http://francarango.homestead.com/DR000155.mp3



Saved as sequence and modified using SRX Studio card...sounds

Fran the G70 sounds are "very natural" as always with Roland ....but I just cant pinpoint the drums rhythm ....off timing or something weird in the mix?

Donny..nothing is weird at all...60 bpm and I chose to use a new rock kit in the first recording and a studio kit in the second recording..instead of a brush kit...The kit I used , makes it easier for me to follow the precise rhythm..Also the alto sax is laying back a bit..enough that you could actually have vocals without dropping the sax..

You just aren't use to playing "jazz"..where is Chaz or Russ when I need them

Apparently, no one was even interested in checking it out

Good natural sound. Drums sound fine to me. That Alto Sax is pretty good, probably the best I've heard in any board. Yamaha hasn't nailed that voice yet to my dismay although their SA2 Tenor Sax is the best of any board and the reason I bought a Tyros.

Joe

Fran:

Although I've never actually played or even seen a G70, other than on You Tube, I think it is a great sounding Arranger. Can't compare play-ability and features to current products but it certainly seems to have been a wonderful keyboard and one I would enjoy playing. From what I've read it seems that Yamaha beat it on the weight issue and having a lineup of lower priced models that could step you up the the Tyros. A kind of GM approach to Arrangers. It most certainly has a more alive sound than Yamaha and Korg. I understand your feelings about this board.

Joe

Thanks for your comments..

Here is the tune recorded with a brush kit in Bandstand (Native Instruments)..maybe you can get a different feel with the brush kit Donny

http://francarango.homestead.com/our_luv2mp3.mp3

Fran:

Does the BK-5 or Bk-7 sound the same? Are they comparable to the G70 from a voice and style perspective?

Joe

I agree with Donny that the drums in the first recording sound a little 'disjointed' ... Also, the sax in the first recording sounds more 'mellow' to me than in the third recording ...
Fran, did you play this in 'one take' or were the parts sequenced? ... Either way the board sounds very good ... I wish the sax in my Pa600 sounded like that ... and maybe the 'player' has something to do with it ...

Nice work ... thank you ...

Joe yes the BK series are very similar...I notice a difference side by side...slightly...the results are favorable even with the BK5..

They are comparable style wise and soundwise..

Tony..sequenced overdubs..

The drums are in perfect time 4/4 on all examples..

Maybe the first three beats with the accent on the fourth(snare)..are fooling you..

yes ... actually, I think it's that little 'hit' just before the 4th beat that kind of throws me off ...
Otherwise, as I said you did a really nice job ...

That's some pretty nice work fran . There was no problem in the drums in any of the examples but I did prefer the brush drums . Very nice jazz guitar work ! By far this is the best work you have posted since I have been on the synthzone . The organ solos were also pretty outstanding . Your runs were nice and not over done . All I would say is stay out of the higher registers with the sax as that's where the samples start to sound less believable . But in all , you should be very proud of what you just showed us . Well done I really mean that .

Chas needs yo listen to this , I know he would enjoy it

Fran....it's not the sound of the drums it's the Timing of the drums in the mix it just sounds off rhythm to my ears..as if its dragging at a different tempo...?

It's not...

Where IS chas ... ???

He was reprimanded for something, as I recall, and most likely decided to stay away, at least for a while.
DonM

Fran, is this really you playing all those Jazz licks? Really? If so, can you afford to fly me up to your place to play some real live jazz sax with you? If my brother hits the lottery, I'll pay you back a thousand fold.

Maybe you can afford to send your drummer down to play some jazz with me? He's terrific. I suppose the ones who can't feel the laid back jazz drum rhythm are too use to the straight up big band beat and are just too use to the straight ahead on the beat styles, which is fine. However, they are really missing out on a real close true feel of laid back jazz ballads.I worked with drummers who could play this way 40 years ago.

It is not going to please the popping dance crowd on most gigs, but the real hard core jazz crowd will be in the grove man.

If anyone would listen to Dexter Gordon, Coltrane, Rollins play the slow laid back jazz standards from the 40's 50's 60's etc., this is how all the great jazz drummers played.

