Don't get me wrong. It's a KILLER workstation, and live VSTi player. And I LOVE the huge touchscreen.

But as an arranger, it will be no more useful than the MS.

And as a WS, you have to be aware that the 'empty box' concept is only as good as you can afford to make it, combined with the skill you have to set it up.

I think, unless one of the majors goes 'soft' (think Kronos with a PA3X engine), there will never be a decent soft arranger. At least, never as good as the current hardware ones. Too many things have to play nice with each other for it to work. Only the majors have the resources to do this, and they are probably making too much money off of hardware arrangers to slit their own throats!

It solves the lack of memory problem though. (This is the title of the post after all)

Bill

It sure does ... 192GB is most impressive ... though taking advantage of it is another issue.

Hell Diki,

This is the second time this year I have to agree with you, but it might be the last ??? Are you to turn over a new leaf in 2013, what would we do...

Actually Diki, it is rather easier than you make out.

Korg already have all the parts and OS systems to make it work. As do Yamaha.

I mean, really, all you need is the arranger engine to TX the midi data out to a VST instead of a ROM sample...With enough processing and RAM (and a dual core 3.0+ CPU would be plenty) you could route all arranger parts to individual VST's.

After all, I have already done it Getting the PC setup to do this is quite simple, it is getting all the style data changed (and you know as well as I do that THAT is no quick and easy task!!!) that is the p.i.t.a. job!!

This is where the manufacturers could make it work so easy... They would need only to create a software conversion tool for owners to do their own, or provide factory style data..Of course they would need to "choose" what VST's to use, but even if they provided it for just the "main" libraries, (and we all know what they are) it would be a huge startup boost.

But ultimately it all comes down to cross-marketing. They would see it as a product that would detract from arranger and synth workstation sales, NOT add to them....after all it would be a hybrid product with FAR more production potential than either separate system...why shoot your laying chickens for the sake of one fat goose!!!

Dennis

Dennis,

Then where do we go with arrangers from here on in ???

It will need a big touch screen with music reader 18 x 10 inches that is..

Not really Tony...it could work using the existing touch screens on the Kronos and possibly the PA3 and T4's There is enough GPU and resolution an all of those. Of course a larger more high res screen would be brill - but not absolutely essential...

It is more a "routing" of midi data, and the CPU/Ram configuration than anything else.

The Kronos already has streaming from the HDD working, so it would really only need Korg Italy to "shoe-horn" in the arranger engine onto the Kronos OS...

However I would see it as working far better the other way with creating a hybrid OS for the PA series to allow a style part to directly access a VST. After all styles are ONLY midi data...and all that is needed is a way to get that MIDI data from the style engine out to a VST also running on the same keyboard.

This can already be achieved by using an external PC with midi note data from the PA (in fact even a PA1x could be used for this task) albeit with mountains of patching data and maps to be created...but essentially do-able.

ON the Software Rack project I was involved in I had styles playing VST's!! Using BFD for the drums, Real Strat and Real Guitar for guitar parts, ManyBass for the basses, and various string, brass and synth VST's for the other parts.

You see, fundamentally it IS rather simple to do, it juts requires the will of a manufacturer to hybridise current keyboards...Korg took a GIANT (with everyday user affordability uppermost) leap towards this with the Kronos...If Korg Italy would release the Sysex codes and data for the style engine, then this could be incorporated into the Kronos...or Korg Italy could clone the Kronos OS and hardware into a PA4x Pro to enable it to access VST's and hard disk streaming....

Imagine - all styles using VST's and/or audio sampling for the parts....

It CAN now be achieved...but again I say it is marketing/profit margins and separation of corporate responsibility that is denying us all the access (easy access) to hardware such as what I have described.

Dennis

Simply putting a VSTi together to handle the Capitol sounds from any modern arranger would be tough enough. Now do one that also does ALL the Variations, the DNC/SA articulations, the Guitar Modes and voicings, from THREE different arrangers (who's going to do all this to just play styles from ONE arranger? - it would be far simpler to buy the arranger in the first place).

Most modern arrangers have well over a thousand sounds, including all the Variations, which can be radically different from the Capitol sound. One acoustic piano, one Rhodes, one clavinet, this just ain't going to cut it nowadays. The modern arranger styles go WAY deep into the available sounds, to get styles that are well balanced and fresh. We have moved SO far away from the simplicity of General MIDI that the task of creating a soundset to successfully emulate (let alone better) a modern TOTL arranger has gone beyond our mere mortal abilities!

Sure, if you just concentrate on the basics... you can get it to work. But 40-50+ kits ALONE? Who's got the time and patience for that?

Diki,

Most of us on SZ haven't got time left to listen to a long playing record at 33rpm, now if you played it at 78rpm we might have time, the scratches might balance out the Tinnitus as well

Edited to add the quote from above....in a new post