A few years ago a series of disks called the
Americana Series was discontinued. I know
there were disks for organ and piano, but was
wondering if they ever made any for the keyboard? I have several for my G-100 organ and really like them, and now I have a KN6500 and if anyone knows if there were disks made for the keyboard would appreciate
hearing from you.
Thanks

Thanks

Hi Mary,
they did make them right up to the kn5 ( I think ) . Not sure if they're still available though.

My local dealer had quite a range ( problem is I'm in Australia).

best wishes
Rikki

I too am interested in the Americana disks, even if is for my 3000. So if anyone knows if they are still available please let us know
Thanks

------------------
Larry Hawk
Technics For All

Technote had those disks, but if there are any more left
I'm unsure about.
Maybe a peek in theyr webshop will tell, but there are no
more production of this serie anymore if
the info I got earlier is correct.
Sad, because it really was/is good stuff.
GJ

Americana disks are no longer available unless you can find a dealer that still has some on the shelf.
I agree they are really well produced style disks

Well if they are no longer produced, does that mean they can be legally shared..hint..if you have any ..well, never mind.

Hi Larry,
interesting question.
The last one I saw goes back to the kn5, which goes back at least 5 years. Be interesting to know when they stopped producing them for sale.
Copyrights a bit of a frightener.
best wishes
Rikki

If you thinking about the copyrights, I think
they still are valid.
I don't remember how many years it is before
it's free for all.
GJ

A kind member has sent me a sample of an Americana Style, but on the KN3000, it displays "the data on the disk is for a different product".

So a general question, not only pretaining to these particular styles, but all styles.

Is there a way of knowing what keyboard styles were made for. Can I load the style disk on my computer, look at the styles and say ..oh yea... these are for the 5000, or the 6000, etc? How can I tell?



------------------
Larry Hawk
Technics For All

The Americana series was the only way to get extra styles for a while, until you learned to find styles on the internet and convert them. Even then, the converted styles couldn't hold a candle to the Technics styles! The series started way back, and was upgraded with the arrival of the new keyboards. If I could find my old catalog in this stack of papers etc., it would tell me if the series ended with the kn1500/3000 keyboards or went on to the kn3000/5000. They could be upgraded to your new kn6000 by loading them into a kn5000 and saving out to disk, loading into a kn6000 and again, saving them to disk. A long and tiresome process, but at $35 a disk for only five styles, you didn't throw them away. I know my dealer still has quite a few of them in a box stuffed behind one of the keyboards, so if anyone wants to deal, they may be able to buy a few. They have been used for store demos, but should do the job. Of course, if they are for the kn1500/3000, you'll need a kn5000 handy for upgrading. Wouldn't the kn7000 load and play the old styles? If I had one left, I'd send it out to someone to try, just to satisfy my curiosity.

Americana series started in the days of the KN2000, went through a KN3000 series and the last disks were available in KN5000 series.

They were 5 styles per disk with 6 variations to each style, the 5th of which was an solo auto chord progression (as an exercise in the 6k book described how to create) which enabled you to solo a middle 8 with chords but without using left hand, each style 2 intros and endings, mostly 4 fills and 8 registrations.

There were 34 disks that could play on the 7k with suitable treatment and possibly a couple for GN organ from memory but they mostly duplications in content.

The KN7 will play those styles, but I'm pretty
sure you have to tweak a good deal to make them
sound as good as they do at the kb's they're made
to play on.
This Americana serie is really well made, and are
some of the best created at that time.
Well, my peronal meaning of course
GJ

hmmm... I wonder what "peronal" mean, I can see
it miss a "s", and should be "personal"

[This message has been edited by Gunnar Jonny (edited 01-08-2004).]

I have two different Americana Disks - one is reading KN2000 and the other KN3000. I haven't played them for years but after reading this thread I tried them today on my KN7 and they play fine. All disks made for older models need tweaking anyway, has anyone ever had a commercial style that was completely to their taste?

