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vonnor

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Posts posted by vonnor

    Trademark Violation

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Dan,

     

    Have your BL send a reply explaining the inadvertent logo error on the part of the venue, apologizing for the mix-up, and assuring that care will be taken to avoid any repeat mix-ups going forward. Detail the non-conflicting market geographies and politely express your wish to retain your current cover-band name. Tell them if they have any further questions they can contact [insert a local attorney name here]. Or perhaps @cphollis might do you square as a surrogate representative, and let you name him?

     

    Nine out of ten times this is all bluff and bluster on the part of the "plaintiff" (I use the term loosely), and you won't hear squat from them after that.

     

    ~ Bill C. (vonnor)

    What Interface are you using for your Mainstage Rig - 2024 edition

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Not using Mainstage (rather Cantabile3/Win11), but the interface is a big part of any Virtual/MIDI setup.

     

    I think most of the common brands (Focusrite, Motu, PreSonus, etc) current models are all very good with latency, which is probably the most important spec for live performance. I have been using RME Fireface UCX II, which is higher end $$$, but when I bought it they were by far the best rated for latency - maybe not so much anymore. My gen-3 Focusrite Scarlett (was like $250) that I use at my home office workstation also has acceptable latency.

     

    Read up on brand/model comparisons and benchmarks if you're serious about getting a good one.

     

    ~ vonnor

    Poll: keyboard with the best stock sounds

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Considering only stock sounds in a workstation, or basing a purchase decision solely on that seems somewhat short-sighted.

     

    When I look at a new do-it-all type board, I look more at the editing capabilities, sound engine(s), FX, etc. Try to get an idea whether I can build/tweak the sounds I need to recreate, how I might make the sounds better for what I need.

     

    ~ vonnor

    Does your band play ALL live?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Yes, for both my bands.

     

    Our drummer refuses to (*cough*cant*cough*) play to a click, which very seldom but occasionally limits our cover tune choices.

     

    I do a lot of midi tricks and arpeggio re-trigger tricks to approximate a tempo sync, like for Hungry Like The Wolf and Legs (ZZTopp).

     

    I also cover 2nd guitar parts occasionally with a crunch sample patch, like to hold up the middle during a guitar solo and such.

     

    ~ vonnor

    • Like 3

    What are your rig/setup priorities?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I share a couple priorities with @JimboKeys up there.

     

    1. Cantabile on a laptop: Big bag-o-midi-magic. Also #1 is a low latency audio interface.

    2. Enough keys (currently 73+61=134) to cover the parts ergonomically - see #1 for range mapping/transpose, mid-song patch-changes, etc.

    2b. (tied with #2  above) Multitimbral sound sources - I think differently than most live players, consider the control devices separate from the sound sources - even if they're both in the same HW instrument. LOCAL-CONTROL=OFF for both my boards. Everything goes thru Cantabile.

    3. Rock-stable stand - hate the bounce/sway

    4. Modular setup (like @CEB) with no spaghetti - multi-chan snake with custom length pig tails from every back panel jack on the boards to an internally wired pedalboard - single circular milti-pin twist-lock connector at pedalboard - similar snake with milti-pin connector from pedalboard to internally wired rack.

    5. No wall-warts. External power supplies are a non-starter for me - just personal preference.

     

    ~ vonnor

    • Like 1

    What are your rig/setup priorities?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    13 hours ago, CEB said:

     

    1) setup stands

    2) throw boards on stands

    3) Place pedal case under stand.  Lift the lid and plugs in pedals to the boards.

    4) Place Rack beside rig.  Take the keyboard snake and plug the boards into the rack.

    5) Plug boards and rack into the UPS.  I have to have an UPS.  Boot time on a Kronos is stupid.

    6) Turn everything on and put on IEMs and check stuff.  Remember the IEMs keys send is internal to my rig.    Setup is Done ... I hope.

     

    Production guys plug into my rack taking the DI signal.  They also plug my monitor send into the one unlabeled  XLR jack.

     

    That is it.   The only extra doo-dad is a tablet running MobileSheets Pro.  Everything else is in the rack.  My mixer, my wireless transceiver, the Vent, the DIs. It is all ready to go.   This is standard practice.  Most keyboard player I know do it like this.  

