LarsHarner Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Hello, I found after owning several things for as long as 13 years I was ready for a change, as much as to get some things that were more portable. For my digital piano setup I was using a Fatar Studio 900 along with Kurzweil MicroPiano, Yamaha P50m and Korg SG Rack piano module. I have sold everything aside from the SG and purchased a Yamaha P95. I am enjoying the fact it is lighter and by having sounds and speakers in the unit, I am using one piece instead of 4. (counting monitors as 2) For workstations I was using a Trtion Le and Motif 6, along with a Tascam DP01-FX previously Tascam 788. I ended up selling the workstations and have now purchased a Roland Juno Gi which combines the digital recorder into the unit. As a result, I can now part with my Tascams. I find that I am playing a lot more and have less clutter which is making music more enjoyable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheapGeek Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I've gone minimalist! In 2010 I switched entirely to softsynths -- running Apple Mainstage on a Macbook pro. I can drive it with whatever MIDI boards are available. I keep 2 kbds on the band trailer (one weighted, one synth action) and a similar set in my home practice studio. Any old obsolete keyboard will do as long as I like the action and it has MIDI out. So all I really have to carry from home is a laptop! And for gigs I carry a little 2-space rack unit with DAC/mixer, MIDI interface, and power conditioner. Setup is a breeze... put the keyboards on the stand, hook up MIDI to the rack unit, and FOH connections for main outs and monitor. We switched to IEMs so no monitor speakers. And we just sold our big bass bins and speaker towers for some much smaller QSC powered speakers and subs. Once you pass the half-century mark like me, it's all about minimizing the manual effort! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I'm due. As soon as the PC3K comes out in a 76 key (hopefully later this month), I'll be doing this...again. I've done it a couple times throughout my career and it always sucks. Always so time consuming to reprogram all those sounds and set up all the combis, sequences, etc. OTOH, everything always gets a little bit better, because I end up fixing all the things I've never been entirely happy with. 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...
Doc Tonewheel Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I've been downsizing over the last few months and trying to reduce the redundancy in my rig. Since I am doing much less gigging than before and more recording and jamming at home with friends, I realized I didn't need 3 clonewheels, especially since I mainly play the A105 and 122 anyway. So I sold my XK-3C (which I did love and think is the best sounding clone IMHO) and my Moog Little Phatty (since I have a Voyager OS) and replaced them with a DSI Prophet 08 to help provide some polphonic analog balls along with my soft polysynths. I use the NE3 (or the VB3 on the laptop) for quick gigs and jams since the NE3 can cover most of the other sounds I use, and you can load in new ones. The A105 and 122 stay safely at home for recording. I do miss my XK-3C though, but that's life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenElevenShadows Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 No, I still have most of my clunky keyboards. I envy you in a lot of ways. The clutter gets to me sometimes. Ken Lee Photography - photos and books Eleven Shadows ambient music The Mercury Seven-cool spacey music Linktree to various sites Instagram Nightaxians Video Podcast Eleven Shadows website Ken Lee Photography Pinterest Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanL Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I've turned over rack and amp/speaker setups, but still have the same old keys. I like them, why change just to change? Live: Korg Kronos 2 88, Nord Electro 5d Nord Lead A1 Toys: Roland FA08, Novation Ultranova, Moog LP, Roland SP-404SX, Roland JX10,Emu MK6 www.bksband.com www.echoesrocks.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanS Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 In the last 2 years I've changed all my gigging gear. What we record in life, echoes in eternity. MOXF8, Electro 6D, XK1c, Motif XSr, PEKPER, Voyager, Univox MiniKorg. https://www.abandoned-film.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Many years ago, I came up with the magical number of 12, which is the maximum number of synthesizers I can handle at any given time without losing control of what I'm doing, or leaving some instruments largely unutilized for long periods of time. Of course, that includes old gear which I already know inside out. At present, I have 11 (not counting the acoustic piano and various controllers) and I'm trying to further reduce the number of instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzzz Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 This past summer I posted a topic about Synthicide, where over a year I sold off everything except my Voyager. I have since added back a VAX77, and hopefully within the next few months a Solaris. Right now my gear is very minimalist, which is pretty fun: http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p4/marzzzA6/IMG_1079.