Hello
I was wondering if some of you can help me I am the proud owner of an xf 7 keyboard. I have been playing yamahas for awhile the es and the xs and I have used the keyboard to ocasionally hook it up to a tone module and play sounds from the tone module that has basically been the extent of my midi setup.

I would like to change directions with my setup and play out as a one man band setup and also to play samples and tracks from a laptop computer for a church worship team using a computer and ableton live

My question is how to set all this up to #1 record things at home and then #2 play them out live. As stated before I don’t have alot of experience recording and then playing it back oput the computer.

Here are the pieces I have for this setup some of them may not work could you make suggestions if I need to change something

Sequencer and Playback will be through Ableton Live

Yamaha Motif Xf7 with 2 gb memory,

Muse Receptor Tone module plays VST software back like a tone module

Rolls RM65B mixer rackmount I space Each channel of the RM65b has a monitor send, FX send, bass and treble controls, and a volume slider. Each XLR input has a trim control on the rear panel.Features 6 XLR and 1/4 in. inputs

Tascam US-122 usb audio/midi interface 2 input, two output 24 bit audio interface with balanced inputs, input insets, 16 channel midi interface

Sonar v-studio 100 audio/ midi interface USB 2.0 audio interface 8in/6out 24/96khz, 2xlr mic preamps/ phantom, hi z input for guitar and bass, midi input and output, Sonar interface or physical controller for other software, digital mixer with 8 channel input, compressor and 3 band parametric equalizer for analog input, also has a wave recorder function

Yamaha AX-1 guitar midi keyboard controller to use with real guitar program

Laptop computer 1 Sager NP9280
17”, nVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M 1GB GDDR3
Intel® Core™ i7-950 Processor (3.06GHz) 8MB L3 Cache, 4.8 GT/sec QPI, LGA 1366, 12GB (3 SODIMMS) DDR3/1066 Triple Channel Memory

Foot controller for Ableton is the Soft Step Foot Controller

So basically in this setup I would use the Yamaha xf keyboard as my midi controller to play motif sounds sounds in the muse receptor all these can be saved as session arrangements in Ableton Live. I will use the foot controller to trigger commands with Ableton Live. I would like the Yamaha Ax 1 ketar to play back patches from real guitar software which I think can be used as a plugin in Ableton.

So I have two midi sources that need to plug in to the computer the xf and the ax1, I think also the soft step controls thru usb and midi. So how would I set this all up at home and on the stage

I know this has been a long post but I wanted to give you as much info to be able to help better
Thanks Ray

Don’t have anything really in the way of suggestions - but just needed to say that Yamaha does not make an AX1, wrong company.

You are asking to hire a consultant - some one that knows you and what you want to accomplish…

The statement: ‘As stated before I don’t have alot of experience recording and then playing it back oput the computer.’ might be scaring some folks off… as anyone who works with computers live will tell you - have a back up plan.

And if you have a Motif XF related question post it here.

raykman - 28 August 2011 05:18 PM

I would like to change directions with my setup and play out as a one man band setup and also to play samples and tracks from a laptop computer for a church worship team using a computer and ableton live

You are talking two different playing situations here. I’m unsure what type of music you will be performing as a one man band, but regarding playing at church; I’ve never seen a keyboard player triggering samples and/or audio tracks from a laptop with a worship team. I would imagine that would appear to be overly “showy,” or at the least, stepping on other musician’s toes. Most praise and worship music doesn’t require the amount of complexity you describe.

Next, keep in mind with a one mad band setup… depending on your audience and the music you will be playing, many people consider it “cheating” and won’t be very impressed if most of your sounds are generated by external devices and laptops. What venues will you be playing?

I’ve seen rare performances of solo keyboardists performing new age or electronic music, but they normally have 2-3 keyboards onstage and no laptops.

synthlogic - 30 August 2011 04:39 PM

raykman - 28 August 2011 05:18 PM

I would like to change directions with my setup and play out as a one man band setup and also to play samples and tracks from a laptop computer for a church worship team using a computer and ableton live

You are talking two different playing situations here. I’m unsure what type of music you will be performing as a one man band, but regarding playing at church; I’ve never seen a keyboard player triggering samples and/or audio tracks from a laptop with a worship team. I would imagine that would appear to be overly “showy,” or at the least, stepping on other musician’s toes. Most praise and worship music doesn’t require the amount of complexity you describe.

Next, keep in mind with a one mad band setup… depending on your audience and the music you will be playing, many people consider it “cheating” and won’t be very impressed if most of your sounds are generated by external devices and laptops. What venues will you be playing?

I’ve seen rare performances of solo keyboardists performing new age or electronic music, but they normally have 2-3 keyboards onstage and no laptops.

