Rusty Mike

Just going to clock in to say that I recently bought the EV Everse 8 speaker to test out for live use. I know keyboard players are not the target market for this product, but the <17 lbs. and EV sound quality had a lot of appeal. The goal was to reduce my carry weight with a lighter alternative to the QSC K8.2. I carry my whole rig in a single trip: piano, stand, speaker and gear bag. So far I've used it at a few rehearsals and a gig with my big band, and it sounds great. It handles the picky Nord piano samples very well and provides a rounder tone compared to the QSC K8.2. Projection and volume are excellent as well. Usable DSP and can manage it from your phone/tablet. The battery thing is a plus for buskers I guess. I just put my pair of K8.2's up for sale as a result.

I apologize for not being clearer, and for not understanding the questions. I interpreted Dr. Mike's multitrack question as recording multiple tracks (different instruments) into the DAW at the same exact time. Of course the DAW plays multiple tracks simultaneously; I guess I misinterpreted the term "multitrack". The bottom line is that I just want to reduce the clutter. The mixer sits on a little bench below the work desk, and the access is not great. I don't like that all the cables plug into the top of the mixer, and then hang down over the back, which stresses the connections on both the cables and the jacks. Right now they run into a raceway hanging below the desk and above the mixer, but if I want to move the mixer to the top of the desk, either the cables hang down or I need to buy/build some sort of management. In addition, the desk is just not be enough for the KeyLab controller and the mixer. While the patch bay has been useful, it all just seems overkill for a relatively simple setup. It's just too many cables, and I'd like to take the mixer and the patch bay out of the picture if possible. I have three sound sources (two hardware instruments and a computer) and two pairs of monitors. Sometimes I just play these instruments by themselves into the monitors, and sometimes I want to play a VST instrument. There are times I want to record the audio from one of these instruments into my DAW, times when I want to record a VST track into the DAW, and times when I want to have a MIDI track in the DAW play one of the hardware instruments. Finally, I want to use the DAW to mix audio tracks. I simply had the idea that using an interface with multiple inputs would be a simpler and neater way to address my uses. I'm not sure I can state this any simpler. I asked here to see if this idea has some merit or what other people did in their studios. It's not about wanting to be different or the same. It's about simplifying a hobbyist's workspace. Mr. Rivers I appreciate your response that validates my idea about the multichannel interface. Reading the manuals and watching a few videos on the products supports that. Thank you.

I'm not really interested in multi tracking into the computer; I tend to record a track at a time. I'm just looking to simplify the setup by taking an item (the mixer and possibly the patchbay) out of the equation. I figured with a limited number of sound sources a mid-size interface will work just fine, and I can seriously reduce the number of cables and complexity. I'm sure I can adapt my workflow to manage signal routing through the interface. It looks like both products can store a configuration as default so I can play an instrument without the computer running. Podcasting is not part of my repertoire at all. The LiveTrak stuff looks nice, but I'm not the target buyer for that product. The KeyLab mkII works just fine as a control surface and it's already on my desk. Besides, like I said, I'm trying to downsize the bulk. There are occasions where I would like to play back a mix to my bandmates during a Zoom call, but I'm sure I have the equipment and ability to do that - it's just a matter of learning. Kuru: "It's important to get the Engineer out of the room as soon as possible so the Artist can get something done" - sage words indeed. When doing a reconfiguration like this, I do a lot of planning. The goal is to make the workflow as intuitive as possible so the Artist get be creative and not worry about how to get something to work. The current setup works just fine, but I want to reduce the clutter and improve the ergonomics.

Another fan of the CT-S300. Sounds decent enough through headphones. The action is better than you'd expect and way better than the Yamaha MX series.

Travel?? What is this 'travel' to which you refer?

