Comments on: Building a Live Keyboard / Guitar Rig with Mac Mini http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/ est. 2000 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:22:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 by: Midi man (This is not my real name) http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1399 Sat, 11 Aug 2007 09:39:57 +0000 http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1399 Wow man that is a cool idea. I was thinking of doing something along similar lines if I had the money with a Macbook or some such. The way I am trying to pull my set up together I would have to make it so its light, sounds nice, runs on battery power and I colud busk with on a street corner with if I felt like it. I haven't pulled off any plans yet but maybe I can afford it someday after I've finished filling my own bedroom studio with gear. Wow man that is a cool idea. I was thinking of doing something along similar lines if I had the money with a Macbook or some such. The way I am trying to pull my set up together I would have to make it so its light, sounds nice, runs on battery power and I colud busk with on a street corner with if I felt like it. I haven’t pulled off any plans yet but maybe I can afford it someday after I’ve finished filling my own bedroom studio with gear.

]]> by: Christopher http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1274 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 13:31:27 +0000 http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1274 Thanks for the comment. Yeah, dealing with guitar rig and be a bit of pain. In fact, I used it mostly for cover shows where I needed many different tones and nothing too precise. For my own original music, I used VHT amps exclusively, so I definitely feel your pain. I've had two approaches that have worked decently. If you are running everything through a keyboard amp, then guitar rig will sound really scratchy and harsh. One thing you can do is throw an EQ and than a BBE sonic maximizer after the EQ. Use the EQ to tweak the shelving to your liking, using it as a final "analog" tweaker before you send it out to some speakers. The BBE sonic maximizer will help correct any phase problems. Another way I've gotten around this, is I've actually run both the keyboard setup and the guitar through a guitar amp and took off any cab modeling in guitar rig. This has had some pretty interesting results. I've also done direct to FOH and have spent a few minutes with the sound guy tweaking EQs to get it to sound a little better. Albeit, its not perfect and it certain won't match a VHT or the Marshall setup you have, but you can get it to sound decent. Again, it all depends on the application. I hope this helps at least a little bit. Thanks for the comment. Yeah, dealing with guitar rig and be a bit of pain. In fact, I used it mostly for cover shows where I needed many different tones and nothing too precise. For my own original music, I used VHT amps exclusively, so I definitely feel your pain.

I’ve had two approaches that have worked decently. If you are running everything through a keyboard amp, then guitar rig will sound really scratchy and harsh. One thing you can do is throw an EQ and than a BBE sonic maximizer after the EQ. Use the EQ to tweak the shelving to your liking, using it as a final “analog” tweaker before you send it out to some speakers. The BBE sonic maximizer will help correct any phase problems.

Another way I’ve gotten around this, is I’ve actually run both the keyboard setup and the guitar through a guitar amp and took off any cab modeling in guitar rig. This has had some pretty interesting results.

I’ve also done direct to FOH and have spent a few minutes with the sound guy tweaking EQs to get it to sound a little better. Albeit, its not perfect and it certain won’t match a VHT or the Marshall setup you have, but you can get it to sound decent. Again, it all depends on the application.

I hope this helps at least a little bit.

]]> by: dan http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1271 Sun, 15 Jul 2007 19:18:57 +0000 http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1271 Hey Christopher, killer setup! Quick question: I'm a guitarist/keyboardist too but am quite a guitar tone snob. I've run Guitar Rig 2 into FOH before and its sounds pretty crap to me. Is there a trick to getting it to sound bigger/better? esp. the distorion type tones? I've been running guitar into a Muse Receptor and into an old Marshall Superbass effects loopthen itno a mic'd cab and it sounds better than direct into FOH but not as good as just using the heads dist settings and scrapping Guitar Rig. Any revelations in improving Guitar Rigs sound for live? Am I just not tweaking the patches well enough? Is there something I'm missing to get it to sound pro? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Cheers, Dan Hey Christopher, killer setup! Quick question: I’m a guitarist/keyboardist too but am quite a guitar tone snob. I’ve run Guitar Rig 2 into FOH before and its sounds pretty crap to me. Is there a trick to getting it to sound bigger/better? esp. the distorion type tones? I’ve been running guitar into a Muse Receptor and into an old Marshall Superbass effects loopthen itno a mic’d cab and it sounds better than direct into FOH but not as good as just using the heads dist settings and scrapping Guitar Rig. Any revelations in improving Guitar Rigs sound for live? Am I just not tweaking the patches well enough? Is there something I’m missing to get it to sound pro?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Cheers, Dan

