Welcome to “Tech Talk.” In this column, I'll interview techs from touring acts in order to get setup and application tips that you can apply to your own rigs. This time around, I spoke with Dave Hampton, who techs for Herbie Hancock, and Chicago, among others. Hampton regularly has the task of organizing complex systems of synthesizers, samplers, and controllers, so I thought it would be instructive to see how he handles multiple keyboard setups.

“When I build a system from the ground up, my goal is to build a rig that encompasses every aspect of what the keyboardist is trying to do — to capture all the textures that he or she might want,” Hampton says.

But what if you have a more modest rig — say a keyboard controller, an analog synth module, and a hardware sampler — and can't afford to bring a tech to every gig? According to Hampton, with a little planning and organization, you can have them all work as one — without a huge amount of hassle or a ton of extra gear.

In order to make your system work efficiently, Hampton says that you need to understand the signal flow. There are two types of signal that you must deal with: audio from each of the instruments in your rig, and MIDI that's used to control all of the modules from your controller. “I like to keep my power running down one side and my audio and MIDI going down the other,” Hampton says. “I also like to use shortened power cables to have more space for airflow and additional equipment.”

Many musicians bypass one of the best resources they have for taking control of their sound — the owner's manual. “Keep it simple,” Hampton says. “Read the manual for the things you want to do — learn how to patch map, change MIDI channels, and so on. You can branch out from there.”

These days, workstation-type keyboards often have powerful controller features such as multiple MIDI outputs and the ability to split into MIDI zones. But even if your keyboard is less well equipped from a controller standpoint, you can still use it effectively in that role with a little planning.

Hampton says that the main decision will be whether to use a MIDI switcher/patch bay such as the Digital Music Corp MX-8 or the JL Cooper MSB+ (both have been discontinued but are available used), or to daisy-chain the MIDI Out of your controller to the various MIDI devices using the MIDI Ins and Thrus of your slave modules. A switcher can be especially useful if you use more than one controller or if your arsenal includes some vintage synths. “In the early MIDI era, certain instruments would not transmit through the Thru port,” Hampton points out.

In order to save time onstage, he suggests creating a preset in the switcher for each song. The switcher configures all of the synths to go to the appropriate patch and recognize the correct controller. If you don't have a switcher, you can streamline onstage patch changes by using the patch-mapping features that are available in most modern MIDI modules. A patch map lets you select the appropriate preset in the receiving module, even if its MIDI program change number doesn't match that of the controller.

For audio, Hampton recommends using a rack-mounted line mixer and sending two to four channels of submixed keys to the house (see Fig. 1). If possible, he says, “put pianos, and synths on separate mixes. If you are using vintage gear such as real Rhodes or Clavinet, please take them separately. If cost is prohibitive, then submix and always have a box called the Hum Eliminator [manufactured by Ebtech] with you. This box helps you to get rid of unwanted line noise. Learn about how to ‘gain-stage’ your audio path from module to front-of-house.”

For a typical synth preset, Hampton generally prefers to leave the effects settings alone because they're “central to the sound of a lot of synthesizers.” If you're concerned that your effects won't work in a live situation, Hampton recommends creating two versions of each of the patches you plan to use live, one with, and one without.

Hampton suggests carrying a flashlight and multihead screwdriver to all gigs. “I also like to have my own direct boxes on hand — that way, there are no surprises at the gig.” He says that labeling or color coding all components and connections is also useful. The more you can do to keep your rig under your control, the better off you are.