Computer
Macbook Pro – Quad Core i7, 16gb RAM, 1tb ssd hard drive, 500gb ssd hard drive
Software
Mainstage, Omnisphere, Keyscape, Komplete, Addictive Keys, Valhalla Shimmer, Vintage Verb, the Output Collection, Soundtoys.
Keyboards
Yamaha S90 and Novation Launchkey 61
Moog Little Phatty Stage II or Juno 60 (often with Strymon Big Sky or Lunar Echo)
Additional Gear
Radial JD6 DIs (Jensen equipped), DMB Pedals Stereo A/B Switch, iConnectivity playAUDIO12, 1964 A12 in-ear monitors
Details
Mainstage 3 is the brain of everything in my rig. Nearly every sound and effect that I send to FOH is from the laptop. Mainstage provides great features that set me up for an excellent and (hopefully) flawless performance. On faster songs I like to use chord triggers, arps, and lots of layering to make sure the sounds are punchy and powerful. Sometimes I even like to disable some unused notes to help leads stay super clean. Basically I’m eliminating mistakes before I even get on stage! Now, I don’t always like to be so pre-programmed on every song. Particularly on dynamic songs it’s nice to be able to slow or add momentum by changing voicings and rhythms. In those situations pre-programming becomes too confining. To access the laptop during the set I use faders, knobs, and pads on the Launchkey to control filters, trigger effects, fade volumes, switch from one patch/song to the next, and so on. The rig is set up so that I should never have to touch the computer. In the midst of a fast transition, laptop keys are just too small to hit accurately.
I also have a backup setup plugged in. Even though Mainstage is very stable, it can still crash. So, I use a DMB Stereo A/B Switch to always keep the sounds from S90 close by. With that pedal I can switch from the computer’s sounds to the keyboard’s internal sounds with one button. That way if the computer does crash, I can keep playing. I highly recommend having a similar backup patched in for those moments. I’ve found it very valuable in some high stakes moments.
In addition to software, I use a Moog or Juno as additional flavor. A Juno through a Strymon Big Sky is a magical combination, and the Moog is an unbeatable bass synth. Sometimes it’s nice to depart from my pre-programmed patches in the computer and just tweak on a sound live in the moment.
Altogether, I send 5 channels to FOH: Keys 1 (stereo), Keys 2 (stereo), and the Moog (mono). Keys 1 is where I send leads and pianos, and Keys 2 contains mostly pads and synth chords.
If you’d like to chat more about the details of my keyboard setup, feel free to reach out!