Hi,

I am a pretty proficient keyboards player (not classical piano!) and use a Roland RD700 and M-Audio Pro Keys 88SX. The problem is both of these are large and heavy, and I want to get a compact rehearsal rig together that I can just chuck in the car and be a bit more portable.

The Roland is ideal for me as I can layer up 4 sounds and just pick and choose what I want in each song via the 4 volume faders, and even mix them on the fly for different feels in verse/chorus etc...

I really miss this on the M-Audio as it only lets you mix in the second layer with respect to the main layer - i.e. you can't just switch to pad and loose the keys, if keys is the top layer!

So, I would like to replicate the Roland feel as much as possible.

I was thinking of something like the Alesis QX61 (http://www.alesis.com/qx61) as this has 8 assignable faders and rotaries, and partnering it up with something like a Yamaha Motif-Rack XS or a similar sound module.

So my questions (and please forgive my ignorance of midi etc...)

1) It looks like I can create a multi on the sound module and therefore have my keyboard commands trigger multiple sounds with individual control of volume/effects/timbre etc...?

2) Is this kind of setup going to allow me to use the Alesis faders to control volume of each voice (within a multi) on the sound module?

In reality I would probably only use up to 4 voices within a multi (and just recall different multi's when I need to), but it might also be nice to be able to utilise sound of the rotary controls too.

3) Can the Alesis controls easily be mapped via midi to parameters on the sound module?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

James

Why not just go for a Fantom X6, or if you can afford it, a Fantom G6? It does everything that you've asked, and you can pair that with your RD when you play the bigger gigs. Both of those Fantom's have buttons that you can use to trigger samples, touch-sensitive on the G6, and you can create layers far more quickly than with a rack module.

I'm not quite sure what you want to do actually (call it my morning brain...)

and let's start this by saying I've not taken a midi setup out live, I play in an entirely acoustic band, but have always owned synths

are you wanting not to take the RD and just opt for a 61 note controller setup, or do you want something to supplement the RD?

If it's the latter then I agree with the above - go with what you know. you can pick up X6 fantoms for a reasonable amount. From experience (mostly my photography experience), new gear needs to be learned inside out to rule out the possibility of "er... what button" moments.

however, from what you describe, this layer thing worries me.... how much polyphony are you left with?!! Roland patches, akin to most ROMpler patches consist of (in the case of Roland) up to four "partials" which gobble polyphony!

Would there not be better time saving ideas out there allowing max polyphony eg a MIDI footpedal thing for changing patches? Mind you, does the fantom series have "patch remain" - i can't remember now it's years since I had one!

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cheers, Rob

Edited by Rob R (14/07/12 09:33 AM)