George is shipping me a Roland GW-7 and a Roland SH201. I'll use the SH 201 on top as a "traditional" synth and the GW-7 on my right hand for piano, vibe, etc. presets.

Thanks, George...OH, Boy, New Toys!

Last choice: An SD-5 or an E 80. SD-5 was the hands-down winner, until I really looked into the "riff" function (it's not a looper, like I thought), lack of jazz styles and incompatibility of SD-1 styles, plus no new styles for the SD-5. Really would miss the 13 note Ketron foot controller if I switched to Roland. Seven just isn't enough without major revamping of technique.

Special thanks to DonM again for advice on Midjay, G 70, E 50, etc.

I'll let you folks know shortly after FedEx arrives...


R.

Thanks Russ,
Everything left today.
For everyone reading this post of Russ's and need some clarification of the SD5's RIFF mode, let me try to explain to those of you who haven't been able to try one out.
When you play one of the 30 or so RIFF styles in the SD5, variation 4 becomes the riff trigger. By this I mean, whatever chord you played when you pushed this button, the keyboard plays a continuous 8 - 16 measure loop in that key. Russ was hoping he could play his own chord progressions and the loop would play it back. The chord progressions are preprogrammed by Ketron. Only coming out of the loop and choosing a different key (by playing a different chord) allows you to change keys. The Chord progression will be the same unless you play a minor chord and then the riff chord progression will be different. Many customers have complained that this gets booring after you've used it a few times because there is no random playback and it is always the same.
I also think there needs to be more riff styles coming from ketron so a library could grow and be more helpful.
The second point to comment on is that the sound set in the SD5 is not exactly the same as the SD1 and so when customers load in SD1 styles that are not in the SD5 (fewer styles than the SD1 comes with the keybaord) they don't sound the same as they are expecting because of there not being all the exact same sounds.
I thought a little clarification might be appropriate.


------------------
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

ROLAND RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm telling you.........that GW7 is an awesome keyboard for the price. The styles are absolutely fantastic too.
Congratulations.

zuki

Yeah, that riff feature pretty much blows. With SO little extra (put in your own chords in advance, or even better, record them live.... see where this is going?!), it might be a fantastic feature. But a factory pre-programmed set of changes...? P-LEASE....

What are we...? Kids?

Roland Chord Sequencer.... the logical end of this Ketron failed attempt at giving the player an opportunity to jam with two hands. Why couldn't they have just copied this entire feature, note-for-note? After all, Roland aren't using it themselves any longer...

You're gonna love the Roland SH-201 The layout on that synth is very simple, and there are knobs, and sliders galore to keep a tweeker quite happy.

Some of the presets are also quite good. I think Roland did a great job with the SH-201. What's good to see is that even though it's not extremely high, the poly is enough for what the synth should be used for (which is pads and leads).

Yes, as Fran states--Roland Rules! I don't understand why Yammie doesn't compete in the synth department. Roland has the V-Synth, the V-Synth GT, the SH-201, and the Juno-D. Not to mention their workstation line up. Yamaha's only "dedicated synth line" is the S-Series (which is quite dated now). Even Korg has more dedicated synths (outside of the workstations).

Sqeake why worry about Yamaha ...
theres plenty of gear on the market that can be made to sound any way you like,
find it, buy it, play it, enjoy it!

I know Dnj... It just has been on my mind recently--considering Yammie "used" to make dedicated synths, but don't anymore.

Yes, there is so much more out there to make music with.. The clock is ticking, and the count down is on--Won't be much longer and Roland will be yet another addition to my set up Although this Roland I'm buying is bloody hard to tame! Probably why they call it the FANTOM

Sqeak its been out a while an dthere is mucho support on that ax for sure just look for it!

Guys...G 70 or E 80? The e 60 is attractive because of 76 keys and a lot less weight.
What about features of the e 60? No hard drive or vocalizer. Never used a vocalizer live, and believe an out board one would be better. True?

Thoughts?


R

Russ,
the styles in the E80 have the edge on the G70 because of sounds and drum kits not found in the G70. You also have to choose between 76 keys and no internal speakers or 61 keys and a very good internal speaker system. The layout is also more user friendly because of it's newer design. The other thing for someone like yourself is the ability to have two srx expansion boards available for additional sounds. This might seem so important, but if you want to have killer organs and vintage keyboards from one card and then would like to have Rolands great Studio collectin or World collection or strings and orchestral sounds, you would only get to have one of these on the G70, not the two as the E80 will allow.
The E60 has the same Compact Flash capability as the G70 and the E80 for storage like a hard drive. The biggest difference is that there is more internal memory on the G70 and the E80.

