cassdad
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Posts posted by cassdad
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1 hour ago, D. Gauss said:
Yup. I refuse to buy any amp/cabinet made with horrible, boat-anchor heavy, don't get it wet, glued sawdust, MDF "wood" product. It is possible to make lightweight "actual wood" products and not have them be a fortune.
Fun Example: next time in BanjoCenter, lift up a Roland KC-600..... ($849. 200watts. 1x15. MDF cabinet. 64lbs!!!!)...
then walk over to the bass department and lift up a Fender Rumble 200.... ($579. 200watts. 1x15. pine/ply cabinet. 34.5lbs).
Yup - I think that’s what Motion Sound has done with the KP series. The MS KP-612SX weighs 52 pounds, and the Roland equivalent KC-990 weighs 92 Pounds! I purchased (and returned) the Roland KC-990 simply because I could not see myself lifting that in real-world gigging situations. Time will tell if the MS KP-612SX is hardy enough for constant road use. So far, so good.
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Just to add: Learning to interpret the “MIDI Implementation” chart (for each specific MIDI hardware) is of great value in this regard.
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16 hours ago, mmartinez said:
Anybody using one of the KPs (408, 612) in a typical loud rock band? How does it hold up there?
Where do you guys position yours - in back of you like the guitarists and bassists (backline)?
I am…. I’m using the “new” KP612SX coupled with its “slave”, the SL-512. The combination is a monster. 1st time in my life I can drown out the loud guitarist. Having the guitarist ask me to turn down has been sheer fun. Giving them a taste of their own medicine finally allows them to understand the importance of playing as part of a team. But I digress…..
I usually try to place it behind me some distance (as far back as space will allow). But in reality, due to space constraints and other players placement desires for their amps, I often end up placing it simply wherever there is space. Regardless of location, it seems to work very well, and in stereo. The only rub is that sometimes other band members want to stand right in front of it… so not only are they blocking the sound, they are blocking the stereo (if that makes any sense). I have casters on both units, makes transport very easy (as long as I can roll, ie, not stairs!). I even purchased 5-inch caster wheels - WOW does the thing roll easily, almost can’t stop it. Not sure I would recommend that, but I always wanted to try it!
I separately posted my review last year:
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I bought custom slip covers to protect my KP-612SX and SL-512. Seems to be working so far.
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Seems we all acknowledge the numerous schlepping factors in addition to weight. One more comment: Using more than 1 keyboard exponentially raises the weight, stand / accessories, schlepping and setup / teardown complications. I’ve found limiting myself to only 1 keyboard to be a significant factor on so many fronts. Most keyboards can have 1 or more splits, so, for me, although having 88 keys is a heavier board, splitting mitigates having to have additional boards / stands / accessories, etc. YMMV.
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Don’t Let the Sun, Go Down On Me (Elton John).
Sunrise, sunset.
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Thank you all for the very excellent input and considerations. It’s a “family” type environment, meant to simply be friendly and welcoming, not hitting anyone up for money.
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16 hours ago, MathOfInsects said:
I, too, am having a hard time getting my head around this. I would think they'd want the piano-player as out-of-sight out-of-mind as possible on breaks. Do they have some picture in mind of the old-school Catskills-style schmoozer and party-maker? Are you supposed to be selling wine for them? What's the end-game for this walk-and-talk?
Is it possible to elaborate on what they asked?
It is not a requirement, apologies if I mislead. It’s simply a consideration, and considered good form by some, but apparently not all, based upon many of these responses. Which is also very good input!
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21 hours ago, Delaware Dave said:
Why do you feel you have to roam table to table and make small talk? Is it a requirement for the show from the venue or just something you want to do?
No, not a requirement. However, some consider it good business practice, as well as simply being an opportunity to better relationships for the venue and/or for myself. (Consider the standard practice of the manager or chef at a good restaurant going around table to table.)
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I have an upcoming gig where I’ll have to roam the venue (winery) doing small talk from table to table during breaks (I’m playing solo piano). Based upon the many years of experience of many on this forum: Any suggestions on what to say / not to say? Topics to discuss? How to make a good impression with small talk?
I’d like to NOT get song requests, as I’m playing some unique songs / arrangements, and am NOT interested in playing requests…. so I do NOT want to say “what would you like to hear?”. How do I steer the conversation so I don’t get requests for Sweet Caroline? 😀
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Yes to most of the previous comments (I don’t have the option of IEMs - most bands I play with are not sophisticated enough, and too stubborn to go with them, ugh). Stage and band size greatly limits options. I’d add that my number 1 problem is that wherever I place my speakers (stereo is a must for me, also) - there is always some band member standing right in front of them, blocking most of the sound. Infuriating.
I’m currently using a Motion Sound amp (both left & right in one box), further exacerbating the situation.
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I use my main keyboard as the “mixer”….. it has inputs (1/4 jacks and USB), and has a volume control on-board to control the incoming instrument volume relative to my main keyboard. Works great, no additional hardware required.
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25 minutes ago, sherry said:
Surprised nobody mentions the Motion Sounds keyboard amps. Just my opinion, but stereo is a must.
Yup…. I didn’t want to harp on it yet another time, but I could not agree more. Even though heavier than desired, I think it is this guy’s answer, but didn’t want to sound like I’m hawking Motion Sound. (Also noting that I’ve been trying to buy another MS, and it’s been “back ordered” at Sweetwater for months - so I’m not sure what is going on with MS manufacturing.)
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US taxes / laws apply to all citizens, regardless of your occupation / hobby. I don’t think a tax specialist is needed in this case. Any competent tax preparer should know what counts as what regarding the tax code. My 2 cents.
