Any tips on controlling spaghetti?

[Joe P]

Hi Folks,

Inspired by Dick Ward's gaffer tape post, I thought I would ask. I have two modules, two controllers, a Micron and an amp. So I have three outputs (4 if I want the Micron in stereo) and 6 things to plug in (plus 2 MIDI cables). Problem is four of those 6 are wall warts (the Micron is an in-line wall wart, so it's not that bad). This is a modest set up and it's still a spaghetti nightmare. I recall Sven Golly posting about a colored-tape-scheme, and I've seen those "blooming power strips" posted also. Any other tips, tricks or what-not?

 

I won't even go into the home set-up, what with the Hammond, Leslie, lamp, dehumidifer, stereo, cd-player, 8 track mixer, headphones, space heater, beer fridge....

Regards,

Joe

[Sven Golly]

Joe:

 

This is a common situation amongst us keyboardists... so I'm sure there are a LOT of other forum members going "I can hardly wait to hear what great solutions others are using!"

 

Quickly, here are a few tips:

 

1) Keep audio cables only as long as they need to be. In other words, don't use 20' 1/4" cables to run the 3' to your mixer. Either buy appropriate length cables, or (if you're handy with a soldering iron) save yourself some cash, buy bulk cable and connectors, and make your own.

 

2) Keep audio/signal cables as far away from AC cables as possible. AC cables carrying 60Hz AC emit noise that can be picked up by your audio cables. See item #4 below as well.

 

3) Don't be cheap with audio (any!) cabling. This doesn't mean spend insane amounts of money on Monster Cable stuff, but don't run your Oasys outputs to your Midas mixing console with $1.99 special 'guitar' cables.

 

4) Group like cables with like, and mark each end appropriately. I mentioned in another thread about using colour coding, but you can get Brady markers to alphabetically/numerically label your cables and instruments so anyone can wire your rig. You can use standard electrical tape to wrap cable pairs/groups together, or go with cable ties (velcro ties are available at most MI stores; the plastic ties tend to leave sharp edges that can cut hands when wrapping cables during tear-down... not good. ).

 

To elaborate on this point, take a hypothetical 2-board rig with an accompanying rack with mixer and one sound module. Assuming you're running stereo, I would lay out the rig as it will be for a gig. Determining the 'best' or 'right' setup is paramount to optimizing your cabling. If you tend to alter your setup every gig or two, then don't bother trying to optimize your rig yet. Get comfortable with a setup, then optimize. You can also have multiple setups (as I do, depending on which project I'm working on, and which gear I bring), each with their own cabling rig. That's a bit overkill for the general discussion, but it's something that makes life SO much easier once it's done.

 

Okay, so once you've found your perfect setup, commence laying out the AC cables first. Most pro keys have AC jacks on the right end of the keyboard (from the player's perspective). Run both AC cables, then route them appropriately for the stand you're using. With my Invisible 2-tier stand, the right upright is used to anchor my AC cables down to the floor and my power bar, resulting in a clean, uncluttered look. Once this is done, you can tape and label the cables together so that there is no excess in view of the audience.

 

Next, run the audio cables for each board. I would suggest binding each stereo pair together as a unit (appropriately labelled, of course) at 3' lengths so that it results in a single cable grouping for each board's audio feed. Do this temporarily with electrical tape, knowing that you'll be shortening the cables to length after you're done the initial layout.

 

Next I would do pedals. Lay the pedals out as you would have them at the gig, then route them to each board, keeping the two board's pedal cables separately bound, just as with the audio. One suggestion is, if you have a standard pedal setup, you affix them to a piece of plywood or MDF so that they remain in place, and become a pedalboard much like guitarists use. You can then simply drop this board and it's single cable group into a case at the end of the gig.

 

I'll stop ranting about this now; it's a good start, and you can see the obvious pattern emerging. Basically, develop a system and stick with it. At the end of the day, you want to be able to focus far more on the music than on the gear; optimizing your rig will allow you to do this more and more as time goes on.

