OK Keyboardists! Equipment List Please

[ProfessorGAC]

I'll start:

Current:
Alesis 8.1. Piano action 88 key synth
Ensoniq SQ-2 76 Key Synth Action.
Emu Ultra Proteus Racmount
Ensoniq Sampler Rackmount
Oberheim Rackmount Analog Synth (Use an Alesis Microverb for the Oberheim. All others have built in FX)

Played through Yamaha 12/4 mixer. (2 for soundmix, 2 for stage mix)
Run through an Aphex Exciter then,
QSC 170w/channel amp
TOA 380Z cabinet.

Past Keyboards: (In reverse order of owning)
Oberheim OB-8
Yamaha DX-7 (Used for a long time as a MIDI controller)
Korg Polysix
Korg CX-3 (Hammond Organ soundalike)
Korg MS-20 (Minimoog Equivalent, in almost every way)
Kustom 88 FM Digital Piano
Rhodes
Moog Sonic 6
Elka String Machine
Elka Electric Piano
Vox Jaguar

Used several other amp/mini-PA rigs in my time as well.

I still have a Baldwin piano in the house too!

Just wondering what everyone else has used, or is using, especially for live applications.
The Professor

[DeepGreen]

1. Roland Fantom nt

[livinginphotographs]

2. My turn:

Korg MS2000.
Roland Juno 6.
Roland SH101. (It's sick right now)
Yamaha DX200 (almost exactly like the DX7, except in "groovebox" form)
Korg EA-1.
Alesis SR-16.
Boss DR770.
A Casio digital piano ( I can't remember the model)

I mostly use my computer for music, but occasionally will pull out the synths.

[ProfessorGAC]

3. MS2000

That's the high tech version of my MS-20. I loved that thing. Great story on that.

After i went all programmable for the sake of live performance (and had an Oberheim, so could get really good analog sounds in 8 voices) the MS-20 was just sitting around. Probably 2 years or so.

A guitar student asked if he could borrow it as he was exploring different sounds too. Well, i never got it back.

About 10 years later he calls me and he's living in Chicago as a senior engineer in a recording studio and uses the thing all the time to run other sounds through the patch bay to get unusual filtered sounds. So, he apologizes for never returning it and tells me that his current position is because of his use of the MS-20.

So, he tells me he's going to send my a $500 check for it. I say no, but he insists. So, he sends me the money. I only paid $540 for it. Even including time value of money, i came out ok, since it would have been collecting dust in my basement anyway. He still uses it.

I liked that little box. Also, you have the Juno 6. I had a Polysix. When it gave up the ghost (it wouldn't store memories and confused the filter and amplitude envelopes a lot) i threw it away, finally. Sad day. Another great early polysynth.
The Professor

[LifeDuringWartime]

16. great synths

what's wrong wih your SH101? one of the guys in my band has one... the noise generator is just incredible!

there's also a juno-106 that's used quite a bit.


i only have a yamaha DGX-500. it sounds pretty good though!

[livinginphotographs]

18. Something's wrong with the tuning pot.

It's a really common problem, from what I hear. I have a new one, but I can't see to get into the circuit board to either calibrate it or install the new one. I'm a little afraid I'll break it.

I was thinking about hooking up with some circuit-bender friends I know and just fucking it up into some weird noise machine, but I've resisted. It's sitting under a cover right now awaiting my next move.

The poor guy... :(

[TrogL]

4. I need new stuff

Mine's all absolete (except my mixer).

From memory (I'll fix this tonight).

Korg MD-20
Roland JX-8P
Korg digital piano (not sure what model - it's really old)
Kawai organ (transistor)
Korg P3 piano module
Yamaha FB01 module http://hem.passagen.se/tkolb/art/synth/fb01_e.htm
Yamaha reverb module
Behringer 12-track mixing console
Baldwin hamilton piano

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Obsolete?

Nothing is obsolete about that mix. It's all in what you're using it for. Except for the organ (too much to move), you could put together a pretty good live rig out of that and do nice layering and splitting.

