Piano Chris Uses Live

[Malcolm-Edge]

I am wondering what the keyboard Chris and Jonny use live for Viva is? Chris also uses it for Lovers.

 

It has inverse keys. Thanks!

[chuck kottke]

Hmm. I've never even heard of 'inverse keys'! Debs might know - go strait to the source.

[Malcolm-Edge]

I'll ask when Coldplay.com is updated...its currently down for me.

 

The keys that are usually white are black and black are white... inverse. Nothing to do with sound....but that would be cool.

[chuck kottke]

:laugh3:Alright!! & Cool.:cool: Must be a bit of a mind-bender to play at first, though..

 

[mattaio26]

along with that, I'd like to know what instrument layering they do; i.e. piano and strings, piano, and.. I don't know what but that's what I'd like to know

[doritji]

chris painted the piano keys himself, I read/heard that somewhere. I'm almost 100 percent sure that the piano has regular keys.

[Tnspieler1012]

yeah, jools holland brought it up. It fits the whole 18th century theme because it looks like a harpsichord.

[bearcat1229]

The keyboard used is a Korg KONTROL49. I have verfied this many times...and it took me about 3 months of intense research to figure it out...and even then I only came by luck. I got one myself and painted it with inverse keys...but I will admit that is kind of stupid cause I'm sure I voided the warranty.

 

The concept is simple. It is not a musical "keyboard" at all. Instead it is a MIDI keyboard. This means that the actual keys do not produce any sound...rather they send messages to other sound modules (Sound boards, computer programs, rack units) which in turn produce the sound. The concept is somewhat complicated and takes a lot of studying to figure it all out. ( I spent a long time trying to understand it).

 

I am not sure what programs, rack units they use but basically the MIDI concept is what allows them to layer all the sounds, strings, piano, dulcimer, choir etc.

[Fixed]

There is a music shop in town that has a keyboard like the one you are after - the white keys are black, and vice versa. I can go and check out the exact model if you want?

[acade365]

The keyboard used is a Korg KONTROL49. I have verfied this many times...and it took me about 3 months of intense research to figure it out...and even then I only came by luck. I got one myself and painted it with inverse keys...but I will admit that is kind of stupid cause I'm sure I voided the warranty.

 

The concept is simple. It is not a musical "keyboard" at all. Instead it is a MIDI keyboard. This means that the actual keys do not produce any sound...rather they send messages to other sound modules (Sound boards, computer programs, rack units) which in turn produce the sound. The concept is somewhat complicated and takes a lot of studying to figure it all out. ( I spent a long time trying to understand it).

 

I am not sure what programs, rack units they use but basically the MIDI concept is what allows them to layer all the sounds, strings, piano, dulcimer, choir etc.

 

:D

 

anyway, nice explanation.

[gmalool]

I always was wondering how it went from piano to organ for songs like fix you.

[mattaio26]

I've seen on some keyboards, there is a button that can switch simply and quickly between piano and organs.

[Malcolm-Edge]

Its MIDI. I get how its simple yet complicated. I am likely going to buy a Controller and set-up some MIDI software on my laptop.

 

Thanks for the model. You obviously dont know his MIDI set up though eh?

[bearcat1229]

Its MIDI. I get how its simple yet complicated. I am likely going to buy a Controller and set-up some MIDI software on my laptop.

 

Thanks for the model. You obviously dont know his MIDI set up though eh?

 

Yeah...I don't know the specifics...just the controller they use because that is what I could physically see. If I had to guess they may use REASON 4.0 because it is very compatible with the KONTROL49. Their use is very basic. The KONTROL49 has 8 slider and 8 rotary encoders that can all be assigned to different functions.

 

With MIDI...before you buy a keyboard you need to understand things such as Attack, decay, sustain, release, waveforms, and effects at minimum before you should even figure out which keyboard you will buy. I will recommend the Korg KONTROL but if you budget is tight there are probably a few models that can do a good job of what you need for less the price.

[bearcat1229]

:D

 

anyway, nice explanation.

 

haha...ok you get me. IT is "simple" yet "complicated". I mean this in the way that Coldplay uses it is basic, but it gets "complicated" when you look at the people like Jon Hopkins uses it. It all depends on what you want to do but if you want to do "simple" stuff like Coldplay does you might be able to find a lot cheaper controller that will do what you need.

