Jump to content


Please subscribe to MPN’s YouTube Channel!

Bobby Simons

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    770

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Bobby Simons

    Yamaha CK61 and CK88

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Keeping costs down?

    It seems outrageous that they don't include a sustain pedal like the little FC5 with the board. I happen to have plenty of all varieties but c'mon, it's a effin' piano. It's not like some people won't feel they need one. Also, I like to have a music rest, both for sheet music and for the iPad I'll use with it. It's 100 bucks for not much more than a piece of plastic! That is indefensible, lol. I'll pay it, but not without some complaining. Also, since I decided I'll eventually want a FC3A continuous sustain for half pedaling and can't find one around here, my CK has gone from 1450 to almost 1600. I think Yammie has just picked my pocket.

    OK, I feel a little better now.

    • Like 1
    • Haha 1

    Yamaha CK61 and CK88

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    On 7/14/2023 at 9:36 PM, Prizm said:

    With the exception of piano, EP and other vintage keyboards (organ, etc), I find most other sounds on the CK are disappointing.

    Every review I've seen seems to avoid talking about the quality of these other sounds. This feedback is only being mentioned in a few user comments.

     

    I hear a lot of obvious loop points, I hear clipping on some sounds, and resampling of some sounds as I go up the keys. Most are thin and weak sounding, with no depth or high-end quality to make you sit up and go "wow".
    Some sounds in 80s romplers have better quality than this.  Even the old orchestra hit sample on this board has an odd, overly-crunched distortion to it.

     

    I get Yamaha don't want to put their most expensive sounds in here, but surely they can afford something better than 30 year old samples.

     

    The redeeming feature is the hands-on effects and easy interface. A bit of tweaking can help mask the poor quality of the sounds.
    Other keyboards might have better sounds/features, but if I have to menu dive all the time, then that cancels out whatever benefits the board has, as it just gets too tedious. So... the CK is a bit of a mixed bag.

    I can't really disagree with this, other than: I find the Hammond falling short, as do others. They could have done better, and could have given more controls (Leslie speed ramps, key click, etc.) I knew this going in - and if I find myself in a position that demands a better B3, I have one on my phone. Still can't get over that. 😛

    But some of the other patches sound great to me. You can layer together beautiful string sections; I always test that with Barber's Adagio for Strings because his voicing forces you to play in the proper manner. It was killing me last night, just lovely and aching.

    The pipe organs are positively massive. I tried Wakeman's Close to the Edge spot where he goes about as big as he can go, and dug up my transcription of Emerson's Clotho. These are the organs that destroyed the world, and the CK does them justice. I was jonesin' for some bass pedals.

    I could use some a couple of these brass patches, one sax section choice sounds fine. I don't know how old these samples are but they seem serviceable.

    This old man put on headphones and went down the rabbit hole last night, stayed up way past his bedtime.

    • Love 1

    Yamaha CK61 and CK88

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    No luck getting Mainstage, or my iPad, to see the CK's drawbars. I bought this thing fully expecting it to function as a controller - not a big ask in this day and age. Sees the mod wheels and sustain pedal just fine, so there's no explanation. I'm very disappointed.

    Yamaha CK61 and CK88

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    5 hours ago, AnotherScott said:

    IIRC, the drawbars only send MIDI when you have the CK's internal drawbar organ sound active. So enable the built-in organ sound but turn down its volume, so you hear only teh VB3m organ and not also Yamaha's.

    Thanks, I saw that and tried it - no luck. I'll try again when I'm more awake.

    • Like 1

    Yamaha CK61 and CK88

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I hooked up my iPad so I could run VB3m - the CK triggers the notes but I can't figure out how to get it to see the drawbars. Has anyone done this? Please help this old fool. Oh, and the mod wheel works Leslie speed, but the swell pedal at the same time! 

    Yamaha CK61 and CK88

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    SO, I picked up a CK88 today at Chuck Levin's. Got the last one, he said they are selling very well. I've been playing it for a couple of hours; it's no more or less than I expected. I'm very happy to have a very decent sounding board I can throw in the car and head out to a jam or a rehearsal or a vacation.

    Not particularly bothered by the lights.

    Next up: see how it serves as a Mainstage controller.

    OK, back to it. . . 

    • Like 1

    No Keyboards In Stores!

