Electronic Musicianship
Designing a Powerful and Practical
Live Keyboard Rig
by Scott Wilkie
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Whether it's recording, writing songs, programming sounds or playing
live, I find that I spend a lot of my time behind a keyboard. But what
do I enjoy most? Playing live, of course. For me, the experience of a
live gig has always been my biggest thrill as a musician--interacting
with the other players, feeding off the audience's response, being
immersed in an environment where spontaneity is everything, playing
right on the edge. Through years of playing live, I've also found that
getting my keyboard gear set up to maximize my performance options is
critical in making it an enjoyable experience for both myself and my
audience.
It's been a long time since the days when you could cover a gig with a
Rhodes, a Juno 60 and a Minimoog. These days, you really need a wide
variety of sounds right at your fingertips. And while MIDI gives
musicians a whole new set of sonic options and performance solutions, in
a live situation, these sounds sometimes get buried beneath a complex
maze of MIDI channels, polyphony, multi-timbrality (say that five times
fastÉ) and endless banks of patches. This really became apparent to me
when I recently decided to put together my "working" live rig; I didn't
realize the magnitude of the project before me...
Think About It. My first instinct was to create a fantastic array of
synths and modules that would dim the house lights when I powered it up.
After all, that's what I'm accustomed to when I'm working in the studio.
Then I started to consider what I really needed onstage, both musically
and sonically.
I came to my senses for two reasons: first (and let's pretend this is
the main reason), it's now possible to get a ton of sonic horsepower out
of today's modern instruments; second, all of my gear ultimately has to
be loaded into my car before and after each gig. For these reasons, I
decided upon a relatively simple system with lots of firepower.
I chose a Roland A-90EX Expandable Controller as the core of my system.
It gives me a great combination of really musical piano sounds with some
very powerful MIDI controller capabilities. But an equally important
factor is the action on this instrument. What can I say about the A-90's
award-winning hammer action but "I love it!" Since I'm a piano player at
heart, the A-90 feels very comfortable and familiar; it's like having
killer grand piano action with all of the benefits of modern electronics
and the stability of a road-worthy instrument.
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I chose a Roland A-90EX Expandable Controller as the core of my system.
It gives me a great combination of really musical piano sounds with some
very powerful MIDI controller capabilities.
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My second keyboard is an XP-80, which I chose for a number of reasons. I
wanted to be able to use my favorite patches and expansion boards from
my JV-1080 modules, and the XP-80 is identical to the 1080 when it comes
to synth specs. I also wanted to have the option of occasionally using
sequenced material on stage, for which the XP-80's high-power sequencer
is perfect. In addition, the XP-80 features an extended keyboard--76
keys--which cinched the deal for me.
I loaded the XP-80 with my favorite expansion boards: the SR-JV80-02
Orchestral, the SR-JV80-08 Keyboards of the '60s & '70s, the SR-JV80-09
Session, and the brand-new SR-JV80-10 Bass & Drums board.
The only other piece of gear that I couldn't live without was my JD-990.
It's what I use for many of my favorite lead patches. With a Vintage
Synth expansion board installed, the JD-990 is a really fat box; I keep
it in a lightweight two-space rack and won't go anywhere without it.
Taking control. Once I selected the gear I was going to use, the next
step was getting it to work together smoothly. Some of what I will be
explaining may be a bit confusing when you first read it, but stick with
me; if you understand the basic concepts, you can easily adapt these
ideas to your system.
My MIDI configuration is relatively straightforward. Essentially, I let
the A-90 control the whole thing (after all, it's a "controller"
right?). I plug the A-90's MIDI OUT 1 into the MIDI IN of my XP-80.
Similarly, the second MIDI OUT on the
A-90 (MIDI OUT 2) is plugged into the MIDI IN of my JD-990. While this
second connection goes to my JD-990, it doesn't go directly. In fact, I
have a small MIDI Merge box connected just before the MIDI IN of my
JD-990. The Merge box combines the two signals from the A-90 and the
XP-80. This type of configuration gives me great flexibility in
assigning the JD-990. I'll explain why as we go on.
