Originally posted by Dnj:
Thanx Richard I really enjoyed it !!
I thought it sounded a bit Ketronish in a good way!!! Thanks guys, I’m glad you liked it. I also think Tito did a great job. The “live” feel to the drums and bass have always been one of Ketron’s advantages as well and seems to be accomplished best with audio waves or giga files. This is one of the strengths of the Mediastation.
Originally posted by Diki:
Well, finally.... the first decent demo on an MS (see - I CAN admit it!), Very well done, Tito....!
That is the best trombone sound I've ever heard if it isn't a real t'bone. The rest of the brass was OK, but the saxes sounded VERY poor. Bad Casio, IMO...
But, in all fairness, as a style backing, like Donny said, a bit Ketron-ish, probably nothing that couldn't be achieved on a T2 either. Only that trombone made me sit up and go WOW1 (And I apologize if I am wrong, but it sounded AWFULLY like a real 'bone overdubbed).
Still nothing to make me want to sell my G70... Admittedly, even just getting close to a T2 is better than we've heard so far, but it still begs the question - why pay so much more to sound the same..?
Please ask Tito if that was a real trombone, or if not, what library did it come from? There's a moment at 1:37 that has an amazing legato slide passage that makes it very hard for me to believe that's a keyboard....
Diki,
“Well…the first decent demo on an MS”? I’m wounded (just kidding of course). In case new members may have missed it, here is the link to the demo and post I made a few months ago.
http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum37/HTML/014737.html The Demo is of a song called “Above All”, I recorded it internally in the Mediastation using Rezound, with a simple style and the Steinway B Giga Piano
Ok, back to Tito’s demo, as far as the sounds used, I checked with Tito again, he verified that his song consisted of a standard style and some of the standard Giga and Dream chip sounds that came included with the Mediastation. I also asked about the trombone that you found very had to believe it could be a keyboard, it is from the Lionstracs GM Giga Sound Bank, number 58. The Sax you didn’t like was from the Dream Chip GM Sound Bank.
Sell your G70? Wouldn’t want you to. The G70’s a great keyboard, no one’s suggesting that you sell it. No “mine’s better than yours” contest here. All the top arrangers made today are really good. Thankfully there is enough variety for us to each choose the keyboard that suits him or her best.
You asked, ”why pay so much more to sound the same..?” Sounding the same just settles the question that you have raised, that the Mediastation arranger is actually fully functional and up to par. The style library, as I’ve explained in some previous posts, is not as extensive or as polished as the ones accumulated by the larger keyboard companies. If that is a deal breaker for you then the MS is not the one you want.
As far as reasons to pay more? Well the MSX Std 76 isn’t any more at only 1990 Euros, and though it is the basic model, it meets or exceeds the hardware specs of most other top of the line arrangers. Even the MSX AM2 with its upgrades is priced comparable, but I would also contend that there are differences to the MS that could easily justify a higher cost.
How about a fully integrated personal computer with included software and the ability to play Giga sounds along with a library of these sounds that numbers in the thousands. Add to this the ability to play vst’s and throw in NI B4 just for good measure. Also integrate audio wave files in almost all standard formats complete with full editing capabilities, time stretching, pitch shifting and build all this into the styles.
Add professional stereo XLR outputs for main and cue mixes at a very impressive 24 bit output quality, 2 mic inputs and the option of an additional 8 analog inputs / 8 analog outputs. Also add a full synthesis module and a combi module that a allows you to layer and zone 8 different sounds(Giga or GM Flash sounds) in any way you choose and a full fledged software DAW and sequencer similar to Cubase or Pro Tools LE.
I know you may not really need the included DVD burner, and video editing software, or internet browser, and I’m sure you’ll never need to do pixel by pixel, photo image editing at a gig. But you’ll have to admit having all these extra features is not a disadvantage.
In fact, the Mediastation is the first keyboard to bridge the gap between arranger and synth workstation and computer based DAW all in one package. I realize that some people already have the keyboard workstation and computer based DAW that they need and want only a simple arranger with less of these extras, but the MS fits the bill for me and I’m guessing some others.
I’m glad we’ll always have a lot of choices in arrangers, that’s what makes this forum interesting!
Richard