So many post in here about how they liked the Technic's OS. Would anyone who used (or still uses!) them care to post about the features that made this OS so popular?

What features were unique to Technics, or what current manufacturer's OS comes closest?

Diki, Perhaps your question would be better answered on the 'technics' page by players who have 'gotten into' their kbs more than I have, but...
I have only owned 2 kbs - technics kn1000 and kn6000 ... I really have not played any others so I cannot comment on them, but as far as technics is concerned, I can only say that it is extremely user friendly, especially for finding/changing styles and voices ... many of the features that some other kb owners have wished for (based on conversations on S-Z) I have on the kn6000 ... I can change voices/volumes/pans/effects/etc. in a midi file 'on the fly' while playing that file, ... I can easily 'edit' an SMF while it resides in the kb and save my changes ... the kn6000 has a hard drive where I save SMFs registrations, etc. which can be 'edited' and saved with ease ... each style has 2 Intros and 2 endings and 4 variations at the pressing of a button ... I can 'Easy Record' a song, or parts of a song, and then through 'Realtime Recording' add other tracks as desired ... I can easily edit single notes in a song ... and on and on ... One feature the technics does not have, which I wish it did, is the ability to 'mark' an SMF to return to the beginning, or the bridge of the song ...
I'm not saying technics is better than any of the others, but mine has served me well, and hopefully will continue to do so ...And it's a damned shame Matsu***** stopped manufacturing this board ...
Hope this helps ...
t.

Hi Diki,
I think it ended up with sort of a cult following. I bought my first one back in 1988, then kept upgrading.
I had the Kn800,kn2000,3000,5000 ,7000.
I also owned the module version of the kn2000, & was probably the only person that bought the one & only Synthesizer they produced in the mid 90's ( model name escapes me at the moment W???)

They were a good solid keyboard, easy to use, sounded great. You didn't require a computer if you wanted to edit styles. They even came with their own Style Conversion disk so one didn't require EMC for a pc, you could do it in the KN itself.
KN7000, I think they were he first ones to use a memory card ( sd). The Kn7 could actually be used as an audio soundcard .
The pianist chord recognition was brilliant.
Luved the styles.
They just had very innovative ideas.
It was the end of an era when they closed down.
Update
Actually forgot to mention my favourite function. The KN7 Pads.
They actually stayed in sync no matter when you hit them. Psr pads do some sort of a catch up if you hit them at the wrong time. Technics were brilliant. 2 intruments per pad so you could have bass & piano rythm going or whatever you liked ,sort of a mini style if you added drums from one of the styles. Also pads 5 & 6 had a chord progression, so you could take a break & the pad would do a solo.

Dikki , wish you hadn't brought up this topic, memory lane is making me melancholy again ( haa haa)
best wishes
Rikki
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Diki:
[B]

[This message has been edited by rikkisbears (edited 05-08-2007).]

Rikki I owned one too..WSA1



[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 05-08-2007).]

Hi Fran,
ok, we must have been the only 2 suckers to have bought one, haa haa. Technics never made another synth.
Trying to rack my brain, I think they came out during the KN3000 period???
Seriously though, i really luved mine at the time.

best wishes
Rikki

Full piano roll editing in the Sequencer and that awesome wide screen that holds all 16 tracks on one page!!!

Hi Nick,
style editing onboard , no pc required.
By the way Nick, who was your Technics supplier?
I used to get mine thru Bob at Associated Electrics. Miss those great discounts.

best wishes
Rikki

Good old Bob Ransley haha thats exactly where I bought mine from

I use to work on York Street about a block down the rd from those guys, i use to go in there nearly every day straight for my lunch and play on the keyboards there.

when they closed down they were selling their EW expansion boards for 100 bucks a pop.

i bought the KN6500 upgrade kit and the Pop Production kit expansion boards for 200 bucks all for both!!



[This message has been edited by Nick G (edited 05-08-2007).]

Hi Nick,
haahaa small world. He luved demonstrating those Technics arranger piano's & how well Technics handled complicated jazz chord inversions & how Yamaha messed up the same chords. Took me 5 years to work out what he was on about.Eventually he also managed to sell me one of those( forgot to add that to my list of Technics instruments.)

Gee that was a bargain for those expansion boards though.

Bob moved onto a piano place on the pacific highway for a while, then Ollie took over the job. Hope he's still there, they sell Rolands. Hope to check out the E80 & E50
next time we get down to Sydney.
If I can't have a Technics at least I may be able to get some of the old styles back via Technote.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Nick G:
[B]

I enjoyed my Kn5000.....super KB .....but hated the 6k, 65k, and most of all the 7k with that sunken folding bad design keybed simply horrible to play. Im actually glad they're gone for good.