 

Now...If you understand synths, monophony, polyphony, digital, analog, waveforms etc...you might save up for a KONTROL49...but if all your looking for is to layer 2-3 sounds...you can get by cheaper.

[bearcat1229]

I always was wondering how it went from piano to organ for songs like fix you.

 

yeah...and he does it on his GT-20 which looks like a full"piano". It plays like a piano and looks like an acoustic piano but is actually a MIDI as well. Now... the MIDI on the GT-20 is very basic and can only sample a couple different sounds i.e. piano and organ, harpsicord maybe as well...for the more advanced functions he would use that blue keyboard (KORG KONTROL49).

[Malcolm-Edge]

I get a lot of the basic MIDI. I get how the waveforms and what not work. I have actually wanted to build a MIDI guitar pedal for fun.

 

MIDI is great cause you can get a lot of the Viva la Vida or death and all his friends, sounds. Like the hammer piano in Lovers(which is why he uses the controller) the instrument for LiT (ii). Plus so many synth modes....oh so fun!

 

Im looking to buy a more advanced system as i have a good slush fund set aside for my music stuff. And hopefully a new guitar in March too. I would have it all now if I hadnt taken up an expensive hobby in photography.

[Malcolm-Edge]

Hey you seem to know your stuff.

 

I recently got Adobe Audition 3.0 and would like to know how to add and use VSTi and MIDI. Do I need a controller? I have a Line 6 POD(teachers) which has MIDI support.

 

I was just wondering if you could give em some basic user stuff for Audition. Thanks

[Fixed]

Are dulcimers cheap?

 

EDIT: Google says they aren't.

 

Sorry, I forgot to check the model of that keyboard I mentioned. I'll try and look tomorrow...

[bearcat1229]

Are dulcimers cheap?

 

EDIT: Google says they aren't.

 

Sorry, I forgot to check the model of that keyboard I mentioned. I'll try and look tomorrow...

 

Haha, no, they wouldn't be cheap. Good news though is just about any keyboard (low to high level) will have this sound programmed in. The sound is basically similar to a harpsicord.

[bearcat1229]

Hey you seem to know your stuff.

 

I recently got Adobe Audition 3.0 and would like to know how to add and use VSTi and MIDI. Do I need a controller? I have a Line 6 POD(teachers) which has MIDI support.

 

I was just wondering if you could give em some basic user stuff for Audition. Thanks

 

Never worked with Adobe Audtion 3.0. From what it looks like it is a multi-track recorder. The VSTi and MIDI are seperate functions. The best all encompassing effects and "virtual intruments" (VST is simply Steinberg's deffination of virtual intrstument) is REASON 4.0. Get this and you will never run out of fun. There are plenty of other Virtual Instruments though. Korg has many modeled syths via VST software. In fact...Wikipedia "VST" and at the bottom there are a few links to free VSTs.

 

Now your Adobe Audition is something seperate. If you want to record your VST's you would do it with that...but the program itself doesn't produce any sound. YES you will need a controller. The size and kind you get will depend on what you want. Are you layering sounds via chords? or you gonna do some crazy polyphonic synth modeling? M-audio makes very simple basic and cheap controllers that have always had good praise. On a higher end there are models like the KONTROL49 or the Akai MPK49...these are both high end controllers that are assignable and can do quite a bit. Whatever you go with make sure you have atleast 37 keys...25 gets a little small to play. (also make sure you get one with a MIDI OUT/THRU/IN and a seperate USB conection as well).

 

You do not need to run your POD6 through your computer. Just run MIDI out from your controller to your POD IN (or the other way around...I can never remember...). When you decide exactly what software you are going to use let me know I will try to help you configure it all. It isn't an exact science it is actually more of an "art"...haha.

 

One last thing. What computer do you have? I have a Sony VAIO with factory soundcard. It always seemed like there was a delay from when I pushed the keys to sound being produced, even when I turned the attack to zero. Through some research I found that this is because I do not have a high end soundcard and should look into getting an ASIO soundcard, but I have not done this yet.