 

Good luck,

SG

[SilverDragonSoun]

I've found a big spoon creates lets of a mess. I also suggest straining it very well so the water doesn't create a mess. Not putting on too much sauce also creates less of a mess. If you follow these steps and cook it properly you should be ok.

 

Joe you had to see this one coming

[mate stubb]

Make snakes by cable-tying cables that run together.

 

Make a pedal board for under your keys and mount all your pedals to it, then cable tie the pedal cables into snakes.

[Dick Ward MP Hall of Fame]

Glad I could inspire you man. I try.

[Joe P]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies on what could have been a mundane subject.

 

Sven, another well informed, well thought-out reply presented in good English - many thanks. I like the ideas. I'm an engineer and as such prefer order to disorder, so the spaghetti bothers me. I have to spend some time on it. You are right about focusing on the music and worrying less about the gear. I'm gonna get this s*** organized dammit!

 

Mr. Stubb, thanks for chiming in.

 

Chris, I am the spaghetti king. I can do anything. I love spaghetti. I will keep your tips in mind the next time I am crafting my red sauce.

 

Dick Ward, what can I say? You are the man!

 

Regards,

Joe

[Jeep]

Originally posted by Joe P:

"...a spaghetti nightmare."

Originally posted by Silver Dragon Sound:

"Joe, you had to see this one coming... "

http://www.perpetualkid.com/productimages/lg/KCHN-0475.jpg

 

Rejoice, "spaghetti" haters! Your cabling and routing prayers have been answered!

Thanks to this remarkable new invention,

you can now avoid the drudgery of having to wind or roll your own "spaghetti".

With the Motor-Powered Self-Twirling Spaghetti Fork ,

all you have to do is switch it on, jab it into a mound of cables,

and watch the fork do all the hard work.

The Self-Twirling Spaghetti Fork is so well-designed,

it works with mic cords, speaker wire, and MIDI cables too!

Hard to believe, but true nevertheless.

The fork operates on two AA batteries (not included) and twirls at 22 revolutions per minute.

(According to Berklee and MIT, this is the optimal speed for spaghetti twirling.)

Unfortunately, you still have to lift the fork up to your workbench or rack, but we're working on that, too.

[eric]

I'm really anal about keeping my cable spaghetti and gear logistics under control. I'll snap a photo of my briefcase and you'll get a good idea of things I do to help the situation. I use black zip ties to connect the AC cords for my S90 and Electro and then wrapped those in a sleeve to make them look neater. I did the same thing with my audio cables in 2 separate pairs for right and left amps. I have a pedal board I made years ago with all the pedals velcroed onto it and the cables also zip-tied together and coiled to be exactly the right length that is needed.

 

I also have long velcro straps that I use to keep things wrapped up in the case and also attached to my stand. There's nothing I hate more than a bunch of ugly cables dangling all over the place in my live rig. Take a look at this recent photo and you'll see what I mean. I run the cables in a discreet location and tether them to my stand with the velcro straps. With the Invisible Stand in action, you can hardly tell there's anything up there other than the 2 keyboards and me.

 

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/eslawson/e_11_2005.JPG

 

Regards,

Eric

[Unknot]

For my home system, I use a Casio label maker (about $35) and label both ends of all midi and audio cables. I also label one end of my wall warts, my mixer, patch bay, and the back of the modules in my rack. Anything else would be sheer madness if I make any changes to my rig.

[MidLifeCrisis]

Sven,

 

Great tips

You should write a handbook for the gigging keyboard player.

[eric]

As promised earlier, here are some photos to help you along the way towards cable organization nirvana. You must invest in a dedicated case for all your cables and pedals. In spite of all the MASSIVE GAS-induced changes to my rig over the years, this is one thing that has remained very stable (along with my Invisible Stand). I've had this particular brief case since 1987 and I've used this type of cable organization scheme since then.

 

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/eslawson/brief_1.JPG

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/eslawson/brief_2.JPG

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/eslawson/brief_3.JPG

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/eslawson/brief_4.JPG

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/eslawson/brief_5.JPG

 

Regards,

Eric

[Sven Golly]

Originally posted by MidLifeCrisis:

Sven,

 

Great tips

You should write a handbook for the gigging keyboard player.

