Patches and discussion for Ensoniq VFX family

Harry,

Wow, what an anthology of knowledge you are.  Thanks for the great
information.  That is quite a bit to
consider - but I certainly will.

I'm curious though.  You mentioned that your sequencer is programmed to send
changes to your lighting
system as well?  How is that accomplished?  I wasn't aware that lighting
systems had midi controls.  I've
only worked with Sun systems.  Oh perhaps you were talking about an audio
output into the lighting systems,
audio sync?  You must put on a pretty amazing, and certainly tight show.

Thanks for the things to look out for as well - great advice!  Thanks.

Michael

----- Original Message -----
From: "Harry" <ebbrecords@...>
To: <Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2004 5:42 PM
Subject: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Re: Sequencing at gigs


>
>
> The band I am in uses sequencing for every song that we play.  I am
> currently using a Roland XP-60 as the main sequencer onstage, and it
> works great.  Part of the reason I use the Roland, is for the feature
> of playing the sequence right off of the disk rather than loading it
> into memory for each song.
> The sequencer sends program changes to all the boards, efx
> processors, guitar processors and lighting for each song.  It really
> works well and I like the bigger sound that we have as a result.
> The only downside is having to stick to what is programmed for every
> song.  There is no extending of the songs or anything like that,
> unless it is planned and accomodated (by going back to a certain
> mesaure manually and going from there, or physically programming a
> longer version if the song).
> I have been in both kinds of bands, and for different reasons, like
> both scenarios.
>
>             The pluses of sequencing are as follows:
>
>
> 1. Absolute tempo and resolution for every song.
> This means that there is no more dragging or rushing during the song.
> This also means that each member must be able to follow a click track
> and be precise.  This will expose any weaknesses the band members
> have as far as timing goes.  This can also help them to be better
> musicians and singers because they are forced to lock to a tempo for
> the entire song.  I have noticed that in my own band, the guitar
> player and I are much tighter as a music section with following the
> sequencer.  We also have the freedom to move around in the song a
> little bit with our own instruments, because we know that the
> sequencer is taking care of all of the other parts.
>
> This also means that each member must really learn the song.  More
> practice individually makes for a very tight band.  If any of the
> members have not practiced, it will show.  Sometimes it will very
> very much and be very noticable.  This forces the band as a whole to
> be much tighter and together on the music, making for a cleaner
> sound.  Less mud in the mix makes the sound guys happy.
>
> 2. Programming of intricate little parts that generally can get
> missed during a live play.
> Do we curerntly miss the little horn parts because we are too busy
> comping the rhodes or piano parts?  Does it sound kind of empty
> during a guitar solo because the lead guitarist cannot comp the lead
> and backup parts at the same time?  Not a problem now.  You can
> program that backup guitar part and layer a couple of guitar sounds
> to make it sound real in the song.
>
> 3.Excellent sound (at least in my band's case....I sequence the drums
> too).  We do not have a drummer at present, and have decided to forge
> ahead as a 3-piece group.  I run double-duty as keyboardist and
> bassist.  On some songs, I play keyboards (which is my training for
> almost 30 years anyway), other songs I play bass guitar.  I simply
> program around the instrument that I am playing on any given song.
> Because of the fact that we do everything from sequencing, it allows
> me to mix the band and make us sound just like our demo.  This is
> very important to me.  Maybe it is my Recording Engineering training
> (or relentless pursuit of audio perfection), but I feel that clarity
> and presence is paramount.  It more accuately displays our
> musicianship and ability to meld as a group.  I can also add the
> right kind of reverb on a slow song to every instrument and make it
> sound totally in place.  We do not have the problem of everything
> else washed in reverb during a slow song and our drummer sounds like
> there is no verb at all on his kit.  All of this can be done with
> MIDI programming and it is great ....this leads into the next
> point....
> 4.Excellent control of external devices (providing you have them
> hooked up right)
> Extreme control over configuration.  This can be done in the studio
> environment and 'perfected'.  You can spend all the time you need in
> the studio laying down the exact bass line or backup string part to
> that song, and know that it will be there every time you play the
> sequence.  The perfect climax to the world's best love song will
> always be there in the programming.  You can have a perfect light
> show every gig because your light guy (your sequencer) will always be
> doing the right fader movements.  You guitar player will also always
> switch to his lush hall reverb with lots of chorus for his guitar
> solo, because the sequencer is doing it.
>
> 5.Because of sequencing, you can also get the almost duplicate sound
> that the original artist was using on the original recording.  My
> band does 'Hella Good' from No Doubt and it sounds frighteningly
> close to the original, because the sounds I use are almost identical
> to the original.  To me, that is very important.
>
>
>                 The Minuses of Sequencing are as follows:
>
> 1.The song will always be the same length every show, every time you
> play it.  There are no variations of the song unless it is
> programmed.  There is no spontenaety in the song, because it is rigid
> and pre-programmed.  Your 16 measure solo will always be 16 measures,
> unless you program a longer solo.  No spontaneous moments of keyboard
> glory during the sequence.
> 2.You have to have everything programmed and tested before going out
> onstage.  If you do not have the right lighting cues in the sequence,
> you hosed your light show.   The same applies to every other aspect.
> It will require lots of listening and testing before you take it
> out.  Once you get it out, it is pretty much guaranteed to work the
> same, every time.
> 3.You have to bring backups of your show.  Be prepared to have two
> backups of your show on floppy and one on CD-Rom for retrieval if the
> backups go bad.  The place you are gigging almost always has a
> computer there that you can grab the files and put them onto floppy.
> I always carry two copies of everything and a CD backup, for that
> very purpose.  I have never needed the backup copy for retrieval
> reasons, but do switch between the main and backup floppies for every
> show.  You will also have to make sure that all main copies, backup
> copies and archived copies are identical in every way. Any changes to
> any song at any time will require a backup copy to your computer, and
> the backup floppies.
> 4.If the sequencer goes down, you are hosed.  If your keyboard dies,
> and you do not have an indentically configured replacement, you are
> hosed.  This is my biggest fear.  I only have 1 Roland XP60 right now
> and if it dies, our show is toast.  Fortunately, I take impeccable
> care of my keyboards and know that they are in working order before I
> start the night.
> 5.If there is a power glitch and you are not protected with surge
> protection and line-conditioning, you could hose the sequencer, not
> to mention the rest of the gear.
> 6.If the sequencer stops for what ever reason, it is going to be very
> noticable.  So be creative in fixing the dead-air until you get the
> sequence started again.
>
> So there you go.  I am sure that there are many other things to add
> to both lists, but these are what I consider major issues.
>
> Thank you,
> Harry Ebbeson III
> Ebbeson Management Group
> www.geocities.com/ebbrecords
>
>
>
>
> --- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "Michael C Lesko"
> <MichaelL33@p...> wrote:
> > Hello all,
> >
> > Does anyone know the most common, more importantly reliable, way of
> > playing sequences out during gigs?  What I mean to say is I have an
> SD-1
> > with several tracks sequenced that I wish to also play out live.  My
> > question
> > is, is it best to play sequences directly from the keyboard or
> transfer them
> > to recordings?  I have lot's of experience playing, just not
> playing out.  I
> > have no idea on how sequences are handled on stage - and I know we
> > have some real pros here in this group.
> >
> > Any information would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!
> >
> > Michael
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>