Aidan Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 I recently finished my first support tour with Rebecca Downes, opening for Magnum. It was only my second major tour and my first in the support slot, so I thought I'd share some random thoughts from my experience. I'm sure they'll come as old news to many, but... It's a lot of hard work Again, maybe stating the obvious but most of the work consists of unloading the gear (not just YOUR stuff, because you do the right thing, yes?), setting it up, packing it down and loading it back into the van. All of the above happens as quickly as possible so as not to get in the way of the main act, so it's quite physically demanding. There's a lot of waiting And a lot of travelling. But the waiting is usually more frustrating and energy-sapping. The art of pre-looming Once the main act has finished soundchecking, you'll be expected to get your gear on stage and set up for your own check ASAP. So plug in all those pedals (sustain, expression, rotor switch), cables (audio and power) and lay it all carefully on the top of the board so it can be transported on to the stage in one piece, cables wound out and bam go. And of course, the processed is reversed as soon as your set is over. Which brings us neatly to... Try and use just one board I agonised for a while whether to just take the Electro but I'm damn glad I did. The light weight and convenience of just one keyboard to get on and off stage in a hurry more than compensated for the challenges of playing everything off one keybed, cramped splits etc. Going out/monitoring in stereo is awesome Oof, here comes the contentious bit... I didn't know what conditions would prevail, so I configured two presets on my Behringer XR18 mixer, one mono, one stereo. On the first evening, the sound man came up to me and said: "I'm going to take stereo out and give it you back in the mix every night to keep it simple, OK?" I wasn't in a position to argue and when I heard the results, I was glad I hadn't. Suddenly, the Nord starting to sound great rather than just adequate and Magnum's keys player came up to me after the first soundcheck and said without prompting: "That sounded great." So, sorry to upset a boatload of people but boy, it's stereo for me from now on. Have the courage of your convictions on the organ swell The first couple of nights, I held back on the exp pedal a bit, thinking I was being nuanced and considerate. Result: I often couldn't be heard. Lesson: except when the song goes really quiet, don't be afraid of ramping up on the expression pedal. If you're really OTT, it's the guy on the mixing desk's problem and he will deal with it. I really, really want a Kronos Not really directly related to touring, but Magnum's key player had an 88 and the pianos in particular sounded superb. I wouldn't want to lug something that big around but I'm seriously thinking of pairing a Kronos 61 using my CP4 as an 88 controller. This would be my new regular 'heavy' rig, with the Electro on its own as the 'lighter' option. I need to sell a couple of bits of gear before this can happen, though. The final observation is that the lifestyle is very tiring (that could just be my age!) but rewarding. Rebecca and her band are amazing musicians but even more importantly, we had a tremendous amount of fun. Studio: Yamaha P515 | Yamaha Tyros 5 | Yamaha HX1 | Moog Sub 37 Road: Yamaha YC88 | Nord Electro 5D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Congrats, Aidan! Going out/monitoring in stereo is awesome Oof, here comes the contentious bit... I didn't know what conditions would prevail, so I configured two presets on my Behringer XR18 mixer, one mono, one stereo. On the first evening, the sound man came up to me and said: "I'm going to take stereo out and give it you back in the mix every night to keep it simple, OK?" I wasn't in a position to argue and when I heard the results, I was glad I hadn't. Suddenly, the Nord starting to sound great rather than just adequate and Magnum's keys player came up to me after the first soundcheck and said without prompting: "That sounded great." So, sorry to upset a boatload of people but boy, it's stereo for me from now on. As far as this point, I think that unless you know you're getting stereo every show, you should be ready for either. If Rebecca is touring with her own sound system and you're getting stereo every night, great. But for those of us hitting random venues/systems/sound people, I think it's wise to be ready for mono. But overall, thanks for sharing, and here's to many more (if you want 'em)! "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...