I would need something with a little more MIDI master functionality than what you listed here, but this is all good stuff!
The Professor

[livinginphotographs]

19. That's not obsolete! That sounds like a great set-up.

I'm especially jealous the JX-8P.

[TrogL]

31. Update

It's actually:

Korg MS-20 (http://www.i2.i-2000.com/~kbrunner/ms/ms-20.htm)
Yamaha R100 reverb module

Who (besides me) could forget:

Alesis HR-15 drum module
Electro Harmonix vocoder
NAD pre/power amp
NEC 12 channel stereo equalizer
Boss PV200 stereo volume pedal
Akai ME100 MIDI digital delay
Leslie Model 760 (size of a midsize refrigerator)(http://www.captain-foldback.com/Leslie_sub/proline.htm) - it's the one of the left
Leslie Combo Pre-amp II (http://www.captain-foldback.com/Leslie_sub/combo_preamps.htm)
Vibration Technology woofers
Vivid "Thunder" towers
Ludwig drummer's stool
Behringer HPM1000 studio headphones
Stanton Dynaphase 60 studio headphones

A bust of J. S. Bach

Apple LC575 (used as sequencer)

[ProfessorGAC]

6. And Another Thing

Who here still has the original programs in their programmable stuff? Come on! Raise your hand and confess. We know that 90% of all synths returned to the factory on warranty all had the original prgrams in the original places.

Me, i was so geeky about it that the first thing i'd do is go through each and erase anything i thought i could do better. That was usually at least 75% of the patches, sometimes more. Then, on the other 25%, i'd tweak at least half of those.

So, who is really into programming as well as playing?
The Professor

[leftofthedial]

7. I don't know where to start

Baldwin acoustic
Melodigrand spinet with Helpenstill system
Fender Rhodes (stage 73)
Roland A90EX
Korg M1
Yamaha DX7
Alesis 6.1
Kurzweil ME1
More modules than I can name
Arp Odyssey

A bunch of amps and outboard gear

[ProfessorGAC]

8. An ARP Odyssey?

Wow, that's a relic. Cool! I haven't kept much of my old stuff. Mostly because it got beat up enough over the years of being moved in and out of clubs that something or other didn't work right anymore.

More modules than you can name? Wow, again!

Did you ever use the whole rig live? What was your MIDI master?

Just wondering.
The Professor

[leftofthedial]

10. The Arp still works, despite the years of abuse

I wish I still had my MiniMoog.

I almost never use a large rig live anymore. I play guitar about half the time these days and the style of music I write and perform has little need for elaborate keyboards.

I use the Roland as a controller or sometimes even just the little Alesis too, driving the Kurzweil module and a Emu B3 module. I used to use a Lexicon MIDI controller, but like I say, it's overkill for me these days to do anything too complicated. Piano, a couple of electric pianos, organ and maybe a couple of pads are about all I need live.

Most of the modules are in my studio.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. Usually I Just Bring The SQ2 Now

I'm the same way. I play guitar at least half the time, when the band is working as a three piece, i'm the bass player. (As i'm sure you know, all competent keyboardist are already bass players. We call it our left hand.)

The SQ2 does an awful lot, and it's lighter than the Alesis, because the 8.1 has a weighted keyboard. That adds a LOT of extra mass.

So, i think we've both arrived at pretty much the same place, huh?
The Professor

[leftofthedial]

13. real similar!

we get old and find every way possible not to lug around all that gear.

I rmeember hauling around an acoustic piano and a C-3 organ. Musta weighed two tons all together!

[johnnie]

9. Not a keyboardist but

I have a Farfisa. I think it is a Fast 4 or 5. I used to have a vintage Wurlitzer, but traded it off to someone who I thought would keep it "in the family". He sold it...
We like to have vintage key sounds on our recordings and I always love 'em. I play very little, but I have a few friends that play pretty well. Our keyboard player in the band has a few vintage keyboards and some other more modern ones.

