Page McConnell explains his rig

After Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon gave comprehensive tours of their own rigs, pedal arrays, racks and amps (originally aired during the setbreaks of the webcast from their 12/28 and 12/29/12 Madison Square Garden Holiday Run, pianist/organist and chief groupie taster Page McConnell takes us through his own keyboard rig.

 

 

On tour, McConnell plays a Yamaha C7 piano outfitted with hammers from a German Steinway. A Helpinstill pickup run through an Avalon U5 direct box, plus an Earthworks Piano Mic system, feed the P.A. Then there’s the Hammond B-3, Hohner Clavinet, Rhodes, Moog Little Phatty, and Yamaha CS-60. “Since I did my solo record, I’ve been out with the Little Phatty and I really like it,” says McConnell. “Before the Phatty, I used a Moog Source. I’ve had a few different keyboards occupy that particular spot.” His Clavinet got quite a workout at Festival 8 on songs like “Down With Disease” and “Ghost.” “People like the Clav,” he says. “It’s funky and it makes them dance.” The CS-60’s flavor comes in handy for certain moods. “I use it more for the spacious stuff and the ambient or spacey sounds. Pads and textures — I really like the texture of Yamaha’s analog synths. I’ll start with one of the presets, like the flute or brass sound, and mess with it.” However many vintage keyboards he owns, McConnell keeps his live rig tight: “I try not to have more than six keyboards with me.” - KeyboardMag

 

Mike Gordon's Bass Rig Part 1 & 2

 

Mike 'Cactus' Gordon likewise displays his third Modulus bass and describes how much of his bass rig's set up is modelled after Phil Lesh whose tone he emulates (along with Bootsy Collins and John Entwistle).  How Gordon manages to play and project bass frequencies is a huge aspect of what is ineffable about the Phish experience.  Watching him break down his new rig, and talking about his old rig 'which was really wallowing in low end' needed to be replaced.

In part 2 we get what every fan wants to know how he makes so many of those distinctive phases and effects including 'echo space of god' then another device he calls 'the super-ego thing'.  Gordon explains definitive sounds from Harry Hood and how a meatball flanger is essential to Down With Disease's trademark sound.