Advice on equipment setup or usage

[groovy]

Greetings all!

I thoroughly enjoy the music, I first played the vid on u-tube, then I found the rest of them. I've enjoyed jazz all my life but you guys are fantastic!

OldGuy says it all, I'm getting back into gigging after a 30 year hiatus, but here's the thing.

I have a Hammond XK-3, a CME-UF8, and an MU-128 sound module, haven't replaced the Leslie yet, still playing through keyboard amps.

If possible/practical I would like to use the UF-8 for a lower keyboard when playing organ, but sometimes as a piano, or strings or brass in conjunction with the MU-128 sound module.

My dilema is understanding how to set this up using a common sense approach. Do I use the XK-3 for the controller and just use the UF-8 as a lower keyboard? or is there a way to set it up so I can call up those programs when I need them? There are times when I need the brass or strings or piano section and the Hammond as an organ at the same time.

Can this be accomplished?

I would sure appreciate some advice on the best way to do this.

Thanks

[Jim Alfredson]

Hi and welcome!

Not knowing too much about the CME UF8, I'm assuming it is a master controller. Does it have multiple MIDI outputs? Does it have "preset" buttons so you can change external sounds quickly? It probably does.

What I would do is take one of the MIDI outputs of the CME-UF8 into the XK3 and set the CME to output MIDI channel 2. Then I would set another MIDI output on the CME as MIDI channel 4 or 5 or whatever (something greater than 3) and have that hooked up to the MU-128. Then save presets on the CME that correspond to what you need: Preset 1 could be organ on the CME. Preset 2 could be a string sound from the MU-128, etc.

Now, if you want to play both organ and the MU-128 from the CME at the same time, that can get a little tricky, but still can be done. Basically you'd take a MIDI out from the CME, plug into the MIDI in on the MU-128, and then take the THRU from the MU-128 and go to the organ. Set the CME and MU-128 to channel 2. (I think you also have to change the XK-3 from "in1/in2" to MIDI 2 / MIDI 3 somewhere in the menu system... I don't recall exactly where right now but I could find out by hooking mine up if you need...) Now the XK3 "lower manual" and the MU-128 will sound together from the CME. If you need just organ, turn the volume down on the MU-128. If you need just the MU-128, push all lower manual drawbars in on the XK-3.

This is basically how I run my Motif Rack ES from the XK System, although I have it MIDI'd to the upper manual. But both the XK3 and the Motif are "on" depending on the preset I'm using, but I can just turn the Motif volume down if I don't want it playing at that moment. That's also why I keep the Motif Rack on top of the XK System, off to one side... so I can grab that volume knob when I need to.

Hope this helps!

[groovy]

Hi and welcome!

Not knowing too much about the CME UF8, I'm assuming it is a master controller. Does it have multiple MIDI outputs? Does it have "preset" buttons so you can change external sounds quickly? It probably does.

What I would do is take one of the MIDI outputs of the CME-UF8 into the XK3 and set the CME to output MIDI channel 2. Then I would set another MIDI output on the CME as MIDI channel 4 or 5 or whatever (something greater than 3) and have that hooked up to the MU-128. Then save presets on the CME that correspond to what you need: Preset 1 could be organ on the CME. Preset 2 could be a string sound from the MU-128, etc.

Now, if you want to play both organ and the MU-128 from the CME at the same time, that can get a little tricky, but still can be done. Basically you'd take a MIDI out from the CME, plug into the MIDI in on the MU-128, and then take the THRU from the MU-128 and go to the organ. Set the CME and MU-128 to channel 2. (I think you also have to change the XK-3 from "in1/in2" to MIDI 2 / MIDI 3 somewhere in the menu system... I don't recall exactly where right now but I could find out by hooking mine up if you need...) Now the XK3 "lower manual" and the MU-128 will sound together from the CME. If you need just organ, turn the volume down on the MU-128. If you need just the MU-128, push all lower manual drawbars in on the XK-3.

This is basically how I run my Motif Rack ES from the XK System, although I have it MIDI'd to the upper manual. But both the XK3 and the Motif are "on" depending on the preset I'm using, but I can just turn the Motif volume down if I don't want it playing at that moment. That's also why I keep the Motif Rack on top of the XK System, off to one side... so I can grab that volume knob when I need to.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the info but no, unfortunately the UF-8 has just 1 midi out. The owner's manual has a version of the english language that makes it rather difficult to decipher so making adjustments is rather experimental.

You have given me some ideas on using the two together and the volume thing might have to be the fix for now.

I don't have the lower manual of the XK system yet, but after playing an M-3 and being used to the upper and lower keyboards, playing with just one make me feel "naked" or cramped. Not to mention the limitations of the one keyboard.

I'll try your suggestions and see what I come up with and I'll let you know what happens just for archival sake.

Thanks again for the music and the ideas!