What do you prefer to gig with as your master controller: 61, 76, or 88 keys?

[Darcity]

I know that weight can be an issue when gigging, sort of like flying on an airplane: travel as light as possible but with enough to sustain you. Do you deal with the hassles of 88 keys(heavy not to mention the HD flight case, long, awkward dimensions) or do you compromise? I know that you will probably have more than one keyboard, but will you have 88 keys in your setup as your master controller?

[coyote]

I don't have a master controller. I have 3 synths, and each can access the sounds of the others whenever I want.

[RobT]

Cool avatar Darcity. Dexter is one of my favorite cartoons!

[guestuserguestuser.com]

Originally posted by Darcity:

I know that weight can be an issue when gigging, sort of like flying on an airplane: travel as light as possible but with enough to sustain you. Do you deal with the hassles of 88 keys(heavy not to mention the HD flight case, long, awkward dimensions) or do you compromise? I know that you will probably have more than one keyboard, but will you have 88 keys in your setup as your master controller?

I like having 88 weighted-action keys. But, I have a 40-lb weight limit. I don't think I'll ever buy anything again over 40 lbs, unless I never intend to take it to gigs.

 

If there were an 88-key, 40-lb controller that was an actual controller (I'm not talking about digital slab-style pianos that have no aftertouch, no wheels, and no real MIDI controller implementation), I'd use it. Otherwise, I would compromise with the best I could get that weighs 40 lbs or less.

 

There are no 40-lb 88-key weighted-action controllers yet, that I know of. I think there are lots of 76-key synth-weighted controllers that are 40 lbs or less.

 

These days, I mostly just play piano on gigs anyway, so I use a 40-lb slab-style digital piano (P120)

[zeronyne]

I'll either take out a 76 and a 61. There is no way that I'd take my Triton ProX anywhere. When I pick it up from one end, it feels like it's going to snap in half under it's own weight. Not flimsy at all, just very, very dense.

[progfusion74]

Don't gig, but if I did, 76 would be it

[Reverend Rhythm]

I had a 76 key, but I missed the weighted keys when I played, so now I use an RD-700 w/ weighted 88s!

[Rod S]

I only have 2 boards, a pc88mx and a CS6x - I just can't feel confortable with the keys in the CS6x for piano playing. I wasn't confortable when I had my Alesis QS6 (which I found to have a better keybed) plugged into a MicroPiano either, so I can't really blame the yammy. So there's not much option there. Since my new gig is going to be 100% piano playing, I'm stuck.

 

So.. for the time being that behemoth is going to have to do... I'm keeping an eyes on the yamahas P's - way too expensive here, though.

 

The pc88 in the case is not that bad if it's a straight line (case has wheels) but give me a set of stairs and I start to whine...

[petros]

I agree with GigMan. I too have a 40 pound limit and require a very realistic piano action.

I mostly gig as a digital "piano" player.

I will never use a synth action controller, I used to do that and I hated it and got tendonitis, unless I am being paid very well to just play background parts or synth parts.

I might use a P120 with 76 keys if they made one and it reduced the weight by at least 8 pounds.

 

I use a light padded gig bag that adds maybe 3 pounds, just to keep the P120 from getting scratched. I never use a heavy case, except for airplane flights.

[Rod S]

Originally posted by petros:

I will never use a synth action controller, I used to do that and I hated it and got tendonitis, unless I am being paid very well to just play background parts or synth parts.

I'm not sure if I understood you - did you get tendinities from playing a synth (as opposed if you had been playing a weighted keybed)?

[Jeebus]

2 61s and 1 88.

[schmoron13]

Originally posted by GuestUser:

Originally posted by Darcity:

I know that weight can be an issue when gigging, sort of like flying on an airplane: travel as light as possible but with enough to sustain you. Do you deal with the hassles of 88 keys(heavy not to mention the HD flight case, long, awkward dimensions) or do you compromise? I know that you will probably have more than one keyboard, but will you have 88 keys in your setup as your master controller?

I like having 88 weighted-action keys. But, I have a 40-lb weight limit. I don't think I'll ever buy anything again over 40 lbs, unless I never intend to take it to gigs.

 

If there were an 88-key, 40-lb controller that was an actual controller (I'm not talking about digital slab-style pianos that have no aftertouch, no wheels, and no real MIDI controller implementation), I'd use it. Otherwise, I would compromise with the best I could get that weighs 40 lbs or less.

 

There are no 40-lb 88-key weighted-action controllers yet, that I know of. I think there are lots of 76-key synth-weighted controllers that are 40 lbs or less.

 

These days, I mostly just play piano on gigs anyway, so I use a 40-lb slab-style digital piano (P120)

as a pcc88mx user, might I (and rod) suggest that as your solution. If I remember correctly, it's just a hair over 40lbs (46lbs?) and is 88keys and fully weighted...can't go wrong for "piano gigs"

[schmoron13]

nvere mind, it's 52lbs, though I still carry it with one hand without too much problems:

 

pc88mx specs

[petros]

I had a PC88 and a P2X. They were to darn heavy.

 

And yes, playing a synth action bothered my tendonitis more than a weighted action.

There is no leveraged support in a synth action. It's like playing on a table top and that technique irritates my tendons even more than piano actions where I can play more with my upper arm weight and muscles in combination with the smoother leveraged throw of the weighted keys.