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•The XP-80 is in Performance Mode with Part 1 enabled locally. Part 9
has a "silent" patch selected. Thus, when Part 9 is played from the
keyboard, it will trigger the JD-990 through MIDI. All other parts in
the XP-80 (2-16, except 9) are set to receive MIDI and are used to layer
with the A-90EX and play sequenced parts from the XP-80's sequencer. •
The A-90EX controls the entire system with sliders assigned to volume on
different zones for layering, leads, etc. •The JD-990 is in Patch mode
and set to MIDI Channel 9.
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With all the instruments connected in this fashion, I can layer sounds
from any of them. For example, by calling up a single Performance on the
A-90EX controller I can have the XP and JD automatically setup the
correct sounds.
The MIDI Channel Thing. If I'm using a piano sound on stage, it's a
pretty safe bet that I'm using the internal sounds from the A-90EX. This
is particularly helpful because I can dedicate the A-90's entire
polyphony to pianos and electric pianos. And because it's an internal
sound, it's easy to access at all times.
The palette sliders on the A-90 can be assigned globally, so I have them
all assigned to MIDI Controller 7 (volume). I then use the individual
Performances to determine which zones they control. I typically use
Slider 1 to control any sounds that are layered with the A-90; Slider 2
controls the volume of sounds played on the XP-80's keyboard; and Slider
3 controls the JD-990. I keep Slider 4 as a "wild card" because I use it
for different things in different Performance setups. I'll explain more
about using the sliders after I cover how the zones control the XP and
JD.
Before we go any further I should clarify how I have the XP and JD
receiving MIDI. I keep my XP-80 in Performance (multitimbral) mode with
the Control Channel OFF. This ensures that the XP-80 will remain in that
same Performance. I've created a simple SINGLE-MODE Performance that has
Part 1 enabled for local control from the keyboard. That means that
whatever patch is used on Part 1 is the sound that will trigger when I
play the XP-80's keyboard. I also take advantage of a very handy button
on the front panel of the XP-80 labeled "LOCAL/TX/RX" (this stands for
local/transmit/receive). Hitting this allows the PART buttons on the
XP-80 to determine which part is controlled locally. That same part is
also transmitted through MIDI. My JD-990 is on MIDI Channel 9 (in Patch
mode).
Stay with me, because here's where it gets really interesting. By
changing the XP-80's active part, I can instantly switch from playing
the XP-80's internal sound to playing the JD-990. All I have to do is
switch the active part from 1 to 9. Also note that the Part 1 and Part 9
buttons are directly on top of each other (I was really thinking!),
which makes it a breeze to switch back and forth. By the way, I have
also set up an "empty" patch (no tones enabled) on Part 9 of the XP-80.
When I select that part, I only hear the JD-990 triggered through MIDI.
I reserve Parts 2 and 3 (in the XP) for layering with the A-90EX. I
simply set up a zone (or zones) in the A-90EX to transmit on MIDI
Channel 2 and/or 3. Now those parts in the XP will be layered with
whatever sound I'm using internally on the A-90EX. Finally, as I
mentioned earlier, I also have the JD-990 MIDI'd to the A-90EX.
Let me explain a little more about the zoning in the A-90EX; then I'll
give you a couple of examples as to how this can be used in live
performance.
I use the A-90's four external zones to control the XP-80 and JD-990.
Zones A, B and C control the XP-80 while Zone D controls the 990. Each
zone in the A-90EX can be set to a specific key range. This makes it
perfect for controlling the entire system, not just the sounds that are
active on the A-90's keyboard. Here's an example:
On the A-90EX, I use Internal Zone A with a grand piano sound. In this
example, that's the only sound I use from the A-90EX, but remember that
you can internally layer up to four zones if you like.
