Holy Fuck-A-Moly! I'm lucky to be posting here today

[Synthaholic]

years ago- dear gawd! This is going back years. At that time I bought one of the first ones- In it's day- it cost me hundreds... like 6- 7 hundred.... it was heavy- and considered the instrument of its its day.. casio? It was a great instrument... simple- but in my opinion? I prefer casio compared to yamaha? i think casio has a much more sexy sound! deeper and much better! it's sitting in my closet- middle c- f-up..

I've never liked Yamaha synths or their old drum machines, although I love everything else they produce. I've owned their speakers in the past and currently use their MG10XU mixer. Quality stuff. Don't like their particular menu-diving on the synths, or their sound. My Kurzweil has an FM engine in it, also, so I can directly load old 1980s Yamaha DX7 patches into it and it's identical. I use that classic DX7 electric piano that was in nearly every 1980s slow song all the time (think Whitney's 'Greatest Love' intro). I have a MotifRack XS boxed in my garage that has maybe 8 hours on it that I need to sell. Bought it a few years ago and hated the sounds. It's not that they are bad, they just don't do anything for me. Typical Yammy sound.

 

[Synthaholic]

My bucket list is playing songs with a buzz on- but i really do have an audience.. i..have two dogs- that always come out and sit me beside me the chair... they like it!!!!- I have always thought- between the two brands- The Yamama to be much more sounding like tin? nexy year i will buy one and see- not much diff?

If you have cash to spare check out the Dexibell keyboards, especially if it's just for your own personal pleasure. Otherwise, Roland, Kurzweil, or Korg. The Korg Nautilus is a slimmed down, cheaper Kronos. The Roland Fantom is very nice. I have the Kurzweil PC4-7 which is the 76 key semi-weighted action version of the PC4, which is 88 keys and a piano action. I really love it. It does everything well, and there is no better MIDI controller on the market if you need that capability. And just under 20lbs.

Homepage - Dexibell

dexibell.com

Dexibell S7, from 3 years ago. They're up to the S10 now.

 

[Synthaholic]

You have to change the GM tones to better sounds in your midi arrangement on the Korgs to sound less Karaoke accompaniment-less choir and pad sounds. The problem is however, once you push play it resorts back to the midi composed instruments, so the trick is push play & quickly pause then change the tones to more palatable sounds.
On the Rolands the trick is in system edit turn off all the midi settings that change all aspects based on the midi composition otherwise it changes your track volumes, sounds, sound sets, and other headaches after you get your sound sets perfect.

Yeah, like I said, arrangers sound too polished for me, like I'm playing along with a record. I've been making my own MIDI sequences since the early 1980s when i used a Commodore 64 and Sonus software (or Dr. T), so I'm very fast and a good enough player to just lay down all the tracks I need in one take per instrument, except drums which take me a lot longer, and I tend to obsess over. In fact, I still use Commodore Amiga Music-X software for sequencing (Amiga Forever emulation on a PC) because I don't need any bells and whistles and I'm not using audio tracks, just MIDI, so I don't need things like Logic or Digital Performer or Ableton. That shit just slows you down and sends you down time-consuming rabbit holes.

 

[HaShev]

Yeah, like I said, arrangers sound too polished for me, like I'm playing along with a record. I've been making my own MIDI sequences since the early 1980s when i used a Commodore 64 and Sonus software (or Dr. T), so I'm very fast and a good enough player to just lay down all the tracks I need in one take per instrument, except drums which take me a lot longer, and I tend to obsess over. In fact, I still use Commodore Amiga Music-X software for sequencing (Amiga Forever emulation on a PC) because I don't need any bells and whistles and I'm not using audio tracks, just MIDI, so I don't need things like Logic or Digital Performer or Ableton. That shit just slows you down and sends you down time-consuming rabbit holes.

Yeah step sequencing sounds Robotic too, that's why I record by hand real time instead, but drums are hard to do finger keying, I'm in awe of people who got that down with precision, so a trick is taking the midi drums into a daw and change velocity slightly every other beat like a real drummer does not hitting at the same force, then nudge every so often and slightly the beat off the quantizing lines to be like a real drummer.
Sort of like using very slight swing, but randomly done.
If you use just a few tracks of an accompaniment with other keyboard sequences and tracks, you can get a less over produced result and more complex and full fat sound. I would always remove the cheesy sounds or overdone parts by silencing those tracks or changing the instrument to create an end result something completely different and unexpected.

