timwat Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 This afternoon I played an outdoor gig with temp onstage around 105 or so. Mainstage had a meltdown and wouldn't act stable - patches would die unexpectedly, some channels wouldn't work. Arrrgh. The only thing that worked consistently was Ivory, which I use as a standalone soft synth. So I had no choice but to play the entire two-hour gig piano only (well, late in the second set Mainstage's Rhodes came back to life). Add to that we had two subs for this gig (bass and sax) so I was much more active as MD than normal - calling out transitions, cueing soloists, etc. Make a long story short, 1) I'm seriously considering moving away from Mainstage as the centerpiece of my rig, as today's high temperature meltdown was a major bummer, 2) playing piano-only is a totally fun gig. The rest of the kewl sounds I use were gone, and a few of our songs rely so heavily on them I juggled the set list in the moment, but I had a BLAST just digging into the piano and not worrying about patch transitions and the like. I wonder what a two-board rig of K2600X and V-Synth would be like. Just not looking forward to carting that 80 lb. beast around again. .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary75 Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Consider a Receptor, if you still want plugins for live use, far more reliable. Although being a Brit I can't say I have tested mine at such temperatures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 I'd say that was a good experience, Tim, having to rely on one's self more than the gear. A corny sounding thing to say: Sure, I understand the need for many sounds for some music, but I think of piano as having 88 sounds and many more combinations. Played appropriately, it can fit into most anything. CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Personally, I'd try to figure out what happened, even if it meant setting up in the backyard to simulate the heat. Without the pressure of the gig, you may be able to take the time to properly diagnose the problem. That said, I agree with SK. The reason piano has lasted so long is how versatile it is. "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yannis D Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 + 1 for the above. Check why this thing happened at first. I gig in mostly in more hot temperatures and never i had any problems with my laptops (i believe it was an overheating of your laptop and not a Logic problem per se). But still, making it only with piano -and a Rhodes- is a much more enjoyable situation than changing patches and sound all the time. It's more time on the music and less on tech Be grateful for what you've got - a Nord, a laptop and two hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackandWhite Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Thanks for the report, Tim. Mac/Mainstage is the centerpiece of my rig, as well, and I've played in a couple of 95 deg+ situations with no problems, so far. I did provide shade and a fan for the hot outdoor gig (and I have the white Macbook), but you've confirmed that there should be some type of backup in extreme conditions. "I never knew that music like that was possible." - Mozart ( Amadeus movie) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwat Posted August 30, 2009 Author Share Posted August 30, 2009 Not quite sure how to safely duplicate the problem/conditions - I hate to subject my laptop to +100 degree temps just to crash Mainstage. From what I remember, what was going on was 1) Mainstage not outputting to MOTU Ultralite, and/or 2) drop outs, notes not properly sustaining, 3) CPU meter (in perform view) going way into the red although memory was well within tolerances and no notes being played. In other words, all the same types of Mainstage glitches that pop up from time to time with "dense" patches - exacerbated by the heat. Thing is, Ivory Standalone worked perfectly the entire gig - running through the Ultralite. So no doubt the heat could impact the laptop, but not sure why it would only manifest problems with Logic. I had a makeshift umbrella-duct-taped-to-mic-stand to shade the laptop, and a portable fan aimed at both me and the computer. I would love to be able to Sherlock this problem, just don't want to put the Mac on my Weber to do it. .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMcS Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Maybe one of these might help: Cooling Pads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeyMoe Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Living in Texas and doing a lot of out door gigs (30+ a year) I always have individual fans pointed at the power amps and our device we use for tracks....Really helps. Montage 7, Mojo 61, PC-3, XK-3c Pro, Kronos 88, Hammond SK-1, Motif XF- 7, Hammond SK-2, Roland FR-1, FR-18, Hammond B3 - Blond, Hammond BV -Cherry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moj Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Maybe you had a power issue, like a "brown-out" on stage. I had a similar problem with hardware at a gig where the house power supply was compromised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I wonder what a two-board rig of K2600X and V-Synth would be like. Just not looking forward to carting that 80 lb. beast around again. The answer might be a DP lighter than the K2600X along with the the laptop and V-Synth. A relatively easy tote, variety of sounds and stability. PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwat Posted August 31, 2009 Author Share Posted August 31, 2009 That sounds really attractive to me, Prof. You are wise, Obi-wan. Moj, anything is possible but my open question is if brown-out was culprit, why did Ivory, UltraLite and basically everything else on stage work fine except Logic? See, that's what tempts me to conclude Mainstage 1.0 is just unstable enough to introduce a margin of unpredictability in event of force majeure (beyond my control). Great sounds, love the B3 and Rhodes - but hesitant to allow it to remain as rig centerpiece. If a lot of stuff on the laptop went fritz, I'd say it was computer. It still may have been, but right now I'm tempted to point finger at Mainstage. Ivory was rock-solid the whole gig. .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhodaway10 Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Sorry to hear that Tim. Stories like this makes me always think twice about using a computer as a sound source. Sounds like a Mainstage problem however....... www.brianho.net http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/brianho www.youtube.com/brianhojazz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 That's one of the reasons why I've just never been comfortable with pulling a laptop out on stage. I know a lot of people do it with no trouble, and it would open up a lot of possibilities, but for now I'm sticking with hardware. You know it's going to work in any of those environments. And I've had them all from 50's to triple digits, humid, even rained on (it blew it before we knew it - couldn't get torn down fast enough). Back in the mid-90's I had a duo with a laptop (thinkpad) doing nothing but SMF's out to my KB. Even just that would lock up, shut down, overheat, etc on occasion. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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