[iMember]

Coyote: How is it that you can access every sound in your 3 keyboard from every one of the keybeds? Midi mergers? Sounds interesting.

[Dasher]

I use an 88 in the studio, but for gigs I keep a 76-key XP-80 and a synth-of-the-week 61 note 'solo, b-3 and pad' keyboard, plus a module or two. These days it's a live piano with an XP-30 on top (because it will fit) and when there's no piano, I may use my Alesis QuadraSynth Plusn the bottom, it still has the most realistic piano sound, although that's about all I like from it. Hammond XM1 tonewheel clone controlled from the XP-30.

 

But I am shortly going to be changing over to a laptop that will carry the Gigastudio bardstown Bose, Scarbee Rhodes, NI B4 and a sequencer for vocal background parts and sequenced bass, guitar, etc. That will need everything controlled from one 76-key board, probably the Alesis (I use the XP-80 in my studio...)

 

Dasher

[coyote]

Yeah. I have a Kurzweil ExpressionMate (no longer available, unfortunately) and a 2x2 merge - between them, they allow access from wherever to wherever.

 

Originally posted by Henrik Akselsen:

Coyote: How is it that you can access every sound in your 3 keyboard from every one of the keybeds? Midi mergers? Sounds interesting.

[Superbobus]

Piano parts just don't go with non weighted keys, but why are we attached to 88 instead of 76 weighted keys?

[Carlito]

And yes, playing a synth action bothered my tendonitis more than a weighted action.

There is no leveraged support in a synth action. It's like playing on a table top and that technique irritates my tendons even more than piano actions where I can play more with my upper arm weight and muscles in combination with the smoother leveraged throw of the weighted keys.

That's right. Synth action can hurt your fingers more than weighted action. The key travels with very little resistance, and then there's a sudden stop. Fingers hate that.

[Darcity]

That's right. Synth action can hurt your fingers more than weighted action. The key travels with very little resistance, and then there's a sudden stop. Fingers hate that.

That's why I'm seriously thinking about a weighted keyboard, especially Yamaha's Balanced- Hammer Action on the Motif 8. However, the Roland XP-80's semi-weighted keys have been a joy for me.

[guestuserguestuser.com]

Originally posted by Superbobus:

Piano parts just don't go with non weighted keys, but why are we attached to 88 instead of 76 weighted keys?

Because pianos have 88 keys.

[Krakit]

Depending on the gig, the size of the stage, and what I am traveling in, my setup varies.

 

For instance, I played the music for the ceremony at my friend's wedding recently. I used my Roland RD-100 and layered it with my QSR. That was all I brought.

 

If I were playing a venue that wasn't paying very much, I'd bring a two tiered keyboard stand, my Roland Ep-7II, Evolution 49, my rack (which has my QSR in it and my Yamaha AN200.

 

A slightly larger better paying venue, I'd bring my three tier keyboard stand, my Roland RD-100, my Evolution 49, my Evolution MK-25, my An200 and my rack.

 

For an all out show, I'd bring most of this:

 

http://members.aol.com/toysound/room1.gif

 

Carl

[coyote]

This reminds me of something I saw on the Discovery Channel (I think). How old standards never really leave us, and often get entrenched where you might not expect. I forget the specifics, but apparently the ancient Roman Empire has had a nearly-direct effect on the NASA space program. It goes something like this: the width of the Roman chariot wheels created ruts all over Europe. Wheeled vehicles ever since have conformed roughly to that width. Ever notice the width of rail service is nearly the same as the width of your car's wheels? Well, nowadays parts for space shuttles generally must fit on either a train or a truck before final assembly.... dunno if this is accurate but it made sense when I saw it.

 

Originally posted by GuestUser:

[QBBecause pianos have 88 keys. [/QB]

[Ouizel]

I currently gig with a 61- key Kawai K-3, controlling a K-1m, and a 76-key synth action Yamaha DGX-202. I like the DGX, but I don't like the action. It's a very light touch, and when I get into the music, I tend to hit the keys. I've decided on an S90, and am just waiting for the cash to buy one. I love the action on that board.

[Carlito]

My friend has a Steinway grand with 80 keys.

 

Originally posted by Superbobus:

Piano parts just don't go with non weighted keys, but why are we attached to 88 instead of 76 weighted keys?

 

Because pianos have 88 keys.

[marino]

Originally posted by Darcity:

I know that weight can be an issue when gigging, sort of like flying on an airplane: travel as light as possible but with enough to sustain you. Do you deal with the hassles of 88 keys(heavy not to mention the HD flight case, long, awkward dimensions) or do you compromise? I know that you will probably have more than one keyboard, but will you have 88 keys in your setup as your master controller?

You don't specify weighted or not - it could cause some confusion.

 

For me, the ideal would be a 76-key, *weighted* board. I would buy it immediately if it's really portable and with decent MIDI.

[Darcity]

Originally posted by marino:

You don't specify weighted or not - it could cause some confusion.

Sorry about that. I took it for granted that everyone understood that a heavy 88-key keyboard normally was associated with fully weighted keys.

[dckeyboardist]

I use a PC88MX and a Roland 76 key controller. The PC88 I use standalone for piano and strings. I use the Roland to drive a Korg 05R/W, a Roland JV1010 and an Oberheim B3 module. I can't do the layers and zones with anything less than 76 keys. The Roland is pretty light to carry. The PC88 is a pig, but it's what I use for small gigs.