Really - never seen a laptop onstage with a worship band? I have..in fact when I’ve done worship gigs I’ve used one.

FYI, computer playback of audio tracks, along with click tracks for the drummer, is standard operating procedure on a majority of artist tours. All the r&b;, rap, and hip-hop artists use computer track playback (usually pro Tools, with two systems - the primary system, and a backup system).

The “cheating” idea is long gone - it left with Milli Vanilli, who in retrospect should have gotten their Grammy back.

“The “cheating” idea is long gone - it left with Milli Vanilli, who in retrospect should have gotten their Grammy back”

Well said. Agree 100 %

So true, (Best laugh of the day)… I guess they were just slightly ahead of their time! :-)

DavePolich - 30 August 2011 11:43 PM

Really - never seen a laptop onstage with a worship band? I have..in fact when I’ve done worship gigs I’ve used one.

Was that in addition to a main keyboard, or was the laptop used with a MIDI controller only? The majority of worship tunes require little more than piano, organ & strings, so a single keyboard can easily cover those bases.

DavePolich - 30 August 2011 11:43 PM

FYI, computer playback of audio tracks, along with click tracks for the drummer, is standard operating procedure on a majority of artist tours. All the r&b;, rap, and hip-hop artists use computer track playback (usually pro Tools, with two systems - the primary system, and a backup system).

Yes, I’m aware that large touring bands use computers onstage, but the original poster is referring to a one-man band situation… quite different in my opinion. Perhaps he may be performing in a coffeehouse environment where what he is describing would be viewed as “overkill.”

Perhaps “cheating” was a poor word choice, however, when I go to see a local band perform, I appreciate it if people are actually performing, not lip syncing or playing along with pristine backing tracks.

synthlogic - 31 August 2011 07:55 AM

DavePolich - 30 August 2011 11:43 PM

Really - never seen a laptop onstage with a worship band? I have..in fact when I’ve done worship gigs I’ve used one.

Was that in addition to a main keyboard, or was the laptop used with a MIDI controller only? The majority of worship tunes require little more than piano, organ & strings, so a single keyboard can easily cover those bases.

DavePolich - 30 August 2011 11:43 PM

FYI, computer playback of audio tracks, along with click tracks for the drummer, is standard operating procedure on a majority of artist tours. All the r&b;, rap, and hip-hop artists use computer track playback (usually pro Tools, with two systems - the primary system, and a backup system).

Yes, I’m aware that large touring bands use computers onstage, but the original poster is referring to a one-man band situation… quite different in my opinion. Perhaps he may be performing in a coffeehouse environment where what he is describing would be viewed as “overkill.”

Perhaps “cheating” was a poor word choice, however, when I go to see a local band perform, I appreciate it if people are actually performing, not lip syncing or playing along with pristine backing tracks.

To answer your first question - keyboard players onstage with a couple of
Motif XS keyboards and one of the keyboard players had a Mac laptop onstage next to his rig.

If I was doing a coffeehouse gig as a one-man band - I’d use a laptop, definitely.

Here’s the deal - if you are performing songs that have more parts than you can physically play, you either have the Motif sequencer play back
the additional parts, or you use a laptop to do that. There is no
difference to the audience which method you use. The advantage of the
laptop is that you can be playing back multiple audio tracks including
guitars and vocals (and brass section parts, which I personally always
play back as audio tracks).

The “audience” these days doesn’t know or care whether what they’re
hearing is 100% “live”.

DavePolich - 31 August 2011 12:11 PM

To answer your first question - keyboard players onstage with a couple of Motif XS keyboards and one of the keyboard players had a Mac laptop onstage next to his rig.

Thanks Dave. I’ve played with a few worship bands over the years with just one keyboard, or was joined by another player on piano.

DavePolich - 31 August 2011 12:11 PM

If I was doing a coffeehouse gig as a one-man band - I’d use a laptop, definitely.

Personal preference I guess. I know of someone that does solo coffeehouse gigs and just uses two keyboards with occasional sequencing and arpeggiator usage for rhythm and drums.

DavePolich - 31 August 2011 12:11 PM

if you are performing songs that have more parts than you can physically play, you either have the Motif sequencer play back the additional parts, or you use a laptop to do that.

It’s obviously more common than I realize. I just recall seeing a Moody Blues concert where they had two drummers and two keyboard players, a flutist, plus backup singers. I doubt there were backing tracks used, except for a few song intros from older albums that would difficult to play live.

DavePolich - 31 August 2011 12:11 PM

The “audience” these days doesn’t know or care whether what they’re hearing is 100% “live”.

Guess I’m in the minority. I still do.

:o)