Today I received my X1 oriental keyboard from Solton. This is not an X1 with the oriental kit, but an X1oriental made to be oriental. First, there is the joystick ModWheel/Pitchbender which really feels good. It's really "beefy" compared to the Roland. All the sounds, styles, voices from the Live Oriental Kit are in this machine. When I first talked to Solton in New York I thought this new keyboard would have the styles and sounds of the arabic keyboard developers permanantely inside but after playing this keyboard I can see exactly what they did.
There is the Live Oriental software installed and there are several folders in the hard drive which contain the voices, drum kits, sampled sounds and styles needed for this keyboard. Instead of having to use the 8 meg flash card, the sounds now load from the hard drive into the ram each time you turn on the keyboard. This is done easily using the auto load feature of the 3.1A software update. Next, the buttons on the front panel that do "oriental" functions are clearly marked. An example would be the fade out button no longer says fade out but rather ending. And the part volume buttons are also marked arabic tempo presets and tuning presets. By the way, I wasn't aware of the fact the the same buttons that change the volumes or tempos in the X1 also can be used to store 13 different quarter tone tunings which I think is a great thing to be able to do. The 40 arabic styles supplied on disks with the oriental kit which can be purchased for a regular X1 are now loaded into the first 40 pattern memory locations and are also on the hard drive so that if you erase them you can get them back. I was thinking that it would have been nice to have hundreds of additional Armenian and other patterns installed already but you will still need to load or make your own if you need them.
I'm not sure of the price of this until I get my invoice in the mail, so please stand by until I can get the price.
I also received a new Solton hard case with this keyboard today which features two wheels on the bottom and a handle on the top. this is great for portability without wrecking your back! Price I believe will be about $175.00
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene

George,

Good work on all these updates.

Now that I have 'some' time on my hands, I beieve it is time for me to become more active in this forum

If you have the OS version 3.2a, the button (TO ROOT) function as a scale button. I mean if you press the (TO ROOT) button the fifth octave will give you access to arabic scales. remember when turn ON the (TO ROOT) button and choose the scale, turn it OFF so you can be able to play on the fifth octave.

here are some infos regarding os 3.2a that were not included in the manual related to the oriental version also:

KETRON X1 Oriental

The following enhancements have been added so the KETRON X1 Oriental response to the most advanced needs of all musicians whatever their tastes in music differs. These new functions where not mentioned in the original manual.

Global settings.

The following steps in the global settings are essentials.

1. Press UTILITY, then access page 3 and enable ARAB MODE to ON.
2. Press ARRANGE MODE, then access Page 2 and enable REVERB LOCK (F10).
3. Press SAVE/ENTER button, choose POWER ON SETUP, then press SAVE.


A. Regarding the PATTERN EDIT functions.

1.A second drum part has been added to the pattern record section. This second drum part named DRUM2, make possible to record a second drum part.

Please note that you can’t record a normal drum set on the DRUM2 part, but only the instruments that are composed from drum percussion. For example LIVE KIT, ARKIT or ORDANCE can be used on the DRUM2 part. These percussion groups are instruments imitating a normal drum set.

2. A new function called GROUP can be accessed in the menu of the PATTERN EDIT, make possible for the oriental patterns that use the same instruments and drum sets to change directly between its arrangers without waiting till the end of the measure.
When you enter the GROUP function a list of the patterns appear on the screen. Select the styles that uses the same drum sets and instruments, and choose for them a certain number from 1 till 99 using the + and – buttons, then press execute.

3. It is now possible to record more than 16 measure the pattern sections, and that up to 40 measure. This function is useful for recording long Intros.

B. Regarding the real time controls.

Since the KETRON X1 was built in mind to satisfy all kind of musicians and entertainers, it was necessary to make it easy to use and to access in real time performance. For the oriental version of the KETRON X1 we added more real time functions to make the keyboard more user friendly and accessible.

1.To change the tempo; you now have three ways.
First, the basic way via the tempo change buttons, + and -.

The second way, via the PAGE buttons, and called step tempo. The step tempo makes possible to change the tempo increasing or decreasing from 2% till 30% by the push of one of the PAGE buttons. The step tempo rate can be changed by entering the ARRANGE MODE on the first page (F1).

