Whoo Hoo! Just finished my first gig on the FP-7

[Norman]

A few months back I wrote a post thanking keyboard corner for the advice I read here. Thanks to that, I bought an FP 7 and two EVA 360 speakers. Last Tuesday I played for the office choir during a Christmas presentation involving the Salvation Army.

 

In the middle of the set, I played a scintillating arrangement of the Christmas Song as a solo. We performed in the lobby of the Treasury Building in Annapolis. Marble floors and walls.

 

People are still talking about how clear and great the keyboard sounded. Kept asking me about the speakers. Had 'em on the floor in footpads and despite the fact that some of the choir stood directly in front of them, they still sounded great.

 

Best Christmas present ever to myself for going through all the pain and cost for doing that. You could have heard a pin drop during my solo. What a high being able to touch people like that.

 

After telling myself what am idiot I was while going through the pain of getting ready for that, I'm now kind of hungry for more.

 

Forget about GAS, playing for people who enjoy your music is even more addictive. Hope these few lines will make you guys who do it all the time not take for granted the sheer joy you get out of sharing yourself with others like that. There's nothing like it.

[Dave Ferris]

Hey thanks there Norman.

 

You know, once in a blue moon a gig comes down the pike where you say to yourself...I think I actually made these people happy, even if for a day, maybe it gave them a break or escape from their daily grind of 9-5, family pressures or illnesses.

 

Bitter, old crusty guys like me are so conditioned to being wallpaper, you do forget that music is still an important part of some people's lives.

 

Glad you had such a positive experience....and glad you liked your FP7 and EVS...good combination there.

[RABid]

... Marble floors and walls.

 

People are still talking about how clear and great the keyboard sounded. Kept asking me about the speakers. Had 'em on the floor in footpads and despite the fact that some of the choir stood directly in front of them, they still sounded great....

 

It probably helped the sound by having some of the choir in front of the speakers. Mable floors and walls are tough.

 

Congrats on the performance. Now get out there and do it again.

 

So, have you thought about getting a B3 clone? A VA? ROMpler? Hmmmmmmm....

 

Robert

[Jazz+]

Glad you liked it, Norman! I've been recommending the EV SXa360 speakers for almost three years and the FP7/FP4 for a year as being the ideal rig. I never had anything like it back in my Yamaha/Kawai/Mackie days.

 

[Joe P]

Norman,

 

Thanks for sharing your positive experience. My band has been idle since September, and we're rehearsing Wednesday. Now you have me chomping at the bit to play even more!

 

Thanks again for the uplifting post.

 

Regards,

Joe

[Norman]

The best part about it is I didn't tell anybody that I was going to play. Nobody knew that I can play. (Well, the choir knew and the people they told, but most people had no idea I was even on the program, much less doing a solo.)

 

Needless to say, they were shocked. I used to play for my mother and my church all the time (about 35 years ago) and I chose this forum to make a new public debut. The past couple of years after my mid-life crisis I started playing for myself again.

 

I admit that I used the occasion to get my gear, my wife was not happy at all when I told her I needed a portable keyboard and speakers. But by the night before the gig, she was hugging me at my keyboard saying she was proud of how hard I was working on it.

 

I felt like I got the greatest Christmas gift this year after it was over. Just doing something like that. A gift to myself.

(Well, I did wind up with a lovely set of gear too. )

[ITGITC]

I admit that I used the occasion to get my gear, my wife was not happy at all when I told her I needed a portable keyboard and speakers. But by the night before the gig, she was hugging me at my keyboard saying she was proud of how hard I was working on it.

 

Congratulations. That's a great story.

 

Tom

 

[Norman]

I have to give a lot of credit to Jazz+ for helping me select the gear. I even did what he suggested about not using the reverb too, perhaps that's why I got away with doing it in a marble hall. There was some rug on the floor where my speakers were, and as someone said, the fact that people were standing in front of the speakers probably helped.

 

My younger brother is a professional and has played with a lot of well known people. Ever since I started playing again he has been bugging me to get on stage with him. I thought I'd get my feet wet first in a venue where it didn't matter if I messed up.

I surprised myself at how well I played.

 

The biggest high was afterwards because there happened to be a couple of professional musicians in the audience (one of them plays French horn in the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra) and they talked to me with respect as though I were a professional too. They said it was a professional job.

 

I know I probably appreciate it a lot more because I don't do this for a living like a lot of you guys do, but I'm telling you, don't take your gift for granted. It's a wonderful thing to be able to do what you do.

[ninety-nine]

Really helpful thread(s) on the FP7 / EV speakers. I've taken the plunge and bought an FP7 and (thus far) it seems to be everything you guys have said it is. The question I have is whether, instead of going for the EVs, I'd be better off buying a small PA, something like the Yamaha Stagepass 500 - it's as portable as a pair of EVs plus you get the bonus of an 8 channel powered mixer with all the flexibility that offers. Given the Stagepass is around the same price as 1 (let alone a pair of) EV(s), I guess you sacrifice something in terms of sound quality, however it's had a pretty good review on Harmony Central.

I guess my question really is one of active / powered speakers vs a portable PA and if there is a better (for the price) alternative to the Stagepass?

[Jazz+]

You would sacrifice A LOT in sound quality and also in volume capacity. You get what you pay for in this case.

 

Regarding the FP, I turn of the Effect (string resonance for piano) when I play live because it sounds like some sort of subtle distortion.

