Mark Peters Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 Primarily due to the various favorable comments by members of this forum, I recently picked up a Kurzweil K2500R to augment my sonic palette (I use an Alesis QS8 and Roland XV5080, providing accompaniment for some amateur musical theatre productions). I decided on the the Kurzweil primarily to expand my piano sounds, but that got me thinking. What do you guys use your Kurzweils for primarily? Which sorts of sounds? Under which circumstances do you sit down with the Kurzweil, rather than your other synths? -- Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 I often use my K2500RS for orchestra sounds because I have the Orchestral ROM. If you can find a really good deal on the Kurzweil Orch. ROM, it could be worth it for your theater work. I have a dedicated SCSI CD-ROM drive and maxed out the sample RAM because I load samples like Kurzweil's Take 6 CD-ROM, the Quantum Leap Brass library, and some Akai format material. However, I see a software sampler (like MOTU Mach Five) taking over this role in the future. There are others around here that know their way around the VAST engine. Unfortunately, I don't program my own sounds very much and never learned VAST programming. So, for me, not using all the Kurzweil synthesis power is like having a Porsche only for trips to the supermarket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menomosso Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 K 2600 RS here, and I'm just using it for great piano sounds and realistic orchestral background. I feel like a tool not using it for the 10,000 other things it does, but when I need those functions, I know that all I have to do is read the 600+ pages of instructions! Josh menomosso.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billjv Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 Hi Mark, I too just got a Kurzweil, although I bought an older version, the K2000VP. The reason I bought it and the way I use it relates to sampling and being able to get new sounds into it with a minimum of $$$. I suppose that's true with any sampler, but Kurzweil already had a huge k2000 user base and lots (tons!) of samples available. Like you, based on favorable comments here and elsewhere I decided to get one. I also have a PC88 that I love, so Kurzweil already had a good grade in my book. I'm not yet using all of it's power, (i.e. VAST, etc..) but probably on some rainy Saturday afternoon I will get curious and start digging around in it. Have fun! bv "If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe." -Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geosync Posted July 22, 2003 Share Posted July 22, 2003 Here is a set of video tutorials by Jordan Rudess for download It's for learning and also getting ideas ftp://ftp.youngchang.com/pub/Kurzweil/Pro_Products/K2600/Video_Tutorial/ Take Care, George Hamilton Yamaha US Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Tales Posted July 22, 2003 Share Posted July 22, 2003 Mine is a K2500S with maxed out sample RAM, Program ROM daughterboard with Piano ROM (no ROM blocks yet), SCSI CDROM for loading samples & 9 GIG hard drive for storing samples & programs. In a nutshell, great sounds clear across the spectrum for my musical projects & it's wonderful for use in remixing & commercial work. It is by far my main keyboard anymore, I just use my other two boards for supplimental sounds. "I'm not a monkey anymore..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted July 22, 2003 Share Posted July 22, 2003 I, too, wish that I could say that I'm using my Kurzweil machines to their fullest. I bought a 1000PXA rack for the great piano sounds, acoustic bass, Rhodes, string and drum sounds. I had a DX7 and was into Cakewalk MIDI programming/recording. I still have it. When Kurzweil introduced the K2000, I bought one. I added an internal hard disk and started collecting samples and programs. I gigged with it a lot. I still have it too. Now I use my Kurzweil PC2X. I've added the polyphony option and the Orchestral ROM. I probably didn't need the polyphony option, but I do think 128 notes helps when playing piano sounds on it. Glissandos and Brubeck-type cluster chords can eat up polyphony. And, frankly, I simply wanted to max it out with the options before they stop making them (one day). To my ears, the PC2X has a wonderful piano sound. That's what's most important to me. The Rhodes & other sounds are great too. Also, I really wanted an 88-key weighted keyboard. The PC2X has a great keyboard. I've got no complaints about the feel of the action and I've been playing piano for 34 years (or more). So now, I gig with the PC2X. I leave the other Kurz units at home. It's all I need. Is There Gas In The Car? "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymar Posted July 22, 2003 Share Posted July 22, 2003 I've got a Kurzweil synth - on my Turtle Beach Multisound Pinnacle(hey it records 24bit and plays 24bit files too!) The thing is it likes the same IRQ that my PC ACPI(power interface) likes so I can't use it with out the screen going black. I even have a great graphic editor for it with sliders. You shouldn't chase after the past or pin your hopes on the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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