On several past Kn models (and some other makes) I've complained as others have done about the lack of a full width music rest, i.e capable of taking at least 4 sheets of music. The only instrument that fulfilled my needs was the old Yamaha HS8 organ which had a music rest the full width of the organ....

Not only have Technics ignored all these comments but with the Kn7000 have, for me, made things worse. Now I love my 7000. It is in all respects possibly the best keyboard in the world, but for me spoilt by the following. The introduction of the lid has resulted in the music rest being further away. Again, in common with many of the older members of this forum (and possibly some of the young 'uns) I need to wear bifocals, and to read music on previous keyboards had to obtain a third pair of specs. With the Kn7k the music rest is even further away and I had thoughts of having to obtain yet another pair of specs so that I could see the music, until I devised a system at nil cost and with nil technical expertise required to bring the music around 10 inches closer. If anyone is interested please say so and I'll put details on the forum.
While I'm in gripe mode, thought I'd let it be known that my floppy disk drive has gone kaput so I'm frustrated at not being able to download your songs, or indeed send in some of my stuff (big cheers alround did I hear?

Ogre

I do not own a KN7000, but my 80 year old friend does. Please I would like to know how you altered the music rest to enable it to be viewed closer. I can earn myself some browny points with my friend. HA!! to help him achieve the same.

Graham UK

I too would like to know your solution..although I'm not old and don't really need it ..cough

Larry Hawk

Larry, you can go to hell for lying on a public forum. Don't make me start censoring
Bebop

Ogre,
I too have a friend (ME), that would like the music rack closer. At the present I have altered the rack to add a music light that shines upward across the music (I play dinner music in a venue that has a very low level of lighting).
I have thought for a long time about completely redesigning the music rack, so any ideas that anyone has would be appreciated.
Walt

Bebop,
I'm in the same boat as Larry -- My birth certificate says that I am 78 years old, but who can believe anything on a government piece of paper these days?
Walt

Age appears to be the best in four things-old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old authors to read, and old friends to trust.
-Francis Bacon

SeeYa
Larry Hawk

Old Musicians don't die, they just play out

Ogre,

On the subject of the floppy disk drive, the FDD on my PC went kaput some time ago, but since I purchased a USB cable I now transfer all files to the KN7000 via that interface. Admittedly that means you need the PC and keyboard within connecting distance, but that has solved by floppy disk problem.

Mike

Hey Guys,
If the floppy drive is in a desktop, you can buy a new one for about $15.00 US and they just plug in. A laptop is something else again!
Regards,
Walt

Hi Ogre,
If you have trouble with your bifocals, then it is perhaps time to ask your optician about Varifocals. I have had these for years and have no trouble focusing on music (or anything else!) at any distance. And Varifocals don't have the annoying double-vision bit where the two parts of bifocals join.
Mike O'r

I TOO MOVED MY RACK FORWARD BY USING TWO TAPERED WOOD BLOCKS WITH PINS ON THE BOTTOM BACK TO GO WHERE THE RACK NORMALLY SITS AND HOLES ON THE TOP FRONT TO RECEIVE THE MUSIC RACK.

Due to cataracs my vision went to 20/200 legally blind and I could no longer read music or much of anything else.
Off to the eye surgeon I went and three weeks apart in the hospital, they removed the cataracs and inserted a new lense in each eye. My vision is now 20/10 and I can read the music upside down clear across the studio.
HAVE YOU CHECKED WITH YOUR EYE DOCTOR YET??

Bebop

Read all your comments - agree with them about the Music stand - I think more than it being far away I would like it to be wider - 3-4 music sheets. Guess what - This months Technote magazine which I received today is advertising a Wider music stand in limited numbers which will be due for shipping in July. Credit to Technote for this - they have recognized the problem and are addressing it - for a price.

This problemn is not new with Technics keyboards and should have been addressed before as part of the keyboard package.

Joan

What I do to lengthen my music stand is place a regular music stand next to it.
It may not be in the center but I can place at least three sheets of music on it.

I also rewrite the music and make the notes bigger [for easier reading] and then paste that on a thin piece of cardboard for stability so that anyone doing a polka and dances by my keyboard the music does not fly off behind them.

As for Technote coming out with a wider stand you can bet it will be overpriced like most of their products.

Alex

Gosh, what a wealth of comment!

I'd best warn you that when I first used this device, my wife, in rather less polite terms commented that she hoped I wasn't going to use it as a permanent feature, but at least when the music is in place it can barely be seen, it does what I want and can be dismantled in a matter of seconds. This is what I've done.

Take one piece of really stiff cardboard - or preferably hardboard and cut to size approx 15 inches (38cm) by 11inches (28cm).
Open lid to near vertical position, and position hardboard on music rest and top of lid.

Place lightweight plastic box (es) - ice cream containers ideal for this purpose - on cardboard and music rest and presto, the music is around 10 inches closer to you.

OK it's a bit crude and really only suitable for the home player but it works and is easily assembled and dismantled!

I suppose that if required it could be converted to the full width of the keyboard, but then the boxes would need to be fixed to the hardboard to adequately support the music. A more able person than me could no doubt devise a more profeshional appearance.......

Now for some individual answers,

Mike Daniels. PC is in one room. Keyboard in another so a new FDD is only solution.

Mike O'Regan. Have tried several pairs of varifocals over the years and while long distance and (close) reading are OK, the intermediate varying focus is so small it's almost impossible to focus on these distances.

Bebop. How did you guess. My eye doctor has been watching cataracts for the past 6 or so years but these are so small they dont affect vision, and touch wood haven't grown. Also for glaucoma ditto comment and blow me, about 6 months ago I woke up one morning feeling a bit more bleary eyed than usual and discovered that I've gone partically blind in one eye due to age related macular degeneration. Laser treatment has stopped it getting worse but central vision is almost non existent, altho I can distinguish colours. Who said getting old was fun!!

Joan, yes I saw the add in Technote today, but at £39.99/$49.99 plus postage for a rest which uses the exisiting wire frame is a bit over the top. Think I'll stick with my ice cream boxes.

Alex. I've just placed all my music in vertical piles and ended up with a total height of just over 6 feet. I don't fancy re-writing that lot!!!!

Happly playing,

Ogre

Ogre,

Lets try another approach. Binoculars?

Alex