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Biggles

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Posts posted by Biggles

    Winter NAMM 2021 - Proceed or Cancel?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Forget about NAMM.

     

    Look at it from an individual manufacturers point of view.

     

    2020 will be a washout with minimal sales, ceased or restricted manufacturing but above all a market that has been financially devastated by lack of gigs and/or severe restrictions on the income of the very people who buy the products.

     

    What Companies that survive will surely be more keen on restarting and rebuilding their business rather than to spend vast sums of cash on a glorified Trade Show.

     

    Throw in the mix any physical restrictions that will exist at the venues to minimise the risk if infection. Then there is the vast influx if people from all over the world and the potential for another round of infections.

     

    Thus only the fool hardy will even think about attending an event that could cost them their lives.

    What is a good reasonably(cheap)priced looper?

    in Guitar Forum

    Posted

    For $100 get a Zoom G1X Four.

     

    It is not just a Looper it is a multi effects pedal board.

     

    Thank you for this and also the Boss RC 30. My local music store doesn't carry Zoom so the EHX is my top choice now. It's more about supporting a music store my family has done business with for 50 years or more than the effect it self. My mother is a small business owner so I understand the need for us support each other.

     

    There is zero reason why your local Music Store cannot get you the Zoom, just because they have in stock an EHX is no reason to buy it.

     

    It is like going in there to buy a Fender Stratocaster only to be told we have none in stock but we can sell you a PRS instead.

    Battery Powered Stage Pianos

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Are you getting hung up on battery power being the prime requirement?

     

    You did say that you cannot stand the Casio range, yet here you are considering one.

     

    Does the piano voices and feel of the keybed not matter to you?

     

    If you can make do with synth action and 61 keys then there are plenty of battery powered options in the Arranger family of keyboards and what comes to mind at a very reasonable price point is a 76 key Yamaha EW410 with 12Wx2 onboard amp and 18.5 lbs in weight and is battery powered.

     

    If you are still considering a Casio then do have a look at its manual before you check one out, changing voices is not a task that is quick and easy and for me the touch sensitivity of the non tactile switches was not to my liking.

     

    You will find that the inbuilt piano voices of the S1000 are limited (@ this price point, as are the models from other manufacturers) and changing from one to another is not anywhere near as quick and easy as it is with a Yamaha P series. With this in mind you should find that the S3000 has a much better controls interface.

     

    Despite its battery life an S3000 has considerably more inbuilt voices and options compared to an S1000 and its interface is vastly superior to the S1000 where changing tones is a challenge.

    Casiotone S300 as really cheap travel keyboard?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Dear forum members

     

    I started playing piano at the beginning of the year and bought a Casio PX-S1000. Now I'm thinking about buying something cheap, small and light with 61 keys for the holidays. So that I can practice further.

     

    Since I always have a notebook or tablet with me with a Piano VST (Garritan CFX lite, Pianoteq), I only need a keyboard. I am aware that this will not be as good as a weighted piano-like keyboard at home. But it is light and portable.

     

    The following options are currently on my shortlist:

    1 Casiotone CT-S300

    2 Nektar GX61

    3 M Audio Keystation 61 Mk3

     

    Based on your experience:

    • Do you have a recommendation, which cheap 61-key keyboard is most suitable when it comes to pure piano learning during the holidays? I.e. the usual Midi controller features don't matter at all. It's all about the keys and the easy transportability.
    • Does the Casiotone CT-S300 used as a midi keyboard drop in key quality compared to pure midi keyboards without sound generation? If not, it would be my favourite, as you can even practice without VST if necessary and the 6-year-old junior has a first practice device for himself, for example.

     

    Many thanks & best regards

     

    Tom

     

    You get what you pay for.

     

    Cheap does not equate to a good keybed and those you quote will not have a keybed feel anywhere like your S1000.

     

    Cheap MIDI keyboard controllers do not have keys with hammer action, at best they have spongy, inconsistent keybeds.

     

    Best option is to buy a Yamaha P121 which has 73 keys and inbuilt piano voices that imo are superior to those in your Casio.

    Battery Powered Stage Pianos

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Maybe I will just pick up a Casio. I see the CDP-S100 has weighted keys and comes in at 10.5kg and £300. Can"t really go wrong at that price. Or the PX-S1000 adds proper outputs at £450.

     

    Maybe if Battery feature is important then the S1000"s bigger brother in the S3000 would he a better buy?

     

    Considerably more inbuilt sounds plus inbuilt Styles which may be useful for you.

     

    I tried one at Rimmers in Leyland and it was a good board, the downside is the keybed which the Yamaha and Roland DP"s at up to £600 price point have imo better keybeds.

    Help me find a Light Hammer action

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Biggles, Which Nord are you thinking about? The Nord Stage 3 HP76 ? I heard the action was heavy.
    Nord, there are options on models around your budget

     

    Korg Kronos 73, a bit more than budget

    Love the Kronos sounds, I have a 61.

     

    There are a few models in your price band and those that I have tried have not had heavy actions,

    What is a good reasonably(cheap)priced looper?

    in Guitar Forum

    Posted

    Skimp on your choice and you will eventually regret ut by wishing the bought looper had more features.

     

    I would suggest at least a Boss RC 30.

     

    I had one for years but sold it and my pedals to buy a single all in one pedal unit which has a great looper feature, so you may like to see if there are any on an auction or second owner site, Boss GT 100.

    Where to find a pot for my Ibanez bass?

    in Low Down Lowdown

    Posted

    I do not know why I missed this originally but I did.

     

    If you get tired of waiting then checkout an electronics supply company.

     

    Here in the UK I would go to the CPC Farnell website (their outlet shop and distribution centre is 20 minutes walk away) or RS Components.

     

    Both of these will probably have them in stock.

     

    There must be a components company not sure if Radio Spares is still going in the USA but they would have been my first port of call, then a supply company like CB Gitty

    Backward Learning?

    in Guitar Forum

    Posted

    I was given my first guitar when I was 10, now I am 70 and still learning.

     

    Do have face to face lessons even if they are by video link.

     

    As for playing styles do check out Justin Sandercoe, he is an Aussie living and working in the UK.

     

    The thing about Justin is that he teaches a vast array of styles with most of the courses being free but with optional paid for media being available.

     

    He also has some excellent free Apps available on the usual App sites.

     

    https://www.justinguitar.com/

    USB Drives

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I would only buy and use a good quality branded USB drive of no more than 64Gb in capacity. It has always been the unbranded ones which have failed on me.

     

    It is how you use them that matters.

     

    This is my process.

     

    I Format the USB drive in the keyboard.

     

    Never simply plug in or pull out whilst data is being written (it is safest to only insert or remove a USB drive when the keyboard is switched off)

     

    Never pull out a USB drive from a PC or Mac, always use the Eject function.

     

    Whenever you have written something to a USB drive in your keyboard, backup the drive to a PC or Mac as soon as practical.

     

    Create at least one backup USB drive which is a clone of the one in your keyboard, having two is better but keep them both stored in separate locations.

     

    Do remember to create a Backup of your keyboards operating system and to also create a file of all your user data or as Korg calls it a Save All file.

     

    I have lost track of the number of times that I have read ..... I have updated my Operating System and cannot find my user files.

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