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Kevin Sage

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Posts posted by Kevin Sage

    Reverb pedal for Kronos pianos

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I've found that with O-verb and creative use of 7 band eq and slight compression that the stock pianos come to life.  For worship stuff, I'd also recommend taking that one step further and creating a combi with the above parameters but adding a soft pad along with either the lovers guitar or a bellish suitcase fender very low in the mix for a bit of texture.  I found a new love for the onboard pianos that way and they cut through the mix very nicely.  +1 on stereo making a difference

    • Like 1

    Turning Down an Opportunity

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    IEM's are the best way to combat the problem, and hear the guitars, etc at a volume that best suits you. My band has been full stereo IEM and no amps on stage for several years now. It's glorious. I don't ever want to go back to a situation where lugging my keyboard rig, a keyboard amp, and a half stack (I also play guitar) is required. I use a Kemper stage for my guitar and the other guitarist uses a Line6 Helix.

     

    Our monitor board is a racked Allen & Heath with enough sends for stereo mixes for the band. We use the Qu-You app to control our mixes via iPad or phone. It's a game changer. FOH taps into our snake or simply takes a L/R out of our mixer if they so choose. Bottom line is, we get the same mix in our ears every time with minimal adjustments needed between venues.

    Best albums from the last decade, according to critics

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    There is almost no "radio pop" on this list. There is, however, a wide variety of unbelievable music from a diverse cast of artists. I highly recommend digging into at least a few of these. I haven't listened to all of them, but this list is certainly enough to tear up a few lawns.

     

    I love finding new and interesting music to listen to. Just getting started on this list. Passed by a few but really digging Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit. Refreshing lyrics and a very organic sound. I'll keep listening to new music. Sifting through the plastic is worthwhile if there are a few diamonds in there.

     

    Band Rehearsals - Sound Levels

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Sure, I've heard some electronic kits can be expensive, or the response is not the same

     

     

    That is true of most instruments...many times you have to sacrifice a bit of playability for portability. Drummers seem especially resistant to the transition from acoustic to electronic, however. I'm no expert in V Drums. Perhaps the tech just hasn't caught up with the need on that front?

    Band Rehearsals - Sound Levels

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I play both guitar and keys in my projects. I have no on stage amplification at all. Rely entirely upon my IEM's to hear myself. For guitar I've gone with a Tech21 Fly Rig. Thing is 13" long and 21 oz. I run it through a BBE 882i for a little tone shaping and then XLR out of the Fly Rig direct to the snake. Keys are similar. Stereo out into my stereo DI, then to the snake. Our lead guitarist uses either a direct out of his floor board for smaller gigs or an Isolation cab. Bass is using an Ampeg monitor style wedge amp so it tilts up towards him, facing back. That sometimes can be an issue for the rest of us but we've gotten him on IEM's recently so that volume has dropped considerably. Having no monitor wedges at all is a huge plus as well. Gives the FOH tech much more control. The only real acoustic stage generator is the drums. He's on ears as well so he isn't feeling the need to go full Bonham. In rehearsals we usually are renting an hourly studio space, using the PA and amps provided...I still use only the PA to hear my keys. We established the understanding that we should be able to clearly communicate OVER the music. IF someone is too loud we all tend to discuss and adjust after a song or two without any drama or hurt feelings. It's all about hearing clearly. If you can't hear things, you can't effectively correct mistakes. Never quite understood the need to go deaf during rehearsals. Defeats the purpose of rehearsal, IMHO. When using rented gear it takes a little bit to dial it in but that is a key element in having a productive session.

    Craziest thing ever said to you at a gig

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Not the craziest thing, but funny nonetheless. Sharing only because there's video evidence. Was playing guitar (Malcolm) at the time in an AC/DC tribute band in Phoenix. This girl was at the bar with her friends...celebrating her 21st birthday and got liquored. Faceplants on the dance floor after tripping over a monitor wedge. All I could do is keep on playing and share a cross stage laugh with the bass player. I'm sure she had a wicked hangover the next day. =)

     

     

     

    OT: Do you ever get overwhelmed?!?!

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I tend to get overwhelmed by taking on too many musical projects at once. The balance between my 9-5, my other 5-9 business, family obligations, and the 2 working bands (and a few projects on the back burner) is at the very least, an anxiety producing cluster, and at other times completely unsustainable. Luckily, my wife is 99% supportive of what I do. She lets me know when I begin to have tunnel vision and brings me back to reality.

     

    I try to carve out at least an hour a day to practice, and usually I'm running whatever gig set is next up on the calendar, but after that I let myself explore whatever seeds have been planted, for as long as it feels good. Without scratching that itch, I'd go mad. It's not that I'm fully able to tackle the artist or song that is piquing my interest, but it allows me a chance to expand and most importantly, learn. At least until it's time to take out the recycle bin or pick up the dog poop..... =)

    Going from a 1 board setup to 2

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Warning: Noob tech question

     

    I currently am running a single board setup. Korg Kronos X88, which for the most part, covers all the bases. I also have a more portable "rig" - Mainstage/61 key midi controller that I have for travel/fly gigs. I am aware of the risk of having a 1 board setup and want to integrate the controller into regular rotation with my Kronos as my main board. At home it's either one or the other. I'll run L/R out of the Kronos into my powered studio monitors. For the Mainstage rig, I have a Steinberg UR44 Audio interface with main outs going to my powered pair of studio monitors. I am unsure of how to get both rigs running through the audio interface together. I can't get the Kronos to produce sound through the audio interface for some reason. Is there a different way I should be routing my L/R from Kronos? Midi, etc? Any advice from anyone using a Controller AND a Synth together would be much appreciated. I've got a small rack mixer I could integrate if I need to, but haven't used it before. Trying to keep things somewhat simple, although that may be an oxymoron when introducing a 2 board setup.

     

    Thank you for any help. I know there are some folks on here who have a lot of experience and some very complex multiple board rigs.

    Mac OS Catalina - Anyone?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Currently running High Sierra on my 2018 Macbook Pro. Mainstage/Keyscape/Omnisphere all play nice. Anyone using similar made the leap to the new OS? I'm willing to go there if it's a reliable platform but haven't heard anyone speak to it yet. If there's a thread already on this topic, my apologies.
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