Donny your a knob...

Rikki - Ollie and Bob use to be underneath the Retravision on York Street but the store closed so Assosiated electrics had to go too... not sure where they are now.

Ollie use to live about 10 mins from me as well...when i purchased my KN6 from them he took me all the way home from the city with it and dropped me off at home. great customer service!!!!

[This message has been edited by Nick G (edited 05-08-2007).]

Sorry for the truth...us knobs are famous for that!

Nick..what is a knob?
I never heard that saying before..

Donny i agree with u the KN 7 was designed terribly but the Kn6 series was superb - The most professional looking keyboard I have ever seen in my opinion and far ahead of its time.

the nice flat round buttons looked so good. I hate the big bulky buttons that the T2 has and how they light up and look like lollies...

well Fran a "Knob" in Sydney is like saying - your a fool, or a character / clown... but its not a harsh serious word... hard to explain that but hope u understand?

Donny the King definitely fits that category lol im sure you agree? hahaha

[This message has been edited by Nick G (edited 05-08-2007).]

I got it..Donny is a clown..

Nick , the one thing I didn't like about the 6000 was the drums..it reminded me of drums in a garage..The 7000 had a great sound system..that is why I expect the Roland E80-[similar specs] to sound good[speaker system]..

Hi Nick,
from York st, Bob went to a piano/keyboard showroom in Chatswood on the Pacific Hwg
( can't think of the name of the shop). He worked there for a year or so, then Ollie took over his position. Ollie was still working in Chatswood last year, I'm hoping he still is.
I was lucky enough to live down the street from Turramurra Music. If I wasn't at home, hubby always knew where to find me haahaa.

best wishes
Rikki

I highly agree the drums were one of the biggest let downs on the Technics...

The sound system was superb and I have no doubt the Roland would be the same if not better, but i still believe no matter how good keyboard speakers are, you ALWAYS get a better result when using external speakers... its not a matter of making it go louder, it just makes it sound richer if you get me?

Onboard speakers are never as punchy from my experience.

I think my favorite features from my old kn2000 was the easy way to step input on the sequencer and how easy and quick it made it to input those hard as nails passages to cheat my way through or if I was learning a piece given by my teacher step inputting the lot rh/lh then playing over the top to get it just so. then adding everything else after to make it sound good.

Yup many happy hours inputting note after note ok I havent seen the sequencers from other manufactures latly but I bet they do not come with the same ease.

Tristian

Technics
--------------------------------------------

The Good:

1. Great Styles

2. Outstanding Organ Sounds.

3. The best vocal voices I've heard to date.

4. Real Audio SD Card System... Imagine playing your keyboard along side Frank Sinatra, and then saving that performance on your keyboard!

-------------------------------------------

The Bad:

1. The default save from recording a song
is a "Technics File", rather than the universal "Standard Midi File". Therefore, if you don't perform a lengthly conversion, you can't play your sequence on anything other than a compatible Technics keyboard.

2. Speaking of sharing, the default Technics File Is not backward compatible. Example: A KN-5000 could not play songs or styles that were made on a KN-6000.

------------------------------------------

and The Ugly:

1.The music stand on the KN-7000 seems like it's a block away.

2. The vocal harmonizer, or rather the lack of.

3. The sudden demise of Technics left owners up a creek.
--------------------------------------------

Larry
SynthZone Frapper

[This message has been edited by lahawk (edited 05-09-2007).]

So I see we both have a complete opposite opinion about some keyboards especially Technics ....which I dont mind because we are all different....& I usualy take opinions with a small grain of salt because as I have stated before many time here on SZ....
"Let me hear what you got" playing any instrument and that is my bottom line, my ears tell me all plain & simple. Must be why Roland is drawing me closer very day...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bUde6gQ81c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtWnl066ix0

heres a few E80 demos Ive seen

enjoy

Hi All
Here is a KN 7000 Demo from 2002 it has been converted from VHS Tape so quality is not perfect.
You will need Broadband to download it as it is quite a large file.
Enjoy

Bill
http://rapidshare.com/files/30356251/KN7000.wmv.html

No doubt only because it gives you one LESS choice to make ...
I can't understand why you would "hate" the kn6000 ...
t.

seems I'm among a target audience here i can't resist:http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/icons/icon12.gif

got my KN2600 on ebay right now--check it out:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=004&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=140115431039&rd=1&rd=1

miami mo

Dont get me started... next to the XD9 which lasted 1hr, the 6000 was the second fastest one I dumped after playing it once on stage on one gig .......there were too many things to list here.
Sorry for my honesty.

thanks for that clip abacus re the kn7000. when it first came out i was seriously tempted to buy it. I think at that time the yamaha psr9000 had also just been launched and i was looking at the next logical upgrade for my psr8000.

