Pakefield Keyboard Festival UK
This is not a report, but a few notes of products that attracted my attention as being worthy of mention and not in any preference order.
With a capacity of 800 booked in for the seven nights full boardOh its not time to eat again !!!
The evening concerts 7pm till 11pm performed by pro players from around the world. Austrialia. Germany. Holland. Japan. Switzerland & UK.
Daily Product tutorials and demonstrations every day provided a very good week plus the weather was kind to us.
ROLAND. Don Lewis demonstrated the VP-550 49 keys, this being a dedicated keyboard Vocal Harmoniser. Even my voice produced very good results and very easy to use. A well constructed unit.
The new range of Roland Drawbar Organs launched here this week appeared to my ears to contain improved samples giving a overall clean sound.
NORD. The new C1 double manual organ with led drawbars and only 3 feet wide, true drawbar sounds no style backings and like all NORD products in a RED finish which I found most attractive.
Pete Shaw did a late night jam session with live drummer from the Dakotas. The drum set being individually miked and a good PA setup the complete sound was very clean and tight. NORD C1 Excellent value at 1599
YAMAHA. The launch of the new RegiStick Plus for the Tyros 2 resulted in good attendance on each of the 2 days of tutorials. The RegiStickPlus uses existing styles and voices already in the T2 and having been editored and tweaked produced excellent registrations covering all categories.
Full marks to James Sargeant & Richard Bower for their efforts.must have taken months putting this RegiStick Plus together.
WERSI. The launch of the new APOLO Organ. Quite a compact design and selling at 5995 and well demonstrated by the German team.
KORG. New PAX2 76 note keyboard. (Suggested 2400). We were privileged here because the dealer launch has not yet taken place. Nice motorised tilt colour screen, another good constructed product with slim wooden ends A follow up from the PA800.