BenWaB3

Yeah, we've all had that case where we say we got the sh+t scared out of us but I actually had a case where I got the sh+t scared into me. We were playing a dive in the early 80's and during the course of the night I was getting to need to go reeeaaallllyyy bad. I kept trying to tell myself I could wait until I got home but it finally got so bad I had to hit the restroom. When I opened it up it looked like the toilet hadn't been cleaned in over a year, there was stuff all around it on the floor and to top it off it faced directly out onto the main floor. It was so disgusting that somehow the need and urge totally subsided. I guess there really are cases of mind over (fecal) matter. Sorry for the TMI aspect

Not the answer you were originally looking for but........ (139) Trouble Funk - Let's Get Small (1982) - YouTube Yeah, I like a lot of John Mike's videos.

I'll add a voice of respectful disagreement here. I was using the Yamaha BT MIDI dongle & getting glitches or hiccups when playing virtual instruments on the iPad from the Hammond XKPro. I just went to a wired setup last week & the glitches went away. It could be that there was just something amiss with my system though. I do want to thank Reezekeys and drawback for offering great advice on this problem.

The first time I saw a Fender Rhodes Piano Bass was 1966 when I went to school in NC for a couple years. The most popular band in the state was called The Embers and their keyboard player used one. A few times through the year I rented one when bands I was in were in need of a bass player. Then in the spring of `67 The Doors started to hit so I can't say I was playing one before Ray - I'm sure he beat me to it by a year or so but I was playing them before I heard of him. For the next 40+ years I was doing left hand bass for around 2/3 of the bands I was in. The occasion still crops up pretty frequently playing in jazz trios although it's usually a horn player, drums & keys. It feels like a "music minus one" in those situations when it comes time to solo though.

I had been using the Yamaha Bluetooth adapter but would get occasional chokes or hiccups when playing live. I had gone to the Apple store yesterday & they had sold me a dongle which didn't have a 3.5mm audio out but the guy said to use the USB-C to 3.5 I already had and it would work. I had something similar at home so tried using it and it works fine. No choking so far, knock on wood. So, I'm going USB-B out of the SKPro into the USB-A on the dongle, then the USB-C out of the dongle to the USB-C to 3.5 (second) dongle. Here's the link to the item on Amazon: Amazon.com: iPad Pro USB C Hub, Baseus 6-in-1 Adapter for iPad Pro 2022 2020 2018 12.9/11 inch, Docking Station with 4K HDMI, USB-C PD Charging, SD/Micro Card Reader, USB 3.0 & 3.5mm Headphone Jack : Electronics Don't know if that will work properly as a link since it's not showing up as one in this post. It will also fit flush onto the side of the iPad whereas the soon-to-be-returned one from the Apple store wasn't. It does have a 3.5 out but, IIRC, I had tried that & it only worked intermittently at best. Using the USB-C out it works perfectly.

The Nord will give you the best all-around utility. The Hammond has, IMO, a better Hammond sound but its extra voices are, again IMO, not the best. I have the SKPro and using an iPad to get the extra voices and am happy to use that combination over a Nord but again that's just my opinion and carrying around an iPad or some sort of external module may be more hassle than you want to go through. A Nord 73 user will probably weigh in here on the pros & cons of that instrument. Just taking a quick look at one (Electro 6D) on Google, it looks like there's no pitch or mod wheels so that could end up being an important consideration as well.

Thanks for the replies, Reezekeys and drawback. Turning off WiFi & increasing the buffer size helped a lot. It only hiccupped a couple of times And hopefully trying the other suggestions will eliminate that entirely. Again, I don't want to derail the thread so will try to add something to the main point that it started out as: Neo-Soul is very versatile in what it can offer. Someone had said earlier they didn't like the Rhodes init. sound and I agree. Someone had also said it can be a lengthy process programming it & I agree about that also. You have to prepare to spend a long time in the Control section but that is where you can really change the character or tonal spectrum of the instruments. I still don't understand that section all that well but have been able to get some pretty close approximations. One other tip someone had said on a bygone thread is it seems to work best the fewer oscillators you put into the mix and I've also found if you can get your main body of sound out of just one oscillator it will sound much better. 2 oscillators, even though they may be tuned exactly the same seems to put a certain smudge to the finished sound. The effects can be your friend or foe, depending on how you have them set up. I have a lot to learn about that section but everything I learn there improves the finished product a few degrees. This is at least my third time, if not more, of coming back to Neo-Soul after trying other software or hardware options.

