I've been a boogie n blues/ rocker all my live and have tried to use a Casio WK3700 the last few weeks on gigs. My group is myself and a female singer so I was hoping the Casio would add something to the Drum machine and Alesis QS8.2 I usually use.

I have always played left hand bass and so getting use to playing more chords in the left hand has been a struggle.

I have also hit the wall with all the limitations of the Casio.

Are the top of the line arrangers better at following your playing or do you have to develope a arranger style of playing? I know the WK3700 is a cheap keyboard with a toy feel but has anyone else made this type of transition in their playing style.

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Check out the PSR-3000 and let us know what you think.

Good Luck,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

Checking out this instruments in Montana is imposible

buy one online with a 30/45 day return policy. Or set aside a travel day and go to a big city or where ever there is a music store & do a serious audition.

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 08-22-2006).]

Chuck has asked a legitimate question and deserves a legit answer. Here's my two cents worth:

I would say that playing an arranger keyboard takes a lot of adjustment if one is not used to playing chords (or quasi-chords) on the left hand. An arranger in full play mode requires one to change chords and not necessarily worry about bass lines, as the arrangement will supply its own bass. Now, it is possible to disable some or all or the left hand accompaniment and use the left hand for finger bass or comping chords. Many of our resident SZ members play their own left hand parts (Fran Carango, Donny Pesce and Uncle Dave to name a few). I'm thinking they would tell you that playing your own left hand arrangements is certainly possible and recommended. In that case, the arranger section becomes a virtual drum machine with some pretty neat patterns and fills. It will take some adjustment, but it works. The only thing that won't work, I think, is trying to play a full sound arrangement and left hand bass on the same keyboard at the same time.

As far as the feel of the Casio is concerned, that is somewhat a personal choice. I have read that many SZers love the Casio, but I feel that Roland, Yamaha and Korg are superior. You must have bought the Casio from somewhere. Do they have other brands of keyboards you could try? Keep in mind that the less expensive boards tend to have a less expensive feel along with less features and capabilities. Roland and Yamaha have some pretty decent boards in their mid-lower range.

My suggestion would be to get a hold of a good music catalog (Sweetwater, Musicians Friend, AMS) and a couple copies of music mags such as Keyboard and Electronic Musician. Read up on some of the boards and decide what your budget can afford, keeping in mind that more $$ often translates into more features and capabilities.

Lastly, your keyboard/drum machine set-up is something many of us have used before turning to arrangers. The arranger can add a lot to your sound if you are willing to use it. Maybe you would like to consider an arranger module and midi it to your Alesis; then break the Alesis into 3 zones - right, arranger and bass. Send the arranger signal to your arranger and change chords as needed (mute the bass sound)while keeping a section open for that left hand bass you desire.

I hope this helps

[This message has been edited by cassp (edited 08-22-2006).]

That helps a lot. Montana is a guitar state and the few music stores don't have much in arranger keys. I bought the WK3700 online after reading all the good reviews. I admit i've had to change the way I play with it and I could use it as a glorified drum machine. I even took it a part to consider making a module out of it. The only high end arrangers around here are Clavinolas. Ate the top line Clavs simular to the Tryos?

Montana ....can I ask what are you actually doing musicaly so I could better help you...its a bit confusing reading your posts.

Thanks

I play about 8-10 times a month. Usually in a duo with female singer. We play all kinds of music depending on the gig. We do one song with a midifile but I would rather be able to do it all live because it seems the crowd gets up to dance as the midifile comes to an end. I got the WK3700 with the hopes of getting a bigger sound and worked hard to ajust my style. THe styles are not that balanced and I'm still working with it at home.

ok a few more questions:

1- Budget?

2- Do you play only arranger KB all night w/singer? or?

3- How much time do you spend tweaking your Styles & SMF? Some units allow SMF marker inserts this would solve one of your problems.

4- would you want to be able to use just an arranger KB for everything in your act?

1)Budget: I'll get what ever is best for me.

2)When I used the wk3700, I just used it. I'm back to using the 88 and drum machine because the wk3700 got to be no fun.

3) being a retired computer programmer I have used all kinds of music software since the DOS days so I am comfortable with treaking things.

4) yes I only want to bring one kyb.

Montana......

ok thanx now we're gettin somewhere...

if you need 76 keys...

1- Ketron SD-1 http://www.ketronus.com/sd1.html
2- Ketron Midjay module w/76 key controller
http://www.ketronus.com/downloads.html#sd1sounds

3- If you can live with 61 keys check out the Yamaha Psr3000 or Tyros 2.
www.yamaha.com

I would audition them first, but these will all suit the bill & all have enough features to do so many usefull things.


[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 08-22-2006).]

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 08-22-2006).]

Thanks for all the info I've heard about the ketron xds module. I don't know how it compares to the midijay. I've been saving up a keyboard fund maybe for a baby grand but think I might check out the Clavinolas. There is a place that sells them in Billings. Is the Tryos a small version of the top Clav?

Don't forget, you can set up the arranger of your choice to do Drums only, set up a LH Bass/RH comp split and do pretty much what you are doing, with the advantage that you have several patterns and fills at you fingers (or, even better, your feet!). This is how I do a lot of my gigging.

Perhaps the 88 wood keys of the QS8 is what you miss?

I would recommend you take a listen to Roland's G70, or E-series, others would say the Yamaha's, but all of the middle-to-top-of-the-line arrangers will let you do a LH Bass split, so you can continue with how you do things now while you get used to the LH chord system, or try Pianomode (just play pianistically, and it will figure out what to do!)

If you are going to work with SMFs, take a hard look at the Roland Makeup Tools SMF editing system - by FAR the easiest way to tweak SMFs (and styles) to your taste......

Diki as far as SMF,I will totally agree with you on that....the makeup tools are indeed a wonderful & powerful editing features thats hard to beat & found nowhere else.