Merits of John Smies Korg MA Resources
BEST MUSICAL PROGRAMMING for KORG Arrangers:
Thank you - I upgraded my Micro Arranger's factory presets with your MUSICAL RESOURCES.
I'm very happy.
John Smies, you've created the best sounding musical programming for a Korg Arranger.
Mine has been given a serious "make-over".
I'm having so much fun with your latest version;
the new programs and improved styles sound so much more "alive".
As for myself, a former Korg Pro Product Specialist, Los Angeles, CA . . . I appreciate you, John.
Thanks again,
David Patt

Thanks David for your appreciation. It's a funny thing really, cause I remember only six months ago with the introduction of the Korg Micro Arranger several folks here on the forum dispensing with it as a toy and a marketing ploy. Well they sure were right about the last thing.
First of all it rekindled overall interest in Korg arranger keyboards, quite a few have meanwhile purchased one to enhance and complete their more expensive set up. Others were taken aback by the size of the small keys but their interest having been roused they eventually decided to purchase the PA50sd , being its large equivalent. And of course getting acquainted with Korg (again) gave rise for some to dig even deeper and buy a PA500, PA800 or even the PA3X like Don , etc.
The introduction of the Micro has enabled me to offer my many years of programming on the PA50 and PA80 to others and I am very proud to know that people as far away as Brazil, Australia, Russia, etc. are actually using (part of) my programming.
Thank you again and happy playing !!!

John

http://pasounds.intropagina.nl/

John,

I have never been able to figure out what you actually do with the Korg range, can anyone do what you do with the programming and if not how much is your software to buy? You know I have a T4 and there must be more FOC goodies out there for the T4 than any other arranger worldwide, I have so much software and styles I don't think I will ever be able to hear it all in my lifetime. There is so much out there that people have done for the T4 all FOC. Can the same be said for Korg.

Tony

Hi Tony,

Whether anyone else can do what I have done for several Korg PA arrangers is not for me to answer,but personally I would say yes if they have some good insight knowledge and hundreds of hours of time at their disposal. Do not forget that as regards my resources for the Micro Arranger I owned the PA50 ( identical as you know) for more than five years, hence my programming on it is very comprehensive and you cannot expect the manufacturer to spend that amount of time on making Performances, sounds etc. Furthermore it should be noticed that there is no accounting for tastes. As mine are pretty much MOR , most of those who ordered my resources have been quite happy with them.
As regards there being a glut of Yamaha software on the market FOC I can only remark that the Korg market is slightly a different one. For starters the Yamaha players lean very heavily on songstyles etc. Soundwise of course the Korg and Yammies have always been different hence my personal mantra "if you can afford it get both brands, at whatever price level.".

I know for a fact that very very few people (if any at all) have delved into sound and performance programming for Korg the way I have, as shown by the testimonies on my webpages of those who are using them. It must be said that in general the Yamahas require less tweaking from the start and most players are quite happy with the factory stuff and the masses of styles they can download FOC or at whatever price.

Talking of which I merely ask for a 25 euro donation which enables me to maintain my hobby the way others do some gigs a month. It does not make me a rich man but has enabled me to move up from the PA500 to the PA800 over the last 18 months. I am sure none will begrudge me this improvement. Furthermore it should be emphasized that I commit myself to refunding this donation should anyone not be fully satisfied. All this can be found on my webpages, for the Micro Arranger see pages 7,8,9.
You being British should know as no one else that "the proof of the pudding is in the eating ". If you do not want to buy a Micro that's quite okay with me, but why don't you try and get one on trial for one or two days. I will be happy to send you my best resources plus guidelines, even how to play it (or part of it) via your T4 keybed, and then you can finally have a well informed opinion of your own. My bet is that you will want to hang on to it......................

kind regards,
John Smies

http://pasounds.intropagina.nl/

Primarily Yamaha users are happy with what they are given by the manufacture, or what is available from others online, whereas Korg users like to do their own thing and sound as they want, rather than playing along to what someone else has produced.

Comparing the 2, the Yamaha is more versatile if you want to sound great with minimal effort, (Even if it isn’t your own work) whereas the Korg is more versatile if you want to achieve a more individual sound and performance.

As per usual, you pays your money and makes your choice

Bill

It appears, from examining Korg and Yamaha forums, that the majority of Korg users are very much like those who use Yamaha arrangers...the number of tweakers is very small indeed, despite Korg's extensive on-board editing, and Yamaha's excellent PC based system.

