Wish I'd read all the posts before I posted the first one.

Its amazing that people work with these fine keyboards every day and then turn around and say they "don't work with midi" all today's keyboards and digital piano's function on MIDI.

MIDI is just computer code that a synth generates (or reads for playback). A midi file will sound different on every synth -- and since most top quality synths go the route of putting 2 terrible sounding midi (general midi) banks in, and the "rest" of their great sounds in other banks, people think they are not using "midi" unless they tap into those 2 banks -- nothing could be further from the truth. If you have made a recording to a floppy disk of any digital keyboard, you've made a midi file (possible exception, the Karma.....) oo the time I tried to help the Karma owner do midi when he already was skipping that straight to audio somehow? When I read that Karma is a midi machine?

I work with 2 synths currently -- a yamaha and a roland. The Yamaha is an arranger is and 100 percent GM/XG compatible -- I can play any midi file on it and it sounds as fabulous as its voices allow (which is better than most realize, you just have to know where and how to access the 5 DSPs simultaneous on this PSR740....and get it to sound like its "pro" counterpart the 9000.)

But the roland -- its got the 2 "midi" banks which don't even have access to its good effects -- and then there's the GREAT other "1000" voices of the XV5050 -- I have to re-voice my old midis to the new voices of the Roland, (and call for the right amount of effects, although roland builds effects INTO its patches, which is why alot of people like Roland, they don't have to learn to program the effects, just pick the voice/patch that has the "sound" of the effect they want.....

My next purchase is going to be Korg, I can't decide between the Karma and the PA60. they are only $200 apart in price. I do most of my own recording (meaning I don't usually use the auto accompany "styles" in my recordings although there have been exceptions I just hate the yamaha styles) maybe someone can go by my music page and by the kind of music I play, tell me whether the Karma or the PA60 would be better for me? I just can't decide. I did join the Karma Yahoo group for awhile but I asked too many questions.....I guess I need to know what kind of "styles" are on the PA60? And is it true that the Karma is not for those of us who like "older" music (60s 70s pop and rock?)

No music stores in my area have Korg products -- only yamaha and roland, and NO arranger keyboards -- the salesmen will tell you they only carry "professional musical instruments" and they don't consider arrangers to be pro instruments....

hope I helped and thanks in advance for any of your opinions,

keyskitten CATHY