Honestly I got the S-950 drums kicking but baby!!

A demo Donny? We had the drum track shootout a while back (but while you had the S950) and, on the whole, it failed to impress as much as the Korg's and Roland's. Have you got anything in the way of a big improvement since then? Love to hear it if you have (maybe a before/after on the edits?)...

The Ketron's, as always, sound great. If their styles suit you (this one would NEVER get played in any function I do!) you are pretty much good to go. However, I'm looking for something a bit more contemporary USA rather than classic European...

Donny, I believe you. I'm really impressed with the S-950's drums over what I heard from the PSR-3000, Tyros 2 and G800. They tend to be a lot cleaner, crisper and hotter, IMO.

Diki, provide us with a specific song that you would like to hear a demo of and I'll do my best to provide it in the next few days. And, anyone out there with a Audya or other Ketron board I would hope does the same.

Cheers,

Gary

I still like my old heavy board, for sounds and drums..here are a couple examples from my website..Excuse my vocals..I am not DNJ or Uncle Dave

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

http://nocache.homestead.com/FranCarango/Call_me_irresponsibleFC2.mp3

http://nocache.homestead.com/FranCarango/Just_the_way_you_are.mp3

http://nocache.homestead.com/FranCarango/Way_you_look_FC2.mp3

Fran, Didn't really hear much in the way of drums, but the styles sounded pretty darned good.

Here's a quick record I just did on the S950 using the onboard recorder and a special style I modified for Black Velvet. Black Velvet

Gary

Gary, do a forum search for the arranger drums only shootout. I think it was some time earlier this year?

There were plenty of examples from most of the arrangers being talked about, including the S950. I don't honestly think we have to go through all that again, do we?

The new drumkits on the S950 were indeed an improvement over the S900. But only the new ones (what was it, one or two kits?), and even so, fared poorly over the latest from Korg and Roland by consensus. That you think them improved over a G800 is hardly news! That keyboard dates back to 1995! 18 years is a VERY long time ago...

We have had these kind of shootouts many times, Gary. I see no reason to repeat them.

I remember the post, Diki. And for the most part, there didn't seem to be a significant difference in the kits. But, as you well know, I'm deaf as a post so it really doesn't count for me. Properly tuned, I think they all sound pretty damned good, and obviously, so do the audiences.

Gary

It's all down to what we each think is the ideal sound. Some like the raw and supposedly "live" sounding accompaniments...and others prefer more balanced, detailed and smoother styles.

The drums can be awesome, but unless the bass line and other parts kick just as good, you're stuck with a "Buddy Rich" arranger. Some people actually like them like that, I guess.

The audience would dance just as enthusiastically whether listening to a Roland, Yamaha,or Korg arranger being played by a competent player...they all have great drum kits...just a bit different.

Ultimately, it boils down to the player, or as one SZ'er says in his signature, "It's not the keyboard...it's the keyboardist".

I agree with him wholeheartedly.

Ian

"Cavaquinho by Ernesto Nazareth Bàldoman"

This sounds suspiciously like Tico Tico, but........I love it! Does anyone know if it is an actual song composed by Ernesto Nazareth Bàldoman, and, if so where can I get it?

I Googled it and the only thing that showed up was that a "Cavaquinho" is a Latin musical instrument.

The song is real and has nothing to do with Tico tico; the complete title is "Apanhei-te, Cavaquinho", which means "I got you/Gotcha, cavaquinho!"
It was originally meant to be played on a cavaquinho (a little guitar with just for strings), hence the title.



However, given its technical difficulty, which represented a challenge of sort, it was soon adopted by other instruments players.