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yannis D Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Exept my Nord Electro and Nord Lead 2, my XV2020 and Apple/Mainstage which do all the travel, i buy and sell synths regarding the job i have to go through. I recently bought a Roland Juno G and sold it after 15 gigs with a singer. I figured out that i did not need it for my future projects. So for me it's always the two old Nords for gigs, my Hammnd Porta B/Leslie which resides in the studio, my piano at home, and the easy-to-fly XV2020+laptop with Mainstage in an M Audio gig bag for out-of town gigs. Whenever i get more, i "have" to sell them after the job is done. I never liked to have instruments around. I want my apartment to be an apartment, not a studio, and my studio to have place for other people to play too... Be grateful for what you've got - a Nord, a laptop and two hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yannis D Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I've gone minimalist! In 2010 I switched entirely to softsynths -- running Apple Mainstage on a Macbook pro. I can drive it with whatever MIDI boards are available. I keep 2 kbds on the band trailer (one weighted, one synth action) and a similar set in my home practice studio. Any old obsolete keyboard will do as long as I like the action and it has MIDI out. So all I really have to carry from home is a laptop! And for gigs I carry a little 2-space rack unit with DAC/mixer, MIDI interface, and power conditioner. Setup is a breeze... put the keyboards on the stand, hook up MIDI to the rack unit, and FOH connections for main outs and monitor. We switched to IEMs so no monitor speakers. And we just sold our big bass bins and speaker towers for some much smaller QSC powered speakers and subs. Once you pass the half-century mark like me, it's all about minimizing the manual effort! :-) BTW, Tom there's a nice video in KM where you can see a guy who plays n stage oentirely with a Mainstage and two keyboard controllers (he performs some kind of nu-african music, very funky). Scroll down the "gear videos" and you'll find him. Some interesting ideas there and a very functioning keyboard rig... Be grateful for what you've got - a Nord, a laptop and two hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobias Åslund Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Do you remember the name of the video? I just scrolled through that section and can't seem to find it. Too much stuff, too little time, too few gigs, should spend more time practicing...! 🙄 main instruments: Nord Stage 3 compact, Yamaha CP88, Kurzweil PC4, Viscount KeyB Legend Live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davinwv Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 The only hardware I have left are a Rhodes, Wurly, and an accordian. Everything else is software and controllers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yannis D Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Do you remember the name of the video? I just scrolled through that section and can't seem to find it. Shit, they seem to have it erased As I remember it was on of the oldest in the "Gear videos" section, so it might be errased... It was taken by Steve Fortner and the guy gave some nice secrets to boost your Mainstage's performance. Maybe you could send a mail to Steve to give you a link. Be grateful for what you've got - a Nord, a laptop and two hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTeechur Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I went from a Kurz SP-88x, Yamaha S03, and some modules to a Yamaha S08 (88 Keys, Weighted, and better effects available on Multi patches) and the XK-3C. I'm going to purchase an Electro2 or 3, 61, for the top space and keep the Hammond at home. Plus I miss the clavs and EP's on the Nord. Muzikteechur is Lonnie, in Kittery, Maine. HS music teacher: Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Chorus, Music Theory, AP Music Theory, History of Rock, Musical Theatre, Piano, Guitar, Drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP3 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Nord Electro and Nord Lead 2 for most gigging. A much larger rig with my old band - http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs082.snc1/5011_1072370049068_1220656397_173974_1633897_n.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundown Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I've gone mostly virtual, but I don't have an 88-key controller, which is really what I want at the heart of my studio. I will caution you on one thing... Our beloved hardware holds it's value much better than software. And software continually demands more of computers, leading to faster computers, etc. My next major purchase will be a new DAW (along with all new software), as you can't adopt 64 bit in pieces. And my current PCI-based rig won't run the latest DSP cards, etc... My D-20 and Wavestation have lasted 20 years. I can't say the same about my DAW's. Sundown Working on: The Jupiter Bluff; Driven Away Main axes: Kawai MP11 and Kurz PC361 DAW Platform: Cubase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus64 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I've gone mostly virtual, but I don't have an 88-key controller, which is really what I want at the heart of my studio. Same here. My hope for 2011 is to get a nice 88 key and a nice piano sample library like Ivory. I don't have a good piano patch right now. 2010 was a good software year, I upgraded to Sonar 8.5, Sibelius 6.2, got EW Orch. I also have Garritan GPO, and Sonar has a zillion softsynths, including good ones like Dimension Pro. A good piano sample and I'll be set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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