Most arranger users are continually asking for new styles and voices, created by the few who have an interest in tweaking...some sell their resources, and some give them away for free, and in the balance, only a very few of either are worth obtaining.

Hence the popularity of Yamaha's Premium Styles and Voice Packs, and the Korg equivalents...again, the majority of users of each company's arrangers preferring to have someone else do the work...nothing wrong with that plan.

Some people start out tweaking like mad, but quickly realize that programming sounds and/or styles, is a skill in itself, and best left to those with the ear, the intuition, and the interest for it.

That's why talented third party programmers had a field day back when synthesizers became more common...the factories found that the majority of the instruments in for service still had all, or most of the factory presets, leaving open a huge market that allowed skillful programmers like Bo Tomlyn, to reap the benefits of selling sounds.

Going by what is on the forums, I suspect it is much the same with the bulk of arrangers, and, in my opinion, it won't change much in the future.

Ian

I concur with most of the things said by Abacus and Ian. I would appreciate though giving credit to the contents of this thread started by Newday which is about the Resources that I have made on the Korgs and in particualar on the Micro Arranger. He has argued, as have many others, that my resources are very much worhtwhile obtaining, but that is for each and every individual to decide.( Hence my willingness to refund should one not be satisfied).

So please let's not enter again in the merits of Korg vs. Yamaha or styles or resources offered by others. Unless of course one has them all and wants to express one's opinion on the differences in quality, etc.etc.

In conclusion I would like to remark that my Resources for the PA500 differ from those offered for the Micro (PA50sd), which again are different from the ones that I have on offer for those owing the PA800 or PA2X.

regards,
John

My take on this,

John provided me with thousdands of styles to choose from. After going through all of them, I replaced all original onboard styles with the best out of his selection.

In other words, apart from his own creations which are very good, I also received everything else he's collected over the years.

What took me years to accomplish on my Yamaha, took me only a month or two because of him. Certainly worth the small donation required.

Henni

I would like to also add praise for John's resources. Like others here I have used the best of John's work to replace factory stuff and it makes a huge difference - very much worth what was charged by John.

By the way, I frequently use the little KMA as a stand alone keyboard on gigs and it really has ben well accepted and when played through my two Bose L1 compacts sounds great!

Deane

Are there any demos of John's programming out there..? Couldn't find any on his website.

It would be interesting to hear some A/B's of his work and the factory defaults to see if the donation is worth it.

Diki,
I have the resources and can say without a doubt they are an improvement on the factory programming. I would be glad to do some recording if I could figure out how to get my little Zoom recorder to record the KMA. For some reason it doesn't like the KMA - strange.

Deane

Hi Diki,
let me tell you the names of a few of the great sounding styles John Smies created for the Korg Micro Arranger that did not come with the factory presets:
Steely Feel, Stand by Me, Hammond Jazz, A Whiter Sh, Lodi, CountryRds, AlwaysMind, Maggie, Dire Straits, Wonderful (Tonight),
Let It Be, Groovin', Hotel Ctt (California), plus great Latin, and Soul Jazz, and lots of slammin' funky "groove" styles.

My favorite of his much enhanced programs, or what I call, John's "sounds on steroids", are the electric pianos and B3 organs.
The variety of realistic vintage Rhodes are incredible.
I especially like the way John set up the rotary Leslie effect on many of the Hammond organ programs where I can easily switch speeds: Slow/fast/stop;
Recently, I include the Korg Micro Arranger when I gig . . .
and everytime I do, I receive many compliments.
Thanks, John

I have to agree with Diki on this..

Donny,

Its only a donation perhaps his works is worth a lot more than that, like Diki says it would be nice to hear some comparisions

First of all thanks to all those here who have expressed their appreciation of my Resources.
Apologies to Diki and Tony for not replying sooner but I had (yet) another computercrash, hence......

DIKI,
No I have no demos. I once made a few only to hear from someone who actually obtained my Resources for the Micro that the demos were disappointing and that he was much more pleased with the actual stuff that he had gotten from me.

I guess it is difficult to do justice to such a vast array of programming ( over a period of five years). It ain't perfect and it sure would not please e.g. lovers of House, Garage,and that kind of music but apart from that it is a pretty safe bet. And I reiterate that we are talking donation here. As mentioned I do commit to refunding should one not be satisfied. Be warned though, so far no one has claimed a refund !!!!

