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#341614 - 03/08/12 09:53 AM
Re: Diki comment...interesting, and true..
[Re: Fran Carango]
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Senior Member
Registered: 01/02/04
Posts: 7305
Loc: Lexington, Ky, USA
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Don has used every brand I can think of. When I need an arranger, I use a 15 year old Solton MS-60. Frank is uber-loyal to his G-70. Gary is a Yamaha man.
What is best is what works for you. Nothing else matters.
I don't like anything Yamaha and was unimpressed with my G70.
SO WHAT ?
Play what you love, and love what you play.
Don't sweat the "small stuff".
Think about those who are gone from here. Diki, Chas and others were among those I valued...still do, actually.
What to play is all a friendly disagreement, in my mind.
It's really not worth getting cranked up about, because that's when it "hits the fan".
Fran, I appreciate the post from Diki and the gentlemanly way you have stated your position. I'm a two keyboard person, too.
It's been better around here. Let's all continue to appreciate each other.
R.
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#341635 - 03/08/12 03:16 PM
Re: Diki comment...interesting, and true..
[Re: Fran Carango]
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Registered: 04/25/05
Posts: 14287
Loc: NW Florida
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Normally, I wouldn't chime in here, but I feel I have to clarify what has been said... First of all, Fran really needed to use the 'quotes' system you have here to make it obvious that those weren't his words at all. Secondly, Fran doesn't quote the previous post of mine which puts the whole thing in context, so I will go ahead and quote it here. Perhaps, once you see this, a more balanced viewpoint becomes articulated, and those that feel that this is yet one more 'mine is better than yours' (mind you, what ELSE gets talked about here, primarily? LOL) might realize that that was the LAST thing I intended.
Damn! So does that mean we have to wait ANOTHER ten years for a competitive TOTL arranger?
You know, just to CATCH UP, Roland would have to bring out more innovation than we have seen in the last 20 years... Remember, this is the company that have DROPPED more good, practical innovations than they have introduced! Let's take a look at what's missing that you can find on even the budget arrangers of other companies -
Multipads
Break/Fills
Legato articulation sounds
Positional articulation sounds
Simultaneous arranger and SMF modes
Voice editing and storage of custom sounds
Fill looping
Pitch Bend on a pedal
On demand any fill, any time...
The list goes on and on and on and on...
Now let's take a look at what's also in Roland's competitors' TOTL feature lists -
Fully functional Guitar Modes that work in STYLE MODE (Doh!)
Samplers with FLASH RAM that don't need to be loaded to work
Comprehensive Songbook databases (that don't crash!)
Highly detailed articulated sounds
SA and DNC sounds usable in Styles...
Oh and yeah - the BEST feature Roland ever dropped, the LIVE CHORD SEQUENCER
And once again, that's only scratching the surface.
That's honestly, at Roland's current pace, a good 30 years of 'innovation', during which God only KNOWS how many day-to-day standard features they will drop in the meantime!
I am sorry, but this thread only demonstrates how far Roland have got their head shoved up their nether regions... everyone else STILL has basic MIDI recording, if not a full featured sequencer (or two, in Korg's case!) and what does Roland ADD to their newest arranger's capabilities? NOTHING. But put a MIDI Recorder at the top of the list of things they have DROPPED. ::)
If you are waiting for Roland to 'innovate', sadly, I think you shouldn't hold your breath! Simply playing even catch-up seems utterly beyond their capabilities. Unless, of course, you are holding your breath in case they drop yet another basic arranger need so that they can justify adding a half-assed replacement that has been a standard feature on their competition for at least five years.
The mighty have fallen, and who are the LAST people Roland communicate with about their future direction..? Yes of course... US! Their most loyal. dedicated users. In 25 years of using ONLY Roland arrangers, I have never seen a questionaire, a market research paper, any contact from Roland whatsoever to ask ME how I felt about Roland's latest and greatest.
The inmates have taken over the asylum. Mediocrity has risen to the top at Roland. And we are watching the demise of a once great company. I could weep.
Now, once you have read that, the post quoted by Fran perhaps takes on a different tenor... My intention has NEVER been to say 'mine is better than yours'. Just a simple look at the feature lists from even the G70's contemporaries, let alone those that have come out in the last ten years (yes, it is getting up there!) make that a patently obvious fanboy comment. All I have ever done is to point out my priorities... Sound above all, followed by ease of live use and versatility at not only a pure arranger usage, but how well it works as a LIVE BAND keyboard (unparalleled, IMO, and I've played them ALL) and it's SMF playback capabilities and ease of use. Taken with that much more limited (although I would prefer to say 'expanded'!) set of priorities, I feel happy with my decision to remain with this ancient behemoth (to save Ian from pointing it out again! - good to see that stuck needle hasn't worn out, LOL). The majority of my work these days is with live bands, but I still prefer to use ONE piece of gear to cover all situations. You never know when you turn up at the gig if the drummer had an accident (fell in a bottle of tequila agan!), or the bassist got double-booked. Best of luck with your state of the art WS covering THAT! But I just hope that, once you see this previous post, you realize that, as I have always done, I am willing (unlike so many here) to heap as much criticism on my keyboard as praise, to recognize its weaknesses as well as its strengths, and to try to work towards those weaknesses being removed by improved products from this or any OTHER manufacturer. I'm sorry, but if this forum had a lot more of that, and a lot less of the 'mine is better than yours' which STILL permeates this forum, I would still involve myself here.
_________________________
An arranger is just a tool. What matters is what you build with it..!
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#341651 - 03/08/12 09:19 PM
Re: Diki comment...interesting, and true..
[Re: miden]
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Senior Member
Registered: 05/26/99
Posts: 9673
Loc: Levittown, Pa, USA
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