     

    2bRig.jpg

    8D37B05E-4CDA-4725-BB07-80E8944C5F91.jpeg.fd1358988945815d678041abac3600a8.jpeg

    Ed, I love your setup - modular and in-rack wiring.

     

    You forgot step 7: Lay the snappy fedora lightly over the keys.

     

    ~ vonnor

    • Like 1

    Changing patches quickly

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    The ability to get setup for the "next" song instantly has been a must-have for me since 1989. Back in the day my workflow looked like this:
    Lake Butler MIDI Mitigator foot controller - fully programmable with a LED display of the song name: One stomp would send a Program Change event to... ->
    Digital Music Corp MX-8 MIDI patch-bay / processor - rack mounted: which would send individual Program Change events out to each board or rack module.

    Could create setlists on the foot controller so the songs were in the correct order - not perfect for audible calls, but pretty great for the current tech of '89.

     

    Today I use a FAMC Liquid Foot Mini+ foot controller to hold all the setlists: One stomp sends a Program Change event to ->

    Cantabile3 running on a 2-in-1 Win10 laptop, which sends the individual Program Change events to all the boards and VSTs.

    For audibles, the laptop (touch screen) shows all the songs in a panel so I can hijack the process and just touch the called-out song name.

    Audibles take maybe 2sec longer to bring everything up.

    Cantabile also handles all the splits, layers, cross-fades, controller mapping, key ranges, sample triggers, 8va xpose, etc.

     

    All the solutions posted here are basically the same idea: Let MIDI do the heavy lifting for calling up patches, save your fingers for playing music. 😎

     

    ~ vonnor

    Roland RD-88 EX

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    11 hours ago, EscapeRocks said:

     

    ...The only "innovation" I'd like is something like the Apple Glasses, where I can just look at the patch I want to pull up while on stage 😁

    You still pushing buttons on your boards during a show, Dave?? You need to get you one of these:
     

     

    LiquidFoot.png

     

    Infinitely programmable MIDI event transmitter - I use one to send PC events to all my boards for each song.

    • Like 1

    Getting all your dang patches balanced...

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Side Rant: There's one FOH guy we use that keeps insisting I send him the Nord signal and Kronos signal separately so he can adjust the relative levels on the fly. I try to explain the concepts of MIDI routing and key-range splits to him - saying just because you see my hand on the Kronos you may be hearing a layer of a nord patch mixed with a VST. I've even diagrammed it out for him but he's solid old-school and only gives me a blank stare. Doesn't help that the guy I replaced in that band had 4 individual boards... took up 4 channels... and never used any midi cables. /smh

     

    ~ vonnor

    • Like 3
    • Haha 2

    How is your keyboard connected to your mixer?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    1 hour ago, cphollis said:

    ...mix in whatever FOH monitor signal they're sending me and back to my IEMs.

    I thought I was the only one who did that, Chuck. ;)

     

    At home I have two rigs. At my home-office desk I use an Akai Advance-61 and all virtual sound sources, running thru a Focusrite Scarlet 2i4 audio interface to powered 5" JBL studio monitors. I do mostly sound creation for patches that I'll use live, then xfer them to the live laptop. Also if I'm woodshedding cover parts off U-Toob or the like.

     

    Other side of the room I have the live rig, but instead of the signal destination being ear-bugs or a QSC K10, it's a pair of powered M-Audio 5" shelf monitors.

     

    Live I run L/R audio out from the Nord and Kronos into an RME Fireface UCX-II interface and use a 2-in-1 Win10 laptop for mixing in the boards with the VSTs and the monitor return. I can route the monitor signal coming back from the main board, as well as the click, just to one set of outputs for the ear-bugs. The other set of outputs are just the sound sources (VSTs, HW Boards, WAV Samples) for sending to FOH. Depending on the Sound Tech preference and room/stage size, I can switch from Mono to Stereo with one button on the laptop app, and run a output to the ear-bug xmitter or the QSC K10.

     

    Cable-wise, the sig from the keyboards to the RME is a multi-chan snake from Redco Audio, 24/26ga TRS per chan. Outputs are all TRS or XLR.

     

    ~ vonnor

    • Like 1

    Basic 76-key controller

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    On 7/8/2024 at 7:16 PM, Konnector said:

    Roland D-70 - If you can find one in good shape. 

