Fearful Symmetries Tech Specs

Fearful Symmetries – two keyboard musicians:

• SYNTHESIZER: performs on TOP and BOTTOM sampler keyboard registers
• SAMPLER: performs single sampler register only.

Two options:

OPTION #1:

1.) Kurzweil sampler version:

SYNTHESIZER MUSICIAN – Performs on TOP and BOTTOM keyboard registers

• 1 x (BOTTOM) Kurzweil K2500X (or K2600X/K2661X) 88-note keyboard version –  with minimum 16Mb sample RAM
• 1 x (TOP) 88-note master keyboard controller (Kurzweil PC88 or PC2X/PC3X recommended)
• 1 x keyboard combination amplifier (amp and speaker together) –  with 15 inch speaker driver, or larger. Roland KC-550 recommended.
• 1 x double-tier keyboard stand to hold TOP and BOTTOM keyboards.
• 1 x Iomega 100Mb (or 250Mb) external SCSI ZIP drive, with SCSI cable.
• 1 x audio volume pedal (Ernie Ball 6165 recommended)
• 1 x sustain pedal for Kurzweil sampler
• 4 x 15ft 1/4” jack cables to connect sampler to pedal, then onto combi amp
• Several AC power strips and AC extensions for samplers and combi amps

SAMPLER MUSICIAN

• 1 x Kurzweil K2500X (or K2600X/K2661X) 88-note keyboard version –  with minimum 8Mb sample RAM
• 1 x keyboard combination amplifier (amp and speaker together) –  with 15 inch speaker driver, or larger. Roland KC-550 recommended.
• 1 x single-tier keyboard stand
• 1 x audio volume pedal (Ernie Ball 6165 recommended)
• 1 x sustain pedal for Kurzweil sampler
• 4 x 15ft 1/4” jack cables to connect sampler to pedal, then onto combi amp
• Several AC power strips and AC extensions for samplers and combi amps

OPTION #2:

2.) Native Instruments Kontakt software sampler:

Please contact Boosey & Hawkes to obtain custom software

Kontakt MUST BE PURCHASED (approx $400 USD). Please visit http://www.native-instruments.com

Kontakt CANNOT be fully downloaded and purchased from the Native Instruments website, as most products now allow. It is NOT ready for immediate use. You must purchase the software, online or not, where the factory/distributor THEN ships you the software media (the sealed DVDs containing the serial numbers). The download version of Kontakt is the demo version which will only run for minutes, then quit. If you choose this method for performance please leave enough time to obtain the software via standard/express shipping methods.

If you use alternative software samplers, there are programs available to convert our Kontakt Multi/Instruments into one of several destination formats. One such program is CDXtract (http://www.cdxtract.com/) – available for Mac/PC, and for purchase –> approx $140 USD. Please note, there is no guarantee any translation program will convert perfectly. Possible issues experienced could be problems in loop times/directions, sample truncation, audio routing, etc… So, explore this option at your own risk.

Kontakt Equipment List:

We highly recommend obtaining a “sampler technician” for your production. This person can help setup and troubleshoot the electronic instrument environment.

• Full running Mac/PC version of Kontakt
• High-performance Mac/PC computer with ample memory and hard disk space. Slower computer systems will increase the chance of unwanted latency.
• High-performance, and multi-output, computer audio interface compatible with above computer system. Less quality interfaces will increase the chance of unwanted latency. Outputs 1+2 used for SYNTH, outputs 3+4 used for SAMPLER.
• High-performance, multi-port, MIDI interface compatible with above computer system. Less quality interfaces will increase the chance of unwanted latency. Port A for SYNTH, Port 3 for SAMPLER.
• For SYNTHESIZER Player: Two 88-note master keyboard controllers able to send program change and sustain pedal control. SYNTH “TOP” sends MIDI Channel 1, SYNTH “BOTTOM” sends MIDI Channel 2.
• For SAMPLER Player: One 88-note master keyboard controller able to send program change and sustain pedal control on MIDI Channel 3.
• One double-tier keyboard stand to hold the two SYNTH master controllers – TOP and BOTTOM; and one singe-tier keyboard stands to hold SAMPLER master controller.
• Two keyboard combination amplifiers – to amplify SYNTH and SAMPLER Kontakt patches.
• Two audio volume pedals (not CC pedal) to connect audio interface outputs to the respective keyboard combination amps. One pedal per musician.
• Two sustain pedals, one for each musician.
• All cables (MIDI, audio, AC power) to connect and power the above equipment.

Note, all Fearful Symmetries patches (and sustain pedal control) in Kontakt are assigned as follows:
SYNTH TOP patches/sustain on MIDI Channel 1, audio routes to audio interface outputs 1+2;
SYNTH BOTTOM patches/sustain on MIDI Channel 2, audio routes to audio interface outputs 1+2.
SAMPLER patches/sustain on MIDI Channel 3, audio routes to audio interface outputs 3+4.

Program your master controllers appropriately, as well as configure Kontakt’s mixer output to SYNTH = outs 1+2, SAMP = outs 3+4.

General Sound Reinforcement Notes:

Sampler players should not be amplified through main loudspeaker system. The sampler sound is to be amplified through the above recommended keyboard combination amplifier and should seem “acoustic” within the context of the orchestra.

Technical issues please contact Mark Grey, Sound Designer for John Adams: mhgrey@earthlink.net

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