Need to Downsize my Gigging Rig

[jdubbs]

Hello,

 

I'm looking to downsize my gigging rig since i no longer have someone to carry it for me. Currently I gig with the following:

 

Roland Fantom X8

Hammond XK 2

Motion Sound KBR3D

 

Anyone have any suggestions on the best light-weight rig that doesn't sacrifice good organ and vintage keyboard sounds?

 

Does anyone have much luck using a midi controller and a laptop using virtual instruments for their sounds?

 

Any and all help would be appreciated. Just need to stop hurting my back for every gig!

 

Thanks in advance.

 

James

[Jasontarkus]

 

How about one of these??

[-groovatious-]

Nord Electro/Stage??

[jdubbs]

Thanks Jason and Groovatious.

 

I've looked into the nord electro and have considered it. I hadn't heard of the receptor but have been watching videos online of it and it looks pretty amazing. Jason, do you currently use one for the gig setting? Do you bring a monitor with you or just a midi controller and the receptor?

[xmlguy]

Juno-G with the SRX card of your choice. You'll basically get the same sound as the X8, at a very convenient weight. You can use it as your midi controller to work with whatever rack you buy, if you even need to do that, since the Juno-G+SRX may be all that you need. You could also use the sampler on the Juno-G to help fill in any gaps, even though it doesn't permit multisampling, it does allow for a very large 1G flash RAM via PC Card interface/memory card adapter.

[Mecedes]

Buy an Oasys or a M-3 and put all your sounds and effects and grooves and whatever on there

[mcpepe]

Dont go the laptop route.

I did it and know i am going back to hardware again. Software and laptops are not ready (yet) for live gigs. You loose the inmediacy factor, changing patches, etc...and that's very important.

I have bought a new Kurzweil PC3x. If you are interested is a good combination of:

1.-ROMPLER with lots of pianos and elec.pianos, clavs,....

2.-KB3 mode (emulation of B3 sounds) with 9 sliders,

3.-VA1 virtual analog.

 

Good organ and vintange keyboard sounds.

[suitandtieguy]

a) hammond console

b) leslie

c) trailer with ramp door

 

 

big stuff on wheels helps your back. little heavy stuff you need to pick up off the ground doesn't.

 

ditch the ROMpler, everyone will love you more. no need for that {censored} with a hammond on the case.

[Jasontarkus]

 

Thanks Jason and Groovatious. I've looked into the nord electro and have considered it. I hadn't heard of the receptor but have been watching videos online of it and it looks pretty amazing. Jason, do you currently use one for the gig setting? Do you bring a monitor with you or just a midi controller and the receptor?

 

 

I don't use one - I came very close to buying one a few years ago - the guy who is actually the agent in Australia for Muse Receptor gave me a demo & I was genuinely very impressed. All those soft synths in that little rack unit!!

 

I'd recommend thoroughly checking one out though before you take the big step of going down the software route - for live performance I found it a BIG change. I've used a Mac powerbook a few times live (running Native Instruments B4) I never got quite used to it. Now I use a Nord Electro 2 73 - its a great board!!

[wineandkeyz]

The simplest approach would be to downsize the Fantom X8 to the x7, then replace the Hammond with a Roland VK-8M. You could keep all the settings you currently have on your X8, and add one to control the VK-8M.

[Ed Wall]

Roland RD 300GX $1200.00 36lbs

Nord Electro Rack $1000.00 8lbs

61key midi controller for playing organ sounds (optional) $100-300 10-20lbs

 

This is the rig I use, the exception being I have not yet upgraded my 300SX to the newer GX.

[Roald]

I think your rig is already pretty minimal. The only improvement could be a Nord Stage Compact, as it does organ, vintage keys and synths (limited) and it is multitimbral (opposed to the Electro!!). The Nord's lesliesim is the closest you get to the real thing...though certainly not the same...but you could ditch the huge and heavy MS amp.

 

theres two things to consider:

 

- will the audience notice the difference in sound of a lesliesim?

- will the decrease in playing fun affect your playing and fun?

 

I play a Nord Electro and Rhodes onstage. I would love a real leslie, but for me the sound does not justify the hassle. For the Rhodes it does. I don't think the audience hears the difference between the Nord and the real Rhodes...but I just -love- having my 70kg baby onstage.

[carbon111]

The Nord Stage could be worth looking into. Though it won't give you the kind of palette of synth sounds you'll get from your Fantom, its still more flexible than people seem to think - in other words, demo it before ruling it out.

 

The real issue comes with the keybed. The Stage 73 has an unweighted waterfall keyboard thats great for the organs but feels kind of weird for the pianos whereas the Stage 76 and 88 have weighted actions that are nice for pianos but feels a bit weird for playing organs...

[woodhawg]

 

Roland RD 300GX $1200.00 36lbs Nord Electro Rack $1000.00 8lbs 61key midi controller for playing organ sounds (optional) $100-300 10-20lbs This is the rig I use, the exception being I have not yet upgraded my 300SX to the newer GX.

 

 

Been looking at a 300sx and wondered about he new gx. Why would you want to upgrade?

[Outkaster]

That is hardly any weight. You had someone carrying it for you? Suck it up that is not that bad.

