Dan Walker - A Tour of His 2019 Heart Keyboard Rig

[@jimmyfigueras4476]

I love that Heart's band members have always had a life supporting vibe, very friendly, which is very important for a band.

[@plecturaproductions5816]

Tha kn you for shouting out the techs they do a hard job everyday setting up to make sure the bands and artists have a great show 👏👏👏

[@pmadsea077]

Thanks for the tour Dan. I saw the show in Bangor. It’s the third time I’ve seen Heart and was impressed with what you brought to the band. I very much enjoyed Debbie when she was in the band but I must say that you have really expanded the role of the keys in the music of Heart. You are a fantastic musician. Thank you sir.

[@danwalker7199]

Thanks! Heart has had many great keyboardists over the years, and Deb's one of my favorites too. It's a real honor to step into this chair.

[@Marcus-ym2kg]

Love how that 3rd Eventide pedal has 2 modes: MAGIC and MORE MAGIC!

[@brianpetersen3429]

It's impressive how he (and his tech) handles all the complexity of these systems.

[@alannabucknell363]

This is so cool. Great to get to see all of this. Hats off to you Dan you're a great musician! I saw you with Ann on two of her solo tours and loved your contributions! Will be attending the first of three Heart shows next Sunday in Albuquerque, then Denver and Seattle. Really looking forward to it. So far the videos I've seen are incredible! Rawk on!

[@thanto575]

Impressive selections especially in the synth section. Amazing channel to dive in to see the hardware in action.

[@88Musk]

Dan that rig is awesome. Keep up the good work.

[@willissellars6304]

Wow Dan - wish this had been up before I saw the band at Walnut Creek/Coastal Music Park on August the 10th... It gives me an even greater appreciation for what you were doing up there. i was already impressed when I looked up and saw the Mini on top of your rig [it's been a while since those songs came out and, I'm old - I had to think about what you would be doing with it]. Thanks for the tour!

[@stephenlennartz3466]

Very cool! Thanks for posting. Honestly ... I hadn't heard too many glowing reviews of the Nord's organ sounds ... then you hit a few chords at about 2:00 and I was, "Whut!? ... sounds great!" ... and then the camera panned to reveal your secret weapon ... the Leslie! Sounds unbelievable. Very cool rig. Thanks again for sharing.

[@Kougeru]

Weird. Nord's organ sounds are the ONLY digital pianos I've heard positive reviews about

[@danwalker7199]

Yeah, I've found a real Leslie, or at least a Ventilator, to be the key to success for Nord organs. I hear the Nord Stage 3 and C2D have a much-improved internal Leslie sim. Haven't had a chance to audition in person.

[@AndrewColyerMusic]

I just saw you guys a couple of weeks ago at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in NY! I didn't know who Dan was - but I kept referring to him as "The Professor", because of his excellent look and vibe onstage. :-) I was checking out all of the keyboard rig gear he had onstage - what a GREAT rig!! And interesting - no MIDI, no laptop, no Mainstage. All authentic keyboards with SOUNDS. Also, nice to see another keyboard player using guitar pedalboards for all the pedals - I've been doing that for several years myself. Super great job, and thank you Dan, for all of the details of covering everything with the routing and the pedals! I'm wondering how long it takes the tech(s) to cart the gear and plug everything in before sound check. Lucky man - I'm sure Dan has one or two techs on tour, not doing all of that himself. :-) Dan and the entire Heart band did an AWESOME job, and they sounded ridiculously incredible. Catch the tour if you can! Oh, BTW - you should check out "3.2 featuring Robert Berry" North American tour this fall - performing Keith Emerson's last album before he passed away, and much, much more. :-) Thank you Keyboard Magazine online for this outstanding keyboard rig video!

[@danwalker7199]

Thanks Andrew! I know it's irrational - I use them all the time in the studio - but relying on laptops on stage live still gives me the heebie-jeebies. We've designed it all to be pretty streamlined to set up and tear down. It takes several hours of work for a combination of our touring guys and local stagehands to unload the trucks, get risers built, etc. Once that's all done, it takes Lindz about an hour and a half to actually build and wire up the keyboard rig. During the show, he stays with the drummer, so I'm mostly covering myself during the show, though I can always get his attention if something goes wrong I can't fix.

[@AndrewColyerMusic]

@@danwalker7199 - thanks for the thoughtful reply! You're doing a great job, and I can tell that - besides your playing - the amount of thought that went into creating the sounds for this rig demonstrates thousands of hours of expertise through trial and error. And real-world experience. Thank you so much! :-)

[@generalgrafx]

No MIDI? He just explained how he uses the CP300 as a controller for the Nord Stage 2 ...