 

[SootedUpCyndi]

I've never liked Yamaha synths or their old drum machines, although I love everything else they produce. I've owned their speakers in the past and currently use their MG10XU mixer. Quality stuff. Don't like their particular menu-diving on the synths, or their sound. My Kurzweil has an FM engine in it, also, so I can directly load old 1980s Yamaha DX7 patches into it and it's identical. I use that classic DX7 electric piano that was in nearly every 1980s slow song all the time (think Whitney's 'Greatest Love' intro). I have a MotifRack XS boxed in my garage that has maybe 8 hours on it that I need to sell. Bought it a few years ago and hated the sounds. It's not that they are bad, they just don't do anything for me. Typical Yammy sound.

This? whats not to like. Keep it!!!! play it. LOL

 

[Synthaholic]

This? whats not to like. Keep it!!!! play it. LOL

No, this:

It still lists for $1,499. I bought it to compliment the sounds in my (at the time) Kurzweil PC3 but found that there wasn't enough contrast, and it more duplicated the sounds, but not as good as the Kurz. Plus, it's deep as fuck, and heavy. It comes almost to the back of a rack. I really need to sell it, but I've always been lazy about selling my gear. I have 3 Alesis QS7.1 keyboards sitting out in the garage, along with a Alesis Quadrasynth plus Piano (I sold one of those and gave away the other. Also my Fender Rhodes Mark III, a Roland JX-8P, a 15 year old, still new in the box Evolution 61 key MIDI controller, and an Alesis Fusion 6HD. But at least I still use the Fusion fairly regularly, whenever I'm in the mood to set up 2 keyboards. I also still have that Kurzweil PC3 but it crapped out on me shortly after I bought it. I'm pretty sure it's just the power supply but there is no where to get it repaired locally, or even within a 3 hour drive. I just have been leery of sending it to Sweetwater or AM&S to get repaired. It's just a heavy beast and I hate shipping keyboards. UPS and FedEx are abusive. I'm thinking of just driving it to Atlanta or Tampa, then going back a month later to pick it up. I've got friends in both places I can visit.

 

[SootedUpCyndi]

No, this:

It still lists for $1,499. I bought it to compliment the sounds in my (at the time) Kurzweil PC3 but found that there wasn't enough contrast, and it more duplicated the sounds, but not as good as the Kurz. Plus, it's deep as fuck, and heavy. It comes almost to the back of a rack. I really need to sell it, but I've always been lazy about selling my gear. I have 3 Alesis QS7.1 keyboards sitting out in the garage, along with a Alesis Quadrasynth plus Piano (I sold one of those and gave away the other. Also my Fender Rhodes Mark III, a Roland JX-8P, a 15 year old, still new in the box Evolution 61 key MIDI controller, and an Alesis Fusion 6HD. But at least I still use the Fusion fairly regularly, whenever I'm in the mood to set up 2 keyboards. I also still have that Kurzweil PC3 but it crapped out on me shortly after I bought it. I'm pretty sure it's just the power supply but there is no where to get it repaired locally, or even within a 3 hour drive. I just have been leery of sending it to Sweetwater or AM&S to get repaired. It's just a heavy beast and I hate shipping keyboards. UPS and FedEx are abusive. I'm thinking of just driving it to Atlanta or Tampa, then going back a month later to pick it up. I've got friends in both places I can visit.

lol dear? Will you put me in your will??????
I know its expensive- i looked it up and was intrigued.... LOL its over my price range... but i was looking at 600 $ yamaha's. I would take it if i had the money.. i have a motto- never sell a any keyboard

 

[Synthaholic]

i have a motto- never sell a any keyboard

That has become my de facto motto. Partly through laziness, partly through just not wanting to deal with buyers and shipping, partly through not wanting to pay eBay's outrageous commission, and partly through not wanting to part with keyboards I have a long history with, like the Roland JX-8P. I bought that brand new in 1985 when my band was begging me to buy a Yamaha DX7 like every other guy had. I didn't want it. Too hard to program, and I'm a rebel. I would actually LOVE to sell my Fender Rhodes. It's mechanically in great shape. But I would have to sell it locally. It weighs a ton.

