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#221777 - 11/21/07 02:32 PM Re: g70 questions
Diki Offline


Registered: 04/25/05
Posts: 14194
Loc: NW Florida
Firstly, I would recommend you get an FC-7 pedal. I find running a G70 without one very difficult, as there are not enough dedicated buttons on the front panel, and my hands already are busy enough!

To a certain extent, the RT*M advice is good. Most of your operational requests ARE spelled out fairly clearly in there. For instance, saving an HB (B3) section preset, (p.34), etc.. The index is your best friend! But be careful! The G70 has gone through two MAJOR upgrades, and several of it's more important new functions are not in the main manual (not unless they have reprinted it since OS1, which I haven't heard about). There are PDF's at Roland (and roland-arranger.com) for both OS2 and OS3 additions. If you don't have these, yes, it may be confusing to find out some info!

A 'stop' or Break function can be set to go there, or can be assigned to the ASSIGN SW (reasonably convenient for the LH). This is on p.18 of the OS2 addendum.

To use Intro 3 and then go to VAR 1, you press VAR 1 button, then Intro button, then VAR 3 button (button 1 should flash). You then press Start or Sync Start, and bob's your uncle! (p.26-27 of the main manual)

The Drawbar setting can either be stored to the registration (UPG) you are working in (p.110), or if you need a library of presets to chose while you are in one UPG, you can store the HB presets and overwrite the ROM ones (p.34 main manual). But be warned, these presets are stored in the UPS, so must be re-created for each UPS (User Program Set, a sort of master list of 192 registrations).

Copying Parts for assembling new styles in in the Style Composer section of the manual (p.185 main manual)

Most of your questions seem to involve using the G70 in a 'live panel' mode, which, although do-able, runs counter to the way that Roland have slanted the OS. They REALLY work their best when you knuckle down and create a specific UPG for each and every song, or AT LEAST each and every way you prefer to use the keyboard. And things like the OTS have their own specific behavior... they are basically over-riding UPGs, and as such, you can't just hold the LH. Sometimes, with such a specific need for a certain tune (you don't want to hold the LH Parts for ALL songs, do you?), you can write a pair of UPGs, and place them next to each other in the Set List, and switch seamlessly.

There's probably a couple or more ways to achieve almost anything you want on a G70, but being darn near Roland's flagship (the E80 is based entirely on the G70 OS, with some newer additions), it is a VERY deep and intricate machine. A lot of your requests seem simply answered, others are more complex, but you sound like you have come from another manufacturer's OS, and somehow expect the Roland to do exactly the same thing, exactly the same way. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way, my friend...

You move from ANY manufacturer to another, and you are going to have a shift in thinking and workflow. And, unfortunately, reading the manual carefully, staying up-to-date with all the addenda, and spending quite some time with the arranger and manual in hand, investigating all it's intricacies is part of the process. Whether Roland, Korg, Ketron or Yamaha (amongst others!) is what you came FROM, any other is going to involve the same amount (roughly!) of study. Several of your questions were answered with a simple look at the manuals' indexes, and there it is!

About the only way you can move to a TOTL arranger from another and NOT have to go through this is to move from one model to another of the same manufacturer, and even that (say you go from a PSR2000 to a T2) is going to involve more than a month of (not ) reading the manual methodically..!

As to the styles... well, AFAIK, no arranger has the perfect style for EVERY song, and coming from another, you always have your ears attuned to one style. But either you CAN find something that WORKS (even if it is not the same), or there are a wealth of older G1000 and earlier styles, and conversions from other manufacturers out there (maybe even the style you USED to play it on!). You just (like the rest of us) have to go out and find them...

Don't be in such a rush to change, or you'll find yourself returning to where you came from, and obviously, you DID hear something about the G70 you liked! If you need change, if you need a different sound, that ALWAYS comes at a price, no matter WHAT arranger you change to!

Don't give up... things WILL get better!
_________________________
An arranger is just a tool. What matters is what you build with it..!

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#221778 - 11/21/07 03:04 PM Re: g70 questions
captain Russ Online   content
Senior Member

Registered: 01/02/04
Posts: 7285
Loc: Lexington, Ky, USA
Diki, I have the pedal.

R.

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#221779 - 11/21/07 03:07 PM Re: g70 questions
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
Russ what is it more specificly that doesnt suit your style of playing with the G70? We can all learn from your experience.

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#221780 - 11/21/07 03:36 PM Re: g70 questions
Diki Offline


Registered: 04/25/05
Posts: 14194
Loc: NW Florida
I guess, for me, it boils down to the SOUND...

