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Third tier how playable?


Diametro

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Any comments on how playable a third-tier is? (sitting down)

 

Right now I have my Fusion off to the side, and it's not getting nearly as much use as I'd like.

 

I'd much prefer all my keys in front of me. (Part of my "thing" is playing all my synths in real-time, triggering, fading in and out, etc.)

 

But if I get a three-tier stand, will tier three just become the new no-man's land.

 

Despite the stretch, my grass-is-greener side thinks it would be better than twisting to the side. (Of course a swivel chair could fix that, but I like being "planted" while playing.)

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Irregardless of wether your standing or sitting theres a sweet spot for playing the keyboard height wise for you. With two tier this should be placed between the two keyoards. With 3 our top and bottom keyboard are going to be further out of this sweet spot. Better to have 3rd board to the side. And in easy reach. Thereshoud be no reason for the 3rd board not to be easilly playable while also playing either board on the 2 tier stand. Dont decide to play the single board to side according to geometric niceness. Instead give yourself the freedom for it to be on a diff then 45% angle to the others. Shortest board to the side instead of on the 2 tier stand.

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you have seen the setup I have? (if not - its here), I find playing the v-synth is fine so long as I am not playing it for long - its a bit too far back and a bit high.

 

Programmng the thing is however a real sod at that angle - just uncomfortable, though even the virus ti is a bit to far back to be comfortable as well.

 

So I will probably move the fusion onto its own stand and just have the two synth one that stand.

 

Should ask mr oinkage - quite like those stands he uses as well in the pig pen.

 

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Trouble I have is I got this stand ages ago when I had the v-synth on the bottom and random stuff on the other two tiers - I need the depth to keep the other crap away from the d-beam.

 

Now that the v is on the top and the other two are my most played, then its a pain, but I havnt found much else in the way of options over here in the UK that is suitably adjustable and will safely take 3 heavy boards.

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Originally posted by Khazul

you have seen the setup I have? (if not - its
here
), I find playing the v-synth is fine so long as I am not playing it for long - its a bit too far back and a bit high.


Programmng the thing is however a real sod at that angle - just uncomfortable, though even the virus ti is a bit to far back to be comfortable as well.

 

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of ... especially late at night when the back starts to get a little (or a lot) tired ...

 

BTW, that's some gorgeous gear, Khazul!

 

Instead give yourself the freedom for it to be on a diff then 45% angle to the others. Shortest board to the side instead of on the 2 tier stand.

 

Yeah, I think you're right about the 45 degree angle ... I guess that's what I really want to do ... put the Micron to the left at a 45 degree angle and the X-Station to the right ...

 

Now I need to find something like a sheet music stand that can hold a small keyboard.

 

Any ideas.

 

BTW, thanks for the responses! :thu:

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Originally posted by MarkShovel

I now place rack units like the Waldorf microwave XT on the top tier. Great placement for knob tweaking. A keyboard on the top tier results in poor blood flow and quick fatigue.

 

 

Agreed. I put the synth that I don't plan on playing much on the top tier. For example now I have the Polysix there - I will trigger it from either the Q or the Fusion. The only thing I need to do is fiddle with the knobs which obviously isn't the same as playing it.

 

I prefer to have no more than two tiers for playing the keys - I'd rather have a L configuration with one having two tiers than all three stacked up.

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I have three keyboard "stations" all set up in a big U-shape. All the stations are 2-tier except the one in the middle which has the Pro-One on the 3rd tier. When I need to play/tweak the P1, I just STAND UP! It doesn't have MIDI so I have no choice.

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Well, I had it at a 90 degree angle before and it most definately wasn't working out that way.

 

So if not 90 or 45, what then? Do you mean something like 30 or 60 or something like that?

 

. . . . .

 

Anyway, I think I've got the problem solved in spades.

 

I went out and got two MPC/mixer stands ... assembling the second one now.

 

One for the Micron and another for the X-Station.

 

400158.jpg

 

I'll post actual pics later tonight ... it should be quite sweet.

 

The best part is there should be very minimal studio movement involved.

 

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions. I'm sure this won't be the last time I try to achieve the "perfect" setup -- if such a state of grace is even possible.

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The problem with a third tier (or a second tier for that matter) is in balancing two fundamental enemies: being able to see every board clearly, and being able to touch every board comfortably. With current keyboard design there is no magic bullet that will make it work for all people. Being a rather short dude, I find even a second tier to be uncomfortable when sitting. Now that I replaced a tiny Nord with an Amdromeda, my On-Stage two-tier stand is unuseable. (It is only adjustable for tilt.).