I simply really dig the drums displayed here. Again, is this really how you play live? I just can't picture you playing this style of music with those girls you carry around. When you play this stuff they must be boarded to death like many of the three chord members on this forum will be. Lol.

Sincerely with deep appreciation, your new admirer,
Boo Hargis
PS my friend Jack who I bought my i30 from in Sun City Arizona who now has moved back to Chicago can really get down on some of the stuff (LICKS) your doing here like when we played "Darn That Dream," "Body And Soul," and all that good stuff. Man he could make me play three times better than I'm really capable of playing. Ha ha! It's not the keyboard, it's the drummer. I mean the keyboardist. It's possible we have more gear hogs here than players and that is the reason for much of the discontent in some of these discussions, eh?

I have been listening to jazz, both live and recorded, since I was in my early teens... I have to say that I don't ever recall hearing a drummer play quite the pattern that the drum kit in the first post is playing.but like many others I am absolutely impressed with Fran's playing on these recordings.

Chas just sent me a photo of his BRAND NEW KeyB Dou MK11.

What a beauty! Already has the Leslie switch attached and is now juggling TWO double manual Nords in addition to this monster.

I think this one is intended for the front room, one Nord will be in the studio and the other will stay in a club. He has been thinking of playing with an Allman Brothers type band...I know, not his type of music (mine neither), but a bunch of good dudes
and they work regularly. They need thoss B-3 chords held full measure under the changes.

He's very busy on his charity projects, being a great grandpa and playing with new toys.


Hopefully, he's just taking a break. He, Taike and I keep in touch regularly.

It's no surprise, he's one of my all-time favorites here.


Russ

Russ ... thank you ... glad to hear he is ok ...

Send Chas my best wishes. Hope he isn't staying away just cos he is mad at me. It's my job to get under people's skin ... but I always hope they get over it.

Fran,

Out of curiosity, the Roland E80 is supposed to be the "speakerized " version of the G70. Is it ? I mean do the basic samples and sounds correspond with the G70 as well as the way in which it can be tweaked, connections, etc.etc.

thanks,

John

John , the two models differ in many ways, other than speakers..Although the sounds are compatible and similar ..there are some differences..The edits are a bit different on the E80, but have most of the same as the G70..

I think the G70 is designed more for a professional use...with better keybed and key range, separate outs and a better build..

The E80 does have some "new" drum kits, replacing some that were on the G70..most have more emphasis on cymbals..

Thanks Fran.

As a matter of fact I am most interested in the Roland SRX-11 extension card with acoustic piano which apparently can be incorporated with many Roland keyboards and modules , even with a relatively cheap XV-2020. I wonder if any here have any experience with the Roland SRX-11 acoustic piano card in whichever Roland keyboard or module. Beware that I do own the PA800 and PSR750 but sometimes I long for "me old Roland E70 " piano sound, odd as it may sound. Anyway what I heard as far as demos go on the net the SRX-11 is fairly impressive, be it also rather expensive.............
Apologies by the way for slightly straying off topic but staying with Roland I am sure Fran will forgive me....


regards,
John

E80 sounds better than G70 to me. I would have kept mine if it didn't weigh so much. It is a beast. 61 notes of course.
Great harmonizer, great drums.
DonM

Great work Fran! I didn't know you could play like that!
DonM

Fran

Very classy arrangement and playing. The G70 sounds great. If Roland were to update it I wonder what they would change ? Love to hear you do a whole night of solo playing with it. Keep me posted, you know where I am.

The E80 was an improved G70... more MFX processors, independent Master EQ and compressors for Style/SMF and Keyboard Part sides, 2 SRX slots instead of the one, MP3 playback (after an update), .bmp picture display (good for charts), plus many OS improvements. And some really good new drum kits (many of which are the core kits for the BK series)...

Sadly, Roland never decided to release it as a 76 (G80?). I would have bought one...

Don I agree with you...the weight I could have lived with..but it was a bit bulky..and only 61 keys...the optional goodies that Diki mentioned below..is the difference..
Also the placement of the D-beam control..top dead center...bugged me...I could not use it there..

BTW: Your E80...was my E80...I guess it turned out to be road worthy..

It is still making a guy in California happy!
DonM