Sipario or Genovation question & availability in aussie

[AUSSIEKEYS]

Have a hankering for either of these but pretty sure not available here in Australia.

 

Due to health reasons trying not to carry a second board (small Alesis Qs6.1) but instead a lightweight ancient but usable Alesis nanosynth. Yes i love my quadrasynths. Old but viable. Im struggling to phsyically carry my privia px330, my keyboard amp, a ZXa1 for foldback and a small front of house PA all with 33% lung capacity. A second keyboard with 2nd tier pieces is just too much plus i cant read my music past the second keyboard (shitty eyeballs) where my privias music rest is a godsend for those peepers

 

The Sipario (available ebay US) or genovation (sporadically available ebay Us) seems my solution but the import / postage costs are rediculous. I cant find australian importer so figure there isnt. We still are the arse end of the world for importing. If anyone knows please inform.

 

Seems many american ebayers use that horrendously expensive ebay postage outfit GSP pitney bowles. Its makes it so expensive to buy from the US that my QS6 on top seems viable because of its cheap value already paid for. These midi program changer units are so small they should be cheap for postage.

 

If i went this route the genovation has a 10 key input thus choosing say song number 63 very easy.

 

How does the Sipario address this wanting to pick a non sequential choice of a song.

 

Ive searched on here multiple times and read and reread info. And searched the now useless google engine and havent found a definitive answer either.

 

Any other similar devices to look for that as small as these.

 

Im nudging to Sipario. But i might keep scouring US ebay till a used one appears but probably unlikely anytime soon.

 

If an importer was in aussie id be "in like Flynne" on either of these. But then again many of our importers put high premiums on a lot of gear.

 

Its hard for me to invest too much as my dicky health deams i could buy it and then not be able to perform further.

 

 

[AUSSIEKEYS]

Ps: i still have many of the vintage midi program changers still in my museum of old shite. Yamaha, Akai, peavey, jl cooper roland etc but none of them address the 10 digit input or quickly accessed high numbered songs and they are large rack mount units which wont fit on my privia.

 

The Sipario and genovation are pleasantly small and will fit on one side or privia with nanosynth gaffed to other side as it presently is and not interfer with music rest and the buttons

[niacin]

I have a Genovation unit for sale, if you're interested PM me, I'm in Canberra, happy to post it. There used to be a supplier maybe a decade ago but no longer.

[AUSSIEKEYS]

Hi niacin long time no see.

 

I didntcrealisecyou were aussie

 

Definately interested ill pm you now

[MPN21]

You might want to look into the MC6II or their new model MC8 MIDI foot controller. int https://www.morningstarfx.com/ They are based in Singapore and they will ship worldwide. I might add that I have the Sipario and the MIDI Patch Changer, but when both hands are busy on the keyboard, the MC6II comes real handy. I didn't know about the MC8 until I visited their website just a few days ago.

[AUSSIEKEYS]

Thanks their site is down by what im getting but ill google reviews of them. appreciate your response.

 

As you have the mtg / genovation midi patch changer maybe you could tell me does it allow you to set key range for splits, layers and various small ranges/zones set across the keyboard and also accommodate turning on and off pedals and wheels. Basically can it zone as the Sipario does.

 

Ive downloaded the 2010 manual and done extensive goggle searching and no where has it revealed that it can unlike the Sipario which covers all my needs except for being able to access saved scenes numerically though it looks like it may be ok.

[niacin]

All the Genovation does is send a patch change number message. No splits, key range, layers, zones or other midi stuff. The best thing about it is you can enter the number at any time, so when you have a hand free for a fraction of a second, and then when you want the message to be sent you simply hit the enter button.

[AUSSIEKEYS]

thanks Niacin for your message, Ive replied to your PM. Cheers

[MPN21]

I didn't mean to get in between you, too, but wouldn't it be great if there are some devices out there with a little more midi processing logic; split channels, remap, transpose, and etc. I would think that a lot keyboard players would use one. Most of the MIDI foot controllers are mainly for guitar players.

[AUSSIEKEYS]

Its cool you havent.

