Members wheresgrant3 Posted January 12, 2005 Members Share Posted January 12, 2005 A few weeks back I sold my A37 controller and I'd like to use my XP30 as a midi controller for Atmospheres, Garritan GPO and other softsynths I have running in Sonar. I am using a USB MidiMan 1x1. In the past I just hooked up the A37, loaded the DXI synths and I was set to go. However with the XP30 I've been spinning my wheels. So I need to load XP drivers, or maybe I need to set up the correct midi channel. I've never really worked with MIDI before. Right now my MIDI Man is showing that I have a positive Midi connection, and the MIDI IN light is flashing furiously. My MIDI out light is not lit at all. MIDIOT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GigMan Posted January 12, 2005 Members Share Posted January 12, 2005 Yeah, yeah, never mind all that MIDI crap, Grant + tell me this: How did your New Year's Eve gig go + did you get that riff I sent you the chords for under your belt??!! Happy Ewe Near - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GigMan Posted January 12, 2005 Members Share Posted January 12, 2005 ...oh and by the way Grant, I'm doing a bar gig in Oak Ridge, NJ - at a bar/restaurant right ON Rte. 23 - not far from Vernon + West Milford... Next Friday night - come on down!! ha ha Send me an email if you want the details - name + address of the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted January 12, 2005 Author Members Share Posted January 12, 2005 Originally posted by GigMan How did your New Year's Eve gig go + did you get that riff I sent you the chords for under your belt??!! Happy Ewe Near - New Year's Gig went great. We got paid, we ended a little early, and I learned a great lesson in niteclub economics. Every eight weeks we play this resturant/irish steakhouse and usually have it packed to the gills. It is entirely 'our' crowd as this place rarely has bands and every time we play there it is an event. This place is a little upscale and caters to an 'older' crowd. The only reason we've played there for 3 years is because we 'pack' and he 'pays'. Otherwise this place is probably better suited for jazz trio or blues band. So we were surprised that he wanted to book us last April for on New Years for 2 1/2 x times our normal fee plus free dinner. We are alot of fun, but far from what you would call 'classy entertainment'. From the begining though we knew it would be a hard sell. The resturaunt was offering packages for $199 that included dinner (prime rib, lobster)and open bar per couple, and $75 per person for just open bar. We, of course, thought that was a bit steep and we thought it would prohibate most of our regulars from coming out to see us. And we were right.... only a handful of loyal 'friends' that coughed up for just the open bar package. For dinner (8-9pm) the place seemed somewhat busy as most of the tables were full. By 10pm, however, I was getting a bit nervous... there were only 30-40 people milling in front of the band, and it didn't look like more people were walking through the door. It was nowhere near the amount of people that usually come out to see us at that venue. In fact it looked like some people even started leaving right after 12am. At the end of the first set we all looked at each other, a little disappointed, anticipating the inevitable 'speech'... "Well guys, we didn't have as good a nite as we hoped, can we work something out?", which would have been unfortunate, b/c we would probably never play there again. Steve, the guy who does our bookings, lights and sound, agreed to go talk with the owner to see how things were going. Instead of a puss, he returned with a smile... and full payment early. It turns out that he had sold over 50 dinner packages and over 30 open bar packages. It was midnight and he had already grossed over $11K. Minus the $2K he agreed to pay us, and whatever it cost him to feed and serve 100 people and he had turned over a nice tidy profit. HE even offered for us to end our set early (we got started a bit late). He wanted the bar closed by 2am. I could see by the amount of staff, the portions of the food, the somewhat watered down open bar, that he had played his hand perfectly. It was the first time I've ever had a high paying gig, where the bar owner hoped less would show than more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GigMan Posted January 12, 2005 Members Share Posted January 12, 2005 Amen + amen, Brother Grant - you have seen the mountaintop and you shall not come down... Glad it worked out for you. You should try to weasel your way into the wedding band circuit - either as a guitarist or keyboard plyr. - but as a keysman you have to know a TON of different tunes, whereas as "the guitar guy" they would usually lean on you more for rock stuff. Maybe you can reach out to musicians you know who are in those kinds of bands and offer yourself as a sub at first. The hours are much earlier (than playing 'til 1:30 or 2am in a club), the pay is better and you usually get a free meal and sometimes open bar to boot. Only downside is you have to wear a tuxedo and sometimes have to play some tunes you may not be so keen on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted January 12, 2005 Author Members Share Posted January 12, 2005 Originally posted by GigMan Amen + amen, Brother Grant - you have seen the mountaintop and you shall not come down... Glad it worked out for you. You should try to weasel your way into the wedding band circuit - either as a guitarist or keyboard plyr. - but as a keysman you have to know a TON of different tunes, whereas as "the guitar guy" they would usually lean on you more for rock stuff. Maybe you can reach out to musicians you know who are in those kinds of bands and offer yourself as a sub at first. The hours are much earlier (than playing 'til 1:30 or 2am in a club), the pay is better and you usually get a free meal and sometimes open bar to boot. Only downside is you have to wear a tuxedo and sometimes have to play some tunes you may not be so keen on... I would love to pry myself away from the bar crowd. Better money and better hours with the wedding circuit for sure. But I am not nearly as polished player as I would need to be for pro gigs for either Keys or guitar. In a niteclub I can get by. We do have two weddings and a couple of company parties booked this summer, all are paying more than $2K. In all cases they know they are getting a party rock band that can handle some standards. We of course take out the Rage, Metallica, and AC/DC and replace it with Marvin Gaye, Prince and Frankie Vallie. We are wearing Tux's for all four gigs but I have a feeling we'll also be wearing sunglasses and funny hats too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GigMan Posted January 12, 2005 Members Share Posted January 12, 2005 Originally posted by wheresgrant3 We do have two weddings and a couple of company parties booked this summer, all are paying more than $2K. In all cases they know they are getting a party rock band that can handle some standards. We of course take out the Rage, Metallica, and AC/DC and replace it with Marvin Gaye, Prince and Frankie Vallie. We are wearing Tux's for all four gigs but I have a feeling we'll also be wearing sunglasses and funny hats too. That's cool! That's actually how some wedding bands start out - as party/club bands - they eventually "wean" themselves out of the club scene but still don't lose their edge and so they avoid becoming just another cheesy wedding band... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted January 12, 2005 Author Members Share Posted January 12, 2005 Originally posted by GigMan That's cool! That's actually how some wedding bands start out - as party/club bands - they eventually "wean" themselves out of the club scene but still don't lose their edge and so they avoid becoming just another cheesy wedding band... I agree... there are very fine lines between being classy, cool or corny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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