The technics make was my first keyboard (kn1000 that was an awesome instrument) and i was tempted to go back to the technics products as they had great sounds and a truly integrated intuitive product. The composer function had full sequencer editing facilities and then it had one of the most comprehensive sequencers in an arranger workstation for normal linear programming use. listening to that clip reminded me how advanced Technics were in some aspects of sound synthesis. The saxes were really really. They did not have super articulation but for what was available at the time , they were head and shoulders above the competition, they were good even compared to todays standards and the brass and horns even compared with the best around today sound just so much more warm and authentic. And those organs !!!! i could close my eyes and literally imagine sitting in a club listening to some hot jazz cat throwing down some sick licks and runs on the jazz organ. And in terms of the use of SD cards and internet integration , the KN7000 was just way out in front.

I dont know if Technics were going in the right direction regarding devoting a whole section of this cutting edge instrument to accordion sounds though !!! It definately positioned the instrument in my mind as being more suitable to the older market.

But as could be clearly heard in the clip you posted , technics drums and guitars were just paper thin. Weak guitars , i can live with but the drums are the centre piece of most contemporary music which is predominantly what i play. Also any work done with a technics keyboard was saved in techgnics specific format. That was a serious limitation for me in terms of sharing specific music with other band member that had standard midi instruments.

But thanks again for sharing. Took me right back !

[This message has been edited by spalding4 (edited 05-10-2007).]

I am a G70 player but I still have my KN7000, a very fine instrument.
Bashing by wrong keyboardsellers is one of the reasons that Technics left the keyboardworld. This is my opinion and this why I hate messages in this forum that are too negative about any instrument.

Wis, sorry your too thin skinned ....but forums are for discussion good or bad....& if you cant say what you feel then whats the point, why BS people with fluffed up non honest opinions ....?

I disliked the K6 and thats my personal opinion ....I dumped the G70, T2, & many more also for certain reasons & not filling my needs in certain ways but I still enjoy Roland products.Lets Face it these products have faults & if we dont address them they will never change.

No need to apologize ... we are ALL entitled to our opinions ...
t.

excactly paisan !

Your opinion is allright but there is no need to be TOO negative about any instrument. Stay at the reasonable site and be aware of the impact a message can have.
Do not forget what is personal taste and what are the facts.
At this time the atmosphere in this forum is OK.

i dont think you can be too critical of any machine if it does not do what you bought it to do well enough for you to keep it. Opinions on bits of plastic and metal and circuitry dont need to be censored. Just qualified. What would be better advise is that members need to accept that we are discussing and talking about musical instruments and not the musicians using them.

I completely agree. As I have said many times, these things are NOT our children. They are TOOLS... No more (or less) important than a good spade or a ratchet set! They should NOT be the cause of bitterness or even rudeness because someone holds a contrary opinion to you...

Admittedly, just saying 'I hate this or that' and leaving it at that seems hollow. We don't care IF you hate something. We want to know WHY. This is supposed to give us insight as to your 'method', show us why certain features either are of benefit, or why we might want to avoid them, you know, the exchange of information as well as just opinion. Opinion without reason is close to valueless.

Here's a quote from Donny(dnj): "Dont get me started... next to the XD9 which lasted 1hr, the 6000 was the second fastest one I dumped after playing it once on stage on one gig .......there were too many things to list here.
Sorry for my honesty."

Here's opinion, but no reason... IMO, it would have been 'honest' if you HAD taken the time to list it. Otherwise, it's just your opinion. And that seems to change on a pretty steady basis, so what value does it have without reason?

My topic heading was 'WHAT made the Technic's OS so good'?. So far, there's about three or four posts that actually address the topic. If you HAVE an opinion about it, please state it WHILE you are addressing the 'actual' question.....

Please don't get mad at me (again!), I'm just trying to get this topic OFF the 'opinion wars', and back to the FACTS (or at least, opinion backed up by facts!)....

Diki no problem...I will stand back & let you and the technics people hash it out....my daily hands on opinions are of no consequence anyway ....maybe that's because I'm a knob? enjoy your thread.

Donny, you were one of the Technics people once upon a time... that's why I WOULD value your details.

(remember, I'm not the one calling you a knob! )

OK Diki ....from what I can remember Technic wise.....
the KN 5k I loved.....but....the


6k had a terrible AMBIENT EFX overall sound.....live play adjusting on stage was tedious at best......all the stupid icons & fluff was a bit much for me I can hardly remember most of the dislikes....

