After first having experimented at large I can now safely say that the acquisition of a Behringer BCF2000 Midi Controller is an absolute must for anyone with an arranger keyboard with the possible exception of those owing a Tyros or PA3X.

I just finished experimenting on my Yamaha PSR-S750 and already did some on my PA800. The results are absolutely stunning. The subject was first broached here on SZ by Colin, who introduced the (discontinued) Kenton Midi controller with 16 slides which he uses with his PA600.
Unfortunately and for reasons beyond my comprehension Colin did not reply to any of my mails or even request here on the forum to help me out...

Nevertheless what is so spectacular about this Behringer ?
For those owing a Yamaha PSR model, including the latest, you can now access ALL volumes directly even while playing thru the 8 sliders ( big ones !) and the 8 rotary knobs.
The sliders are even motorised which means that if you choose a new registration that you have already made the sliders automatically zoom to those positions , GREAT !!!
And that is not all. You can save these settings on the Behringer as PRESET number one. Then I continued doing the same under preset number two with feeding all the REVERB values of the seperate voices. Again save them and behold:
while playing you simply adjust the reverb of each part.
I have assigned the RHY1 to Phrase 2 ( so all 8 acc. tracks) to the sliders, and the upper voices and lower to the rotary knobs. And it works like magic. Incidentally, there is a LEARNING function on the Behringer which makes programming all that I said dead easy.

With the Korg PA800 the same results. Absolutely amazing and in particular for those on stage with e.g. a Yamaha PSR-S950,or other PSR, a KORG PA500/600 and even for the Korg Micro Arranger this baby does the trick.

it seems to me like a superb addition. They retail round the 200 dollar mark but you find lots of them on EBAY etc.

Truly recommended and worth checking out !!!!!!

regards
JOhn

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BCF2000

Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention John. What a fantastic MIDI control tool.

It is Nigel and I have been puzzled by the lack of interest here. Particularly with all these arrangers without instant control and that includes all MOTL models this is absolutely marvellous. I wish I had owned one when I programmed all my Resources for the Korgies, it would have save me a tremendous amount of time and effort. But also on stage I would imagine it comes in handy, in particular for fine tuning the acc. volumes while playing.

regards
John

The motorised faders are awesome. I am amazed that this is available at such a relatively low cost.

Possibly the lack of interest comes from perhaps the idea that most of the arranger players that DO care much about tweaking their styles and registrations live have already got an arranger with the sliders built in?

You might also consider that probably 90% of all user arranger demos I've heard has the RH voices WAY too loud. Perhaps not as many as might be expected can even tell the difference between a well mixed style or registration and one not so balanced? LOL

BTW, if you switch from the preset for volume to the preset for reverb (or anything else you might have up) do you have to reload the Registration to get the faders to jump to their active points?

BTW, I have a BCF2000 myself, and have used it to control my DAW on and off, but must confess, as well laid out as the G70's sliders are, I have never been tempted to use it for that...

Diki,

As I pointed out it might be of lesser interest to those with a Tyros,PA3X or G70 ( still interesting enough though, see below) but it sure as hell is mighty interesting for anyone with ANY other Yamaha,Korg or Roland keyboard. AS far as the forum goes here I am thinking about folks like Gary, Larry , Deane to mention but a few who will find it a treat. Sure to progam it is fantastic but even as a major volume mixer on stage it is great I think. Do not forget that I have also programmed the uppers volumes under the rotary buttons.
As to your question about resetting the registration, I will test it tonight but I am all but sure you do not have to reactivate the registration.
And as to using it with the G70, I still think it would be handier ( bigger reach of sliders, volumes uppers etc. included in the same batch). Seeing you already have got one it is sure worth trying out other stuff like programming the reverbs, or whatever. If you use the LEARN function (see your manual or download manual) you can program virtually anything there...........

regards
John

P.S.
just checked, you do NOT have to reload or re-select the registatration/performance if you go from the volume-presets to for example the reverb presets.............


John

Interesting John, Thanks for the input. Looks like it would be a handy tool for those that don't have 'on the fly' sliders available. And the ability to save presets is a plus. I may check around for a used one (Diki?)

JohnLong time...not checking in.
Thanks for the info.
What is significant is the fact they are motorized and keep up with current settings....that way when you touch the knob they do not JUMP to old value then go from there which is what non motorized units will do...which is terrible.

Am I correct in the way it is working for you?
If so this is a real winner.
Thanks,
Lee

correct Lee.

greetings,
John