The third way is the most efficient for live performance, it gives you fixed tempo speeds as follow; 80,85,90,95,100,105,110,115,120,125,130,135,140,145, by the push of one button. To enable this function, you press the TEMPO button next to ROTOR button, and you navigate through the volume pads of DRUMS, BASS, CHORDS, ORCHESTRAL, LOWER1, LOWER2 and RIGHT. The first DRUM pad gives you a tempo speed at 80, the second drum pad gives you a tempo speed at 85, the first BASS pad gives you a tempo speed at 90 etc… until the second RIGHT pad it gives you a tempo speed at 145.

2. To access the Arabic/Oriental scales, directly in live performance, you can save 13 scales and access them directly by the push of one button, using the pads volume for DRUMS, BASS, CHORDS, ORCHESTRAL, LOWER1, LOWER2, RIGHT.

Enter the UTILITY page 2, press ARABIC, choose the desired scale, then press SAVE/ENTER button, a list of 13 scale location appear on the screen. Choose a location then press SAVE. Location number 1 correspond to the first DRUM pad, location number 2 correspond to the second DRUM pad etc… the second RIGHT pad is used for scale reset.

To activate the ARABIC SET and access the 13 scales, press the ARABIC SET button next the ROTOR SLOW/FAST button.

3.It is now possible to change the styles and patterns by the push of one button instead of the classic selection based on composing two numbers. You can hold the first number that composes any 10 numbers. For example patterns from 10 to 19 have a common number and that is 1, instead of pressing 1 and 0 for 10, and 1 and 1 for 11, you can hold number 1 and press only 0 for 10, and only 1 for 11.

To hold the numbers, press the SELECT X10 button, which corresponds also for FACTORY/CUSTOM button, and while holding this button choose any number you want to hold from 0 to 9.

4.The 3 DRUM, BASS, CHORDS, Volume lock pads, locks the general volume of its corresponding in the patterns and styles. In another word, if you press the DRUM, BASS, CHORDS and you adjust the volume of these parts using the VOLUME pads, these settings affect all the styles and patterns until you remove the lock buttons.

The DRUM volume lock affects the drum part and the groove part of the style. The BASS volume lock affects the bass part of the style. The CHORDS volume lock affects the chords part of the style, including chords and orchestral.

5.Please mention that in the normal version of the KETRON X1 the 3 buttons for INTRO where used also for endings. In the Oriental software we split the INTRO buttons from the endings in a way that the Three buttons indicated INTO1, INTRO2, INTRO3 give access to the introductions anytime they are pressed even if the style is running.

We switched the ENDING on a single button. Since the KETRON X1 have 3 endings, and we only gave the ENDING one button, we made the ending to act in this way. If you are playing on ARRANGE A and you pressed the ENDING button the ending play ending 1, if you are on ARRANGE B the ending play ending 2, for ARRANGE C and D, the ending play ending 3.

6.The JUMP function has one function in the Oriental software, and that if pressed make possible when you play a FILL IN to change automatically between arrangers. For example if you are playing on ARRANGE A and you press FILL 2, the fill in 2 will play and will switch directly to ARRANGE B.

FILL1 switch to ARRANGE A, Fill2 switch to ARRANGE B, FILL3 switch to ARRANGE C and FILL4 switch to ARRANGE D.

While the JUMP function is enabled, if you play a certain fill in and you press it twice it will not change to the ARRANGE that corresponds to it.

Tips and hints

1. For live performance if you are using program sounds, it is preferable that you disable the system exclusive in the midi filter TX and filter RX. Please note that if you want to record on the sequencer or play midi files it is essential that you enable the system exclusive.

To disable the system exclusive enter the midi page, press F5 for filter TX and select the EXCL MESSAGE by pressing the SELECT button (F 10), an * will appear next to the EXCL MESSAGE. Press F6 for filter RX and redo the same procedure.

2. Press EFFECTS and choose HALL2 for reverb type and make GLOBAL to 12.

3. Put all the desired sounds in the ONE TOUCH menu for fat access in live performance.

4. To save these settings press SAVE/ENTER, choose POWER ON SETUP, then press save.

Eddy,
It is very nice of you to document all these changes when using the oriental block. thank you very much.
George Kaye

my pleasure George
eddy