[ProfessorGAC]

12. I've Got An Old '52 Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Too

I "inherited" it in a way. I've never actually used it for anything. I don't care for the tone much, and keys are really mushy on those.

But, it's a nice vintage piece to have around the house.
The Professor

[bbernardini]

14. Korg Triton LE, Ensoniq ASR-10, Hammond organ box

Still using floppy disks on the ASR-10 since my Zip drive bit the dust. I also use the ASR-10 to control the Hammond organ box, which was one of the first rackmount emulators they put out. It all runs into a mixer, the brand name of which I forget at the moment.

[quispquake]

15. Still learning how to play this stuff...

I've been getting stuff together for about a year...I still can't play for crap, but I am learning!!! Here's my list:

Oberheim OB-8 (a REALLY NICE gift from a friend)
Moog Theremin
Yamaha AN200 Groovebox
Edirol PC8 Midi Keyboard

I'm getting to the point where the racket I spout off is no longer PURE cacophany, but only 90% :)

[KCS72000]

17. Home Studio

Emu Proteus 1000
Korg MS2000
Novation A Station
Roland Sampling Drum Pad
Edirol 8X8 MIDI Router

Mackie Mixer
Lexicon 550 Reverb
TC Electronics M-One Reverb& Effects
TC Electronics M300 Reverb
TC Electronics Voice Works
Art Tube Parametric EQ
Art Tube Compressor Limiter
Tascam CDR700 Recorder
Art SLA Amp
Dunlop Cry Baby Pedal

[livinginphotographs]

20. From what I hear, I hear the TC Electronics reverb racks

are some of the best in the industry. Jealous <----me

[ProfessorGAC]

27. I Have One Of Those

I use is as the digital reverb/delay on my Boogie. (I didn't like the analog reverb that is in the amp.) Super quiet, lots of control. I set it so that the first reflection of the reverb is timed the same as the light slap delay. So, on attack there is pure tone, no mush or wash, then after the slight delay hits, it decays into reverb. Since i play fast a lot, it's great because the notes don't blur together. It's also EXCELLENT for adding ambience to voices.

It's a great unit, especially for what they cost.
The Professor

[KCS72000]

30. TC vs Lexicon

IMO the lexicon has more tweakable params. but I thought it sounded too "digital" and too "bright" for use with an electronic instrument. Since I got the TC M ONE reverb I dont use it much now. The TC has a much more transparent and warm sound, very lifelike. The TC M300 is inexpensive good reverb but it is also kind of "bright". It is certainly worth the price.

I prefer "dark" reverbs, the Tone Modules I am using need all the warmth I can give them, especially recording "direct" to CDR.

[paulk]

21. lemme see...

current -

kurzweil k2500
roland mc505
korg el-A, el-R
korg z1
korg wavestation
yamaha vl70m
waldorf microwave xt rk
emu vintage keys rk

still have -

roland juno 106
roland jx-3p
korg poly61m
arp oddysey
emu procussion rk
yamaha tg500 rk
emu emax
emu sp-12
roland tr-909
casio cz101
sequentialcircuits multitrak
ensoniq esq-1
ensoniq mirage
a few other things I can't remember, including some guitars


The last two projects I've worked on have been done completely inside my computer using mostly -
Reason 2.5
acid 4.0
cubase sx
ableton live 2
a wide selection of vst synths and dx/vst effects
sound forge

I'm probably going to get rid of most of my keyboards and go completely with a computer set up in the near future.

[no name no slogan]

23. Korg Poly61m -- what a fun synth!

That was my first "real" synth. Analog sounds w/ digital controls-- a "revolutionary" concept in the early 80s. Of course, I had the pre-midi Poly61, and not the 61m, but you could still get some decent sounds out of it. And the arpeggiator was also killer, IIRC.

I still have my Poly in the basement somewhere, in storage, and it needs some TLC before it's in playable shape again. I'll probably dig it out again eventually, just for nostalgia. :)

[paulk]

25. the only difference between the 61 and the 61m

was a midi plug on the back which didn't really provide much in the way of functionality - it wasn't multi-timbrel or anything - so it was always omni-on if you were trying to use it in a multi-timbrel sequencer set up.