[@BaymondRell]

Exactly, 5-pin din too I bet...nonetheless I get the drift of Andrew's comment...so glad I came up in the era of "just play the friggin' part"!

[@stan5585]

What a great rig Dan, thanks for sharing...

[@MarkGreenawalt]

Looking forward to seeing you in Arizona later this month. Anxious to hear what all that equipment sounds like. Thanks for sharing.

[@jstaczek]

So killer, DW!!

[@danwalker7199]

Hey Jason!

[@sheltonmusicllc8997]

Good Dude Stopped By our little Store in Shelton Wa. and bought a brand new shure sm58....

[@leonardograndoni4081]

The keyboard tech with d’addario t shirt! Best one!

[@evankeal]

Interesting that he uses the CP speakers to get vibration (and backup monitor system).

[@vanessajazp6341]

I have an old Clavinova stage piano with onboard speakers, and I can testify - it REALLY gives you that tactile sensation that brings you more into oneness with the keyboard.

[@simonetty]

Great gear, amazing approach... some reminiscences of That Pedal Show though...

[@marymistretta6906]

Very interesting!! ❤❤❤

[@user-JM1967]

Amazing!

[@vanessajazp6341]

When the camera pans over the Moog Mini D reissue ... :D !

[@rg2027x]

yes.. *!* 😺

[@Zwopper]

Brian Possein on the keys! 😎

[@rwolfy2004]

Brian Posehn is the name

[@JornLavoll]

i think the cameraperson wants him to play "blinded by the light"?

[@misdisoerodimedjo3845]

Impressive!

[@tommymandel3326]

Yamaha CP300! A classic. Hi to A & N. Also Marcene Petersen if she's still on the tour :)

[@rolandgerard6064]

Yes a classic, i ‘ve got mine for years now, a remainder...

[@tonewheeler1]

And...Roland his keyboard tech, the important part of the chain! Nice rig!

[@normasnockers323]

Man! Thank god im a guitarist!

[@saladdays180s9]

I want looking for an electric piano two years ago for my wife. Im a synth guy and reasonably figured she could merely play one of the piano sounds on my Korg Oasys. Understanding though, that she'd probably prefer a standalone unit I started looking at reviews. Like any quality instrument, you can spend quite a bit of money if you want. I didn't want to go too cheap as my ears loathe the sound of the kinda tinny and bright timbre of many of the units I'd check out. They still just sounded too artificial in some way. I started to see a pattern forming in many reviews that I'd peruse. They all seemed to mention the Yamaha CP300 as having the soul of a real piano, and that even subsequent models byYamaha were not as good in the opinions of many those that were very discerning. I came across one at a music store that dealt in used gear. It sounded great, and the vibration of those goofy speakers at the ends somehow added a dimension that not even other models also featuring speakers at the ends seemed to impart. It is one of those rare pieces of musical magic that somehow makes the horribly inaccurate, but amazing Roland TR-808 sound so awesome, or a Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer creamy and so full of expression, and of course the sound of the Minimoog so iconic. also mentioned by another poster. I purchased it for $900, and it is worth every penny, and built like a tank.

[@williamb2845]

So, you have to know the keyboard parts AND know how it all hooks up. I guess that's what makes a professional!

[@WarrenPostma]

Mr Walker is a real pro. I like that he doesn't have mainstage and two of everything because he believes his Nord will make it through a show. And it will.

[@danwalker7199]

I always have a spare Nord on the truck, and a Sub37 to switch in for the Minimoog in a pinch... but I've never needed them.

[@WarrenPostma]

@@danwalker7199 And I hope you never do! This was an awesome rig rundown.

[@WalyB01]

are those 3 eventide h9 below a mini moog, holy hell

[@lyncboy]

EVERY WED. YOU ARE INVITED TO THE BEST ROCK/BLUES JAM IN NYC !!! Felecia Collins (David Letterman) Juke Box live at the "CUTTING ROOM at 10pm many many surprise musical guests ! A GREAT NITE OF BLUES-ROCK-FUNK !!!

[@MegaCraptacular]

Is this Ann and Nancy Wilson Heart? They only ever used a few random mini sounds.

[@sp4gsus]

I’m not a keyboard player but I found this very interesting even though most of it was over my head

[@kimrunic5874]

Yeh it was nicely explained - not scarily techy but pretty in depth

[@lonzenatorswanagan9243]

I am a keyboard player, have used a lot of different tech over the past several decades (am 50 and playing since age 4) and that rig went right over my head.... so don't feel bad...

[@longfade]

awesome, this is great!!

[@Benjahlove]

Holy guacamole Dan!!!🤩

[@danwalker7199]

Sup Benj!

[@davedagreat69]

Rock show! ROCK SHOW!

