61 and 25 keyboards paired at oblique angle - has anyone here done it?

[miden]

As in, having the 61 setup as per usual, and the smaller one to the left and and a slight angle to the right....set up that way to play bass lines on the left and keys on the right?

 

Was thinking maybe an ASM Hydra 61 on the right, but unsure of the left as most of the smaller ones seem to be all synth based, IE no "acoustic style" basses like upright or Fender Jazz or finger bass et al...

 

So yeah, anyone had any experience with a  system like that?

 

I had thought of using a "straight" rompler on the right and just midi'ing from the small  one, but none have that level of creative control of the hydra, nor the p.a.t.

[Old No7]

Here's a crazy thought...

 

Put it on a 2nd elevated tier that has round tubes (the width of the 61-key board) for the 25-key board to slide on.....

 

<--  Slide left = synth bass!

 

............................................-->  Slide right = synth leads!

 

That way, you get the best of both worlds.

 

I'll bet $30 to $50 of parts and hardware and a healthy does of ingenuity could whip that right up.

 

Old No7

[miden]

1 hour ago, Old No7 said:

Here's a crazy thought...

 

Put it on a 2nd elevated tier that has round tubes (the width of the 61-key board) for the 25-key board to slide on.....

 

<--  Slide left = synth bass!

 

............................................-->  Slide right = synth leads!

 

That way, you get the best of both worlds.

 

I'll bet $30 to $50 of parts and hardware and a healthy does of ingenuity could whip that right up.

 

Old No7

haha, thanks...but not really the point, or relevant to the OP,  as you missed entirely the "traditional" bass requirement, NOT synth basses...and tbh, if I was looking at a second tier I would not have made the thread in the first place.

[Bill H.]

I used to play key bass from an M-Audio 25 note controller set at an obtuse angle to my main keyboard does that count? (And yeah I had to look that one up  ) Anyway I set it on a heavy duty music stand laid flat, and played precision bass and acoustic bass samples from a JV-1080. Eventually I moved on though, and just split the upper keyboard above the piano - usually either an XP-80 or Motif ES7. The Roland had better bass sounds, the Motif better other sounds... always a tough decision there. 

 

We're talking ancient history.

[stoken6]

You're looking for a 25-key synth with "traditional" bass sounds?

 

My first thought was MIDI it to a "straight" ROMpler in the 61 position like you suggested. But you are asking your 61 to have poly-AT and "creative control" (which I translate as "knobs" - tell me if I'm wrong). 

 

Poly-AT really limits the field. If you are willing to give that up, there are a number of 61s with traditional bass, VA capability and knobs - even something like a Roland VR09 or Korg Vox Konti 61, have basic VA synths, rising through Fantom-0 to Yamaha M6 and Roland Fantom.

 

Otherwise, find a "traditional bass" app for your smartphone/tablet and MIDI the 25 to it, to use alongside your Hydra.

 

Cheers, Mike.

[RABid]

I've played L setups with Hammond on the right and piano on the left, but I never use the left just for bass. If you want p.a.t., and good bass sounds, and variety, consider just getting the new Montage M8. A small keyboard with good bass sound, maybe one of the Korgs. Wavestat, Minilogue, etc... The Wavestat does have full size keys.

[Old No7]

19 hours ago, miden said:

haha, thanks...but not really the point, or relevant to the OP

 

OK, I missed the point, but I nailed the one I hit!

 

I'm actually thinking of adding a 25-key analog synth to my stack -- so I'll have to remember this crazy idea...  Or maybe mount it on a swinging boom...

 

Old No7

[Justin Havu]

Maybe a Korg Micro-X would do the trick.  They're going for less than $300 on the Bay.

 

I've done it with a MIDIBoard on the bottom, MIDI'd to a Triton, with a Micro-X on the left, sitting on top of the MIDIBoard.

[miden]

19 hours ago, Old No7 said:

 

OK, I missed the point, but I nailed the one I hit!

 

I'm actually thinking of adding a 25-key analog synth to my stack -- so I'll have to remember this crazy idea...  Or maybe mount it on a swinging boom...

 

Old No7

 

hahaha! Keep telling yourself that

[Artomas]

The best bass preset in a 25 key keyboard:

Yeah, yeah, I know... but listen to the damn thing. If it only had real keys, it would be perfect for the OP. Instead, you get chicletas for keys. Still, I want one just for that preset.