Markay

Interesting topic and one on which I have been reflecting recently. My tentative conclusion is thar a lot comes down to our environment, primarily our relationship and workplace. For the last 20 years of a 40 year marriage I played in cover bands. I was working in a relatively high pressure workplace and in a relationship which was supportive of my gigging, but not quite gushing with enthusiasm. Notwithstanding the late nights, the load out and the drive home, stone cold sober, I always felt a unique calm that lasted for 24 to 36 hours. A natural dopamine high I guess. Now I am married for the second time I no longer feel the need. I don't gig much and occasionally get together with an originals band, play and lay down some tracks. They have their own studio where some of my gear lives and my load out is a Macbook and controller. I still return home chilled and full of the joy that playing with others brings. However it means much less as I now have much more control over my workplace and I almost resent the time I am not spending with my wife.

Whatever you decide keep em close. U neva nose when the song's gonna call for em.

Great to see Elvis in fine form. However a coupla days ago.

Been down this rabbit hole so many times. Start with MainStage then fill in with other AU's if they sound better than what you can get out of Alchemy for synth. MainStage @ $30 comes with au's that cover every base. Gig Performer costs much more and comes with nuttin. Were I still on Windows Gig Performer would be my choice. I have VB and B5 but I still use Vintage B3, included with MainStage at no extra cost, for some patches. $30 or $3,000? Your choice on Mac OS. No choice on Windows.

Although I don't live in the US but am/was a customer of Sam Ash, Rudy's, (NYC) Zzounds and Muscians corner, here is how the chain v independent music store battle played out here. The chains merged and at the time they were put into liquidation by their then owner, a vulture fund based in Rhode Island go figure, they had lost their market share to independents who had transitioned to an instore and online price match offer model. During Covid one these nearest to me opened an additional dedicated keyboard and synth showroom. We have amongst the worlds highest CBD rents and all the surviving independent's are in suburban strip shopping centres where rents are lower and its easy to park. I always prefer to try before I buy instore, then I own the decision about keyboard feel for example, and whatever compromise was involved, no returns. Commodity items like pedals or tuners, best online price including delivery from a trusted supplier. The death of the chains has lead to greater choice instore because the independents don't play the "if you stock us (Y) we will give you better payment terms provided you don't stock N or R" game.

Musta been playing Leisure Suit Larry back in the day and looking for luv in all the wrong places and totally missed this.

Same here, however soon after the Yahoo password hack some years ago, which didn't affect me, I set up a Protonmail account as backup. But Yahoo has been solid ever since and ads are a small price to pay for 30 years of having a free email service.

Magic Dick or someone similar required to pull this off.

Steven Stills Mannasas elbum has somehow resonated with me, particulary on country drives, since the day it was released. Not my country, and Johnny's garden is not my life experience. But nonetheless music that transports you to another place. The most underrated creative influence in CSN. Makes Wooden ships look like dross.

Nord Lead? (Joke)

Great performance and chops Darren. Look foward to getting along to one of your gigs soon.

That would me great, my life has been rebuilt from the bottom to the top, I think thats a lyric, since we last hooked up, so PM and we'll put the top down and enjoy life on the edge.

I am software only, but as cost is off the table I have nothing more to add.

Darren if you are referring to the SOH concerts I agree. Next best bass impact was Nile Rodgers at the Enmore about a month ago.

As did I at the Sydney Opera House. Each concert featured one of their albums. I chose The Mix, being the closest to a "best of" . Best sound eva,and an immersive 3D experience.

Thanks to those who chose to respond. Interesting and sometimes humorous comments. To be clear I was not suggesting a sub forum to discuss previously banned topics. Simply drawing the distinction between "ad hominem" attacks which are generally frowned on here, apart from those who enjoy flame ups and can't get enough of this from other social media. Based the the replies here the majority think "ad companydem" attacks are a good thing. And for those who get their rocks off posting or reading these, the more the better. So it goes.

The Pogues, often I have been in a better place on Xmas Eve, but tbis has often reminded me of how fortunate I am to so be. Vale

Powered speakers put a chainsaw through the keyboard amp. I choose EV's, others like QSC's, Yamaha or RCF. Whatever your wallet can cope with.

Reading the UB-XA thread and being none the wiser about the product, but reading a lot of the endless repetition of the Behringer business practise comments, leads me to ponder whether there should be a separate rant sub forum, where comment's about a business's practises are welcome, and banned from from discussion of the actual products that get released by companies that annoy people here.

Lets not forget Guido for many years said he would not make an AU version of VB3 available for OS X. I liked it so much back then I purchased Sound Radix's container for $99 to keep it running in OS X. Then I discovered B5 and l'otary. Wanna destroy brand value? Piss on Apple and get your chicks for free, thats the way to do it.

This discussion has been going forever. I first got involved when I migrated from Windows/Cantabile to OS X/Mainstage in about 2012. My first Mac OS was Lion and today I remain several years behind the current Mac OS version. Apple make it easy to maintain legacy OS's if thats what works for you. Quote taken from from Apple support websiite just now "Mac OS X 10.7 Lion is available for older systems that are not compatible with the latest version of macOS and requires the following: Mac computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, or Xeon processor OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.6 or later or OS X Lion 10.7 already installed 2GB of memory 7GB of available space Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply. Some features require a compatible Internet service provider; fees may apply. Any Mac that shipped with Mac OS X Mountain Lion or later will not be compatible with this installer" If Devs, can't or choose not to update, thats their problem. Personally I move on to AU's from Dev's who have a history of updating within a reasonable time of a new OS release. If the AU is mission critical then don't update the OS.

Interesting, I saw Nile Rodgers and Chic the other week doing a set list of stuff Nile co wrote and produced. Monster bass player, moved my chest with the bass, but pristine sound. Zero tinnitus the next day. But in Aus we have max allowable dB levels. In no way do these spoil the live experience.

I kinda had an issue with bands playing with tracks until I heard Van Halen live with keys on a track. Finally keys that were in time and in tune, who woulda thunk that could eva happen?

Well during lockdown me mates gathered at mine and with various forms of lubricants and worked through my live concert DVDs with surround sound turned up to 11. Stop making sense was everyone's fav. With lockdown a thing of the past they are still pestering me about when are we gonna gather and watch this again.