]]> by: Christopher http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1187 Thu, 17 May 2007 11:38:07 +0000 http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1187 Luke, I use Logic quite extensively. See this blog post here: http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/08/29/29/ Luke, I use Logic quite extensively. See this blog post here: http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/08/29/29/

]]> by: Luke http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1186 Wed, 16 May 2007 20:04:59 +0000 http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1186 I'd be curious to know what keyboard software you used. Esp if there are ones with signature sounds for your cover songs! Thanks I’d be curious to know what keyboard software you used. Esp if there are ones with signature sounds for your cover songs! Thanks

]]> by: Christopher http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1087 Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:30:28 +0000 http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1087 Unfortunately, I also had a guitar setup with an amp requirements. Carrying around a full rack of gear with an amp was a pain in the butt. Consolidating to this type of a setup was much easier for me. :) Unfortunately, I also had a guitar setup with an amp requirements. Carrying around a full rack of gear with an amp was a pain in the butt. Consolidating to this type of a setup was much easier for me. :)

]]> by: Steve http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1079 Tue, 27 Mar 2007 19:05:59 +0000 http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-1079 Still seems like a lot of gear to carry around. Is there any way to make it smaller? Maybe just a 1/2 rack sound module and a midi keyboard. Would that work for you? Still seems like a lot of gear to carry around. Is there any way to make it smaller? Maybe just a 1/2 rack sound module and a midi keyboard. Would that work for you?

]]> by: Drew http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-96 Wed, 12 Jul 2006 11:08:38 +0000 http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-96 Chris, I am in the process of building a keyboard rig in the same design as yours - I have a few questions for you if you don't mind. 1) How does the Mini handle the heat being in the form? I know the vents are at the bottom and the back so covering the top would probably be ok. 2) Any live performance issues or tips for setting up the Mini to run well for the show? 3) I am trying to decide between a touch and normal LCD for my system - seeing your process above do you think the touch screen is worth the money? I could see value for that for changing things without having to use a wireless mouse etc.. Here is what I am making: - Mac-Mini Duel Core Intel 1GB Ram - M-Audio 410 FW - P4 Monitoring System - Sure E5 In-ears - Power Rack I have a shallow rack so I can place it on my keyboard stand, but I am wondering if I should go with a bigger rack and set it somewhere else - still thinking about that one. Anyway, great article! I hope to hear from you soon. -Drew Chris,

I am in the process of building a keyboard rig in the same design as yours - I have a few questions for you if you don’t mind.

1) How does the Mini handle the heat being in the form? I know the vents are at the bottom and the back so covering the top would probably be ok.

2) Any live performance issues or tips for setting up the Mini to run well for the show?

3) I am trying to decide between a touch and normal LCD for my system - seeing your process above do you think the touch screen is worth the money? I could see value for that for changing things without having to use a wireless mouse etc..

Here is what I am making:
- Mac-Mini Duel Core Intel 1GB Ram
- M-Audio 410 FW
- P4 Monitoring System
- Sure E5 In-ears
- Power Rack

I have a shallow rack so I can place it on my keyboard stand, but I am wondering if I should go with a bigger rack and set it somewhere else - still thinking about that one.

Anyway, great article! I hope to hear from you soon.

-Drew

]]> by: Christopher http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-82 Fri, 23 Jun 2006 13:41:57 +0000 http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-82 Rimbaudjet: Yes, the LCD is VGA compatible. The smaller version that I used later on was S-Video compatible. Kevin: I chose the 12" Powermac because of CPU performance reasons. When I had initially started this setup back in late 2004, the 12" Powerbook was the fastest on the market in the smallest form factor. Rimbaudjet: Yes, the LCD is VGA compatible. The smaller version that I used later on was S-Video compatible.

Kevin: I chose the 12″ Powermac because of CPU performance reasons. When I had initially started this setup back in late 2004, the 12″ Powerbook was the fastest on the market in the smallest form factor.

]]> by: Christopher http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-81 Fri, 23 Jun 2006 13:39:28 +0000 http://www.heavyliftmusic.com/2005/05/29/18/#comment-81 The latency was down to something like 10-20ms. Its very small. I found that the audio latency of Logic can be reduced very low with sufficient memory. It does take a bit of getting used to playing the guitar with a bit of latency. I'm usually ahead of the beat slightly though so it helps me over here. The latency was down to something like 10-20ms. Its very small. I found that the audio latency of Logic can be reduced very low with sufficient memory. It does take a bit of getting used to playing the guitar with a bit of latency. I’m usually ahead of the beat slightly though so it helps me over here.

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