So does it 'pick up' the changes from the start of the style, or when a button is pushed? And how long can the changes be? Is there any limit?

It looks as if this MIGHT be what I'm looking for. For those of us that double (I still haven't figured out how to play the trombone and the arranger at the same time!) these things are a godsend!

It isn't ALL about the bender, you know!

Is there an online manual for this?

So does it 'pick up' the changes from the start of the style, or when a button is pushed? And how long can the changes be? Is there any limit?

Not all styles have a riff mode, so let's be clear ... but the styles that do , the 4th variation button locks into the riff and the style improvises off the chord changes you used from the beginning ...

Hi Diki
Here is the link to the manual. http://www.ketron.it/prodotti/index.asp?idTipo=2
The SD5 was demonstrated at last years Blackpool keyboard festival in the UK. http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum37/HTML/013261.html
The Riff mode is more of a novelty then of any real practical use. (You certainly wouldn’t want to let it run on its own for long, as contrary to what you might think it becomes very monotonous)
Word of Warning, make sure you hear the SD5 through external speakers, as the internal ones are as bad as the ones Yamaha supply for the Tyros 2. (And just like you wouldn’t buy a Tyros 2 after it had been demonstrated with the recommended speakers, the same applies to the SD5)
Hope this helps

Bill


[This message has been edited by abacus (edited 03-14-2007).]

From the SD5 manual........

"Arrange D/Riff: an accompaniment variation that is more complex than the one of Arrange C. In some cases this Arranger, as already mentioned, acts as Riff, in other words it activates a typical harmonic sequence for
the musical type of style set.

The presence of a Riff is enhanced when you load the style by the fact that the LED of the Arranger D flashes (the LED flashes until it is played for the first time) and also by the symbol (R) on the Display under the name of the style loaded.

Neither Fill-ins nor the Break can be activated while a Riff is being played.

When playing a Riff, the normal acknowledgement method of the chords is altered. The acknowledgement method is determined by the settings of the RIFF KEY function in the INTERACTIVE ARRANGER menu.

Depending on the settings of this function, you can set the harmonic note of the Riff only during the first musical beat (RIFF KEY None mode). In this case, once a Riff has been launched and the initial chord has been acknowledged, the musician can play freely over the whole keyboard in pianist mode or using the Lower's for the left part and the Preset's for the right part.

Alternatively, you can force the acknowledgement of the chord at any time by pressing the FILL IN key (RIFF KEY Fill In mode) or by pressing harder on the keyboard keys (RIFF KEY After mode) just the same as what occurs for the AFTER FILL function."

So, after all this, the only thing the Riff acknowledges is the key you are in, after that, it's whoa nelly! and pray the preprogrammed changes suit you?

Sorry....... Not for me.

Or have I misread this....?

Diki,

It's a great feature when it's used for exactlly what it was intended for.

I think the design intent was for a variation that can be used as a bit of a middle 8 or more of a passing passage to another musical idea, or just a convenient group of chords so you can take a drink, fix a chord, adjust a fader, or check out a hot girl on the dance floor, without the same chord just playing and playing.

The Riff mode is more of a novelty then of any real practical use. (You certainly wouldn’t want to let it run on its own for long, as contrary to what you might think it becomes very monotonous)

I think using arranger/stlye based keyboards can be monotonous, probably why some people/musicians put a negative spin on these type of keyboards in the 1st place...

What's interesting about Ketron keyboards is the real time navigation of their products. Navigation is one issue that no one talks about much, but to me the ability to save changes to styles,sounds,effects and have them all saved instantly,without registrations, is what makes Ketron my favorite.

I have set up a program that has the keyboard split in 4 different parts, I can fill in to a riff, select the "pianist mode" and select my "program" and solo with 4 different instruments in real time ... that's 4 seperate instruments - spread out over the 5 octaves of the keyboard.......

Dan O

I purchased an SD5 when they were first released and sold it a week later. I was very disapointed with the Riff mode. I was expecting it to work like Dan indicated, that it would develop a riff based on the precious chord changes in the song. What I found was that it played a set pattern of chord changes based on the last chord you played before you hit the riff (variation 4) button. It would play the exact chord changes every time regardless of the chords used in the song.

There was an organ-blues style where the riff pattern sounded good because it was a blues progression that fit with most songs that I would play with that style. On many styles, riff chord progressions did not fit with the chord progression in the song and it sounded terrible.

The other item I was disapointed in was that the SD5 did not have a "to end" button like the SD1 has. I like playing my own endings then hitting a simple one measure ending to end a song. I am not sure why they eliminated this feature.

Other then the above issues, I thought the SD5 was a good keyboard.

When the SD5 was initially launched there was a demo on the net first posted on the synthzone i think where this italian guy literally demoed the hell outta the instrument in a live performace demonstration. Made the instrument sound way better than anything i had heard before. He did some rock guitar riffs that sounded so authentic it was untrue. Does anyone know what happened to that clip ?

Although the SD5 demos sounds great ....I think I'll wait for the S900 or what ever Yamaha is cooking up for the future....but for now the 3k still keeps on
Cha Chingin$$$ along!

Well, shoot! Got my hopes up a bit, there, Dan01. Dashed again!

It is so sad to see a perfect feature 'dropped' from sight, and no-one picks up the ball.....

I imagine how you would all feel if your arranger's next model suddenly stopped doing the most useful feature that you relied on.

[This message has been edited by Diki (edited 03-15-2007).]