2 computers or 1

All you guys out there using a laptop on your gigs...do you have a backup computer or just the one?
Has anyone ever had they're computer crash on the job? What did you do?
Thanks.

Peter

Cry a lot maybe?

My laptop crashed two months ago on the job..it kept rebooting...and I didn't have my back up laptop with me...Soooo, switched gears to live with my G1000..like the "old days"..

I have a backup computer, but to date, it has never been on the job--not even once. It sits snug in its case for weeks on end, never seeing the light of day. Once of month the battery is charged to keep in in shape, and if my primary computer ever crashes I have everything duplicated on the back up.

If the computer crashes on the job, not a problem. Most of my midi files are also on my PSR-3000's USB Jump Drive, and just like Fran I would do everything live to finish out the night. If the keyboard crashes, I could finish out the night with the laptop. If the amp crashes, there's another in the van.

In this business, especially working under contracts, you must have backups. If you don't, it's like playing Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun.

Cheers,

Gary

If you depend heavily on mp3s or MIDIs, it's a good idea to have everything backed up on a portable mp3 player. And always have it with you, of course.

Glenn

Well Dreamer, with all do respects,I see that your're a doctor so you really don't have to worry about doing "gigs" for a living. If you're in the O.R and you have a patient on the operating table and your "system" crashes, what are you gonna do, cry? I doubt it.

I think I'll follow the advice of Fran and Gary.

Thanks guys.

Peter

Sorry GlennT, I mean't to include you too.

Peter

Two, three if possible.

Peter -

You mistook Dreamer's response. He was being humorous and that's the way I read his response.

I have known him for over two years on this forum and he is a very caring person and trust me, that is humor.

He doesn't need me to defend him and I am sure he will respond directly to this thread.

Tommy

Tommy,
thank you for your words and of course you are right: I was trying to be humorous but Peter does not know me well enough, so...
It is true that he could have simply ignored my reply, and the fact that he choosed to write what he wrote tells me something more about his personality. Like in every other human interaction, when you meet someone who is new to the place you have to make up your mind and decide wether you are interested in deepening the knowledge or not.
One of my requisites to deepen a knowledge, even in this virtual world of the Internet, is a good sense of humor.

I think having two computers with you all the time in case your workstation suddenly crashes could become a pain in the ass. It's easier to accept that shit happens.

I just bought a software sampler (Kontakt 2), and am going to start using it for my drum kits, pianos and brass. I'm not sure how stable it is yet - so just in case I'm going to make sure my Tyros is fully programmed to take over in need be!

Yamaha Andy, I almost feel the same as you[something breaks, I go home]...but if You travel 4and 1/2 hours [round trip], and the rest of your band depends on YOU...and the hotel with the Jersey shore crowd is depending on you........you carry another 7 pound laptop..just in case.