A few people were taken aback that I said the Yamaha build was better.

To tell you the truth I was thinking more in terms of design not build when I wrote that. You're right that the Pa2x is built like a tank. However the Yamaha buttons and screen are way more useful than Korg. A simple glance at the Yamaha keyboard tells you all you need to know, whereas on Korg you have to squint and also check your main screen.

And the Korg screen might be color, but not "full color". The color is completely washed out and doesn't compare with Yamaha which although not exactly a like a laptop screen, is far more vibrant, not to mention double the size.

Got to agree with you, Dennis, on that one... Roland have introduced several new, unasked for capabilities to new OS's for their arrangers, but at the same time ignored user pleas for more basic operational fixes. Makes you aware that probably, the marketing division has more influence with the R&D guys than the users..

I guess, especially for G70 users, the worst thing is that there appeared to be SUCH a desire on Roland's part to get what was initially such a poorly thought out OS (it's a great design, but some of the details were half-brained, for sure!), and two major OS revisions later, much of what was wrong has been eradicated. But there are a couple of clunkers out there still unfixed, and some of the new additions have operational aspects that could be made better, but the main thrust of each OS update has been the release of new features, which, in Guitar Mode's case especially, are of little use (and great design complexity) and must have monopolized much of the R&D team's attention.

Fix the basics first, add new capabilities later.... That's how at least I would prioritize things

So, anyway, amidst all the new features you get in OS2 for the PA2Xpro, I hope that Korg pay attention to the long-unfixed fills issue. Who knows, maybe they can finally get around to offering as many fills as their competition as well, rather than the paltry three (or two and a break/fill usually) that they currently support...

Diki, it's a big amen to that..

I reckon Roland and Korg must be similar, in that when releasing OS updates, I think there is more an eye on attracting new buyers, rather than fixing old stuff.

Unless there is a veritable avalanche of complaints registered, which can work sometimes with Korg, but it would seem not with Roland.

What gets me is that both of these keyboards could be totally awesome and be FULLY complete, both companies have the tools and the technology know-how.

They could eliminate ALL bugs and in the long-run they would sell more keyboards because word of mouth (and forum ) would say that they are the "ducks-nuts" in arranger keyboards.

Then they would get the customer base similar to long term Yamaha users who develop such a big library of songs, sounds, setups that they a) don't want to change or b) are too SCARED to change because the huge workload required.

Anyway its their company I guess.

Also on the Karma software, got an email from Stephen Kay last night, (man that guy must never sleep) and he said the Karma software is only for the Triton and the M3, no plans for the PA..Pity, it looks like some pretty awesome software.

Cheers
Dennis

Hey Chony, not to jump on the "build quality/button durability" bandwagon, but I've owned my PA1-X for the better part of a year (gigging professionally every week-end and some mid-week dates - and I play some very Hard Rock n Roll/Bar room piano at times) and there's been no button/build problems for me in the least.

One thing that DOES bug me about Korg - well, more specifically the PA1-X.

The damn touch screen (and general speed of the keyboard) can be pretty damn slow and unresponsive.

Is the PA2-X screen more responsive and is the Board generally "faster" than the PA1????


(Maybe Dennis can answer that question....)

One simple answer to that Hellboy..Yes and markedly so.
Quicker screen, quicker O/S, better graphics and of course.......screen goes up, screen goes down, screen goes up, screeen goes down...DOH!.....lol

I do feel your frustration at the speed of the PA1, bugged the hell out of me too!!

Another thing that is quicker is the load time of PCM's. I use the Realdrums a fair bit and have them linked into a set with some Steinway pianos and they load so much quicker.

Dennis

Cool, thanks Dennis - I suspected this was the case.

I bought the PA-1 for a sensational price (I knew the PA-2 was coming out in a few months back then, but my old KB died on me) I still don't regret the purchase a bit (the Crossfading dual sequencers is just GOLD!)but with all the samples/midifiles memory expansion etc things seemed to have slowed down a bit.

Tne only other thing I hate is the inability to find files easily - I have to scroll the HD and it takes forever - can't even seem to jump to a file alphabetically, just scroll scroll scroll........

Do you currently use the songbook much?

If it is play files you are looking for, and you probably already know this, but make the entries in the songbook, and its instant retrieval, well almost instant!

Plus it also saves any current keyboard settings as well, including style volumes, mic settings, harmoniser setting, transpose setting (if any) etc etc.

What files are you having to search for?

Because you can link pretty much anything via the Songbook. And with its filter you can sort by a few different methods as well.

D

Intesting conversation...
Some of the observations about Yamaha and Korg navigation are exactly why Ketron products have always been my favorite.
Ketron utilizes the hard drive, particularily with SD1 ,like no other company. Style Storage in limitless, because all add on styles are saved and called up from one folder on the hard drive, instantly.
Same with midi file playback, again, played directly from hard drive.
When you create styles, they are created and stored on the hard drive. You can take all onboard styles and copy to harddrive, edit, change, rename .. no registrations.

I've played Yamaha & Korg, but as many ofyou know, I am a Ketron guy...

I am disappointed with the announcement of audya without it really being ready, but hopefully soon, Audya will be worked out.

------------------
http://www.esnips.com/web/Songs

Well Dennis, to be REALLY honest, as much as I've played around (and successfully used) samples, MP3's, tweaked SMF's and Sequenced my own, layered sounds, used the odd style, linked text files with any sequenced file etc etc - I've never extensively used the songbook (!)

Maybe I should look into this, as you're not the first person to say this to me, but it DOES seem like a lot of trouble to use it...

I guess I should at LEAST organise my songs into folders...*embarrassed look*


(with over 320 songs in our repertoire - added to weekly - it's starting to get too much.)

LOL, yes you should!!!

The songbook couldn't be easier..

Load a song (smf or Mp3 or additionally on the PA1x a WAV), set up all your upper1,2,3 lower instruments, set your mic setting (as in harmoniser) set your effects, maybe some STS settings too?? And then open the songbook.

Enter as much or as little info as you like, song name, genre artist key, whatever and then press write and it is saved EXACTLY as you have the song setup.

Everytime you now select that songbook entry the keyboard is set up exactly as you programmed it and pretty much instantly.

The same applies for styles, except here it will also save your minor tweaks to a style without overwriting the style, maybe you have the accomp muted for one song, or the bassline, whatever.

The songbook over-rides, and overviews both the style play mode and the songplay mode and setting there-in.

I wouldn't be without it and if they dropped it from any further Korg arrangers, I would never buy them again. Truly!!!

You can search for a song by genre, title, key artist or assign it a number and sleect it that way if you want (of your own choosing, NOT one given it by the keyboard, as in the case of a Ketron).

And THEN you can have loads and loads of Custom Song Lists attached to this master Sonbook file. It really is the best tool of its type on ANY arranger keyboard.

The only drawback, ahd to be one didn't there!!! You can only have 1 master songbook operative at a time, you can create as many master lists as you want, but only one can be loaded at a time. BUT as I said bear in mind you can have as many custom lists as you want within the songbook.

Dennis