From bruce@ashbysolutions.com Wed Apr 25 08:03:54 2007
Subject:Re: multi board rigs and system engineering mini rant

Hi Kevin,

Continuing Tony's theme ...

My classic-rock rig, as an example:

- Korg BX-3
- Roland Fantom XR + Ultimate Keys expansion board
- Access Virus TI Desktop, mounted in a rack (Racktop?)
- Speakeasy preamp (for the organ)
- ART Dual MP preamp (for some of the Fantom sounds)
- Stereo 2-10" + tweeter monitor with ART SLA-2 amp
- Custom Leslie
- Behringer RX1602 line mixer
- Behringer BCF2000 to control the Fantom and Virus remotely
- (2) MIDI Solutions Event Processor Plus boxes as "MIDI glue"
- MAM VF11 vocoder

I have a great two-manual organ, terrific piano, Clav, combo organ, and EP sounds (Fantom), nice warm classic synths (Virus), and it all fits in one keyboard and two rack modules. (It could be one rack, but I'd rather not concentrate that much weight in one place). The BX-3 has Mod and Pitch wheels, which helps with the synths. The vocoder is pure BW-trademark excess, and could be removed from the setup; arguably, the Leslie is optional, too. Depending on how complicated your needs are, one or both of the MIDI Solutions boxes could go, too. If I needed to REALLY cut back, eliminating the tube preamps is a thought. And if I was willing to control sounds and volume by switching patches only, the Behringer box could go. If a GM-like set of synth sounds is OK for your needs, even the Virus could go.

You COULD do the whole thing in one keyboard + one 4-space rack, in a pinch. The technology is there:

- Korg BX-3

- 1U -- Roland Fantom XR + Ultimate Keys expansion board
- 1U -- ART SLA-2 amp
- 1U -- Behringer RX1602 line mixer
- 0U -- MIDI Solutions Event Processor Plus

- Monitor speaker system

If you went to a powered speaker such as the ones from Yorkville, Mackie, or JBL, we're talking a 2-space rack + the BX-3.

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Online Music Sales
AshbySolutions.com™ http://music.ashbysolutions.com
978.386.7389 voice/fax
bruce@ashbysolutions.com

At 10:24 AM 4/25/2007, tonysounds wrote:
>I guess I don’t understand the rant; you can already do this (The CX3, XKs, and Nord Stage all have certain midi controller functions, and you can buy a midi rack with your pianos-n-more sounds from just about every brand). Obviously the Nord Stage has made an attempt to keep it all in house (pianos, eps, synth, organ with the option of a slave keyboard).
>
>kgtkeys2003 wrote: I read post after post about The trial & error trade off of midi
>incompatability unfriendly UI and missing features involved with
>assembling a typical 2 tier Live Rock/ Popular music rig. By typical
>I mean Bread & butter sounds features covered
>Here is on popular example
>1) Top tier unweighted 61-76keys B3 organ clone HS XK1/3, NE 61-73
>KorgC3 RolandVK7 etc
>2) bottom tier weighted 76-88keys Yam P90 Motifxx Kurz xx CP33
>Fantom xx
>Many rigs emulate the popular old school B3 with rhodes/wurli+
>RMI/CP70/ Hepinstil etc. Why don't the big 4 supply what so many
>players need, a quality piano+ epiano with some usable staple sounds
>(Gen Midi list is more than enough) topped by a good unweighted
>clonewheel fully Integrated SYSTEM ? They get used as a system
>Midied etc But your on your own with How & If the various
>boards/modules talk and play together.
>
>Rant off
>
>Kevin T

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