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2 minutes ago, MathOfInsects said:
You posted a picture of the thing he said he's ok with.
As I am. As a logo-coverer or non-wearer, I can tell you that I don't care about my car showing the manufacturer's logo or the car's model. I also would NOT allow the side of my car to be used for advertising--by the manufacturer or others--without getting $ for it.
Anyway, this discussion always goes the same way. I'm not sure why so many go to "hypocrisy" when it's just preference or idiosyncrasy. I'm not telling anyone else to cover their logos, or staking out some position of principle that I demand others follow. It's just my own preference and practice. I gaffe-tape all audience-facing logos and other writing on my boards, so all that shows is the black panel. If they were smaller, I might never have started to do it. Now I do it basically the day I unbox a board. (I also cover my Mac logo for stage use.)
It might be one of those things, too, where once you do it once, not doing it starts to feel weird. Like heroin.I thought he was ok with subtle, but not OK with obnoxiously large. The huge logo and “Palisades” across the most of the back, to me, is in the obnoxious category. And I could list many more models similarly identified. Yet not only are most people fine with it - perhaps manufacturers are finding that it actually increases sales. As I suspect keyboard manufacturers have also found.
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7 hours ago, K3ybrdr said:
I’m considering buying a Hammond XK-5 but as it has been out for quite a while, I would like to know if there are specific hardware revisions you want/don’t want? Is it still a good purchase today or are there rumors of it being discontinued any time soon?
I also have the same question, glad you posted it, hoping for some good info responses.
The XK-5 is definately long in the teeth, but is it still their “flagship”? Or are the more recent models better, and if so, in what ways? ie. the SKX Pro or XK-4? They now have so many models, I have no idea which is the “best”. Which has the best “Hammond” sound? Best touch? Best leslie sim? Most realistic (re: 9 different triggers as each key is pressed)? Is the XK-5 still the best?
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3 hours ago, BluMunk said:
To me it’s a question of degree. If Subaru wrote their name in big block letters over the hood or across the passenger-side doors, I’d think twice about buying, and would definitely figure out an after-market solution to make it less ugly.
A little logo on the back and/or front? No biggie.
That’s my issue. Small logos I accept as a necessary part of brand identification. Big aestheticly disrupted text designed to thwart any sense of discreteness or class? F that.
You mean like this? Unfortunately, even with the huge logo and “Palisade” going almost the entire width of the vehicle, I don’t see people covering it up (or removing it). And they’re selling like hotcakes. Maybe large logos are not a big negative for many people.
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FWIW, I’ve used Yammy keys for decades and never had an electrical power supply issue. And I’ve played in many very sketchy places including clubs with just one circa 1950’s ungrounded 2-outlet electrical plug powering the entire band (including old incandescent spot lights)! YMMV.
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Yeah, I’ll add one more kudos for the K&M 18810 / 18820. I have both, love ‘em, and they are rock solid.
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So I suppose some cover / remove the logos /names on their cars when they drive in public? (Yeah, ok, a very few people do…)
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1 hour ago, MathOfInsects said:
It's not even so much the lost knobs (I lose knobs off my NS3C a few times a year, and that thing is built like a tank). It's how cheap the pots/stems felt from the beginning--like they were too skinny for the hole or something. Plus I almost feels like they used knobs that were meant for thicker stems and made up the difference with a bunch of glue. It's a bummer, because the box sounds great.
Maybe so, however, the knobs feel just fine on the KP-612SX I recently purchased. And I’ve played out with it / transported it a dozen times since purchase, no problems yet. Knock on wood…. YMMV. (Note: I do use slip-on custom covers to mildly protect the amp / speakers.)
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6 hours ago, drawback said:
This is a known issue with Motion Sound amps from the beginning. I had a KS 200 approx 25 years ago that dropped knobs all the time; awkward carrying position didn’t help. I contacted the company, they sent me free ones with a note that I should use Shoe Goop to glue them on. My thought was “then why don’t they do that in the first place?” Sheesh.
Good Point! To further this story - I recently bought the Motion Sound KP-612SX, and it came with 2 extra knobs! Yeah, one would think it’d be easier (and cheaper) to just make sure they are secure at the time of manufacture. Go figure.
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2 hours ago, hrestov said:
Yes, but also if you use stereo a 30% of crowd will listen only L and 30% only R, because you mainly listen the nearer speaker. A 40% listen both, but I think only 10/20% could listen both in a good stereo sweet spot. (Obviously it depends from the gig and the speakers position).
So finally the question could be not which is the best way to get a mono good sound, but which keyboard have a good sound also if you listen only one side, because most people will listen only one side.
For me nord pianos is not good if you only listen one side. They are too much wide. Yamaha is less wide. Roland and Korg and other I don’t know.I respectfully disagree. Although I understand this whole thread is going nowhere (not sure this is only one answer), allow me to throw this concept into the mix:
My personal stage amp is a combo unit, with stereo left and right coming out of left and right speakers, but angled a few degrees, thus “spreading” the stereo left and right (as opposed to simply straight forward). Even when I was using 2 separate PA amps (DXR-10’s), I would try to angle out the stereo spread (left and right).
My point is: For the most part, once you create a really good sound, well…. you have a good sound that can be heard far greater than just left or right. Add in acoustic reality, ie. each channel’s sound inevitably gets to bounce off walls and floors, thus just the stereo sound is actually heard in a much greater space than just the “sweet spot”. The stereo piano samples get me to the “good sound source” part…. then that sound, somewhat akin to an acoustic piano soundboard, spreads throughout the venue. YMMV.
Amplification for a Yamaha CP88 stage piano
in The Keyboard Corner
Posted
Why did you “eliminate” the Yamaha DZR12s?