d-kay Posted October 8, 2001 Share Posted October 8, 2001 I've checked out the KARMA in a keyboardstore nearby, and it's really fun to play with. You only have to know how to play a simple continuos baseline together with a melody. And it's below my simple keyboardskills, so it's a blast for me. There is a patch in the K which is a Drum'n Bass-clichee. Like "deep BAss + rhodes-chords". It's soo easy ready-produced-sounds-combinations are a joy to play. What I'm afraid of though is that eventually all the music that you do with this board will become somewhat predictable. /d-kay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stub303hotmail.com Posted October 9, 2001 Share Posted October 9, 2001 Originally posted by IanD: I played the Karma for the first time over the weeked having read a lot about it. I found it a little un-nerving for me to only be hold a few notes down and hearing someone elses tune comming out. ]http://www.hypertracker.com/go/iandixon/KC1/[/b][/url] yeah, but you can heavily edit those and create a lot of original stuff. As an intermediate piano player, I can record an edited karma pattern into Cake, and cut and paste parts I like with my own riffs and chords. It really helps alot on stimulating creativity. There's a lot of chords/riffs that I've learned in the past few weeks just by using the View note button. Its a learning tool in itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzman Posted October 9, 2001 Author Share Posted October 9, 2001 Hi Bobro, I totally agree with you that this type of equipment out of the box is fairly easy to play and in some cases not everyone's cup of tea, especially if your mind is very structured. D-kay stated in his note above how he liked the ease in composing with the unit, allowing for his enjoyment. Isn't this a good reason alone, imagination and challenge are the keys here I believe. I myself play by ear, and can't read music, have been playing since I was 7 yrs old. Grew up as a drummer, and in the last 15 years have played the keys. I generally play Cool Jazz, R&B, and other styles, along with putting together songs for clients of mine in my studio, sometimes on the fly as required. All of my work is now in the studio, so I don't participate like I used to years ago with other band members to fill in the gaps. I use only my knowledge in playing all of the instruments for all of the songs that I compose. Don't use drum loops, can programs or samples of other peoples work. Although I have several drum machines that I program to create my own loops. In this case, however, this new keyboard is what the doctor ordered to round out some of my studio tasks, if I chose to compose from a different angle, and yes there are those canned programs on this unit that makes it sound like a band in a box( a good one though http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif. This is only a tool, just like the other expensive work stations that are being used today for jingles, commercials and for composing ones thoughts for the next hit song. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif It was nice of you as well as others in this thread to take the time to give all of us a run down on this instrument and giving us an honest opinion. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif I still plan on getting one when the $$$$$ become available. So....... in my case, it is probably easier for me to understand one of these babies and to use this as a studio tool in developing songs on the fly as I would need them. I have a true love for tonal quality, layering of sounds that compliment each other and for the ultra effects that these new keyboards provide. For this particular purpose, I need a keyboard that is not so complicated that I end up loosing the main thrust and purpose in composing. I tend to think and hear things in terms of paragraphs, not words or even in sentences. I can hear all of the individual parts being played while only playing one part. So for me, I do feel that it might be easier for me to use this keyboard since I'm not as structured in many ways that most of you out there are. Regardless, I believe that there is a place for this one, it has its purpose, provides a challenge, and entices us to use our imagination, as do the other quality keyboards. Feed back from other mag. sources have also stated that this keyboard is not for everyone. This is also my humble opinion folks....... My fade out..... Jazzman http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/cool.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobro Posted October 9, 2001 Share Posted October 9, 2001 Hey Jazzman, I think people who "get it" are going to be really happy with the synth. I found it very easy and intuitive to break away from the presets and get squirrely, tweaking in real time. The big breakthrough IMO is going to come when the software is available to write your own GEs. I can imagine an artist doing a soundtrack- watches the film, gets the overall flavor, writes or modifies a couple of GEs geared toward different themes, then improvises with the visuals. Everything is being captured by software sequencers. In a few takes, there's a huge amount of material to edit through, improvised but coherent. A new take on the old school Hollywood soundtrack and the Wagnerian Leitmotif. Instead of the Villian's Theme or Leitmotif you have the Villian's GE. It's a possibiltiy. There's another aspect to the Kay technology which I haven't heard mentioned in reviews or user comments. Writing presets and patches is a musical business. Writing GEs (and their equivalents for different companies once they hop on the bandwagon) is going to be a form of hybrid composition/programming that will be more musical work and financial opportunity for those who can do it. Let's see, creative opportunity and money for composer/programmers... sounds good to me. There are a lot of positive things about the Kay technology and the Karma. I'm not worried about the "negative" things- it's no skin off my ass when people plunk out a couple of notes over an auto-accompaniment. Somebody's always going to play Chopsticks on a Steinway, too. I'm mentioning this because of the downright violent criticism of the Karma I read the other day, which I find ridiculous. It's a hybrid and has plenty of compromises it's true, but how else is the whole idea going to financed and marketed in the real world? The "master-controller Karma" I would like would cost a fortune and have a tiny market if it came out of the blue. As it is, it's in a realistic and musical place and not one of the inevitable extremes- the Casio Dharma and the Buchla Boulez-3000. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif Well I have to go hunt for a schematic http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/frown.gif have fun with synths you don't have to vivisect periodically to keep running... -CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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