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#159226 - 04/21/06 08:47 PM Ketron SD5 Review
GlennT Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/02
Posts: 1790
Loc: Medina, OH, USA
I recently had the pleasure of joining up with AJ and some other nice folks at his Jacksonville Ketron workshop. On display was the Midjay, EXP SD1, and the new SD5. It was a very enjoyable, entertaining, and educational afternoon. I give my highest recommendation to attend one of AJ's workshops, should you have the opportunity... you will learn much and have a good time.

The SD5 keyboard is 61 keys, velocity sensitive with 6 vel curves and aftertouch. It utilizes a pitch and modulation joystick. The layout is similar to the SD1, with the most noticable difference being the inclusion of onboard speakers, which are very good sounding.

290 orchestral preset sounds, > 1000 percussive sounds, 32 part multitimbral, 110 user voices, 10 digital drawbar effects 120 programs, 4 voices, 4 splits, sustain, port, vel switch, several program modes, 292 second voices, 24 new drum sets, drum mixer, manual drums, 62 live drum sets. The arranger includes new Real Latin, Unplugged (emphasis on guitars and bass, no drums), and Ballroom.

New features include Riff, Arranger Mute, After Fill, Smart 7th, Alternative Bass, Swing Bass, and Professional Guitar templates.

The SD5 does not have a sequencer, but will record real time (one take) to disc (HD or FD) and will play SMFs with karaoke and Txt files, converts .kar & Midi type 0 files to 1. Jukebox, Intelligent transposer, song chain, drum & bass, lead on/off, and drum remix.

Options include video interface, vocalizer, hard disc, pattern expansion, and footswitch. Size and weight are ~ same as SD1, 46" long and 37 lbs.

Some of the features I was especially impressed with... velocity affects not only loudness, but also the timbre of many of the voices. This is due to not only sampling but also modulation in the creation of these voices. New sound card, 128 polyphony. Organs and guitars are totally new and more realistic, with the guitars now rivaling the best of Yammy, IMO... and the organs more B3ish. Bass voices all new.

Many buttons (> 100), which are now better organized and leaving nothing important buried in a submenu.

After Fill... a new feature that is easy to explain. With AF engaged, you can assign a fill (drum fill) to the keyboard aftertouch, therefore your hands not leaving the KB! Way cool!

Riff... a new feature, which is also very cool, but not so easy to explain. I'll give it my best shot.

Riff allows the KB to learn from you, from how you are playing (most importantly, your chord progressions) and the style you are playing. Then, when you stop playing, the KB will continue with that same progression. This allows you to use both hands to play lead (eg piano), or to do whatever you'd like with your left hand..... like keep it on the joystick if you are playing guitar or saxaphone (imo, how can you play a realistic sounding sax or blues guitar without keeping your left hand on the stick or wheels).

The most simple example I can think of... "Evil Ways". If you start with Gm7 and C7 and then kick in Riff, it'll keep those two chords going until the cows come home, or until you turn off Riff. However, Riff can learn a pattern/chord progression... and apply it... up to 32 measures! That can be whole song!

Got that so far? OK, now it gets more complicated. Riff is not simply a loop playing over and over. On the contrary, it makes the progression with little redundancy, therefore sounding more realistic, as would a real live band playing. Also, as you continue to play melody, Riff will become progressively more complex, adding more sounds or voices, with each repeated progression. However, it will also "get out of the way" (tone back a little) when you are playing, so as to not compete with your lead, or melody. Make sense? Hope so... the feature sounds really good.

The final production SD5 will have 2 Riff modes. One mode will lock in, therefore the same riff will sound, with predictability. The other will be the learning, or random mode (more unpredictable, like real guys in a real band).

AMSP? Nothing announced yet, but from inuendos I'm picking up, with vocalizer and HD probably close to 3K.

I really liked the SD5. The only 2 downers for me personally... no second mic input, but that's minor... and only 61 keys, not so minor. Some of the new features enable you to make more music with less button pushing, allowing you to better relate with and enjoy your audience. That's important to me. Combined with some really great sounds, the SD5 is a winner... and one I'd like to own.

Glenn

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#159227 - 04/22/06 03:47 AM Re: Ketron SD5 Review
rolandfan Offline
Member

Registered: 07/29/02
Posts: 935
Loc: South Africa
So that means its sounds and styles are better than the sd1?

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#159228 - 04/22/06 06:24 AM Re: Ketron SD5 Review
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
Glenn thanx for the review.......It intrests me for sure...the SD5 sounds like I need to try one out asap......
if I could find one ....?
Ketron is really listening to the players......we'll see!



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 04-23-2006).]

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#159229 - 04/22/06 03:23 PM Re: Ketron SD5 Review
Spalding1 Offline
Member

Registered: 12/14/05
Posts: 236
Loc: birmingham,england
no sequencer ?
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dont quit.......period

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#159230 - 04/23/06 12:13 PM Re: Ketron SD5 Review
tony mads usa Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 01/16/02
Posts: 14376
Loc: East Greenwich RI USA
Quote:
Originally posted by Dnj:
Ketron is really listening to the players......we'll see!



Quote:
Originally posted by Spalding1:
no sequencer ?


.... listening to the players? ... no sequencer ?!?!?!? ...

t.
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t. cool

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#159231 - 04/23/06 03:13 PM Re: Ketron SD5 Review
miden Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 01/31/06
Posts: 3354
Loc: The World
and no cdrw

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#159232 - 04/23/06 03:29 PM Re: Ketron SD5 Review
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
With such great software based sequencers there no need for one on board.....it still can play SMF files correct?

"The SD5 does not have a sequencer, but will record real time (one take) to disc (HD or FD) and will play SMFs with karaoke and Txt files, converts .kar & Midi type 0 files to 1. Jukebox, Intelligent transposer, song chain, drum & bass, lead on/off, and drum remix.]


[

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#159233 - 04/23/06 05:46 PM Re: Ketron SD5 Review
GlennT Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/02
Posts: 1790
Loc: Medina, OH, USA
Quote:
Originally posted by rolandfan:
So that means its sounds and styles are better than the sd1?


Many are the same or similar, which is good news IMO, but with additional styles and improved voices, especially guitars and organs.

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#159234 - 04/23/06 05:55 PM Re: Ketron SD5 Review
GlennT Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/02
Posts: 1790
Loc: Medina, OH, USA
Quote:
Originally posted by Dnj:
With such great software based sequencers there no need for one on board.....it still can play SMF files correct?[


Right on. With the SD5 you CAN edit, or 'tweek' a MIDI file. No details on what that exactly means.

Glenn

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#159235 - 04/23/06 10:46 PM Re: Ketron SD5 Review
Spalding1 Offline
Member

Registered: 12/14/05
Posts: 236
Loc: birmingham,england
by skipping on the sequencer you immediately eliminate those in the market that want an all in one solution which is i would assume a fair amount of potential buyers. The SD1 i assume had a sequnecer but no speakers so Ketron have given with one hand and taken away with the other ? It doesnt make sense to me .T2 did not get my money for that and other reasons. Whats the aditional cost in software programming to slip in a decent sequencer ? It doesnt add to the weight does it ? Just seems to me stupid not to include one . If people prefer to use a computer then they have that choice even if it had a sequencer onboard. For a family man like me where both time and space are at a premium i would only ever buy a keyboard with onboard speakers and sequencer and all editing facilities on the board not via a computer (again for time saving and convenience)

If you can manipulate and edit the SMF file onboard, then it makes even less sense to have omitted a sequencer.
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dont quit.......period

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