For some folks, doing other things while performing a song is a difficult task, one that often leads to lots of dead time between songs. For others, there is no dead time between songs--ZERO! How is this accomplished?

Share your performance secrets with others at the Chat Room tonight at 7:00 P.M..

See you there,

Gary

Well, it was a quiet night in the chat room, so here's some of the stuff I posted for debate:

For some folks, doing other things while performing a song is a difficult task, one that often leads to lots of dead time between songs. For others, there is no dead time between songs--ZERO! How is this accomplished?

The laptop is hooked to the keboard via USB A to USB B, while the laptop's earphone out hooks up to the 3000s auxiliary input. The only problem I have is the diffence in volume levels between the laptop's earphone out and the keyboard's internal volume for styles and midi files.

I think, fortunately, I've found a simple, inexpensive solution--a small pre-amp kit that sells for just $13 and is the size of a package of cigarettes. It is available in kit form from an outfit called J-kits in Elmwood Park, NJ 888-595-8766. I just ordered the first one to see if it works. If it does, all the volumes will be equal, MP3s, midi and styles. Swithching between these is the key to ending dead time. Guess I need to post a lesson on this when I get a few free hours to type it up and shoot the photos. BTW You can find the kits online at J-Tron


I'm really interested in hearing how others provide their audiences with seamless entertainment and eliminate dead time.

Cheers,

Gary

[This message has been edited by travlin'easy (edited 03-24-2005).]

[This message has been edited by travlin'easy (edited 03-24-2005).]

Hi Gar, I think the amount of time between songs, and what you do with it, has a lot to do with the type of venue as well as the size of the room. Performing nonstop from song to another thru the entire set can often give the impression that you're an automatic CD player, or 21st century version of a player piano. That type of gig is not for me. I find, especially for the more casual and/or intimate venues, that brief (30 sec-1 min between songs) chit-chat (to acknowledge people in the crowd) sharing interesting/humorous trivia about songs or topics of the day, as well as bringing the audience into the act, are an important to your act as the music itself. I typically do about 3-4 songs in a roll (zero dead time), and then depending on the mood-energy & interest in the room, will throw in a little chit chat (20 sec -1 min). This gives the patrons (audience) the opportunity to mingle & get another drink, etc. and provides a pace which gives the audience a better appreciation (and desire) to hear the NEXT song. Every mood venue is different and the pace of the music should reflect this. For back to back songs performance, I do medley sets consisting of 3-5 songs that share a theme: subject (cities, etc) or featuring a specific artist/composer known for those songs. Other times (especially on casual gigs), I might think of the next song I'm going to perform (possibly utilizing the SAME arranger style) , while I'm performing the previous song, making for an easy on the fly transition on the arranger, perhaps merely slowing/speeding the tempo of the existing style for the next tune in the same style.

One missing feature I would greatly appreciate being added to the Yamaha Music Finder is the ability to search/scroll thru its database while I'm performing in auto accomp mode. Currently if you search/scroll the MFD while performing, the selected style/tempo automatically begins when a new entry is merely scrolled to. I would like to be able to conveniently 'cue up' the next song style/tempo selection, and have it begin only after I've finished performing the current song. This would greatly assist in reducing downtime during spontaneous 'song selection' performance. As I've stated many times here, I think the the Yamaha MFD potential is powerful. I only wish that Yamaha would fullfill it, and take it to the NEXT level by:

1) Greatly increasing the Yamaha internal USER area memory to support a LOT more MFD style file storage (10mb+), and/or adding MFD access to styles located on remote media.

2) Add MFD feature to support saving a custom REG Memory Bank file with each MFD record. This would greatly increase the MFD power to include: key transpose, voice selection, and ALL other custom memory settings supported by Reg Memory.

3) Ability for MFD pointer to remain at pre-selected entry without jumping back to the first record when the MFD window is exited.

4) Ability to 'cue up' songs in MFD, and have the next selection song style/tempo begin ONLY after a susequent button is pressed, allowing for more convenient on the fly 'song to song' (no dead time) performance. Until then, it appears (to me) that utilizing registrations is the next best thing, abeit not allowing as much 'on the fly' song selection flexibility.

Ok, that's all I have to contribute on this topic 4 now. I 2 am interested to hear from others on this good topic.

Scott

One missing feature I would greatly appreciate being added to the Yamaha Music Finder is the ability to search/scroll thru its database while I'm performing in auto accomp mode. Currently if you search/scroll the MFD while performing, the selected style/tempo automatically begins when a new entry is merely scrolled to. I would like to be able to conveniently 'cue up' the next song style/tempo selection, and have it begin only after I've finished performing the current song. This would greatly assist in reducing downtime during spontaneous 'song selection' performance. As I've stated many times here, I think the the Yamaha MFD potential is powerful. I only wish that Yamaha would fullfill it, and take it to the NEXT level by:

Scott, you can scroll through the MFD using the scrolling wheel without selecting anything. I do this all the time. Then, when I'm ready for the song, I merely press the Enter button and press a key. You never have to leave the MFD unless you wish to use another function, and then the MFD returns to the beginning again, which I too consider an oversight by Yamaha's engineering department.

