I have an old Roland RD 1000 that I use for stage use exclusively - I can't find anything with a feel as good as that old keyboard. I'm needing more, newer sounds and there aren't many hardware sound modules anymore. What's going to be the better solution: Use a computer-based synth for a sound source, or try to find a module I can live with? I've got a couple of newer keyboards, but I play live all of the time and I find that I play too hard on light-weight keyboards. Thanks for the info! Greg

I usually don't recommend using Sonar on stage live to play music.... but.... what you are asking is not exactly that. 

If I understand correctly, you only need the synth sounds. So in this case, if you can not find a hardware module you like, I would say.......... Sure. Get a nice laptop. Get a reliable USB interface, and load the synths and sound sets/samples you like and wish to use. 

I would not have a problem using a dedicated lappy in this way.  Some of the synths will run in a stand alone mode too if I recall correctly so there is not even a need to run them inside Sonar. 

  I would keep the lappy for MUSIC only. Use another computer to surf the net.  Realize that on stage, you need a ROCK SOLID platform that isn't going to crash, glitch, or blue-screen on you in the middle of a show.  

FWIW - if you can't find a hardware "module" you like, you can always get a keyboard and just run MIDI from the one you have to the new one and that way you'd be able to use the keys you like the feel of but use the sound output of the newer keyboard.

Thanks for the replies. I do, actually, use Sonar in a live situation all of the time. I create click tracks and have the drummer and guitar players play on top of my tracks which are sent separately to the main FOH console (brass, organ, BGV, etc.) As for another keyboard slaved to mine, there just isn't a lot of room on the stage for another keyboard and stand. I guess I'll look for another laptop to add to things. Thanks!

Depending on what you want to spend, you can get Roland to make you a fully weighted keyboard on one of their synths. I've seen a Fantom G8 with a fully weighted keyboard. It's probably a special order thing, but you should check into it. The G8 would be able to handle any sounds you could want.

 If you have an iphone the easiest fix would be to install sampletank or one of the other similar programs,add a midi interface to your phone and you're good to go.

 You can probably find the post I made awhile back about how I hate lappys onstage. I still do. My first preference is to have it all in one box. I also blasted the iphone approach but in hindsight an iphone or ipad is a lot more portable than any lappy ever was. A few weeks back I wandered into a guitar center and ended up coming out with a synthstation25 which is still basically a toy but it is a workable sophisticated one. This turned me onto the "i" thing.

Now I don't think I would hesitate to put a piece of velcro on my iphone and one my controller and  play away on sampletank.

 If you want something a little bit more robust Alesis and Muse have some nice linux based boxes for onstage but they will set you back a few more clams than buying an inexpensive synth app and a 40 dollar hardware interface if you have an iphone or an ipad.

An iPhone or an iPad with iRig MIDI can be a great sound module. There are TONS of apps you can use to expand your sounds. From SampleTank iOS, GarageBand on iOs to synth apps from huge synth companies like Moog these really are powerful portable computers.