Reezekeys wrote: <<I'm surprised to hear about notes "choking" like this because I'm using a 6-year old original iPhone SE running AUM, hosting six instruments along with a few EQs and a reverb. I'm able to layer several of these instruments (like rhodes or acoustic piano with strings, or a brass pad) without any artifacts, at a 128-sample buffer setting. I use the Scarbee rhodes in Korg Module. Its stock velocity response is unplayable (for me) and can't be adjusted when it's an AUv3, but there are ways around that (I use a Streambyter script but Midiflow lets you program a curve too). Is your i-device older than mine, or are you running a lot of other things simultaneously? >> Also drawback wrote: <<I’ve never had NSKS2 choke either - I wonder what’s up?>> It's an iPad Pro 4th version that I've had about 3 years (or however long ago they came out). I experienced it again last night on the job. It will be playing fine & then when I hit some notes it will be silent for maybe a 10th of a second or more then everything will come back, often with every key I had hit in the silence mashed up together & then continue to play fine until the next hiccup. I've tried setting the buffer at 64 or 128 ms so there isn't too much latency. Maybe I should try 256 & see if the latency is too noticeable. The only other app I had open was Cubasis 3 but only used it on two songs. The rest was purely live playing. I don't want to derail the thread here though so if anyone can point me to articles on how to maximize the efficiency on the iPad for music uses it will be appreciated, or I could start a new thread here on the forum to get this topic out of the main point of the thread. I did see there is an article from Sweetwater about that. It had mentioned going Airplane mode, which would probably help, but right now I'm using the Yamaha Bluetooth dongle to send data to the iPad. After this weekend I'll try to see if I can find an adapter that would allow me to go from the USB-B on the SKPro to the iPad & split out an audio connection. I can't escape the feeling though that there are ways to get the iPad tuned up to work better that I'm just too uninformed at this point to utilize. Thanks in advance

Somehow, I always end up going back to Neo-Soul after trying all the others. As of a couple days ago I even came back to it after the GSI Gemini sound module, which has some great sounds and I like the pure tone of the GSI better but I can't get the velocity settings to keep it from barking too easily, or in the case of the GSI "hard knock" might be a more appropriate term. As a previous poster had stated, you have to really get down into the nits & gnats of the Neo-Soul to get it to sound the way you want it, but it really does have a lot of programmability. I still can't get the Neo-Soul clavinet to have the same dig as the GSI. The only problem is (with iOS anyway) I still experience some hiccups playing note passages on the Neo-Soul. It will just choke for a split second & then continue playing as it should. Anyway, that's just my opinion & we all know what they say about opinions 😃

I don't have the SKX-Pro but have the SKPro and that problem occurs from time to time. The simple turn off and back on has solved the problem, so far. This is actually my second unit as the first one had gotten so bad the message screen stayed up & you couldn't do anything but play the default organ. Hammond replaced it with no hassles (other than being without it for a while) but it isn't encouraging that so many people have had this experience. It has popped up from time to time on the SKPro forum on Facebook.

Thanks for the suggestions. With the ability to offset the velocity that seems to help a lot. I have it set to -15 for now and will see how that needs to be adjusted when playing out in a live situation. I can still get a lot of bark if needed or wanted (rarely) but at least now have to work hard to get it, which is much preferable to having it come in by the time you're hitting the keys with medium hardness at best. Offsetting the velocity also tames the overtones you get at maximum, and it seemed like they were more than you would get on a real Rhodes anyway. Like I had said before, often vintage emulations seem more of a caricature than the original instrument anyway. Also, I had the Hammer Hardness & Bark and Bite both set to zero. Now I can add a little Hammer Hardness to get more of a thunk at the beginning of the note. Thanks again!