Gary

Gary, MANY thanks for refreshing my distance memory. I remembered being able to accomplsh this a while back, but had somehow forgotten that the scroll 'wheel' works differently than the scroll buttons. I'm looking forward to cueing up songs via scroll wheel now.

Scott

Scott, I totally agree that it is important to leave a little time between numbers. It also can give the establish time to sell drinks or take orders.
DonM

How much time is 'tolerated' depends on what the audience is doing.
If the crowd is only listening to (background) music longer periods are fine, but dancing people allow only some seconds (15?). At least in the Netherlands, dancing couples leave the dance-floor as soon as it takes too long before the next song comes.

On stage we have NO fixed song-blocks with the same songs in it, but decide on the fly what the next song will be : We communicate the song-number.... (1 - 200)

The Music Finder is a great tool to find the right style to a song... at home.
On stage however the searching in the list is just too much 'Human CPU-load' taking and NOT the fastest/easiest way IMHO.

I own the Tyros for a month or so and find the Registration Memory (Scott, almost KN alike) very easy and quick.

It took me a week, but tonight I finished converting our current repertoir (200 songs)from SD1 to Tyros equivalents.

The result: about 24 banks (blocks), with 8 presets each. Selecting the right Block & preset# takes a max of 5 seconds.... and ready for the next song !!
A bunch of (selectable) parameters are saved with it : e.g. Intro, transpose, multipads etc.

I wrote down the block# and preset# to every separate song in our songbook.

This weekend we'll gig without Sd1, but with the TYROS. Wietse my singer will be surprised for sure..... he has not heard one single note from this Yammie

Roel

[This message has been edited by Roel (edited 03-25-2005).]

Interesting Roel, I just changed from the Tyros to SD1. We could have just traded keyboards!
All the response has been about how much better the SD1 sounds. Also, to my ear, the recordings I make each night seem to sound much better to me.
Sure, the Tyros is 100 times easier to get around, and the learning curve is tremendously high on the SD1. Also the Tyros is easier to navigate in real time, with the large lighted buttons and huge color screen.
Still, I do not regret at all making the change.
Positive aspects are the great keys, 76 of them, and the SOUND. Love the sound of the drums, bass, guitars, even piano. I like the harmonica, violin, and a couple of saxs.
I can't say whether I like the registration system better, but I find myself using it more on the SD1. It's pretty good.
As far as getting to the next song, which is the subject of this thread, the Tyros is easier, but I AM getting faster with the SD1 each time I use it.
When I get time, I plan to post new songs on my web site and get some feedback from all the guys hear. At least the ones who are interested.
DonM

DonM,
Perhaps we just got too used to the sounds and both needed a change
The SD1 absolutely still belongs to the best and keep in mind it was released about 5 years ago (!)

Navigating on the SD1 is complex and sometimes hard to understand. (I'm an IT-guy!)
It took me a couple of months before I found the use/meaning of 'block-registrations'.

What I do like on the Tyros:
One touch setting
Data entry wheel
Wonderfull display
Excellent strings, brass, epianos, guitars, organs, orchestral-drums...etc.
Noise-less harddisk
Panel layout (ergonomical)
No latency and polyphony-dropouts

"Fast action ready"

Well...I'm not into arrangers, but if I can put forth my two cents worth..here it is.
Our band plays regularly at locals pubs and bars. Generally a 3 1/2 to 4 hr. night. We try to keep the audience, and in particular, the dancers happy by not having that awkward moment between songs, so our nights usually consist of bam bam bam, song after song with the longest break between being maybe 5 seconds max. As for settings, I can usually set up my T3 in advance, although a few numbers require me to switch on the fly in the middle, but this isn't too often.
As to the next obvious question....why a T3? 'Cos it's dependable, has great versatility, & portability, and obviously, it's not an arranger, so as a keyboard player, I actually have to do the playing, instead of having a machine do it for me.

Uh Oh...I think I might have hit a nerve....I better go now...

------------------
...shboom

Nope, didn't hit a nerve. Some folks need others to help them make it through the night, then they split the money with them. Arranger entertainers don't split the proceeds. We just count the money, plus tips, then head to the next job. Yeah, we play too, just a different band behind us. And, the guys and gals behind arranger players really keep good time, don't bitch about the pay, always show up on time, and never, never get drunk on the job.

OK, the drummer drinks a bit, and the bass player is a druggie!

Cheers,

Gary