CEB Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 What killed me was sleep deprivation. I could never sleep worth a damn on the road. .... And the bus always smelled bad. The Glade made it worse I think. I wish we had had Ozium. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthaholic Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 I spent the entire 1980s living in hotel rooms. I moved into a house in 1990, and it took me 2 years to stop putting my dirty dishes outside my front door. The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BbAltered Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 My only band road-trip was a 4-day, 3 gig affair. During those 4 days, I never got a chance to practice at the keyboard - at most a rare 10-20 minute period during setup when I could try and do some warm-ups. Had the trip gone on any longer, I would have been losing keyboard skills while I engaged in an activity requiring my keyboard skills. With all the travel and waiting around, I learned it was really important for me to have books to occupy me. J.S. Bach Well Tempered Klavier The collected works of Scott Joplin Ray Charles Genius plus Soul Charlie Parker Omnibook Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life Weather Report Mr. Gone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogika Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 DONT SHIT ON THE BUS. "The Angels of Libra are in the European vanguard of the [retro soul] movement" (Bill Buckley, Soul and Jazz and Funk) The Drawbars | off jazz organ trio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Wright Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Good post! "I cried when I wrote this song Sue me if I play too long" Walter Becker Donald Fagan 1977 Deacon Blues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowboyNQ Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Great post Aidan - thanks for sharing your observations and lessons from your tour. I thought your points in relation to being a support act were particularly insightful. I've always gone out in stereo and monitored in mono, and you may have cracked the code of why the one time I used a backlined Nord it surprisingly didn't sound very nice on stage. Congrats on your successful tour! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod S Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Thanks for the post. This should be mandatory reading for people that overly fantasize about being a musician. It's hard work, and more than a lot of other professions. Korg Kronos X73 / ARP Odyssey / Motif ES Rack / Roland D-05 / JP-08 / SE-05 / Jupiter Xm / Novation Mininova / NL2X / Waldorf Pulse II MBP-LOGIC American Deluxe P-Bass, Yamaha RBX760 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksoper Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 DONT SHIT ON THE BUS. Well, not so much "don't" as "you can't." I had food poisoning twice while riding a tour bus. Extract from that what you will. Thanks for sharing, Aidan. You pretty much nailed the experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthoid Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 This tune comes to mind... [video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6BNDCBJ9KA When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reezekeys Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I had a whole long post about the mono/stereo thing all cued up but decided not to hit the submit button. I edited it down to this: yes, don't shit on the bus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I've only done short tours, a week at the most. That was hard. I don't need much sleep but aside from that I'm kind of obsessed with healthy living, keeping my body on a regular schedule, exercising daily without exception, eating healthy. All of that becomes extremely challenging if not impossible on the road. Touring is not for the likes of me. Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Mullins Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I really, really want a Kronos Not really directly related to touring, but Magnum's key player had an 88 and the pianos in particular sounded superb. I wouldn't want to lug something that big around but I'm seriously thinking of pairing a Kronos 61 using my CP4 as an 88 controller. This would be my new regular 'heavy' rig, with the Electro on its own as the 'lighter' option. I need to sell a couple of bits of gear before this can happen, though. I've never been a touring musician. But if I were, a Kronos 61 would be my primary piece of gear. It is so versatile; it may not be the best at any given sound, but it is good enough for almost all. Plus, you can: - program all your combi's assuming a dumb, single MIDI channel 88 note DP on the lower level. Because the MIDI implementation is so flexible, you can do whatever splits you want on both the Kronos and the DP. This is something you can't do on some flagship products (I'm looking at you Montage) - bring your own DP or leave it at home and use whatever 88 they have backlined. That's a nice option if you have to fly. Yamaha CK88, Arturia Keylab 61 MkII, Moog Sub 37, Yamaha U1 Upright, Casio CT-S500, Mac Logic/Mainstage, iPad Camelot, Spacestation V.3, QSC K10.2, JBL EON One Compact www.stickmanor.com There's a thin white line between fear and fury - Stickman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richforman Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 That's exactly how I see and use my Kronos 61 too ("it may not be the best at any given sound, but it is good enough for almost all," and with all my combi's programmed such that any board can serve as my bottom tier). Rich Forman Yamaha MOXF8, Korg Kronos 2-61, Roland Fantom X7, Ferrofish B4000+ organ module, Roland VR-09, EV ZLX12P, K&M Spider Pro stand, Yamaha S80, Korg Trinity Plus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Lobo Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I spent the entire 1980s living in hotel rooms. I moved into a house in 1990, and it took me 2 years to stop putting my dirty dishes outside my front door. That's a great line. I'm gonna steal it. These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Things I learned on the road after turning 50... This was a lot more fun when I was young! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Wright Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Things I learned on the road after turning 50... This was a lot more fun when I was young! The gear gets heavier, the miles get longer. "I cried when I wrote this song Sue me if I play too long" Walter Becker Donald Fagan 1977 Deacon Blues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I lived continuously in hotel rooms from 1976 to 1981. I used to be able to pack my van, jump in, drive 10 hours with nary a creak in my back, unload, set up, check into the hotel, and play 5 sets that night and the next 5 nights too. Then rinse, lather, and repeat. My rig contained a Hammond B-2, a Baldwin ElectroPro in a roadcase, and two big analog modular synths plus various leslie and JBL monitor cabinets - not to mention the band PA and lights. Time of my life. Oh, to be 25 again. Sigh. