One of my biggest gripes with just about "every" keyboard I've owned was the reduction of sound quality when using the internal sequencers.. This was a major problem I had with the PSR's I've owned.. When using the internal sequencer, sound quality is sacraficed due to DSP limitations.... It would be great to be able to create a song on my PSR that uses multiple (I mean a lot too) insert effects... Again this was the problem I had with the drums.. They sounded great when I pressed the DSP button and the default setting "disco eq" would make the drums stand out more.... To eliminate this problem as you all know I've moved to an external drum machinen (which is kicking major butt by the way), well I honestly think to get the full voice potential out of my PSR that it's time to step away from the keyboards internal sequencer and moved to an (external)hardware sequencer.. Zoom makes a killer digital 4 track recorder that is specifically designed to synch with the the Zoom drum machine I have... The 4 track recorder is called the MRS-4.. Now don't be fooled by the 4 tracks... because each track has "virtual" tracks, which means you can get WAY more than 4 tracks out of the thing. Plus you have all the options of track bouncing, full editing, killer built in effects and a lot more... I think a set up like this would allow me to use my PSR's voices to their fullest.. Seriously think about this.... Imagine being able to create a song with the PSR's using all the cool, live and sweet voices in one composition and not having to worry about DSP problems.... You could take full advantage of that great Yamaha sound.. Now I just have to eventually talk the wife into letting me have one.. After getting the Lincoln Town Car, I think my spending has been suspended until further notice... We'll see though.. Hopefully I can get one in the future... Also people asked me why I didn't use the money I spent on the Lincoln for a new keyboard.. Well the answer to that was I really never planned on buying the Lincoln... I just got lucky with that one.. Plus my wife and I needed a second car and we cannot afford to buy a new one.. I didn't pay this Lincoln off in full either.. I'm still making some payments on it to her grandfather... Granted I really would love to have a new keyboard, but my family has to come first and transportation is a must for both me and my wife.. I just got extremely lucky to come across such a nice car for a cheap price... Anyways.., anyone else here use a hardware sequencer for any of their recordings????

Squeak

It's not as easy as you make it sound. I have PSR 2000 and KORG D16.

There are no Hardware Audio sequencers out there, except the one by Tascam, i don't know which model, but it's like $4000.

There are Hard Disk Recorders. The Zoom multitrack recorder is just a linear hard disk recorder. And there ARE 4 tracks, that means you can play 4 tracks. That is 2 stereo tracks. You can switch between virtual tracks, but I don't think you can do that in real time.

The main benefit of arranger keyboard is the live performance feature. You can't get that with hard disk recorder.

Also, YAMAHA PSRs have the most number of DSPs among arrangers. No other arranger offers EQ for each MIDI channel.

So, before you buy that multitrack, think about it again.

No different with the Motif Squeak. The presets and user voices sound great, but they absolutely "die" in the internal sequencer mode. My fix is to use N Track studio and sync it to the Motif's clock. Then I simply record each instrument to it's own track using the "voice" mode ( with all of the effects available for each voice ) one instrument at a time. The added benefit is that I can also apply VST effects to each track and seperate EQ for each as well. Even on my modest computer ( 800 mhz , 256 ram ), I can easily get 8 to 10 tracks going at once in N track with real time VST effects / and eq on each one and have no pops, clicks or slowdowns.

I considered the external sequencer / external digital audio recorder a few years ago, ( I think it's a great way to go too ) but I spent a little money on computer software instead, and spent the rest on a PSR740.

AJ

Yes, that's how all the studio recordings are done. Track by track. But, go and ask a studio engineer to do the performance live, with all track in a live situation. changing chords, fill ins, variations, changin sounds ............ no can do, he/she will say.

So, there are give and takes, if you need the real time features, YAMAHA offers the best DSP power among all arrangers.

Shakil,
A buddy of mine has the MRS-4 and said the Zoom allows you to record 4 tracks and if you choose you can take those 4 tracks and copy all 4 track to (one) virtual track. He said he's able to get quite a few tracks out of the little thing.. When I say DSP problems I mean the PSR's only allowing (one) insert effect to be used at at time.. Thus meaning you lose sound quality big time when using the sequencers. I think using an external recorder can really help that problem.. I no longer perform for a crowd and when I play it's for personal enjoyment.. I'm very picky when it comes to recording and the quality of the sound.

Bluezplayer, sorry to hear the motif suffers from the same problem.. Not shocked though because it was the same way with the keyboard the Motif replaced.... However I truly feel that I can get better quality recordings using an external recorder...

Squeak

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 10-22-2002).]

Shakil,
I understand what you're saying about live performances, but not all of us do that.. It falls down to specifc needs of the keyboardist. I've been in many studios (back in the day when I lived completely off the income of live performances), and I'm used to track by track recording. I like to have complete hands on control of a composition... Of course if you perform I can understand your point too.. I just want to utilize the "full sound quality" of my PSR.. If I can't get a new keyboard then damn-it I'm going to make the best of the one I've got...

Squeak

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 10-22-2002).]

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 10-22-2002).]

squeak -
Fran Carango has a Zoom for sale - it's a great buy too ! Nice and cheap !
(almost new)