Keyboards need stereo inputs to board

[JustDavid]

Originally Posted by tbar0000

Actually he needs multiple keys to pull off the various duties he has- I'll give him that.

So what?

To my view, needing multiple keys is a side issue: the issue is needlessly chewing up so many channels.

As for too many duties, add one more to the list: keyboard-send level maintenance.

[MNAirHead]

I know this will sound deceitful.. have him run the cables.. plug them into an unused port - turn them off.. then run 3

Problem solved - he will not be able to run in stereo.

Tread lightly as good keyboard players are tough to find.

T.

[JustDavid]

Hmmm . . . I like it!

Or you could plug the 6 cables into a hidden sub-mixer, then one or 2 feeds to the main board.

[tbar0000]

Yes, the original subject was "stereo vs. mono for keyboards"- not should he have multiple keyboards- for whatever reason he needs multiple boards to accomplish his tasks. Can some people accomplish this on a single uber-keyboard... perhaps, but he feels the need to have multiple and does a fine job- so I don't have a problem with that.
Returning back to original thread subject...Is stereo necessary, or even noticeable with a band in a bar/club environment?

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Originally Posted by tbar0000

Returning back to original thread subject...Is stereo necessary, or even noticeable with a band in a bar/club environment?

Necessary? No IME.

Noticeable? Yes IME.

Noticeable especially if not in the sweet spot. You can try this by muting either channel with a heavy stereo flanger or chorus running, or if you have a delay, delay either FX channel by, say, 5-10 milliseconds and listen to the result.

Noticeable? Yes.

Pleasurable? Hell no.

If You want even more drastic results, try a stereo pitch shifter with above. With a slow shift it sounds like everyone in the band is out of tune, even if it's just the keys FX.

Regards
Sam

[JustDavid]

Tbar, I might have been the major source of the "sidebarring", but when I read

Originally Posted by tbar0000

The PA is only 16 channel and he's using 6 for just his instruments alone. I say stereo won't be noticable in a club/bar environment with 7 members all playing/singing.

I saw a problem larger than taking 3 too many channels: seemed like 5 too many channels to my view.

[DWBass]

Originally Posted by tbar0000

Yes, the original subject was "stereo vs. mono for keyboards"- not should he have multiple keyboards- for whatever reason he needs multiple boards to accomplish his tasks. Can some people accomplish this on a single uber-keyboard... perhaps, but he feels the need to have multiple and does a fine job- so I don't have a problem with that.
Returning back to original thread subject...Is stereo necessary, or even noticeable with a band in a bar/club environment?

Some keyboard patches HAVE to be in stereo and sound weird in mono. If he has to have his boards in stereo, simply tell him he needs to have his own sub mixer and then feed a stereo (2 channels) line to the PA. Simple!

[tbar0000]

JustDavid- I agree with you. If it were me playing keys- there would be only 1 channel used on the PA from a single keyboard- but I'm a techie and would use splits/patches etc to accomplish my tasks! He's the creative type, but definitely not a techie! and whatever works for him is going to have to do.
Thanks DWBass & Tbird for the stereo/mono input- I know the patches probably sound great in stereo when played alone, and in the listening sweet spot, but I wasn't aware that stereo patches really made a difference in a "band playing" environment. I kind of viewed it similiar to the "bass sounding great with scooped mids when played alone, and virtually unusable when in a band setting" scenario.