Keys!! Keys!! Keys!! 🎹 - My live & recording setups over the years
I love performing live. The atmosphere, the energy, the rawness and the unpredictability.
It's a high.
It's meditative!
Being a keyboard player is though. A lot rests on your shoulders (literally, with all those heavy flight cases to carry).
I've always tried to figure out the best way to enhance the sound of the band and make my rig as efficient as possible (considering the financial condition at that point of time).
This is how my rehearsals used to look like in college!
From this humble Casio keyboard, I graduated to a Yamaha i425 (of which I have no pictures of or can't find them atm) and then the Korg m50.
This baby served me for many years!
As the band's song arrangements became more and more complex, I had to adapt to playing all the parts that we wanted in the song.
So a second keyboard got added to the rig.
The m-audio Axiom pro 49.
But it became increasingly difficult to carry two big keyboards, a double-stand and all the pedals. The Axiom pro is only 49 keys but it's really heavy. So I switched it for the Novation SL MK II.
Now comes my main switch. I had been using all hardware synths till now. The Korg m50 has good sounds, but when it came to flexibility and the sheer number of options available in terms of sound banks, nothing beats a software rig with a laptop running your favourite vsts. Hence, I said goodbye to my Korg m50 (I still love you!) and a macbook pro 13 inch and a Korg MicroKey got added to the rig.
I was somehow unsatisfied with the keys action and velocity curves available with Novation SL MK II. Don't get me wrong, it's a great controller, but it's a personal choice. So I got the Novation Impluse 61, which is a model lower than the SL MK II but I love the action on this one. I had both of them for some time.
In fact, this was the time I had the maximum number of keyboards with me!
The digital Piano is a simple Casio CDP-120 I use for home practice.
And I also got the custom keyboard stand made from a guy in Mumbai. With the laptop holder and all.
This one was taken on top of a building right next to Dadar railway station in Mumbai when we performed for Balcony TV.
Check out the Balcony TV performance:
And then finally, the picture you saw at the top, where I used 3 keyboards for a gig. The Novation Impulse, The Korg Microkey and my Casio CDP-120 all connected to the newly obtained Macbook Pro 15 inch.
Here is one during the rehersals of that show:
Here's the performance. It was a collaboration with a German poet. We had 4 days of intense rehearsals and an insane show.
Check it out:
This is my current setup. Where I give 7 outs from my soundcard: Keys 1 stereo, Keys 2 Stereo, Backing tracks and click track.
Someday I would love to get the nerdiest setup I've seen by Billy Joel's keyboardist David Rosenthal. It's fucking insane!!!! Watch all 5 parts if it interests you:
Until then...
Dude, you're insanely talented and thanks for sharing your journey :)
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congrats bro, your post was selected to be featured in the ocd 22
A nice little rig you have set up here @hardikv
I think it is so cool that you are doing live shows and you are probably killing it since I know Alif is great!
Amazing to see what beautiful work you can make with this setup.
Keep up the great work and keep grinding!
Thank you so much @arckrai for your always thoughtful comments! ✨
Hello fellow recorder! I have upvoted you. Wondering if you could help me promote my off the grid recording project!
https://steemit.com/recording/@sequentialvibe/please-upvote-canadian-musician-seeking-steemit-community-funding-for-off-the-grid-solar-powered-recording
Fantastic, a lot of rhythm and style!
@hardikv
... now that's a studio! ;-)
wow!
Ofcouse studio setups are completely different. I was talking about my keyboard rigs here.
I love reading posts about people who's make live their lives with passion. That's very admirable, shows a great character. You didn't cave in to common rules like most of us do ( me included ) I wish you sir all the best!
Thank you so much! 🙏🏽✨
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Thank you @shrey 😄
Some amazing skills, glad you are on Steemit to showcase your talents. I really like the fact that the video was filmed on top of a building.
Thanks!
That video was fun. You can even see the local train in the background. 😁
Wow. this indeed alluring. The setup looks pretty cool. Great post. Cheers!!!
Amazing live performance! You guys have powerful voices!!! Good luck in your job! You will be famous!