MARILYN MANSON’S KEYBOARD PLAYER

Chris’ set-up is totally software based including soft synths, samplers and Reason, so the SL’s Automapping feature certainly comes into its own.

“Between the Automapping and the templates [the SL] comes with, it is the easiest set-up ever. The knobs are assigned and you know exactly which one you are going to be grabbing. It kind of programmed itself actually!”

Chris uses the keyboard’s many controllers for several live effects which enhance his own performance.

“I like to map the X-Y pad to do different effects and I can just grab different things right on the fly,” he says. “I do some live filter stuff and I like to throw things into delays. The trigger pads have been really cool. There’s the eight across the bottom which you can fire off different sounds with so I’ve been doing that and since I’m also a drummer it feels a little more natural to do it that way! It gives more of an angle to your performance so it’s not just the same thing night after night.”

“The keys just feel great,” Chris concludes. “They have enough weight on them that you get it, but they are not weighted. To me it’s the perfect mix. I hate it when keys are flimsy – a keyboard should take a pounding. It’s been great, just a solid piece of gear. It’s the only piece of gear I haven’t had a problem with, let’s put it that way! Thank you Novation. You make my life easy!”

Vrenna will be touring with Manson until the end of the year and will be producing more of his own music (under the name Tweaker) next year.

  myspace.com/tweaker

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