SP6

[Frank BFB]

Thanks for the info.

 

Is there a manual available for the soundtower editing software on the internet. It's hard to find.

[Werno]

My new SP6 arrived Friday. I pulled the trigger on it because my problem child PC3 failed to function at a couple of practices and I have a gig in two days. One selling point for me was being able to load some favorite sounds from my PC3 and that's where I have a couple questions.

 

With my PC3 I've always used one expression pedal, plugged into the #2 'wah' CC pedal jack. I've liked the way it defaults to 'swell' pedal with KB3 sounds and otherwise consistently works as a 'wah' pedal on every sound programmed with that effect. I'm not really a volume pedal guy except for organ, and my band plays a few songs where a wah pedal gets me where I want to go, if you know what I mean.

 

The SP6, as far as I've been able to determine, can only use a CC pedal for overall volume- when switching to KB3 sounds, response is modified slightly so it can't completely silence all output.

 

I'm not sure whether this is the same as the 'swell' pedal effect on the PC3 KB3 sounds, where I hear some extra distortion added as the volume increases- this makes me doubt that the pedal's actually sending out the same CC with KB3 sounds that the PC3 does; if so, imported KB3 sounds won't quite have the same response to pedal data on the SP6, and making wah pedal effects work on imported PC3 sounds might require some editing and/or external hardware.

 

The SP6 has a global override for any of the 4 possible 'switch' pedal inputs, but no such luck on the CC pedal. Has anyone found a workaround that would change the pedal's effect globally, rather than having to modify individual sounds to redirect the pedal to a different destination, if that's even possible? I've thought of labeling wah sounds as organs to see if the pedal function would remap like the PC3 but haven't tried it yet.

 

If anyone can either help me get this working or tell me it's not possible without some extra hardware, I'd be grateful. Thanks.

 

[Dave Weiser]

My new SP6 arrived Friday. I pulled the trigger on it because my problem child PC3 failed to function at a couple of practices and I have a gig in two days. One selling point for me was being able to load some favorite sounds from my PC3 and that's where I have a couple questions.

 

With my PC3 I've always used one expression pedal, plugged into the #2 'wah' CC pedal jack. I've liked the way it defaults to 'swell' pedal with KB3 sounds and otherwise consistently works as a 'wah' pedal on every sound programmed with that effect. I'm not really a volume pedal guy except for organ, and my band plays a few songs where a wah pedal gets me where I want to go, if you know what I mean.

 

The SP6, as far as I've been able to determine, can only use a CC pedal for overall volume- when switching to KB3 sounds, response is modified slightly so it can't completely silence all output.

 

I'm not sure whether this is the same as the 'swell' pedal effect on the PC3 KB3 sounds, where I hear some extra distortion added as the volume increases- this makes me doubt that the pedal's actually sending out the same CC with KB3 sounds that the PC3 does; if so, imported KB3 sounds won't quite have the same response to pedal data on the SP6, and making wah pedal effects work on imported PC3 sounds might require some editing and/or external hardware.

 

The SP6 has a global override for any of the 4 possible 'switch' pedal inputs, but no such luck on the CC pedal. Has anyone found a workaround that would change the pedal's effect globally, rather than having to modify individual sounds to redirect the pedal to a different destination, if that's even possible? I've thought of labeling wah sounds as organs to see if the pedal function would remap like the PC3 but haven't tried it yet.

 

If anyone can either help me get this working or tell me it's not possible without some extra hardware, I'd be grateful. Thanks.

 

It's a bit tricky to find at first, but page 5-7 of the manual tells you how to do it in Multi mode. You want "Foot", MIDI CC4.

 

CC Pedal Page

Use the CC Pedal Page to select an assignment for the CC pedal in each Zone. The CC pedal can be assigned to these functions:

 

OFF

When OFF is selected, the CC pedal is disabled in the selected Zone.

 

Expression / Swell

Expression controls the pre-FX Program volume, scaling between silence and the current Zone volume. The Expression assignment can also be used to send MIDI CC 11 to external MIDI devices.

 

For Zones containing KB3 Organ Programs, the Swell function is available instead of Expression. Organ swell is similar to Program volume, except volume can not be turned all the way down to silence. The Multi Edit Main Page shows KB3 to the left of the Program name when a KB3 Program is loaded in a Zone.

 

Foot

The Foot assignment controls a wah effect for some Programs. Usually the wah effect must be enabled with the VARIATION button. The Foot assignment can also be used to send MIDI CC 4 to external MIDI devices.

 

Pan

The Pan assignment controls panning (left/right stereo placement). The Pan assignment can also be used to send MIDI CC 10 to external MIDI devices.

[jimkost2002]

So,

I just recieved delivery of the SP6

for me its a stopgap till SW gets the Forte 7 back in stock.

(I would buy from our man DW, but I need the 3 payment option SW offers and I dont use credit cards.)

But, it plays and sounds so good I MAY just keep it as a spare...

