I just spent a lot of time showing the new owner how to use the XD9, and the thing that bugs me the most (and the #1 reason I sold it)is how the harmonizer works.

We both like to trigger the harmonies from the right hand, which seems to work pretty good on Ketron products, but there are 2 anomolies. Tell me what you think:

#1) If you are holding a chord down, and you activate the harmonizer(via footswitch)
The harmonies DON'T appear till you REtrigger the chord in the right hand. Does this happen in the left hand mode too? It's very annoying, and makes it unusable for me.

#2) When polyphony reaches it's max limit - the harmonies SHUT OFF till you retrigger the chord. Quite unacceptable. This tells me that the harmonizer is linked DIRECTLY to the sound source, and not accesed through midi like an outboard unit. Am I right, AJ ?

These are the two main reasons that the XD9 is not a part of my setup. I still praise the tones and rhythms patterns, but the navigation and these little "hurdles" are too big for me to overcome. It's not a question of right or wrong .... just not acceptable to my style of play.
It's fine for most players, I guess - too bad I'm such an odd duck, cause the drums really knocked my socks off.

I still wish I had the YAMAHA patterns with the Ketron drum kits in the Korg case, with the Technics speakers. That'd be cool.

UD ..... looks like you found a new life's work .... to paraphrase: "If you build it, it will sell...." ....
t.

UD ,

How does the PA80 work with right hand harmony ?

I have never had a problem with right hand harmonys with ketron . I always thought it was perfectly normal to tell the keyboard which notes you want it to harmonize . Same with the left hand .

dano

UD,

Pls see response below:

#1) If you are holding a chord down, and you activate the harmonizer(via footswitch)
The harmonies DON'T appear till you REtrigger the chord in the right hand.
>>>AJ: Correct. Some manufacturers use instant activation rather than delayed, or a combination of both.

Does this happen in the left hand mode too?
>>>AJ: No. For this we use instant activation.

It's very annoying, and makes it unusable for me.

#2) When polyphony reaches it's max limit - the harmonies SHUT OFF till you retrigger the chord. Quite unacceptable. This tells me that the harmonizer is linked DIRECTLY to the sound source, and not accesed through midi like an outboard unit. Am I right, AJ ?
>>>AJ: When the polyphony reaches max, there are a couple of options to go with; del the last note(s), del the first note(s), del one/more of the arranger notes, del notes from harmonizer ...etc and many manufactures choose one or a couple of the above. Whichever option we use will affect someone in the long run. The best option is to increase the polyphony (which we're working on for future products).

Thanks,

AJ

Can I set up a standard footswitch to turn harmonies on and off or do I have to use the Ketron multiswitch pedal?

Frank

OK - Three replies:

AJ - It seems, in a round-a-bout way - you are telling me the polyphony DOES shut off the harmonizer, right? That's the way I see it. I think it's a bad way to allocate tasks.

DanO - The harmonizer on the PA80 is also unacceptable to me because it's always in vocoder mode. That means it ONLY plays the notes I Hold doen with my hand. 1 note = 1 harmony, etc. I want CHORD recognition. I dopn't know about the instant on or not, because i won't use it.

Frankie - Nope - You MUST use the huge multi pedal for the on/off of the harmonizer. There is NO assignable jack. I found that to be a cheezy omission too.

UD ...how does Yamaha work ?

Perfectly ... IF you are using the left hand chord as triggers. If you use the right hand - you MUST hold the keys down all the time to get the harmonies. No hold feature for RH use.
Looks like I'm doomed to a life of RACK GEAR ! huh?

Looks like I'm doomed to a life of RACK GEAR ! huh?[/B][/QUOTE]
yEs *~* !

Frankieve, I think you can make an adaptor yourself if the connector at the XD9 is a standard 9pins type they are using like a com-port for computers.
Please correct me if I'm wrong...
ReneT

There is one solution. don't sing. Sorry, i only use the left hand for harmony. yike, Bob

------------------
Bob Lee

If I couldn't sing ... I wouldn't enjoy playing nearly as much. That's why I quit the woodwinds in college. I had a scolarship to Temple University for clarinet in 1973, and left it all behind to start a disco band in 1975. NO regrets ..... it's been a great ride so far, and I still pick up the licorish stick every now & then!
Singing is what I AM, playing is just what I DO.