Hi All--I searched the forum but couldn't find a similar question.
I am looking to add a bit of piano to my live show and am wondering what people are using.
I have a 61-key m-Audio keyboard. I don't have a nice laptop to run a DAW on (though my Reason has a tonne of piano sounds...).
Long and McQuade guy says those module aren't really made anymore--is he right?
TIA
Tom

If your keyboard has 5-pin MIDI out, you could consider the Ketron SD1000. RCA/Phono outputs, though, which is a bit poor. I have one and quite like it.

Miditech do a couple low-cost GM module with USB host. One with just 3,.5mm jack output, the 'Pro' with 6.3mm jacks. I know little about them.

V3 Sound do the Grand Piano XXL of which I've heard reasonably good reports.

Thomann sells them all, Sweetwater appears to have only the V3 Sound.

There are pretty cheap and reasonable laptops around, but you may want two if "the show must go on" and you may also want a good external sound module.

Korg has a sound module that runs on a cell phone. It’s got a few keyboard tones. There may be others.
That should run on your. M audiio. The cables to connect it are inexpensive. I think you can run usb midi on your rig. That would be the preferred If not, 5 pin midi will get it done

Just a crazy question... What's wrong with the onboard keyboard sounds?

Most live gigs are not super critical when it comes to sample sound quality so why not just use the built in sound sets and keep things simple?

But if you're looking for a specific module and it's not made.... check EBay periodically because there's bound to be someone clearing out stuff that's been collecting dust that still works just fine.
OR.... find something new that probably sounds even better. If you can get a laptop with a low latency interface and a nice VST sample library, man you can have the Metropolitan Opera house Grand on stage with you. The only issue with VSTs is that the computer can glitch or crash at the most inopportune moment and then you're SOoL in the middle of a song.

Funny thing is, I've never, not even one time, had a hardware synth crash on me. Ever. Use the onboard sounds and keep it simple.

There aren't any in a MIDI controller.

Well that solves that problem.

It might be just as easy, perhaps easier just to buy a secondhand synth and not worry about a sound module. You'd probably spend less money for the synth vs the module or softsynth solution, than you would on a nice second hand hardware synth as long as it has a sound you can live with. Even the cheap ones are pretty decent.

The E-Mu PROformance Plus was, hands down, the easiest MIDI piano module ever made—knobs for the 16 presets, 12 keys, 16 MIDi channels, Fine tune, Volume. I have one on a shelf. I also have a Roland JV1010 with a lot more sounds. Both gathering dust. Since you mention Long and McQuade, I'm assuming that you are in Canada but USPS isn't all that expensive.

If you want to talk about either or both, send me a message.

+1
For the right price, the path Mike mentions may have way more bang for the buck.
If you already have a controller you like, even more so, and there are many hardware synths out there with decent piano sounds .. some have the keyboard attached, but a simple sound module would work too, as long as you have a way to connect it to the keyboard and computer.

He has a MIDI controller. A module gets the job done.

The JV 1010 goes for arpund $175–$200 used.

The E-Mu PROformance Plus can be found between $50–$150 plus shipping.

Again, I have one of each sitting on a shelf gathering dust.