The thing is, Fran... you aren't really using the MS as an arranger. I can go out, get just about any keyboard on the market, and do exactly what you are doing. Doesn't make them an arranger...

Would you honestly go and do a styles only gig with the MS as your sole keyboard? No On Bass Inversions, no Breaks, no way to easily balance live play vs. style? No decent styles without running a legacy Yamaha style (no Mega voices, no SA, pretty wanky XG soundfont unless you do hours of conversion)...

The truth is, when you use MP3's, you AREN'T playing with the MS. You are playing with every other keyboard you used to make the track (presuming you aren't merely using commercial karaoke tracks) and merely using the MS for a few VSTi sounds. The fact that it stays home the majority of the time only proves OUR case, not yours! This thing has been sold to us since Day 1 as an ARRANGER. The fact that you don't use yours as one speaks volumes.

I'll admit, from all indications, the MS has a lot going for it as a kind of Neko competitor. But the Neko isn't an arranger, and doesn't pretend to be, even though I'm sure with a bit of finagling, you might get LS to run on that too...

When you use the MS in arranger mode to make all your MP3 tracks, and you take some other, nice light keyboard out on the gig, THAT will be the day that you CAN say you 'play live with an MS', but while you leave it at home and play to tracks that are primarily made on other keyboards, I'm afraid that doesn't really count. If I made MP3 tracks of all my G70 backings, then went out and gigged on a GW-8L, would I be doing the gig on the GW-8, or would people be listening primarily to the G70...?

If you can't gig on an MS in style mode, then it's NOT an arranger. Period.

Lets sort a few facts from crap...

The Media Station COST me over $3200 AUD...When I received it it did not work as stated by the company.

4 months after I bought it these things that I originally bought it to do still did not work.

Always the promise "it is coming,it is coming" but it never came. I got tired of having to do workarounds for live playing. Simple as that.

The Korg did not cost me 3000 Euro, nothing like it. If you have to know it was around 2200 euro. So Dom you do need to check first before you make leaps.

Fran, it was me (along with a few others) who walked YOU through setting up your VST's and a couple of other aspects. This after you had owned it for two years.

Just because it sits in your studio (and there-in lies the real truth of it, it STAYS in your studio, still not brave enough to use it on an on-going basis live) does not mean one thing.

If I had your money I would have kept it as a VST tool in the studio.

I need a keyboard that can do styles, can play (properly) MP3 files, can load keyboard settings for instant recall (without crashing the system), a keyboard that has instantly accessible on-stage controls, without having to jump through different screens first, I need a keyboard that has on-bass functions, look I could go on and on.

The Media Station cannot do any of the above, either at all (in its present state) or in a poor way that does not lend itself to live performance.

Fran you really do try to gloss over stuff. And as for, what was it you said, "backdoor" nope not at all. I am the only MS user, as far as I know to actually bring these matters to light.

The Live Styler was a debacle. You cannot use it to edit and save the style as even when you did the Media Station did not overwrite the original style, nor create a user style because the software as far as editing is not linked.

SO when you cam back to that style (edited with Live Styler) it just loaded the original one back.

To say its all Norberts' problem is just wrong. YOU included it on your OS so therefore it is incumbent upon YOU to make sure it works.

When I sold it, apart from some changes like a KAOSS pad, and updates to the underlying Linux OS, it was essentially the same as when it arrived. With all the faults still there. And you wonder why I got so annoyed with it and frustrated at the end.

I just got tired. And I got tired of people refusing to acknowledge these issues. I got tired of waiting for functions becasue teh designers were too busy trying to add too many "toys" to it. Trying to add junk that was really quite useless in the live play world.

The Live Styler is just like the player function, it is a PLAYER only. And no matter how many times I tried, following Norberts instruction to the letter, and Dom's as well, it would never go out of demo mode. Even though I paid the subscription price.

But, that's the usual response, if it does not work then then user is ALWAYS wrong, the OS is perfect don't you know

And Dom the buttons DO NOT WORK....Try pressing the manual bass button, or the solo button, there are a couple more on that section but I cannot remember the tags now.

