Hi Deane

In relation to what:

A sequence of played chords
A sequence of chords that play styles
A temporary input of chords
A permanent input of chords
A Live Looped chord sequence

In a basic form it can easily be achieved with a Midi file (Available on all arrangers)
More advanced means it can be done on the fly (PA3x or G1000) live

A little more clarification is required in what you actually want to do with the chord sequence, before we can identify what arrangers can do what you want.

Bill

Hi Deane:

Are you referring to Multi-Pads? My old Yamaha PSR-2000 makes good use of them to embellish a song if the correct type of pad is selected. They can be turned on and off at will... and a different pad instrument or semi-style can be selected. Heck, if needed, all four pads can be playing while the style is chugging along during the playing of a song or melody.

I can't speak for other brands of KB's but I have not been able to do much with Multi-Pads on the Korg MicroArranger... but that's probably a learning curve thing. So far, the learning curve with the KMA has been difficult for me.

Dave Rice

There are two basic different types of what you are asking about, Deane.

The first, where you input these chords in advance, and save them to be used for later is usually called a Chord Track.

The other, once a Roland feature, and now used by Korg in the PA3X, is called a Chord Sequencer, although that's a bit misleading name, as it is a live, realtime feature, rather than how we usually think of a 'sequencer'.

In this, while you are playing, you hit a button for Record, and it only records the chords you play... Then, when you press Play, it immediately drops out of record, and starts playing the chords, looped to the length of what you played.

So, you play the head, or verse and chorus, hit play, and now BOTH your hands are available for whatever you want. If you hit the CS 'Stop', it doesn't stop the arranger, just the chord 'loop'... and you can play a bridge, vamp, whatever, then hit Play again and the loop starts up again...

I found it possibly the most useful thing an arranger could ever have. Why Roland dropped it is beyond all reckoning!

Hi Diki,
You hit the nail on the head. The feature I am interested in allows the player to enter a chord sequence and use it to play along with at a later time. I believe it will play the entered chords with whatever style is selected. It would be even better yet if, like you said, you could record the chords as you play and save that chord sequence to use later too.

Is the PA3X the only arranger that does this? I have Dan's vArranger and it will allow you to enter chords and play them back later - but that runs on a PC not a keyboard.

Anyone here use this feature much? Seems like it would be an advantage to have both hands for playing rather than have the left hand tied up for playing only chords.


Deane

I use it some on the PA3X. It would be way more useful if you could save the sequence. I'm hoping it will be addressed on the upcoming OS update.
DonM

I have a feeling this may be one of the additions Don...plus changing the CS operation to one button press(not the current two), and having the saved CS follow any key changing on the keyboard...

Dennis

Hi Deane! If you're willing to record your chord progression *in advance* (as opposed to on the fly) there are various ways of triggering it in sync with the style, leaving both hands free for several measures.

One possibility: You could record a series of triads into a multipad track, with the "chord match" feature DISABLED. Then connect a cable between the keyboard's own MIDI Out and MIDI In. Set up a registration or user program such that the incoming MIDI notes drive the arranger. When you need your left hand, select that registration and trigger the multipad to start the stored progression. I've tested this on a Yamaha and it works! (In the '90s, multipads meant something different than they do today. The PSR-8000 used to have this as a native feature, that's where I got the idea!)

The same technique would work if you stored the triads on a laptop, as a "song" on another KB, or any external sequencer. The trick is synching the MIDI clocks and setting up the arranger to accept chord input via MIDI. By the way, this is also a great way to audition styles with your favorite chord progressions!

One more thought... some Ketrons have a fourth variation or fill which they called a "riff mode." It plays a preset chord progression to jam along to, but I'm not sure if it's editable.
Good luck, you're a great contributor here and I'm sure you'll let us know what you find out!

The riff isn't editable, but many of them are standard progressions. Some aren't.
If you could record it yourself and save it as a new user style, it would REALLY be great.
DonM

Older Roland's that had the Chord Sequencer feature could save and load the loop. Korg would do well to adopt this, and also allow you to 'link' it to a registration.