A Toyota Camry is more useful and easier to use than a Formula 1, but I'm not going to enter one in the Italian Gran Prix.

chas

Of course not...nor would you go to the grocery store in a Formula One (it might be a hoot, but no trunk).

You may as well get a Nissan GT-R and have the best of both worlds (My buddy has one...goes like stink..seats four).

Seriously, an arranger is every bit as powerful as a workstation...just in a slightly different way.

My preference to be sure, and obviously the choice of the members on this forum.

Besides, with my laziness, I don't want anything with the word "work" written on it, or associated with it...bad for my image.

Ian

BTW...why did you buy your arranger? Do you find/think it's easier to use than a workstation?

[This message has been edited by ianmcnll (edited 01-30-2010).]

Partly for the same reason I bought my Wii system, they're fun. But also as a musical sketch pad; a quick way to demo a tune or see how it would sound in a certain style. The thing is, I'm not a big workstation fan either, I only have one 'true' workstation, the Fantom G7, and I mainly use that as just a straight synth. It's not much more useful to me than my SonicCell (but that's my fault). Actually, I guess you could call the Motif ES a WS, as well, but I use it the same way. Both are overkill for me as I never use on-board seq's and samplers or arps. With the aid of a drum machine (or arranger drums), I can put together a song via multi-tracking just about as quick as I can with an arranger, AND it'll be more of what I want it to sound like.

I like arrangers, will probably always have one around the studio, will probably never gig with one (like Oscar ), will probably spend long periods between upgrades, as the newest features are things I probably wouldn't use anyway (plus I hate learning new ways of doing things). For MY purposes, I agree with your assertion that arrangers are easier to use than WS's, but again, that depends on what you want to do with them. Heck, I even think that arranger drums are easier to use than a drum machine, and it's usually my first choice when putting down a quick and dirty rhythm track. This will change as soon as I get proficient enough to lay down a rhythm track with my new electronic drum kit (@ 2018 ).

chas

I also find an arranger great for quickly putting down ideas.

Arranger drums are easier than a drum machine or workstation, especially "live"...ask Diki.

My Yamaha boss and I were using one for doing demo songs for a pal of ours, who used to send tunes to Nashville as "fillers" for country performers to use to fill up album space, but he (the pal) passed away just before Christmas.

We could do two or three songs in an afternoon, of very good quality...used the arranger for drums and bass and some piano, organ and strings...especially bass, as it is mostly pretty simple.

I'm still not gigging...don't feel like it yet...kind of a slump...it will pass, I've had them before, and it is actually good to have the winter off, as it isn't too pleasant hauling gear with slippery sidewalks and steps...and unpredictable weather, especially here on the coast.

Minus 15 today...beautiful...might not even need a jacket.

Ian

I had no CHOICE when I got my first G70... HAD to pay full price, and nothing else had the same combination of things I needed. But that didn't make me feel any less sore, after seeing MoES8's for LESS than I payed for my G70 My used one was a great deal, otherwise I wouldn't have got it... (Oh, and BTW, there isn't a better 76 keybed on ANYTHING at any price! )

And I'm sorry, but you just aren't looking at the big picture, Ian... Just because you might not actually USE all their features, there are EXTENSIVE features on a modern WS that require at least as much development as an arranger. Most of them, nowadays, for just ONE example, have complete multi-track DAW's, with plug-ins, graphical displays, automation and mastering features (all missing from arrangers). I wouldn't discount the expense of developing these wunderkind machines so lightly.

As to using a G70 over a WS for live gigs... I guess I'm one of the few, but I do a LOT of 'pick up' gigs, and my style involves doing a LOT of split keyboard, multiple sound playing (I have long given up the hassle of hauling multiple keyboards around!). No, I don't use the style section at all for these, but I am expected to be able to call up the sounds I need at the drop of a hat for each tune, and a WS just isn't quick enough at that particular task.

I make no apologies EVER turning up to any gig with one of these, and I have NEVER been disparaged for it, even BEFORE they hear me play it! It's just a keyboard, as far as anyone else is concerned. I doubt any of us go up to a guitarist and piss and moan because he has a looper in his pedal-board, especially if he doesn't use it! I still don't get this 'chip on the shoulder' mentality about arrangers. NOBODY CARES...

All they care is how you PLAY, guys...

And yes, I WAS raped when I bought my G70. And I am NOT happy about it. But they don't make a WS with the same keybed and ease of live use as my G70 (or I would have bought it and saved myself a fortune).

Strange with such a great keyboard, Roland chose to use it on an arranger, and I believe, a controller.

Is it still being used on anything new, or has it gone the way of the TOTL/MOTL arrangers and the chord sequencer?

Sometimes I wonder what's behind Roland's thinking.

I've owned/demoed/and have done clinics on workstations, Diki, but they are just too tedious for me. I want to play, not work.

Give me a great arranger like an S910, and I'm very happy...both with it's performance, and the great price.

It's too bad about your unhappy experience from paying so much for the G70. At least it fits your needs, and you were lucky enough to get the second one at a better price.

Ian


[This message has been edited by ianmcnll (edited 01-30-2010).]

Hello everybody,

I would tend to agree that arranger are a ripp off, had buy a 910 3 weeks ago and i was verry unhappy about the keybed, lack of functions and toys feeling...

yesterday i took it back and came home with a M3 and let me tell you that this is a real pro instrument for only a couples hundreds more buck that i paid for the 910..

just a couples of points:

1- Keybed and quality construction is 1000% better, THAT is a nice keybed

2- Possibility are way more interresting, lots and lots of possibility (and way more complicated)

3- Karma function are amazing, Karma is an algorythm that use what you play to create accompagnement and send it back to you, very very interesting in the kinds

4- Lots of addons like the touch screen that can be use as a playing area, joystick, ribbon controller...

So it true that it is more difficult to play than an arranger but the point is that i have soooo much more in workstation world than in arranger for the sames money (i know i paid more but still, remover 1/5 of the functions and it will stay a better deal) so I am telling that s910 cost a lot more than it should in comparaison..

Oh, All PSR was in the corner of the stores feeling like in shame, maybe they did something wrong as they where in punition

Take Care
MJ

Mystic Jammer,

If you haven't already, it might be a good idea to visit Korg's User Forum at this link:

http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/

It's free to join, I hear they are a great bunch, and they'll help you learn all about your new M3.

Best of luck,

Ian

Thanks Ian, you'r a gentleman

Yeah, Ian. You're a real peach .

chas