Yeah, you're right, John...the AC power cord is certainly the more convenient and less expensive solution.

Seems external adaptors are used mainly on mid-range arrangers like the E-60, PA-500 and S900.

Oh well, it's never been a big issue with me ever since I started carrying a spare.

Ian

One of the statements I've made many times during the past too many decades is "You can't have too many spares." And, Fran is right about backups. If the keyboard fails, the laptop will bail you out. If the laptop fails, the keyboard, which was your primary source of music, will get you through the night.

I've always been very organized (my wife hates this aspect) and every piece of equipment has a specific location in the van. I used to carry an equipment check-list and double checked everything before leaving the house, or leaving the job. Now, the way I have things set up this is no longer necessary.

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

That's the funny thing. I made an equipment check list before I left my house, and a mental one while I was on the road. But who would think to count "keyboard power cable"? It's supposed to be in the keyboard box!

Whew, thank G-d it worked out.

Chony,

If you ever wander down south to the People's Republic Of Maryland I'll show you how to make a console unit that holds everything. And, you can make one for under $50, which by today's standards is less than a tank of gas.

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

Not sure how to take some of this... you say if your keyboard fails, you still do the gig on your laptop? What do you play? Or do you just do a karaoke show, and hope no-one notices? Or mime the keyboard playing?

Me, I think if I didn't have a backup keyboard with me, I think I would offer the club owner the opportunity to cancel and play his Muzak setup, rather than come in and cheese it playing a laptop all night (or even worse, fake playing)!

Club owners expect me to PLAY... If they wanted karaoke, they would already be doing it! (And I don't want to prove to the few that DON'T that their audience would be happy with just that )

You do not have that choice. You were hired to make music because your client needs music. The last thing he wants to hear is that you're letting him cancel. What the client wants to know is how you're going to make it work, not how you're offering his money back. Imagine offering the bride and groom, "hey, we can reschedule you know for your first anniversary!"

The truth is that I wouldn't even tell the client what had happened until the job was finished. Why worry them? I know I can do a great job with a backup.

GARY, (Travelin' Easy), what do you mean a "console which holds everything"?

I, too, have learned the hard way to carry backups and check the gear carefully. I drove 165 miles to a nearby state only to learn I'd left the PA head! Fortunately, the keyboard player had a big Mackie stereo setup and we ran the mics through his mixer to "help me make it through the night". On solo gigs on guitar, I use tracks on a laptop, carry two iPods loaded with tracks, and have tracks on CDs with a portable player stuffed in a travel bag. Must be prepared for the unexpected.

I see your point Gary, and it's well taken.

For clients that HAVE no other form of entertainment, of course I would offer to do anything they want. Primarily, though, I work in clubs and restaurants, who do have secondary music systems.

But, as I said, they hire me primarily to PLAY, not to sing karaoke. so I feel, if that is the only thing I can do, I am obliged to inform the client at least, rather than get discovered doing it and asked why I am not playing!

So you WOULD fake playing the dead keyboard?

I also have a problem, using my tracks, because basically they are usually just bass and drums, sometimes just drums, only a few are any more complete than that. I prefer to play as much as possible myself. Are you saying you have tracks that are complete? I guess I could put on our live CD, and fake EVERYTHING (including the singing), but I am very uncomfortable with that thought.

Breakdowns and accidents happen. You try to make the best of the situation, but unless a booking has no other alternative, I personally would feel obliged to offer them the alternative (as they would NOT be getting what they booked), and to inform them that I would NOT be playing.

For me to do any less would be to deceive the client, and, if discovered, would be to invite speculation this was being done to line MY pockets, not to spare them the worry. At least, at that point, the client can make the decision for themselves. But that's just MY approach...

You ask a good question: Would I fake playing?

Thank G-d this problem hasn't happened to me so I don't know. I think each situation is its own. If there was no possibility of me finding someone else to do the job, I would probably reassure the client that everything was going to be amazing and possibly tell him that I was going to fake it, or possibly not - depends on the situation. The thing is that if people think I'm performing instead of playing everything off a laptop, they will dance better. And that's what it comes down to.

Chony

Chony,

The console I designed several years ago holds the power supplies for my laptop, Digitech Vocalist VR and keyboard. Additionally, it contains the surge-protector, sign light for front, keyboard light, Phantom Power pack and it's power supply, and it's also my laptop platform. It weighs about 12-pounds, constructed from 1/8-inch thick aluminum plate, and fits on the top tier of a QuickLock two-tier, X-stand. The mic cable, power cable for the keyboard, and all other connecting cables for the above systems remain plugged in at all times to the associated components. The cables that run between the keyboard's output and the Bose L1 are all in a single harness.

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy