BenWaB3
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Posts posted by BenWaB3
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I had a Casio PX S3000. I play jazz professionally. After 2 gigs I replaced it with a Kawai ES110 for $660 delivered. Very pleased that I did. It"s the same weight as the Casio.
Replaced it because?
If Jazz+ is like me he returned it because of the action. A lot of people seem to like it but I never could work up any liking for it (the action) at all.
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I don't know anything about these software programs - I just wanted to say: you get an A+ in creative writing Josh!
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Instead of Jazzfest you might consider the French Quarter Festival. This year it's held a week before Jazzfest. Smaller, mostly local acts & everything is free. I've never been to either but at the suggestion of a friend who has been there a few times my wife & I decided to opt for the French Quarter Fest.
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Bob, thank you for sharing your thoughts!
As you say, lots of good options for 61-keys, but not so many for 73-keys, and even less among the controllers.
I believe Kawai R&D have a Numa Compact 2 somewhere, so I'll see if I can borrow it for a little while and see how things work out.
The Vox is interesting, but I'm really keen on the USB audio idea, and relying solely on the iPad for sounds. Maybe I'm asking for trouble?
The FA07 is decent, no doubt about it...but no immediate access to drawbars might be tough. I rely quite a lot on pre-programmed drawbar registrations, but it's nice to have the option of adjusting during a song for variety.
I recently watched a video of B-3X from Katsunori Ujie and was really bowled-over by the tweakability of the Leslie sim...incredible sound too!
I guess the ideal controller that we're looking for simply hasn't been made yet. However, I cannot help thinking that with the rise in popularity of iPad-based VIs, it won't be long before someone releases it.
Cheers,
James
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Is having physical controllers a must or would you be able to adapt to using the iPad's touch screen to adjust the drawbars in real time? I think (but am not sure) it has that feature built into the software.
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I pulled the trigger and bought the B-3X for iPad.
I carry around a Roland FA-07 all the time. This is an easy upgrade for the internal organ. I already use my iPad for Neo Soul Keys Studio 2 to upgrade the authenticity of the Rhodes.
For less than 1/3 of the price of putting a Mini Vent II on the sub out I think this will hit the spot and price point I needed.
Will let you know how it goes.
I'll be very interested in hearing your opinion, Jeff. I have the FA-07 as well & am thinking of going this route. Using a Legend Live module right now but something about that Hammond app draws me to it. Still up in the air about iPad vs. Windows tablet. Not wanting to derail the thread, so can let me know by PM if you wish, but how do you like the Neo-Soul for wurli & clav? Thanks.
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Without a doubt, this is an excellent emulation...especially the rotary, and agreed it gives pleasant Hammond sounds with all the right key-click, leakage, C/V, and like; and I love the additional effects, however I have not been able to get that top octave to scream out yet. I'm a rocker and use smears a lot. Love to get that snarling roar coming out of a hot solo, but am missing it with the app. Still tweaking EQ, Drive, Compression, and the like...any tips?
Now for ballads and jazzier tunes, this app might be the best sound I currently have access to. Really like it...just need to figure out how to get it a little more rude when the tune calls for it.
Yes. It doesn't scream enough. It sounds good for jim alfredsson on the jazz stuff but I cant play like jim. And I likely won't ever be. For rock stuff it's kinda tame. I've had some success with the cab settings emphasizing the top horn but it's still only half aggressive enough. But using the effects and setting the cab settings high up causes buffering artifacts on my only 1 year old ipad mini4. I'm not inclined to upgrade my ipad to chase an app.
At least not until it screams like jon lord. The other problem is the left hand work pushes down the right hand work. IK needs to change this compression factor. VB3v1 and a vent still kicks b3x's butt.
Just a wild guess on my part since I don't have the software (yet anyway) but would the ability to mix in a little of the guitar amp sound give you the upper range edge the two of you would want? That's one of the things that intrigue me about this app. I remember talking with Sal Azz once after he had been at a recording session by Joey D and he was explaining how they mixed some straight line out signal off the preamp with the Leslie signal in the final mix. Not something I had even thought about but it would make sense in order to get some of the warble out of the bass registers on tremolo speed. I'm not sure if you can mix in all three or not but that would be a lot of versatility if you can. Not sure any of the other software clones give you the ability to mix different signals. But possibly some crunch from the guitar amp section would give it the scream.
