Thanks for the reply Bob. That you were "turned off" by some
of the features of the PA3X is enough to convince me that it
is probably not a machine I would be happy with....

So glad I have two 7K's to play with! At this point in my life
probably they will outlive me! However, with my Mom in her year 103, I know I have good genes and like her, I too am unusually
healthy for one in the 82nd year of life!

Additionally, I really do not want to have to go through the
learning to play a totally different keyboard! The computer is
a big enough challenge!

You have always been a great help to me Bob, I really appreciate
all that you are willing to share! Still wish you were my next-door neighbor!

Elizabeth

Bob is right about the editing ability of the Korg PA range of course the PA3X is the top of that range and has a sampler and is a little more complex than the boards below it. I have the baby being the PA500 which is classed a entry level pro arranger but it in itself is very flexible and very editable. Because you can edit almost everything my approach was this. The PA500 is very playable straight out of the box there is even an easy mode which satisfies those itchy fingers when you first get it. I took each section at a time and read about extensivly and sat at the PA with the manual in my hand and learn a section before moving on. Yes it takes a time but there are so many mix and matches that end results can be very pleasing. One key is patience just like when you first got a KN7000. I should have gone for the PA800 from the start which has a much broader spec and is also superior for live playing with a better sound engine.

Johnnie... Thanks for all the great information. Yes patience is
a great attribute while learning anything new. Perseverance is
another needed quality.

However, at my point in the journey of life, I really no longer
want to take the time necessary to learn to play a totally
different keyboard. Most likely my two 7K's will continue to
serve my needs. Then should one go... the other will fill the
bill....

It would be nice to at least hear someone play the Korg PA3X?

Elizabeth I'm 73 and just recently acquired a PA500 I just seem to need new challenges. You just enjoy your KN7 it still rates as a great bit of kit as I previously said well before it's time. God knows what Panasonic would be producing now had they carried on with keyboards but I do understand that some of their engineers went over to Korg.

B0b posted;
As I said earlier, it is the lack of registration presets (only four STS presets) along with a few other software "features" that turned me off and caused me to get rid of the PA3X.

In the Performance – Style area of the Pa800 you can save 320 registrations, places that you may set your keyboard as desired: very similar to Technics save/registrations. Technics has 2 modes; normal and Expand. In addition you are able to filter the items that you do not want to change. The Pa800 does not have a filter option.
To access technics registrations there are three moves you must make; Press Panel view – select the bank (if ABC and want the 1 to 10 banks (or the other way around) you must press an additional button. The last step is to select the bank and you want. This gives you 8 places to save times 10 -- !04. The Pa800 has 10 buttons across the right side of the keyboard, each button contains 32 registrations; 16 upper and 16 lower. 32 X 10 -- 320

Having said all of that I feel Elizabeth has the best reason to stay with her Kn7000s. “I do not want to spend my time learning another keyboard” Amen! It was always a bit of a job moving up to the next Technics model, but nothing compared to moving to a Yamaha. The move from Technics to Korg is where the largest learning curve lies. (In my opinion).

I have both keyboards and the time to spend studying and learning, I am not playing out very often, so the time is there. Again I will say that the Korg is a fantastic keyboard but there are few that can use the keyboard as it was designed without putting in the time to learn. I would say a year or two. ( not just out of the box.)

How many years have we been learning and playing the Technics keyboard? For me there is also another reason to own a Kn7000; the freinds that I have made here.

John C

John, the performance memory of the PA's does not work like Technics KN panel memories. That is primarily why I got rid of the PA3X. There is a significant delay in voicing changes with performance (or songbook) changes. When you use a foot switch with Technics keyboard panel memories, the voicing changes instantly and the rhythm changes at the start of the next measure. With Korg stuff both voicing and rhythm are delayed till the next measure. You simply can't make voicing changes in the middle of a measure with Korg stuff unless you select one of the four STS settings (or manually poke at buttons). Four is all you get! And, you can not make changes in rhythm style using the STS buttons. STS registrations are locked to a specific style.

John, there is no need to go through all the steps you listed for Technics panel memory selection during song play. All of this is done as a part of the song setup process and is available almost instantly as a part of the load process from SD card. All you have to do is increment through as many as 24 panel memories as you play the song. Each SD load gives you a new set of 24 memories for the next song. This is the way panel memories were intended to be used and it works perfectly.

There are many songs that I set up where a different rhythm is used for bridges or for part B of AABA format songs. Your only choice with Korg for style changes is to select a different song book entry or a performance setting with it's inherent delays. With Technics it only takes a simple switch to the next panel memory. The voicing change is instant and the style changes at the start of the next measure. It is a significant error to assume that performance registrations on a Korg is equivalent to Technics panel memories. But I agree that Korg works fine if you don't mind poking at buttons while you are trying to play.

Bob,
I notice a delay on my Pa800 when using the intro. When the intro ends my right hand using piano Ensemble (Techni-Chord) does not go to ensemble until the measure is finished. The good part of that is I get to play some single notes against the intro.

I find no delay when I use the performance mode (panel memory) with either the style included or just the instruments and the balance. The same when I use One-Touch-Play, no delay.

I know you are very accurate when making a statements, so what am I missing.

John C.

It is not a delay, John. It simply doesn't work properly for ensemble functions. One of the irritating "features" of the Korg operating system is that you can not use the ensemble function with intro or ending #1. So, pick-up notes that are intended with ensemble harmony have no harmony till the end of the intro and harmony notes end abruptly at the first note of an ending #1. If you really like that pattern, you can edit the style to move the intro and/or ending to a different rhythm variation position and it works correctly, but it is work that shouldn't be needed. The ensemble function works correctly with intros and endings #2 thru #4. People that do not play through intros and endings don't notice this but if you want the intro or ending to blend with the song you should play through them. I believe this issue results from continued use of software modules that were designed when polyphony issues were more prevalent and the designers were concerned about exceeding polyphony limits.

John it is simple to illustrate the delay. Simply try to change voicing in the middle of a measure with a foot switch with either performance or song book changes. As I said above, voicing does not change till the start of the next measure.

I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say you are using "one touch play". If you mean "Single Touch Play", STS buttons do work instantly (like Technics panel memories) for voicing changes, but they can not select a pattern from a different style.