Just got a SD1, trying to get a grasp of the unit.

I will give my report shortly.

I will be able to compare this the Korg PA-80, Roland VA-7, and briefly with others.

So you've finally got three cool keyboards, you lucky one!

Sold the PA-80 for the SD-1..., sorry couldn't swing it, took a beating from the stocks

You're not singing those "Enron Blues" are you Frank? What a tragedy for so many people.
I look forward to your evaluation of the SD1, particularly in its live performance features.
DonM

Ouch! My back is still aching.....

Well my intial reaction was, wow, what alot of buttons, and they all look the same.

I've played the unit with headphones so far.
The styles are top notch, a great blend of drums to accomp parts.

The layout of the machine is really confusing at first. It takes some time to get your feel around the board. Alot o fthe opereating system is kind of confusing also. But once you start to understand its language, it is a very powerful machine.

The SMF playback sounds great, not thin or strange but a beautiful blend. It can store 999 midi files in the folder, I don;t know if you can make more folders but I'm sure you can.

The sounds are very good, some have a strange type of effect or too much effect as a reverb or delay. But I truely believe the sounds were programmed not for individual play, but as in a band or with the arranger playing.

Comparing sounds to the VA-7, The VA-7 are more realistic when you turn off all the added effects Roland put in. Strings IMO are better on the SD1, Brass on the Roland, it goes back and forth, but if I wanted a keyboard to play stand alone sounds I wouldn't get an arranger.

The PA-80 seems to have the same idea as the SD1 but not implemented as well.

As features for an arranger, I still haven't hit them all but so far it has them all.

One that impresses me is the " to end " button. At anytime during the song you can hit this button and it gives you an ending in less than or up to a measure, so instead of an abrupt stop, or a overdrawn ending you can just end.

Also there is a count in function, which allows you to start a style with a series of 4 drum stick clicks, then right into the style with out the intro but not just starting, very cool.

Once I figure out how to save styles and program patches with speeds and my own names I think this is a winner

I would have to say, if Ketron could better organize the button layout, ( maybe with colors or groupings ) possibly a little help from the Yamaha guys.

Once again thanks to Dano for helping me out, hopefully this is the one for me.

No offense George, your just farther away.

I'll update this when I get a chance to play live with the board.

Thanks

Thanks Frank . Here's a few tips .
If you access the FUSION style . Press F5 for arrange view . Go to the guitar sounds located next to F7 and F8 . Substitute the brazilian guitar with solid body . Also substitute the muted with texas guitar . Turn up the volumnes and listen to the guitar riff ! Way cool . Now press save/enter and F2 for styles . Your alteration has been saved !
Go to 8 beat 4 . Be sure to increase the volumne setting of the acoustic guitar . The guitar strunm within that pattern is great . You may want to just isolate the guitar sound (without brums /base etc ) .
Also check out style 16 beat 1 . Again listen to the guitar part . Increase the voumne level and save/enter . No registrations needed . The Sd1 just remembers your settings . dano

[This message has been edited by DanO1 (edited 01-22-2002).]

Congtats Frank. The button colour is a prob on x1 also but Two of us that have em got different colour circular stick ons and it worked well . Long whites on the wide butons and small circular on others. Different colours is a great help at gig -after some time it is not as necessary but it still helps me two years on. Re count in(clicks) on x1 this functions as a re set of style to 1st beat and it is great when having to back a (lose the beat) singer -simply hit it on his down beat and all is ok. Pierce

The nice thing about silver-colored buttons is you can use nail polish to color the button tops.

Dan Thanks,

Can you help me cheat,( instead of reading the manual )

IF I find a style, change the speed, change the primary sound, and want to save it in a new location with another name lets say the song name, how would I do it?

Congrats with your new baby Frank

Remember some time ago, I had a nice moment
trying out a SD1, and I can see that many of
your points is similiar as those I made.
Your unit is probably up to date regarding to
the OS, so things may run far smoother than
the one I got my hands on.

I just have to repeat, as you say, that it is
probably the best keyboard I ever used "as it
is", without any much tweeking when gigged up
with friend for some hours.
Great sounding styles, and wonderful keys to
play on, etc.

It's still on my mind, and in fact, those who
was present when we gigged up, only remember
the good part, it get feets tapping.....
..and I, who cannot play that well at all..
GJ
http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum37/HTML/001755.html


[This message has been edited by Gunnar Jonny (edited 01-22-2002).]

It seems that Button positioning on the SD1 is somewhat of an issue with a few folks . However , under the utility mode you can change from Numeric or Group . Alowing you to use the keypad vs. the Fucntion buttons to choose styles .
ONE TOUCH SETTINGS allow you to choose 80 tones which can be accessed quickly . This feature does not just limit you to solo voices . You can even save programs (patches/4 layered sounds) iwthin the ONE TOUCH .
I think the layout of the intro/ending fills variations etc buttons is the best yet for KETRON .
The way KEtron uses the hard drive is also very important to note . Record directly to hard drive . Edit midi sequences from the hard drive . Many cool features !
dano / ketronguy

Just curious guys, anyone know how to save a style with tempo and program changes with a new name, in another location without losing the original

Frank,
press pattern editbutton .
Press F5 for a new pattern + name it .
Copy the SD1 desired pattern Globally into the newly named style .
Than make adjustments and it is saved on the style folder of the hard drive ! That should do it ! dano

Thanks Dan again, I didn't know I would get this kind of return on my investment with you.

