The other thread was getting SOOOOO long. . .plus DNJ started it and he has switched arrangers again, and again, and again, and again... that's a line from a song I'm working on, The Highwayman.
Anyway, I've had a few days off so getting deeper into the SD7. It is so easy to edit sounds to your liking. I "created" a couple of guitar sounds today that I like a lot, and I'm pretty picky about guitars.
With A.J.'s help I discovered how to do a couple more things that had eluded me as far as editing and saving vocal settings.
I got into the Modeling area, where you can totally change styles to suit your own unique needs. (May have discovered a small bug there, but it could be me). A great feature is that you can use any of the drum kits, including the audio drum loops, with any style, and pretty much build the groove you want. You can take a style from an older Ketron, insert an audio drum kit, and bring totally new life to it.
Gary Diamond sent a midi file to me and I since I had really not fooled with that area at all, I learned how to get around that menu, changed mute channel on the fly, alter background, display size, etc. So much is so easy to do. Best OS I've seen in any arranger, and it is due to get better in the next few days with important update.
I've been serving as sort of a guinea pig, making notes of areas where I think changes and/or improvements could be made, and of bugs, then relaying them to A.J. so he and Ketron can address them, along with the other improvements on which they are working.
I'm convinced the potential of this arranger is unsurpassed, even by it's bigger brother the Audya.
Was it released a TAD early? Probably, but it is more than usable in its present form, and will only get better.
The good news is, the company is small and will listen and address issues as they are discovered in a totally new model such as this.
For those in the Houston area, A.J., our old friend Vince Ramos and I will be hosting a seminar/workshop there very soon.
One other "note" - I noticed when I first plugged in my Sennheiser E945 mic that it sounded quite good with the factory default, really no e.q. necessary. A.J. told me today that the vocal settings were optimized at the factory with a Sennheiser E835, so that's probably the reason!
As more of these arrangers are sold, I hope those of us here who have one will contribute to this thread.

That's a great-sounding style. I need to find a song to do with it!

Don,
Glad also that you are starting a new thread here as the orig.
was getting too loooong!
Looking so forward to receiving my Ketron SD 7. This board has
great potential and the more people purchase them, the better
it will get with many inputs from owners. The next couple of
weeks will go by fast. Lloyd

Don, try "Have I Told You Lately" ... its a hipper, more energetic taste than either Van or Rod used, but I think it'd be great!

Thanks Dave, will try it it a few minutes. If it works I'll do it tonight and record it.

While waiting for my SD 7 to be delivered I downloaded the owners manual. I don't understand "Player 1 & Player 2"
I fail to see an explanation so Could an owner please explain
the difference between Player 1 and Player 2. Thanks in advance.\
Lloyd

… looking forward to more discussion and perhaps a collection of tips. I should have the Midjay Pro with the Ajam upgrade soon, and I understand that most of the functions of the SD7 and Midjay Pro are similar. In the past, most manuals and tutorials showed what a keyboard and/or module can do, but many times neglected to give specifics and intricacies of how to DO a function.
Ciao,
Jerry

No real difference between Player one and two. You can have a song cued up on each player and cross fade between them if you like. Like a DJ having two turntables. There is even a view you can use that shows a PICTURE of two turntables. There is even an option to pre-fade listen to one while the other is playing. I haven't tried it though.

Thanks Don, I appreciate your answer. This feature is also on the Tyros 5 but explained much, much better. Have you heard
anything on the udates that are due the SD 7 ? Lloyd

I'm sure hoping they will be here by the end of July, because if they aren't then Ketron, and a lot of Italy, closes for the month of August! A.J. says they are coming.

No, a gross exaggeration to say "everything" closes down in Italy for the month of August.

It is the traditional time for Italians to go on their summer holidays to the seaside, the mountains or back to the family home in the countryside. But Italians are well aware that it is also a popular time for tourists from abroad and their fellow countrypeople who are as keen as anyone else on visiting the many wionder of Italy.

So, you may well find many restaurants shut for a week or two for staff holidays but very few will be closed for the whole of the month. Museums, art galleries and churches will remain open for visitors to walk round so plenty to see and do in August.

I certainly didn't say "everything" closes.

That's ok Don.....Its an "Italian Thing"..

Any word on the SD7 DVD?

I haven't heard anything, but I know A.J. will eventually do one.

Thanks for the reply Don. Hope the updates show up soon. It will be two weeks come this next Monday since ordering the SD 7 and
expect to see it next week. Hope you keep reporting on your progress with the keyboard and encourage all SD 7 owners to
post your comments and suggestions. AJ has disappeared from
commenting and suggesting things so hope that temporary. Lloyd

AJ says update should come next week. He has made a couple of trips to Italy and been quite busy.

Sounds great Don ! Nice to have you keep us informed, well appreciated. Lloyd

AJ Comes through again! Got the SD7 OS update today complete with instructions for installation. Took about 10 minutes to update and was very simple to do. Don't know yet what was changed but I will report back after I get a chance to play with it a while.

Deane

That's great News Deane!! ....
cant wait to hear what has been changed & improved etc,...?

Well, at least it lets us save the keyboard split position. Seems to make the vocal harmonizer sound better and not distort.
Still does not seem to support associating text files with registrations, and the fingering modes have not changed.
There may be a few more changes when it is officially released next week.

I am due for delivery next week I assume. Where do you find the update files to download? Lloyd

Lloyd they aren't available yet. Deane and I had a beta release for testing. He wasn't supposed to announce it yet! A.J. says the official release should be early next week.

The official update files will be available at www.Ketron.it once released.

Great news AJ but PLEASE list all updates so people
know what has been changed.

Thanx

Ketron Italy will do this once it's been released.

Here is a few songs from last night's job. Remember these are done live, mistakes and all, just in case you want to hear how the SD7 is sounding. It is a work in progress!
Some of these were requests that I don't normally do. On Peggy Sue There is at least one missed chord. Until they get the chord mode thing updated, I'm fighting it because I'm used to being sloppy with my fingering!
http://donmasonmusic.com/KetronSD78-1-15/

Don:
Sounds like you’re mastering that board rather quickly. I like your tune selections and style of playing. Although, I think Tallahatchie Bridge is “Ode To Billie Joe”. The musicians around here often call-up tunes by a key word, or phrase, just bypassing the official title. It’s quicker and more efficient on a gig.

Of course you are right! Senility issue.
I actually had a request for it. I had the lyrics on my laptop, pulled it up and guessed at a style and it worked pretty well. Had to change Billie Joe to Billie Jo!

I have noted in the Owners Manual of the Ketron SD 7 that the PC Connect Function works like a computer to remove a memstick.
Unlike the Yamaha that lets you remove a memstick without the
above function.
New Owners of the SD 7 should take note of this. Lloyd

With new OS (delayed until Sept), so long as there is no data being transferred, you can simply disconnect the SD7 from the computer once done.

Thanks,

When I have the keyboard at home, I leave the USB connection from PC to kb plugged in. Push Menu, then Connect to PC and it's instantly connected and shows up as drive on your PC.
When it's time to disconnect, just eject from PC as you normally do, then press the Connect PC button on the SD7. Screen will say to be sure you exited properly from computer. Touch OK and it's done.
It takes only a couple of seconds to connect or disconnect.

HI AJ,
Sure was hoping we would get the official OS upgrade before they went on vacation in Italy. Still really enjoying the SD7 and will try to start gigging again on Friday and Saturday. It will be the first time out since my spine surgery. I'll try to get some decent recordings or videos.

Deane

Good luck Dean glad to hear your feeling better...

Wishing you good health Deanne ...