Thought you SZoners would like to know about my new set up..

Today I purchased a new EMU X board 61 controller...I love it..

You may recall I bought and used a Axiom 61 last year..for about 3 weeks...There were a couple things that it did not do correctly..and I sold it..

This EMU has a great key feel, and I am not just talking controller..It reminds me of the E-60..key feel, and keyboard construction..The keys are semi weighted[yes weights under the keys]..

It also has 4 zones..after touch, and 8 touch curves..
It does not have sliders, but the 16 knobs work as draw bars with the Native Instruments B4..Mod wheel controls fast/slow Leslie..

It remembers 16 set ups and takes snapshots of panel settings..

I am using the EMU Xboard61 , powered by the USB to my laptop, controlling the B4, and midi'd to the Roland DisCover5m...allowing me to play sounds from the Roland..This connection also allows the laptop to play the DisCover5m , if I so desire..

If I need to play a style, I have a set up ready to play JammerLive on the laptop.

Also available are my soft synths..

The laptop plays my MP3's..

So for now it appears to be working ok, and gives me another Studio/Stage set up..

The DisCover5m works great..very similar to the DisCover5 keyboard I used for a year or two..The harmonizer and SMF features are great too..

It may sound complicated, but not really..
and the weights are 10 pound controller, 10 pound module and a 7 pound laptop..

More comments at a later time..after I run it through it's paces..

Keep an eye out in the for sale section..just in case..

Fran... I'm not so sure putting the Leslie fast/slow on the mod wheel as a default is such a good idea.

The problem starts when you layer the organ with something else. Then it's either a case of you've got to go to the destination keyboard for the non-organ sound, and defeat the modulation, just for that patch (and those similar in needing no modulation), or you've got to re-route the mod wheel to a switch or button for the organ Leslie, for layers with a sound that DOES need the mod wheel for something (vibrato, timbre changes, etc.), otherwise it's going to drive the Leslie crazy when you use it for the other sound.

On the G70, I FAR prefer either an FC-7 switch, or the D-Beam to control the Leslie, and I wish I could defeat it on the bender so sax/organ, or guitar/organ layers (e.g.) didn't ramp it up and down like crazy...

But your new keyboard isn't wired that way (unless you want it!). So, if you have an opportunity to change Leslie F/S to another source, you might save a bit of head-scratching later on...

Just a thought

By default the B4 uses the Mod Wheel for Fast/Slow, however with B4II you can reassign the Midi cc codes to whatever you want, (Or just use the learn function) and then save it as the default setting, therefore any button or switch that can output a Midi cc code can be used.
Hope this helps

Bill

Interesting setup, Fran.

I'd like to try this setup myself.

What do you use for a sound source on the Laptop for the B4 Software and the VST's? Do you have a PCMCIA Sound Card or are you using the on board laptop sound engine?

I have a Dell Lattitude 410, but I think I would need a more robust sound engine, no?

That keyboard controller looks nice and I have seen it in the music stores. Too band it doesn't come in a 76 key flavor for those folks who have 61 key arrangers who want the extra octave.

P.S. I know the subject is off-limits, but why aren't you using the Mediastation for this type of setup?

Regards,
Al

Diki, as Bill mentioned the mod wheel is the default setting of B4 fast/slow Leslie..It is assignable to any other button..

Al , yes I would have loved a 76 key controller with the same options as this X board 61...
The other choices were 88 keys that weighed more than my G70....or other 88 key controllers that limited to a single zone and no frills..

There are some nice 76 controllers that are expensive, with nice features, but again weigh as much as the G70[and the G70 would win hands down]..

This EMU, has a great semi weighted touch with after touch and 4 zones..These were my main concerns

BTW: I couldn't hear the soft spoken sales person, and ended up purchasing a 24 month extended, replacement warranty ($15 option}..But since I got a great buy, I didn't mind the option..

Sounds like you should have kept the E-60.

Ouch

Cass , since I made enough off the sale of the E-60 to pay for my new toys...I guess I did alright..

Besides I wanted a quality controller in my studio..
The EMU and the DisCover5m..work well in my studio..and I can take them on the road too..

How was I to get vocal harmonies from the E-60?...

E-60 + Digitech Vocalist VR = 29lbs. 76 keys, two pieces, and no laptop.

But then again, these are just toys.

No MP3 playback, no record, no VST's, no B4...

It will be a good set up for you..

kbrkr:

If you can live with a PCMCIA (Cardbus) card you might try the Indigo "DJ" or "I/O" cards. I have the latter in an older HP similar to your Dell, and it performs marvelously. I much prefer this to the USB/external card options. Onboard laptop sound is usually poor.

Not available in the newer "Express" card format -- so be careful if you are thinking of upgrading the laptop as well.

Sometimes available on Ebay, etc.

I use mine with an Axiom MIDI controller and various VST setups, BIAB, etc.

For studio work, weight and number are moot points.

I have the XK-1, a laptop and three different types of recorders for all the other goodies. I don't know what kind of studio work you do, so I can't judge how efficient your set up is.

As a live, to-go set up I'll stick with my stuff.

I use a E-MU 1616M for my laptop VST setup!

1616m comes as 2 piece unit, Cardbus + Dock with Digi preamps!

Kick's Ass!

Fran good luck with your new rig....
sounds like flexible, efficient winner for sure!

Cajun,

Thanks for the tip. Are there Vista drivers for that card? I'll do a Google search to see If I can find any info. Can you record with the card as well?

Thanks
Al

While we're all talking about our new toys, I gotta give props to a guy I heard tonight at the Madiera Beach American Legion. He played an E-500 with a rickety old Peavey mini amp. He did an OK job and he and his buddies did a good job for the AL crowd.

It's not what you play, but how you play. Isn't that what it always funnels down to?

Sure does Cass....but as you know most here never want to ever post anything they play so whats the sense?........hard to learn from deaf rhetoric all the time......
the music is what its all about baby.

Fran, I am happy to see your slipping back into the software approach......a little at least!!!! Now, if one could only convince Rikki to get rid of all her hardware stuff!!! I could once again rest in peace.

So right, Donny. At least our stuff is out there.

------------------
Cass www.cassponline.com/

Beacuse Cass my friend....
the proof is in the pudding

kbrkr:

Here is a link to the best review of the Indigo series Cardbus soundcards I have found.
http://tinyurl.com/t6hft

No recording through this unit. But look carefully at the potential of the multiple "virtual outputs". These do work.

Latency, latency, latency.

Try basing your soundcard choice on whatever provides the most power at the lowest latency. Particularly for live play. If you can't get a reliable 2-3ms out of your soundcard for as many voices and sounds that you actually want, you aren't getting the equivalent of REAL hardware, nowadays.

There's a 'connectedness' to the sound that latencies higher than this just don't give you. It can really mess with your sense of 'pocket', and that tactile feeling of actually hitting something real, rather than a 'simulation'.

I'm not sure about the 'Dark Side' of the force, but I believe I've heard that RME interfaces can get pretty damn low and still stay stable (say that three times fast!) for Windows computers...

When it comes to latency, Avoid USB audio cards! Use either FireWire or PCMCIA.

Now that is not all, You also have to adjust windows for audio and have a pretty darn fast computer ( fast HD , lots of ram ...). If the computer is not up to specs, there is no card in the worrld that will compensate for that.