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    On 5/15/2023 at 9:56 AM, GovernorSilver said:

    I really appreciate having Chuck Levin's within driving distance.

     

    Last year I was in the West Covina, CA area, so I took the opportunity to visit Perfect Circuit in Burbank.  They had some Sequential keyboards and other mid to high end 'boards on display but you had to bring your own headphones.   

     

    Made me appreciate Chuck Levin's even more.  No diss on Perfect Circuit, it's just that Chuck's has a wider selection of... everything

    So. . . we moved from NY (Long Island) to northern Maryland (Finksburg) about a year and a half ago. Today I finally made the hour+ ride to Chuck Levin's. Couldn't believe my eyes, every square inch of the back of the store crammed with keys. They had everything I was remotely interested in playing. I've been thinking about a second digital piano, wanted to check out a couple of the high-end Rolands. They had 'em, and more. Including a VPC-1, which ruined everything else for me. It was my first time laying my hands on one, and now I think I need to have it. It was wonderful.

    I think maybe the only keyboard of note that I didn't see was a mellotron, though I might have missed it, lol. I also couldn't find a SL88 Grand. They even had not one but two Viscount Legend B3 clones w/ the matching wood stands on the floor. Overkill, lol.

    • Like 5

    Pianoteq iOS

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Having maintained my Pianoteq ownership though P8, this is an entirely free ride for me. Believe me when I say I would have been more than willing to throw them some more money - this feels like Christmas in May. To have a flawlessly working Pianoteq in my pocket is a thrill. 

    • Like 3

    Dave Grusin: Not Enough Time

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    24 minutes ago, Chris Towns said:

    Hi,

    Dave Grusin has been a firm favourite of mine (along with David Foster) for many years. Two very talented Composers. I managed to get a transcribed score of 'On Golden Pond' via Youtube. A beautiful Orchestral piece.                                                                                           

    I have a great transcription of that for solo piano by Thomas Mueller, an ELP specialist. I play it regularly, it puts me in a good mood.

     

    OT - What beer or wine are you drinking lately?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    17 hours ago, bill5 said:

    Troegs,  a Harrisburg, PA brewery, and their "Mad Elf" seasonal beer. 11% ABV not for the feint of heart. A "cherry/honey flavored beer." Small wonder I think it's gross. Fruit and beer don't mix. 

    I went to a wedding a few months ago that served Troegs Perpetual IPA and kept 'em coming. I grew pretty fond of it. At least, I think I did.

    OT - What beer or wine are you drinking lately?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I'm an unashamed hazy guy. Most IPA's from Treehouse make me very happy. I had a connection when I lived on Long Island, but I'm in Maryland for a year and haven't come across one yet. Other Half has some great ones and they're also in DC now.  I'm slowly finding interesting more-or-less-local microbreweries. A couple of mass-produced brews will do when on tap at a restaurant - Sierra Nevada's and Voodoo Ranger's come to mind.

    I should add that I'm not really a fan of the predisposition for +8.5% 16 oz. 4-pack, it is truly too much of a good thing.

    Too, too hot! Too hot to handle!

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    On 7/5/2022 at 4:10 PM, Shamanzarek said:

    I have played the Jersey Shore for many years and it can get hot and humid at times but nothing like Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. That is the most humid place I have ever played or been to. I played there two consecutive years the first time at the beginning of summer and the second time toward the end of summer. Both times the air had a thick heavy feel and sweat would pour off you with the slightest movement. The second summer I was there on top of the high humidity there were thunder storms. I've been to various areas of Florida, South Carolina, and California and never experienced humidity like that at Rehoboth Beach. Just a heads up for anyone that might get a gig there.

    Just drove home from there this morning. (Actually from a couple of blocks down the road at Dewey Beach.) Yesterday was brutally hot.

    New Studiologic Numa X Piano

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Just now, David Bryce said:

    None of the chains (Sam Ash/GC) have it? :idk:

     

    If you can’t find one call the US distributor, American Music & Sound.  They should be able to connect you with one….

     

    dB

    LOL, you would think so. Their northeast rep could not find me a Studiologic SL88 Grand back when I was interested. I still was in New York at the time, on Long Island, less than an hour from NYC. Nothing. Nada. Nearest possibility was Baltimore, which coincidently, I'm now about an hour from.

×
×
  • Create New...