Outkaster Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 For me it's weighted and non-weighted action for keyboards. If I am playing organ, it's organ. Everything else is a weighted action. I have people always thinking I can get away with one board...I can't. Also, a good PA system is a must at least most of the time. I like to feel the presence of instruments on stage. 4 Quote "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesB3 Posted August 11 Share Posted August 11 1) A passable emulation of vintage keys and a good enough acoustic piano to sit in the mix. Ergonomics to enable my pitiful chops. Padded bench for my old a$$. Absolutely need physical drawbars. Nothing sounds or plays like a real Hammond or Wurly so I just do the best I can with what I can haul. Backup is a terrible piano patch on the Electro if the CP73 is down. If the Electro is down (neither of which has happened) a terrible organ patch on the CP. 2) The K10 has proven to be the right size for hauling and plenty loud enough for a band with two guitars. If it goes down I've got two DI's for the FOH and I'll get my foldback from the stage monitors but I prefer to have my own monitor so I can't be boned by PA guys. 3) Most everything I haul is ~30-35# max per single item. I have a Samsonite makeup case I bought on Ebay for large cables (IEC, XLR, 1/4' TS, stinger or two.) and my CP sustain pedal. I have a cheap Home Depot attache tool case with OB drawbars, 2x DI's, Mini-Vent, MIDI cables, short TS cables, etc. I have a swag gig bag from Panavision, that holds my Tune Book and a 14-3 heavy yellow multi-outlet box as well as fingernail clippers, bandaids, Acetaminophen, Aspercreme, gig towel. I prioritize minimal setup but I have a lot of small cables to connect with my rig. When I set-up, I start with the back of the stage (TS80 spkr stand and K10) then K&M 18880 stand, then CP, then Electro, my music stand and book and then all the little cables and pedals. Quote Yamaha CP73; 145 gig Leslie; Nord Electro 61; Oberheim OB3^2; Wurlitzer 200A; Ampeg Gemini I amp; Speakeasy Leslie preamp; QSC K-10 (dearly departed, '58 B3, Bob Schleicher 50C Leslie now serving the Lord in Bryant AR) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJoB3 Posted August 11 Share Posted August 11 A good to great drummer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokely Posted August 11 Share Posted August 11 I may have mentioned it, but lately due to the fact that its FL and in the summer AND the outdoor gigs continue--I keep rain and heat very much in mind. I don't handle heat well (far worse than the rest of the band) but I do what I can. Hoofing less stuff helps. The threat of rain means I try for a very small rig. I got a new keyboard and I've been itching to bring it out, but so far none of the gigs have been "safe" to do so. Not that I want to ruin any keyboard with blowing wind and rain, but with one I have less gear overall and can more quickly bundle it all up (no mixer for example, just a DI). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonglow Posted August 11 Share Posted August 11 You need an umbrella policy. 1 Quote "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursers Posted August 11 Share Posted August 11 17 hours ago, JoJoB3 said: A good to great drummer. Absolutely, and I'm lucky to be in that situation at present. My other requirements are a sound guy that understands keys and where they sit in the mix, and a venue that has room for a rig 1 Quote The Keyboard Chronicles Podcast Check out your fellow forumites in an Apple Music playlist Check out your fellow forumites in a Spotify playlist My Music: Stainless Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathOfInsects Posted August 11 Share Posted August 11 Versatility during performance * Quality during performance * Ease/speed of transport * Ease/speed of set-up * Intangibles (FTEC, do we "get" each other) Quote 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...
