Is the WK8 a great keyboard to play live...

my opinion is no

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vic who wishes that korg TRITON would have more functions and the Roland E-500OR would be more improved!

Vic,

Could you please give specific reasons "why" you think that the GEM WK8 is not a great (arranger)keyboard to play "live"?

I have never played the WK8 but I do own the General Music (GEM) "RealPiano Expander" sound module and the acoustic piano sample is 'excellent'. I'm wondering if the acoustic piano sample used on the WK8 is the same? I've also checked out (auditioned) the GEM Pro2 keyboard and think it sounds awesome.

I don't believe that the Korg Triton has auto accompaniment features and the Roland E-5000R (is that a module version of the E-500?) is a Roland 'mid-line' arranger keyboard model, not the 'top of the line' arranger keyobard model that the GEM WK8 is marketed as.

I am interested in getting more feedback from Vic and others out there that either own or have played the WK8 to find out what the strengths and weakness'es of this arranger keyboard are. BTW (if you don't already know from reading my other postings on this board), I own the Technics KN5000 (and love it).

- Scott

Hi Scott

I think the E500OR is the "Oriental" version of the E500. While I am not sure that it is top of the line, Roland does use the terms "flagship" and "professional" to describe it, so it might be more than mid-line.

While the Triton does not have arranger functions, the new Korg "professional arranger" PA-80 will have a Triton sound engine. I think you will want to review this new contender for ScottYee compliance (rootless pianist chords).

It totally depends where you use it for, in other words what kind of music jobs are you taking!
A good friend of mine uses one.
He is mainly performing in Holliday envirements with tourists. (Hotels/Cruise ships etc...)

Overall the sounds are good.
It has an excellent midi file performance.
And for karaoke evenings it's the Top Keyboard!
Allthough other Keyboards have the video out as add on possibillity, they don't come even close to the WK 8 with this.

Fred

PSR9000 has built-in video outputs also. Just plug rca cables from keyboard to tv.
Don

Scottyee,
first of all I want you know that I hate my E-500OR but the only thing that would make me choose it on any other keyboard is the "OR" sounds and drums.they are totaly amazing and they are so real that no can even tell it's a keyboard and it's more than perfect on any other company tryed to make oriental sounds(GEM,KORG,...).if those sounds(38 new sounds and 3 arabic drums )were not in the E-500OR I wouldn't buy the keyboard!. I am talking about sounds in here...I tried the WK8 and was next to it a WK4 and a E-500 (not the oriental one).the WK8 has a great functions and it's really perfect keyboard but keyboard is a sound machean and you go to the sounds and all the sounds for me sound like the old "E" serios of Roland(like E-16..that's the first thing I rembered when I played it) and worse even.I can't tell you about the piano because I didn't try it on the WK8....and one more thing,how the keyboard is arranged is kinda hard to understand and the guy told me that they have to give me a lesson on that keybaord befor I use it(if I am buying it). because he told me that he him self took 7 or 8 monthes to understand it and be used on it and can be fast on using it for preformance .the only thing I liked is the battary thing which you charge it and if any thing happenes the keyboard saves every thing you do and even in preforming it would not close the keyboard and he said it's best for the keyboard to be opened 3 days more than to be closed(because it's charging)that's the only thing that I wish korg or Roland would really do.talking about styles..it have a great style converter but I only liked one style from ther 1xx styles.for drums they all sound the same except the techno or the dance one...it sounded not bad, other than that you have 64 drums and they sound the same for me (it reminded me with the psr240 drums).about effects..the keyboard have good effects on every thing.the guy told me that the keyboard is not working in here florida(no one buy it)and he is taking 40% of the price from it or something like that to make it work and he even called me to check befor I play it.and I asked him for the price and I was shoked and probably that's why it's not working even the amount he took wouldn't do any thing it's still can be higher and I asked for the VA-7 and it's higher than the VA-7 so I would prefair to go for a VA-7 which I will do after 17 days more than going to a keyboard that have only functions and no sounds!. about the KORG TRITON I only use it for midi songs and I some times use my E-500OR because it' s good too but when I tried a midi file on the wk8 it didn't sound good at all or even close to what i did to the song on a E-500OR.

that's all what I can say about this keyboard if any one have any comments I would be happy to read all what I said is only my opinion on this keyboard. and GEM manly.

Hello everybody,

Well, I have a different opinion concerning WK8:

1) sounds: very good (except the piano sound). But I have to be fair and say that all the piano sounds on ALL ARRANGER KEYBOARDS are lacking and maybe the WK8 piano sound in comparison to the rest is above average. The good news is that the realpiano expander is actually PRO1 sound. There is new WK8SE that incorporates that PRO1. so if you like the PRO1, you will definately like WK8SE and I would strongly recommend it above any other keyboard. (I wish I can pay GEM money to upgrade my keyboard to SE. I will however, never buy new keyboard for the sake of upgrade).

2) WK8 is hard to learn. This is a fact. However, the fact it is hard to learn or takes long time to learn, does not imply it is not easy to use in live performance. Once you learn it, it is the most logical, easy to operate, expandable, programmable keyboard you can ever buy. Furthermore, it is the most logical from live performance point of view. I know people who earn their living using this keyboard and they showed me why it is good for live performance. I am not talking from theoritical point of view, but from experience and from watching people performing on it and myself ofcourse.

3) the styles: well, this is a very opinionated subject. The styles on PSR series even if you got to PSR8000 or higher, I can easily say they come from a keyboard and not a live band. I am not putting down Yamaha, but because I used to be (and still am) yamaha keyboard fan and owner, I always can tell if that style is coming from a yamaha keyboard or not. The WK8 styles are different, they sound more realistic. The above post mentioned that the techno/dance styles are ok. I disagree. I believe that the other styles are better than the dance and techno. So it is matter of opinion. You need to listen to it yourself and determine if you like the styles and sounds.


So what I do think of WK8? I like it very much except the piano sound. But I guess no piano sound less than Yamaha P80 will make me happy. *smile*

Dou have any DEMO for WK8 to hear it? How much is the cost of the WK8 now days. It is a little bit expensive about &2700 with the Oriental Kit. Is it a good price? I am going to buy the w2khd Oriental any opinion.
thanks..

Hi,

SK88, Interesting to read your feedback regarding the GEM WK8. Yes, I am very impressed with the PRO1's piano sample (same sample as the RealPiano Expander), so I am particularly excited to checkout the new WK8SE. Is the WK8SE available yet?

It was also interesting to hear you say that the WK8 styles sound 'more realistic' but that the keyboard is 'hard to learn'. This sounds (interestingly enough) similar to the comments I've read from many Solton X1 owners regarding the X1. I'm wondering if GEM & Solton arranger keyboards share a similar design as they are both Italian made keyboards.

Finally, could someone possibly checkout the WK8's chord recognition abilities? As I have stated in other threads on this board (probably too many times by now), I am looking for an arranger keyboard which is able to recognize "rootless" chord voicings in "full keyboard" and "split keyboard" mode. Can the WK8 recognize the following chord voicings?

II - V - I Chord Progression in the key of C

Dm9 - G13 - C6/9

(F-C-E) - (F-B-E) - (E-A-D)

3 fingered rootless voicings (left to right)

Thanks,



- Scott