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