------------------
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

Get your Roland E and G info here from happy and satisfied owners of the keyboards: http://www.synthzone.com/cgi-bin/forumdi...Forum&number=38
Bebop

Russ, your slutty side is starting to show (as in gear slut ).

On the other hand, when it comes to spending the kid's inheritance, I'm with you 100%.

chas

chas

Roland makes one of the best inboard Vocalizers on a keyboard I ever heard so far.....G70, D5.

Chas, I've been an unabashed gear slut (music gear, motorcycle gear, cameral gear and more). for years!

Love my toys!

R.

First and foremost, you've got to decide if you can lift and gig a 45+ lb. arranger (E80 is close to 50 lb.!). If that is out of the question, forget both... They are GREAT arrangers, but heavy.

There are probably only two good reasons to chose the G70 over the E80... firstly, the G70 has an unbelievably good keybed (IMO, the best EVER!) and 76 keys. That piano (the GrandX patch) is SO good, you are going to want to play full piano with it sometimes, not easy at all on a 61.

Secondly, if you need separate outputs for Arranger and Vocalist (probably a good idea if you run a pro show) plus a pair of aux Outs, the G70 is your only choice. E80 only has ONE stereo output for EVERYTHING. You MUST mix 'in the box', forget any external processing on your voice, for instance).

OK, OK, three reasons...! You can probably find a G70 for close to a grand US less than an E80. The E80 is a great arranger, but a grand better...?? Not IMHO.

Diki...thanks for the info about the mixing situation. this may make me get the E-60..76 keys, lighter, and I would use an outboard harmonizer. Don't really think I'd use the harmonizer much, but have never had one, so that might change. 50 lbs is no problem...I believe the MS-60 I've been playing for years is close to that.

Do you know about differences in memory between the E-60 and E-80?


thanks,


R.

There's a considerable difference between the E60 and G70's Internal memory size... after the ROM styles are in the E60's memory (it shares it with user data) there is not too much room left). However, it still has a card slot, and external memory functions identically to Internal, so it shouldn't really be a problem...

The E60 has exactly the same single stereo out as the E80... If this made the decision for you, if you can afford it, I HIGHLY recommend the G70... Two years of trouble-free gigging so far, a joy to play and listen to.

Diki, one of the great things about the Ketrons is 4 separate outs. That allows you to use different channels in a board, or different tracks during recording to adjust things (bass, drums, etc,). Man, I wish they made the board I need!

R.

Russ,
Having both the E60 and the E80 at my store let me tell you that although the E60 is a very good $1595.00 keyboard, there are still so much more internal rom for the factory voices in the E80. Actually, twice the wave rom. Also, the E80 has your seperate outputs which the E60 doesn't offer.
You would also love the drawbars for the great virtual organ sounds which the E60 doesn't have.


------------------
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

George , You must have a custom E80..

Check again..There are no separate outs on the E80...only the G70..

Sorry, George... NO separate outs for the E80 (except for a click)...

Does the Ketron allow effects on the separate Outs? Roland's Direct Outs bypass the effects... (in fact, many keyboards do this).

Diki, ya know there are lost tribes DEEP in the Amazon who have NEVER had contact with man that know you want Roland to start using the damn Chord Sequencer feature again...

Can't fight off piranha and anacondas while your left hand HAS to play the chords!

Sorry, I've not been at my store all day today. My father-in law passed away today after months of suffering from Lung Cancer. My mind is a bit fuzzy today. I've been with my wife and kids at her mom's house and when I checked the synthzone earlier and replied, I thought there must be seperate outs!

------------------
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

My condolences to you, your family and wife's family, George.

Taike

George, my condolences..

All jokes aside.

Sorry to hear this too George.

Same here...

My deepest sympathies, George.

Ian

thank you all for your kind words
George

We've got you and your family in our prayers, George ...
t.

George,
My deepest sympathies and condolences,
We will keep your family in our prayers as you go through the grieving process of loosing your loved one.
Best regards to you and yours,
Bebop & Jann

Me, too, George...all the best.

Russ

Diki-the only way I use the 4 outs is into different channels into different tracks at the studio. I have settings for each out set in the memory of the recording machine, and these would be different than the settings for live use. Keep everything flat out of the board and adjust externally. Don't think there are separate internal adjustments, but never looked for them, and the book is way to faded and spilled on (14 years) to go back and look.

R.