Performance Equipment
Unless your chosen venue has a regularly tuned and maintained high-quality acoustic grand piano, André prefers to use the following professional high quality performance equipment. His comments on his choice of equipment are included below.
ENSONIQ KS-32 WEIGHTED ACTION MIDI STUDIO
“As a pianist, the feel of your instrument is the most important feature. You react to an instrument, playing better when it gives something back to you. And while few digital keyboards can match the authentic response of a quality acoustic grand piano, I find that my Ensoniq KS-32 Weighted Action MIDI Studio provides a more than adequate response for live performance situations. The KS-32 has a flying-action weighted mechanism that simulates the weight and throw characteristics of a real piano hammer. This is in addition to weights in the keys themselves. The combination of these two methods gives a feel that is remarkably like playing a finely-tuned acoustic piano, and which gives me a great feeling about making music.”
YAMAHA P50-M PIANO TONE GENERATOR
“While I’ve performed on many instruments, I have chosen to use a dedicated piano module rather than an all-in-one digital piano with a limited number of preset sounds. The P50-m unit features 28 piano voices including authentic acoustic grand pianos, the vintage CP80 and the famous DX7 electric piano sounds. Several of the piano voices feature special stretched tuning for a richer solo piano sound. The beauty of an acoustic piano’s sound lies within the rich harmonic structure of the instrument, and this structure is constantly changing throughout the duration of each note. The P50-m recreates this beautifully. Worthy of special mention is its grand pianos, which are especially good in the upper top registers, with the transients (the sound of the hammer striking the string) accurately recreated. The P50-m is the perfect “Grand in a Box” which performs best in live applications, where the environmental factors generally enhance the naturalness of the sound.”
YAMAHA STAGEPAS 300 PORTABLE PA SYSTEM
“Combining the KS-32 and the P50-m are vital parts of the package, but it is incomplete without a good quality sound system, and for that I choose to use Yamaha’s superb Stagepas 300 portable PA system. The Stagepas 300 produces breathtaking sound quality with true stereo sound, and with the ability to elevate the speakers above furniture or other obstacles I can ensure that the music is carried to best acoustic effect.
“In conclusion, I find that in the absence of a quality piano instrument, I prefer to use my own equipment to provide what I hope will be a satisfying performance that will enhance your special occasion, both to your enjoyment and that of your invited guests.”
— André Mendes da Costa