Using 2 keyboards for gigs

[taxbuster1040]

This is just a general question. I just came back from a cruise. I noticed that the bands on board where there was a keyboardist always used 2 keyboards. The keyboards were korg or roland. Does the average player find it is just easier to work with 2 keyboards, one sounding like piano, and just switching the sound on the 2nd keyboard to change the sound around on that one? Why don't they just split the keyboard and work that way? Any thoughts?

[Sharp]

Most people buy two for diversity. Different makes of keyboards simply sound different from each other and some are better than others at certain type of sounds.

Regards
James

[runeharpun]

It's also easier to play songs that use many different sounds. But it also means more things to drag around and more things that can fail during a gig.

R

[kanthos]

Depending on how big your keyboards are, splitting may not give you enough range on either part - I've got plenty of songs where I can't split my 61-key TR and pull them off.

And even if I do need to split, having 4 areas for splits instead of 2 makes a big difference.

[nitekatt2010]

This is just a general question. I just came back from a cruise. I noticed that the bands on board where there was a keyboardist always used 2 keyboards. The keyboards were korg or roland. Does the average player find it is just easier to work with 2 keyboards, one sounding like piano, and just switching the sound on the 2nd keyboard to change the sound around on that one? Why don't they just split the keyboard and work that way? Any thoughts?

Running two keyboards can be a plus, especially if you have a house gig and can keep the rig set up. If you are doing one nighters, then setting up and carting around 2-3 keyboards will be more work in packing, cables, etc.

Since I got the M50 88, I am going to experiment in trying out 2-3 splits and see if I can get by with just one kb.

katt

[Andreuz]

I use 2 keyboards, not just to play their respective onboard sounds but to control both VSTi (virtual instrument) & onboard sounds (or combination). I use a PC-based software called Brainspawn Forte & EHCo which controls basically everything you want it to... including MIDI Splits, Layers, Octaves, Program Changes, Multiple Audio Outs & More. This software is awesome for live performance. I can recall an entire song patch in a split second (including NI Kontact loaded with samples). Each song patch has been pre-programmed at home. Before, the band was always waiting for the keyboard player... not anymore, I am now waiting on the rest of the band. The software is extremely stable and works in both 32bit or 64bit PC environments. There is no other software package that even comes close. (I do not work for them, this is the truth). The KORG M-50 is perfect for my setup because the Korg VST Editor works just like any other VSTi. For example, I may want my upper keyboard dedicated for my hammond organ VSTi (output to my real leslie 3300), and on the lower keyboard I may have a split/layer with Piano, Strings, Brass & Synths of onboard sounds from the Korg M50, MOTIF Rack XS or any VSTi. I can instantly recall a song patch from 100's of pre-programmed variations from a single GUI interface each named for that particular song ! This info is literally worth it's weight in gold.

Hope this helps,
Andreuz

[bsr2002]

It also looks cool too!!!!

[vinceg]

This is just a general question. I just came back from a cruise. I noticed that the bands on board where there was a keyboardist always used 2 keyboards. The keyboards were korg or roland. Does the average player find it is just easier to work with 2 keyboards, one sounding like piano, and just switching the sound on the 2nd keyboard to change the sound around on that one? Why don't they just split the keyboard and work that way? Any thoughts?

I *JUST* made the change from one to two keyboards. I played for many years with a Roland RD700. Lots of splits to get multiple sounds on one song. Interestingly, I made the change to get lighter gear -- preferred to carry two light things over one really heavy one. I went with a Nord Stage EX Compact and a Korg M50 73. Both very pleasant (in comparison) to schlep around.

What I found, to my surprise, was how much more flexible and fun it was to play with two keyboards. Whereas before I'd have to have several programs for, say, piano/organ, piano/brass, piano/violin, etc., each with a different split point, now I can just set one on piano (usually the Nord) and easily change the M50. Also, as someone said above, I can do more splits, now. I can do Rhodes/clav on the bottom and strings/brass on the top. Very nice.

It's definitely more time and work to carry two keyboards rather than one. Also, I play guitar, too, so the extra keyboard now pushed me into performing with a mixer as well. But once I'm set up, it's a joy to play on.

Try it, you won't go back.

Vince

[McHale]

I have some patches that have 5 or more splits and can do all of the sounds with one keyboard without changing patches and for most songs I have it setup that way. But in some cases, it's easier to move your hands up or down to a keyboard instead of 3 octaves to the right or left.

MORE IMPORTANTLY:

One VERY important reason to gig with 2 keyboards is you have a backup if one dies. It doesn't happen much, but it CAN happen and to many of us, it has.

IMHO, gigging with a spare is a good idea especially if you're a professional act and getting paid decent bucks. If I only gigged with 1 and it died before a gig, my band would kill me and it would destroy our setlist because all of our songs have major keyboard parts in it. Imagine doing Journey's Don't Stop Believin' or Faithfully or Van Halen's Jump without a keyboard player. How about less prominent keyboard song like Born To Be Wild? It's one thing to have patches that don't sound perfect (because you're using a backup) but it's an entirely different thing to have NO keyboard. They'd rather hear Jump played with an Electric Piano sound than no sound at all.

-Mc

[Synastikki]

About the two keyboards... I've gone for long time with just my Triton Classic now and now I'm going to buy a Roland AX-synth to be my main controller for the gigs, so I can run on stage and go crazy (bit like Henrik Klingenberg on Sonata Arctica. We're playing that kind of music too). Also I am buying the AX-synth because it has its own sound generator, so while I'm mainly gonna still go with Triton sounds, if the Triton dies I can use AX-synths sounds to cover the Triton death. Also I'm planning on leaving the Triton to rehearsal place and only carrying the AX-synth between home and rehearsals (it's so damn lightweight ) and play AX and VSTs at home

[StudioMan]

The reality is, MOST keyboard players are just gear heads! They have an addition to gear! They just can't help themselves!

LOL

Mike

[Synastikki]

The reality is, MOST keyboard players are just gear heads! They have an addition to gear! They just can't help themselves!

LOL

Mike

well this is pretty much true I'm actually pretty thankful that I don't have really much money because otherwise I would have so many keyboards that I would have hard time to fit them anywhere

[johnnypro]

I've always used 2 keyboards: starting in the bad old days with a Wurly on top of a Vox Super Continental (1977), to My RD200 with an M1ex (1992) on top and now a Yamaha P90 (or recently a P85) with a Tr61 or now M50 on top.

I would have stayed all Korg, but didn't like their pianos until recently. I've got big back /knee /heart problems right now or else I might be trying an M50-88 using splits and separated outputs. My heaviest keyboard is now 25lbs and still has 88 keys and a weighted action. And that is a wonderful thing!!! JP

[Scott]

It's also easier to play songs that use many different sounds. But it also means more things to drag around and more things that can fail during a gig.

Rather than looking at it as more that can fail, I'd say it has the opposite benefit, you always have backup in case something fails.

Also, you can generally mix and match sounds more quickly and easily without necessarily having to have so many of your splits and such set up in advance.

But another big reason no one mentioned... you can't play great piano on an unweighted action, and you can't play great organ on a weighted action. So that takes two keyboards.

[Synastikki]

But another big reason no one mentioned... you can't play great piano on an unweighted action, and you can't play great organ on a weighted action. So that takes two keyboards.

Well actually you can play piano on unweighted action (check Kamelot's keyboard player Oliver Palotai) and organ on weighted action (check Jordan Rudess), but of course it is more pleasent and better feeling to do both of them on their "proper" type of action