 

The Sipario does everything i want except im not convinced it can access high numbered scenes quickly. As this may be my last band i am reluctant to go with the cost of importing something i may not get much use out of.

 

The genovation presented that problem but as ones available locally and second hand it does make buying it very appealing cost wise. It has access to those high numbered scenes instantly but does lack the zoning i need. but i could pair it with my Alesis QSR+ module which is a powerful zoning device but has dificult access to scenes. The only caveat is i might need a thru box as the alesis needs both my casio and the genovation to go to its midi in which adds to my gear to carry unless the genovation can act as a thru box too (which i have a few) with my casio going to it and merging with the genovations out. Probably wont work that way but fun to try if it doesnt work out it can go in my studio setup.

 

My last resort is go back to using my Alesis QS6.1 keyboard (a powerful zoning device anyway) and to reduce the load ill leave my keyboard amp at home and use my vocal front of house which its is l going thru anyway.

 

All this mucking around just to cut down the load which when i was healthy was nothing. Hee hee

 

 

[MPN21]

The genovation will merge the incoming MIDI. You can turn the function on and off.

[stoken6]

@Aussiekeys I keep reading your posts and I'm struggling to understand what you're looking for.

Im struggling to phsyically carry my privia px330, my keyboard amp, a ZXa1 for foldback and a small front of house PA all with 33% lung capacity. A second keyboard with 2nd tier pieces is just too much plus i cant read my music past the second keyboard (shitty eyeballs) where my privias music rest is a godsend for those peepers

A Genovation will give you keypad-based patch selection.

A Sipario gives you split/layer capabilities

 

Would you consider swapping your PX330 for a PX5S? Four-zone split/layer, and direct patch access (I think). Plus swap the ZXA1 for IEMs to save more weight?

 

Cheers, Mike

 

[AUSSIEKEYS]

hi mike thanks for your reply.

 

Basically im trying to eliminate the lugging of my second tier keyboard [Alesis QS6.1] and associated stand risers which i already own by using a small module with a Sipario like device in its place. Plus any second tier keyboard Id use makes viewing my charts difficult on stage had this not been the case I would have stuck with this second tier keyboard]. Infact the music rest on the PX330 is probably the thing Im not wanting to give up as it puts the charts close enough to my old eyes. it would be lost with a second tier keyboard.

 

Many times i have looked into chasing a Px5s [at the time my dream keyboard] but here in Australia they are still expensive used. And far too expensive new. ( Australia is an expensive place for gear with a small population hard to find gear locally in quantity hence not cheap used) plus i dont believe it has the direct punch in scene access Im seeking. In fact i may still want to use a Genovation with the px5s another reason why Ive decided not to chase a PX5s any longer as my PX330 is serving ok. If a PX5s turned up locally Id still look into it.

 

As this will probably be my last band due to my health I dont want to buy / spend much on stuff which will be redundant possibly sooner than Id like. Also we arent in a financial position at all to spend [and gear where i am is not easy to sell as im out of a city area so selling mine to replace in a hurry is not going to work & i have other stuff up that hasnt sold which may have payed for a PX5s]. So its not easy to sell & switch where I am located in Australia. Reducing the load will mean I can perform longer. I still sing strong but play seated now but the lug-in is killing me with my shitty lungs as the lugging is putting a lot of stress on them not the playing. But if i give up then Ive given up what music is for me..performing. Ironically I joined this band expecting more to be old farts keeping their hands-in with practice & an occasional gig giving me my hit of performing but since joining, local gigs are coming in. I hope not too many though.

 

One reason Im trying to do what im doing is i dont want to loose the PX330's music rest as its been a godsend having cheat sheets/charts in front of me on the keyboard as music stands are too far away from me to easily read. The PX5s does have the slot but is filled with a blue panel which i always thought id simply remove until told [on here] its a major & difficult process best left alone. If an elcheapo PX5s appeared Id grab it & try to remove the slot as i could risk pulling apart a cheap buy. But elcheapo stuff here of current offerings does not exist. I have been looking for a cheap PX5s for 2 years since joining this band and none have surfaced even long distance away let alone close by. And the PX330 has done stirling one keyboard work when i joined the band but Ive pushed the band in a different direction where I really need to add a module if not that second keyboard. The PX5s would be an answer with the genovation for switching thru song list setups.

