Does the Roland VA series have the equivalent of the Technics multi-pads??

and if so - do they load up new material when you change to a new style or song??

MH

As far as I know only Yamaha and Technics have them. Yamaha's are a little more advanced than Technics. They are a wonderful tool. They can be saved in Registration Memory to load with everything else. They can be synced to the tempo and chord if needed.
DonM

The Korg pa80 has them, too. And, I think the Roland VA7 has some type of multi-pad - but I'm not sure about this.

The roland VA76 has multipads but not the VA7.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene

George or anyone

Aren't the multi pads one way I can play a sequenced passage while staying in arranger mode?? - a passage that does not respond to chord changes - basically a midi file playing over the top of the arranger??

Now if the content of the multi-pads change when you choose a different style or song it would be great.

What is the note storage capacity of the multipad -

Mike H

[This message has been edited by Mike H (edited 02-06-2002).]

Mike,
I don't think multi pads work like a sequencer in regards to length of time and number of tracks. A multi pad plays one sound and can be a one shot or loop of the recorded track. I might be wrong but I don't think you can asign a song (midifile) to a multi pad. Maybe someone who does this can be more specific then I can.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene

George
I think Scott told me once that the Technics multi-pads will store 1800 notes or something like that. If so - that seems to imply that passages are possible - and stuff like out of tempo intros - will have to keep checking - likely someone here knows that functional limits of multi pads and how they can interact with the arranger

mh

[This message has been edited by Mike H (edited 02-06-2002).]

Mike, wow ! what an excellent memory. Even I had forgotten the number of notes, but after re-checking the KN5000 manual, it is indeed 1800 (approx) notes that can be stored. But remember, that is the total capacity. If you use up all 1800 notes up for one pad sequence alone, you would have nothing left over to use for the other 2 'user' banks of 6 pads. Here's how it works:

You set the tempo, measure length, sound that you want to record. You then set the playback mode: 'sync to rhythm (in tempo)' or 'instant start (out of tempo)'. The manual sequencer section also records sustain, pitch bend, mod wheels, etc.

You can record, name, and store different Manual Sequencer Pad setups to load up with a specific song if you like.

Seems to me that the manual sequence pad feature will work for what you are trying to do. The Yamaha's mulitpads work similarly, but don't support the 'sync to rhythm' feature that Technics has. Also don't know the max number of notes supported on the PSR. Hope this answers your questions. - Scott

Thanks Scott
I just got off the phone with the Technics guy - Eddie - pretty knowledgable - and he seems to think the pads are still chord specific - that is - they change as the chords change no matter how long the sequnce is. His feeling is pretty straightforward - in that you either use the arranger or use the sequencer - not both at the same time.He says thats not what the arranger is primarily for.

You know - it seems to me - new as I am to arrangers - that having the capacity to trigger a lick, or a passage - that doesn't switch when the chords do - if you so choose - should be absolutely essential. Some of the beauty of any music or passage is the different sonorous effects that result from playing the same thing against a changing background or vice versa. And while the chords of a tune stay basically the same - its nice to pre-record a little section every now and then which spices it up.

A good example of this is on the Korg Triton and possibly Karma. It is called the RPPR function - and it is basically a way to access a pre-recorded lick triggered by the press of a certain key.

I would think - that via Registrations or something similar - it should be possible to cue up both the arranger and the sequencer - for simultaneous use in some situations - doesn't sound that hard to me.

MH

I really haven't gotten into it, but the PSR2000 allows you to use the sequencer and arranger at the same time. Personally haven't found a use for it, or maybe I'm just lazy.
I just tried it by playing by a midi of Long Train Running, and then starting the arranger on Country 2/4. Is this what you have in mind?
DonM