I realized the other day that the equipment I now have at my disposal for music recording and gigging is rather dated. A Yamaha CVP-59S digital piano that’s useless for live performance because it weighs 100 lbs and is really bulky. And it only has 16-note polyphony. A very serviceable, nice Ibanez electric guitar that was $800 new that still works fine. I gave my only amplifier away to my neighbor because it was broken, and too small for performing anyway. My old faithful green acoustic guitar with a pickup I can install in the sound hole is still here, too, and other than needing a saddle and nut replacement it’s just fine.
I have an M-Audio 49-key USB controller I use for sequencing, but it’s inadequate by itself for performance use. Besides having to have it hooked up to some sort of tone generator, the small number of keys doesn’t allow for effective keyboard splits or the pitch range that I commonly use when playing. And the keys are kind of plastic-ey. They lack the feel I expect from a good keyboard. However, it might be a really useful secondary keyboard on a rack for when I have to do fast organ runs or something.
So here are my requirements in my next synth:
- Minimum 32-note polyphony. 64 is better. 128 or more is OMGWTFBBQ Drool Drool Drool.
- Onboard sequencing/recording, no matter how rudimentary, is required.
- A fantastic grand piano sample, or the ability to load one.
- Fast and easy patch switching. Even if it takes me a while to learn how to set it up, I want to hit just ONE button to load the patch set I’m using for a song or series of songs. Then to switch between patches within the set, I want to hit just one key. I can’t even do this on my old and venerable keyboards that have more than one patch per button, but it’s a nice dream…
- Weighted keys. I know that playing non-weighted keys can result in dramatic speed gains with less effort… but after 27 years of playing the piano, I have trouble shaking the preference.
- 88 keys preferred, but 60+ is OK too if the price difference is enormous. Given the trade, I’d prefer a lower-end synth to get 88 weighted keys, I think.
- A large display. Touchscreen optional.
- The ability to accept and send SysEx MIDI messages and at least 16-channel MIDI.
- Some way to back up your sample library to external media (whether computer over USB, CD, DVD, or Compact Flash etc.) is a big plus.
- Support at least two pedals.
- Pitch bend and mod wheel required.
- Aftertouch is negotiable. I have never really been that impressed with it.
I realized after looking at my list that really most high-end synths from 1996-2002 would work fine for me. Here are a few I’m considering. My budget is about $500-$1000 for this synth… low, I know, but whaddya’ do when you’re the sole wage-earner for a family of six?
- Korg Triton Extreme
- Pluses: Big on-board storage (160MB) for sounds, fast load times, industry standard, gobs of support
- Minuses: Confusing UI, diminutive screen (if not the touch screen), rough learning curve, mod wheel & pitch bend are on the same joystick, weak default piano samples, getting rather dated at this point though still extremely popular.
- Korg Oasys (also called M3): Ebbeh. Ebbeh. Yeah. That’s exactly what I’m talking about. No minuses except it weighs 71 lbs (probably 100 with a case), it uses that combo pitch/mod joystick thingy, and at $7000+ with a substantial discount it makes a nice “whoosh” noise as it blows past my budget. Darn. Its 61-key little brother, the M3-61, is only $2200, but that’s still more than twice the budget.
- Alesis Fusion
- Pluses: enormous hard disk storage capacity for a sampler, superb default sound library, 8-track audio with MIDI sync on-board, USB backup, nice display, nice stock piano sound if you download it.
- Minuses: Slow sound load times. This can be worked around for live play, in that you can pre-load sounds while playing or just load up your most common synth set at the start of the gig, but it takes a bit more work to stay ahead of the load times. Alesis appears to have discontinued the unit with no plans for a successor. It weighs 56lbs, kind of middle-of-the-road for an 88-key synth.
- Yamaha Motif: Out of my league, way too pricey even on eBay. Even the cheaper M08 clocks in at about $500 more than I’m willing to spend at the most.
- Yamaha S08
- Pluses: In my price league. Great piano samples. 700+ sounds. Rock-solid live performance, 88 weighted keys, easy sound navigation, and I already know I like Yamaha keyboards. Light weight compared to others in this category (44lbs). A basic keyboard that suits most live performance needs, and a decent tone generator in the studio.
