I see hardware in my future...

[pizzafilms]

I've been using MainStage for my church gig for the past few years. It's been awesome being able to use remarkable sounding plugins like VB3, Omnisphere, Pianoteq and others. For the longest time, I thought that MainStage, great plugins and a laptop was the only way to go and that I could never go back.

 

But I think I'm going back to hardware.

 

I'm by nature a very technically adept person, software has never intimidated me, but for some reason, this past weekend, made me wonder if it was just a little too much grief. Not that MainStage or the plugins I use are unreliable, not at all, but as much as I love the endless possibilities of sounds, for the first time in my life, I kinda want it simpler.

 

I'm thinking of going to a powerful main synth with an 88 key weighted controller patched in for the patches where a weighted keyboard would be better.

 

Something like a Kronos 61 and my Casio PX-5S which (believe it or not) I use just as a controller because it's light and has a great keyed.

 

And the sad truth is that modern church worship music is 98% guitar driven anyway and no one but me appreciated the incredible sounding patches I was using, if they could even hear them, and I figure that the Kronos will get me 95% of the sound quality of VB3 and Omnisphere. Well, something like that.

 

Anyone feel me?

 

[Moon Zero Two]

I see dead people...

[Leh173]

I've been using MainStage for my church gig for the past few years. It's been awesome being able to use remarkable sounding plugins like VB3, Omnisphere, Pianoteq and others. For the longest time, I thought that MainStage, great plugins and a laptop was the only way to go and that I could never go back.

 

But I think I'm going back to hardware.

 

I'm by nature a very technically adept person, software has never intimidated me, but for some reason, this past weekend, made me wonder if it was just a little too much grief. Not that MainStage or the plugins I use are unreliable, not at all, but as much as I love the endless possibilities of sounds, for the first time in my life, I kinda want it simpler.

 

I'm thinking of going to a powerful main synth with an 88 key weighted controller patched in for the patches where a weighted keyboard would be better.

 

Something like a Kronos 61 and my Casio PX-5S which (believe it or not) I use just as a controller because it's light and has a great keyed.

 

And the sad truth is that modern church worship music is 98% guitar driven anyway and no one but me appreciated the incredible sounding patches I was using, if they could even hear them, and I figure that the Kronos will get me 95% of the sound quality of VB3 and Omnisphere. Well, something like that.

 

Anyone feel me?

 

I hear you loud and clear. I did the same thing. After sneaking Logic (setup to be used live) into my live rig around 2005, I decided in 2009/10 to go the full monty and get a controller and use MainStage. I had no issues with MainStage, it's great, but like you I found the whole thing was just too much work and grief. I started looking into hardware boards and after persisting with the computer rig for a while, I bought a Roland Fantom G6 and have never looked back. For the live stuff I was doing the Fantom is more than enough.

 

I miss some aspects of MainStage, mainly the endless options (miss the EVB3 a lot) but for my live playing and being in a band, I love the simplicity of the Fantom G6. My setup is simply Fantom on a stand, three pedals, amp. done.

 

Maybe though in another band or project I may go back to using MainStage with the Fantom or dual keyboard rig. Who knows.

 

I'd imagine the Kronos would be the one of the best choices right now, covers the most ground in a flexible way. Kind of a Korg version of MainStage anyway.

[Ashville.Guru]

@OP:

 

I hope this doesn't sound snarky, but allow me to make a wild guess. Does your setup involve something like this:

1. Set up MBP on some stand
   
2. Boot it up
   
3. Start Mainstage
   
4. Power adapter in AC socket
   
5. Other end to MBP
   
6. Fish out USB cable from bag
   
7. Connect one end to MBP
   
8. Other end to controller

And at the end, you've got a big computer on your rig, with cables dangling out of it's orifices. Doesn't exactly add to the character and soulfulness of your rig.

 

If this is the case, then I do feel you, man. That kinda setup somehow interferes with the whole mojo of my rig (sorry, can't find a better way to put it). I'd like the stage experience to be about only the keys, and the music. I don't like futzing around with computers, boot up, connections, nor being visually reminded of the computer while playing. It's totally subjective, but again, I totally get where you're coming from.

 

My solution: mount, prewire everything. My laptop's mounted in a case, along with adapter, power strip, and there' a single snaked up cable for USB/FW/DC cables. All female connectors are bunched together to eliminate fumbling, and the other end of the snake is pre-wired. My samples are loaded at home, and my laptop is put to sleep - no boot up, no loading. So this is what my setup involves:

1. Wake up computer
   
2. Connect AC power
   
3. Connect snake

... and instantly start playing. I can actually start playing within 10 seconds of getting my keyboards on the stand. Oh and the laptop lid is closed, in the case, and nowhere in sight.

 

I'm actually ready to play much faster than some hardware workstations, especially ones that begin with a 'K' . I get to choose the action I like on two boards, have splits and layers wherever I like, as complicated routings as I like, add whatever sounds that I like, plus a whole lot of other perks.

 

And yet it has the mojo, the vibe, the aura of a hardware rig. Also simplicity, convenience. There's a 'suspension of disbelief' that kicks in, and I forget the computer totally. But it didn't just happen, I had to work at it.

 

- Guru

[yannis D]

I use Maistage (and an XV2020|) in fly in gigs, for practical reasons and i'm happy with the results. But in my home gigs i prefer my Electro 3. It's nothing like spending 5' to set up/tear down after a gig, and the laptop route will surely take me much more time. I prefer it simple - piano, rhodes, hammond, tha'ts it. These are the sounds i like more, and my band mates as well.

Whenever i need more synth-y sounds, the Nord Lead 2 does the job. Laptop is only for special requirements and far away gigs.

[pizzafilms]

Thanks for replies, gents.

 

As far as the cabling stuff goes, I've got it pretty much down, and to some extent, there's always going to be some level of power cables, audio, pedals, etc..

 

But that's not the main issue. Even with a reasonable amount of preparation, there's always quite a bit of working with the laptop...add channels, patches, editing some sends or parameters. And at some point, it's kinda like using a massive modular Moog system when 95% of the time, a Minimoog would suffice.

 

The amazing flexibility comes at a cost.

 

I think if I'm willing to give up a certain amount of sound quality and flexibility, I'm pretty sure that I'll enjoy 'playing' a little more.

 

I don't mean to make it sound like a Kronos is a big let down it sound quality, but to my ears, VB3 and Omnisphere are REMARKABLE sounding and take it a notch above, but it's a notch that will almost certainly get lost in a live mix.

[stillplaying]

What about spraying a load of PVC drainpipe silver and chopping it up into a rack to make your Church rig look like a pipe organ?

 

If I'd a static rig I'd go software too. You need to own their guitar strumming backsides though - go for retro look with your big atmospheric pads. That or dump the modern chorus stuff and give 'em a Mozart Mass.