I feel like I'm connected to StudioLogic. When I asked a question not in the manual, I received an email directly from Gianni Giudici, the Brand Manager at SL. I asked how to deploy the Leslie settings, and he responded "use this preset I created", which I did, and now I understand the complexity and logic behind how to better control the balance of the separation for simulating on a stereo speaker setup. Playability, diversity, build, customizability, the realness of the sound - all excellent to me. The only thing that I'm looking for, and Mr. Giudici is looking into it, is the ability to apply the aftertouch component to different usages. For instance, I became enamored with Nords assigning aftertouch to Leslie on/off, which added to its expressiveness, especially if I'm keeping. walking left hand bass line, and can't pull my hand away to move a physical switch. Anyway, that's my 2 cents. I have to get back to writing/recording my daughter's wedding processional music - my interpretations of some Noah Kahan stuff.

I am 70. Classically trained. Bounced around as a full time pro and a weekend warrior since I was 15. Pro tip - try to keep your head out of the direct earsight of a Twin Reverb. That was the last time I toured with a rock band (in the 70's) I do scales almost everyday - 4 octaves, all 12 keys, major. Keeps my hands. agile, even when I'm not working on a project.

That is the life I am finally living. I'm playing music without the business. Just starting this new adventure - learning the Lydian Chromatic concept with Miles and Monk and Coltrane, and rewriting my songs without triads and converting to 4ths, As I write.

Waiting for my SL Numa X 73. I'm sitting at the door drooling. Won't be here till tomorrow

Thanks for the responses! I gave up playing loud gigs after the guitarist's Bassman amp was in my left ear and it took days to get rid of the buzz. The song "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love" was hot on the charts and we were covering it. I'm just about to purchase a Studiologic Numa X while I study the study a transcription of "Kind of Blue" and record all of the parts, so I need a true representation of what I am playing, in my studio. I've got plenty of room behind me, so I'm getting out the tape measure to plan 6' X 6'

I'm back out, after almost a decade. What are people's experiences about where to put your speakers these days. I've got 2 QSC K8's which is more than enough power for me playing jazz.

I use a MacBook Air M2 with 8g Ram/256 memory; stick my laptop, Focusrite soundcard, USB hub, and an iPad for ForScore, on a standard music stand; no need for AC for a 3 hour gig as my Keylab and Focusrite run on USB power from the Mac. Mac is running MainStage with Analog lab and UVI Grand as plugins. No problem yet. Strap the Keylab to my back, QSC K8 in one hand, bag with wires & electronics in the other, and I'm in and out. Keyboard stand, bench, and music stand on second trip, or use my cart for all, fitting it in my Mini Cooper..Enough room for a groupie too. I travel small and light - dragged around too much gear in big cars for too long