I have a show at 4 today, and then I'm hittin' the higway ! You now have an "Uncle-Free" week on the boards - enjoy it while you can, because I'll have LOT'S to say in a week. This kind of cold turkey routine is gonna be tough. No on-line for a week ? Aaaagh ! I'll have my laptop with me, but I never use it for the internet. It's been virus free, and glitch free since i got it, and I want to keep it that way. It's too important to take a chance with it, because until someone builds a keyboard that I like, I rely on midi files and audio tracks that I made on other keyboards at home to fill in for the weak spots in the new keyboards I keep trying. This PA80 is holding it's own so far, but I am still waiting for an improved model. The Tyros, kn7k, VA76, and Genesis are all OUT of the running - so I guess there is nothing else new to wait for this year. Time to play more guitar, I think.

Well - I'm off, good people. Enjoy the week of civility without my input, and be prepared for a barage of thought when I return !

Back to you , Chet ..........

Uncle Dave have a good time, & I for one will
be looking for your next post, to enlighten us.
Have Fun
Denny
PS: sorry I'm not Chet
OK now back to you...... Chet

[This message has been edited by dlstarry (edited 07-14-2002).]

Life's a Beach ain't it?
Have a great holiday U.D.

Have great time UD....

OK - I snuck into my cousin's 'puter to see my emails - AAAGH ! 53 of em in just a week!
I'll be back on Monday the 22nd .... I'll check in then - UD

Hey Uncle Dave! Long time no see!

I hope you are enjoying yourself at the beach - it sounds like fun! I'm glad that you are coming back on the 22nd, just before me and my twin's birthday, which is on the 23rd of this month (July).

Hopefully you find the right keyboard someday...the Yamaha PSR740 is the keyboard for me (it's awesome - actually, it's more than awesome: it's perfect!)

Again, enjoy the beach and your guitar - and see you around! We are all impatiently awaiting your return!
Ryan

You are so lucky to know what you want, and to be satisfied with it. I actually had a good weekend with the PA80 - it's FAR from friendly, but it sure has a lot of hidden power. I found a new workaround today for the harmonizer. I set up my Left hand bass as a lower sound - then I turn OFF the acc bass and arranger parts. This gives me manual control of the piano, bass & drums.
Next - I turn the arranger ON in the right hand, so it follows my chords.(remember, the arranger is really OFF, just the notes are sent to the harmonizer in silence)This way, I can trigger RIGHT hand harmonies that don't drop off and they are the exact voicings I want (within reason). It's not perfect, but it's better than it was.

NIce to be back ... out of the sun!

HI: Uncle Dave
Nice to have you back !!!!!!
Glad to hear you had a good week.
Sounds like your getting along with the PA80 better
all the time.
The workaround you found for the harmonizer, does
this mean you can use it now once in awhile?
Denny

Denny,
Yes - I can actually live with the harmonizer in limited usage. It's not as smooth as my outboard gear, but when the extra rack is inappropriate or unnecessary .... this will do in a pinch as a one-piece set up.

There will ALWAYS be compromises, but at least now, I will always have harmony on the job. That's my trademark sound - like the vocal groups of the 50's and 60s. I hit that on/off button as much as I use the sustain pedal. Even songs that are not associated with harmony groups are now a staple of my sound. I've done all the arranging as if I were part of a group like Manhattan Transfer or the 4 Freshman.

When guest singers are invited up (stress the word "INVITED") - I turn into the world's tightest, most creative harmony backup band. I have a few singers that were in great bands at one time, and we do stuff like - Morse code of love, Long, long and lonely nights, In the still of the night, Runaround Sue, etc - all the great doo wop stuff that features a full, rich backup and a strong lead. LOTS of fun for me, and the croud eats it up.

I don't know it I told you guys this, but I retired the TC unit to my studio and bought a second Digitech vocalist VR (same as the access). There were a few small problems with using the TC live that I decided to handle differently. The biggest was : the changing of programs would turn OFF the mic signal for a second. Can't have that in a performance. I miss the superior effects, but I can live with the reverb on the Digitech, as long as I get the performance I need in other ways. Another thing was: There is no "note range" assignable to the TC. It has to follow whatever midi channel you assign. When I play in full piano mode, I only want the middle "C" and up to be harmonized - that way the bass notes don't drive the unit batty trying to figure out the chord. I need the harmonies to be in a nice, tight circle around my lead - with all the passing tones and "blue" notes that I choose. That way, it's a fresh, live sound and it doesn't have to be a big, canned arrangement to achieve this. even a straight piano arrangement works well in this format. Try a song like "The nearness of you" with full piano only, and add the harmonies in a tasteful, but strong manner on lines such as:
.....Oh no, It's just the nearness of Yoooooooooo (on "you", do a nice 4 chord turnaround and listen to the harmonies change with you !) Cool way to spotlight the "singers".