Is it true on KN5000?

1. It requires you to load the entire MIDI file into memory before it can play the file. But be aware that some Type 1 MIDI files are quite large. On very large files, the Technics won't load the entire file and therefore can't play it.

2. If you have used the auto accompaniment patterns in your recording, you will not get all the notes from the backup parts if you convert the file to a Standard MIDI file. When the file is converted, the backup parts (guitar, bass, drums etc) are recorded as a block chord only!

3. If you decide to create your file as a Standard MIDI file from the start, the Technics will not allow you to use the auto accompaniment patterns. You will have to do pure 16-track recording. It appears that the only way to get the individual parts of the accompaniment as a Standard MIDI file is to hook the Technics up to an external computer or recorder.

If all of three are true, KN is not so good!!!

So, if KN is bad on that, is PSR740 better on this respect?

yes on all three points. the Yamaha does what the Technics appears to not do. You can play midi files directly from disk, you can record a song using accomp. and then it becomes a midi file
George Kaye

Hey George,
What's the going price US currency for a new (if one can find it) KN5000? I hear this is a pretty decent arranger.. The inability to play midi files is of no concern to me because I don't use midi...

Squeak

Thanks George for your help. So, 740 does all of three things what KN can't.

Do you know if VA3 does also all of three? If it is so, and at very similar price VA3 and 740, it would be VA3 a better option?

Because on 740, I don't like rhytms (all of time with guitar, rarely with piano)nor variations (minimal variations, I think), and I do not love only 3 user styles.

Tank you.

I had simulair doubts about the PSR740.
But George Kay hooked me up with a Roland G1000, fabulous keyboard.
Plays midi from floppy or ZIP disk!, great sounds, cool styles, lot of user styles available, great 76 keys with excellent feel.
It takes a little while to get to know your way around on this board but that is with every new board you buy.
Thanks George, I enjoy it every day.

Squeak_D,

Unfortunately George Kaye (Kaye's Music Center) does not carry Technics brand keyboards.

The KN5000 is no longer manufactered but I have seen them for sale used for as low as $1250 - $1500 (US dollars). That is truly a bargain in my opinion because I still think the KN5000 rates as a top of the line (sound/features) pro level arranger keyboard. I think if you can find a used KN5000, especially at this price, it is the best "Bang for the Buck".

Joseluis,
Re: Technics KN5000 and midi files
1) You can play type-0 midi files in direct (instant play) mode, which allows you to play the song immediately without having to load the entire midi file into memory. I use this feature for my vocal solo portion of my shows and it works very well on both short tunes and long song medleys (large midi files).
2) Easily converting your arranger composed tunes to standard midi file format (including arr accompaniment parts) is admittedly a problem on the KN5000, though it "can" be accomplished with an external computer midi sequencer such as Cakewalk.
3) Creating a SMF from the start (including the auto-accompaniment parts) is not possible on the KN5000. Is it possible on another brand/model arranger keyboard? I was not aware of this.

Scott



[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 02-06-2001).]

Scott,

it is indeed possible, and actually very easy to create the SMF, including the accompaniment tracks on G1000 - just a matter of pressing Record button before pressing the arranger Start button/footswitch, or synchro starting.

This is a little off the topic but I just wanted to let Scott and others know(if you didn't already) that the kn6000 has a fairly straightforward built-in auto-accompaniment to SMF convert function.

Hi Alex & Peter,

Thanks for informing me of the auto-accompaniment to SMF feature built in on both the G1000 and KN6000. I admit that this feature is seriously lacking on the KN5000 but thankfully I had figured out a workaround solution by connecting my keyboard to a computer sequencer to accomplish the conversion task abeit requiring much more work than I cared to deal with. If your music requirements demand that you to convert your auto-accompaniment songs to Standard midi file then the KN5000 may not be a good choice. In my case, I now send the accompaniment tracks as well as vocals to my computer's digital audio sequencer and record it as an audio WAV file as my end music product is now MP3 or WAV file format anyway. I don't find standard midi files as important for my music application because I need to incorporate vocals and midi does not support vocals.

- Scott