I've never known Domenic to not be accessible to all Mediastation owners or even those who weren't owners but had questions about the product. Considering he's the CEO of the company and access to his e-mail and contact information is so readily available, I have to wonder why you'd make a statement implying that James would get better support than others. When's the last time you had the CEO of Roland, Korg, Yamaha, or any other manufacturer respond to you?

totally agree with you.

For exsample:

users and non-usera have asked for software options, which they quickly got.

I hope james let people know how easy this system works. The system is sometimes much easier than other arrangers. only you must learn to work with.

james you can even create your own GM2/GS sound bank with your own giga format sounds.

so, if you are oriental user, you can make it oriental with GM2/GS soundbank, and if you are west, you can make it west, if you do not like GM2/GS sounds, just replace them with new one or create totally new GM2/GS soundbank.

soon linuxsampler wil support SFZ soundfonts to.

Hi Tony.



No idea really. You would probably need to buy it online before seeing it which is always a hard decision to make. I've had to do that myself for as long as I've been playing keyboards. You don't get fancy music shops here in Ireland you know. Thomann pretty much screwed up all the stores here as they couldn't compete with Thomann prices.

I called a few friends myself last night just to let them know I have it so they are all dropping out to the Studio Thursday night. This is kind of how we have to do it here. Once someone gets something new, the invitation goes out to all the public performing keyboard players in my City.

It's real nice that we are all so close actually.



The CPU is a dual core AMD II X240 2.8ghz. Mother board is a K10N78, and I have no idea what make the RAM is. I would have to open her up to see that and I don't fancy doing that just yet. I do have 4GB though.

Speed wise it's lighten fast. Jumping between desktops even when lots of things are running does not seem to slow down the system at all. I probably won't be really be able to put it under pressure until I get my own sample libraries up and running on it.

Some of my personal giga files contain many layers and be well over the 1GB file size mark, so it will be interesting to see them running on the system later because on bootup it loads a GM/GS library of Giga files and flipping through them is not a all much different from a standard closed keyboard working off the ROM.

I'm not loading any of my own data just yet because I have OS4.0 installed and 4.1 is available. So the second I upgrade to that, then I will be loading on all my own software and sounds. Not that there is anything wrong with what it comes with, it's just that I've got some very good libraries.

My favourite being Symphony Of Voices by Eric Persng, and second favourite being World Winds by Dirk Campbell.

Regards
James

Hi AFG Music



I think it's safe to say it's a bit of both really. There is a steep learning curve as it's an entirely different concept to a closed keyboard, plus it can do infinitely more things. Once you start dropping things into place though it does become ridiculously easy to recall anything you have previously setup.

Which is what I had hoped for. It's fine being able to load what you want into it, but when your gigging you don't want to have to see any of those things. You just want to press a button and have them recalled and routed to the keys, which thankfully is how it works.

It's quite amusing actually to flip through Giga Files as if they are just ROM sounds on a closed keyboard.

It's still very early days yet though. I won't really get to test the system until I get OS 4.1 installed and my own software running on it. That said, I have noticed one odd thing so far that I will have to investigate further. I created a layered COMBI sound with piano on my right hand and strings on my left. While in EDIT mode setting up everything the keyboard performed as expected. However when I saved and exited, the Strings was gone form my left hand and had been replaced with a Piano sound even though it still listed the Strings on the screen. Entering back into EDIT mode and I could hear the sounds performing normally again. Exiting again and I had the piano back on the left hand. I then left the system and when I came back the COMBI sound had corrected itself. So, that's something I will be trying to replicate. Don't know if it's me doing something stupid or the keyboard.

Regards
James

if you upgrade the O.S, first make a backup from your home folder on a external harddrive (giga library-video libeary-mp3 library-wav library-VST libray- wine C libray this a hiden folder so you most choose show hiden folders-midi songs library-qstyle library....................)

why this?

becouse if you want update:

you get 2 options.

1- keep data on harddrive
2- format entire harddrive

you can use option 1 to hold your data on home folder.

or totally new installation option 2 but you most copy again your backup to home folder from external harddrive

[This message has been edited by AFG Music (edited 03-17-2010).]

Thanks for that.
I'd prefer to go for a full format so option 2 would be the one for me so I will do as you say and make a backup. I may as well do that now actually since I have to wait until Domenico updates my account on his store to access the files.

Regards
James

is better to copy entire home folder to a external harddrive if you like to use option 2.

in the case that you forget something, do not forget that wine folder is hiden folder you most on home folder on top menu select view and then select show hiden folders. this .wine folder is the only folder from hiden folders that you need to copy to external harddrive. when the new O.S is installed you most again select again show hiden folders and copy this folder from external harddrive to the MS home folder. inside this folder are the all vst you got with MS.

Yes Sir!

Looks like St Claus came early to your area this year.

Happy exploring and reporting!
Cheers
GJ

Good luck with your exciting voyage intoo the MEdiastation James...

I'll be wayting here for your updates, reviews and honest opinions about an Instrument that should change the future of arrangers once and for all...

What the instrument needs most is a huge library of user created content, free for sharing as is offcourse part of the Linux way of thinking.

Hey Domenic, I have 315 Euros if you have any more.

Seriously though, I think this is great news. I'm sure we can get a reasonably unbiased view from James and look forward to what he has to say. We have all agreed with the concept in the past and now hopefully this can be proven.

I know that it is now touted as a workstation rather than an arranger (oops sorry Diki/Ian) but I wuld still be interested to see how the OMB etc. software can be made to work.

Looking forward to your reviews James.

Regards - Keith