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Was there supposed to be an active link on the word "here"?
I just meant on this forum. The search engine is no longer horrible since the update happened. There's also the "[search term] site:forums.musicplayer.com" string you can use at Google.
You're right, the new search engine is a lot better. Thanks for the tip. I had pretty much abandoned using the search engine on the old site.
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Thanks for the reply, Joe. I got the impression their area of expertise was more along the commonly used bells & whistles where Apple really excels with the general public. Was there supposed to be an active link on the word "here"? I did stop by Best Buy today & talked to one of the supervisors of their computer department. While not being totally versed in VST's and music production he still had a good handle on what I was looking for. At this point I may be going the Windows route. I'm apprehensive about their overall performance but Apple has left me in a Catch-22 situation. I want a touch screen, which the iPad Air would handle greatly but can't find a lot of apps for it (although I look very forward to being proven wrong if you have that link). That leaves the MacBooks which have a lot of apps but no touchscreen. Some of the things like Microsoft Surface or Lenovo's Yogas or Thinkpads would give both touchscreen & a lot of apps to choose from, albeit at a potential loss of performance speed. Anyway, if there was supposed to be an active link if you could repost it it will be much appreciated. I really like the form factor of the iPads. Thanks again.
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Of course the curmudgeon in me notices that the compatibility doesn't take just one more step into the past & include us FA-0* owners.
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To throw my unsolicited $0.02 in with the conversation between GuiliClayder & ElmerJFudd, I had the PX-S3000 but sent it back because I couldn't talk myself into liking the action. It was just too bouncy. More like a sub-par upright action than a grand. That, of course, is only my opinion and we know what everyone says about opinions . Some people really like the PX-S actions and that's fine. Neither one of us is right or wrong
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I did stop at the Apple store at the mall today but the term VST got a lot of blank looks.
Ask if there is anyone on their staff who uses their Mac for music production.
Actually I did and by the 3rd person they referred me to he said there might be a couple but they weren't there today.
In fact, my company's specialty is "making Apple and Microsoft PLAY NICE!)That's the primary reason I abandoned WIndows. Microsoft is so hostile towards competitors that they crippled Apple iTunes ability to work reliably.
Thanks for the reply
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Thanks for the reply, MoodyBluesKeys. Right now I just want to run some VST's but further down the road I may want to delve deeper into it. I like the small footprint of the iPad and not needing to have the (computer) keyboard. My main concern with it would be the amount of available apps for it that would match the quality of the OS ones. That B-X3 for $99 sure is tempting though. I did stop at the Apple store at the mall today but the term VST got a lot of blank looks. The employees there are more geared to more common uses. I'm considering a Microsoft Surface as well. They will have them at the local Best Buy but I'm not expecting them to know much about music apps either. Plus there's always the latency sword hanging over everyone's head with the Windows machines. Thanks again. Your information has been very helpful.
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Maybe the PX-S3000 guts in a 76 or 61 non-weighted key chassis. Kind of like the things Scott has mentioned but with the sound engine from the PX.
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This is a request for information & advice. I have been a long time Windows user thinking of going to a tablet or "book" to run VST's. Since developers tend to favor Apple by a wide margin with their apps I'm considering going with one of their products. I had settled on the iPad Air, mainly due to the IK version of Hammond B-3X made for it. I had also decided on the AS apps Vtines, Vreeds & Clavi D9. But then I came across an answer to a question posed by a potential customer that AS apps will not run on iOS. This is the first I realized that Apple used different & incompatible OS's for their products, which didn't do anything to assuage my already dim view of their business practices. I'm also (now) looking at Mac Books, which will run the AS products but now that means the price of the B-3X has jumped to $299. AcousticSounds has their V-5 but it won't do one thing that drew me to the B-3X which is let you mix the signals for the Leslie, DI or amp sim. I would be OK sticking with a Windows machine but realize they have more problems with latency & lack of app availability. Hence the request for advice. One thing I liked about the AS products is that they don't take up much disk space & would probably load & run faster. Are there iOS apps that approach the quality of the AS ones for Rhodes, Wurli, Clav, etc.? Or enough iOS compatible apps to make that system as versatile as MAC OS. With the Macbooks do they still have a 1/8" output or do you need to add some other attachment to output sound? Or is there a Windows device that can do the job as well as the Apples? One thing I liked about the iPad was the ability to do everything from a touchscreen as opposed to having to take the keyboard along. So I'm open to advice and suggestions (other than to go pound sand ). Thanks in advance.