I'm currently using a Gemini desktop module for Rhodes, Wurli, Clav & Acoustic pianos since the extra voices on the SK leave something to be desired. My main problem is that the Rhodes especially, seems to go to "bark" way too quickly. To be upfront about it I'm not a fan of the hard bark to begin with. I'd really like to find a sound like Herbie Hancock's "Fat Albert Rotunda" phase or Stevie Wonder's "Talking Book" phase. They had a bark to them when needed but it was more like a "thunk". Granted, this sound might be boring to some players but we all have our preferences. This has seemed to be the situation with other alternatives I've tried as well, such as the extra voices on the SK, Neo-Soul, etc. Part of the problem could be that too often programmers go for a caricature of the sound thereby putting too much emphasis on these and bringing them in way too early. I did try the iOS keyboard package from GSI and while it didn't end up quite as good as the desktop module I did like the customization of the velocity curve so that I could limit the velocity to just under the "overbark" mark. Could it be that the SKPro curves are just too wonky to start with? I have to either concentrate on playing lightly all the time, which takes you out of any creative flow, or putting up with a solo that is all hard bite on the sound. Since the Gemini will probably never have an update that lets you design your own curves. I did see the MIDI Solutions Velocity Converter at a couple of online stores. Would this be a good fix to the problem or is there something else anyone could recommend that would be better (other than a suggestion to take a long walk on a short pier)? Sorry about the long length of this post but, unfortunately, brevity has never been my strong suit. Thanks in advance

Lancaster, PA

A: "I don't know it, but if you whistle some of it, I might be able to cover it". Q: What did the keyboard player say when asked "Do you know your fly is down and your dick is hanging out?" --------------------------------------------------- I always heard it as: A: Know it, hell lady, I wrote it!!

Let me give this a try. I had the Legend Module a few years ago. Hope this helps Legend Exp (IT-EN) v10.pdf

For me it comes down to the spatial aspect of a real piano as opposed to digital. Probably how the soundboard disperses the sound as opposed to 2 (or possibly more) speakers. that said, I still use both & enjoy each for their own advantages.

Just started using one a couple of weeks ago. In my case it was to anchor a GSI Gemini module that makes up for the sub-par Rhodes, Wurlies, clavs & ac, pianos in the Hammond SK Pro. That meant I needed to add a mixer (the aux in on the SK is already occupied by an iPad). This arrangement saves a fair amount of setup time since the Gemini is permanently wired to the mixer & all I need to do is run the AC plug to an outlet. Then the audio cords & USB from the SK are permanently wired to the Mixer & Gemini so I just need to run the loose ends out to the SK.

A tip for those looking this album up on Spotify, Amazon Music, etc.: Look him up under Michael Lang. When I looked as Mike Lang it was an entirely different person.

You can check the music stores again. I had gotten a Reface CP from Sweetwater a few weeks ago. I had been on a waiting list though so I don't know if they have any regular instocks or not. I ended up returning it. I don't know if was the Reface itself or the velocity curves on the Hammond SK PRO but it would bark too quickly and certain notes would play much louder than the others. You could give them a call & see if mine is still there as an open box deal. Yeah, prior to getting it I was doing a national search on Craigslist every day & they were selling there for either retail or over. I think one guy was asking $500 for his.

Yes, the number of 20-somethings that ask for Sinatra is surprising. I don't know if there's some sort of music appreciation class in high school but you're right about them knowing Beatles, Stevie, etc. Maybe it's listening to their parent's (or grandparents) play the stereo back in the day or something like that.

Man, timing is everything (bad timing on my part). I just plunked down the money for a Gemini desktop yesterday and now this comes out. I had been using an iPad for live performance but ended up going back to hardware. This might have kept me in the software game though.

Part of it will be gauging the average age of your audience. When I first started my solo job it was mostly elderly (for that time period) so I did a lot of standards. They're still in the repertoire but now I've included a lot of "Boomer tunes" (Beatles 60's Soul, 70's hits, etc.) Of course now we're needing to put some 90's & new century tunes in there as well. Usually if they ask for Broadway tunes it will be from 90's forward. Hope this helps.

I was waiting to see who would be the first to post this one!! 😜

I had meant to put out that qualification, that everyone will have their own opinions and every right to them, but had hit send before including it. It wasn't meant as a personal attack on you and hope it wasn't construed as such. As far as moving from the 6 to the 7, the 6 is built like the proverbial tank and just keeps plugging along so I'll keep it until it gives up on me, which could be quite a few more years considering its roadworthiness. They'll probably have come out with an MP8 (or 9) by then. 😀 Did they improve the clavs in the 7? Thanks.

I've never gotten to audition the MP7 series but have had the MP6 for many years and one of the things that keep me happy with it is that I absolutely love the Rhodes sound. The promise of a better action and better acoustic piano sounds has me leaning towards upping to the MP7 if the 6 ever goes out but the possibility of getting a downgraded Rhodes would make me hesitant. The Wurly on the 6 is great also. The clavs could use an upgrade. I don't know if the 7 takes care of that or not.