Well I got a chance to finally use the SD1 at a live show. I say it performed flawlessly, (I can’t say the same for myself). The SMF playback set-up is great, let me elaborate for those who do not know. Once you have loaded your songs prior to the gig, they go into a main folder which is labeled as Midi files. Each file gets entered in alphabetical with a corresponding 3 digit number.

At the gig, after you power up, hit the song play button. While you’re playing you can access your sounds at anytime but the keyboard is still ready and waiting for a midi file to play.

Example your playing and you have a sax sound selected, and now the next tune will be a SMF of Song x. you hit # 023 which is song x, it instantly loads the song and waits for you to hit start, in the meantime your sax sound is still playing fine. Hit the single reg button and you can call up a pre-programmed setting with style and vocalizer for another tune without searching names or multiple button pushing.

The only thing I find that needs some programming work would be the Vocalizer settings. Just some minor tweaking and that would also be great. So far this is a keeper. Not that hard to work in a live situation, after getting used to it. My Korg PA80 was harder.

I did find a fault or an issue that I heard was being worked on for the next OS update. I had some SMF files that were done on computer and other keyboards. When I load it into the SD1 they play fine with an exception of a program patch that was set for a GS system the pulled up a different sound fx that did not work with the sound. So I figure I will load the sequence into the sd1 sequencer and change the bank value. But the SD1 uses a different ppq setting which makes it play the song at half speed even though the tempo setting hasn’t changed.

Still working on some programming issues but getting a lot of help from everybody.

Very Cool Frank ! dano

Frank,
since you have the possibility, could you compare the SD1 and the VA 7 side by side both in sounds (i.e. Pianos, Organs, Woodwinds, etc) and in styles (i.e. Ballads, Latin, Swing, etc)?
That would be really cool!
Thanks,
Andrea

Dreamer,

You want just a general comparison or do you have more specific reuquest.

I'll post what I think later

I had them both. I'll give it a shot.
Sounds:
Piano - both are EXCELLENT
Electric Piano - edge to VA7
Solo winds - edge to SD1, but both are great
Drums - tough one - edge to SD1(slight)
Organs - edge to SD1
Strings - edge to VA7 (Roland rules strings)

styles:
Rock - edge to SD1
Swing - edge to VA7
Latin - edge to SD1
Ballads - edge to VA7
Country - edge to SD1
Disco - edge to VA7
Ethnic/world - edge to SD1
**MORPHING - only on the VA7 (WAY cool)
**Mic & Harmonies - only on the SD1 (also cool)

These two instruments compare VERY well side by side, except in ease of use. The VA7 is still behind the pack in live operation. The combination of button pushes and touch screen presses make it more difficult to use in a live show, so the SD1 has an edge here. However - the VA7 has twice the polyphony, and great speakers !
(If you like gimmicks - there's the D-Beam too.....ho hum....)

I still have issues with the operation system on the Ketron, but the first impression sound is VERY good. If the new VA76 is available soon, I'll probably get one for my studio. I also think the SD1 is too closely related to the X1 to get overly excited about, but it sure sounds good. I'll never own another one until the o/s is completely revamped though. It needs to handle polyphony much better for me. Even the mic is subject to ployphinic "dropouts", which drove me nuts on the X1. The harmonies would have to be retriggered during long, sustained passages, using the hold pedal - the voice would just STOP short. Very abrupt. Hated that. For straight arranger or sequence play, the SD1 is probably the better choice of the 2, but if you like playing solo piano, the VA7 might have a bit of an edge. Too bad the Roland doesn't have a vocal mic input (the VARIphrase DOESN'T count), or the comparrison would not be so close!

Dave,
thank you for your exhaustive reply; I think I am ready for a second keyboard...
Frank, do you agree with Dave's assessment?
And, since we are talking about the SD1, does anyone know if Ketron has finally solved the noisy DSP problem?

Well I agree with a couple of things with Uncle Dave, but I haven't experienced any drops in polyphony with sounds or vocalizer. There are new patches for the vocalizer settings ( hint, wink, send them to me ).Everything on sounds I agree but I think the edge for strings goes with the SD1, especially in a band situation, but once again these are opinions, and probably shouldn't count after coming back from a Metallica concert. Just kidding. As for operations I can navigate both pretty good. Except the fact the VA7 doesn't have as many variations or fills readily availbe for live play. Both are top notch. I think the sounds of the VA are better when listen alone as a sax or acoustic guitar, but when in a band situation the nuances seem to get lost.

Dreamer, what keyboards do you or have you had recently?

One more cool thing, once you select a sound lets say you go to organs, then to the second page and select FullHam. Each time you hit the organ button it goes right to the fullham sound. its like it remebers the sounds you have picked so you can just hit the sound bank and it remebers what you liked......, very cool

Frank,
I have a VA7 and was thinking to buy a second keyboard; that's the reason why I was asking you for a comparison. I have tried the SD1 last year and was disappointed to hear a crackling/hissing sound that later I came to associate with cyclic effects like chorus and leslie simulator. I hope that in the latest OS Ketron has fixed this problem. The noise, however, could be heard only through headphones, but still the VA7 had a much cleaner sound and for that reason I went for Roland.