 

[SootedUpCyndi]

That has become my de facto motto. Partly through laziness, partly through just not wanting to deal with buyers and shipping, partly through not wanting to pay eBay's outrageous commission, and partly through not wanting to part with keyboards I have a long history with, like the Roland JX-8P. I bought that brand new in 1985 when my band was begging me to buy a Yamaha DX7 like every other guy had. I didn't want it. Too hard to program, and I'm a rebel. I would actually LOVE to sell my Fender Rhodes. It's mechanically in great shape. But I would have to sell it locally. It weighs a ton.

yea I know- The one in my closet weighs a ton... selling it on line would cost you huge fees? and shipping! And the danger is- these days on there -on line.... if the buyer doesn't like it? and wants to return it- you're liable for return shipping. i sold a 1700$ wood splitter on craigs list.. it went well?

 

[ActionJackson]

Holy Fuck-A-Moly! I'm lucky to be posting here today​

Our bad luck.

And everyone else's (normal folks') good luck!

 

[bodecea]

Man, pfft..LMAO!

I lost the OS that this was and about 3 other things yesterday. Due to a lot of diligence and all the people I know..I'm back!

Oh man! It's been a long 36 hours.

Oh...I thought you were going to tell us about knocking on the wrong door.

 

[Natural Citizen]

That sucks.

I had a hard drive corruption a couple of months ago on a MacBook Pro and went through the same thing.

Took me two days to get a TB of data from the corrupt HD, over to an external drive, and then back onto a spare HD I had, after installing the OS onto the new spare HD.

Shit happens...

 

[SootedUpCyndi]

That sucks.

I had a hard drive corruption a couple of months ago on a MacBook Pro and went through the same thing.

Took me two days to get a TB of data from the corrupt HD, over to an external drive, and then back onto a spare HD I had, after installing the OS onto the new spare HD.

Shit happens...

I Had a horrible upper pain in mid back---- from 20 years go? i sold my electric guitar- to heavvy... and I laid low for 20 years... then one day- i went looking on you tube and i Saw this? a tyros! oh dear GOD~OOOO - out of my price range! lol
I identify with it- because i'm in upper maine- so cold. lol so i went an bought a casio? Beautiful instrument for the price... I'm not a professional!-The guys are impressed... LOL all that really matters- is my two dogs! my audience- i spent the entire day lookin for the beat! lol

 

[Synthaholic]

I Had a horrible upper pain in mid back---- from 20 years go? i sold my electric guitar- to heavvy... and I laid low for 20 years... then one day- i went looking on you tube and i Saw this? a tyros! oh dear GOD~OOOO - out of my price range! lol
I identify with it- because i'm in upper maine- so cold. lol so i went an bought a casio? Beautiful instrument for the price... I'm not a professional!-The guys are impressed... LOL all that really matters- is my two dogs! my audience- i spent the entire day lookin for the beat! lol

The new Tyros is like $6,000. Lol! They're really nice, but not for me. I'll see if I can upload an mp3 of my MIDI sequence for Nikita. I used to play and sing that song regularly, then stopped for the past 8 years or so. I just recently dug it back out to start doing again, occasionally. It's my favorite Elton song post-1980.

 

[HaShev]

The new Tyros is like $6,000. Lol! They're really nice, but not for me. I'll see if I can upload an mp3 of my MIDI sequence for Nikita. I used to play and sing that song regularly, then stopped for the past 8 years or so. I just recently dug it back out to start doing again, occasionally. It's my favorite Elton song post-1980.

The Korg PA X-5 is around that much, nice features but if anyone has ever seen the measly amount of tech boards and wiring inside a synth, there's no justification when even a $300. Tv has more materials valued in them.

 

[Synthaholic]

That sucks.

I had a hard drive corruption a couple of months ago on a MacBook Pro and went through the same thing.

Took me two days to get a TB of data from the corrupt HD, over to an external drive, and then back onto a spare HD I had, after installing the OS onto the new spare HD.

Shit happens...

That Acronis cloning software is good. I transferred my C: drive to a solid state drive a few months ago and it was flawless. And it comes free if you buy a Crucial drive.

 

[Synthaholic]

The Korg PA X-5 is around that much, nice features but if anyone has ever seen the measly amount of tech boards and wiring inside a synth, there's no justification when even a $300. Tv has more materials valued in them.

It's not quantity, it's quality. The inside of a Kronos is basically a circuit board and a proprietary hard drive wired and soldered to it to prevent switching it out for a larger capacity drive. You're paying for the software and the samples.