I love this performance and how he utilizes the MZ-X ...

At the risk of incurring your wrath (for disagreeing with you ), that was one of the most CRINGE-WORTHY arranger performances of a Santana tune (I love Santana, BTW) I think I've ever heard. In my opinion, this is the type of amateurish performance done on an Arranger keyboard that would drive young (6-60) musicians away from arrangers in droves. But hey, different strokes for different folks. For the record, I think it would sound equally bad on a T5 or Pa4X or SD9. That's one of my main beefs with arrangers; it makes guys with absolutely NO talent THINK they sound good. This demo will only impress immediate family. JMO.

chas

and the cream always surfaces to the top ....it is what it is a Casio.
I hope this is just sa stepping stone to better things from casio in the future models..

Very bad indeed.

This is just some sales guy (or store owner) in a Cambodian music store. No surprise that he's no virtuoso and doesn't really know how to get the best out of an arranger. He can't even pick the right backing for Black Magic Woman, by far the worst of the two performances.

What I'm choosing to get from this video are sounds of the tones coming from the MZ-X500. IMO the acoustic guitar wasn't bad (with slides, etc.), the drawbar organ was decent (I understand Casio has implemented C/V and an adjustable leakage amount - hope they finally did a dual-rotor Leslie effect). The electric guitar would be good if it was played right. This guy only managed that in a few short segments. I play acoustic (steel, classical) and electric (after a fashion) so my opinion on the guitar sounds isn't completely uninformed.

..............and you thought that was bad!!!!!!

For the record, i agree with you on the sound Quallity... The guitar sound is okay. But not more then that.

But not on how he uses the mz-x, its a matter of less is more... He is figuring out hiw way around, toying with sound and after a few minutes innthe video starts his performance... Did you continue to watch pass the initial minutes?

And by the way, everyone is allowed to disagree with me based on opinions, just not when it comes to facts as you cant disagree on facts, can you?

The absolutely, best rendition I've heard of Black Magic Woman done on an arranger keyboard lately was performed by Don Mason. https://app.box.com/s/3jru1xluc6pn1mkekgnkyfnnd44jkag2

Gary

Thats a great performance.. Very nice style, very nice vocals, nice guitar solo... But also typicall arranger playing(not that its bas). But then what else do you need then a pa4x innthe hands of a pro?

Bachus, the only part I disagree with is "typical". Don Mason is anything but a typical player - HE'S AN OUTSTANDING PLAYER to say the very least.

Gary

I really like the expressive singing and the change between singing and guitar sound improvisation. The guitar with its bending sounds really good, too.
Just this Korg style is not very Santana-like, IMHO the Latin American touch is missing to it. But overall an enjoyable performance.

I think the BK-7m /-9 have a nice Santana style on board. I recorded this three years ago when my BK-7m was new, just playing around a little with a part of the song. I'm not very happy with the improvisations any more, but just to get an idea of this Roland style:

https://youtu.be/-mBr4EYPJ5Y

maybe i should have said, traditionall arranger playing, in using an arranger the way most do... offcourse he is an outstanding player.. noboddy ever doubted that

Thank you guys. You are very kind. I agree that there are better styles for the song that what I used. In fact I will look a little harder in the Korg! This one is named Latin Rock.
I remember that Roland style. It's very good!

I enjoyed the heck out of that cover of Black Magic Woman by Don...making it his own sounded terrific! Thanx

DAMN, Mason sounds good !!! ... problem is he makes me want to play songs like this, if even for only my personal enjoyment, and when I get to the guitar part, I'm useless !!!
Hey, Don, maybe I could record the guitar parts and incorporate them into an mp3 backing track ... you wouldn't mind, would you, ?!?

Listened to the original recording. Thought the speakers on my new laptop were crap.

Then I listened to Don Masons version. Restored my faith in my speakers.