From jerryk@korgusa.com Thu Apr 10 20:20:21 2003
Subject:Re: Keith Emerson and Korg

Hi all:

OK - a couple of "insights" into Keith, that poster and the rig.

That shot was taken at a Japanese launch event for the CX3 we
did in September 2001 (I think...). So it was certainly before the
development and launch of the BX3.

I actually had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be Keith's
"tech" for the event, since we have become friends over the
years.

Factual disclaimer - while I've been a fan of the man since I first
saw ELP at the historic Gaelic Park gig in September 1971 (yes I
was a mere teenager at the time), my relationship with Keith
started because of my position at Ensoniq and my friendship
with Will Alexander. So "business" first brought us in contact with
each other...Now we have become actual friends after many
years of supporting him both at Ensoniq and now Korg, but I still
pinch myself over the relationship. One of the real perks of my
gig...
:-)

So after visting with Keith in CA to give him his first "taste" of the
CX3 I was his tech for the Japanese event. Keith had made a few
settings he liked and I helped him tweak them to taste at the
rehearsal the day before the gig. But to help him get the "power"
that he needed for his famous windmill chops on the lower
manual we did a little special layering between the two CX's. I
MIDI-ed the output of the lower CX into the upper so I could
create a layered sound.

Remember - each side of a split setup is a different tone
generator that can receive/transmit on a different MIDI channel.
So the upper CX was:

Upper "manual"; MIDI channel 1
Lower "manual": MIDI channel 2

The lower CX was:

Upper "manual": MIDI channel 2
lower "manual": not used.

Neither keyboard had the Split turned on, but the layering still
happened through MIDI.

This gave me a chance to blend two drawbar settings and up the
amp gain/distortion on one of the CX's more then the other -
something I couldn't have done if the BX3 had even existed!

Keith was very flexible about the setup height and since he
played standing up the space was not an issue.

OK - one last story from the event.

I was also working with the Korg voicing team developing the
Karma during that trip and we arrived late to the event and Keith
was already playing. Whehn I arrived everyone rushed up to tell
me that when he had started the rig wasn't set right - the techs
had brought the expression and volume pedals back upright on
all the keyboards (Keith also had a TritonproX and MS-2000 that
Will Alexander and I had voiced - bringing in Keith's samples of
the Hoedown vacum synth etc.) so when it was time for him to
launch into Hoedown there was no sound!

So at the end of the performance we all convinced Keith to re-do
Hoedown as the encore so we/he could get it right. I promised
him I'd check everything out and make it right. So I did. I thought...

Keith hit the stage and launched into the synth sweeps and
everything was great. We're standing by the side of the stage
high-fiving and digging it when he went into the opening organ
sound. To my horror I realized that while I had checked the
special lower-manual MIDI etc. I had left the upper keyboard on
"live setting" not the Preset and the sounds was all 2' drawbar -
not the ballsy 888000000 Keith needed.

In my best roadie crouching run, I ran across the stage stopping
to hit the Preset and jump off the front. Keith winked at me as I
flashed by and all was saved.

My first and likely last tech/roadie gig.

:-)

Regards,

Jerry

P.S. Yes - you can use one pedal to control both.

--- In CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com, "b3bobster"
wrote:
> Is it possible to control both CX-3s in this arrangement using a
> single expression pedal (presumably with midi)?