Heard A Neat Gig Setup Tonight

Attended a dance tonight. The keyboard player was using a Casio PX-5S stage piano and an Ensoniq SD1 Synth. The casio had the best piano sound I have heard in years from a keyboard.

Deane

It also makes a great controller. One of these with any mid-range or TOTL 5-octave arranger and you'd have ALL the bases covered. It's very light as well, for those weight conscious performers.

I'm still seriously considering getting one...the late SZ'er, Dreamer (who used one) and I, had some very interesting talks about this fine little synth...he thought it was pretty cool.

Ian

The privia is probably the best price performing stage keyboard, it can (almost) keep up with Nord, Roland and Yamaha top models soundwise and keybed action wise... at less then half the price..

and if you want to add 88 keys and great piano sound to your T5 or PA3x, this is the way to go if you are on a budget... it comes with 6 sliders and 4 free assignable knobs..

For giggers, its only 22 pounds, with fully weighted action and aftertouch... want to play on the streets, its battery operated.. Want to archieve more professional setups, it has 4 keyboard splits..

its small its light and you can have it placed directly under your arranger and still reach and see all the controlls...

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Another story is ensoniq, its killed by a PC soundcard company, after their merger with EMU, creative labs bought the merged company, and killed all professional products...

I think that really is a shame...

Deane was he using Smf also....or?....
The Ensonic brings back memories.

I was intent on using my BK7M with my Privia 350. Bk7M sits perfectly on the end of the piano but I kept it on the second shelf of my keyboard stand. Did it for one job and then fell into the BK9. Now its s neat practice and backup set but I do miss the real piano feel of the Privia..

One thing I didnt like was the extra wires needed, especially those AC Adaptors.

Donny,
No SMF - just live playing - and pretty darn good too.

Deane

Thanx Dean...did you record any f it?

No recordings Donny.
Deane

Nice set up. LH bass , vocals and drum machine I assume?

My ears must be "hearing disabled!"

I went to SA and played, side by side, the Yamaha P-155, Casio Privia 350 and the Casio PX-5S.

To me, the Yamaha won hands down.....especially the key feel.......but a bit heavy!. Yet everyone is raving about the Casio's!

To be fair, it's not easy testing a piano in SA as there's always someone playing power chords on a guitar somewhere in the store.

QUESTION: You all still think the Casio's sound that good?
QUESTION: I thought the Privia 350 sounded better than the PX-5S. Your thoughts?

Mark

Casio sounds quite well, as does the Yamaha, i think its just a personall preference, i myself am not a big fan of Yamaha piano sounds...

The best stage pianosounds in the world are Nord Fazioli, Roland V-piano and Kawaii MP11.... But nothing beats pianoteq.. If you want/need the best piano sounds on the world, a simple laptop running Pianoteq blows everyone away...

Yes, I heard a fellow playing a Nord at one of the Festivals. I did notice how real it sounded......very impressed

Now that you mentioned this Pianoteq, I have the feeling I'm going to end up with an 88 note MIDI controller keyboard using either a laptop or hardware for my piano sounds.

I've always played acoustic so the keyboard feel is real important to me.

Mark

ou definately should get your hands on the Kawai VPC1, its designed to play computersounds, and has the touch of a real grand piano..... it however has no buttons, or knobs or wheels...just 88 piano keys, all black and white

There is also the Kawaii MP11, which comes with some great sounds, master keyboard funtionallity and has the same keybed action as the VPC1..


You should definately try them out before buying anything else...

I went into "heat" when I first read this, and then I went into menopause when I saw the weight.......65 lbs!

Kawai specs

Great idea though....I really have difficulty playing those "plastic" keys on most keyboards.

Mark