Ok if you dont want to use virtual instruments,

[jazzdoc52]

what hardware sound box would you use? I want something small, cheap (no way am i going with a Receptor), and mainly acoustic piano, with some EPs thrown in

thanks

[offnote]

[video:youtube]

[Sven Golly]

what hardware sound box would you use? I want something small, cheap (no way am i going with a Receptor), and mainly acoustic piano, with some EPs thrown in

thanks

 

Just curious: why does it need to be a module?

[jazzdoc52]

as opposed to what?

[Sven Golly]

as opposed to what?

 

As opposed to another keyboard, or a laptop, or any variety of other situations. The more we know about your situation, the better a solution we can suggest.

 

Of course, you can leave it at 2 sentences if you'd like.

 

Edited to remove the laptop suggestion, although given your mention of the Receptor I wonder if you're sure about the virtual route.

[jazzdoc52]

Ok, Im looking for the lightest keyboard rig I can find. Ive posted a couple of times about this and have had , as expected, a number of responses, which I am very grateful for. It seems that the best set up for me is the Vax77, due do the fact that i want as close to a real piano feel, need a very easy to transport board. I really dont need a lot of complicated set ups. just a couple of good acoustic piano and EP , with some organ. But Im not very computer savvy and Ive been looking at programs such a Mainstay, and although

I have a MAc pro and dont mind bringing it to a gig, i dont know if I want to go thru the hassles of learning how to program it to work with the VAx. So I am looking into a simple "module", if you will, just connect it thru the midi cable, and go. I havent ruled out a computer, even old dogs can learn a few new tricks, Im just looking at all options.Thanks for your response.

[johnchop]

Whoa... not using a laptop or Receptor but using a VAX77?

 

In your situation, I would seriously consider a Nord Stage or perhaps a Kurzweil SP4-7 controlling a module of some sort.

 

VAX77 would tremendous overkill IMO, especially if you're not using it with Mainstage or Receptor out of the gate.

 

[jazzdoc52]

Thats exactly the question I have. Is it worth it to get a vax without going with mainstage or Receptor? I really love all the features of the Vax, but dont know if I want to get that deep in the technology of virtual instruments for what Im doing in a live setting.

[Phil Aiken]

To me, the VAX is worth it strictly for the keyboard feel. However, if you are looking for something as close to a piano feel, the VAX is not it. It is not made to replicate a piano feel. It is a GREAT feeling, accurate, and expressive board, and I find it nice for playing piano, but it is not strictly piano like.

For certain quickie gigs I leave the virtual instruments at home and use the VAX with a Nord Electro 3 on top. Pianos and electric pianos get played from the VAX and I have dual manuals for organ.

[yannis D]

Buy a VAX - use it with Mainstage. Otherwise you can buy something much cheaper and plug it to a cheap module and do your job just fine.

Roland XV2020 is what i use in gigs that require airplane transfer. It's loaded with 2 SRX cards for better acoustic and electric pianos and i'm doing just fine. There are also cheap Kurzweil modules for that matter.

As far as 88 controllers, there are many on the market, both new or used, but you have to check with your own fingers as opinions are varied.

Hope that helped.

yannis

[Tobias Åslund]

If money is not an issue, I would suggest getting a Korg M3-m Korg M3m to put on top of the VAX77. It's just about the only recent module I know of that has a decent interface (touchscreen and sliders). It can also be expanded with a Radias VA board, extra sample RAM and 2in/6out FireWire-interface board.

[AnotherScott]

If I were going to add a module to a VAX77 just for piano and a bit of EP, I'd probably look at the Gem RP-X or a Motif Rack XS.

 

I can understand the appeal of a VAX77 even with no computer/Receptor type of sound source, if for no other reason than that it is supposedly very playable for both piano and organ sounds, and also possibly the appeal of polyphonic aftertouch. However, if you're only going to be using it for piano and EP, there are some other good choices.

 

Since the goal is "close to a real piano feel, need a very easy to transport board" -- as Beethree said, the rap on the VAX77 is that it doesn't so much feel like a real piano, but it feels good to play piano on. But here are some other possibilities to consider in the sub-40 pound category, that have weighted actions that will feel piano-like, some better than others, which may be worth looking at since you don't care about organ playability or aftertouch of the VAX77 anyway, and aren't too enthralled by its other big advantage of computer/Receptor integration...

 

Nord Electro 3 HP: Only a few less keys than the VAX77, but only 24 lbs, and you would not have to add a module to have a good range of acoustic and electric piano sounds, it would be all self-contained, for a simple and fast setup.

 

Nord Piano: heavier than the NE3HP, but full 88 keys, and reportedly better feeling action (or the 76 key version of the Nord Stage 2 which adds other capabilities and has the nice "long release" function on the pianos)

 

Kurzweil SP4-8, Roland FP-4F (or RD-300NX). I haven't played these actions, but they meet your basic specs and also have 88 keys. These don't offer the variety of different piano sounds that Nord does, and you can't load new ones in as you can from Nord's expanding library, but if you like the sounds that are in them, you're set anyway.

 

Yamaha MOX8: same piano and EP sounds as the Motif Rack XS I mentioned you could add to the VAX77 (but less polyphony), lower 32.6 pound weight (vs. 37 lbs for the VAX77 + another 9 pounds for the Rack XS), and a full 88 keys. Much less expensive, too. Action is not great, but decent.

 

Casio PX-3: I don't think its sound or action is as good as the MOX8, but it's half the price, and weighs just 24 lbs. You could also add a GEM RP-X to it for better piano sound and still have an extremely light weight rig, and the PX-3's MIDI controller functions would make it easy to fully integrate the RP-X in terms of being able to use the Casio's own buttons to call up the desired presets on the RP-X. If you like the action, this combo is good sounding, 88 keys, ridiculously portable, and inexpensive. (There's also the even cheaper Casio CDP-100, which I happen to prefer the action on, but it doesn't give you the easy patch selection on the attached module which may or may not be important to you.)

 

The big variable is how you feel about the actions, and that's always a subjective thing.

[AnotherScott]

If money is not an issue, I would suggest getting a Korg M3-m Korg M3m to put on top of the VAX77.

That's a nice combo... but I don't know I'd suggest it for someone looking just for piano/EP sounds, I don't think they are the M3's strengths.

[Tobias Åslund]

If money is not an issue, I would suggest getting a Korg M3-m Korg M3m to put on top of the VAX77.

That's a nice combo... but I don't know I'd suggest it for someone looking just for piano/EP sounds, I don't think they are the M3's strengths.

Ah, didn't really see that. Well, pianos and ep's aren't the M3's strongest point, but if you want something to cover all bases (soundwise) the M3 would be my first choice.

The RP-X is really nice, especially for acoustic pianos - the downside is it needs a Windows computer to do editing - you can't do much from the panel buttons and the small alphanumeric display.

[Tobias Åslund]

About the Nords - I had a chance to try an Electro 3HP and a Nord Piano side by side and actually I liked the HP3's keyboard better than the Piano's. It felt more solid. It should be said though, that none of them feels nearly as good as the new Roland ivory boards.

The big downside with these to Nords is that none of them have any midi controlling functions, whatsoever, so if you plan on controlling other modules you're better of with another board.