At this price its a friggin STEAL for what Kurz offers..... IMO it blows away the Casio offerings at a similar price point and all others as well....and the weight!

What a relief after dealing with the boat known as the RD2000...

 

I still think the RD has the BEST action in a sub 5k digital and phenomenal EPs, But the extral length and weight were too much to bear both ergonomically and physically....so, back it goes. (Sigh, I did love playing the Keyscape pianos on that action.)

 

But, Kurz REALLY hit it out of the park here.

The Medeli action is a joy to play and those pianos are full-bodied, well-defined and cut thru like a hot knife thru buttah.

I practice with AKG 720 headphones thru a Mackie VLZ 1202 and my keyboards run thru a Key Largo going into the first two channels of the 1202, panned hard left and right.

The Roland APs NEVER sat right and I kept having to futz with them....No such problems with the KURZ!

Had I known, Id have got one sooner!

[AnotherScott]

I still think the RD has the BEST action in a sub 5k digital and phenomenal EPs,

The SP6 EPs don't measure up to the Roland's?

[jimkost2002]

I still think the RD has the BEST action in a sub 5k digital and phenomenal EPs,

The SP6 EPs don't measure up to the Roland's?

 

I didnt mean to omit them .... they are excellent (the SPs) but I havent heard Daves custom ones yet.

[Coker]

Jimkost2002, be sure to enable stereo through the headphones by plugging a cord or adapter into the right channel line out jack. The sound is sent to the headphones in mono without that.

[jimkost2002]

Jimkost2002, be sure to enable stereo through the headphones by plugging a cord or adapter into the right channel line out jack. The sound is sent to the headphones in mono without that.

 

Thanks Coker, will do!

[Jaspla]

I recently purchased the SP6, having used a Privia PX-5s since it was released.

I can say that I found the Medeli keyboard action quite enjoyable to play (there have been concerns posed on this thread regarding play-ability of the SP6 Medeli action). My point of reference is when playing acoustic piano, where the keybed response has to allow the response and nuisances of a jazz oriented performance.

 

The action is a little faster than that of the PX-5s, maybe a little smoother. Some similarities to the newer Privia S1000 series keybed, which I have played, and people have found to be some level of improvement over the original Privia series action. The SP6 eight velocity layers give you a lot of flexibility regarding 'finger to board' response.

 

The SP6 sounds (out-of-the-box) are as reported, of a higher quality, as attributed to the Kurzweil boards. (Pianos, Rhodes, Organs, Bass, Strings, etc.). I am quite pleased with the Kurzweil sounds, and have been scouring the forums for additional Rhodes and Bass 'programs' I have found the PC3LE and Forte SE sets posted to the ksetlist.com forum that supports Kurzweil SP6 players (thanks 'hipogrito'), still digging. Nice to see the Ksetlist.com forum supporting the Kurzweil boards and players. Also, Dave Weiser (weisersound.com) of the Boston area, provided me some of his exquisite custom sounds. He is a sound designer and Kurzweil dealer. Having extensive experience with the Kurzweil products, he can certainly facilitate one's entry into the Kurzweil product line.

 

I've started using the SoundTower PC Editor to interface the board to a PC for customizing sounds/programs. Although the application was converted/designed specifically for the SP6, the editor manual that is available is that for the PC3 (some differences in screen shots, controls, knobs, etc.) - some 'translation' being needed to interpret functions to the SP6. I'm being a little patient in using and learning editor functionality since it is quite extensive.

 

Is the Px-5s going on the auction block ... no. Though I normally play with a single keyboard, the van always leaves the driveway with two as well as some sort of redundancy for amplification. Hard to say to a function/cafe manager or wedding couple ...'my keyboard won't start'

[HSS]

I received my SP6 last week and the Yamaha YBS 881 wheeled semi-rigid keyboard bag fits it like a glove. The bag is out of production now but it occasionally shows up on CL, Ebay, and Reverb.

 

FWIW... I'm very happy with the SP6's sounds, especially after I did the most recent update and uploaded some Forte SE sounds obtained from Ksetlist. I also uploaded some legacy PC3 sounds that required a little tweaking using the free editor. Overall, IMO the SP6's sounds are a big improvement over my SP4-7's, especially the AP's, EP's, and the KB3's double Leslie sim. The SP6's shallow trigger point option helps for playing the KB3. I plan on keeping the SP4-7 in addition to the SP6 because it's so portable and because it's SW action is a decent compromise for me for piano and organ.

 

[Dave Number Four]

Zombie thread alert.

 

Is anyone using an SP6 to control Mainstage/Gig Performer/KeyStage etc?

 

I'm looking for what my next gigging controller will be when my CP4 dies/is retired, and just need a nice action, low weight, and a reasonable amount of knobs/buttons/expression pedal etc that can send CC messages, with decent sounds as a backup in case the laptop dies.

 

I'd love to hear any gotchas or other experiences in that light.

 

Thanks