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Quote:
Originally posted by MORPH!:
Ugh! Yeah! Your welcome in advance!...geeze, my freakin eyes...oh sorry it's not your fault really.>>

It is a bit in a way. I tend to be long winded. I guess I tried to get too much out in one shot.

<< Hey and I'm just kidding around with you too LOL. >>

Understood, but I would kind of figured there would be those poking fun at the long post. I should have made it shorter though.

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Ok, so then I take it that this is a stand alone computer program, right? I think I should tell you (all) that I have a PC and not a Mac. I don't know why I didn't mention it before. I should know by now with music and graphics programs you have to specify.

<< It is a learning program that is better than the best virtuoso whoever they are. You see, you can manually set it, or you can have it automatically detect your aptitude and dexerity when you play along with it.>>

My dexterity is very bad. I can do melody and block chords with no problem...but anything slightly more complex I have trouble with.

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So it is based on ANY midi file? I would rather have a pre-set file to follow along. Usually regular midi files are riddled with so many parts and embellishments it is hard to filter out what is needed. The Casio keyboard I worked on was perfect. It showed both the left and right hand parts across a keyboard on the bottom of the screen and as it played, I could slow down the tempo and follow along with each part and how each chord/melody part was fingered.

I found out alot since I made this post. Those Casio/Yamaha all in one units really have poor midi specs and make horrid controllers. They usually transmit/receive midi on all channels and you have little control over it. Let alone there is little in terms of cc controls. So I know now that I probably will NOT go the portable keyboard/organ route. But it is nice to know there ARE programs that will do the job and support midi as well.

<< My favorite sweat job is a classic, classical rock of ELP. All impressions of Karnevil Number 9. >>

Here you there. I am VERY much into Hammond B3 rock riffs and it is the primary reason I bought B4. But my problem now is finding a way to properly control it.

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That DOES sound cool. But I guess I have to see it to see how it works.

<< The best part of all is: An outstanding keyboardist educator is going to charge you about one hundred an hour. The price of this program is that of a half lesson. Fifty bucks.>>

Well, I knew that going full bore piano/organ teacher was out of the question for that reason as well. I only would have employed one IF he/she could properly teach me the Hammond B3 and at a moderate fee. But even here...I find I learn quite a bit on my own at my own pace. So with the proper program/tool I think I can do better.

<< Possibly the best 50 I ever spent. The only thing it has in common with other learning programs is that it comes in a box.>>

I guess you mean that it is a program and not part of a piece of hardware right?

<< Get that and a Motif 8 plus some hefty determination and in three years you will likely be soon to get a standing ovation.>>
Motif 8's are cheap for all that they offer.>>

Hmmm, I don't think a Yamaha Motif is that cheap at all. It is out of the question considering it has no where near enough sliders/knobs to control B4 or any endowed soft synth. It is very large and even though it does have alot for it's price, it really has very little I can use. While the Yamaha P-120 may not have much for it's price. I know I can use ALL of it's sounds and it is SMALL. The keyboard action is the best I have experienced...much better than a Motif. The only problem is finding controls. I love the P-120 and I was tempted to buy it, but I need something more flexible. Besides, if I find a good 'soft' piano and get Native Instrument's Elektrik Piano...I may not even need the P-120...but I just love the keyboard action.

<< It is one heavy SOB, but you did say you wanted weighted keys right?
Anything weighted is going to have lots of weight. Hey! I just said something that makes some sense! LOL.>>

Yes, you are right there. I have worked on Motif's before...and hate them because of the size and weight. As for weighted keys...you got me there. I will say that I do prefer the 'quality' feel of a hammered action keyboard...and I would say it is a must for piano playing. Can I do organ riffs with it? Yes...but for practicing. I find praticing on a weighed keyboard just makes my hand fly much faster when going to a non-weighted keyboard. I think I may eventually end up with both in the long run. I am actually thinking of getting something smaller and non-weighted right now that is heavy on control features. Should I want to expand down the road, I always can buy myself a P-120 and get the nice weighted keys and have the best of both worlds. So yeah, I think I will head in this direction. Probably will look into a good controller keyboard for now. Any ideas? I have already checked out M-Audio and ruled them out. Their keyboard action is lousy.

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Hmmm, perhaps, but as I said, a Motif is too much. I don't need a work station. If I were to go that route, I would shoot for a Kurzweil K2600. But I believe a controller may be my best bet. Something with lots of knobs and sliders. I looked into a used Roland JD-800 (an awesome keyboard in it's own right) but found that despite all of its controls...it is only sysex midi and not cc. Not good.

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No problem there. I got that covered.

<< Yep. The very best learning setups are certainly not directly related to the amount of money spent on them.
>>

That is true, and I was looking at my best options. For one, my jaw dropped when I first saw the Radium by M-audio as well as the keystation pro 88, but my excitement was quickly squelched when I got my hands on them. The keyboard feel is horrible.

One strong contender for a controller I been recently looking at is Studiologic's VMK-88. However, no music stores in my area carry it...so I cannot touch it. Usually Studiologic has good feeling non-weighted keyboards and can trust them there. But at 14lbs...I am really wondering how well built the thing can be.

It is a shame as it seems that all the good companies such as Roland, Yamaha, and Korg, do not make very capable controller keyboards, whereas companies such as M-Audio and Evolution make keyboards with all the controls you can ever need, but the product is so cheaply built.

So as you can see, I am stuck. But you did clear one good thing up for me...that there is a program available for the computer and I don't have to settle for an "all in one" keyboard to get the learning feature I desire.

I think I will make a separate post in regards to keyboard controllers.

But thank you for the info in regards to the learning program. I will check them out later on today.

Geo