Pretty cool synth though - a real gritty sound on the low end. I wish I had the space to set up my old analogs - that's why I still hang on to them, I guess - hoping that someday I'll have a big enough studio...

The arpegiator was cool too - I used it a lot to just set up a low end pedal tone throb.

[livinginphotographs]

24. Is it okay if I drool on your setup?

Kurzweil k2500
Korg Z1 (I once owned a Prophecy, neat synth)
Waldorf Microwave xt
Roland tr-909
Ensoniq esq-1

Sorry about that. Here's a towel to wipe them off.

Off-topic (sort-of): my girlfriend's friend is friends with the DJ Alchemist, and he exclusively uses the Ensoniq ESQ-1. He's produced Dilated Peoples and some of the songs off of GTA 3.

[paulk]

26. in the days before computer sequencers

the ensoniq mother keyboards were the best, IMO. Awesome onboard sequencing. With the Esq-1, you had to hook it up with a mirage to save to floppy, which was a royal pain. The SQ-80 was the same sequencer, but had a built in floppy. A way underated piece of gear.

The Z1 is a bear to program - but it sure does make some unique sounds.

[no name no slogan]

28. My bass player has an SQ-80

and that thing is a MONSTER. Very underrated, IMO, and still quite useful even today. Even though it's 8-bit, some of the sounds are quite decent-- even the piano, if you tweak it a bit.

I first learned to program a hardware sequencer on an ESQ-1. The bass player in the band at the time really hated the tune "Funkytown", so I spent one evening after practice programming the whole song into the ESQ-1's sequencer. Naturally, we spent the next practice triggering "Funkytown" at random moments just to p.o. the bass player. Good times, good times :dunce:

[no name no slogan]

22. I'm a guitar player, but I play keys, too...

My rig is pretty minimal and mostly hobby-oriented, but I have some "antiques" that I keep around just for the cool vintage sounds. I also play guitar synth, and am experimenting with combining my guit synth signal w/ the other synths:

RedSound DarkStar XP-2
Roland SH-32
Casio WK-1430
Yamaha QY100 palmtop sequencer/sound module
Electrix WarpFactory Vocoder
Roland GR-33 Guitar Synth
Alesis HR-16 Drum Machine
Alesis MMT-8 Sequencer
M-Audio 49-Key Keyboard controller

And here's the pre-MIDI vintage stuff:

Crumar Performer (late 70s/early 80s string synth)
Crumar Organizer T-3 (two-manual Hammond copy-- very authentic!)
Korg Poly-61 (not the 61-M-- pre-MIDI)

I've also played, over the years, a Yamaha SK-20 Organ/String Synth, and an old Hohner electric piano/clavichord thing (20 years ago), a Roland GR-50 guitar synth, a Kawai K1, and a Roland U-220 sound module.

[Dukkha]

29. mine

Roland XP-30
Roland D-50
Akai S2000

Behringer Mixer
Lexicon MPX 100
ART Pro VLA Tube Compressor
ART SGX2000 Express
Kawai X-D5
BBE Sonic Maximizer
Line 6 Pod

Pretty small in comparison. I make the most of them and tweak every sound I can from them. I've made an entire CD from the D-50 only with a Kawai X-D5 for a little percussion.

[sendero]

32. Not really a keyboardist..

... but I've always loved electronic music and I dabble.

I have:

Korg Wavestation EX
E-Mu Morpheus
E-Mu ESI-4000 sampler

Supported by:

Alesis Quadraverb 2
Akai DPS-12 recorder
Mackie 1202 (which seems to be humming out :()
JLCooper MSB Rev2+

Back in the nineties, a partner and I developed a commercially available MIDI Editor/Librarian. We purchased a bunch of synths for testing and development, after it was all over I kept my favorites :)

I've been at DU for a while but was unaware of this forum. No I'm aware. :)