[SK]

It may help some to turn off string resonance, but I don't turn mine off.

 

As some of you know, I never put stuff on here (really not the place for it) but here's the only live 'demo' I have of my FP4/Accugrooves. A loose version of "Everything I Love" from a gig a couple months ago. It's not optimum - unfortunately recorded on a dumb mini-disc from the back of a long room.

 

Wish it was a better recording, but you can still hear well enough to tell it sounds 'pianolike'. The string resonance doesn't seem to cause a problem. If you want to hear it, click:

 

http://www.divshare.com/download/2257062-baa

 

After the page opens, click on "download original" on the right for full 'quality' sound... the main page that opens has really crummy compression.

 

 

 

 

[Jazz+]

I get bothered by the "string resonance" Effect when playing sustained chords on ballads, it sounds like an atonal whine in the background. My EV SXa360 speakers make is distinctive enough to be noticeable.

[SK]

It also may have to do with the way the resonance is tweaked. I remember spending some time tweaking it. I certainly respect your opinion and personal taste, as it pertains to your setup.

[Floyd Tatum]

Wish it was a better recording, but you can still hear well enough to tell it sounds 'pianolike'. The string resonance doesn't seem to cause a problem. If you want to hear it, click:

 

http://www.divshare.com/download/2257062-baa

 

After the page opens, click on "download original" on the right for full 'quality' sound... the main page that opens has really crummy compression.

 

That sounds very nice, Steve, both the playing and the FP4/Accugroove combination. And also, the accugrooves seem to have held their own, volume-wise, against a pretty loud drummer. You're using two of them, right? With what amp, by the way?

 

[SK]

Hey thanks, Floyd. I use the QSC PLX 1804, 2 speaker cabs and a mixer.

 

I had the keyboard turned up just less than a 1/3 of full volume. When I've turned it up louder... no distortion or change in the tone. The drums weren't quite that loud, but they bounced off the walls in the back of the room. And that drummer's a monster, so I didn't mind.

[NYKeys]

Hey SK that track is Bananas. The FP4 sounds great even in this format.

 

[SK]

Thanks NYK. There are some buried tones/frequencies that can be brought out of these FP's.

[Piano4U]

Yeah SK, terrific playing and great sound. If I didn't know, I would have thought you were playing your acoustic in the picture.

[skykeys]

Hello SK. Yes, I have to say, the FP4 sounds really nice. And very nice playing on your part. You sound like a pretty accomplished jazz player. How did you get your jazz knowledge? Lessons, or self-taught?

 

Thanks.

[Dave Pierce]

Forget about GAS, playing for people who enjoy your music is even more addictive. Hope these few lines will make you guys who do it all the time not take for granted the sheer joy you get out of sharing yourself with others like that. There's nothing like it.

 

Thanks, Norman! I needed that today...

 

--Dave

 

[Jazz+]

When I hear that recording it reminds how decent the FP4/FP7/RD700SX sound live.

[Jazz+]

.

[Dave Ferris]

I think he got most of it just hangin' out on this forum for a year...omazing huh?.....just kidding!

 

Speaking of omazing...wow!! What a great rendition huh? And who said the great American Songbook was dead...a little Cole Porter can go a long way in the right hands. On a digital piano no less...Roland should snap both you and Piano4u up,and pay you a lot of dough for the ultimate demos of their stuff.

 

GREAT PLAYING my friend!...love those ending chords. I'm a sucker for the minor 11th in place of the maj7th.

[Jazz+]

When I played Yamaha live I felt most comfortable using the Rhodes sound the whole time. With the new FP4/FP7/RD700sx I rarely touch the Rhodes because the piano sounds are actually decent for the first time.

[SK]

Thank you guys - sheesh.

 

How did you get your jazz knowledge? Lessons, or self-taught?

 

skykeys, I'm self taught, but much credit goes to the players/bands I've worked with and the great recordings I've heard.

[gangsu]

You're the real deal SK and it's a pleasure to hear you play.

 

And that reminds me - thanks to linwood for the initial heads-up in your direction or I might not have paid attention.

[16251]

I never wanted to go back to a DP that was over 50lbs. Luckily the acoustic piano sound makes it all worth it. My only complaint is that I can't find a meaty EP sound. Without band the Vintage sound is pretty good but when I'm playing in band and switch from AP to EP is just gets lost. It just doesn't have the velocity depth of other brands I've played in the past.

 

In the end it's all about the acoustic sound and so far I've never played anything better. (FYI: I wanted a piano w/built-in speakers so 700SX wouldn't do.)

[linwood]

That was great, Steve. Always loved hearing you play and what you bring to a tune.

[Jazz+]

16251 ,

 

The Rhodes 1 becomes more dynamic and present if you set the Velocity Touch to Light. Also try padding Effect #23 (Auto-Pan) on at Level setting of around 33% to give it some width although this makes it more mellow again. I often turn the Auto Pan off when soloing and on for comping. Also try boosting the EQ lows or highs or both. The Rhodes is a mellower sound than a piano sound so it may need to be turned up when you switch from piano. I save all these tweaks for my Rhodes 1 in Registration 1-1 .

[Floyd Tatum]

You would sacrifice A LOT in sound quality and also in volume capacity. You get what you pay for in this case.

 

Jazz+, have you auditioned the Stagepas 500's?