A word if I may on my programming. The suggestion has arisen that I have created styles from scratch which is incorrect.First and foremost the emphasis of my programming has always been complete REGISTRATIONS or as we called them in the Korgs PERFORMANCES.In the days of the PA80, PA50,PA50sd and the current version the Micro Arranger, there was no SONGBOOK facility,hence I always programmed in Performances, even continued to do so on the PA500 and at present on the PA800.A matter of habit so to speak.

I recall someone on the forum here discovering the possibilities of "drum mapping " on the PA500. Well, that facility was already around in 2002 on the PA80 and PA1X,be seldom used. In many arrangements I have used that to the full together with the obvious variables like : instruments, reverbs, filter, chorus, volumes, etc.etc. to modify styles in a way often beyond recognition. Whether all this is your cup of tea is a personal matter but like I said , five years of programming is bound to yield results that will benefit most of you with a Korg, in varying degrees obviously.

So sorry for the absence of any demos but I guess the message is clear.

kind regards,
John

John, get to work on resources for the PA3X! I'll be the first customer.
DonM

Perhaps if more care (and dare I say it, some more money was spent on a professional performer if your own self-made demos aren't exactly blowing people away) were spent on making TOTL demos, you might not be ASKING for donations, but legitimately charging for your product and struggling to fill the orders?

Marketing is an art. One that time after time is proved to either make or break a product. One only has to look at the line of failed arrangers with underwhelming demos, and the successful ones with outstanding demos. Often, the sales don't reflect the TRUE capabilities of the products... compare Yamaha's demos against the MS! MS was technically capable of blowing the Yamaha's out of the water, but Yamaha hired professional, experienced arranger performers, and even involved them in the design of the arranger. And Dom hired, well let's just be kind and say someone not really that good!

And now Yamaha rules the arranger roost, and Dom doesn't make arrangers any more.

At the very least, contact your users, ask them for the best recordings they have of your product (hold a monthly competition with a new Performance as the prize, maybe) and use those to promote your product.

Because, I'm telling you, I won't even think about using something that is completely without any audio example at all. Free or not. My time is precious. I can make up my mind faster with a pro demo than having to download, set up, audition, and, in many people's cases, get an unfavorable impression due to their own musical inadequacies.

Look at how poorly some arrangers are seen to be, if the majority of demos when the thing first come out are shoddy trade show smartphone captures of someone obviously unfamiliar with the gear and even arranger playing in general. And it can take them months if not years to overcome the bad reception. Yamaha NEVER make this mistake. It is one that ALL people in the music industry should learn.

Get some good demos made, John.

Hi Diki

Welcome Back

If a company hasn’t got the money to hire pro demonstrators, then it isn’t going to happen, (The banks certainly won’t lend them the money for it) however the big boys can always splash the cash to get the best.

Question: Which gives the better service, a small dedicated dealer or a big superstore? Then ask who can afford the biggest advertisements; it’s sure not the small dealers, who will in most cases blow the superstore out of the water in the real world.

You also have to be careful of pro demos, as they usually use recording equipment that costs thousands to make them sound great, but in the real world, no user is ever going to get close to that performance. (Just look at some of the demos Yamaha did on the T3; the forums were awash with complaints from owners that they could not get it to sound anything like the pro demos)

If you want to find out how good an instrument is (And whether it’s for you) you have to try it yourself, preferably at a dealer or an owners home so that they can show you the way round it.

Relying on demos is a waste of time, as can be seen by the amount of instruments that are bought after demos, and then found on EBay a few weeks later when they find it isn’t for them.

Bill

You are assuming that ALL instruments bought after hearing great demos are going to disappoint. Fact is, most stuff that sounds great in a pro demo sounds great when you get it home... IF you are capable of playing as well as the demonstrator. A lot of those Ebay bargains come from buyers who think that the product alone will overcome their musical shortcomings. And we all know (or most of us!) that this isn't the case.

Yamaha never claimed that the T3 demos were made direct from the audio outputs. In fact, anyone that assumed that got what they deserve. Roland, Korg, many of the big players produce demos to show what is capable of being made with the arranger, not what is the raw, unedited audio, in the hands of a barely competent player. We have NAMM for that!

But I think you overestimate what decent quality, decent playing demos for a product that WILL be demonstrated as 'OOTB' would cost. I'm not talking about an over-produced, edited and tweaked, studio masterpiece like the factory demos from Yamaha or Roland. But a player of the caliber of Yamaha's Bartmann or other skilled players, playing John's setups, should EASILY show the worth of it or not. After all, that's the whole IDEA of the product. They are supposed to sound better than the factory Performances.