65k I just passed on after a demo in the store....

the 7k I didn't like the way the SUNKEN key-bed sat in the body....being it has blockage on both sides of the keys made playing a chore especially for runs, left hand bass etc because my fingers were stopped......the huge VERTICLE display was a very difficult to fast change & a navigational disaster for me.....nice speaker system though...couldn't gig it had to dump it !

There's more but it was long ago to remember it all.....

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 05-11-2007).]

Thanks, Donny.

See.... That didn't hurt that much, did it?

BTW, I never HAVE understood why keyboard end-pieces (including pianos!) aren't shaped so that if you overshoot, you don't hurt yourself! It always feels like the revenge of some sadistic piano teacher....

Spalding, you said, “It definitely positioned the instrument in my mind as being more suitable to the older market”, you are so right. Viewing the KN7000 keyboard from an older market I have found nothing to replace it.

I was preparing my PSR3000, setting up the registrations and the music finder, when I came to the song How do you keep the music playing I struggled to find what I wanted – After 20 minutes I went back to my KN7000 and played the song. I found what I was looking for, a rich clear sound, blending in the background bass and drums, beautiful vocals and strings.

I went back to programming my PSR3000, which can handle the music of today. Soon I will sell the PSR3000 and move into a Roland, Korg or a Kenton. The KN7 stays in my home, I have built a home cabinet for it.
I find all the information and opinions about the new instruments valuable, what better place to get information.

IMHO, John C.

I believe what made the Technics OS so good was it's ease to learn.
I had 5 technics keyboards and one digital piano and I am not sure if I ever had to open the manual.
When you turned them on and selected a style you were immediately reminded of several songs to play with that style and sometimes I would play for an hour with the same style.
The only reason I sold them all but one is because of the heavy depreciation that commences once you have an orphan. In the final analysis I am still a business man.
The E -80 Roland I just ordered would have been the Technics KN8000 if they hadn't of dumped us all out in the middle of a wasteland
Best to all
Bebop

Everything happens for a reason.......
& many times for the better. Many a Wasteland can be cultivated to prosper... .... change is exciting, adventurous, & good for the heart & soul!
Sometimes the "Comfort Zone" needs to be kick started....it makes for New creative ideas & keeps you on top of things.

Hope to hear Great Things from ya when you get your new KB.

Donnie, I see this morning that you have a want to buy E 80 posted. I hope you get one real soon so we can all learn this board together. The manual is on line so you can be studying it while you are waiting for a deal
OK BACK TO THE TECHNICS THREAD.
They were/are the greatest. in fact I am bidding on a technics keyboard right now because i should not have sold them all and wished I had kept the KN2600 for the motorhome.
Bebop

My prediction.... Donny will get an E80, try it for a few weeks (maybe days!), be initially over-enthusiastic about it, then he will find that it does some things differently to Yamaha (big surprise!), and hate lugging the weight around (compared to his fly-weight PSR3k), and will go back to his PSR....

Any takers...? Let's start a pool.....

(Donny, you KNOW this is just in fun, dontcha? )

Maybe I should cancel my order and wait for Donnie's E 80
I have his bose speaker system on my Tyros 2
Maybe I could sell him my E 80 when it gets here and buy it back a lot cheaper in a month
Lets think about this
Bebop

Diki, I told Donny I would disown him if he did that again..dump a top line Roland for a PSR3000...

I say 6 weeks..

Dikki - I give it 2 weeks max

LOL poor Donny hahahaha

Well, he dropped a T2 for the PSR too, so at least he is not ganging up on poor Roland....

Roland has it going on in so many ways......just different then Yamaha's way.....it comes down to a personal comfort zone thing! But I can gig almost anything with keys.....the 3k is not my only ax

Well! what an interesting read.

Why do I love my KN7000 keyboard?
The list is endless - hence I have TWO.... but the main reasons are 1)"User Friendly" and 2)the "SD Card" which is a great way to carry and transfer so many patterns and styles to other KNs - something you cannot do with a built-in hard drive.

What do I dislike about the KN7?
1) the Panel Memory 'wheel'. At least, it could have been placed on the lefthand side of the KB and at best, I think it would have been better to have a straight line of buttons as on the previous KNs. When a Foot Controller isn't connected, to change PMs I find my right hand is usually busy so have to use my lefthand which can be difficult particularly with very fast numbers, whereas the 'chord hold/pad/fill-ins' will keep the rhythm going leaving your left hand free for a quick change.

However, these small 'niggles' pale in comparison to the endless pleasure I get from playing my KN7000 and I certainly do not intend to change until something better comes along.

Audrey