IF I COULD HAVE AFFORDED IT...

[♔Chello]

IF I COULD HAVE AFFORDED IT...

Then, I would have bought a new instrument, and it would NOT have been one made by Korg Italy - they have definitely ruined their reputation with the way they have (and still do) treated Pa5X users.

The Ketron Event was tempting for a while, but the experience with Audya limits the temptation, because changing the OS is a nightmare - you have to have new codes for additional software every time, and these have to be obtained from Ketron every time; USB sticks have to be sent back to be reactivated.

I have found a way to get around these problems with Audya, but I don't feel like doing this anymore, because it is a very extensive work - I have in a way made my own OS.

So the Ketron Event is unlikely to be relevant.


A used Genos 1 could be relevant, because this is a very good keyboard when everything is readjusted.
But it's not tempting to have to do the same thing I did with the Pa5X - remixing all the internal styles and everything else.
If I find one cheap enough, I might buy it anyway.

A synth is far more attractive, because all the synths I've had have been very well mixed, unlike arrangers, except for the Yamaha DGX-670, which is in a class of its own in terms of mixing and quality.
A successor to this would have been of great interest.


The Korg Kronos is not relevant, because the layout is a nightmare that makes it hopeless to make edits.

The Korg Grandstage X is particularly interesting, and this one is manufactured in Japan, which indicates a quality that Korg Italy is not able to deliver.


Another candidate is the Yamaha Montage M7, but the price is grotesque.
A realistic alternative is an earlier model of this one, which can be had quite cheaply.


My type of performance suits a synth far better than an arranger, and it's very likely that I'll acquire one, even though I have the OASYS, which is too similar to the Kronos.

So it's quite possible that I'll buy an earlier Montage in a few months.


Montage 7 has something called Scene buttons, which I've always missed:




Notice how easily intro and ending can be used with the Scene buttons

[⚅Graham UK]

Yamaha Montage Arranger Performances Demo.

Chello. I'm liking some of the simple styles. I always thought Montage styles were arpedigos ?
Wonder if these styles are downloadable to possibly play on a Yamaha aarranger ?.

[♔Chello]

Yamaha Montage Arranger Performances Demo.

Chello. I'm liking some of the simple styles. I always thought Montage styles were arpedigos ?
Wonder if these styles are downloadable to possibly play on a Yamaha aarranger ?.

⚅Graham


It is true that Montage is arpeggio pattern based.
But you can't load them directly and play them on your arranger, because you have to recreate the arpeggio on the arranger or find similar.

Montage arpeggios are also far more complex than traditional arpeggiators, offering dynamic rhythm patterns, controller data, and even realistic instrumental performances.


Incidentally, it is somewhat misleading that the demonstrator calls the rhythms styles:

In the context of a Yamaha MONTAGE Performance, "styles" are made up of multiple individual sounds or "Programs" (called Parts) that are layered, zoned, or sequenced together, controlled by the Motion Control Synthesis Engine. 

Each of these eight Parts within a Performance can be a distinct sound from different sound engines, like AWM2 or FM-X, and are brought together to create a complex, dynamic, and expressive overall sound or "style".

[⚅Graham UK]

Chello. Thank you, your reply which gives me a better understanding of the Montage.

[♔Chello]

Chello. Thank you, your reply which gives me a better understanding of the Montage.

⚅Graham


Thank you for asking the questions, which made me investigate this further.

I now know very well how to create "styles" for my OASYS, because the principle is the same.

Thanks to you for asking, I now know this.

[⚖musicalmemoriesuk]

It’s really bad, the Pa5x is an amazing arranger, agreed the amazing update promised is somewhat underwhelming.

I’ve not spent much time on the Genos as I’ve invested so much time in getting to know the Pa5x.

I wonder if some of the companies that made arrangers who are no longer with us still made arrangers what the market would be like now?

The likes of Technics and General Music etc.

[♔Chello]

It’s really bad, the Pa5x is an amazing arranger, agreed the amazing update promised is somewhat underwhelming.

I’ve not spent much time on the Genos as I’ve invested so much time in getting to know the Pa5x.

I wonder if some of the companies that made arrangers who are no longer with us still made arrangers what the market would be like now?

The likes of Technics and General Music etc.

Pa5X is probably the best arranger ever, but the developers don't follow up on what they've created.
They haven't fixed many bugs, even after 3 years.
But they have created new ones...

I said quite early on that the Pa5X's Achilles heel was that it can't handle complex styles, and it's therefore very negative to note that Korg is of a different opinion, because the newest styles are even more complex (max number of effects on almost all styles and heavy use of Finalizer).

So my claim is that Korg is further developing the Pa5X in a negative direction by constantly increasing the number of effects, while the hardware has already reached its maximum at OS 1.0 (Polyphony of 160 is far too low, but actually too high in relation to the hardware's actual performance level).

Also, the Pa5X is far inferior to the Kronos and OASYS - I played a little on the OASYS today, and was shocked at how much better the soundstage is with the OASYS.

I've had both Technics KN-6000 and KN-7000, and played on my brother's GEM, and both manufacturers were groundbreaking.
And I actually think that the hardware in the Genos 1 is better than the one in the Pa5X, because the Genos 1 can play complex styles far more convincingly; in fact, even mid-range Yamahas can also do this better than the Pa5X.

If they had continued with their arrangers, both Yamaha and Korg would have had great trouble keeping their customers.

And Roland is also practically out of the picture, but if they decide to make a new top model, the world could be in for a shock.

There is a real possibility that a new top model will be equipped with the new MIDI 2.0, which will completely knock out everything else (Roland are the ones who have the most influence within the new MIDI 2.0 technology).

   

There have been rumors about a new top model for a long time.

[✪aprilla]

Wow that must be a real disappointment, I know you really wanted to love it. I think many must feel similar, I see more and more of them being sold on now.

Sometimes I think our perfect instrument, whatever that is for each of us, doesn't exist, we can only get 'close enough' which is why we seem to always be watching what else is out there, what upgrades are coming.

[♔Chello]

Wow that must be a real disappointment, I know you really wanted to love it. I think many must feel similar, I see more and more of them being sold on now.

Sometimes I think our perfect instrument, whatever that is for each of us, doesn't exist, we can only get 'close enough' which is why we seem to always be watching what else is out there, what upgrades are coming.

✪aprilla


No instrument has given me as many mood swings as the Pa5X; up and down over and over again.
The Pa5X may be the best of all, but the manufacturer is also the worst of all.

I remember an experience with the Pa3X:
The keyboard fell from a height of 1 meter to the floor, and I had connected the PAAS speaker system.
The mounting screw for the PAAS broke, and I contacted Korg Norway to get a new one.

They told me to contact Korg Italy, who never replied, neither by email nor via Facebook.
I then contacted Korg Japan, who gave me a secret link to Korg Italy.
They finally replied, but claimed that the screw could not be obtained, and could not (would not) help me solve the problem.

So I was left with a fully functional PAAS, which could not be used because it could not be connected - the only option was to buy a new PAAS.
A local company could make a new screw with CNC technology, but the cost was sky high - the price was at least $100. After studying the screw, I was able to make a new mounting screw myself for free (I have worked as a CNC operator).

The lesson from this is that even if you buy a top Korg product, you get zero service.

The same goes for Ketron, which is also based in Italy.
Yamaha, on the other hand, is the complete opposite; they provide fantastic service for all products, even the cheapest ones.
Roland also has very good service.

Japanese-made Korg products are given the same service as Yamaha and Roland.