From mskremote@yahoo.com Fri Feb 24 05:02:33 2012
Subject:Re: VB3 Main Stage Emergency parachute

>>Even with two keyboards you are not safe.

Isn't a matter of performance context? I play in a band where keys are used for 40% of our material. Laptop fails then I am on guitar until a break and then attempt to resuscitate it. if no luck guitar songs for rest of night.  Still get paid, most of the venues we play don't see many bands with live keys, because of the low pay most pro bands are 3 or 4 piece with sequences triggered on a....laptop by the drummer or bass player.  They have the same problem as I do if the laptop fails - no click track and no keys, brass or string intros etc. Our choice as a six piece is what you see is what you get - no sequences all done live before your eyes.  

Sequences running on laptops have been underpinnning many live bands for much longer than we may realise. 

On the other hand if you are in a trio with organ as the lead instrument yep if the laptop fails no music - no pay.  But if this is the case then a backup laptop should be mandatory.

Most if not all of the reasons for laptop failure are not hardware but software setup and that is usually due to the way the user has set the software up.  Getting VST's up and running and fully sorted invovles a much steeper learning curve and user input - particularly on Windows than buying a KB and plugging it in. Also there is a limited choice of suitable VST host software and as you build something that is unique to your requirements you have to do your own bench testing to ensure all settings are stored and recallable etc.. 

Norm - in addition to following the rules abouthaving no other software. wireless etc running I have found that it is also a good idea on my Dell with Win7 to always plug the Axiom KB etc into the same USB ports. I am going to colour code the USB ports and USB cables with electrical tape to help make sure that everything gets plugged into the same USB port. The last thing you want at a gig is to boot up an find Windows is trying to find drivers for "new device detected".  Hasn't been an issue for me yet but easy to ensure that it never becomes one.   

Cheers

Mark

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