Performing with Synthesizers

The month of May is passing fast. Memorial Day weekend is upon us! They say this weekend marks the unofficial start of summer. Speaking of summer, that is usually when I have a performance or two even if it is at a coffee house or open mic.

Currently my live rig consists of three synths: The Jupiter-50, JU-06 and the JD-Xi pictured below:

The Jupiter-50 has been my main stage synth for about 2 years. I have also recently incorporated the JU-06 and JD-Xi as secondary synths. I am currently using this synth set-up because it is compact and powerful.

The Jupiter-50 allows me to have 3 split layers and it runs my sequenced tracks as audio files via the USB song player function.

The Jupiter-50 has a large area on the right side of the panel that fits the JU-06 perfectly. The JU-06 is a synth modeled on my first synthesizer the Juno-106. It is close in sound to the Juno-106 and I can leave my old original in the studio while thing weighs a fraction of the real thing.

On top I have the JD-Xi. The JD-Xi is an auxiliary keyboard and I also use the sequencer function to play loops and sounds as I cue up patches on my other synths and prepare recorded sequenced tracks to be played. Between the JD-Xi and one of the split parts on the Jupiter-50 I use a lot of pads.

The stands that I prefer to use most on stage are the old Ultimate support Apex stands. I got my first Apex stand in 1992. I am still using the first one for live shows. In the past I would sometimes supplement my rig witha platform stand or an additional Apex stand.

PAST SYNTHESIZER SET-UPS

2014-2015

Jupiter-50 and JP-8000

2013

Jupiter-80

2009-2012

Fantom X-6, JP-8000 and AX-Synth

2007-2009

Juno-G

XP-10

2000-2002

CS-1X