I have thought about the Midjay but your right it is a bit expensive at $1,800+. even the sd3 is $2,100.

Yeah the days of cheap are gone in the keyboard world Donny Technology is moving ahead and getting cheaper everywhere else, but the keyboard makers still use old repackaged hardware and increasingly charge more for it....

Sorry to hi-jack your thread MC, but it just angers me that the arranger makers continue to ignore the obvious needed demand for full featured arranger modules. Arrangers ARE popular (and are getting more popular). I've seen online pics of pro studios and have even seen arrangers in their keys section. Studio's know good and well that some of these arrangers have great acoustic voices, but unlike the pro synth department that allows people to at least buy a sound module version of a popular workstation.., in the arranger community you really don't get that option (with the big three).

At one time is was the norm to find a full rack of keyboard mods in a studio. You always saw the Triton Rack and EX5-R right next to eachother too

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 12-08-2008).]

I`ve been using PA2X and a T2 for a year together, and it works fine, most styles from the PA2 and righthandsound from the T2.
Tryggve

Can you convert styles for the S-900? If so.., why not get some 3rd party styles (you can get tons of them from members here who have various brands of arrangers). Convert those.., do a little revoicing, tweeking, and see what happens.

MC, when I first joined this forum I was lugging around a pair of arranger keyboards, a PSR-5700 and PSR-500. I later tried replacing the 5700 with a Roland G-800, both of which weighed about the same at approximately 50 pounds. This rig was set up on a three-tier Ultimate stand that took 10 minutes to put together. It was a great rig, but my setup time was about 45 minutes back then.

The main reason I had a pair of keyboards was I figured that if one died, the other would serve as a backup, and there were some differences in styles, sound, etc.. After a couple years, and checking with dozens of other owners, arranger keyboard failures on the job are indeed rare. Additionally, I met up with DNJ, Uncle Dave, Fran and a few other guys that use a laptop for a backup system, which pretty much eliminated the second keyboard.

There are loads of third-party styles available for nearly all TOTL keyboards, which will provide a huge variety to your performances. Add to that a laptop filled with MP3s, some midi files and lyrics and you have all the backup you need. No need for anything else.

Good Luck,

Gary

I always use multiple keyboards, if possible. For one hour jobs, it's just a piano or arranger. For my little Friday-Saturday night early gig, I use a controller over an old MS-60 with an old Yamaha tone generator.
For my country club job I use a B-3 with an SH-201 on top and a suitcase Rhodes at my right hand. At another house job, I use a SD-5 on the bottom, an SH-201 on top, a Hammond XB-2 on my right hand and an NP-30 on top of that. I always use a piano on my right hand when I use my nord C-1. Most of the time, it's my 61 note Electro.

I've always done it this way. Sometimes, I rotate my GW-7 in the mix, but never use any of the arranger functions.


Prevents a lot of boredom this way.


R.

I frequently use a variety of controllers with the PA800 or Midjay. Sometimes a midi accordion or a Master MK4, or a Master Pro 2000 Bass unit, or - and yes I still use one - a Casio AZ1.
Ciao,
Jerry

Being originally an organist I got used to the independent freedom of having 2 separate keyboards so I've always used 2, generally using a Yamaha S03 synth on top of my S900 and PSR3000 before that...unfortunatly the sounds on the S03 were really outshone by the S900 so I thought about the best way to go...solution... I got a 61 note controller and midi'ed it up to the S900 (RH2)...works a treat...I can play all the great guitar/sax sounds with my right hand with independent volume when soloing too...its like having a second S900 and did not break the bank.

Noel J

I also use two arrangers, a T2 (soon the T3) and a Korg PA800-or-500.
Also from an organist background and instrumental music, I want all the sound rainbow, different shades of Sax, pianos, etc...
The styles is a BIG thing for me, I made many of the ones I use, but is nice to have many choices let's say in one particular Foxtrot, or Rock, etc.


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mdorantes

I use a Roland E-50 as the top keyboard because I can use the touch screen and a PSR900 as the bottom keyboard with the visible registrations that are setup song specific. Also I have gained a lot of weight as I get older and I have found two keyboards do much cover the extended tummy.