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathOfInsects Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Things I learned on the road after turning 50... This was a lot more fun when I was young! QFT Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material. www.joshweinstein.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rphillipchuk Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I spent the entire 1980s living in hotel rooms. I moved into a house in 1990, and it took me 2 years to stop putting my dirty dishes outside my front door. That brought out a chuckle :-) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 play 5 sets that night and the next 5 nights too. Am I the only one who's never heard of a 5-set gig? Was it a roller rink? Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 play 5 sets that night and the next 5 nights too. Am I the only one who's never heard of a 5-set gig? Was it a roller rink? Nope. Dance clubs back then from the east coast to the midwest (my travel territory) regularly ran live music from 9:00 to 2:00. You would play 4 40 minute sets and 1 60 minute set. 1 or 2 week stay, Monday thru Saturday or Tuesday thru Sunday. When we played Florida beach clubs at Panama City Beach or Ft. Lauderdale, we would play SIX sets, from 10 to 4 am. It was the disco era, and the clubs were packed every night of the week. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKeys Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I'm no longer touring but our 9 PC band does quite a few shows where there are several acts playing with a 30 minute or less switch out. For this to work 1. Unhook your cords and gather them up and get them off stage. 2. Open you keyboard case ( that is off stage) grab your keyboard and but it away ( I have two boards so I repeat) 3. Get KB stand an stool off stage 4. NOW TEAR DOWN THE STAND AND STOOL 5.NOW WRAP UP CORDS AND PUT THEM IN CASES!!! Do no wrap cords on stage that is valuable real estate that the next band needs to get set up and wired into!!! You have plenty of time to wrap up cords and put them up while the other band plays their set! This is a real pet peeve of mine! Jimmy Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. Groucho NEW BAND CHECK THEM OUT www.steveowensandsummertime.com www.jimmyweaver.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABECK Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Question - if you are only using the Nord, why bring a mixer? Multiple outs? Rack gear? EQ/FX? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawback Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 play 5 sets that night and the next 5 nights too. Am I the only one who's never heard of a 5-set gig? Was it a roller rink? Nope. Dance clubs back then from the east coast to the midwest (my travel territory) regularly ran live music from 9:00 to 2:00. You would play 4 40 minute sets and 1 60 minute set. 1 or 2 week stay, Monday thru Saturday or Tuesday thru Sunday. When we played Florida beach clubs at Panama City Beach or Ft. Lauderdale, we would play SIX sets, from 10 to 4 am. It was the disco era, and the clubs were packed every night of the week. The hardest working band I've ever seen was in a show bar in Dubai (yes). They were from the Philipines, used to doing cruise ships. They lived pretty much in one hotel suite with a kitchenette, for three girl singers, a male singer, and a 4 piece band. They played four sets a night, seven nights a week, with completely different set lists each night, ie: Monday Motown, Tuesday Pop, etc etc. ____________________________________ Rod Here for the gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Question - if you are only using the Nord, why bring a mixer? Multiple outs? Rack gear? EQ/FX? For my in-ears set-up. Basically, all keys are mixed out to Aux 1 (and in this case, 2 as well). On the main output screen, you can then mix in the monitors and as much of your source as needed, then using the headphone output to listen. This set-up allows me to mix 'more me' as needed throughout the gig without affecting what I'm sending to FoH via the aux buses. For very basic gigs, where there is no main desk monitor feed available, I can simply set up a dynamic mic on a stand and mix as much of the room in as I need. I can run anything from a single keyboard to a complex multi-board rig on it (including on board effects for my Moog's benefit). I've even run a seven-piece ska piece through it when their main board failed. All in a little box you can control with your mobile phone. The XR18 is easily one of the best musical investments I've ever made. Studio: Yamaha P515 | Yamaha Tyros 5 | Yamaha HX1 | Moog Sub 37 Road: Yamaha YC88 | Nord Electro 5D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
area51recording Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 play 5 sets that night and the next 5 nights too. Am I the only one who's never heard of a 5-set gig? Was it a roller rink? Nope. Dance clubs back then from the east coast to the midwest (my travel territory) regularly ran live music from 9:00 to 2:00. You would play 4 40 minute sets and 1 60 minute set. 1 or 2 week stay, Monday thru Saturday or Tuesday thru Sunday. When we played Florida beach clubs at Panama City Beach or Ft. Lauderdale, we would play SIX sets, from 10 to 4 am. It was the disco era, and the clubs were packed every night of the week. Back in Jersey in the 70's 9pm till 3am happened a bunch in clubs I played....gigged a few times at a place across from Maguire AFB that ran 2 bands in shifts. The late band played from 1 to 6am.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiefDanG Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Back in Jersey in the 70's 9pm till 3am happened a bunch in clubs I played....gigged a few times at a place across from Maguire AFB that ran 2 bands in shifts. The late band played from 1 to 6am.... Did that gig, too. I believe it was the Satellite Lounge. Professional musician = great source of poverty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reezekeys Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I did gigs in St. Croix USVI as a kid... five sets a night, six nights a week for three weeks straight. $135 a week and we all lived at the "rock house" the club had for us, lol. It was a blast! One time I got the sax player Bill Evans to do the gig, right after he joined Miles Davis's band. To be young and carefree... "On the road" can be an extended gig in one spot, or a bunch of one nighters. There's a very big difference. I've found that traveling will wear you out a lot more than doing the gigs themselves. Playing is usually the easy part. I'm also pretty lucky to be with a band that carries a tech guy to do the shlep & setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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