- Minuses: Not nearly as many features as the Fusion or Triton for similar price. Perhaps a bit too basic. Because Yamaha positioned this as their budget professional synthesizer, they left out a lot of pro features. It’s basically a portable version of the Yamaha CVP-59 I already own, but with upgraded samples and four times the polyphony. No “synthesizer” capability… as far as I can tell, it doesn’t even contain tone generators, but relies solely on a nice-sounding sample library.
- Kurzweil SP2X
- Pluses: Great piano, electric piano, and organ sounds. Nice leslie on the organs (a big plus vs. the weak leslie on the Korg & Alesis), separate pitch/mod wheels. Like the Yamaha, it weighs in at less than 50lbs. Also has a nice weighted action.
- Minuses: Like the Yamaha, it’s not as full-featured as the Alesis and Korg offerings in this price range. It also has the most limited sample library of any of these keyboards.
So what other choices are there in this space of “audio workstation/synth”? At this point, I’m leaning toward the Alesis Fusion 8HD. Having a hard disk is a concern, but I’ve already seen the tutorials on how to replace it, and being a computer geek I’m like “Yeah, OK, whatever, no biggie to fix it”. Plus it’s easily backed up over USB to a PC. That said, I think I really need to sit down with a Fusion next to a Triton and just spool through their samples to see which one I like better. I’m fairly certain that, regardless of my choice, I’ll be pleased with whatever I buy as it will be light-years better than what I used last when I was a professional musician twelve years ago.
This, of course, neglects the fact that I need a new electric guitar amp (well, almost certainly “used” is more my speed) of at least 80-100 watts, as well as an amp or monitor system for the keyboard…
What do you think? If you were newly getting into live gigging (again) on a keyboard with some guitar, what would you want as your reliable go-to instruments and accessories?
Onboard sequencing/recording?
Matt, why do you need onboard sequencing/recording?
For when I’m not tethered…
I need it for when I’m not tethered to a PC. As a few for-instances, when I’m jamming with a buddy and we need a drum line to go with, for quick one-off multitrack recording, or when I take my keyboard with me on vacation (guilty!) and want to lay down a few lines while the family is out at the pool. As another for-instance, there may come a time when I’m playing a solo gig or small group that needs the sequencing, and it would be convenient to export the sequence from Cakewalk or whatever as SMF and import it to the keyboard so I have one less thing to carry & set up at the gig.
It’s not an absolute requirement, really, as most on-board sequencers are kinda’ weak, but definitely a bonus feature.
On the other hand, the synthesizer bits — being able to layer sounds, set envelopes, and have tone-generators in addition to samples — is an absolute requirement as I like to build my own sounds and not solely rely on the built-in ROM.
Have something nice in mind that has no sequencing?
—
Matthew P. Barnson
So after weighing options…
So after weighing the options, I think I’m going to pick up the “Alesis Fusion 8HD Sweetwater Edition”. They include $253 worth of extras — that I intended to buy anyway if I bought this keyboard — which puts their price right in-line with the eBay prices. It has the full manufacturer 1 year warranty, and everyone says that for those few keyboard owners who have had problems, Alesis is very responsive and replaces hardware quickly.
The unfortunate part is that I only listened to the sounds online (sounds great on my headphones, though!), and didn’t get to try one in a store. Very few retailers carry this model anymore (almost four years old, soon to be discontinued, no replacement announced yet). From what I’ve read even from nay-sayers, though, it has great action, good sounds, a somewhat cryptic but effective sequencing/HD-recording setup, and is a whole lot of value for the money compared to any other workstation offering currently available, including most used ones from the Big Three (Korg, Yamaha, Roland).
—
Matthew P. Barnson
Other options…
Just got contacted by a seller of an original Proteus 1 rack-mount rompler who wants to sell a Roland XP-30 as well. I think I could get the price down, and if I could get the two for around $400-$450, then that leaves plenty of room to pick up amps, cables, stands, etc. within a $1000 budget.
Decisions, decisions. Used equipment also has the advantage that it’s been used and ain’t broke yet, so it probably won’t break unless I break it. And the Roland has gobs of sounds, though apparently the electric pianos are not its strong suit.
And the fact is, I could pick up the Roland sample library for $50, load it into a Fusion, and have all those same sounds on the more expensive keyboard. I am such a waffler when there’s a lot of money involved.
—
Matthew P. Barnson
Not 88 keys
Is the Roland XP-30 not 88 keys? That could be severely limiting.