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For playing it aint so bad - its programming them that is the pain.

 

Ideally I want to easily see the display and comfortable play, tweak etc while sitting (as I might be at it for quite a while messing about with sounds).

 

Also I really want my rack synths just above the main keyboard along with 4 of the procesing boxes - as they are a key part of sound design as well.

 

Other problem I cant make up my mind which is the 'main' keyboard. (Weighted fusion, or semi-weighted virus).

 

I have on of those mixer stands - used to have my mixer on it, then my Remote 25 lived on it for a while, now not in use, but might try and attach a 8U fx rack to it to hold the TC boxes and a couple of other processors Im thinking of...

 

- knobs... need more knobs within reach... :)

 

 

 

Edit:

 

Hmmm - Inspired thought for a new design keyboard stand - some kind of carousel wher you can vertically rotate the boards so the one you want to work on is where you want it :)

 

 

Probably take up to much room - grrr..

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Originally posted by Diametro
Any comments on how playable a third-tier is? (sitting down)

 

 

Dejavoodoo's list of Things That Are Easier To Do Than Playing a Keyboard on the Third Tier:

 

1. Reelecting Mark Foley to Congress.

2. Finding WMDs in Iraq.

3. Getting Walters to understand anything.

4. Getting the Cubs to win the World Series.

5. Finding a fantastic workstation/sampler for under $100.

6. Getting President Bush to correctly pronounce the word "nuclear".

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I have tried many renditions of the triple stack rig and never liked it for live gigging. If I have the space, the L configuration allows for easier access to all the keyboards. But I usually only take 2 keyboards to the gig. The triple stack always has some sort of trade-off and makes me just wish I had less gear.

 

Here is a picture of my last attempt at a triple stack.

 

ericgear3.jpg

 

Regards,

Eric

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I have an L configuration with the 2-tier stand holding my most played kayboards, and an A-frame 3-tier which holds my analog stuff. I think the top rack is a little inaccessable (well, one because I'm vertically challenged!) But I only use the top unit very sparingly and when I do I just stand up anyway; not really a big deal. I have the 1st and second boards in good reach while sitting and they feel comfortable with no hand fatigue.

 

I definately don't like the 3-tier X-frame stands. It really sets each keyboard back a little further and it just looks extremely awkward to adjust/play.

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I think this is going to work out nicely ...

 

newsetupvx4.jpg

 

The best thing is -- since the Micron and X/A-Station are now on mixer stands with lockable casters -- they can be adjusted to any angle for playing comfort, pulled in closer for editing/programming or pushed aside entirely.

 

Finally, I feel like I may get somewhere with the X/A-Station 'cause even on the second tier it was fatiguing to program.

 

However, the Fusion feels great on the second tier, and accordingly, will finally start using that to its potential as well.

 

(The Fusion was previously on a table to the side at a poor height and worse angle for ensemble-style playing, which is an increasingly important part of my music-making since it can be done -- of course -- live.)

 

As part of this makeover, I've finally patched all my synths into the Fusion's 8-track recorder.

 

So now instead of recording my performances into one uneditable track on the Fantom, I have eight separate audio tracks -- plus the Fusion's MIDI, which can be mixed down -- for more precise editing in Cubase.

 

You'll get a taste of all this when I post my Halloween-inspired track for the Monthly Mission.

 

P.S. Darkstorm ... thanks again for your comments, which were the main deterent from me going three-tier ... well, you too, Khazul ...

 

BTW, if anybody else is thinking of doing this ... at least with these On-Stage Stands Mix 400 units, the Micron is absolutely the widest the hardware can be ... it BARELY slipped inside.

 

Would also work well for a laptop, too ...

 

 

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Originally posted by Khazul

I need the depth to keep the other crap away from the d-beam.

 

 

My D-Beam is on my bottom board; it's not as expressive, but there is a way to lower the active height. (I guess, the D-Beam is even more useful on a V-Synth, though -- so I might agree if I had a V.)

 

I do dislike the D-Beam being on the bottom, but even if you don't use it as a mono synth, you can still use it to trigger stuff.

 

I find the D-Beam works extremely well when jamming in a rock situation and doing trance drugs.

 

One mo' time ... D-Beam.

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