My setup is not so much for playing live right now, but in my own personal studio (I’m still working out the bugs). For keys, I use a StudioLogic SL88 Studio (newer) and a Novation Impulse 61 (older), in conjunction with a Crumar/GM Lab D9X drawbar/controller (brand-new, which I just built from a kit).
For winds I have two setups: 1) I use a modified Akai EWI USB, and 2) I also use a Shadow 4001 transducer (on my sax mouthpiece) into a Sonuus i2M Musicport pitch-to-MIDI/USB converter/controller to trigger a trumpet VST. Both setups are further controlled by a Line6 FVB MKII pedalboard controller.
It’s interesting to hear others’ impressions of the A800. perfect it isn’t, but it does have some really good features. [quote]__* Transpose function: you need to dig few steps into the menu to change the value![/quote]
But surely you’d do this in Cantabile? I’ve never even looked for it!
[quote]__* Hold/expression bus is kinda cheap connector (you can wiggle the jack)[/quote]
Mine is actually fine; they’re solid. Could be worth checking inside?
[quote]__* Roland mod wheel is in the joystik, it’s ok, but I assigned an extra rotary for it, to keep the value sometimes[/quote]
Yep, I’d also prefer wheels in the main. Roland seem to believe in their bender, and it does have an advantage at times, but sprung mod isn’t always appropriate.
[quote]__* Connection panel to the right: it’s just to risky for me to accidentally hit it when moving.[/quote]
Agreed. For me this is the worst thing about these controllers. I’ve no idea why anyone would consider putting the connections hanging out on the right to be advantageous. Similar with some of the latter-day Moogs - I would never use Taurus 3 live!
[quote]__* Keybed is very good quality but the action is a bit short for me (or I’m to much used to my Samson)[/quote]
Also very much agree. I find the short keys can affect my ability to make clean fast runs.
But the controllers on the second virtual MIDI port are a significant advantage that I would miss greatly now. It’s almost made for Cantabile!
I’m interested what other controllers people are using that might have the advantages of the A800, and maybe fix its shortcomings?
I use a Yamaha MODX7 and a Kurzweil SP6. I’ve always loved Kurzweils to play, both for the feel of the keybed and for certain sounds. I used to use a Yamaha EX5 and a Kurzweil PC3x. The button pressing between songs and the weight of the PC3x eventually drove me to investigate other solutions.
For a while I used a Yamaha MOXF8 and a Keylab 61 with Cantabile hosting a variety of plugins. However, at a gig last year, having behaved flawlessly for the first set - you know what’s coming - I went to play the opening brass riff to Sledgehammer and … nothing. Not only nothing but no idea why not. So while the band filled in with some guitar rock I frantically rebooted the laptop (thanking my lucky stars I’d installed an SSD) and away we went for the rest of the gig. It froze twice more in subsequent rehearsals and I went cold on the whole idea.
So I sold the MOXF8 & the EX5 and bought the SP6 & the MODX7. The two together weigh less than the PC3x … aand Cantabile runs everything and has been stable ever since. Double plus good!!
I’ve got the MPK249 and MPK225. I had to add my own lithium grease to the mod wheel! (Squeaked like mad out of the box!) Looks simple to repair, at least.
I do miss the lights on the knobs, but that’s what I got the Behringer BCF2000 for, heck!
The rack does what Torsten dubbed as “abstracting” the controllers so they become easy to reassign via states to different uses. Make sure you read this article and perhaps some of those that follow it in that thread.
I again nominate this topic (abstract the controllers using racks) for an in depth video lesson If there is any way I can help I would be happy to do so.
Classic rock gigs I use Arturia Keylab 88 (for piano) and a Kronos 61.
Just hooked up with an 80’s/90’s cover band and using Akai Advance 61 and Samson Graphite 49 for that. It doesn’t break my back carrying those
If there is any way I can help I would be happy to do so.