I would totally go the route of used gear (especially with the amp!); otherwise it’s like the child who comes home with a new hobby fascination and the parents respond by purchasing the latest and greatest.
Keep in mind a couple things – first, musical instruments don’t depreciate the same way that cars, clothes, and other household lose value. A great sounding amp manufactured in the 1950s is still a great sounding amp, and your sound is what’s most important. This ties into a second fundamental – these items are revenue-generating items. You are buying materials that will bring in income. These are working machines. Thus, at some point, you have to stop pandering to the giddy spirit of rock-star dreams and assume a mental approach that treats the items as stage-bound workhorses, harbingers of revenue.
It’s a good thing you’re waffling because you allow yourself the chance to continue exploration of the ‘choice universe’. These items are getting bought for a purpose, and by understanding the purpose, you’ll get the right goods at the right price.
Rock-star dreams
Now look at them yo-yos. Thats the way you do it. You play the guitar on the MTV. That ain’t workin’. That’s the way you do it, get your money for nothin’ and your chicks for free. We got to install UNIX servers, custom system, configure it…
You’re right, the board has only 61 keys, and I’ve seen the workarounds people have to use to hit that extra octave on either side. I don’t want to muck with an octave-change dial throughout a performance. Good call.
In the meantime, though, I still think I’ll pick up that Proteus module. I have immediate use for it (a couple sequencing projects that are in need of different sounds), it’s dirt cheap, and I can slave it to the 49-key MIDI controller I already own.
—
Matthew P. Barnson
I’m in the same boat
Did I mention that my trusty old Korg 01-W finally died? (1989-2007)
I was playing a gig at College Perk (the coffee shop in College Park) and there was a short in an outlet that fried the keyboard.
I’m not looking for anything as fancy as you, though. I would just like something with good piano, organ, and strings sounds for gigging purposes. I’ve gotten increasingly allergic to synth drum sounds in my old age, so if I want drums in live gigs, I’ll have to get off my duff and find an actual band.
Oh, and hi – I’ve been away for awhile.
— Ben
Voltage Suppressor
Matt,
Ben has brought up a really good point, and I forgot to mention this during our call. For about $125 this rack-mounted suppressor will function as a firewall between electricity supply and your important gear. It’s almost imperative you have one. It’s your insurance policy.
I played an outdoor tent gig this summer and someone was running bad power. It spiked everything on stage. My suppressor took the bullet (they’re called bullet-takers in stage jargon) right before the keyboard player plugged in. Otherwise, it could have cost the keyboard player $2K+, the cost of a new keyboard. It’s easy to replace the $125 by comparison.
The reason you want it rack-mounted is so you can buy an alligator case and just load up everything next to each other in one case, similar to how chips, etc. get loaded into desktop computers. Basically, you’ll have your sound box, synth processor, and power surge protector modules all rack-mounted in one hard case for stage use. You will plug power supply into the voltage suppressor and then everything you have on stage will run off that. The hard case will serve as your ‘motherboard’.
UPS units
Hmm, we have some spare APC UPS units here at work that we’re getting rid of. These work great to give clean, conditioned power to electronics in our data center. I wonder if they’d work rack-mounted for performance?
I suspect the racks are different widths, though.
Good suggestion. The power at my new house is crappy enough that I’m buying new batteries for my existing UPS units to try and save my computers…
—
Matthew P. Barnson
This Is What I Have
http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=01&id=PL-PLUSD_II
I feel safe.
It’s pretty standard in the music world to have the dimensions at 1.75” H x 19” W x 10.5” so that it can slide into your hard case. Then you just load your different effects/processors/etc. on top of each other. This is why it’s called ‘rack-mounted’.
So sad!
I remember your O1-W (and M1!) with fondness. RIP, trusty old keyboard. I almost picked one up on eBay in mint condition for $200. And there’s a Proteus 2 for sale locally for $90 near my home. I could reproduce your 1989 setup for under $300!
I found a pretty good synth drum, though, called “Drumkit From Hell”. The only real way to use it seems to be to have a live drummer play an electronic drumkit or sequence by hand… it actually has different strikes for left vs. right-hand. I’ve been really surprised at how good it sounds, but it’s HUGE and requires a disk-based sampler/sequencer to even have a stab at running it.
—
Matthew P. Barnson