Here’s the touring
rig I use with the
Yes tribute band
Going for the One
(myspace.com/goingfortheoneband).
Kurzweil SP88: I love how compact and lightweight this is for
an 88-key controller. The soft weighted action lets me play for
hours without fatigue, and the piano sounds great! I use it for all
piano parts.
Roland JV-80: I have the Vintage Keys expansion card installed.
I use it for stuff that isn’t a synth, piano, Hammond, or Mellotron,
like the harpsichord in “Siberian Khatru” and the pipe organ on
“Close to the Edge.”
Fatar 610: This ultra-lightweight controller sits nicely atop my
Hammond. I have it there to play synth lines in conjunction with
Hammond parts. “Heart of the Sunrise” is an excellent example.
It’s MIDI’ed to my . . .
Studio Electronics SE-1: I bought mine before the Voyager came
out and it’s still one of the best Moog clones I’ve heard. I use it for
secondary Moog stuff like the harmony on the famous “Roundabout”
line. I play the principle line on the Minimoog. Playing both
parts together sounds just like the record.
Minimoog Model D: What can I say
about this synth that hasn’t already been
said? I refinished mine using printer ink
and 12 coats of polyurethane for the
shine. It sounds great on “And You and
I” and “Close to the Edge.”
Hammond BV: When I
bought it, the cabinet was shot
and perfect for a chop. I
removed the pedals, preamp,
and vibrato scanner, which let
me cut the 400-pound beast down to 150. I added percussion
and tapped the main coil for the output. I built a plywood base,
which houses an Alesis 31-band EQ and Peavey Rage 100-watt
amp to power my Leslie.
Mellotron MIDI controller. This one-of-a-kind controller is an
exact replica of a Mellotron. The details are so good on this that
the top, front and back panels, and even the cheek blocks are
removable. It’s MIDI’ed to my E-mu Vintage Keys rack and my
Ensoniq ASR10 with the Mike Pinder samples.
Matt Riddle, Rochester, NY, via Facebook