SumOne

I might, but the key word though is 'buy' As I already have a Laptop with DAW and VSTs and don't want to spend alot. I used the midi keyboard with usb to laptop, then laptop headphone out to mixer/pa at rehearsal tonight and it worked fine, no noticeable sound issues. Probably not the most roadworthy solution, but it'll do for now and cost me about £150. I think the main thing now it to make sure it's reliable, so decent connectors/protection and making sure the Laptop is reliable (gig on Friday so I don't have long!). I need, Piano, Rhodes, Hammond, Clav, with some fx. If there is a module can do that without cosing a lot and connects easily to a midi keyboard and out to a mixer then I'll go for it. The Reface CP looks the best bet in my sort of price range, annoying it has mini keys otherwise I would've got just that, but could potentially use it paired with the midi keyboard for its keys. Pianobox might be good too. (And, I don't need the sounds, but do have my eye on the Behringer Mini D).

The M-Audio Oxygen Pro 49 arrived. Seems quite a solid and decent keyboard while being a fair bit smaller and lighter than my MPC Key 61. Knobs, sliders etc. are all good. Keys and pads are okay, not as good as the MPC Keys, but not bad. It worked straight away sending midi signals to my Laptop via USB, but I ran into the usual faff of drivers, settings, install/registrations etc (things that drove me to hardware) and for some reason it would not make a sound through Ableton or MPC Beats (but could see signals were being sent, so that's them/laptop rather than the keys), so I tried it out on Reaper and all is good. (Side note: Reaper is becoming my favorite DAW, it always just seems to make workflow better for me with reduced faff). And with the Laptop/headphones there isn't noticable latency. So my next step is how to get what I'm hearing through my headphones into the band mixer/PA. The simplest is Laptop 1/8" headphone out to a 1/4" line input to the mixer (which I'll try tonight at rehersal), but that seems a bit shoddy and could pick up noise. If I can go from one of the Laptop USB as an out to an interface and then from that via XLR to the mixer that would seem a bit sturdier and more professional.

What interfaces are y'all using for a live setup with a MIDI keyboard? As said above - typical connectors are probably not reliable enough for gigs, using things 1/8" headphones jack and USB extensions seems unreliable and a good way to get some sudden loud noises (or no noise) through a PA. Information online seems a bit thin on the ground. this video is pretty good, it recommends a Powered USB Hub (CalDigit), and Audio interface (eg. MOTU M4, Focusrite Scarlett). ........Trouble being that costs start creeping up, I'm selling an MPC Key 61 (for £800) as it seems overkill (in size, cost, features) for what I need for live stuff and I'm worried I'll damage it if I keep taking it to wekly rehearsals and pub gigs. A £150 midi keyboard seems like £650 savings, but if I also need £400 worth of interface stuff (and potentially an upgraded Laptop/Tablet) then the midi keyboard route starts to look less cost effective.

Thanks, that's a good idea. It is a Windows Laptop and can have separate user profiles.

Thanks @BigRedX and @BassTractor. I've ordered the M Audi Oxygen Pro 49 as it seemed to tick the right boxes. I would've gone for the Reface CP if it had full sized keys. (although still might at some point - have seen a few reviews where people connect it to a midi keyboard). If the Android tablet has too much latency I'll use my Laptop (issue being I use it for everything else - I'm not sure how much I'd trust it for live use as something always needs an update/restart/various notifications popping up etc.). I'll keep an eye out for an older iPad to use as a dedicated 'brain'.

I'm thinking of getting a midi keyboard - full size semi-weighted keys (probably M Audio Oxygen Pro 49), ideally to connect to my Android tablet for some simple stuff to play with a band live through a mixer/pa. I'm not sure if there is too much latency with Android though, and if interfaces like the Focusrite help reduce it.... if I need a decent Laptop or iPad and interface then the cost starts creeping up into electric piano territory. Anyone here using this sort of midi/android setup live and have recommendations? Edit: I am also interested in things like the Yamaha Reface and Microkorg XL, basically a cheapish but reliable synth that can do alright piano and rhodes sounds, annoyingly though they have small keys and I want full sized, but electric pianos tend to be massive/heavy and expensive. The M Audio 49 seems a decent half way point for portability and playability and price, but perhaps there are better options?

If I was mostly using it sat home, or if I played the sort of music that is performed live sat down then weight wouldn't really matter. In fact, heavy can be good to keep it steady, (and depending on who you listen to - tone and sustain advantages) . Personally though, I play ska/punk pub gigs where sitting down to play isn't really the done thing! So the lighter the better. I was quite spoilt by having a 3.4kg Ibanez EHB, now my 3.9kg Jazz feels quite big and heavy, I wouldn't want anything heavier.

