DI box, straight, or amp?

[gearnut]

So I'm new to actually using synths live, I'm a guitar player. So what's the best way to run it? I'm kinda shying away from amps, just out of the hassle factor of carrying multiple amps. Should i get a DI box then? Or just run straight into the board? thanks!

[Fear My Potato]

You might have to ask the guys over the Live Sound & Production forum about DI boxes, depending on what you get here. Not that many guys on the KSS forum know about live sound, so it's mostly luck if one of us stumbles on the thread while it's still in sight. Hang in there though...

 

Unfortunately, I actually don't know that much about DI boxes in relation to keyboards. I've never needed one on keys I don't think and I've run a keyboard through a DI box ever. I guess I've been lucky and it's just never been necessary.

 

Sorry I can't help you more though.

[tucktronix]

I, myself prefer to have my amp miked. It largely depends on the house system, monitoring. The main point you'll need to think about is how you can better hear yourself. Synths tend to get lost in the mix very easily. If the house system has good monitoring and monitor placement, then it shouldn't be a problem going DI.

[wheresgrant3]

How many keys/synths are you looking to amplify? What type band/music situation is this (loud rock, soft jazz quartet)? How do you plan to monitor your keys and your mix?

 

If you are planning on more than one keyboard and are looking for the ultimate in control. I'd go for a small mixer. That will allow you to have a strong signal to your main board. I play on weekends in a loud rock/party cover band. I've built my setup over a year of testing and tweaking different equipment.

 

I play a Triton LE, XP 30, Alesis Micron. I run all three in stereo including an additional microphone input into a Yamaha MD10/2. I run stereo out to the PA, and a stereo monitor mix to a pair of Yorkville 100 watt keyboard wedge amps. This setup is pure overkill for half the places we play but the investment has been well worth it. It gives me the ultimate control and flexibility in my output. Since we run our own sound and we don't have a soundman ('we set it and forget it' with satisfying results) I try to monitor my keys through my mixer in order to get an acceptable level. I keep my mixer channel volumes set at 10, the stereo main at 8, and my synths at 6. Certain sounds like Brass, or bright organ patches sometimes need to be rolled back a bit and I can do that because I control all volume going to our main board. Other patches like acoustic piano or some bassy pads may need a little boost so I can either raise the volume or lean down and adjust the channel EQ.

 

DI's are great if you have a dedicated sound guy or you plan to just set the keys levels and leave them. A small mixer will also consolidate many channels into one. Instead of running a 20ft mic cable and taking another channel on our board, I just run it to my small mixer and stereo out to the main. It also allows for an independent monitor mix. I wouldn't recommend running your keys through the monitor if you are not using a house PA with a dedicated soundguy. Most floor monitors have a hard time handling some synth patches and drummers as a rule hate keys in their monitor mix.

 

 

 

Again... total overkill, but it works stellar for my situation. BTW I'm a guitarist too (notice the pedal board).

[Prog]

Many synths have a balanced output built in (Alesis Ion, for one). You don't need a DI.

[The Pro]

Synths have a much wider frequency range than guitars or standard vocal mics so they really deserve their own amp or mini-PA with it's own built-in direct line to the FOH mix. You can get by with just a direct box but a better solution is a keyboard amp with direct line outputs. My fav is the Motion Sound KP-200s, which rocks.

[GigMan]

Originally posted by The Pro Synths have a much wider frequency range than guitars or standard vocal mics so they really deserve their own amp or mini-PA with it's own built-in direct line to the FOH mix. You can get by with just a direct box but a better solution is a keyboard amp with direct line outputs. My fav is the Motion Sound KP-200s, which rocks.

 

Hey Pro -

I bought the Motion Sound KP100S to use for my cocktail hours (love it!) + even ordered the heavy-duty Cordura padded cover from Larry at LeCover, on your recommendation, thanks.

 

I am now lusting for the Motion Sound KP200S (ha ha!) to use as a stage monitor on the bandstand when playing w/the full band during the receptions - am currently using my JBL EON15 G2, which is plenty o' power, but only mono. I now have the "stereo jones" - which is why I want to pop for the KP200S.

 

One thing, though - didn't you discover a while back that when you send the L/R XLR outs from the KP200S, it is NOT pre-fader but rather that adjusting the amp's own internal volume affects the send as well? That is a definite drawback - part of the value of having a little sub-mixer like my man Grant shows in his groovy little pix above - is that you can totally control your own submix volume w/out affecting what you send to the Mains.

[sevensinner]

The cheapest is to run straight into the board and hope that you can hear yourself in the stage monitor(s). Personally I like the miked amp sound, and it helps to have your own amp right there. In addition, most if not all of keyboard amps usually have an XLR out so it can be plugged in to the board anyway.

 

Most keyboard amps are large and heavy. I use the Motion Sound KT-80 because it's light weight (less than 30 lbs) and actually sounds decent for an 80W 1x12. I used to use a 90lb Peavey KB300 1x15 which just wasn't very practical.

[Altered Flesh]

I use a Yorkville amp as an extra monitor because some clubs have fairly {censored}ty monitors and won't crank an industrial bands backing tracks through them for fear of blowing the monitors (one never knows when that 808 drop bass will hit..heh), but for overall monitoring and such, I just send the FOH two channels from my line mixer. This way I get to control the volume and eq of each synth/gadget, while the sound guy just gets to deciede how loud my band is going to be for the set. When possible, always give an unknown (to you) FOH guy the least possible control over keyboards, as many of them tend to improperly mix them in comparision to the other signals going on (guitar, vox, drums, etc).

[sheepshears]

 

Originally posted by Altered Flesh When possible, always give an unknown (to you) FOH guy the least possible control over keyboards, as many of them tend to improperly mix them in comparision to the other signals going on (guitar, vox, drums, etc).

 

 

or try to explain to them (several times) before the show that the synths should be up front.

[gearnut]

Thanks for the responses guys. The music I guess is 'post-rock', kinda atmospheric and noisy. I play guitar mostly, but do some synthy stuff on a few songs. The other guy plays guitar on about half and piano on the other half of the songs. I'm using a micron, and the other guy a QS 6.2.

 

I'd rather use an amp for all the above reasons (I've been playing out for years so I know the deal with crappy sound systems), but this is the first band I've played in that has keys and where I'm actually playing some too. I guess my big problem with using an amp is the hassle factor. 2 guitars each, 2 amps, an acoustic guitar, accordian, 2 keyboards, not to mention drum and bass stuff is just a lot to lug for the 35-40 minute set we'll get at clubs. Throw in 2 more amps and I better find some new friends to help me carry stuff (all my old friends got over the roadie idea really quick ). I guess I'll wing it with the PA and see what happens. I could always split the out signal and run it into a small amp, like my old fender champ, and use it just as a monitor. It weighs like nothing, so it wouldn't be too much to add on.