Okay. So much for New Years Resolutions.

For starters, the PC88 has been acting up way too much lately for me to trust it in a live setting. The power outage issue is happening more and more frequently, to the point of shutting me down at a gig not that long ago. So, at home it stays until I can find a solid solution.

The Casio is a fun machine, but when I ran across the Yamaha SHS-10 on Craigslist one afternoon……it was all over. I picked it up later that night. So far, it’s the best $100 I’ve ever spent.

In other news, I’ve decided to relegate the rack to the home studio. I recently got the Korg MS2000 out of the shop, so it’s available for any vocoder work. And when I’m not using it, I have an older model M-Audio Fast Track USB interface which I use for the mic pre to get into Mainstage. It’s certainly lightened my load, though the barrage of USB cables is getting more cumbersome. I’ve wondered if it’s time to invest in a better quality USB hub to accommodate the 6 USB/MIDI inputs I have going into the MacBook.

An even more recent edition (bought it about 3 weeks ago) is the Korg NanoKey. Not sure exactly how I’ll use it, but it will certainly find it’s place into the live rig. It’s hard to pass up a MIDI controller for $50. For those of you not aware, the NanoKey is small (about 12” x 3.5”) USB controller keypad for use with your computer. It’s handy for plunking out simple melodies and things in Logic or Mainstage or whatever. This last gig I did, I routed the vocoder to it. It’s also handy for drums, bass lines, or other novelties or sound effects, when I don’t want to use of the other ‘boards for that sort of stuff.

I did also get the Kurzweil MicroPiano back from a friend of mine. It’s still out of commission, but I’d love to get it fixed. The JV-1010 is slowly growing one me (the pianos, anyway), but I’d love to find a place for the Micro. Also have the Juno 106 in the shop, but I haven’t secured the funds yet for it’s repair. I may be looking at a $200+ bill for that little project, so I’m in no big hurry.

Right now, the big fun is still in the SHS-10. MIDIed right into Mainstage, I’m finally mobile on stage – a true force to be reckoned with. Finally! After years of being relegated to a far corner of the stage, hopelessly chained behind a wall of technology, I’m FREE! Free to roam about, and annoy the crap out of everyone – the novelty of the keytar having worn off about 45 minutes after I brought it to rehearsal.

Now to buy a wireless MIDI transmitter…..