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I got a new keytar as a gift yesterday. It's a MIDI controller only. I want to play this thing in band, but don't know what to connect it to. What's your favorite softsynth for playing live? Name presets, if you use them. Mostly classic rock. I prefer poly -- I can't keep myself from playing chords, even in lead lines. MacOS or maybe iPad.

Thank you.

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in reply to Kernel Bob

Francois Dion
Francois Dion
• •

not a soft synth, but would work well with a keytar: a Behringer Deepmind12D desktop module.

It is flexible enough to do pretty much any sound you would need. More reliable than software on a laptop and plenty of polyphony.

I use it alongside legendary synths like the Roland D50, Roland Super JX10 and Yamaha SY77 and it fits in.

#synthesizer #synthesizers #behringer #analog #midi #keyboard #keytar #music #synth

#Music #keyboard #synth #synthesizer #analog #synthesizers #midi #behringer #keytar

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Francois Dion
Francois Dion
• •
if you go down that path and need some help with it, let me know.

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Kernel Bob
Kernel Bob
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@f_dion Do you know whether the Deepmind works as a USB host? The Vortex's dongle is USB-A.
@Francois Dion

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Francois Dion
Francois Dion
• •
good question. I have an Arturia keystep that has usb, I'll try it and see if it works this way. Never tried before.

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Francois Dion
Francois Dion
• •

so... the Arturia has a microusb and the Deepmind has a type B. I don't have a cable for that. Not sure if it would work. Manual is vague, talks about pc, Mac and Android apps.

Are you sure the vortex doesn't have a standard midi out? There were a few versions. One even had an AIR synth built in (I have an alesis optical controller with AIR synth that is related) which rev do you have?

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Kernel Bob
Kernel Bob
• •

@f_dion USB is asymmetric. The "B" device is a peripheral and the "A" device is a host. Bs can't talk to Bs directly, and As can't talk to As. (USB OTG and USB-C change those rules.)

Anyway. the keytar is just a "Vortex Wireless 2". It does have a 5 pin DIN MIDI out port. So I could hook it up to any of my hardware synths. Hadn't really considered that.

@Francois Dion

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Kernel Bob
Kernel Bob
• •

Answering my own question a little: MainStage FTW.

If you don't know MainStage, you should. MainStage is a reskinning of Logic oriented toward performance. It strips out all the recording and track editing functionality and adds a simplified interface that just gives you live performance controls. Underneath, it's got all of Logic's instruments, FX, routing, etc., through the mixer strip interface.

🧵 1/

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Kernel Bob
Kernel Bob
• •

MainStage has an example "concert" for synths, which is meh, but it also has a concert called Alchemy, and all 25 of the patches there are entirely usable. They include the 80s Sync Lead that @robleaves suggested. (Thanks, Rob.)

Now I need to figure out how to tie the sampler in so I can use some acoustic piano and bass guitar samples.

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