retrokeys Posted August 11 Share Posted August 11 Primarily comfort with the instrument. When I go to play I want to play. Not program or adapt. If I can't have my trusty vintage Hammond I want something that is laid out the same and feels like the original as far as that is possible. If I can't have a real acoustic piano ,Rhodes, Wurly or Clavinet I, at least, want something with some hammer action. An old school creature of habit? Guilty as charged. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Havu Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 It really depends on the gig, but 75% of the time, I need a versatile setup with a wide variety of sounds, but not having to change presets during a song, and avoiding keyboard splits as much as possible (with a minor exception.) This is where amount of gear and weight are thrown out the window. I've done the 1-board Jordan Rudess thing, and it will only work if the set is completely structured, with no skipping songs, or doing things out of order. I need to get to different sounds, and quickly. Also, while I do use a lot of stuff, time management is key, especially when setting up/breaking down. That's why I won't use any MIDI whatsoever. Power, audio, pedals, done. Here is a variant of my live rig. (currently, the Hydra sits where the DM12 is in the pic, and the B-Oddy sits above that.) It's extremely versatile, and I know exactly where all of my needed sounds are located. (VR760 is always an organ, M8x is always an AP or EP, etc.) The one exception to the "no keyboard split" rule is the MX61, which is split with two Tron sounds (strings on left, flute on right.) As large as this rig is, I've got the setup/teardown pretty much down to a science. On a normal gig, it takes around 25 minutes to set up. For a festival, I'll assemble stands and pre-wire some things before setup, then I can cut the time down quite a bit. 2 Quote Hardware Yamaha DX7, PSR-530, MX61/Korg Karma/Ensoniq ESQ-1/Roland VR-760/Hydrasynth Deluxe/ Behringer DeepMind12, Model D, Odyssey, 2600/Arturia Keylab MKII 61 Software Studio One/V Collection 9/Korg Collection 5/Cherry Audio/UVI SonicPass/EW Composer Cloud/Omnisphere, Stylus RMX, Trilian/IK Total Studio 3.5 MAX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Gauss Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 On 8/3/2024 at 1:13 PM, The Piano Man said: When gigging, what are your rig requirements/setup priorities? What I mean is: 1. what do you need from your rig in terms of sounds/features? 2. what do you require in terms of amplification? 3. what are your setup priorities? That is, is the weight of your rig very important? Are the fewest number of items to carry important? Do you prioritise minimal hookup? Do you have a rack setup? DI boxes? Do you plug into a desk/monitor rig/keyboard amp etc etc <<1. what do you need from your rig in terms of sounds/features?>> Sounds: Piano, Organ, Whurly that sound like piano, organ and whurly. Features: That it works when i turn it on with minimal fuss/meus, etc. and if i have to move it, that it weighs as little as possible and will fit in a NYC cab. <<2. what do you require in terms of amplification?>> That it works when i plug into it with minimal fuss (cords/adapters/mixers) and that I (and everyone else) can hear it without sounding like a can of bees. (I'm talking to you crappy metal Marshall house amp at club). If i have to move it, then the absolute minimum size/weight needed to still be heard. <<3. what are your setup priorities?>> Close proximity to the bar/craft table, air conditioner/fan, and bathroom. Close proximity to a working, properly grounded AC power outlet. Furthest distance possible from crash cymbals and drunken douche-bros. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokely Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 19 hours ago, Moonglow said: You need an umbrella policy. We've only very rarely played where we don't have an actual roof over us (Once it was being replaced with a different one, and sure as shit it rained out of nowhere on us at 11pm). When it rains here a roof is generally only a partial help, due to the winds that come with thunderstorms. We've been 30 ft inside a roof and I've watched the droplets building on my keyboards.... We have been rained out a few times and yes it's good to have it in writing what happens when that happens! A couple times were were all set up and then had to tear down and didn't make a dime. FL outdoor gigs suck ****s as far as I'm concerned but for as long as I live here, they'll comprise a big chunk of the available gigs. When I retire up north I'll complain I'm sure about winter gigs, if those are a thing and I'm still gigging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonnor Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 20 hours ago, nursers said: ...My other requirements are a sound guy that understands keys and where they sit in the mix... How do you insure that, mate? Most times, who runs sound is out of my control. ~ vonnor Quote Gear: Hardware: Nord Stage4, Korg Kronos 2, Novation Summit Software: Cantabile 3, Halion Sonic 3 and assorted VST plug-ins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpl1228 Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 Sturdy, built like tank, bar band drunk proof. Tried-and-true brand name keyboards and stands designed for LIVE use (not home), solid speaker cabinet, gear w/o wall warts, minimal plastic. Easy setup, in and out, but don't compromise on the gear just to be a few pounds lighter. No laptops or flimsy stands for these reasons. I've seen it when it goes south. Quote Roland RD-2000, Yamaha Motif XF7, Mojo 61, 2 Invisible keyboard stands (!!!!!), 1939 Martin Handcraft Imperial trumpet "Everyone knows rock music attained perfection in 1974. It is a scientific fact." -- Homer Simpson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursers Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 3 hours ago, vonnor said: How do you insure that, mate? Most times, who runs sound is out of my control. ~ vonnor I'm really lucky in that we hire the same guy for our gigs each time - makes a huge difference 2 Quote The Keyboard Chronicles Podcast Check out your fellow forumites in an Apple Music playlist Check out your fellow forumites in a Spotify playlist My Music: Stainless Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokely Posted August 13 Share Posted August 13 8 hours ago, vonnor said: How do you insure that, mate? Most times, who runs sound is out of my control. ~ vonnor Yep, best I can do is monitor pre-insert, because if I'm hearing keys after compression they tend to squash them to the nether hells. That said, we added a regular sound guy for gigs with our PA. He's not super experienced but he's doing a good job by all accounts. I am trying to get him to write down/note songs where he has to tweak my levels, I'm all about making his job easier. No matter how good your monitoring is, you really can't know how it all balances out front. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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