What do U know about Ray's current Keyboard? The QS8.2 Alesis? Anybody own one?
What's your review on this keyboard?
Peace,
M-B

Here's a link to what Sweetwater, a music dealer has on the Alesis model you mentioned.
I've bought equipment from them over the phone and so far they've been good. No doubt others like Sam Ash and smaller outfits have this keyboard as well. The link at lease provides a starting point in the search for information on this instrument.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/QS82/

The Alesis is regarded as one of the best deals to be had in rom based synths. It's not the most feature packed and many of the programs beyond the organs and pianos leave something to be desired, but it's really a solid piece that is a great value for the price they're asking.

I've demoed the QS 6.2 extensively (the 61 key version of Ray's board) and I've decided to make it my next keyboard (I'll be buying a used 6.1 actually... same board). The organs and pianos are what I use most and the Alesis does them very well.

Robby's old keyboard player Steve Bach used an alesis (the 6.1).

Steve Bach sounded great live when I saw him with the RKB.

Yeah, I couldn't believe the price on that Alesis when I looked it up but, I mentioned it to a friend of mine who's a boutique high-end instrument purchaser and he said yeah, it's a great keyboard and value.

It really is a good instrument. A lot of people moan about Ray's sound, but honestly, ever since July of 04 when I saw the guys at Loopfest, he's had a perfectly good Vox sound that sounds fantastic live and really cuts through well (though sometimes he's mixed a little low)

The higher octaves come out thin on the soundboard recordings, but you have to keep in mind that the Vox didnt have 88 keys, so when Ray gets up and wails on the higher octaves- it's bound to come out thin. If you look at Ray's Alesis in photos, you'll see that he has a piece of red tape marking off the natural 49 keys that a VOX Conti. would have. So, he plays within that border, but when he really wants to make it scream, he slides up an extra octave or two and it's not a natural Vox sound, so it gets weak.

The Alesis rocks. Like I said, the pianos and organs are what it does best- especially when in stereo. When I get mine, I'll be sure to record some Doors clips.

Really good info AK. Sounds like you really know your stuff. So how does he play the bass parts now? Does he do that on the Alesis too? I know he used to play the vox with one hand and the fender rhodes with the other for keyboard bass...

Phil Chen is playing the bass parts. The Alesis is using a vintage keys card. All of the sounds are customized to have a special rhodes like bass on the low part of the keyboard, so if Ray wants to he can play some bass parts. They sounds are lined up on one bank and are numbered something like 1-10, so Ray can sequentially go through them with ease. They've definitely done some development on the keyboard since Ray first got it in 2002, I thought it sounded a lot better in 2005 at Antelope Valley.

I wonder what his reason is for not simply playing the classic vox. I know they aren't made anymore but they're certainly still out there...

Reliability and versatility are my two guesses.

Also, Ray plays with weighted keys now... the old Vox didn't have those.

Yes that is the reason. I bought a Gibson Organ a year ago and it hasn't let me down yet, (although it needs a new neon bulb for the repeater function heard on Waitin 4the Sun) but on the other hand, most of the Vox's that come up on Ebay are pretty ratty, that's the reason Ray stopped playing them in the first place on the road, they were too unreliable. Ray needs to check out the new Yamaha Motif Xs, as it has some new Vox sounds and is going to make the Alesis look like nothing.

[quote name='CosmicSun' date='Mar 18 2007, 08:16 AM' post='10869']
Really good info AK. Sounds like you really know your stuff. So how does he play the bass parts now?

he doesn't play bass but he does play some keys with his feet!

I looked at some prices for those Motif Xs. For most of us affordability is a consideration, so for that reason I would have to go with the Alesis over something that costs thousands of dollars. Would really prefer to find a Gibson G101, but they seem to be extremely hard to come by.

I'm a real noob when it comes to the keyboard. You say "The Alesis is using a vintage keys card." What does that mean? If I was to buy the Alesis keyboard shown on the above link, would it be reasonably similar to what Ray is using in ROTS? Or has his board been specifically modified to make the sound notably different than what I would be getting?

The gibsons are hard to come by,but they are out there floating around. You just have to be patient. I found this one for $500
2 weeks ago using Buy IT NOW on ebay. I drove 3 hours to pick it up,but it was worth it. Excellent shape and 100% working including the volume pedal. He wasn't looking to make money, just make space for other stuff. Very clean condition.