Reviving this thread to hopefully get some decision making clarity. I'm some months off from actually making a purchase, as we will be moving late spring into new digs. Over the years, I've shed equipment, gotten more into home studio recording, but have gone pretty seriously in-the-box. I'm down to three sound-generating instruments: Roland RD-800, Nord Electro 6 and Nord Stage 2EX. The Stage is primarily a rehearsal/gig box, and sees very little studio time. All other sound is done using soft instruments on my 2020 iMac 27" through a Steinberg UR22 (1st gen) interface. All I/O is routed through a Behringer Ultrapatch Pro PX3000: sound sources connect to the A channels and route out the B channels to a Mackie 1202 VLZ4 mixer. I have two pairs of monitors: older iKey Audio (now Gemini) M-808v2 and Presonus Eris E5. They are connected to the mixer's Main and Ctrl Rm outputs respectively via patch points. The only exception is the RD, which is directly connected to the mixer w/ XLR cables. I have found them to have less noise than the TS/TRS connections. Cubase Elements is my DAW, and Kontakt and Arturia V-Collection 7 are the primary virtual instruments. When I want to record audio from the RD or Stage, I patch from the patch bay into the audio inputs on the UR22. It's rather rare that I do this, as most of the recorded tracks come from the VSTs. I have a few microphones, but almost never use them for home studio recording, at least right now. I'd like to reserve the right to do so in the future. Also, this is personal studio space, and not a room where I bring in a band to record; expandability and a super amount of flexibility is not a requirement. Since I'm down to only three sound sources, I'd like to explore taking the mixer out of the picture and replacing it with a multi-input interface that will allow me to route audio. Removing the mixer will help reduce the cable count and make for a more aesthetically pleasing environment. Something about the top-mount of the cables on the Mackie just seem to bug me, and lead me to think about the weight strain on the cable ends. I plan to keep both pairs of monitors. Here are the use cases: 1. Simple practice/playing Some days, I just want to flip on the RD or Electro and play through one of the speaker pairs without the computer. So the interface should have some sort of stored or default setting that will just route audio to the outputs. 2. Practice/playing using VSTs Use the RD, Electro or Arturia Keylab 61 to control a soft instrument, again routed through either speaker pair. 3. Recording/playback with the DAW I need the flexibility to record from any of my sources into Cubase, and again to route out to either monitor pair. Using the software to route instrument signals into he DAW would be a new experience for me to get use to, but I'm sure I could learn just fine. These are not atypical scenarios I'm sure. I obviously need at least 6 inputs, two of which are XLR. Since two XLRs would be dedicated to the RD, it would be nice to have an additional pair for mics in case I need them. Given this, I've been looking at interfaces with at least 4 XLR inputs, 4 additional line inputs and 4 output ports. While I don't have a set idea of budget, I do not need high end as I'm only doing this as a hobby. Also, I've had a good experience w/ the UR22, and it would be nice to stick with Steinberg, but that is not a hard requirement. I'd also prefer a USB 3.0 or USB C connection. So the first question really is: is this a common use in a home studio where the interface serves as a small mixer? Second, the initial research shows two product popping to the top: Focusrite Scarlette 18i8 and the Presonus Studio 1810c. The Steinberg UR816c is at a slightly higher price point. I'm wondering: a) Should I be looking at other models or alternatives? b) what are people's impressions with the quality/usability of the controller software? b) ease of software integration with Cubase? Hopefully this rambling made sense. Thanks

Just upgraded the Arturia Stage 73 V and Jup-8 V. I did not bite on V-Collection 8 when the upgrade was offered over VC-7, but recently discovered I was eligible to upgrade these two instruments for $29 each. When I went to purchase, some coupon was applied and it actually cost me less than $30 for both! The Rhodes is a huge turnaround. The prior version was pretty much unplayable, lacking dynamics and agreeable sound. The new version is a whole new instrument that is a joy to play. As for the Jupiter, I did the upgrade because of the price and the accolades it's received here. I've never been a Jupiter user and really have no attachment to it, so it will take a while to get to know it and how best to use it.

Sorry Eric, unfortunately I do not. It was a long time ago and I never thought about taking pictures for posterity. The 1/4" plywood fit well into the spaces used by the original plastic lid. The sides were straight upright, while the front and back were angled to match the original lid. It was tall enough to clear the harp but low enough to be packed with the lid. It was painted black. To an audience it was effectively invisible.

Back in the 70"s I built a flat-top replacement lid for my Mark I Stage. It was made from 1/4' plywood and fit very well. I seem to recall adding a strip or sheet of copper to the inside of the lid to reduce some of the hum, but I don"t remember the details. Prior to that I made a DIY stacker frame, also from wood. It straddled the wooden case of the piano and didn"t put any pressure on the plastic lid at all.

I'll toss in the Waldorf Blofeld. Pretty rich sounding, multitimbral small form factor. Used units abound, and even new models are decently priced.

