Live Performance

[vinnn09]

Let's say you wanted to do a live jazz performance in a small band, performing a small gig at a nice coffee shop somewhere. Let's also say you wanted add a keyboard to the performance.

 

What kind of keyboard would you use in a live performance, including midi controllers and everything that goes with it?

[yannis D]

first of all you got to specify what sound you need: piano, rhodes, keyboards, hammond.. there are so many "jazz" gigs out there. If you play mostly piano you abrosutely need a 88 keyboard (Kurz PC 88x, Yamaha SP series, Roland A90 and so on) or a 88 controller connected to a sound module (like Kurz micro piano) or to a laptop with a designated piano VST (and there are many). If you need an all around piano-hammond-rhodes keyboard, Nord Electro or Nord Stage (or any good rompler) would fit the gig. Here, also, there are countrless other possibilities.

[Hardway]

Vin- as above, need more info as to your palette needs.

I currently lug around a Roland RD600 midi'd into a FantomXR w/SRX12 thru a Mackie power mixer into Mackie 15" cab(s) to get my piano/rhodes sounds. I've been looking for a simple board to do intimate gigs with, and the Kawai ES4 is at the top of my radar. Haven't played one yet, but read great things about the piano/EP sounds and the action. Good luck.

[kwgm]

I use a Yamaha S90ES, and for a small room, I bring a Roland KC 300.

 

For a larger room, I bring 2 Roland amps, and the piano sounds so much better in stereo.