Members bob moog Posted March 24, 2005 Members Share Posted March 24, 2005 apple or pc and specs, what software are you running? does it crash much? future plans on getting new software or and hardware? and why Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Synthoid Posted March 24, 2005 Members Share Posted March 24, 2005 I'm just getting started with softsynths.....still using hardware live. I've never seen a desktop computer on stage though, just laptops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrcpro Posted March 24, 2005 Members Share Posted March 24, 2005 I've been playing Standard MIDI files with Windows Media Player on a HP laptop for over three years...probably 500 jobs by now. I know...this is hardly pushing things, but it is quite safe...no problems, not even a hiccup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tjwett Posted March 24, 2005 Members Share Posted March 24, 2005 if you're interested in live performance i highly suggest checking out the only program really built for it from the ground-up... http://www.ableton.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pilot Posted March 24, 2005 Members Share Posted March 24, 2005 I take my Thinkpad to gigs because my Yamaha keyboard has a full synth which is mostly only accessible via sysex, so I don't have much choice if I want sounds over and above the presets. The Thinkpad (380Z) is pretty sturdy though, and it hasn't crashed yet (touch wood) even though it's running 98SE. I use XGworks as it has the best XG editor for the keyboard. Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hobbes Posted March 24, 2005 Members Share Posted March 24, 2005 I've been using my laptop live for 3 and a half year now. Wouldn't take my desktop. Too heavy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members noisestudios Posted March 24, 2005 Members Share Posted March 24, 2005 I've seen a few people put their (desktop) PC into a 3 or 4-space rack case: http://www.hanut-india.com/img/products/4uexe/SMALL/10c.JPG There was one guy that came into the theater I work at a few months ago that had hooked up a VERY cool "homemade" softsynth machine. It was one of these: http://www.starmgc.com/images/djshuttle.jpg with the bottom 2 spaces of the vertical bay as his computer with a black vent on top of that, and he outfitted the slanted space with a touchscreen LCD monitor. He had a stylus he used to change patches and stuff. VERY cool. He just plugged in his midi controller and ran a line out to the box upstairs and he was ready to go. Like 5 minutes of set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Pro Posted March 24, 2005 Members Share Posted March 24, 2005 20 years ago: I used a Commodore 64 with an SCI MIDI interface to an SCI Sixtrak synced to an Oberheim drum machine. It was cumbersome with a monitor and all but it never failed. 10 years ago: I used a Window 95 laptop with a midi interface and several sound modules. It was stable but I didn't like risking the laptop on stage so I used an Alesis Datadisk for SMF playback instead. Today: I often use a Windows 2000 laptop with either the Yamaha SYXG50 XG softsynth or, more often now, as a simple MP3 file player. Never had a problem with it. I recently bought a Novation X-Station 49 and I plan on using it with my laptop on some occasions as an NI B4 host. It's my first foray into using softsynths live but I think this is the way of the future. 10 years from now: stay tuned... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chick korea Posted March 24, 2005 Members Share Posted March 24, 2005 bob... well about 4 years ago i actually carried a fulll desktop.. to the live performance ...... it was horrible becuase sometimes it crashed on the spot.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Prog Posted March 24, 2005 Members Share Posted March 24, 2005 I bring the laptop, but it's only used for sysex dumps in case of a failure. I also record direct to the hard disc. I just make sure it isn't on a moving piece of furniture or keyboard stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Synthoid Posted March 24, 2005 Members Share Posted March 24, 2005 my band uses a 4 space rack mount desktop pc, its a pain in the ass and we always have problems, here is a picture. You got plenty of hardware as well....what's the PC for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members downwithgender Posted March 25, 2005 Members Share Posted March 25, 2005 Originally posted by Synthoid You got plenty of hardware as well....what's the PC for? We run reason and cubase together, as well as the occasional soft synth. reason for drums, and then cubase as our main midi sequencer time keeper thing. so a normal song for us consists of disco-ish drum beats, a sequenced bass-line, the plaid guy playing lead and me playing backing and singing. there is also guitar that is played. Before this we had a drum machine and a pair of crappy hardware sequencers, it was such a pain between songs switching patches or paterns for 6 different machines, now cubase does it all for us. for the future we plan on ditching the computer all together, replacing cubase with another synth player, and reason with a 606, an es-1, or a live drummer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Audacity Works Posted March 25, 2005 Members Share Posted March 25, 2005 Audacity Works: You all need Showcase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hyperstationjr Posted March 25, 2005 Members Share Posted March 25, 2005 Just started trying it, havnt had much exerpience, but I am running a Sony Vilo, i think it's a 1.5GHz proc, 250mb of ram, 40gig HD. I plan on running LIVE on it, with drum loops and samples, and some midi files, as well as my Nord Modular Editor. On stage I use a Nord Modular Keyboard, MS2000, Akai MPC, and the laptop, running through a Mackie 1604 VLZ Pro, enough power for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeez Posted March 25, 2005 Members Share Posted March 25, 2005 iBook G4 800Max/MSP Total stability and dependability. Originally posted by audacity works Audacity Works: You all need Showcase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Synthoid Posted March 25, 2005 Members Share Posted March 25, 2005 Downwithgender: What part of Maryland are you from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members downwithgender Posted March 25, 2005 Members Share Posted March 25, 2005 montgomery county, around the germantown damascus gaithersburg area more specifically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members girevik Posted March 25, 2005 Members Share Posted March 25, 2005 We use a MOTU 828MkII as our mixer and I use my iBook to monitor it via CueMix. Our next gig will be the first in which I will record our show with AudioDesk. Previously, if a friend thought of recording us, great, otherwise, no recording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dan88z Posted March 25, 2005 Members Share Posted March 25, 2005 I used to take a laptop and run cakewalk for changing patches in my rack modules. Nothing else though. I just got a Thinkpad T41- 1.6ghz, 1 gig of ram, for work. I'm seriously thinking of loading up a couple softsynths. The problem is a sound card that will give low latency. I don't think the built in card could cut it. What are you guys using for sound cards in your laptops for the soft synths? