marino

My favorites list for LH controllers: 1) Wheels 2) Wheels 3) Wheels 4) Ribbons & touchpads 5) Nord stick 6) Roland paddle 7) Oberheim levers My least favorite is the Korg joystick - or joysticks in general, unless it's strictly for mixing different sources, like on the Wavestation/Wavestate. Best system: Sequential Pro 3. Two great-feeling wheels (one spring-loaded) and a touch slider which you can set to return to zero *or* to hold the current value. You can change this setting on the fly, with a dedicated button. All controllers freely assignable. Worst system: Studiologic SL73. Three assignable joysticks, of which the first is spring-loaded on both axis, the second on the horizontal axis only, and the third on neither. Could be an interesting approach on paper, but in practice the joysticks are so small and short that any degree of accuracy is impossible; basically, they are unusable. Really? Have you tried to use aftertouch with any precise control on the amount of modulation? Of course some instruments have better AT than others, but generally speaking, aftertouch is the least accurate of all real time controllers. Also, AT always returns to zero the moment that you lift a key, which may not be what you want every time.

Wow! Like Dave, I'm not a fan of the two piano format - perhaps the most notable exception being the Corea/Hancock thing. It's just too easy to overplay, or create harmonic clashes, or go out of rhythmic sync. But these are two of my absolute favorite pianists, so I did listen. And... wow, wow, wow. I was captured from the first notes. What a fantastic interplay! I'll set apart an hour tonight to listen to the whole thing. Thank you!! Edit - To the organizers: You *don't* interrupt a concert after the first two songs to discuss things. Especially a concert like this!

Sorry to hear this. I saw him with the new Mahavishnu Orchestra at some point in the mid-80s.

Love letter to the classical player: Classical performers should be respected more for what they do. I know that Schumann Sonata a little bit, it's *diabolically* difficult, and while Tiffany Poon's interpretation isn't maybe the most perfect I have ever heard, it's absolutely excellent with regard to technique, musicality, cleanliness, phrasing, intention, passion. It's many degrees of magnitude above any kind of performance I could ever have achieved, even if I had taken the necessary years of hard study. Yes, it takes 'many' years to reach that kind of performance, and you also have to keep yourself in constant shape, like an athlete - and try to keep your musical focus in the process. Some of my conservatory classmates have attempted that route, and I know it can be absolutely brutal, with total impact on your personal life. In this era of automation and AI, this very human dedition should be regarded as the high level, irreplaceable art that it is.

We have a Legend Live at school, and that's quite impressive already; the Soul seems a further, definite improvement. The price, though, is a bit scary... Btw my first electronic keyboard was a Galanti organ. So it's nice to see those last heirs of the historical Italian MI industry still designing innovative instruments.

I was always curious about the Virus, although in real life, my compulsive crave for "deep" synthesis steered me toward its German rival, the Waldorf Q. But along the years Access added so many new functions to the Virus line. I was especially interested in the big polyphony and the multitimbrality/layering. At some point I was tempted to get a Polar TI2, which was for sale at a decent price - but then I learned that the extra envelopes and other functions were only accessible from the software, and my enthusiasm quickly cooled. I would appreciate a software version, or even an updated hardware instrument, especially if it includes the large polyphony and multitimbrality.

I'm still in contact with 'some' of my bandmates from the 80s. In recent years I have even made a record with the drummer who played on my very first record in 1985. But these are rather occasional frequentations. The instrument that I have owned for the longest time is my Oberheim Matrix-12. Still the king of my rig, working perfectly.

More specifically.... Use recognizable structures. Like play a pentatonic fragment, like McCoy Tyner, and repeat it in various keys. The simplest way is to play in the "right" key first, then a semitone above or below or both, then back to the original key. A more sophisticated approach is to transpose your phrase by minor thirds on the diminished axis, a la Herbie Hancock. Or play a brief motif then displace it in key *and* in time, like Chick Corea used to do. Or simply play any phrase you like, then repeat or develop it in any key you like. As long as you land it musically, returning to the chord structure, it "should" work.