[@lancethrustworthy]

Good one! Bravo/a.

[@TWDsLeftBack]

I’m sure he moonlights on the Big Bang Theory

[@___David___Savian]

My favorite Heart song is called The Perfect Goodbye.

[@AudioReplica2023]

Seen a pro key player using actual hardware synths and no that MainStage shit makes me feel great. Those are the real pro toys.

[@pinanaplayer]

Did I hear him say he uses the speakers on the keyboard as monitors when necessary? I didn't know that was possible.

[@tuber5007]

Yamaha CP300 has them onboard. He's routing in the sounds from the Nord Stage. CP300 has 1/4 in and out, definitely an XLR out but maybe an in too.

[@pinanaplayer]

tuber5007 👌 I would have never thought to do that, good to know!

[@miketharipr]

Wow. I didn't know Louie CK played keys.

[@beyondquestion]

I aint known Bert had skills!

[@ZakiWasik]

A Tall & Fat going into a tube drive mixer going into a Leslie and a Ventilator :o

[@drmedwuast]

Wouldn't have thought that Louis CK knows so much about keyboards

[@GittinBizy]

Jack from Achievement Hunter

[@brettandacht5523]

This looks like the amphitheater on the river in downtown Nashville. Can anyone confirm this??

[@brettandacht5523]

Totally is Ascend

[@BaymondRell]

Dig the "real" LIVE hardware rig......(thinking Ableton "Live" piped in track bs).......

[@RAvanG-eh7wr]

that's a lot of talking but no sounds from the equipment...

[@___David___Savian]

He didn't play any sounds because the crew on stage HATES to hear anyone playing an instrument when there isn't a show. The same happens in an instrument store like Sam Ash. The employees hate to hear customers playing piano or guitar, etc. So since he doesn't want to get on their nerves since they could start sabotaging his sound during the show, he decided not to play too much during the video. I think he would've played otherwise.

[@RAvanG-eh7wr]

we'll...that's also a lot of hate

[@bloodromance4776]

@@___David___Savian i think professional employees should ignore that and continue to serve musicians, which they actually do all the time show by show

[@dougdixonhull]

Didn't he used to be on The Big Bang Theory???? 😂

[@barock708]

No Mainstage, is it possible? Great rig btw

[@kevinbrown6430]

I play keys in a Heart Tribute band. I leave all my organ gear at home.. I have yet to hear a Heart song that has organ in it.

[@danwalker7199]

Fortunately, this is a band that’s open to interpretations of the songs evolving over time!

[@kevinbrown6430]

@@danwalker7199 ic . That's cool.

[@___David___Savian]

Boys and Girls quiz time......... repeat everything he said.

[@AlanPurpleOwls]

Wanted to hear a little burst from these instruments as he went through them, a shame. Great rig though!

[@juanjoperez-musico6289]

❤❤ Our EP main theme: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZXOf3x5m9ikg5Y

[@dreamkeyz516]

I wonder who hit the dislike button and why.

[@fritsvanzanten3573]

Every music video has this comment. Yawn.

[@tobiasvanderhenst781]

Ok THIS is a cool setup, except the nord, nah. Change that one please :)

[@rickygarcia7400]

Not Evan close to a space ship KEBUs set up is a space ship.

[@horowizard]

So apparently you need a degree in Physics just to have a decent Keyboard gig these days..

[@horowizard]

@@Lamster66 Man, I don't know what kinds of drugs you've been taking too large amounts of but Nord and Moog are two companies that make their line by hand and they've always done right by me. I've had an Electro 5D for over 3 years now and it hasn't outlived its usefulness yet and I'm very happy with it, especially because I picked it up at the end of the year when prices came way down. They didn't introduce any new models for over a year after that. I have yet to hear a better Organ modeling engine than the Nord, especially when it comes to their Rotary Speaker simulation, and that includes Hammond. If your Nord Pianos aren't sounding good then something is wrong with your audio system. Look at the Keyboard rig of any Pro band these days and will always see a Nord up there on the stage. Finally, if you think the Behringer even comes remotely close to a Model D, you are jerking yourself off.

[@carlmartinez5234]

To much crap to carry around! What ever happen to Ergonomics! Nothing but Back breakers!

[@alancalvitti]

-1 boring - dont yap about it, play it

[@justaname1862]

NORD = Notoriously Over Rated Device...and a melatron?...just ewwww

[@mikem.3308]

it's called a Mellotron. and you know jack shit about any of these instruments

[@Kougeru]

I don't disagree about it being overrated (and overpriced) but it's still a solid instrument

[@fritsvanzanten3573]

Maybe that's why they are on stage, and you are not?

[@KordTaylor]

Wow! You did a lot of work getting this rig together. Great job Dan!