My stuff incudes a Mojo organ and different modules for Rhodes and acoustic piano sounds.
During my gigs I use the Mojo upper manual for the organ sound and, if needed, the lower manual with one of my piano modules.
I am not very happy with the piano sounds (both electric and acoustic) - the modules play very well at home but toyish out of the mixer in live situations.
I have tried both iLectric Piano and iGrand Piano, but the results are the same, particularly with the iGrand.
Does anyone else use these apps for gigs? What are your impressions about them? Do you have any tip in order to make them sound more convincing?
Thanks and bye
Giovanni
iLectric and iGrand Pianos in a live situation
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 79 posts since 13 Apr, 2004 from Italy
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- KVRAF
- 1895 posts since 13 Oct, 2002
I haven't used any iOS instruments live yet but there's a few obvious things. Try listening to your pianos amplified through speakers at home in mono. A lot of the stuff that sounds great in headphones fails in mono and amplified.
You don't need to create space if you're already playing in a space; it'll just make your instrument less present so turn any reverb or delay processing off.
Effects like chorusing, phasing and flanging can sound great in stereo but in a live venue there's no guarantee that you'll be amplified in stereo correctly so adjust your processing to sound good in mono.
Then there's the instruments themselves: if the instruments are sampled in stereo (and I know iGrand is) you'll never be able to get a true mono mix out of the stereo outputs because of the crossfading of right to left of the samples. If you just use the right side, you'll lose the low end of the keyboard and vice versa. If you just mix L + R you'll likely experience phase cancellation problems. If this is the problem, then you need to look for another instrument that's sampled in mono.
You don't need to create space if you're already playing in a space; it'll just make your instrument less present so turn any reverb or delay processing off.
Effects like chorusing, phasing and flanging can sound great in stereo but in a live venue there's no guarantee that you'll be amplified in stereo correctly so adjust your processing to sound good in mono.
Then there's the instruments themselves: if the instruments are sampled in stereo (and I know iGrand is) you'll never be able to get a true mono mix out of the stereo outputs because of the crossfading of right to left of the samples. If you just use the right side, you'll lose the low end of the keyboard and vice versa. If you just mix L + R you'll likely experience phase cancellation problems. If this is the problem, then you need to look for another instrument that's sampled in mono.
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- KVRian
- 793 posts since 27 Oct, 2011 from Pacific Northwest
I use iGrand live quite a bit. Not being on the other side, I don't actually know what it sounds like out there. I get a monitor mix in my ear. But yes, when I hear the sound coming through the stage monitors, it does not sound nearly as pleasant as the sound in my ears. But I feel the same way when I use the Yamaha S90 or Rack XS piano sounds. Sound great in ear, but completely different in the stage monitors.
I get recordings back, too, and iGrand sounds great. But yeah, not sure how it actually sounds out in the congregation. I just trust front of house. I do find when others play the Yamaha S90 and I am out in the congregation, it sounds just fine.
The previous response about stereo/mono may be part of what you are hearing. We leave my mix as stereo. Have you ever used another piano sound that sounded good? Your speakers and EQ can also make a difference. I'm not sure using a speaker made for an organ will be good for other synth sounds.
I get recordings back, too, and iGrand sounds great. But yeah, not sure how it actually sounds out in the congregation. I just trust front of house. I do find when others play the Yamaha S90 and I am out in the congregation, it sounds just fine.
The previous response about stereo/mono may be part of what you are hearing. We leave my mix as stereo. Have you ever used another piano sound that sounded good? Your speakers and EQ can also make a difference. I'm not sure using a speaker made for an organ will be good for other synth sounds.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 79 posts since 13 Apr, 2004 from Italy
Breeze, iPlogger,
many thanks for your useful comments.
I use both the Mojo and the iGrand on two stereo inputs of the mixer, not in an organ ampli, and the Mojo sounds great; at home I don't use headphones, but two Yamaha monitors.
Maybe I have to work with the mixer EQ (usually I set it flat) and on the keyboard velocity curve.
I'll work on it during the week end and let you know the results.
Thanks again and bye
many thanks for your useful comments.
I use both the Mojo and the iGrand on two stereo inputs of the mixer, not in an organ ampli, and the Mojo sounds great; at home I don't use headphones, but two Yamaha monitors.
Maybe I have to work with the mixer EQ (usually I set it flat) and on the keyboard velocity curve.
I'll work on it during the week end and let you know the results.
Thanks again and bye
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- KVRian
- 1068 posts since 25 Jul, 2007 from Calgary
Definately turn off any reverb. Just not needed in a live venue unless the place has no reverb of its own.
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- KVRian
- 1068 posts since 25 Jul, 2007 from Calgary
Would also like to hear how Gospel Musician's iOS instruments sound live- it may be a good alternative.