    - 76 semi-weighted keys with aftertouch

    - Transmits up to 4 MIDI channels/zones.

    - Pitch/mod stick

    - Built-in sounds and fx

    - 4 outputs

    - 3 pedal inputs

    - 10Kg

    Roland had another model with the same form factor and chassis as the D-70 iirc. Can't remember the model though. Any help?

     

    ~ vonnor

    Nord Stage 4 Announced

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Thanks Chuck! Tips are appreciated!

     

     

    - get to know how to save and recall section presets (piano, organ, synth) as it will speed up your workflow considerably.

    • Thanks sir. I don't think I even set eyes/fingers on those as of yet.

    - although the per-engine FX is very cool, it takes a bit of twiggling to ensure you're applying the effect you want to the voice you want, and not others.

    • Agreed. I already fell into that pit but luckily caught the rim on the way down. ;)

    - you'll want to learn how to "play" the sliders, including the "Layer II" function for verse/chorus.

    • Hopefully those panel sliders respond to MIDI, as my setup runs thru Cantabile3 for CC# mapping - I use expression pedals for a lot of mid-song changes.

    - all the sounds are a tad brighter and crisper than the NS3, likely due to the newer DAC

    • Hmmm... so far they seem less bright, but then I'm only running through cheap Alesis shelf monitors in my practice room.

    - instead of the NS3 song mode function, you'll be best off taking ranges of programs and using them the same way (e.g. E11-88 for a set list)

    • I'd never use Song mode anyway since I run Cantabile3 for a midi hub.

     

    A few negatives?

     

    - Certain midi handling is still a work in progress, see the Nord User Forum

    • Outstanding. 🙄 gonna have to check that out.

    ~ vonnor

    Nord Stage 4 Announced

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Not to bump this thread or anything... but I just got my NS4 HA73 and wanted to post my 1st impressions.

     

    I'll be the first to admit that I really don't practice enough, what with juggling too many hobbies with work, but yesterday after installing custom brackets on the underside of the Stage4 to secure it to my stand, I hooked it all up and ended up playing it for two and a half hours straight! Initially I just wanted to run through the factory programs but when I got to ...I think it was E:32? (a very nice bright 2-layered Piano)... I was having goose bumps over how responsive the HA action was. From the softest notes that you could barely hear, to balls-to-the-wall FFF banging, it just FELT exactly like it should. The velocity response/range are superb.

     

    I did find that the action is a bit heavier than the NS3-88 but the bounce, dip, and trigger-point were perfect.

     

    On the other hand, I was also trying to recreate a dozen or so programs that I had on the NS3 for a show this Sat, and not having memorized the owners manual (YET! .. lol) I found the Synth panel to be a bit clunky and non-intuitive. Had to run over to my desktop and <CTRL-F> the user guide many times.

     

    I guess the NS4 uses the Wave2 engine? Anyway, I kinda crinkle my nose at the ADR envelopes. I've gotten spoiled over the years by ADSR format - but I did cut my teeth on the Model-D so I can probably adapt. I will definitely have fun tweaking patches, but it is a bit tedious so far.

     

    All in all, I really like the machine. I plan on moving all my B-3X virtuals over to the NS4 in the next 3 weeks as well, but was time-constrained yesterday and got that gig tomorrow. I also want to fine-tune a few AP/EP sounds to use as go-to's. 

     

    ~ vonnor

    • Like 1

    Health Tips for Hot Gigs?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    This past Saturday, my band played an outdoor show in 97(36c) heat and humidity. I had lots of water, a blower fan on me, and made it through setup and the show. Tear-down did not go as well, with finding myself suffering from textbook Heat-Exhaustion symptoms - tingling hands/feet, nausea, muscle cramps, lack of perspiration, dizziness. Luckily there were two nurses in the crowd that helped with ice-packs and cold rags on my head and neck. After a few minutes laying down with a blower fan on me I was past any danger-point. The one nurse and her husband even loaded my gear in the car for me.

     

    This Saturday we have a "Heat-Repeat" outdoor gig and I do NOT want to go through the same troubles. Anybody have good advice on how to survive an outdoor show in this kind of weather??

     

    Thanks in advance.

     

    ~ vonnor

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