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#161042 - 01/25/01 01:06 PM
Convince me! GEM WK8 or Roland VA-7
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Member
Registered: 01/20/01
Posts: 189
Loc: Hoogeveen, Drenthe, The Nether...
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Hi,
I first was thinking about the GEM WK8, but now I told everybody about it, everyone is recommending the VA-7 from Roland to me.
I don't know why, but it's just that they don't like GEM or something and they think that the VA 7 is much better. I heard it from 4 people now that the VA 7 is better, so I'm going to ask it here.
I want to have a keyboard with a good variety of styles, good piano sound, disk, expandable, custom styles etc. I just don't know what to choose now! I mean, what's better in the VA 7 instead of the GEM WK8 and otherwise?
Any help provided would be appreciated!
Sander
[This message has been edited by Sander (edited 01-25-2001).]
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#161043 - 01/25/01 02:52 PM
Re: Convince me! GEM WK8 or Roland VA-7
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Senior Member
Registered: 11/25/00
Posts: 1210
Loc: Queretaro, Mexico
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Hello, I just got 3 weeks ago my new VA 7, the keyboard is great sounding!!!,etc, but nobody has posted that in the owners manual page 212, say that in the zip disk comes with 301 midi files, NOTHING, a big 0, I donīt need the SMFs for the sake to have SMFs, I need a few, with some examples to access banks, varyphrase, new controllers, remember this is GM2. Also Iīm a (more)happy Solton X1 HD owner, as add may appear, I had more product support form this "smaller" keyboard manufacturer, than the one that makes VA 7.
_________________________
mdorantes
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#161050 - 01/29/01 02:31 PM
Re: Convince me! GEM WK8 or Roland VA-7
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Senior Member
Registered: 01/27/01
Posts: 2227
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The X1 has 3 intros 4 variations, 3 fills, 1 break, and 3 endings per style. To create styles just as you'd like them, I think you would need EMC Styleworks. The piano sounds are good but not great. The styles are awesome. There is one caveat, however. Besides the 198 styles that came with the keyboard, none of the styles that I downloaded from the internet (either converted or created styles) compared to the onboard styles. On the other hand, I'm sure the new Oriental styles made by Ketron for the X1 are fantastic. Ahmed would know better. The X1 new with a hard drive and vocalizer is about $3000, but I'm starting to see them used. You definitely will want the hard drive. The vocalizer is a great option if you sing. The X1 also has a 6 or 13 switch programmable footpedal option that is great for either putting in fills and breaks without using your hands or for other things that are not convenient to access with your fingers while you're playing. You can also buy voice ram to expand the amount of voices the keyboard has, which in my opinion, is quite sparse (about 300) for a high end arranger.
I, myself, would choose a PSR 9000 over the X1, but they're both great keyboards. The PSR 9000 weighs a ton, so if you're gigging and if you're not built like Goliath, I would have second thoughts if I were you.
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#161052 - 01/29/01 05:09 PM
Re: Convince me! GEM WK8 or Roland VA-7
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Senior Member
Registered: 11/24/99
Posts: 3305
Loc: Reseda, California USA
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Ilija, there is no sampler on the WK8 or the WK8se. You can load samples from disks but you cannot sample your own samples with a microphone or from an audio input. The Yamaha samples, the X1 samples, but the WK8 only reads samples that are created from a sampler. I just want to clarify this with the readers so they don't get disappointed when they find out you cannot sample. It's my opinion that the reason more people don't like the Generalmusics as much as Rolands, Yamaha's and even Soltons is because they are not as user friendly to learn how to use. The next reason is that although the sounds are very good, they are not considered by many to be as rich sounding as many others. I think the VA-7 or VA-5 piano, is much more lifelike than the generalmusic. As far as styles go, the WK8 is very good, but so is the VA-7. The variphrase is something that you might not be interested in so check out the VA-5. The Rolands and Yamaha's have 126 or 128 voice polyphony and the Gem has 64. I always say that if you want a really good sequencer, the gem is great, the Roland is next, than Yamaha and Solton. If you need great styles, first Solton, then Gem and Roland are next, and then finally Yamaha, Korg and tecnics. All the top keyboards let you program user styles in great detail. It is so hard to give opinions although I know that is often times what is needed. You do need to here these. I also wish everyone of you reading these posts lived close to me. Oh, how much fun we would have! George Kaye Kaye's Music Scene Reseda,Cal.
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George Kaye Kaye's Music Scene (Closed after 51 years) West Hills, California (Retired 2021)
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