When I upgraded to different keyboards/digital pianos etc., over the years I would send my Technote disks back to Technote and in those days they provided a free conversion service - this was a long time ago and the disks in question could have been PR900 disks which they replaced.

The current brochure of Technote does not list the Americana disks.

Joan

When I think back on it, it wasn't Technote that carried the style disks way back when, it was another company located in the US, I just can't remember where. They just quit answering the phone or taking orders one day, and that was that. Their list started back with the kn900 and was upgraded with the introduction of new models, but the Americana series was still the best of all. I wonder if Technics would be interested in resuming production of the series if enough people would buy them? Still, at $35 a pop, they're out of my reach. Oh well.........

I want to thank those members who have sent me samples of some Americana Disks.

Some of these styles work fine and sound great on the 3000, while others won't load on the 3000 but will on the 7000.

However, I believe there is a way to convert them to your particular keyboard, even backward, but not sure exactly how.





------------------
Larry Hawk
Technics For All

Hi Larry,
I could be wrong here, but I don't think disks are backward compatible ie I don't think you can change the id on a kn5 disk to play on a kn3. I think changing id from a piano or organ equivalent to each other works. Sounds like a couple of the samples you have may have been for the kn5.
Quite a few of the styles need tweaking.
The Americana's used a lot of sound edits and effects, like one particular style had winding up a clock, another had a sound like a steam train chugging away . Some of those can cause real problems in the kn7. I think I even had some problems with kn2 ones played on the kn5.
Maybe EMC's style conversion program might work ie load in as kn5 save as kn3.

They were available for sale Technote UK. I think my local Technics dealer ( in Aust) got stuck with a heap of them too.

One of these days I'll dig out what I can resurrect, I lost a heap of my style disks in storage. Didn't realize floppies could corrupt, when not in use. There again they sat idle for about 4 years , in between selling my kn5 & buying my kn7. Hard lesson learnt.

best wishes
Rikki
[QUOTE]Originally posted by lahawk:

Your correct Rikki. I was thinking of EMC's style conversion for converting 5000 to 3000. I don't believe EMC includes any keyboard above the 5000, although I heard from Neil Blake that "Their working on it", which means including 6 and 7000.

Anyway the Americana Disks that play on my 3000 are quite good..in fact real good !

Seeya
Larry

Hi Larry,
if Neil's right about the kn6&7 maybe being included again in the emc program , that would really good news.

The Americana's did sound great on the particular model they were created for.
From memory the majority were done for the kn2&3, though they brought out a couple of fantastic piano & guitar style disks for the kn5. I used to remember eagerly waiting for my technote magazine to arrive, just so I could find out what new goodies were available. Then sending faxes ( odering things) in the middle of the night, with hubby wondering what on earth I was up to (haahaa) Then that long week or so wait , while the stuff got shipped from the U.K.
Must say, brings back pleasant memories.

best wishes
Rikki

Mary,

We have a large number of styles, etc. through our database (currently in MSAccess format). If you'd like a copy please send an email to to address below.

Yours,

Michie
Mmsgosling@aol.com

I have just dug out my old Amercana disk catalogue whic was part of the main Technote catalogue and it brings to mind that there were several americana disks that were very scarce and are now very rare

How many of those disks are listed in the
catalogue?
Just counted in my archieve, and found 35, but
some are similiar for other models.
GJ

Ok seems like a lot of interest in Americana disks. Please correct me if I'm wrong on the facts.

The Americana disks were last made for the KN5000, with most of them made for the KN2000 and KN3000 .

If you had an Americana disk made for the KN2000, or KN3000, and you updated your keyboard to the KN5000, Technote would upgrade your disks to "fit" the KN5000

The Americana disks of old, play very nicely in the KN6000, and KN7000, although a little tweaking helps.

The Americana disks included a Solo in the rhythm, that was quite nice.

The only drawback of these disks, for me personally: Panel memory wasn't automatically set up to allow for a nice flow from PM 1-8. I prefer commercial disks to move with the arrangement starting by selecting PM 1 to PM2 on through PM8 as the final. I know this can be set up manually..but I guess I prefer a Pro to have it already included..(I'm lazy)

I too would like to know how many of these disks were produced...just curious.

