Jose EB5AGV

Ironically, after all my negativeness towards malls... My personally first gig with my recently joined band will be on 21st July... In a large mall 🤣

I'm glad I am not the only one who keeps far from malls. For me, there is zero attractive. When a whole family ideal Saturday afternoon is to spend the time on them, I cringe. About music stores, the only one I have visited in the last 4 years is a mostly pianos one about 14 km from my home, in the closest large city, Valencia. There I had the revelation to buy my acoustic upright (not there, BTW, as they only sell new instruments and I decided to get a used one). I buy all music gear online except for some used items from local sellers. Just last week I went to Valencia, and found that a musical instruments store I visited about 5 years ago was no longer open. I felt bad for them, but I am really one of the culprits of their demise. Now, with gas prices in Spain completely mad (about 2.2€/l), my interest in going to any store is still lower than before! Jose

Yes, they work that way and it is very useful

I have two almost identical iPad Air 2 (one 64GB, the other 128GB) and use one license for both, and they are synchronized automatically (any change in one is shown in the other). Of course, both iPad use my Apple account, that is the difference with your situation

We were writing similar things same time. I am on a mobile phone, so was slower😅

My daily work is fixing electronic equipment at my home lab, mostly radio frequency related, but I have worked on some synths over the years (in fact, buying a Yamaha SY77 in need of some work was my entry point to playing). Well, I digress... I would say that the CPU oscillator is drifting. Sometimes, there is a variable capacitor (trimmer) associated to it. If it gets dirty, can cause frequency oscillations which may affect sample reproduction. So I would go that way first. I am now out of my lab, but may have a service manual for that model. Will check when back at my lab.

Great info!. My first gig will be in July with a Montage 6 and I don't know if they will offer me stereo or mono connection, so it is nice to know the Right output is preferred for pianos instead of the Left/Mono, which I would have used 👍

Luckily my last and big GAS period, which began in 2018 and ended in 2020, is over for good. I got what I need (and lots more...) and now I am working to learn to use the gear (as the Montage, my main gigging keyboard) I have a 5.25kWh peak solar installation at home. I live in sunny East coast of Spain so, just in May, it generated 945kWh, from which 500kWh went out to the power grid. If prices of EV were reasonable, I could probably charge one at home (I work at home, so it is feasible). But they are too expensive to justify, for me, the buying. So, well, I paid just 11€ on my April electricity bill (compared to 84€ on same month last year before the solar installation was made... and prices were lower) and will pay even less on next (the May one), as there is compensation for excesses dumped to the grid. But it would be nice to go to rehearsals and gigs "solar powered" 🤔

Thanks for the hint!. Along the Spider Pro I have bought an adapter plate which bolts on the top, below that pesky bolt. I was not sure of the utility of that plate but could be it replaces that bolt altogether?. Will know in some days! Jose

I have just ordered a K&M 18860 Spider Pro along several accessories and also a Behringer B205D monitor to prepare my upcoming first gig 🤩

Interesting... At home, not in a big city, I have a (for today's standards here in Spain) medium speed connection. It is 300Mb/s symmetrical (using optical fibre up to my home). Now 1Gb/s is very common here. Is it so different in the USA?

Awesome technology, thanks for sharing!

Thanks a lot for your information regarding monitoring. I will sort that out and will have a backup way, as suggested. And, yes, the Montage is able to do quite a lot of things. In fact, I still need to dig deeper on it, so will keep the "rig" simple using just it, a sustain pedal, and the iPad as a ForScore host. Jose

Thanks, it is great to have feedback from seasoned players 👍 One question about monitoring myself. I guess best / easiest option would be open headphones?

Hi all, I am a beginner to live playing (just 2 months of band rehearsal experience so far!) and also a beginner in keys playing (just starting my 5th year)... I had never before played any instrument except some simple guitar chords 30+ years ago (I am now 54) Well, in July it seems the band is scheduled to play live. My first time. I plan to use my Montage 6 and my iPad Air 2 mainly for ForScore. Is there anything else I could creatively use the iPad on that simple setup?. I have some virtual instruments installed on it, as Korg Module Pro, some pianos and other things. Trust me, I am really nervous about that first time 😅

When you see some of your synths as part of a museum... Well, it is a nice feeling 🤩

void

Lovely pictures and memories. Now the best valued gift for most children is a device with display, used to spend countless hours doing basically nothing productive. I miss good old simpler times (and I will turn 54 on 14th, so not that old 😅) My parents bought or first (toy electronic) piano when I was about 6 or so. Then, at about 12, they bought a 49 keys italian electronic piano (Fesma Granada 49, still have it!). But, unfortunately, I was not hooked to it and preferred dealing with electronics and computers, which later decided my career. It took several decades to really begin to play, just 4 years ago (February 2018). But, interestingly, it was the Fesma organ which triggered my renewed interest on keys, as I was about to sell it to make some space for an aquarium on the living room, where it sit unused for years, and then I found it didn't work. I fixed it and then the spark ignited! All in all, that Fesma did the trick, even if decades later 🤩 Jose

I am happy I took the plunge and bought a second iPad Air 2 (128GB) just some weeks ago. My idea was to pair it with my other one and use ForScore in dual page mode. But it has now evolved to use it also as a VI host, and the 3.5mm jack helps to easily integrate it on my rig. Cost was 190€, so it seems a good buying

Don't get me started on external power supplies... Just yesterday we had a friends meeting and I was going to carry an easy to transport, humble keyboard to play along acoustic guitars. It was a Casio CTX-5000. Nothing too fancy, I know, but good enough for a friendly party, with all, including me, amateur players... Then, when preparing the keyboard bag, I found out that the power supply was missing!. And it is not a regular one, is a 24V job, with a very uncommon connector. So, to be able to play yesterday, I needed to take instead my Montage 6, an small amplifier and a (heavy, didn't have another) music sheet stand. So, from 7kg and one bag, I went to 20kg plus amp plus music stand... Just for the sh*tty supply! Jose

I recently got my second iPad Air 2 (a 128GB one, WiFi model) for 200€. Yes, it is an old model but works with iOS 15 (it will be the last update though) and has a decent processor and a nice display. My use is twofold: along my other one, as a ForScore dual display (I love that option) and as a sound module. It stutters a bit with some VIs, but still does a very decent job. And battery lasts quite a lot. So, if you want to go the iPad way, it is one cheap one to consider, IMHO. Jose

That noise has to do with USB power lines. You can reduce it by connecting the keyboard to a powered USB hub and then the PC. Been there before... Jose

I also vote for the Yamaha FC-7. Built to last!

I have an smaller MG10XU with my Genos, PC and quite a lot of rack (10+) and other (Montage and EX5) synths, pre-mixed with two Behringer RX1602 which does a wonderful job. And the headphones I use (Beyerdynamic 770 Pro) work really nice with it

A Yamaha CLP930 for 100 It needs some care, but for the price is right ð