Rendition of Autumn Nocturne recorded with the help of my sax player friend. Every song is a learning experience, and this was largely an exercise in getting to know Kontakt 6 and making a simple string arrangement. Autumn Nocturne on SoundCloud Yea, I got a thing for jazz standards.

Adam Neely did a YouTube breakdown of the arrangement. I thought it was pretty cool. Yea there was a wee bit of a cheese factor there, and it"s a struggle to make that song unique. I did enjoy some of the reharms in this rendition.

Every single one I ever owned, each for various reasons. The Sequential Pro One was my first real synth. I cut my programming teeth on it. It opened up the world of synthesis to me and taught me the principles and nuances. Juno 60 was my first programmable poly. Helped me learn just how far one could go with a single oscillator. I also learned a lot about using synthesis to emulate other natural sounds. That instrument took my knowledge pretty far. Next up was the Oberheim Matrix 6. It taught me a lot about using velocity, aftertouch and release velocity, and all the great expressive things I could do with it. PITA to program but the results were always worth it. Absolutely loved that thing, and spent many hours programming it. I think a couple of my patches actually made it into the Matrix 1000 preset collection. Ensoniq SQ-80 followed that. Opened up the world of using waves and all the sonic possibilities. Also taught me about sequencing. Very efficient workflow and polyphonic aftertouch! What a wonderfully rich instrument. I also owned a DX-7, but only out of commercial pressure. Didn't do much with that aside from cribbing other people's programs. Digital synthesis didn't really interest me. After that, I took a break from playing, and upon my return, I had less interest in synthesis. I did own a PC3 for a few years, but was more interested in the controller and performance-related aspects of it and less so the synthesis architecture, so I'm not sure that counts in this thread. Just starting to explore again now in the home studio, but it's too early to tell.

I just listened to the video. The owner"s rationale is certainly legitimate, particularly when he spoke about teachers referring students to the site for education and reference and were embarrassed to refer to it by name. In that context, I get it.

He certainly wasn't alone in that regard! Most big band piano charts are way too busy. His wonderful arrangements will endure. I've played countless charts of his. Love every minute of them.

I think it was intended to be self-deprecating, like calling yourself a "gear junkie," or considering beautifully lit, close-up photos of gear "gear p*rn." As such, it seems pretty harmless, and pretty much asexual. Yea, pretty much this. They pointed the finger inward with the name and have some fun with it. It is by no means intentionally derogatory or misogynistic. People need to get over it. One tiny corner of the internet and someone's got their shorts in a knot. Please

Wow, RIP Sammy. I play a LOT of your arrangements. Something notable - many, many of his big band charts start with a piano solo! Always love the Nestico charts!

We did a renovation on our home in 2006. At the time I took the liberty of designing in a home theater system for the family room. It's a "5.2" system, with a unique L/C/R arrangement up front, Boston Acoustics surrounds built into the ceiling above the view and a pair of high quality Martin Logan subwoofers. The front speakers are made by a company called Artison; two speakers flank the television and each contains center channel drivers (pointed slightly inward) and their respective left and right drivers (pointed slightly outward). At the time, the company custom cut the decorative grille case to match the television's dimension, giving a nice clean look and is perfectly integrated visually. And the subs kick some serious butt! The television is currently a Samsung 52" 4K LED - the space will not support anything larger. Sound is driven by a Marantz multi-zone receiver, which also drives a whole-house audio system. Zone 2 of the receiver connects to a Niles 12-channel amps that drives installed speakers throughout the house and my outdoor patio. There are individual volume controls in the rooms where the installed speakers are mounted. Verizon FiOS is our service provider - we have 100Mb service which is perfectly fine for us. With this setup, we've really been digging the quality of services like Disney+, Netflix and Apple TV offerings. We've gone through the entire MCU movie series, most of the Pixar stuff, The Mandalorian, etc. Moving away from broadcast TV a lot lately. All this to say we plan to put our house up on the market in the spring and leave all of this. Our next step is probably a townhouse rental for a year or two while we wait for some family things to settle and for the real estate market to calm down in the Northeast. The next place will probably not have the installed setup I do today. I'm ok with that, and look forward to creating the next system. My hope is the next move will cut the cable and be only streaming services.