Quando quando quando (or anything!) played first with the factory setup, then with John's should settle the issue with minimum fuss. I don't see how that would cost a fortune. Stick a Zoom on the audio outputs, record the factory setup, then his. Job done, let's go get a beer!

You are over-complicating this, Bill. Whether a small dealer or a mega-store, if they COMPLETELY ignore their customers needs, both are doomed. I don't have the TIME to order everything I would like to try but have never heard. It isn't even entirely a question of money (but time is money, I guess). Sure, I hear a demo I like, I am going to think seriously about ordering it and seeing how it goes. But if I hear something I HATE (or suspiciously, can't find anything to listen to AT ALL) I don't have enough time to try out everything I hate on the off chance it MIGHT be a lot better in my hands.

I can't honestly see how hiring a GOOD arranger player for an afternoon, and record him doing A/B comparisons with the stock factory Performances in a few styles is going to break the bank. But it would make a MASSIVE improvement to his ability to market his product.

"....Relying on demos is a waste of time...." says Bill and he is probably right.
As to the rest of your comments Riki I'd rather not reply.They are on the verge of being offensive which I am sure you do not intend to be and there is no one asking you to order my Resources.I have outlined my views on the subject and as also shown in this thread have met with great appreciation overall.If you want demos you are barking up the wrong tree here, sorry.

Don,
My good friend I wish I could as regards the PA3X but as it is it is not about to happen. For starters I am quite happy with my current set up ( PA800 + PSR900 + Micro) and on top of that I play considerably less at home these days due to chronic health problems. So I'm afraid you (and others) will have to look elswhere for good Performances etc. for the PA3X. I hope the much awaited Korg update will turn out to be a blessing for all of you that (happily) tickle the PA3X ivories.............

kind regards,
John

Not intended to be offensive, John. Just basic marketing. Look, do you honestly think the larger companies spend a FORTUNE on making their demos professional, if there was no effectiveness in it..? That they just ENJOY pi$$ing away money for no good reason?

Are you a gigging musician? Have you got a website where potential employers can hear you play, or see a video of you working the crowd? Or do you have a demo tape in the hands of an agent or two? Most of us do. Somehow, the idea that an agent or club shouldn't HAVE to listen to us before they decide to hire us seems absurd. Word of mouth only gets you so far. Sooner or later, you have to make a band demo...

What makes your product any different? Why are YOUR Performances the sole exception to the fact that advertizing sells, and the first rule of advertizing is, let the customer SEE the product (or hear it, in your case)..?

"Relying on demos is a waste of time" is probably right? Give me a break! There is NO-ONE in the industry that agrees with this. Or do you just think that EVERYBODY else is wrong, and only Bill is right? That's quite a limb you are out on. I would say, try to find some examples of really successful products that have NO advertizing (or pictures of the product or examples of the product the consumer can quickly compare).... No? Maybe you are wrong, then?

Look, I don't care one way or the other whether you make the demos or not. All I have tried to do is point out that it wouldn't be anywhere NEAR as expensive as you think, and that no other product, soundware or not, tries to persuade people to try it without providing ANY example. You started out trying to SELL these, and now you are giving them away with a suggested donation. Tell me again about you being right about marketing, and everybody else is wrong...

All I would like to see, to be frank, is you be successful. I have often posted in the past about how few there are making styles and setups for us any more, and that I would like to see things like protected memory areas and things like this to bring a degree of copy protection back to software creators, and help them make a decent living from it, which will only make more and more do it. Which only benefits us all. To see you deliberately ignoring proven marketing techniques is just frustrating, as I would like to see you succeed.

"...To see you deliberately ignoring proven marketing techniques is just frustrating, as I would like to see you succeed...."

Diki,
Thank you but I have already succeeded cause virtually everyone who has my resources is enjoying them. I have never tried to sell my resources. It is not a commercial enterprise and I am first and foremost a home musician. I do not care for marketing techniques and lots of things you think I should do. I am just a hobbyist who has put a lot of time and effort in doing his thing and would like to think that it is fair to ask for a minor contribution, considering what you get in return.

Finally I would like to give way here again to the subject of this thread which, negative or positive, can only be truly discussed and judged by those who have experimented with it.

regards,
John