Setup 2: Judith Haustein
(original artist accompaniment (jazz, electronica, world music, crazy stuff)
.
Okay, now it gets complicated!
The purpose of this setup is to be as flexible as possible, prepared for various situations and able to handle a lot.
The lower keyboard is solely for Rhodes, but can be replaced with a real Rhodes at any time in the scenarios “FX for the Rhodes from GP” and “Rhodes via programmable pedalboard and amp.”
Additionally, the song-specific effects for the vocals run through Gig Performer, but the signal is split beforehand, and only the pure FX signal comes from the computer. It’s important to note that these are not reverb and delay (apart from a shimmer), but rather distortions, harsh EQs (like a telephone effect).
This is clearly communicated in the song list for the FoH engineer and is played through at the most important points during the sound-check.
She also has a small master keyboard (Akai MPK Mini) that she can use to trigger samples (sometimes I don’t have enough hands free for that) and to adjust the vocal FX with a knob.
–
Hardware
-
Laptop: MacBook Pro M2 Pro, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD
-
Lower Key: Studiologic SL73 Studio with sustain connected to the laptop via USB.
-
Upper Key: Sequential Prophet 6 (local off with sustain) connected to the interface via 5-pin DIN MIDI in and out, audio out to the interface to use software effects for the synth; the internal effects aren’t great for reverb and delay.
-
Audio Interface: Interface: RME Fireface 802
-
Rack DI: Palmer PAN-16
-
Pedalboard:
- Strymon Compadre - compression and boost,
- Deco - tape saturation/distortion, chorus,
- Moebius - modulation effects,
- Timeline - delay,
- Big Sky - reverb.
Moebius, Timeline, and Big Sky are controlled via MIDI. The pedalboard can operate in mono (for the Twin Reverb) or stereo (for the Jazz Chorus). If the club or festival has a Rhodes with an amp (mono or stereo), I’m prepared for any situation!
The system runs at 48kHz and 96 samples.
Output latency is: 2ms, round-trip is: 3.6ms.
It runs perfectly, with CPU peaking at 38% load.
–
The Global rackspace
- Keyscape Rhodes MK I (with volume and mute)
- Kontakt with samples triggered by the singer (volume and mute)
- Inputs 1 & 2: Rhodes input in stereo, as it’s pre-amplified here via @Jenzz’s T&T TRamp, which has suitcase panning applied. (Volume and mute)
- Inputs 3 & 4: Prophet 6 (volume and mute)
- Input 9: Lead vocals (volume and mute)
- Input 10: Backing vocals (volume and mute)
For vocals, the volume controls function as sends and can be turned down, for example, for announcements. The controllers are located on the singer’s master keyboard (potentiometers for the separate sends).
The audio goes into each song-specific program for mixing and effects.
The finished program is returned in stereo to a global EQ, limiter, and fader before exiting the interface.
Samples (Outs 3 & 4) and vocal effects (Outs 5 & 6) are not processed; they only go through an emergency limiter. The click track goes to Out 8 for the two songs with longer, timed samples.
I generally keep the controls set to a maximum of -5dB, and the limiters hit the wall at -3dB. This way, the converters never clip; any distortion isn’t coming from my end, and the signals are still quite “hot.”
Rackspaces
The two buttons on the left switch between sample and real Rhodes sound; both then go through the same effects.
The rest is pretty self-explanatory.
–
Gig Performer Song Template
This is relatively simple now:
Prophet is initially set up on its own, and the Vocal FX are, by default, just an EQ. Delay and reverb for the Prophet. The Moebius, Timeline, and Big Sky blocks send program changes and clock signals in case I play the Rhodes via the pedal.
Fritzi
Here is the Prophet Master for a Kontakt Piano, triggering two samples on the lowest keys.
Alone By The Water
The Prophet is a lead for a solo, the Rhodes gets a shimmer effect, either via VST or Big Sky. The vocals have a subtle distortion.
–
Conclusion
Once you’ve thought everything through carefully, made lists, and worked through any potential problems, setting it up isn’t actually that difficult.
The initial planning took some time and was iterative. We had to discuss a lot beforehand, exchange samples, I needed her keyboard layout, and she knew which knobs she wanted the vocal effects on.
Then, of course, I needed her master tape to prepare everything and have it ready for rehearsals.
With a little practice, though, it became super easy.