Next, I assign External Zone A to MIDI Channel 2 (this triggers Part 2
on the XP-80). I program the Volume, Panning, Transposition, Reverb and
Chorus levels so that they will automatically set-up the sound on Part 2
in the XP-80. Of course, I can set the bank and program numbers so that
the correct patch will be selected whenever I select this Performance in
the A-90EX. I also assign Palette Slider 1 to control EXT A. This gives
me control over the volume of the layered sound.
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By calling up a single Performance on the A-90EX controller, I can have
the XP and JD automatically set up the correct sounds.
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The example above is how you'd typically set-up a layered MIDI zone. But
here comes the fun part.
I assigned External Zone B (on the A-90) to control MIDI Channel 1.
Remember that MIDI Channel 1 is the part in the XP-80 that I want to be
able to play from the XP-80's keyboard, so I typically don't want it to
also trigger from the A-90EX's keyboard. No problem. Simply set the KEY
RANGE LOWER for Zone B to G9. This puts Zone B out of the
A-90EX's keyboard range so that it no longer plays from the A-90EX.
However, even though you don't hear anything the zone is still active.
This allows you to control the patch, volume, effects, etc. for the
sound in the XP-80, and easily assign Slider 2 to control the volume in
realtime. Now apply this same principle to Zone C and set up the JD-990
to be controlled by that zone.
Voila! Now whenever I select this Performance on the A-90, it will
immediately select the correct patches from the A-90EX, the XP-80 and
the JD-990. It will also set the appropriate levels for volume and
effects. Plus, I can control all volumes of all sounds with the A-90's
sliders. For example, the A-90EX piano sound can be layered with a
string sound from the Orchestral Expansion in the XP-80 and controlled
by Slider 1. The XP-80's keyboard can be set to a gritty organ sound
from the '60s & '70s Expansion Board and controlled from Slider 2 on the
A-90. By switching the active part on the front of the XP-80, I can play
a searing lead patch from the JD-990, which was automatically selected
by the A-90 because it's on a "ghost zone" and thus outside of the
A-90's keyboard range.
Better yet, because the XP-80 is in Performance mode, I can play
sequences from its internal disk drive and trigger sounds on any of the
unused parts. I can also trigger the JD-990 if desired.
Once your system is configured in this fashion it's really easy to
create powerful Performance setups. This is primarily due to the fact
that everything can be accessed from the front panel of the A-90EX,
which brings up yet another hip feature of the A-90; you can select
Patch Name maps for each of the A-90's external zones. The patch names
for many current Roland instruments (JV-, JD-, SC-Series), as well as
all of the patches from the expansion boards, are already stored in the
A-90's ROM memory. So once you tell the A-90 which modules are assigned
on which zone, you can view patches as names instead of banks and
numbers. This, of course, means that you can program a patch into a zone
on the A-90 by simply selecting "Mini Lead 2" in the screen as opposed
to MSB Bank 84, LSB Bank 3, Program Number 1. (Ahhh, it's a beautiful
thing!) I've even used one of the USER name banks to create a name map
for my JD-990 custom patches so I can select them by name, too.
RPS. The XP-80 has another amazingly cool feature for live performance.
It's called Realtime Phrase Sequencing, or RPS for short. RPS allows you
to assign sequenced patterns to individual keys on the keyboard, which
can then be triggered "on the fly." Patterns can be set up to loop
continuously or play once when triggered. One way that I like to use RPS
is for occasional horn stabs or string pads. I can sequence the patterns
ahead of time, then trigger them with one finger when I'm playing live.
It gives me the best of both worlds; I get multitimbral sequences with
realtime control.
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Realtime Phrase Sequencing allows you to assign sequenced patterns to
individual keys on the keyboard, which can then be triggered "on the
fly."
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Of course, any keys that aren't assigned to RPS can still be played
normally, so I can have a ton of patterns and sounds from a single
keyboard. I also use RPS to enhance a big orchestral intro that my other
keyboardist and I do on one of my tunes. It lets us create some
incredible sonic textures that would otherwise be impossible to pull off
live.
