Hello. I'm writing to inquire about people's opinions on keyboard setups for playing live. I've been just recording at home for a long time, but may be playing keys in a prog rock band, so I'll need to learn about live playing quickly. Right now all I have is a 88-key Kurz, but I'd like a more portable 88-key. Maybe a controller and module would be better? Any suggestions?

What is the best way to achieve quick access to lots of sounds? Also, how do people usually change sounds? Do you set them up on different midi channels, and then just change midi channels while you play? Is there some other way? If I have more than one keyboard, I guess I need a mixer to plug them both into an amp? I have basically no technical knowledge about this, so if anyone can suggest good resources (books, websites) I'd really appreciate it!!

Thanks,
Rich

Somehow, Yellow Magic Orchestra was able to do this, live on stage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPkBd7k6Kng

(4)prophet5's, (2)polymoogs, (2)ARP odysseys, oberhiem 8 voice, Jupiter 4, moog modular, Emu Modular, and a VP-330 vocoder.

I have never seen such a great amount of American firepower, even if its in Japan.
They used mixers, of course, and wrote notes on their keyboards and drumheads to aid them as to which patches to use and such. Hope it inspires and gives you some organizational ideas.

What's up there Rich.

I'm no expert but maybe I can help you out.

A keyboard that can transmit on several channels at the same time is key. It's even better if you can turn these channels on and off with just a tap of one button. Some keyboards have "zones". Usually 4 if they have more than 1 at all. Each zone can generally be set to transmit on different/multiple channels. A synth that is multi-timbral is also helpful so that it can receive and play back on multiple midi channels at the same time, or you daisy chain multiple synths, each set to receive a different channel. Actually depneding on the equipment you have, the configurations may be endless.

Basically there are "sending units" and "receiveing units". "sending units are generally keyboards and controllers with knobs and what not. "receiving units" are generally sound modules. Most synths are sefl contained sending/receiving units. It may be helpful in designing you set up if you think that way.

For a fast, simple set up I can get by with just my Motif ES 7. It has four zones to transmit on ("sending") and can receive on 16 channels. So in performance mode (uses 4 zones) I can switch sounds fast and control the volumes of the four sounds right on the board. In "Sequencer Mode", I can receive on 16 channels each channel assigned to playback a different sound(patch), but in this mode the keyboard will only transmit on one channel at a time, but it has 16 "Part" buttons so I can switch from one sound to any of the the other 15 sounds with the tap of just one button with no sound cut out.

I also use a Roland A-70 which is a pretty powerfull "sending" unit as it has up to 8 zones and had 4 separate MIDI Outs.

And believe it or not and Roland XP-60/80 is also a pretty powerful "sending" unit when it's in "performance layer" mode as it can transmit on a number of channels with the tap of a button.

OR you can go analog all the way by running your sythns into a small analog mixer that you place next to your main board or on it, but this is a little more tricky to control.

MIDI is probably more powerful way to go.

Best wishes
Bob
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What you thing if you can use keyboard which is playing VSTs, giga files and a lot of thing on stage.

I have LIONSTRACS MEDIASTATION. And for live playing is realy good.

I use there sounds in giga format from my and official LIBRARY, and ROCK ORGANS B4.
Here are also possible splits and VST effects.

If you are familiar with studio than is this for you not big deal.

That is keyboard based on operating system LINUX. I can tell you that with 76 keys.

here is link:

http://www.lionstracs.com/store/

best regards.

Magica ALFA

its unfortunate, but i started getting into playing live -after- i had a good sized collection of boards, so i tend to just stack them and have them set up before hand. i use wakeman-esque organ sound most of the time, so i can leave the xk-2 alone.

i use the same piano sound on the fp-2, so i can usually just elt that hang out.

on the Alesis Ion, you can have a setup called up that puts four different patches at the ready, each with its own soft button. you can layer them, or turn one off and bring another one up. thats super handy.

on the Ms2000, you have seomthing similiar with the patch selection buttons. but MIDI is probably the way to go overall. i would have done that if i had been thinking "live" from the beginning.