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Synthoid Posted March 26, 2005 Members Share Posted March 26, 2005 What are you guys using for sound cards in your laptops for the soft synths? I'd also like to know.....what soundcard/audio interface (for laptops) is the best bang for the $$$$. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members manofmanila Posted April 7, 2005 Members Share Posted April 7, 2005 Hi, I just have a question: I just bought a PC laptop and I intend to use it for gigging.I'm using an old Roland A33 and Reason sounds from the laptop. What I would like to be able to do is split the keyboard so that the 2 sections will play different software synths (Reason, and Lounge Lizard) What would be a good Midi host program that would let me do that? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members girevik Posted April 7, 2005 Members Share Posted April 7, 2005 Originally posted by Synthoid I'd also like to know.....what soundcard/audio interface (for laptops) is the best bang for the $$$$. It depends on your current setup. If you don't already have mixer, an 8 in/8 out Firewire interface with a programmable audio routing matrix such as the MOTU 828MkII or similar competing productis a very good value, especially if it can act as a mixer standalone (despite that, I brought my iBook to gigs anyway because it's easier to see the settings for each channel). The 828MkII has four mixer buses, which is nice if you use effects processing and want a flexible routing scheme. For example, I used Bus 1 as the main mix, Bus 2 to mix to an output going to a looper pedal so I could loop either our violinist or our bassist or both at once (and control their dry and wet mixes going into the looper), and Bus 3 to mix to an output feeding a Nord Micromodular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Audacity Works Posted April 7, 2005 Members Share Posted April 7, 2005 Originally posted by Jeez Ok, maybe I'm behind the times... but WTF is Showcase?Really? Showcase is all I've been babbling about for months. With Showcase Arena, you can: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Amos Posted April 8, 2005 Members Share Posted April 8, 2005 OT: audacity- is that UI just a guess, or have you mapped out all those aforementioned functions & features, to the set of controls show in your jpeg? If so, how many pages deep will you have to go to do it all from the front panel? I love the concept, but please tell me a computer-based "show editor" is a part of the conceptual package... Back on topic: From 1998-2002 I was in an electro-industro live band where I took a homebuilt desktop PC (and 15" heavy glass monitor!) to every live gig we did, including a couple of shows outdoors and in parks. It was a pain in the ass, but it let me process/remix the sounds of the other band members live, and so was very cool. I took my latest PC to perform at a "laptop night" at the local gallery/bar recently; they gave me a li'l sh1t about it but it was all cool -I'd really like to have a nice laptop (powerbook maybe?) and would certainly use it instead of the mini-tower if I could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Audacity Works Posted April 8, 2005 Members Share Posted April 8, 2005 Originally posted by Amos OT: audacity- is that UI just a guess, or have you mapped out all those aforementioned functions & features, to the set of controls show in your jpeg?If so, how many pages deep will you have to go to do it all from the front panel?I love the concept, but please tell me a computer-based "show editor" is a part of the conceptual package...It absolutely is. In fact, the Showcase Editor software is the only way to get audio files, MIDI files, and samples into the thing, as Showcase Arena has no record features, nor inputs. Think of the editor as iTunes where Showcase Arena is a souped-up iPod with instant start, MIDI file playback, automatic timestretch, sampling, and full remote capability. About halfway down this thread is a link to a picture of the editor, as well as an older mockup of the hardware's front panel. Programming your set from Showcase Arena's front panel is limited to: --Rearranging, copying, deleting, and renaming setlists--Rearranging, copying, deleting, and renaming cues--Bypassing flags (each marker and Jam Loop can be bypassed independently, the remaining flags [MIDI program change, MIDI CC change, sample bank change, etc.] are bypassed per cue)--Setting default cue tempo (including timestretch)--Bypassing the beat detect engine--Turning Autostop on/off (Autostop determines whether a cue or marker will stop at the end and wait for another play command)--Sync functionality (MMC, MTC, MIDI clock)--Routing of cue, sampler, and click feeds--Assignment of footswitch inputs--Assignment of trigger inputs (either samples or transport functions, so hitting a drum pad can, for example, enable looping, or bypass the beat detect engine)--Utility parameters, such as formatting the CFC card, clock source, MIDI channel, etc. Obviously, it'd be a lot easier to program everything from the Showcase Editor software, but if you're on the road, and say, a bunch of nuns turn up at your show, there has to be a way to delete your death metal cue or something. Actually, I'm on page 22 of the manual, so maybe one of these days I'll throw it up as a PDF so anyone interested will know exactly what this thing is capable of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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