multiple keyboards

[John Cagle Sr.]

Please try not to laugh at my ignorance on this topic, but coming from a guitar player of 46 years, who has just bought the Juno G keyboard; I was looking at the thread here entitiled "show your Fantom-G studio pictures", and they are some of the most beautiful keyboard setups I've ever laid eyes on. My question is; what is the advantage of having multible keyboards other than playing 2 at a time doing 2 different parts? When you have a keyboard as nice as the Fantom-G, and other "top of the line" Roland(or other makes even); don't they already have just about every possible sound an accomplished musician can ask for? This is meant as a "desire to learn" question. The Juno-G is my first keyboard of any kind, although I learned to play just a little by ear on a friends baby grand. Even though I have the Juno G, I come here also to the other model's forums, to try to learn anything I can to advance my understanding of keyboards. Obviously, I have quite a ways to go.Thanks.
John

[dani.squire]

Different boards have different traits...

I use a Fantom G and a SH201.
I can reproduce about any sound from the SH201 in my Fantom G.
However I won't be able to tweak the sound live as I can on that board!

See, the Fantom G has a lot of power, but there are some characteristics you won't find in it.

Also, some people might use different brand boards to have different sounds. Roland's pianos are way diffrent from Yamaha's.
Which one is better? None in my opinion. They just sound different...

[jessej]

Well I have been playing guitar for 26 years, and started adding keyboards in my writing and producing workflow about 10 years ago and I think that having access to different keyboards are like having access to different guitars.

Not just that you want a Les Paul and a Stratocaster and a 335 and a telecaster because they sound different, but also that there is even differences between a stratocaster and a stratocaster.

Now you can get a modeling guitar like the ones line 6 makes and modeling amps, but as you know, modeling can get quite near, but it is not same as real. Even if it would get you the 'real' sound, lets say a stratocaster sound, would it be the stratocaster you preferred over the other stratocaster if they'd be two real ones?

Same thing with synths. Even if the Roland Fantom G has the waveforms and patches emulating Rolands own legacy gear, like the 101 303 808 909 etc, they are just that, emulations. If you are fond of one particular model, you might want to get the real thing.

It all comes a lot down to design architecture, what is and what is not possible to do with the patching. Then there is also always the differences between analog, hybrids, virtual analog and purely digital.
Then there is the question about interface - some like the real knobs of the original while others can settle for getting the nearly same sound of the emulation.

Same things that apply on guitar apply on synths.

[Atlas5]

I have a bunch of keyboards, and they all sound different.

They also stir different emotions and excitement. It is not always the sound, sometimes it's the feature set of the instrument your playing.

Sometimes it's the hardware interface, touch screens, D-beams, finger pads buttons and even knobs.

Like a guitar and a well stocked pedal board. What you use is a matter of application.

I use the Fantom G primarily for piano sounds and sequencing.

[Atlas5]

sorry, dont hit the "save changes" button more than once.

[John Cagle Sr.]

Thanks guys. I'm determined to add keyboards to my sound pallet. I only wish I had started long ago, and slowly familiarised myself with the technological progression, as well as learning to play the instrument as well. I've always known how important keyboards were in all types of music. Thank you again for sharing your input.
John

[dani.squire]

Don't worry John... I started playing keyboards after being a bass/drum player for 15 years. If you like it, you'll get used to it in no time!

Before you notice you'll be spending more than 50% of you income in new equipment.
(take this from someone who REALLY spends more than 50% of his income in new equipment...)
=)

[B3Fiend]

Whenever I get asked about why I tote multiple keyboards to a gig, my response is:

"Why does the guitar player need an acoustic AND an electric, and why does the drummer have three Toms and Two crash cymbals"? )

It all depends on what you are doing with them, and the style of music you are playing. Some styles just need bread-and butter piano, hammond, and maybe some EPs and strings. Other styles require more synth sounds added on top of that. In addition, you need to consider other factors such as:

- Do you have free hands during the song to change patches on a single keyboard, or is it easier to have it ready to go on another keyboard?

- what happens if one keyboard freaks out or blows up? Do you have something else to turn to?

- The Front-of House sound guy will make you sound much better when he has dedicated channels for Pianos, Hammond, and synths. If you keep changing a single keyboard from piano to hammond to synth, etc, he has to keep re-EQing you.

- if you are moving from song to song quickly, it is nice to have the other board setup and ready to go so you aren't trying to change patches in panic between songs.

- If you play a lot of piano sounds, do you prefer a weighted keyboard? For some, a weighted keyboard is needed for playing piano, but hard to play for Hammond, etc sounds, so you need a weighted and a non-weighted keyboard at least. (kind of like trying to play fast lead guitar on an acoustic)

- As has been discussed, different models/brands just do some sounds better. I have a $3200 FanG, but I still use it to midi to cheap modules and use other boards to get decent Pianos and horns, etc.


In my case, I carry 4 boards and a rack. 3-4 boards for a multi-style cover band is common, and other players likely share the same reasoning. (I could get by with three if I needed to.)

[dani.squire]

nicely put B3Fiend.


Also, let's not forget one of the most important reasons:
Multiple boards look SOOOO cool live... =)

[fismoll7]

I try to use not more than 2 Keyboards on a gig.
One Stage-Piano for the piano and e-Piano voices (Kawai MP5).
And a second non-weighted Keyboard with 76 keys for the rest (organs, synthesizersounds, strings, brasses, natural sounds).
At the moment I use the Fantom G for the rest, but i wish i could get a keyboard which is good in all Sound-categorys and not full of compromises.
The Fantom G with better Organs, Brasses and an EQ per part could be that dream-instrument I´m looking for.
But even with the current set everybody praises my good sounds.

[smythrocks]

I play in a duo with the majority of the music being "performed" via midi sequencing. I use a Tyros II to play the sequences (as well as using the screen to display the lyics). The Tyros has 3 (R1,R2, R3) selectable patches at my quick disposal.

I use a Kurzweil PC3x as my main piano board which replaced a G8 because of the weight of the G8. Traded the G8 in for a G7 which I use for solo instrumentation - just love that 8 inch screen and the easy of setting up favorites etc. My forth board is a Hammond Xk3c. Sometimes I'll bring both manuals. I like the flexibility that multiple boards can provide.