Nice! It's annoying that Mooer seem to have given up on catering for Bass players, loads of Guitar amp/cabs but no Bass ones. I could live with that if the tuner worked on a 5 string Bass low B (but if it's the same software as the P2 then it won't), and if the Drives had a blend (from the manual, it seems they don't). Hopefully there will be an update to include Bass stuff, or a specific Bass version as it looks like a good bit of hardware, I like the battery option. The Zoom looks good: Small, battery powered option, tuner, only 2x effects at the same time but perhaps if they include a decent compressor and a drive with a lot of EQ options that would be enough. I can't tell if anything on it is designed for Bass though.

I just mentioned it elsewhere, but probably worth a mention here too: The Dubmatix Reggae shows are worth a listen. https://dubmatix.podbean.com/

I think it might have had it's day. You'd probably be better off on an internet funk and soul station that can reach global audiences (Something like: https://funky.radio/) or record shows and upload them to somewhere like soundcloud, or have a focus on specific artist/label with interviews/info each week and record it as a podcast series that you put on spotify. It doesn't take much home equipment nowadays, I used to do an electronic music internet radio show - just basically needed to hook up the decks and mic to the computer with a decent internet conncection, could see live chat and who/where were listening and interact. Right now, I'm listeing to a Reggae recorded radio show https://dubmatix.podbean.com/, he's also got it available on 40x various other internaet radio stations that schedule the show (sindication I guess). I don't know how many 100s of listeners that'd pick up via streaming, but there are >2,000 downloads from most of his weekly shows, so I guess the total of listeners per show is well into the 10,000's and global. Saying that though, I'd imagine that Hospital radio with the traditional radio station operating the desk, working live with audience participation etc. is still probably a good route to local radio and is a different experience than recording a show.

I had a 3.3kg Bass, so now anything too much more than that seems like unncecessary hard work and discomfort. Saying that though, I wouldn't mind having a 6kg Bass if it was one I only used at home and sitting down and the erganomics meant the weight was resting comfortably on my lap and the strap and I wasn't fighting it being un-balanced, it's sometimes quite good then to have a Bass that is well anchored. But I do 3hr rehearsals once a week, and 90min gigs every few weeks and they are all standing up so I would not want anything above about 4kg for that.

I think, as others have said - perhaps try some new songs that don't need keys, or don't need anything challenging on keys. Perhaps he'd end up prefering them if there is less to do or it means he can take a break in the set. And as far as him stopping playing for a few seconds, well, I don't know what high standards you set yourselves but in any band I've been in we're lucky if there isn't some sort of mistake by someone in almost every song! Only the most attentitve and nerdy of audience members (probably ones that play the same songs in their own bands) tend to notice, and when people do notice they don't tend to care - the sponteneity and risk of mistakes is partly why people want to see live music. I've seen plenty of big headline bands mess up songs enough to need to re-start them and it usually seems like the audience quite enjoy that falable human element to it. Personally, when I've got bored of a Band's setlist I've done some depping for the new challenge of learning a new setlist in a different genre.

That is a good idea.

Likewise, I'd be keen to hear gig experience of the G6. I need: Standard stuff like: Tuner/mute, compressor, EQ, Drive, while being tough/reliable - no unexpected freezing/restarts and with a decent/tough power supply/connector. (It'd be up against the toughness/reliability of my current pedalboard of Boss Compact pedals and an islolated power supply with kettle lead). 2x inputs and footswitch between them - I swop between two Basses with different volumens (currently using an LS-2). The B-6 seems to be one of the best multi-fx suited to this and is a big selling point to me over other multi-fx. Seperate XLR and 1/4" outputs - I am considering sending one signal quite a long distance via XLR to mixer/PA/IEMs (with Cab sim) and one to Amp/Cab (without Cab sim). And a 'nice to have' is a passable synth and envelope filter. If it does all that then I reckon it'll be on my shopping list - because what else ticks those boxes without spending >£900? .....perhaps other than individual pedals, which I think means my TU-3, BB-1X, ODB-3, LS-2, LMB-3, plus getting some sort of Amp/Cab sim pedal that splits the signal, and something like a C4....but that probably also adds up to about £900 combined.

