Alex,
Perhaps this is where exactly the problem lies. You see, I mostly compose music. I need as much flexibility as possible on a keyboard, but without using a PC. Also, since im not a prgrammer, Its hard for me to program the backing tracks for a song on a workstation like the TS alone.. Thats why I looked for the PAX. You see, I own the Trinity and I30. For me, the Trinity filled the gap that the i30 had in sounds wise. But I had to buy two workstations. The Trinity has awsome Insert effects to apply to the midi traks, but my i30 doesnt. So you see where we are coming from? In other words, we are putting all this cash, and getting pretty much the same guts but with a sort of different box. Of course to some extent..But really, why wouldnt insert effects be needed, well, if youre only using the PAx for onstage etc, and not composing than youre 100 percent correct. But isnt it also an arranger, composer tool?
I think you hit bull's eye on that one.
The problem is, is this machine geared more for the onstagge performer, or for the composer, or a bit of both...
I really wish it did both things better..
I saw the specs on the Genesis pro, and that looks to be catering for both, the onstage performer, and the studio composer...

Hmmmm, maybe Korg missed the boat on this one..

best,

MusiKman

Musikman,

I completely agree with you, that the needs of a person who is composing music in the studio (or even in his bedroom) are quite different than of the one performing live. I think that most often trying to satisfy both ends up satisfying neither.

Out of curiosity, though, why do you want to do it in the keyboard, rather than get a PC? Yesterday we went with my wife computer shopping (she is looking for a light notebook), and we saw the Toshiba 3500 Tablet PC. Not only the thing is cute as a button, but it is light at under 4.5 lbs, and you can navigate your way around the applications with a pen. I don't know if any musical recording programs take advantage of the WinXP Tablet edition, which would allow you to move the notes by dragging them with a pen, but this computer also has a regular keyboard, and a track pad, along with a couple of USB ports. If I was a composer, I'd get this computer with the USB MIDI interface (or just use the USB cable to connect to the USB-equipped keyboard, such as PSR2100, or the new Technics, or Tyros, or whatever). By the specs of it, this is a very capable computer, with a large hard drive, half a gig of memory, and a fairly fast CPU. And it costs less than half of PA1pro MSRP.

If I was a composer and had a keyboard available, I'd buy this thing over another keyboard - this would be the most flexible solution with the fewest compromises.

Then, of course, I don't know what gets your creative juices going. But I am positive that Korg could have done a better job designing this keyboard.

Regards,
Alex

P.S. I am not a computer salesman, nor do I work for Toshiba, but I was very impressed by the functionality of their Tablet PC.

Alex, thanks man, that tip was awsosome !!

You see, im not a very good at programming my drum tracks, nor the bass track..Everything else, im really good at.
I know how to play the drums and the bass, but I just cant seem to make that happen on the keyboard or computer.
Thats where the arranger keyboard comes in for me..
If I used a PC, I dont have the arranger option. So thats why I cant jump into the pc thing.
Also, I have always dreamed of the all in one workstation. Ever since Korg introduced the Trinity, day and night I dreamed of that keyboard.. I loved the idea of having the built in digital studio, sounds, sequencer and all. It was really a dream come true.
I bought the V3 with all the options onboard..
But then, I realized I wasnt a good programmer.
So I bought the Korg I30 to help me make the backing sequences. But then, I realized that the songs that I made on the I30 werent compatible with the Trinitys seq, so I was blown away....

Either way, I ended up buying the Roland VS1680 16 track recorder, which is the main studio recorder now.
I use my Trinity to add strings and awsome sounds, but my main composer tool is my Korg I30.

I really wished that Korg would have an all in one unit.. I wish it was just like the trinity.
Now, the PAX, sounds cool and all, but It doenst still have the built in studio features. No insert effects, so really im back to square one.
I kind of made up my mind to keep my gear for now, and just wait for technology to move foward....
Till now, my Trinity still sounds and blows me away with inspiration everytime I play it.
The bad thing is that my I30 is showing its age in the sounds dept. But drums and base still kick butt.

I just hate having too many keyboards...I think the PAX does a good job in combining the I30 and Trinity into one package, but still the Built in studio and insert effects will be missing. So the Workstation Idea that Korg Pioneered has died out a bit.
I know the TS has audio recording etc, but it is no where near what a studio can offer. It only has two audio traks and thats it..Pretty limited.

Thats why I was looking at the Genesis pro, but Im just going to have to wait some more....

Thanks anyway for the tips and all...

best,
MusiKman

Musikman,

I can relate to you looking for the all-in-one solution. I play live, and having an all-in-one keyboard would help me minimize the time needed to set up, plug in, do the sound check, and break down afterwards. Since each piece of equipment is transported separately (unless I were to use UncleDave's suggestion for a hanging rack bag, which does not work for me, as I play sitting down) every module needs a bag or a case, meaning more time packing and unpacking, putting the cases away before the performance and then worrying that some hotel staff have not mistaken it for a Gucci purse and walked away with it. Not to mention the fact, that in an all-in-one instrument components can be more logically controlled (though most of the time the are not), which could be another big advantage for a live performer.

As far as using a PC, I was using my arranger keyboard with a sequencer. The arranger outputs the accompaniment tracks, which can be edited as a midi file. Alternatively, there are several auto accompaniment programs which run on a PC, and some even take stock Yamaha styles. Search for posts from Frank Rosenthal in this forum, he has really done a lot of work in this area.

This way you may be able to avoid having to do things you are not comfortable doing.

Regards,
Alex

Alex K, thanks for your acknowledgement of my efforts on a PC/software based arranger keyboard solution.

Just as an update, I have now fully converted to a software based solution. I use one of two approaches:

1) If I am just going to play instrumentally, I launch Cakewalk P5 with LiveSynth (Auto Accompaniment Instruments) and Kontakt (Melody/Lead Instruments). I then launch Live - Styler (Yamaha Styles) and I am ready to play.

2) If I plan to sing (have pity on my soul), I launch Cubase SX with Kontakt & DecaBuddy (vocalizer) and then P5 with LiveSynth rewired to Cubase SX. Finally, as before, I launch Live - Styler and I am ready to play & sing!!!

The above system has proven to be stable and now use my Audigy sound card only for midi In/Out and Mic In. I sold my M-Audio AudioPhile sound card and replaced it with the Steinberg VSL 2020 sound card. I am currently operating at roughly 3ms latency with no pops or crackles. The computer is overall only moderately tasked at 40 to 60% performance.

I would say for Home & Studio this is a viable alternative to hardware based solutions. You can make this system sound better than any hardware based solution on the market to day or tomorrow. You can make this system suitable for live performances using things like Laptops or Shuttle computers, etc. If you use lower quality voices like you find in today's top of the line workstations or arranger keyboards the loading times for 8 instruments into Kontakt would be less than 10 seconds. If you used Soundfonts and LiveSynth Pro for everything then loading times (changing registrations) would be close to instant.