Stokely

My wife has printed a fair bit over the years for her home business. I hate inkjets for the same reasons mentioned...either they run out too fast or dry out because you didn't use them enough! So she switch to b&w laser and these have worked great. Brother and HP, a couple different models. Iirc when the drum needs replacing it may be better trading it in (Staples etc will take old printers) and getting another one. Toner isn't cheap but it lasts pretty long and you can save a lot by getting generic toner via Amazon vs the brand name. All that said, I'm REALLY hoping she will stick with her commitment to go paperless. Her home business means containers full of paper docs stacked up in our house. More and more businesses, including several real estate law offices we've been to (she is in realty) are completely paperless. Scan it, tag it, back it up/use cloud and you can always print specific docs if you need to.

We need Kurzweil to work on an SP6 76/73 now

I pay no attention to grammys and pop music in general. I have always loved vocal albums (acapella or just vocal-centric groups). So I was maybe the last person on the planet to have heard of pentatonix. So this is old hat to many, just wasn't to me This vid brings a giant smile to my face. Besides just being cool, the amazing things to me: 1. all vocal sounds, including drums 2. they do this live, there are no overdubs in the studio video O_O. Or to be more precise, no extra parts that they can't do live. I've seen them on a camera phone video at an impromptu request...the bass guy does an overtone thing for the swooshy synth AND bass simultaneously...the "autotune" in the studio vid they do on purpose (I can't fathom being good enough as a singer to simulate autotune...). The weird little vibrato that sounds like an effect--yep, they do that as well. [video:youtube] More traditional vocals...man this is just beautiful. [video:youtube]

I did many gigs with my little Soundcraft Notepad. It had pre-fader sends, which at the time was important since it was both a submixer and a monitor mixer. I've since simplified things and just get my keys back in my monitor feed, and only use one keyboard. I think if I started gigging with two boards again I would seriously consider the Key Largo.

Yes, I also have had my eye on a HA76 but they are indeed rare, and even used way higher in price than the sp6.

I wonder if there are any plans for a 76 note version? For gigging I just don't need 88 keys and it makes for really tight squeezes on our often-tiny stages. Other than that this is really intriguing.

Hmm I'd definitely like to check this out if it has a new action. My pc361 has been a great gigging board soundwise but it has had reliability problems. I strongly disliked the action in the SP4 (tp100?) or I might have picked one of those up a few years ago. Edit: there would have to be a 73/76 key version first though. I had enough problems on some of our stages with my VR700, an 88 is not necessary for what I do and would make life very difficult.

My feelings toward this series are no doubt colored by a traumatic experience I had. I was late to a band audition (darn gps issue) and the whole band was set up and waiting as I walked in (and a bit grumpy honestly). The singer's boyfriend had a QS7 (iirc) already set up and off to the side, and he said I could just use it if I wanted to. Nervous, and feeling many sets of eyes on me--there were a few spouses/girlfriends there, wtf--I said "ok". Note to self: never play an audition on other people's gear. It sounded bad, the angle was WAY off on the stand, and I also made it more horrible by re-learning Boston's Foreplay at the last minute from youtube (i had been playing it very incorrectly for many years LOL!). I ended up doing a bastard version that sounded worse than either. The boyfriend was there and he kept reaching over and trying to tweak the sound as I played Five years later, I've been playing in a great band--and it isn't that one. I don't think they ever gigged

I'm not much into pop, and even less into "vocal acrobatics", but I appreciate talent doing live stuff. This woman is an amazing vocalist (as is her partner Clark Beckham from one of them). All of these are live, with obvious production differences between the vids.. [video:youtube] [video:youtube] [video:youtube]

Just piling this on here....I saw that Kraft had a bundle with the mojo 61 that included a gator semi-rigid case...I like those cases, I've used them before. Anyway, I got on the chat with a guy there because it listed the gk49....I'm thinking, that has to be a typo, right? He said the mojo dimensions were 36" wide, the case interior is 38". He said "trust me, it fits" and I'm sure they ship it in the bag, so it must. Wow, 36" is really compact (which is awesome)! Does it surprise anyone else that a 49-key case would fit this keyboard?

Pretty much any outdoor gigs not in the wintertime here in FL...I have been rained out a bunch of times and the threat of rain was there when we didn't get rained out. Just the nature of the beast here in FL, and the rain is sideways monsoon rain that will get you even if you are under a good-sized roof. We are also the lightning capital of the world. Hmm, a day comes to mind that actually turned out pretty well, but at the time was hell. July 4th, we were signed up to play a night show before the fireworks. We ALSO had a one-set gig about 20 miles away at an outdoor festival for earlier that day. So we set up at the big nighttime one so that the sound company could check everything....tore down a "mini rig" to take to the one-set gig (drummer was ok, they had drums) only to find that parking there was non-existent. Had to hoof it in 100 degree heat to make it there, then rain threatened (see above). Then we had to bust ass, literally running, to make it back to our FAR AWAY cars that had no closer pull-ins in order to barely make it to the night-time gig. Where it threatened to rain again. Moral--don't sign up for two gigs on one day unless you know they are easy. 2nd takeaway -- that was the day I decided to get a cart. One of the best decisions I ever made. My kids or my rock'n'roller cart, which do I love more...I'd have to think for just a second....

For what we do--classic rock/dance cover stuff--there's no chatter needed or wanted...nothing kills momentum like the band having a discussion about something on-stage (usually it's "how do we end this song again?", ie, stuff everyone should know). Having control over your own monitor mix removes the other "talking point", which is "I need less of Bob in my mix!!!!" type of stuff But yeah, just pull out an earbud if you really really need to talk about something.

