2nd Keyboard to compliment the X8 and SRX recommendations!

[Darth X8]

Hi all,

I'm hoping in approx 6 months time I'll be good enough to get back out on the cover band circuit as a keyboardist! Although my X8 is the biz, I've been viewing some of your posts that talk about having two Keyboards at a gig! This makes sense to me even from a failover point of view!

So I have been considering getting in the next 3 months another keyboard, but something like a 76 keyboard with yer average semi weighted keys. I did think about a Fantom G7 but that is a little out of my price band!

I liked Waynester's setup i.e. the Fantom X8 and Yammi ES7...is this a safe bet for cover band type gigs? I'm looking to get the same sort of quicklok stand too as I want to be standing when I play.

Recommendations for a 2nd keyboard would be brill! Scenario = Cover band scenarios i.e. 80s, 90s, today etc.

Finally, what would you recommend for SRX cards for the Fantom X...again for the cover band scenario. One of the Piano expansions seem to improve on the current Piano offerring on the Fantom X. But any recommendations from you working X series keys players would be awesome!

Look forward to your replies!

Cheers

Darth X8 (The Fantom Menace)

[karlosserio]

For me the best keyboards in stage performing overall are the Kurzweil. They stay good in the mix, and it's the best orchestral sounds you'll ever have on your fingertips.
I own an old PC2R and it has been the best buy i have done in the past 5 years (together with the Yamaha CP33 stage piano). You'll also get a different sounding piano, the Triple Strike Piano.
If you have the money buy the new PC3X, and you'll get a lot of bases covered.
In terms of the SRX, for a live musician i would think there's two unbeatable: Ultimate Keys and Brass. Ultimate keys for the wide variety of Hammonds, ep's and Rhodes; Brass because of the articulations (if you trow the Kurzweil brass and do a mix it's perfect). Also Ethnic has been good to me in some times since it's the vastest library of ethnic sounds in hardware existing.
I do think that a 2nd keyboard shouldn't be of the same brand of the first since the sound will get "tangled" most of the times. I've worked live a lot and when there's two keyboardists with the same brand it gets pretty confusing.
But be sure that what they say is true: Kurzweil is a perfect all rounder on a stage (and the technician will love you for the balanced outputs).

[Darth X8]

Cheers for that! It's a great help! Looks like DV do those keys...I like the look of the PC3 one.

Many thanks for SRX help too.

Darth

[howardS]

Darth X8, there is also a good argument for you to get a second X. Perhaps an X6 as an upper keyboard for sounds that might require a lighter touch keyboard such as synth sounds. The X's are a great deal right now and whatever patches or setups you have for your X8 will work obviously on the X6. So you don't need to learn how the new gear operates and you can get down to playing the two boards. They don't need to be vastly (no kurzweil pun intended..ok maybe it was) different keyboards to sound good. I think it is more important that you really know your way around these boards so getting two of the same boards cuts down on that learning curve..

And nothing works as better "failover", as you have called it, than a second keyboard with the same sound engine!

[Diametro]

Vintage Keys SRX is great ... I couldn't play without the "Real Thing" EP ... For instance, nothing sounds even close to it on Fan-G ... One of the reasons I haven't upgraded ... Loads of vintage synths sounds, too ...

I love the orchestral board SRX-06 but that might not be so useful in a cover band ...

The Studio board is also good and might be up your alley ...

[Darth X8]

Howard, I never thought of that! And your right, X6s and X7s can be had for under 800 quid!

Good work my man!

[Darth X8]

Diametro,

Many thanks for those recommendations!

Darth

[psalms34n1]

My second keyboard is an XP-30. It compliments my X7 perfectly as it did my Fantom-S, my FA-76, and my XP-80 when I had them!

[Andy Keys]

For a second keyboard I use my Nord Stage EX. It's got better Hammonds than the Fantom X and that is a significant part of my band.

The two are connected via MIDI, so I can play both from one keyboard, or play 2 keyboards if I prefer.

I have created set ups for all my songs that use either or both of the boards, so depending on my rig, the length of the gig, etc things will sound a little different, but it's still all me & sample free )

As for SRX cards, I love the Ultimate Keys one (excellent Hammond samples and EPs and lots of basses and synths too), and I love the Orchestra card for textures and bulking up sounds to add tension.

Finally, I also use the World card. As karlosserio said, it's a pretty huge library of sounds that can be used to give you something a bit different. Great for intros, drama & spice.

Fantom X & Nord Stage = cracking toast, Gromit.

[SonicMan]

It's not a 76 keyboard, but what about the Korg Karma?
If 76 keys are a MUST, you can us a midi controller with it.

[Darth X8]

Thanks guys...in the end I opted for a Fantom G6! I'm just such a sellout for brands LOL!!!

As for the SRX, well so far Ultimate Keys and the Brass one are in the running...but I'm not in too much of a rush.

Darth X8