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According to a post he put on FB it wasn't anything he said or didn't say, nor anything he did or didn't do. This kind of falls in line with some of the previous comments about suits totally controlling the business. God forbid they would regard customers as anything else than peons to extract money from.
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Why no love for the the Casio PX-S1000 or 3000?
A lot of people really like the PX's and a lot of people really dig the action. I just couldn't stand the action even after using the velocity curves. That certainly doesn't make me right & them wrong, it just shows there are a lot of different preferences out here. Someone had posted on another thread that it didn't cut through or have presence when they took it out on an appearance. I also found the same to be true on the one time I took it out. That could probably have been overcome with an extended number of jobs with it though. It does have a lot of features for sure. I did find it a bit frustrating though when they decided what effects parameters you could use the knobs for. For example it would have been good to be able to control the amount on the stereo tremolo but that wasn't one of the 2 features they let you control. For the price & especially considering the weight it is a very good value. For myself though I just couldn't get past the action.
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Thanks Red Ranger, it does help. So I guess if you re-set the thing to have your most used registrations in the first 16 (at least Roland allow a user to overwrite the factory setup!) it would be as much of an issue.
I was considering the FA-08 as the single board, but organ and synth parts just get too awkward on the heavy keys! It is why I am seriously considering going to the second board. Maybe even an FA-06 (and just deal with the extra $'s??)
If the action on the FA-08 is problematic you could go down to the FA-07. It doesn't receive the complaints about the action that the 06 does. For awhile it seemed that the companies were doing 61 or 88 note versions only. It's good to see that Roland, Yamaha, etc. have come back to giving the 76'ers some options again.
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I was going to suggest the Kawai MP7 as well (there is a newer version, the SE, so make sure that's the model). Ironic that I would say that since I have never gotten to sit down at one. But I have its predecessor, the MP6, & it's hands down the best action I've played. AnotherScott had also suggested their ES110. Just be aware that it doesn't have pitch & mod wheels. The MP6 has what is my all-time favorite Rhodes sound too. All of this, touch, sounds, etc. may have changed on the MP7 so that's why I can only speculate. Again it's all subjective - others may dislike the Kawai feel. But to back up your opinion on the Casio PX -S3000, I got one but sent it back to Sweetwater because I hated the feel of the action as well.
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Thanks Scott. Does the iPad version have fewer features or is it as programmable as the Mac/Windows version?
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Has this promo ended? I went to the web site & the price is up to $299.
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I had & sold the VR-09. I couldn't get the organ sound to where I actually liked it and having one controller knob control 2 effects parameters NOT independent of each other pretty much rendered the verdict for me. However it is the only thing around that price that had the features most people look for.
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I'm also annoyed by a couple of "religious" Christmas songs: In the Bleak Midwinter and The First Noel, as they push the winter angle for an event whose actual date (or season) is not known.
It's thought to be more like springtime since the shepherds would be in the fields during lambing season. There are 2 different melodies to Bleak Midwinter (and to other Christmas carols). The Jacob Collier version is a particularly good version.
Also it's veered a bit off topic since the header says Christmas carols which, to me anyway, would be the religious songs as opposed to Christmas music which would entail all the rest.
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Is anyone else experiencing a "dead zone" on the acoustic piano from around Bb above middle C to around E or Eb above it. The rest of the keyboard sounds pretty full and rich but that one area sounds somewhat muffled & lifeless. Almost like that area used a sample from a model from 15 or so years ago. I tried a few of the different pianos and it occurs on all of them. Thanks.
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Nothing at this point. If there were a Black Friday or Cyber Monday deal on the MINIRIG 3's I would be tempted but searches haven't revealed any so far, at least here in the States.
. Some people really like the PX-S actions and that's fine. Neither one of us is right or wrong
Headphones you use?
in The Keyboard Corner
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Another vote for the 598's here. They were on sale for around your $150 mark when I bought them & I was surprised to see their price has risen although there is a model on amazon for 199. Mine are the old tan ones & in that color they remind of an old man's car - big, plush & comfortable as anything.