Quote:
Originally posted by squeak_D:
Dave, sorry but that in itself IS the problem. You can't just record modern styles on many arrangers out there today. The problem is they lack the "sounds" to create these styles. The only keyboard on the market IMO that would even favor close (but not quite there) for modern styles would be the Korg PA's. You need a full synth engine and a REAL sampler built into the unit. One that will perform with "speed" and not take three days to load a sample **cough cough Yamaha**


Not just the Korg PA1X, the Genesys has a fully editable synth engine and has a ton of samples that are great for modern music. And if you feel the need to use custom samples/loops, it can load samples and store them on the internal hard drive. Those samples and loops can be played directly from the keyboard or played back via sequencer and even used within a style. To be fair the on-board sample editing is far from sophisticated. However no one who is serious about doing their own sampling does it on a keyboard (no matter what kind it is) and instead does the sampling or at the very least the editing within a wave editor program on their computer.

Quote:
Think about it really. Even today's arrangers don't really even have modern versions of the styles already in the board. You don't get modern country, modern rock, or modern alternative music from an arranger. You simply get the more classic versions. Plus the boards that do have some modern classic styles really aren't quite there either because you get someone elses idea of this style rather than the industry version. You always get the ahhh, it's close, but not quite there feeling with those types of styles on arrangers.

Maybe the way to fix it is for the big three to hire "younger style writers"--those who are more in touch with those styles of music. Just a suggestion.


If you take 5 musicians of similar age and ask them each to sequence a 4 bar pattern in the style of a particular genre, you will end up with 5 totally different feels. It is just not feasible to include enough styles that will appease everyone. This is why professional arranger/workstations exist; so the user can customize the instrument to their specific needs. This whole argument should be limited to the entry level arrangers that have no real in-depth editing capability. If you are using one of those instruments, then you have to live with your purchase. But if having styles and sounds that are appealing to you are that important, then buy a truly professional product and learn how to operate it.

*ADDED*
Uh, I didn't mean that last bit to sound sarcastic. The point I was making is there are plenty of opportunities to get exactly what you want to get from many instruments; it just takes time to learn what functions there are and how to put them to personal use. I like arranger keyboards, obvious since I work for a company that manufactures them. But I also rarely using a stock style (unless I am doing a workshop/concert/promotion for a dealer at which point I think it is only fair to use what the instrument offers out of the box). Even if it is just dropping some of the auto tracks out or adding my own style track here or there, it just makes sense to want to give my sound some individuality.

I won't go as far as to say that an arranger player is nothing more than a DJ. It still takes more knowledge to play a keyboard than it does to spin a dial on an iPod even if the person is just triggering single finger chords with the appendage of his or her choice. At least they have to know the key names or at the very least the colors red, green and blue for those playing out if ‘easy play’ song book.


Dave

[This message has been edited by WDMcM (edited 08-11-2007).]