Hey my old thread popped back up i don't see a followup by me so I'll mention that (like someone else apparently earlier) I got the R14 iirc when it was on sale. It's big enough to lay down my VR700's soft case with room to spare. This thing has been one of my best gear purchases ever, right there behind IEMs. Other band members were so impressed with it after borrowing it once (I don't do all of our gigs, they bill as a 4-piece sometimes) that now we have four of them in the band LOL! I even use it often with very short load-ins. Any time i have to get through a door or squeeze past tables it's worth it to load it up. I have maybe 4 trips at most so for a short walk outdoor porch deal where I don't have to thread my way through patrons I don't bother.

I kind of have a similar problem, but with the cheesy (to me) 80s "organ" sounds. I'm guessing most of those were DX7 organ patches(?) Anyway, a normal hammond sound just doesn't have the same vibe...one song we play like that is "I hate myself for loving you" by Joan Jett. I still just play a hammond sound on my v-combo and it sounds ok-ish....

My spider pro would allow for this, though the top board has a set angle on it that you might not like. But one reason to pay 250 for a stand is the ultra-portability and that isn't a factor for you. My old stand, an onstage 2-tier Z, would work probably even better. It has both height and angle adjustments for the top stand. I got mine on sale for 75, really good stand (bulky and hard to transport was the reason I moved on.)

I guess I don't play big enough gigs for stereo (as a part-timer!)...our band's PA and every gig I've ever done with a sound company have been mono. I simply have to make sure all patches sound good mono and that's that. I currently do monitor with a pre-fader send and chose my mixer accordingly--is it clear that this has this ability, or is it like the desktop version where it's post-fader (intended as an fx send)? If so this is certainly on my radar.

Reaper seems to be the Windows daw I hear about most. I have messed with it a little, and like most daws at first I found it confusing I've used an old version of Ableton Live, and really enjoyed using it. It's mostly known as a DJ tool I guess, but I found it very easy to do traditional sequencing on. It's not cheap, but it does come with built-in instruments. That said, I've been slowly replacing the built-ins from Logic with 3rd-party anyway, and I get the feeling many end up doing this. Based on the newest macbook pro, which my wife got--I might be moving over as well. Let's say I'm not a fan, especially considering the price. If I do I'll be trying Reaper.

We've gotten laser printers the last couple times we needed one. My wife mainly needs one, and she doesn't need color, so that helps with cost. Our current one is a Brother DCP-something, it does scanning as well. I can't stand inkjets. If you print a lot, one or more of the cartridges runs out quickly, and if you don't, they dry up. For toner, we've had good luck with the generic brands from Amazon. It's a lot cheaper than the name brand.

I know I used organ from my old Proteus, and even my old analog synth the JX10, but there were no tricks involved...just play and grimace over the bad sound. More recently, with my Motif I just followed this rule: DON'T LEAVE THE FAST LESLIE ON It sounded "ok" as a organ-y sound, and it sounded "ok" when you let the fast leslie ramp up, but I'd quickly turn it off before it could really get going. It was hideous once it did. Sounded like an LFO on a synth.

Which ones? The Mojo 61 has acoustic piano, Rhodes, Wurly, and Clav. I just meant that after my recent pc3 issue (refused to boot during a gig) I try to have coverage for most if not all sounds. That would include some synths and strings. That said, I've reconciled that it's only a few songs considering our tunes, and in a pinch almost all of them can be done with organ, EP and piano. The few that can't we'd drop for that night, or until I could bring out the singer's backup juno-d that I usually tote. Or, I could fold an ipad into my rig for synths, which would be partly for fun and trying something new. In return, I'd get a smaller footprint (the 76 notes of the vr700 are both unused and a pain on some stages), a lighter board and a better organ, and I use organ quite a bit. Gotta have something you are looking to upgrade, I think it's one of the musician commandments.

I'm definitely interested in this thing...need to sell my vr700 first, easier said than done (locally at least!) The electro makes a bit more sense sound-wise (as I'd use the non-organ sounds, at least as a backup) but I don't like the keybed on it.

Will this be using the same keybed as the older SPs? I am not a big fan of those, they feel a bit sluggish to me.

Yeah, I guess I've always had "dense" old-school heavy boards, my most recent is a pc361 and it's pretty heavy for its size. It's a good thing overall as long as it holds up over time with a light chassis.

I love the tp9 action, if that is indeed the one (or some variant) that Kurzweil used on the pc361. I think the Virus kb I had also had that action--whatever it was, it was outstanding. If only this darn thing had aftertouch...I can rationalize sounds to a point if I know it would make a really nice controller for home use. That Virus I mentioned above really made me appreciate aftertouch and what can be done between a good action and good programming. I still am interested though if it has the built-in audio interface like the other two. edit: looked up the specs. This thing only weighs 18 pounds! That is insane! It might actually be too light from the sense of having it fly off your stand....I wonder if that is correct, doesn't seem possible.

Thanks, good info. I didn't know that about the midisolutions box. Yikes, pitch and especially mod wheels would be missed if I used the Mojo to control synths. Well, certainly there's always a tradeoff involved LOL--even if that tradeoff is having all the options there are, but now you have to cart them around and set them up! I know in going to something like the Mojo I'd definitely be going all-in on something else doing those extra sounds...but I'm not all that thrilled with the VR700 for them anyway. It's definitely trying to be a jack of all trades, but in some areas (synth notably) it's really not quite into the "useful" status for me anyway. The whole thing might be moot anyway as I've had no luck selling the VR700 locally. It really is a good keyboard and I should probably appreciate it more than I do.