Your live rig

[dan88z]

Here's my live rig.... The picture is a little dated ... the P200 on the bottom has been upgraded to a CP300 and the mic and boom have been eliminated now that I'm using a wireless headset mic (Crown CM311AESH) Keyboards and Modules Roland RD700SX Yamaha CP300 Yamaha Motif ES Rack Midi Connectivity Motu Midi Express XT Amplication Yamaha MG12/4FX Mixer DOD 31 Band EQ QSC1450 Power Amp JBL JXR112M Floor Weges Miscellaneous Furman Rack Mount Power Strip American Audio CD Player Custom Pedal Board Custom Cable Harnesses wmultipin connectors.

I love that cable management. Can you talk more about it? Is the box on the pedal board DIs, and then the other cable going past the monitor the sends to the mixer?

[Jasontarkus]

I love that cable management. Can you talk more about it? Is the box on the pedal board DIs, and then the other cable going past the monitor the sends to the mixer?

yes, I'm very interested too.... please elucidate!

[Tomkeen]

Your band broke up? That sucks... I just watched that video with you guys the other day... You're an excellent player though, and good keyboard players and bassists are always hard to find, I'm sure you'll find somewhere to play.

Thanks CR

The guitarist and me have decided to go on on our own, write some own songs and we'll see how it works out. Sadly, our singer is going to Ireland for four months and I really wanted to keep working with her...

Oh well, I still have my studioproject going, of which an album should be ready shortly

[Sparkytfl]

That cable-managing looks more professional than that of some international acts.

The cat's trying to hit a C or D octave, but has bad aim/coordination and fails.

[Mediterranean]

Once upon a time, in a planet far far away from planet America, I rigged a few times..

..with this only.

[rugge78]

my rig hasn't changed within 3 years.
I sold my Micron but my live rig remains:

1. P90 Yamaha + Mo6 Yamaha

2. Ob3 Oberheim clone (with Boss RT20) + Mo6 Yamaha

3. Mo6 yamaha alone (for small venues)

In studio I have all as above plus a Roland Jp8000 and old PIII notebook for MIDI sequencing.


I'm looking for a Roland A33 master linking my Mo6 and new MicroKorg makes me drooling...

[r05c03]

gear sig

[GigMan]

I'll be honest. Part of the reason I do it is to show off. I'm a gear whore, and it's fun to have an impressive rig. That said, my set up time is less than 5 minutes, minus the carrying.

Sorry but "setup time" includes the "carrying" dude! In fact, the carrying (your gear in from the car) is obviously the worst part - getting your gear out of cases, up on a kybd. stand and ready should be easy!

I categorize "setup time" as the TOTAL amount of time it takes (including ALL trips to and from the car) from the second you turn the key to OFF in your car's ignition to the second you're ready to play the downbeat of Song #1, including allowing time to have changed into shirt/pants/tux/whatever if necessary.

[clb3chey]

general music sk 880....korg cx3..leslie 122....yamaha sy99....casiowk 3800..... (2)yamaha mk8 mixers...with vca controlled volume = one volume pedal contolls all my keyboards into the foh and my inear monitor mix (very cool)...

[Outkaster]

Nice rig. Anyone that carries a real Leslie get's my vote!

[augerinn]

as the TOTAL amount of time it takes (including ALL trips to and from the car) from the second you turn the key to OFF in your car's ignition to the second you're ready to play the downbeat of Song #1, including allowing time to have changed into shirt/pants/tux/whatever if necessary.

Fair enough. I haven' gigged regularly for years. OK, so from car to ready to play ? Maybe 15-20 minutes. 4 trips. 1 for each keyboard, one for the rack, one for the stand/pedalboard combo.

[SpaceNorman]

 

I love that cable management. Can you talk more about it? Is the box on the pedal board DIs, and then the other cable going past the monitor the sends to the mixer?

 

 

The cable management is a custom job. There are three cable bundles - each with individual cable connectors at one end (either 1/4 or MIDI - to make the connections at the keyboards and at the amp rack (i.e, mixer, MIDI ExpressXT unit)) and a multipin connector at the other end to connect to the junction box (the black box on the pedal board). The pedals connect to the junction box as well using the appropriate TRS or 1/4 connector. Within the junction box - everything gets cross connected so that signals get routed to the right place.

 

Setup is simple - set everything were you want it and rack the keyboards. Plug the AC power cables for the keyboards into the quad box on the pedalboard. Patch the individual connectors at the keyboards themselves and velco the custom cables to the "Z" Stand - and plug the two multiplug connections into the junction box. Extend the multiplug connector end from the rack and plug into the junction box. Plug the quad box into AC power and flip the power switches and you're ready to play.