 

The Sipario would do everything i want except for instant scene location of high numbered scenes [unless an owner can tell me otherwise] i had thought the genovation which addresses my need for instant recall had zoning too but it doesnt but as niacin has kindly done a fair deal for his genovation Im grabbing that to experiment with my various modules I own..one an Alesis Nano Synth or my Alesis QSR+ module which already has zones on board but a terrible difficult to access on stage without a patcher of some kind.

 

A Sipario will unlikely be here in Australia & importing really makes it cost more than its value to me so with niacins Genovation he's offered me Ive got some experimenting to do. Its an early model so the current manufacturers [mtg] updates wont work with this one & im not sure the last update for this model is still available & I not sure the software for computer manipulation of this unit is still availabe either. So ive bought it knowing that it only switches scenes and doesnt zone.

 

Reading the designer notes there seems to be some hidden power in there stating [ Arbitrary MIDI Data Each Preset can also send up to 16 bytes of arbitrary MIDI data before or after the patch change data. This data cannot be edited on the device at this time. Use the Librarian Software (PC Editor) to configure this data.] anyone who has an early version know what this is & where i can download the Librarian Software. This is where Im heading in delving deeper into its underbelly when it arrives. Anyone know any more Id love to hear.

 

Sorry I talk/write a lot thats why Ive lurked on here for many years since my last appearances so as not to write. hee hee. Only surfacing when I truly need to ask something. Otherwise i write a tome. I cant help it.

[MPN21]

Reading the designer notes there seems to be some hidden power in there stating [ Arbitrary MIDI Data Each Preset can also send up to 16 bytes of arbitrary MIDI data before or after the patch change data. This data cannot be edited on the device at this time. Use the Librarian Software (PC Editor) to configure this data.] anyone who has an early version know what this is & where i can download the Librarian Software. This is where Im heading in delving deeper into its underbelly when it arrives. Anyone know any more Id love to hear.

I never used it myself but you can take a look at it after you download the latest editor. The link was down at first but it is up now. http://www.musictechnologiesgroup.com/files/MIDIPatchChanger_4_01_setup.exe

[AUSSIEKEYS]

Thanks for your help.

 

I had already downloaded the PDF manual for the latest version & its saying now "Arbitrary MIDI Data Each Preset can also send up to 90 bytes of arbitrary MIDI data before and up to 90 bytes of arbitrary MIDI data after the patch change data. This data cannot be edited on the device at this time. Use the Librarian Software (PC Editor) to configure this data.) So the current version has twice the storage presets and much more.

 

Mine will be a legacy product being an early one & although MTG has legacy software on his site its not working so Im assuming hes dumped it now. When he bought the rights to the Genovation it was still the old software. Unfortunately the new software is supposedly not compatible with the old software. Which means locating the legacy Librarian software is going to be tricky if not impossible. Doesnt matter Ill use it as it is.

 

The manual To edit a preset on a Windows PC, install the free MIDIPatchChanger.exe librarian utility. In conjunction with MIDIOX you can easily modify and download files. You can find a free download of MIDIOX at http://www.midiox.com .

 

If I can find this it might open up a bit more I can do with it. Fun stuff but it should make my QSR module easier to use even if i cant unlock anything more.

[stoken6]

Thanks for your reply to my post Aussiekeys. It sounds like:

1. You want a genovation for direct patch access

2. You want a sipario for split/layer magic

3. You don't want to drag a second keyboard (QS6.1) to gigs because you'll lose the music rest

4. But you are happy to drag a module (QSR) and a Sipario and a Genovation to gigs

 

If you find a PX5s, just rig up an old-school music stand behind it.

 

If not, have you considered a software rig? I understand finances are tight, do you already own a laptop you could run softsynths on?

 

Regards, Mike.