1... 2... 3... 4... Another handy thing about the XP-80 is the CLICK OUT
jack on the back. Occasionally I like to incorporate full-blown
sequences into a performance. When I do, it's imperative that my drummer
be able to sync to the sequenced material. Typically, it's necessary to
run a MIDI sync signal from the sequencer (in this case, the XP-80) to a
drum machine or other metronome-type device from which the drummer gets
a click.
Fortunately for me, my XP-80 handles this all by itself. It's got an
audio jack that generates a click which can be fed directly into
headphones or mixed into my drummer's monitor wedges. Because it's
coming right out of the XP-80, there's never any MIDI sync problems or
need to deal with another drum machine, etc.
Let 's hear it. I should take a minute to mention the all-important
"other half" of my rig--my amps. After all, it's hardly worth spending
hours meticulously programming sounds if you can't make them punch
through live.
From the moment they were introduced last year, I've been using a pair
of Roland KC-500 Keyboard Amplifiers. They're perfect for my stage
setup, first and foremost because they sound great! However, what I
really love about them are their clever "performance-minded" features.
First of all, the KC-Series amps have true stereo mixers built right in.
There are four stereo channels on each amp. I use the first three for
stereo audio from my A-90EX, XP-80 and JD-990. (I'll tell you more about
the fourth channel in a second.)
I use the KC-500's balanced stereo line outputs to send a stereo feed to
the house sound system (yeah, I sold my old direct boxes!). There is
also a separate volume control for the balanced line out which allows me
to turn it down if I want to check something out at full volume on stage
without it blasting through the main sound system. And the onboard EQ
doesn't affect the line outs, so I can tweak my amps to sound good on
stage without driving the soundman nuts!
Now, back to the fourth channel (this is such a cool thing). As I
mentioned, I've got a second keyboard player in my band. Having two
keyboardists is quite challenging and lots of fun, but it is crucial
that he and I are able to hear each other, or else ... well, you can
imagine the result. Before I got my KC-500, hearing him was often a
problem. It required a separate dedicated monitoring system just so I
could hear him and he could hear me. This wasn't as much of a problem if
the house sound system had separate monitor mixes and we could have our
own monitor feeds (which was not always the case). But even then, we had
no direct control over the levels, etc. and were left at the mercy of
our soundman (sound familiar?).
With the KC-500, however, channel four can be switched to feed the
internal speaker, the headphones only, or the internal speaker and the
line outputs. This allows me to run a direct stereo line from the other
keyboard rig and have it play only through my KC-500's speaker. All of
my keyboards still send in stereo to the house PA, but the other
keyboard stuff (with it's own level control!) doesn't feed to the house.
If I need to hear more of my other keyboardist, I simply turn him up on
my amp, and it doesn't affect anybody else in the mix chain. Pretty
slick--I'd buy the amp just for that feature alone!
And as I mentioned earlier, I have two KC-500 amps. So when I'm playing
a club that doesn't have its own PA, I have more than enough power to
deliver a really big stereo sound from my keyboard rig. The amps'
innovative Stereo Link feature even lets me keep one KC close at hand
(for master level and EQ controls) and put the second KC on the other
side of the stage, connected with a single cable--giving me true stereo
performance.
How will you use it? That was a quick look at some of the ways I use my
Roland gear to make it easier and more fun to play live. While all of
these tips may not be appropriate for your particular rig, there are a
lot of concepts here that apply pretty much across the board. Why don't
you take a look at the gear you're currently using to play live and see
if some of these tips and some of this gear might not make your live rig
simpler and your playing experience more enjoyable? Because once you've
got the right tools, you'll be ready for some serious live jams.
_
Scott Wilkie is a keyboardist and composer based in Southern California.
He performs worldwide for Roland as a keyboard artist and is a regular
contributor to Roland Users Group magazine. You can find him online at
www.scottwilkie.com.
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) synth-modules aanhangen, en die dan superhandig bedienen (splitten / layeren etc.) met de A90.