 

This setup is purely for my keyboard stage monitor setup. I interface with the PA by taking a two channel send (Left and Right) to the FOH board - and typically receive an AUX send from the PA as a monitor send that I in turn run into a channel strip on my keyboard mixer. The "Group" functions on the mixer allow me to amplify the incoming AUX send without including it in the output that I in turn send to the board so I don't create a loop. It leaves me with total control over my keyboard stage volume - as well as how the AUX monitor send gets balanced with the keys. I sit in the middle of my personal stereo field and I LOVE it. My rig has never sounded so sweet

 

It's quick to set up, aesthetically clean and very comfortable to play. The pedals are ALWAYS in the exact same place. It wasn't cheap (multipin connectors are expensive!) - but I've been pretty happy with the results.

[dan88z]

Thanks for that info Spacenorman! You got the wheels turning now.... it's not that my setup is difficult or time consuming, but it's not real clean looking. By the time you get the audio and power cables run and then the pedals, there's a good bit of spaghetti laying around.

 

I run my stage rig like you do to get my own monitor mix for vocals and whatever else I need. I have a separate EQ for it too so I can adjust it exactly how I like.

[GigMan]

Thanks for that info Spacenorman! You got the wheels turning now.... it's not that my setup is difficult or time consuming, but it's not real clean looking. By the time you get the audio and power cables run and then the pedals, there's a good bit of spaghetti laying around. I run my stage rig like you do to get my own monitor mix for vocals and whatever else I need. I have a separate EQ for it too so I can adjust it exactly how I like.

Dan & Spacenorman - are you guys running band vocals back into your own monitors, which are your keys monitors are well? Don't you have feedback issues if your mic. is in front of you, hanging over your keys (so that you can sing into it) but those monitors are behind you?

[GigMan]

The gig bag of the geezer. I have one too. Ibuprophen, zantac, energy drink. I don't need the hair brush as my hair is long gone. 20 years ago that same bag had my stash. How the times have changed.

Ha ha - not quite geezer yet, that'd be if I had Geritol or Metamucil in there.

[dan88z]

Ha ha - not quite geezer yet, that'd be if I had Geritol or Metamucil in there.

I'm beginning to wonder, it took you long enough to reply!

I have my monitors a little more out to the sides than SN does, but they are still a bit behind me. Probably half way between where SN's are and if they were directly left and right of you. That's why I have a separate 15 band EQ for the line from the house monitor send to run into before it gets to my mixer, just in case there are any hot spots that need to be rolled off.

[GigMan]

I'm beginning to wonder, it took you long enough to reply! I have my monitors a little more out to the sides than SN does, but they are still a bit behind me. Probably half way between where SN's are and if they were directly left and right of you. That's why I have a separate 15 band EQ for the line from the house monitor send to run into before it gets to my mixer, just in case there are any hot spots that need to be rolled off.

But do you sing? And if so, how can it possibly not feedback, having the monitors behind you and the mic. in front of you/them - whether you have an EQ or not?

That's what puzzles me about Spacenorman - he's clearly got a vocal mic. in his picture, above the keys... yet his monitors are behind him. Do they only have his keys coming out of them or his vocal as well - if it's both keys and vocals, how can it not feed back?

[SpaceNorman]

Dan & Spacenorman - are you guys running band vocals back into your own monitors, which are your keys monitors are well? Don't you have feedback issues if your mic. is in front of you, hanging over your keys (so that you can sing into it) but those monitors are behind you?

 

Yes - I run an AUX feed from the PA with a monitor mix (basically vocals, sax and maybe a little guitar if he's set up on the far side of the stage) through my keyboard rig amp and speakers. The only time I've ever had feedback issues I've had to lean down into my monitor speakers (note that I use a headset mic these days). I suspect there are three reasons it's not a problem - 1) I usually manage to place the monitor speakers a little bit off to the side (and off axis to the mic), 2) I typically don't crank the vocal monitor mix simply cause I don't usually need to and 3) because my new Crown CM311AESH headset has incredible gain before feedback characteristics.

[SpaceNorman]

That's what puzzles me about Spacenorman - he's clearly got a vocal mic. in his picture, above the keys... yet his monitors are behind him. Do they only have his keys coming out of them or his vocal as well - if it's both keys and vocals, how can it not feed back?

 

I never had problems with feedback even when I was using the SM58 on the boom. Usually the monitor speakers are a little more to the side (the pics I posted were taken when I had set up my rig to take pics for an insurance inventory of my rig - so I wasn't real particular about placement). That and the fact that I don't really crank the vocal feed ... it's just never been a problem.

 

The only time I ever really made it chirp was when I was using the cheapie Shure headset mic that came with the PGX wireless headset setup (it's a cheapie $30 condensor). That would chirp if I leaned down towards the speaker. The new CM311AESH on the other hand....shoot, I think I could set it on the speaker and not have it feed back. The gain before feedback on that thing is incredible.

[rvandenbroeck]

You forgot the lava lamp. Is that what it is in the first picture? LOL Awesome:thu:

hahah - good eye! we try to bring any weird lights like that whenever we can: lavalamp, light strings, strobe lights, any other weird flashing lights, etc...