And if they work under some other function because you have changed the software so many times...give some bloody documentation to tell people!!!!

And as for the mother board issue it was YOU who told me the OS 2.8 was linked to the different motherboard. It was you who said there was this select group of programmers who DID have an OS that allowed external monitors. I even asked if I could buy the older motherboard if you remember so I COULD have these tools, and not all the new toys.

YOU even said the display on the MS was terrible for editing on!!! It is not that good visibly but it is awful for editing as it is way too small for the amount of data you are trying to fit on it.

Look as I said at the start I was not going to get into this because I knew this is where it would lead. But AFG insisted on an answer, so I gave him an honest assessment of my experience.

If users and the owner of the company continue to say the "Emperor Has New Clothes" even when naked, well that's an issue for them.

James nailed it when he suggested this be totally reconfigured to be a VST power machine. Forget the CDG, forget the arranger, forget the KAOSS pad, forget ALL the toys and gimmicks. Make this a solid reliable live/studio VST controller and player (keep the COMBI its great too ) and musicians will beat a path to your door.

The Muse Receptor sells thousands of units, and its more expensive than the MS, and it has none of the capabilities that are in this unit, so there IS a big market. Just tap into it.

Fran I did nothing of the sort. If you want to try and vindicate yourself by attempting to cast aspersions on me, well thats your problem.

"WE" did not do anything. It was me who walked you through your VSTs and getting the XG to work with your LS.

I have not had any problems with the LS?? Where did you get that from????? The issue is that those old and tired Yamaha styles cannot be edited and those edits saved. And god knows they need some SERIOUS editing.

And I tried with the native styles to edit, but on that screen its hopeless. And the MIDI issues really need to be sorted.

You should have had the MS sorted way before..Come on I mean are you serious TWO YEARS!!!! And you still had no idea??

Sheesh it should have been you leading the charge, instead of still requiring assistance.

As you said it was hardware changes...the software all still worked pretty much the same, although some areas WERE simplified.

And to repeat if I had your frivolous spending habits and had all your money you constantly brag about, I would have kept my MS as a really superb VST tool in the studio.

But perhaps you should try something that, judging by your posts, (and not just on this subject) you seem to know nothing about......

EMPATHY.

Try walking in someone else's shoes and then coma back and see if your attitude changes.

i said once before that i was shocked that a fellow musician would allow someone to spend their hard earned cash on an instrument such as the MS knowing its limitations in live use......Yes that comment was aimed at you Fran.

Dom I am shocked that you could have the cheek to come on here and blast one of your customers and blame him for not being able to use your keyboard when you have already admitted that it doesnt even have a fully documented manual !!! Are you crazy ???

Dennis. Thank you for your honesty. Its a shame that others hear are too busy getting side deal discounts on the MS from Dom rather than give an honest report warts an all.

Yes that was aimed at you too Fran. No need to Ban me Nigel i will take some time off myself.

I did make a comment but decided it was not worth it. I think I will just let this rest now.
Perhaps Nigel can put us all out of our misery and just close the thread?

[This message has been edited by miden (edited 08-06-2009).]

W..o..w!

As every month passes by the M-station just keeps getting it's ass 'beat'..perhaps it may just go down in history as this was the only kind of beat it was successful at?

I would like "very" much to have a Mediastation forum to have a looksey at on what everyone had to say about it.The very few here enlightening me,must represent a boat load of others that have no channel for such ventings/rantings on the 2000$ going down the pipes.

(dbl post)

[This message has been edited by mr9000 (edited 08-06-2009).]

Nigel has already provided it http://www.synthzone.com/cgi-bin/forumdi...=100&LastLogin=

Enjoy

HOT HOT SUMMER WITH MEDIASTATION

I thing even now you do not know all about MS.

Anyway it is great instrument. And 10000 words are nothing regard what this instrument offer. Also Dennis find good points from MS.

So here is big fire but we are have also a lot of fireman and this forum is growing.

Everytime is great to discouse with you.