100%

Very nice, thanks!!

Yess. In my early days, I used to lug around my big boards. I started with a Korg Trident, then the Rhodes Chroma, PPG 2.2, Xpander. At the time, probably, some element of show-off was also at play. There also was a period when my only usable synth was my Matrix-12, because I had sold most of my rig to finance it - including my electric piano. Suddendly a few club gigs with an American singer popped out; so I programmed a couple of EP sounds on the Matrix, and carried it to clubs! It was like driving a Ferrari to go to the grocery store... not the best use of it. Luckily, it only happened for a few gigs. Then I switched to the "MIDI rig" concept: An 88-key controller and a rack full of expanders. I started with an Elka MK88 with poly aftertouch, then a Studiologic Studio 2001 (with software from the American company Forte). In the rack I had a Kurzweil K2000R (later a K2600R), a TG77, a Wavestation A/D. In the second part of the 90s, I reduced dimensions and quantities: An expanded XP80 as a synth and master controller, plus the WS A/D and a Kurzweil Micropiano, later replaced by a MicroEnsemble. At this point, nothing particularly expensive was left in my live rig. Also, in recent times most of my gigs were on acoustic piano.

I'm glad to see Kurzweil still on track! I'm interested. Yes. Yes. Yes. Crossing my fingers for this. The synth action that I'm playing the most at present is the Pro 3, which probably is the best synth action ever for my fingers. If the new Kurz is going to sport a similar keybed, that would be a major point in its favor.

I knew most of the story already, but it's wonderful to see someone trying to organize this knowledge for the younger people. The DSS-1 was a truly remarkable instrument; probably, its success was limited by the fact that in those years, innovations were popping up almost every day... also its bulky appearance didn't help. It wasn't sexy as a DX7 or D50. I had a DW8000, which I sold recently. I didn't buy it in the 80s; I had a few big analogs already. I got mine quite a bit later, mainly because I loved the sound of its filters - and also the saw waves, while digital, sounded fat and warm. I was less interested in the "digital" waveforms, as I already had a TG77 at the time. I miss my DW. I had restored it before selling. And just before shipping it, I made a little farewell video.

I have played the Sledge, and I'd say that the keyboard is one of its strong points; it's quite playable and smooth. Also, big knobs on a big panel, good wheels, AT, internal power supply, and a decent sound. It's plastic but sturdy, and not heavy at all considering its dimensions. It has limitations, like the aftertouch always duplicates the function that's assigned to the mod wheel - which I find totally silly. Also, I have heard that a few units have some system instability, but I haven't noticed any in my (brief) time with the instrument. In the few days I have had the Sledge at my place, I programmed a few quick patches and made a little video:

Given that the enclosure looks the same, I fear the worst.

My dream instrument is a Boesendorfer 200. So, who should I contact to get a sponsorship...?

I admire your restraint...

Same here. And as external PSUs for different units keep accumulating with time, an internal PSU on a new device is more and more a "pro" point.

Wishing you all a nice start of the New Year, spending some time in joy and peace with your friends and loved ones.

Thank you. That 1926 L seems to have a nice singing sound. I actually liked the 1926 better than the 1992, and I'm thinking to get the full version; for certain quick applications, it could be useful. Btw, for $19 it would be hard to go wrong.

There are so many... I think that every good instrument has a signature sound. Some of my favorites: - Boesendorfer Imperial 290 at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1985 (I think). Perfectly regulated and balanced, it seemed to read my mind. I had never experienced such a connection with a piano; after the audience went home, I kept playing it until they had to close the venue. I was dragged outside in tears, seriously. - The Rhodes Mark 7 that I played at NAMM 2009 (thanks again, Dave!). Wow, that was the best Rhodes I have played in my life. The balance, the control, the sound... too bad they weren't able to pursue that project. - Rhodes Chroma. Need to say more? - DSI Evolver and Sequential Pro 3. Thanks Dave (the other Dave, too!) - Moog 15 and similar configurations. Absurdly fantastic sound!