Let me be yet another to compliment SpaceNorman on bundling cables... that was the first thing I noticed when I looked at the picture... oh yeah, and good rig too!

I've considered doing something like that but since I don't always gig with the same rig, I don't think it would be possible. weak. I do use those velcro things that come with some cables to keep them from getting too speghettied out.



For the record, Sparkytfl, I took no offense at the "ridiculous" comment. My back says the same thing to me everytime I bring all that stuff. I usually like to take my chevy prizm to gigs but I can only fit two boards (and no other people). For the three board gigs, I have to bring the Ford Escape.

[dan88z]

But do you sing? And if so, how can it possibly not feedback, having the monitors behind you and the mic. in front of you/them - whether you have an EQ or not? That's what puzzles me about Spacenorman - he's clearly got a vocal mic. in his picture, above the keys... yet his monitors are behind him. Do they only have his keys coming out of them or his vocal as well - if it's both keys and vocals, how can it not feed back?

I sing. Like SpaceNorman said- you are off axis enough, and I think with a unidirectional mike and EQ it minimizes the possibility of feedback. My body blocks off the mike pretty well too. I didn't even have to ring out the monitor send that came to me, I just rolled off some bottom to keep it from being boomy and that was it. I suppose if you were in a real loud setting it'd be a little harder, but the band I use this setup with plays in moderation. It's loud but not so much that you are pushing things too hard. I still hear some of the front monitors and the mains as well, so what I give myself is more to fill things in.

[clb3chey]

i struggled with feedback,monitor wedges,... singing, playing keys and trying to hear myself all these years and then in ear monitors happened!,,,,,,,,,its the best thing that ever happened for keyboard players!......we get to hear what the keyboards are supposed to sound like (like sitting in a great stereo control room ), don't have to scream to sing (you can turn your vocal mix up yourself , to yourself, for your self) , and never haul around monitor wedges again.....get some!......you owe it to yourself.....

[dan88z]

I was seriously considering in ears when I bought my wedges. I was worried about the isolation- ability to interact with the audience and band between songs, and not having a couple woofers on stage that I could feel when I hit low notes. Plus a lot of the clubs I play have house systems that are flown above the stage, so anyone right up against the stage doesn't hear the PA too well. If I have no amp on stage, and the other band members only need a certain amount of me in their monitors, my gut feeling tells me I'm not going to be heard very well.

[GigMan]

I was seriously considering in ears when I bought my wedges. I was worried about the isolation- ability to interact with the audience and band between songs, and not having a couple woofers on stage that I could feel when I hit low notes. Plus a lot of the clubs I play have house systems that are flown above the stage, so anyone right up against the stage doesn't hear the PA too well. If I have no amp on stage, and the other band members only need a certain amount of me in their monitors, my gut feeling tells me I'm not going to be heard very well.

Good call, Dan - my wedding band uses in-ear monitors & headphones, a system called the Hearback - I found it very isolating at first, as you say: ability to interact w/the crowd and such... but eventually I just adjusted (I've been in this particular band almost 2 yrs.). I wear a big ole' pair of Sennheiser closed-back headphones when playing w/that band - so not only do you have to get used to the "isolation" & "detachment from the crowd" feeling - but you get "headphone hair" when walking around on breaks in between sets... of course, I've seen your picture - that wouldn't be an issue for you.

The idea is that it greatly reduces the overal volume/noise level in the room: there's no backline at all - no kybd. amp, no gtr. amp, no bass amp, and no drums! (he uses a DrumKat)... just two little spkrs. on sticks and two small subwoofers - that's it. All our stage monitoring is done in-ear or by headphones. Or if the lead singers go out into the crowd w/the wireless mics., sometimes they pull the in-ears out and just listen to the mains, since they're in front of them... so the overall volume of the band is GREATLY reduced but the other side effect is that it does kind of create an "isolation" between Band and Audience - esp. if you're in the backline like me.

I sing "What I Like About You" w/them & I also do the harmonica solo: during the bridge, I do a big exaaggerated production of taking off my tux jacket, throwing it behind me & running out front fr. behind my wall of keyboards in the very back, frantically at the last minute to jump onto the female vocalist's mic. center stage & start wailing out on the harp solo there... and when I'm done I stay there and sing the remainder of the song out front there - where you can hear the mains & don't really need the in-ear monitors or headphones... and it definitely does feel like you're more connected w/the crowd out front there when you don't have a big ole' pair of headphones on - not to mention the audience usually gets a kick out of my stupid schtick/antics (which is fun for me)!

[the trick]

Interesting thread! Some diverse setups here. Anyway, I do a one-man electro pop thing, using this stuff:

 

Roland MC-50 sequencer

M-Audio Axiom 49 controller

Korg Electribe ES-1 sampler for 90% of the drum parts

Waldorf MicroQ rack

Roland JV-1080

 

And all that runs into a Mackie 1202VLZ.