 

 

 

 

[AUSSIEKEYS]

Hi Mike

1. You want a genovation for direct patch access...YES

2. You want a sipario for split/layer magic...............YES

3. You don't want to drag a second keyboard (QS6.1) to gigs because you'll lose the music rest.............YES

4. But you are happy to drag a module (QSR) and a Sipario and a Genovation to gigs..............With the QSR I wont need the Sipario only the Genovation as the QSR is a powerful zoning/sound module [originally i was just going to use a Alesis Nanosynth, has same sounds but no zoning.], The QS line of synths and module were powerful zoning modules in their own right, but the module was too hard to access easily live without a controller.

 

If you find a PX5s,.......... [you wont believe this Mike but after your mentioning it I decided to have another look [i hadnt for a few months & found a PX5s heaps cheaper than Id previously found but its 8 hours away & the advert reads very dickily [ie: has only one half photo & little info so i wouldnt buy that one without visiting it to see if its a real advert] but if this is a fair dinkum advert then others will drop down in price over a period of time especially if the replacement turns up soon, though thats still a ways off. If i got the PX5s i seriously consider pulling it open to remove the music stand rest cover. But maybe after i had fun with it a while...just in case i bugger something. As I said when i joined this band a few years ago I started looking out for a used PX5s for the zoning capabilities. If a PX5s comes up locally cheaply Ill chase it up & add the Genovation to it.

 

Look im pretty excited about finding this older Genovation in Australia. It alone may solve what Im trying to accomplish with the various hardware options I have available to me. I dont have a laptop & have never delved into software solutions.

 

 

 

[stoken6]

That makes sense. Another option would be to simply use your QS6.1 as a module and patch changer - set it up to the side of your PX rather on top. It's heavier than a module, but not that heavy.

 

Cheers, Mike.

[AUSSIEKEYS]

Almost did that last gig but it means an extra keyboard stand to lug

 

Or does it as it could literally be against a wall without a stand as a module.

 

Im finding though local stages too small for a keyboard beside me. Although this last gig was plywood floor over hay bales so it was actually bigger than our club venues so it could have been done. I just took the nano synth and had it ready to go on a couple of songs the px330 needed better sounds such as harmonica which suck on the PX330s GM voices.

 

My favourite zoning keyboard was my original Quadrasynth later replaced by the Quadrasynth plus such powerful zoning at the time. But the keyboard that originally opened my eyes to zoning and had a 10 digit program selector was the ancient Akai MX73 thats when i knew i was a module convert. And no i dont just have Alesis gear but i like it for its zoning capabilities. Ive considred just using my quadrasynth but at 15 kg weight plus weight of a case i cant lug it plus i loose piano action which is most important to me. The casio only 11.6 kg and a light weight robust bag adds only a little more.

[MPN21]

The manual To edit a preset on a Windows PC, install the free MIDIPatchChanger.exe librarian utility. In conjunction with MIDIOX you can easily modify and download files. You can find a free download of MIDIOX at http://www.midiox.com .

 

If I can find this it might open up a bit more I can do with it. Fun stuff but it should make my QSR module easier to use even if i cant unlock anything more.

Mine is also a legacy model. The company emailed me special versions of firmware over the years. Now both the legacy and new models are merged. Why don't you write to the company for firmware or old versions of the editor?

[AUSSIEKEYS]

Yes ill look into that once the unit gets here & i do some exploratory testing with it. Itll probably take over a week to arrive as its in another city soon to be posted.

 

Although Im a bit hesitant about asking a current maker of an item to help out an owner of a second hand legacy unit made by the previous owner that MTG didnt make any money from.

 

I feel thats a bit unfair to MTG especially as they are a cottage industry & ill bet struggling to make their little business worthwhile doing. I know what being a cottage industry is like. Often struggling to find next weeks living expenses.

 

 

It is annoying though that Genovation has removed their downloads but Im guessing they did a selloff deal with MTG to take the lot, downloads & all then Genovation can wipe its hands of pesky owners asking for backup. And I get that too.

 

Anyway when i get the unit Ill have a play with it first.

 

Thanks MPN21 for keeping in the thread.