Thanks, MLC... not sure how well a book would sell, but I did write a series of articles on this and other subjects for a Canadian music mag back in the 90's... mostly inspired from meeting other keyboardists while on tour across the country, and seeing the various common inefficiencies that many rigs exhibited. I guess having a computer background instilled certain left-brain logic habits that aren't exactly strong in most creative types (or so my college psych prof would have had me believe ).

 

Cheers,

SG

[Mike Davis]

Well, but you could give copies to us for free We'll even contribute chapter titles -- here, I'll start:

 

Chapter 1

 

"You and Your Handtruck"

[Garrafon]

I didn't even know that pasta had any conductive properties. See, this forum IS useful after all. I even performed a Google search on pasta and electrical conductivity and....nothing!

 

Sorry, it's Friday before New Years...you don't expect me to say anything constructive, do you (and no comments about how I never say anything constructive)?

[ITGITC]

Originally posted by eric:

I'm really anal...

 

Regards,

Eric

Eric, I love ya man... but that's the Quote of the Day.

 

I wouldn't have posted, but after you had picture after picture after picture of that damn briefcase, well... I kinda had to do it.

 

Actually, Sven, Steve, and Garrafon put me up to it. In real life, I'm actually a meek, mild, Angel of a guy. But you put the 'Devil Incarnate Trio' in the same room (forum), and they make me do bad, bad things.

 

(Ummmmmm, Mr. Botch... 'Devil Incarnate Trio' would make a good name for a Rock Band, don'tchathinks?)

 

Hmmmmmm, I wonder if they were there when Monica was doing Bill?

[Garrafon]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Is There Gas in the Car?:

 

Actually, Sven, Steve, and Garrafon put me up to it. . . . But you put the 'Devil Incarnate Trio'

[MidLifeCrisis]

Originally posted by garrafon:

Um, if WE were there, the cigar would have been lit!

That was so funny I am speechless. Usually I am never at a loss for words but that one can't be beat.

[eric]

Originally posted by Is There Gas in the Car?:

I wouldn't have posted, but after you had picture after picture after picture of that damn briefcase, well... I kinda had to do it.

Tom, I have more photos of my obsessive gear habits and I think I'll just need to post them.

 

Now onto the topic of gig fashion. I've done another little improvement. Did you notice my new gig carpet? I usually have a 2' x 3' oriental rug for gigs, but was at Crate and Barrel the other night and found this red and black 2x3 rug that matches my rig so well (RED) and it was on sale for only $9.95, so I bought it. You can see it in the background of the ever-popular briefcase photos.

 

Regards,

Eric

[MidLifeCrisis]

All kidding aside, these are great tips.

Heading out to the garage later to make a pedal board just like Eric's

Then I am going to organize my cables ala Sven.

This thread alone was worth the $19.99 they bill bill my credit card to be a member here.

[Dave Pierce]

Sven has described in great detail nearly the exact process I used to optimize my rig. It has served me well for a year and a half. I've been thinking about making a few changes though...

 

Eric, that rug is way cool. I'm going to go to Crate and Barrel and see if they've got one!

 

--Dave

[ITGITC]

Originally posted by garrafon:

Um, if WE were there, the cigar would have been lit!

That's pretty KINKY, Mr. Garrafon.

 

I was gonna let that comment slip on by (no pun intended yada-yada)... but the vision of you THREE and Monica and Bill in the same room with the lit cigar, the stain on her dress, and all the rest...

 

Well, it kinda makes me ah-sick, I said, ah-sick, I said, ah-sick on mah stomach... Man. http://www.rock-xtreme.com/Emoticons/eck31.gif

[Garrafon]

Ok, here we go:

 

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:MtsWACWQRHoJ:http://www.naomisworld.com/Thumbnails/Monica_Lewinsky-Wendy_Adams.jpg

 

+

 

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:SMC-mZiZgw0J:news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1715000/images/_1717136_dressap150.jpg

 

+

 

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:6dMgwe-UY-EJ:www.ratherbiased.com/photos/cigar.jpg

 

=

 

 

Ahhhhhhhh

 

Wanna join us Tom?