Stems separation on the way: https://synthanatomy.com/2024/01/akai-pro-brings-stems-separation-to-its-mpc-hardware-and-software.html (sorry, if admins see this perhaps this thread is best being moved into the 'other instruments' section)

A bit off topic, but the Zoom B-6 is looking pretty good to me, there are a couple for sale on here for about £250. All effects/Amps etc are Bass specific 2x switchable inputs (So I could sell my LS-2 that I use for switching basses. My usual justification maths for multi-fx goes along the lines of - if it replaces enough individual pedals without losing functionality/sound quality it makes financial sense. Selling LS-2, TU-3, BB-1X, LMB-3 probably covers it without losing functionality) XLR DI with ground lift (no need for my DI box) Aux in and Bluetooth (Bluetooth is an extra £34 adapter though) Headphone out Drum loops Zoom tend to be alright for synth stuff Zoom things tend to be reliable (or they have been for me). Obviously that's not a pocket sized unit though! Still, for not much more ££ than the P2 it could do a decent all-in-one job for home practice, band rehersals, and probably has the connections/sounds/footswitches etc. I need for live stuff. The thing that always let's multi-fx down for me is when you need that decent envelope filter, or synth, or whatever else the unit doesn't do well you need the individual pedal - which then needs a power supply, and a pedalboard, and before long individual pedals start to take over again!

There are some new EHB colours (new to me anyway) https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/model/ehb/

What you get with the P2 though is touchscreen access to change presets, more effect blocks, and a tuner (that doesn't work on my open E), so to me that seemed to make it a better potential candidate for band practise sessions and possibly gigs - not having to change things via phone.....but yeah, now I'm not convinced it's worth the extra ££, especially as it is lacking the Bass specific stuff (which I assume, or hope, will come in an update). I think I might head back to a trusty Zoom B1- Four for home and band practise, and stick with individual pedals for gigs (until a shiny new multi-fx catches my eye!).

Sort of reluctantly, I'm going to return the P2 to Thomann while I can still get a full refund. It is a good bit of kit, but is quite expensive at £209 and isn't really better than the Nux Mighty Plug (that I already have) for home practise, and although I only have a simple pedal setup for live use it can't replace pedals like the LS-2 for switching between two basses, or a stompable tuner/mute (unless getting the bluetooth footswich - in which case cost and size starts to creep up and then it seems why not get a cheap multi fx with footswitches), so it would be an addition to my pedalboard rather than replacing it. It would be good as a pocket sized all-in-one pedalboard to take to band practise, but something like the Zoom B1 Four can do similar and save about £130 (allbeit a bit bigger, needing batteries/power supply, and no bluetooth to stream music). If I had a lot of spare ££ I'd keep it, but for me it just isn't adding enough to what I already have to justify keeping it. Hopefully updates give it some Bass Amp/Cabs (although I find Amp sims are basically EQ points and a tone/gain levels of drive - so can be done with EQ and Drive effects blocks, and Cabs can be added as IRs), better tuner reading of a open E, some access to the drum loops/metronome directly on the device, and a low battery warning.

A bit different to that though as I'd use IEMs to monitor, I'd either use the FRFR to beef up the PA (which is currently a bit weedy to also do Bass duties), or in place of a traditional backline Cab.

The Specials doing: long shot, liquidator, moonstomp.

Yes, I think that would be good, the current PA doesn't have a sub so that's probably best option for the band. Although potentially I'd like to personally get something like a RCF 932 that I could also use like a Bass cab when I dep for other bands (and I play keys, so it could work for that). As far as I can tell, I think it could possibly work well to cover Bass duities for the band (possibly not as good as a dedicated PA sub, or Bass Amp/Cab, but it'd probably do well enough for our usual pub/small hall type gigs), I'll have to look into the band mixer and outputs but I'm assuming we could keep the rest of the PA as it is, I get rid of my Amp/cab and go direct to the mixer but the Bass output (or a certain cutoff frequency) mostly goes to something like an RCF 932 that acts like a Bass Cab (but out front as part of the PA), then everyone has IEMs from the mixer so no need for any stage monitors. .........I'm not sure though, that sems quite complicated and I do quite like standing in front of a Cab with it flapping my trousers!

Yeah, that is potentially a bit of an issue. Hopefully it'd be fine as the rest of the band hear me and the drums okay without us going throught their IEMs, my fairly loud 212 Cab tends to be behind me and I'm lurking behind them with the drummer at the back. If I had IEMs with the same mix as them it would block out some of what I hear from the Cab, but I'm stood right in front of it so I suppose I'd still hear it well enough. Or I guess like you say - perhaps I could send a DI from my Amp to the mixer to add some Bass just for the IEMs (I'm not sure about the mixer and IEM system, but I think that's possible without the Bass signal also going out through the PA). It all gets a bit technical being a 7 piece and getting the sound right for us and the crowd.