Aron Magner's Disco Biscuits Keyboard Rig
An in-depth breakdown of synth overlord Magner's gear!
Thank you to KEYBOARD Magazine for the interview with Magner where I got this information - the video from the 2019/2020 New Year’s Run can be found here.
Side Stage: Roland JP 8000 analog synthesizer
Facing Audience: Yamaha MODX synthesizer, custom Diversi single-tier organ, Virus TI synthesizer, Akai APC40
Brownie Side: Hohner Clavinet E7, Prophet 6 synthesizer, Roland V-Synth
The JP8000 is run through a Suonobuono nABC (Not Another Boring Compressor) pedal (allowing for live sidechaining*) and is MIDI-synced to Allen’s drum tempo to so Magner can use arpeggiated synth sounds.
The MODX is used primarily for piano and electric piano sounds but is occasionally used for synths as well.
The Diversi has a custom heavy (or “crazy” as Magner referred to it) reverb effect.
The APC40 is run into a computer for use with samples and the odd backing track.
The clavinet is run through an MXR Phase90 pedal, a wah pedal, and a distortion pedal before going into a Fender Deluxe Reverb amplifier. The lowest F key is tuned down a semitone to E in order to (as he describes it) “hang” with the string players in the band.
The Roland V-Synth also has a vocoder for specific songs where he plays with a talkbox-like effect.
All of Magner’s rig (with the exception of the organ and clav) are run through his mixer and then Ableton – this allows him to loop sounds live on stage.
Magner has a volume pedal for his guitar monitor; this enables him to change the volume without having to ask his tech.
*Sidechaining is an effect that you have on one sound that is triggered by the level of another sound. The classic example is when you have a compressor on a bass track and you set it so it ducks the level of the bass whenever a kick drum hits.