I'm going to speculate that people tend to find comfort within certain interest groups. Birds of a feather, so to speak. From personal experience . . . I have an adult son who has always been socially insecure, and he's also the textbook definition of a nerd. He found a very comfortable place in the Dungeons and Dragons community while still in middle school. Some of it has to do with the community being virtual, so he's not required to see everyone face to face. He was also allowed to let his imagination flourish in the environment completely without judgement. He did dungeon mastering for a few years, and his narratives were quite elaborate and celebrated. The community appreciated him for what he did and nothing else really mattered. I don't think his situation is unique, nor isolated to people with social challenges. I cannot speak first hand for LGBTQ or other communities, but we all see the news reports, documentaries and movies about prejudice, acceptance challenges and worse. Everyone wants to have a place where they can be accepted for being themselves. This is no different than the early part of the century when most of the popular American song writers were Jewish (although many of them hid that fact), Black jazz musicians, or even keyboard players in the modern age. We are all in this forum because we find comfort in our community. People want to be happy, and finding comfort in a community is one way to achieve that happiness. And the world is a better place for it. Now if we could only help convince a few otherwise closed minds.

Just did a rash of software purchases (Kontakt 6, V Collection 7, small handful of plugins), upgraded my music iMac, new Presonus Eris 5 monitors and a Keylab mkII 61. I'm going to focus on making music for now. Going to upgrade my studio chair, as I've been using a Gibralter motorcycle style throne, but need something more ergonomic. We plan to sell the house in a few months and move to something lower maintenance. I'll see what the new studio space needs at that time.

I stopped asking family members for keyboard stuff and just get it on my own. Today's gift to me was an upgrade to the Full Kontakt 6. Between that, V-Collection 7 and a few Cubase add-ons, my in-the-box studio is pretty much complete! For what it's worth, we've stopped exchanging gifts with most of our family members overall. We still buy things for our adult sons, mostly things they would not buy for themselves. But, in exchange, we ask that they make donations to local food pantries or other charities. We have everything we could possibly want, and there are far too many people in need right now.

This was my first "synthesizer" when I started playing out. I wanted a Crumar Orchestrator because I saw another keyboard player doing great things with it. The Performer was what my budget allowed at the time. In my opinion, it had lusher strings compared to the Orchestrator, and I happily played it for a few years. While I personally like the sound (and have fond memories of it), the price tag is a bit difficult to justify. Particularly since I just bought the V-Collection 7 and the Solina-V is certainly a worthy competitor.

Just chillin' My son and his wife drove to us in NJ from Colorado. They're moving back east and we're accommodating them until they settle and find a place. As a result, we're in a semi-quarantine mode. Quick runs to the grocery store when necessary, but no socializing. We're not seeing my other son for Christmas this year, but probably a week or so afterward. My parents and mother-in-law are all in their mid-80's so we want to minimize the exposure. I'm making a quick video to send them good wishes, which I think they'll enjoy. My son's in-laws are still active in their community and church, so the kids have elected to keep their distance for now. The four of us are ordering sushi for take out on Christmas Eve and making lamb chops on Christmas Day. We'll probably watch a movie. I'm off from work starting tomorrow afternoon and have a few music projects lined up for my time off. Overall, I'm ok with the low-key nature this year. This time of year is usually hectic and stressful for me, so I'm enjoying the change.

Pretty cool. It's as if Tom Waits wrote a Christmas song.

I just upgraded to V-Collection 7 a few weeks ago from Analog Lab. Still exploring it and all the wonderful things it can do. While it's too bad that the OB-Xa wasn't part of VC-7, there is still a lot to like about it. I'm currently having fun with the CZ emulation. I sold a ton of them back in the day but never owned one, and I'm surprised at how easy it is to program. The instruments I really want to dig into are the Prophet, SEM and the Matrix 12. I really loved the Oberheim Xpander when it first came out and told a bunch of them as well. Looking forward to diving deep into that, and figure just these four synths are going to keep me busy and happy for a long while. While VC-8 does bundle the OB-Xa, I can do without it for now. Was never a vocoder fan, and pretty much checked out of popular music by the time Emulators came into fame. That leaves the Juno. I have very fond memories of the one I owned, and programmed the heck out of it. But that's where the nostalgia ends. I had a Juno because that was what I could afford at the time. Objectively, it's a limited synth that doesn't bring anything special to the table. As for the pianos, I've got a few NI pianos that I like, and bought The Famous E sample a few months back. That's in addition to the Nord Piano Library. No need to get upgraded Arturia pianos right now. I'll pass on VC-8 for now and see where things are on the next go-around.