Hi Tony,
I had a Kn6500 here for a few days last week, and while I did like many things, there were a few "impossible" workarounds for me.
1) The simple finger mode did not allow me to trigger a minor chord with just the root and the third. I always played bass with my left hand, and while I'm not a "monster" player, I'm pretty good at the rhythm thing - I have no desire to learn the three finger left hand technique required to play the "fingered" mode, and i WILL NOT learn a new system that involves a contradiction to the theory of chord structures ! Who ever thought up the method to use "any old black key" to the left of the root for a minor??? That's just wrong....and weird.
2) The feel of the keys is just like all the other arrangers.....EXCEPT the 9000 pro. That's a new "pet peeve" for me. I MUST have a good, solid feel. The Kn5000/6000/6500 all feel the same to me. Sort of mushy and light, just like the PSR9000 and the EM2000. I was so happy to finally play a board that I can "dig into" that I am taking a major plunge on a "NO SPEAKER" unit. It goes against everything I love, but I'm trying to widen my scope of understanding in this matter.
3)If you strip away the arranger from all of the top keyboards.... which one would you like to play? My choice is the 9000pro - by a landslide. The kn stuff and the psr stuff would never sell as a pro keyboard/synth without the gingerbread, so that's my new criteria for "fun factor" They all perform well as arrangers - I want a board that I like to PLAY, and I MAY have found it.
"We shall see, shan't we?"
(any one that identifies THAT movie quote will be my hero !)
I played today in a smaller venue with a house PA - so it was OK. I used my Core Systems (144watt hot spot)and I was fine. Not thrilled, but fine.
Thanx for all the time and responses - this is a major change in direction for me, but I'm giving it a shot. The worst thing that will happen is - I'll keep the 9000p at home for studio use only. Not a bad compromise!
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