Anyway, judging by this long thread, Americana Disks were and are still popular..interestng too

Larry Hawk

already answered above folks; take out the duplications; 34 disks.

Yeah, you're right Alec, I just wondered if I had missed any of that great serie......
Thank's for the info.
GJ

I have a few of these discs. I purchased them from Technote USA, for the Kn3000. At that time there were in Orem, UTAH, USA. One day they told me they were no longer shipping inventory. They were waiting for the Kn6000 discs and would advise me as they received them. I am still waiting but they are not. They folded up shortly after that and a couple years or so later technote developed a distributor in the Los Angeles, Calif area. They have now been replaced by a Technote USA distributor in Florida.
I have several of these discs. they are under copyright however they can be sold or given away if you do not RETAIN a copy or any rights to them, and the new owner agrees to be bound by the license.
Thats my report.
Bebop

Hi Everyone,
From the response I guess I wasn't the only
one interested in the Americana Series. I have heard from several keyboarders that have
them. I think the last ones were made for the
KN5000, but they work fine in the later models. Was very interesting to read all your responses.
I have only used the Forum twice, but I check in almost every day to see what is going on and have come to recognize most of your names.

Mary

Gunnar
Like you I also have the complete Americana collection.
The last catalogue that the Americana disks appeared in was October 1998 of which there were 35 disks but only 34 were compatible with the KN range the odd disk being only for theEA5/GA1/GA3/FA1.

The other instruments represented are -:
F100/G100/KN901/KN1200/AC1200/KN1500/KN2000/
KN3000/PR303/PR305/PR307/PR500/PR700/PR900.

All the above were not represented on all the disks apart from a KN and there were also only two disks exclusive to the KN5000
The cost of the disks was £15.99 each plus postage
Johnnie

Thank you for the information Johnnie.c. Sometime ago I had that catalogs as well,
but where to find among all my "mess and disorder"...........
Myself I like to think I have a system in that mess, but my wife disagree

Oh well, but I noticed something that I have not payed any attention before. If you
look into i.e. AMKN301 Variety vol 1 (for KN2000) and then AMKN401 the same title
for KN3000, there is not the same patterns or titles in it.
This is similiar for the rest of the variety disks too, so in that way the disks
having similiar titles are very different indeed.
Good, even more value for the money then.

Happy playing
GJ

You are welcome Gunnar Jonny I consider that the Americana series were some of the best styles available at that time.
I hope the following is of some help
The Variety Vol 1 is AMKN 300 and AMKN 401
The same situation applies also to Variety Vol2 = AMKN 402 and AMKN 304 Variety Vol 3 = AMKN 403 and AMKN 310 Variety Vol 4 = AMS 502 and AMKN 409
and Country Vol 1=AMKN 301 and AMKN405 BIG Band Vol 1=AMKN408 and AMKN303
Regards Johnnie

Ooppss... my mistake regarding the names and
numbers, but the content are different and not
similiar as we should expect?
Yes, I agree, they where and still are very good.
GJ

I've just seen a number of Americana Discs available on www.ebay.co.uk. Follow Music > Musical Instruments > Keyboard, Piano > Other Keyboards.
Included are Vol 1,2,3,4,6,7. They are 'Buy it Now' and are priced at £4.99 each. Overseas postage is offered.

[This message has been edited by aprilla (edited 01-14-2004).]

And there is a KN7000 for sale as well.
Sad it's so far away from here....
GJ

I have the United Styles of America Vol 3 Country; Vol 5 Mowtown for KN300; US Trditional for the KN5000. These were make by Technics and distributed by Panasonic UK. Also try http://www.technicskn7000.com

Bruce

The United Styles Of America are a completely different series than the Americana collection.

Both series were never distributed by Technics or Panasonic
Both series were produced under the Technics banner by Technote UK and were distributed by Technote UK and USA
Technote are a UK company and are a privately owned and are independent from Technics/Panasonic