Also, will the SD-1 only allow 999 midi files or does it create another folder when its full?

Frankieve,

The SD1 allows for a creation of 99 folders total. 8 are dedicated for use with the MASTER FOLDER (which uses these to store various files depending on the type; style, midifile, userfiles etc which each have their own folders). This means in practise, you can create 91 more folders.
Within each of these 99 folders, you can store 999 different files (e.g 999 midifiles in folder_01; 999 styles in folder_02; 200 programs, 200 uservoices, 500 midifiles and 99 textfiles in folder_03 etc). Should you try to store a file into a folder that already has 999 files in it, you'll get an error message, but you'll have to creae a NEW folder to store the extra file.
Hope this helps!

AJ

Thanks AJ,

Now on my VA-7 I have 128 user spots. So I can just pick a style, adjust sounds and speed, and save it on one of those presets ready to play.

Can the SD1 do this for instant access or do I have to save it to a folder then recall the folder. I would like to be able to select those songs and styles rapidly at any time,


Thanks


I think I'm starting to love this machine.

ME TOO...!!

George

Another update...,

SMF playback,

VA-7 has the edge in overall sound, a very little but noticable. It seems the instruments are a little more distingushible (spelling?)But still blend well.

SD1 very close to VA7, a little bit of an eq hump in the upper bass region, maybe about 200 to 300 hz, gives a boomy sound but a little adjusting and is fine, alot of the sounds blended a little too much, but I'm talking about a, b ing and you really had to listen hard.

PA-80 was third, certian sounds just didn't come across well, actually kinda wrong, like clean guitar sounds.

My last thing is do I try the 9000pro. I'm thinking of that with the SD1, but I still like the VA7.

I think I am the equivalent of a drug addict, but with keyboards instead of crack.


I don't need either but I got to have them

Help ( founding member of AA Arrangers Anoymous )

[QUOTE]Originally posted by frankieve:
[B]Thanks AJ,

Now on my VA-7 I have 128 user spots. So I can just pick a style, adjust sounds and speed, and save it on one of those presets ready to play.

AJ>>> The equivalent in the SD1 to Roland's user spots are REGISTRATIONS. A total of 198 Registers can be stored within a BLOCK REGISTER on board the SD1 and be called (with each one having its own settings - styles, sounds, tempo, transpose etc depending on what was stored in them!). You also have SINGLE REGISTERS (stored/accessed directly onto/from HD or FD). You also have the ability to 'freeze' what elements (eg voice, styles, MIDI setup etc) you don't want changing when you change from one REGISTER to another!
AJ

Thanks AJ,

There is alot to learn on this unit. I'll continue to bother you later for questions.

Otherwise what do people think if the 9000Pro

Frank I use single registrations on x1 as more settings can be saved eg sounds etc for right hand. Also the registration can be given same name as a song or a dance set and if text file with words is saved to HD it will appear when you select the registration. I use only one folder - in it I have all text and all single registrations. I have instrument set to single registrations and this is now my default setting which comes on when I power it on -simply save as "Power On" also my folder opens at power on IE my folder is number 12 and it is saved as power on.
It is possible to save in single reg all things like left volume and this is essential as factory settings are about 63 in x1 -- this means that if a new style or reg is made it may be too low vol - so I set each left volume in reg --lowest is about 40 (Disco) highest is 46 (Waltz). This also has advantage that right hand volume is accordingly high as needs be --IE if left is too high right has nil to spare. I set "swell" to Right this means that left is balanced in reg and right is controlled by volume pedal. This is a lovely set up for me. I start up and I go from song/set to set with no changes. Occasionally I have to edit a little on the road. I press 092 and Johnie be Goode set is up with list of songs in that style and words of ones I am only learning. I do forget words so this is great for me. Hope this helps and if I could get SD1 manual I could help more at times. Could I download it ? Pierce

AJ or DanO

Can the video out on the SD1 - in conjunction with kar. files - be used with chord charts that highlight the chord changes as they move through the tune? Lets say there was a flat panel monitor in front of another musician not completely familiar with the changes??

Also - when using another keyboard as the controller for the SD1 - can you set the SD1 not to receive sustain pedal messages from the controller - so that a sustain pedal connected directly to the SD1 could be used with its function to lock the arranger chord when desired?

And lastly- can one of the fs13 switch pedals be used to start/stop/ a midi file - and another used to advance to the next midi file in a chain??
MH

Still playing with this SD1, and it ain't easy. Is there some sort of SD1 for dummies book or video?

Frank ,
I take alot of pride in supporting what I sell . If you do not email me privately or call me , I will not know what your getting stuck on . You can even call me at my home . You sit down at your keyboard and I will be next to mine ! I can answer your questions right over the phone ! dano

[This message has been edited by DanO1 (edited 01-24-2002).]

Dan,

Sorry, You are probably the best thing that came with the SD1 purchase, I just didn't want to bother you on simple things I should try to figure out myself.

I figured I would save the really good questions for when I needed them.

By the way, you can spend $40,000 on a car and not get the same type of support DAn offers.

He's the only reason I buy stuff from him sight on seen 5 states away, without question of price or anything.
( what a plug, I should get some swag for that) just kidding, ( the last part)

frankieve,
There is a user guide/manual I wrote that simplifies most operations - can be got from Dan O or George K.
AJ