I am prepared to rethink my workflow if the sounds are SO good you HAVE to have them! For me, this meant losing my beloved Chord Sequencer (although many remain on the G1000 just for that one feature!), and a boatload of work to tweak my older styles to match the new sounds, but I gained a grand piano that is, IMO, the best in the business, drums that are the best in the business, and a VERY usable B3 simulation (not as good as Nord or XK-1, but still better than most arrangers short of Wersi and MS's VST B4 organ). These are the core, meat and potatoes sounds that MUST be as good as they can be, otherwise I start to wake up and realize I am playing with a machine (I like to pretend I am not!)...

Sadly, you go back to your Ketron, you got to go back to the Ketron sounds as well. They are not bad, and 'liv-er' than most, but I still got to give the edge to the G70 in most categories, and the fact that you DID change makes me think you heard it too, Tom.

But the fact that you are asking some fairly simple (at least, SOME of them are simple!) questions that are answered by the manual makes me wonder... Did you EXPECT it to be easy? Sadly, it rarely is...

There's always roland-arranger.com, and here at SZ, but nothing substitutes for cracking the manuals, and being methodical about learning a new OS, I'm afraid. Or, back to the Ketron, and forget about any further sonic and operational progress, sadly...
_________________________
An arranger is just a tool. What matters is what you build with it..!

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#221781 - 11/21/07 03:56 PM Re: g70 questions
captain Russ Online   content
Senior Member

Registered: 01/02/04
Posts: 7285
Loc: Lexington, Ky, USA
Diki, it comes down to preferences. I don't like the Roland sounds and programmed rythems, period. I've listened to multiple demos, and I don't like what I hear. You do, and that's fine. I also don't like some of the features.

I bought the G-70 because I had a problem with the Ketron organization and business practices, not the equipment. My expectation is that major time is required and the best outcome is a product that his sub-par, at least for my tastes.

I made a purchase mistake...so what? I've wasted enough time. Time is in extremely short supply. I make time/value judgements every day. If I wanted to reduce the learning curve, I'd get a Yamaha, which I dislike (ALL Yamaha arrangers) worse than the G-70.

It's all preference. I'm not right for anyone else, but I'm right for me.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!


R.

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#221782 - 11/21/07 04:15 PM Re: g70 questions
Diki Offline


Registered: 04/25/05
Posts: 14194
Loc: NW Florida
No worries, Russ. Actually, I got confused and was addressing Tom, but thinking he had the Ketron (what DID he come from, BTW?), not you.

I was just a bit more concerned about the fact that several of those questions were answered by the manual, fairly easily. I'm pretty sure you (Russ) have figured out pretty carefully what works and doesn't work for you, but Tom's questions seemed a bit unresearched, and I'm just trying to counsel patience if he HASN'T exhausted the manual and places like here and roland-arranger.com.

That is all... You might answer the same way if someone was talking about giving up on the MidJay, when it was obvious they hadn't read the manual, yet! Now, some of Tom's questions WEREN'T easily answered by the main manual, but some of them WERE. And, despite the ribbing, both here and at roland-arranger, we DO answer as many questions as we can, but no-one likes to be used as a substitute for reading the manual, we like to feel we come AFTER that process!

Everybody has to use what they are personally the most comfortable with (no arguments there!), but if you are unaware of many aspects of the OS, you'll never know IF a particular arranger WOULD work for you or not!
_________________________
An arranger is just a tool. What matters is what you build with it..!

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#221783 - 11/21/07 04:46 PM Re: g70 questions
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
Russ Id jump on Frans offer fast


He'll even come get it

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#221784 - 11/21/07 04:51 PM Re: g70 questions
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
Ps ....we need a road trip anyway Russ.

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#221785 - 11/21/07 05:41 PM Re: g70 questions
Diki Offline


Registered: 04/25/05
Posts: 14194
Loc: NW Florida
Tom, you might give this page a good going over. A LOT of really good tips and advice from G70 owners...
http://roland-arranger.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=4&id=20&Itemid=56
_________________________
An arranger is just a tool. What matters is what you build with it..!

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#221786 - 11/21/07 06:03 PM Re: g70 questions
Tom Cavanaugh Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/06/99
Posts: 2133
Loc: Muskegon, MI
Thanks everyone. Diki, I bought the g70 sight and sound unseen and unheard. I trust recommendations by people like yourself. I also trust Roland to make a TOTL board.

The only manual I have is on the CD that came with it. I think it has version 2 on it. It may also have the version 3 update.

Every keyboard falls short of our needs and expectations. It is just which short falls are least annonying to each of us.

I do believe that the g70 is a great board. The vocal harmonizer alone makes it almost worth it. I have not givin up on it. That's why I've waited so long to ask questions.

I'll take all of your suggestions and try to put them to good use except one. I've stated I want a 4/4 ballad and people keep suggesting I use a 6/8. I don't want a 6/8, get it?

One last question, if there are converted styles from other boards where can they be found. Please answer this privately by email. How about the style cd on Ebay? Has anyone used it?

Thanks everyone,

Tom
_________________________
Thanks,

Tom

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