The Gear I Use And Why
Setting up a live rig takes a little bit of thought. It’s not the most difficult thing to do once you understand the parts of a live rig set up. I’ve written more about the elements of a live set up on this post, but today I am going to walk you through my live set up, and give you some insight to why I use what I do.
The top three things I look for in gear are:
- Great software (to customize settings)
- Great feel (because you should love what you play)
- Durability. Invest once. Use for a long time.
Everything I use in my live set up fit these criteria first. Everything else is icing on the cake.
My Live Rig Keyboard
I use the Keylab 88 as a part of my live rig.
Arturia KeyLab 88 MIDI/USB Hammer-Action Hybrid Keyboard Controller
Here’s why I love this Keyboard:
- It’s really lightweight
- It has some built-in knobs and faders and pads
- Is totally powered by USB
- it has Fatar keybeds, which feel amazing to play
- It’s held up really well over the last 7 years
I mean, what else could you really ask for in a keyboard?
My Controller
I use the Novation Launch Control XL.
It’s got a great feel, which is one of my three pillars of great gear.
The software allows me to customize all my buttons.
This is particularly important for a controller because I prefer to use only midi CCs to control parameters, leaving my notes to play actual notes.
My Interface
I use the Safire Pro 24. I love this interface and it’s really grown with me on my journey.
When I first bought it, I wanted multiple outputs and good preamps for recording.
The Saffire pro 24 checked all these boxes for me.
What I wasn’t totally aware of was how amazing the software was that came with it. It allows you to route audio to different outputs, and even send audio between programs.
You can (very loosely) use the software as a “mixer” apart from your DAW.
My Monitors
I use the Yamaha HS 5 Monitors for when I am working at home.
Yamaha HS5 Powered Studio Monitor
They aren’t the highest quality monitors but they do give me a pretty clear idea of the sound I am making, and haven’t let me down yet when moving from my home studio to a performance.
At The End Of The Day…
You don’t need the best gear…
Or the most expensive gear.
Really, it’s just important to cover all your bases and learn to use what you have really well.
Chances are, you probably already have most of what you need. But if you are looking to expand what you use, these are some places I think are good to start.
What To Do Now?
Re-evaluate you set up. Is there something that you could be taking more advantage of? Is there something that is excess and is more distracting than helpful.
Can you identify a part of your set up that is lacking, or could be improved?
Take some small action towards correcting these things. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to get a new piece of gear, but it could. It might mean thinking about some creative ways to maximize what you already have.
Make sure you are plugging into the Live Keyboardist community by grabbing a copy of the Quick Synth Map.The Quick Synth Map