From simon@alphabeck.co.uk Mon Dec 11 20:00:30 2006
Subject:Re: Need suggestions - keyboard riser

I was once in exactly such a band, and our solution was simple (if not entirely satisfactory from an egalitarian viewpoint):

Drums - back, centre-stage
Guitar - middle, stage-right; Bass Guitar/MD - middle, stage-left
Trumpet - forward, stage centre-right; Tenor Sax - forward, centre-stage; Trombone - forward, stage centre-left
Vocalist - front, centre-stage

with my keyboard (88-note Studiologic) stage-left at 90 degrees to the audience, running across the DEPTH of the stage!

This setup:
1.. kept me out of the direct blast from the horns
2.. didn't require a riser or other hardware
3.. meant that I could play seated and still see the audience AND the MD/bass player
4.. meant that I could hear the bass and drums clearly
5.. meant that I could use the same setup (sometimes reversed) at the extremes of London's 12-Bar Club (tiny stage, lowered ceiling - I actually set up NEXT to the stage!) or the Bull's Head, Barnes (nice real grand piano plus adequate-sized stage - I set up at 90 degrees to the piano and just used the MIDI keyboard for organ and occasional Rhodes sounds).
Hope this helps.

Simon Beck
London, UK

----- Original Message -----
From: jagalactic
To: CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2006 1:42 AM
Subject: [CWSG] Need suggestions - keyboard riser

I've been googling for answers, but haven't found anything yet. A
partner and I run an 8 piece dance band. I'm on keys and male lead
vocals. The problem is that it takes a 20 foot wide stage for me to
avoid being behind the horn section. Since I play a sit-down rig, I
am often unable to see the dance floor.

Setting up the keys on a riser would solve the problem, and it's
probably preferable to putting the horns behind me (ever had a trumpet
player aim and fire at close range?).

Has anybody ever built or owned a keyboard riser that they would
recommend? Or can somebody point me to a source for this sort of
information?

It seems to me that 4'x5' or so (5 being depth, so I don't do the
"scoot back flip") would probably do it. No need to be as wide as my
"88" -- just wider than the base of the stand (an Ultimate Support
3000 "X" stand).

Clonewheel content: I have a Nord Electro 73 in my rig, and I still
dig it atfter three years.

Thanks,
John



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