[Ed Wall]

"Been looking at a 300sx and wondered about he new gx. Why would you want to upgrade?"

 

The 300GX has the Superior piano (Same one thats on the 700SX) as well as some of the wurlies and rhodes from the 700SX. You also have the ability to customize the sound of the pianos with adjustable lid up/down, string resonance, key off...etc

 

The GX has an alpha/numeric screen with the capabiltity of naming set-ups, patches. And its easy when you can read what sound your using instead of memorizing the number.

 

The GX can play 3 zones (Lower / upper 1 and upper 2 verses 2 zones on the SX. This is big for me because I do a lot of gigs playing left hand bass. With the GX I can have bass in lower zone and layer strings or a pad with a piano or EP on the upper zones.

 

edwall.biz

[GigMan]

 

Roland RD 300GX $1200.00 36lbs Nord Electro Rack $1000.00 8lbs 61key midi controller for playing organ sounds (optional) $100-300 10-20lbs This is the rig I use, the exception being I have not yet upgraded my 300SX to the newer GX.

 

 

Hey Ed -

I've been eyeing up the new Roland RD700GX - but the 300GX is so much lighter... I wonder if they'll have similar actions to eachother?

 

The RD700SX definitely does NOT have same action as RD300SX.

[Ed Wall]

Hi Greg,

 

I have not yet been able to determine if they've changed the action on the 300GX. They still are calling it a "compact action" but somewhere I read something that led me to believe it was improved over the 300SX.

 

I've gotten used to the action on my 300SX so that's not a deal breaker for me doing the upgrade but if they have improved it some, even better. I know you dont care at all for the feel of the 300SX. I really dont think it will be close to the 700GX. Probably a minor improvent over the older 300 if anything.

 

Has anyone had a chance to compare the feel of the 300GX to the 300GX.

 

edwall.biz

[GigMan]

, I have not yet been able to determine if they've changed the action on the 300GX. They still are calling it a "compact action" but somewhere I read something that led me to believe it was improved over the 300SX. I've gotten used to the action on my 300SX so that's not a deal breaker for me doing the upgrade but if they have improved it some, even better. I know you dont care at all for the feel of the 300SX. I really dont think it will be close to the 700GX. Probably a minor improvent over the older 300 if anything. Has anyone had a chance to compare the feel of the 300GX to the 300GX. edwall.biz

 

Ok, Ed - I'll give it a chance anyway.

 

BTW - I hate being called Greg... Only thing worse is the "Ok, Barry" - no offense to all the Gregs & Barrys out there.

[Ed Wall]

My apoligies Gary! I play with 2 different Gregs and suffer from senior moments more frequently than I like to admit. lol

[rvandenbroeck]

my $0.02:

 

I didn't think your rig was all that big to begin with but if you're body is telling you it's too much, well....

 

 

Roland RD 300GX $1200.00 36lbs Nord Electro Rack $1000.00 8lbs 61key midi controller for playing organ sounds (optional) $100-300 10-20lbs

 

 

if you can plug into a house PA, something along these lines would probably be ideal. If not, you're about as minimal as you can get right now.

 

You probably don't want to go with just one board so you won't be playing organ on a piano keybed and vice versa.... up to you, but I think most of us hate that kind of situation.

 

As far as the piano goes, you'd probably be OK sticking with your fantom... I can't imagine the RD3000 would be any lighter. Though I could be wrong - I've never owned either.

 

The organ patch and leslie sim on the nord stage are really good as far as non-rotating speakers go. Both models (73- and 61-key) are definitely lighter than the XK2 but not by a lot.

[woodhawg]

 

"Been looking at a 300sx and wondered about he new gx. Why would you want to upgrade?" The 300GX has the Superior piano (Same one thats on the 700SX) as well as some of the wurlies and rhodes from the 700SX. You also have the ability to customize the sound of the pianos with adjustable lid up/down, string resonance, key off...etc The GX has an alpha/numeric screen with the capabiltity of naming set-ups, patches. And its easy when you can read what sound your using instead of memorizing the number. The GX can play 3 zones (Lower / upper 1 and upper 2 verses 2 zones on the SX. This is big for me because I do a lot of gigs playing left hand bass. With the GX I can have bass in lower zone and layer strings or a pad with a piano or EP on the upper zones. edwall.biz

 

 

 

Thanks for info. This is real confusing. I don't change keyboards very often and want to make a good decision.

[wineandkeyz]

 

Thanks for info. This is real confusing. I don't change keyboards very often and want to make a good decision.

 

 

Are you happy with the sounds you're getting from the Fantom X8? If so, I'll repeat my earlier advice to downsize to the X7 model. You can keep all your settings, and save about 33 pounds (65 for the X8 versus 32 for the X7). For your Hammond tones, add a Roland VK-8 or Nord Electro module and you're all set.

[jdubbs]

Thanks for all the input from everyone. So far I'm impressed by the Receptor and wasn't aware of it previously. One additional reason my equip is so hard to carry solo now is because i still use the hefty road cases so i suppose i should invest in some less heavy duty cases to make carrying easy.

 

I'm new to this forum but glad to have found it with so many willing to give good advice.

 

Thanks again for all the feedback

 

Jdubbs