Fran, you should have no problems at all using Edirol's HQ Hyper Canvas with Windows Xp Pro. Good sounding music awaits you!!!

However, you do need a wrapper of some kind (DXi or VSTi). You could use V-Stack (Steinberg $70), Brainspawn ($60 - $100), Console, etc. You would need to make a decision on the wrapper first and then purchase the appropriate version of Hyper Canvas. Using a wrapper may be good thing in that it gives you the option of loading other synths (B4, etc.) at the same time.

Some of the older versions of these soft synths were written for the older versions of Windows and will not work on Windows Xp. Hyper Canvas will work with older versions of Windows as well as Windows Xp.

Hyper Canvas responds very well to VanBasco or Windows Media player. This includes program and control changes.

Fran the world is your crucible in which to mix the chemicals of your choice.


[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 09-01-2003).]

Thanks Frank, I'll keep you abreast as to how I make out..I am sure I will have a couple more questions for you..Fran

Fran, as I pointed out, you could always download the Demo of the Hyper Canvas and the appropriate wrapper and test it before you spend your money. I have heard there were some bugs in the demo version of the Hyper Canvas. I didn't find any when I tested it. There are updates available for the version you purchase.

Fran,
you don't have to ask "Why do I need a Tyros?"
Just find one, start to play it, go through all the styles, try all the sounds and then give yourself an answer.
If you think that you don't need one, then it's fine, but the answer has nothing to do with technical specs, IMO.
Andrea

Regarding the sub outs:
I set up a friends Tyros(which I may end up with anyway...against my better judgement)to use the sub outs as a separate mix for the bass and drums. He likes to send bass to one channel of his mixer, and drums to another. Sounds like aux outs to me.
Mike,
Is there something about this configuration that baffles you? They work like the additional outputs on everything else. You can assign any thing to them for a more specific mix. That's the way I would expect them to work.
Fran,
You'll like:
1)hard drive
2)large screen
3)drum remix
4)key feel(better than some, worse than some)
5)weight
6)styles
7)drums
8)multipads
9)music database
10)vocal processor

You'l be disapointed with:

1)grand piano sound(subjective I know, but give I the edge to Roland)
2)61 keys
3)smf drum kits, and general playback. Tweaking is mandatory here.
4)auto vibrato in sweet voices(all the new ones have this)
5)vocal samples...no usable scats
6)polyphony is not allocated as well as Roland. The G has less dropouts.
7)too wide for 61 keys. Wasted space
8)Silver...yuk.
9)short keythrow. They bottom out faster than other brands
10)Forget this list .... you'll like it.

As you said, it's subjective, but I think the Tyros has the best grand piano I've heard in any electronic keyboard, synths included. We "a-b'd" it against everything else in the store and the piano sound was amazing to me.
DonM

OMG!!!!....... ...did I miss something or did the Tyros grow two ears?

DNJ, DonM & Dave, if you keep this up Fran is going to fall for this!!!

Just got a Tyros and had a EM2000 which is almost a G1000, and a SD-1.

It's really hard to determine which is better but my first reactions where

1 The SD-1's vocal harmonizer sounds much more realistic right out of the box. but the Tyros seems more programmable so maybe it can worked on to give it a more natural type sound, it kind of reminds me of the first vocalizers which sounded chip munkish

2 no XLR input for mic but that's not a really big issue. But it does have a input knob for the mic on the front of the keyboard which is a great idea, especailly for those quick adjustments

3 The piano sound is great, but so is the SD-1, and so is the Roland. They also are a bit diffierent, seems that the Tyros has the hi-fidelty type sound, the SD-1 is a little more analogish warm, and the roland is in the middle

4 Styles, the Tyros has some great style but also have alot that remind me of a bad karoke night. The SD-1 styles are more of the same quality, not as big of a jump from bad to great, they are mostly moderate to really good. The Roland styles where like the Tyros but only reaching the really good status, never hitting great.

5 The Tyros does have alot of PC type operation which is alot easier to understand than the SD-1 and a hell of alot easier to get around than the Roland.

In conclusion, as I play the Tyros I go from, wow this thing cost alot of money and is ok, to this thing sounds great, I can't wait to play more.

Roland still is the king of MIDI file Playback

Yamaha I think is the closest to sounding like a Roland playback

The SD-1 has a different type of playback sound which at times is a little refreshing, kind of a step away from the super polished roland/yamaha type sounds, more "dirty" "fat" "warm"

Once again these are the ramblings of a guy who thinks he knows too much

[This message has been edited by frankieve (edited 09-02-2003).]

I agree with Don Mason about the piano sounds. I a-b'd a dozen manufacturer's boards at Washington Music in Rockville, MD and the PSR-2100 and Tyros were definintely superior IMO to any other manufacturer's piano sounds--even when the others were tuned. Right out of the box, the Yammies still have the edge--but what the hell do I know?

Cheers,

Gary