I was going to post this on the “New Korg Arrangers Pa700 - Pa1000” thread but thought it would get lost there, so......new topic! Especially since I, myself, am getting caught up in this endless “latest and greatest” keyboard race.

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but in the end, how many times has it been said on this Forum (actually not many times) it's the player that makes the difference and NOT the keyboard.

I went to a concert last night. The band was great! They were advertised as Gypsy Jazz but they did everything except make submarine sandwiches. Halfway through the lead guitarist put down his guitar and went to what I thought was a drum setup. He proceeded to play one of the best drum solo’s I’ve ever heard with some drum sounds I didn’t even recognize. Sure enough, I went up to the stage to see what he was playing. As I recall, it was a huge empty gasoline can, a coffee tin, a 5 gallon plastic water bottle, those Oriental things glass things that you hang in the wind (instead of hi-hats), an electronic stomp box for a bass drum, and so on!

But that guy was so good musically, he could probably play on a mouse trap and an ironing board and sound fantastic.

I said previously I don’t generally listen to a whole group concert, but these guys were not only good players but creative plus! Every minute, no every second, of their almost 2 hour concert..

Creativity vs. playing abilities vs. instrument of choice. I would take “creativity” any day of the week.

Now that’s not to say, having a keyboard that “looks” pretty in front of you is a no-no. I’ve been there myself. I don’t like the Korg PA700 only because the speakers are “angled” and that would bother me not to play something symmetrical. I DO like the stylish design on the PA3x and the PA4x though which is one of the reasons I bought one.

But getting back to this band, I was knocked right out of my socks when I heard them and they reminded me of the lost art of playing MUSIC, as compared to just playing an instrument.

Finally, it was an outdoor concert and it started to rain. They invited everyone up to the stage for shelter and we were all gathered around watching from different positions and they were kibbutz-ing with us on a personal level while they were playing. At that point, no one cared WHAT instruments they were playing. I, in turn, afterwards had a 15 minute conversation with the leader about just about everything he was doing musically. Regular down to Earth people who not only invited you to listen to them, but to join them in their “living room” for Q&A’s.

Listen to this fellow play (Gypsy) guitar......incredible. Especially when you consider he plays his makeshift drum setup just as well as he plays the guitar. He’s the leader and the fellow I shared conversation with. This snippet at 05:05 is not just one of his best moments......it’s one of his many best moments.

I’m glad I saw them. I’ll say again what I said above because this really opened my eyes.

Creativity vs. playing abilities vs. instrument of choice.

If I’m looking to please an audience in a performance......I would take “creativity,” followed by “playing ability,“ any day of the week. Choice of keyboard would come in a poor third. Look at what those guys did with only a Hammond B-3 years ago. No gimmicks, no bells and whistles, no trimmings.....just the men and their music!

Mark

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=caravan+of+thieves

Wikipedia article

One of his typical guitar solos starts around 05:05

No

As for the music, very interesting. The guitar teacher I work with at the music store had a similiar group when he was in Calif. Just gave me a CD very good stuff.

You mean you have only just realised this

I am certainly not disagreeing with what you are saying except to the point of pleasing your audience. I have not the faith you do in them truly appreciating creativity two times over the features of TOL keyboard. I too remember the days when I played solo B 3, and it was appreciated. Today-not so much, as they have been accustomed to full out productions.

Of course you (meaning "I") don't NEED the latest new offering, but as a working professional, I treat my craft with respect, and as such, use whatever tools I feel will enhance my performance (no blue pill jokes, please!!), or increase my enjoyment as I pursue this dream of continued employment in the arts.
For me, this latest Korg PA1000 has more than just a few improvements that I can benefit from. The number 1 item on my "yes" list is the glass screen.
The tilt is not as important to me as the glass surface. It's much more responsive, and probably less susceptible to pixel damage, like it's predecessors.
Next, is the ability to store chord sequences in the styles. This effectively doubles the songbook entires, because you can have "go to" changes stored with the pattern. Use it, or not - it's there waiting.
I'm sure the overall sound will be better - how much? We'll have to see (hear). I'm pretty satisfied with the sounds I have in my PA900.
Adding an extra programmable knob is nice - using it as the default MP3 volume will be very handy.

So, is it worth the extra money to upgrade? For me, yes. I like fresh, new inspiration, and I like selling my old gear before they get worn out. Make the sale easier.
After all is said and done, I probably won't get any customer reactions that justify the purchase (like I do SO OFTEN, with my Bose systems), but I sure I'll have an increased level of comfort and enjoyment on stage, and that translates to a better performance. I'm still the driver of this rig, and I intend to put all my stage tools through their paces, as I create a musical atmosphere that satisfies both my audience ( first), and myself.

Recap:
#1 - glass screen
#2 - CS storage
#3 - Sonic improvements
** all good things.

Do I really need a new keyboard? What is the criteria for judging?

Do I need a new keyboard for the jobs (when I was playing) No – I could have done a great job with my kn5000.

Do have exceptional talent? No, I have just enough talent to play at some nice places and get paid some nice dollars.

So why buy a new keyboard? Well this is going to be hard for me to be honest – it’s ‘cause I just like having something new; I get excite when FedEx shows up. The Florida group that I was in years back felt the same way; they got in line to get the NEW ONE.

Speaking about myself --- Something happen to me when I got a new keyboard; My playing improved, my understanding of keyboards improved, and my performance improved. There is another reason and it is called boredom; boredom with the same. Sometimes ya just gotta change.

IMHO, John C.
PS, I always wondered why Gary kept his keyboards for so long.

You know after reading my post I realized I just bought a Pa4x that I don’t need.

Keyboard life has been good, John C.

How often do we have to be reminded that each person's responses, motivations, reasons, and actions are as valid FOR THEM as the next guy's. Gary is motivated by one thing, Uncle Dave, another. Both are equally valid. SOOOOOoooo, 'DO i REALLY NEED THE LATEST KEYBOARD?'. Only YOU can decide that, because it's you, and only you, that determines your "criteria for judging".

Some people are really stimulated by the prospect of something new; just check out how many divorced guys there are out there . So I guess in some cases it's "if I can't get a new wife, at least I can get a new keyboard" (plus, getting a new keyboard is a lot cheaper ). Just My (valid for me) Opinion.

chas

Do I need a new keyboard? No. But if I want one and can afford it, I will buy one-helps keep the economy going.

Chas you just mixed wives, divorces, and keyboards – aaaaaaaaaaaah

John C.