Hi Diki
I do use my own SMF, done with styles from Tyros2 (awful), Band in a box (excellent real drums, terrible to program, poor flexibility,) and of course, totally sequenced with top VSTi, BUT I only use those MP3 to play solo piano, acustic, real one.
Here, beleive it or not, all the people where I worked KNOW when your using your arranger live and when your using SMF (even from styles, played at my Tyros or whatever keyboard) Here, or you plays the hole enchilada or you`re fired. As simple as that. On the piano I tend more and more to play without backing band. People prefer the effort when I play salsa, swing, bossa, whatever only with the piano. Well, it works for me.
But the experience to play with "real drums" from Band in a box for example, is so gratifying... That is one of the things that attract me to the Audya. Oh! and the Audya basses, excellent too (I`m also a bass player too...) but stability is a real concern, mostly comming from the most stable arranger as is the Tyros2.
Well, I have to comment...
Regards
Jo

Sorry!
I HAD to comment...

My english is as bad as my spanish and portuguese, so sorry!!

Jo

Jose,

I don't think any of this is helping you get an angle on buy or not to buy a KETRON AUDYA I don't think there are that many people got them to help you make that decision, Audya is not like BMW 3 series, save up your money and go and buy one. They do sound good, it’s the button control I go on about. I must tell you what I do from a job and then you will understand why I go on about it. I write software for building management system where users access data and graphics via buttons on a keypad or a mouse on a PC , all my buttons do what the client wants’ them to do.

Regards Tony

Draw a line under this Jose, it's getting too complicate by far!

No, Jose, glad to hear your input. What I fail to see is, how does your audience accept you playing an arranger as 'genuine', where the truth is, you are probably only playing a melody or one handed piano part over the top of 90% of what they hear being NOT you, and yet you get fired for using an SMF where you play fully with both hands?

I can see them accepting a solo only performance as being the most genuine, but how do most of the audience even TELL the difference between you playing two handed on an arranger (at least, they see you playing with both hands) and playing two handed over the top of an SMF? Are they honestly so skilled as musicians that they really can tell the difference?

Because I know a boatload of guitarists and drummers and bass players that have NO IDEA what form of accompaniment I am using. They simply know I'm not playing it ALL. If musicians can't differentiate it, I honestly think you give too much credit to the audience. They simply know when they are hearing a 'just like the record' performance. If you played a 'Song Style', that is made to sound just like the record, they would probably have exactly the same reaction to it.

Yes, using SMF's has got a bad rap, mostly because of poor to REALLY bad keyboard players using them as karaoke, and playing little over the top. But, just as there are good and bad arranger users, there are good and bad SMF users. Most of what I use are bass/drums and maybe a guitar part (if needed ) and that's pretty much it... Do you honestly mean to say that I would have a hard time working your area doing that, but if I used an arranger to play 90% of what they hear, I would do well?

Glad I play where I do, in that case!

I'm having extremely bad luck with the Audya. The first one was damaged in shipping to me. Nothing serious but several of the keys were clunking when released. There was a hole in the box that lined up with the damaged keys.
It was swiftly replaced, but after a couple of weeks, the second one developed a sound output problem that proved to be terminal.
Another replacement is on the way. Ketron US have been super in their support. I am very happy with most of the features and particularly the new Operating System. As with the older models there are MANY dedicated buttons to facilitate real-time playing.
I should get the new one in a couple of days.
I also got a sneak preview of 3.0. It's going to add a LOT. I think the Audya is now ready for release to the public. Sorry, couldn't resist, but there is probably no one that will disagree that even after all that time, it was released a little prematurely. However, the feedback (you could call it Beta testing) was probably necessary to determine what needed to be addressed. It is an extremely deep and powerful machine and Ketron seems to be quickly acting to fix things as they are brought to their attention. It now seems to be stable and the current upgrades are no longer critical fixes, but instead enhancements.
DonM

Couldn't agree more Diki. For the record, I try very hard to be one of those good SMF users!

I'm guessing Jose is primarily an instrumentalist (no vocal) and thus the focus is on his playing - it's under more scrutiny. (Feel free to corect me Jose )

Where I (we) play, the emphasis is placed on vocals, so a fluffed solo or wrong note, or, I guess more to the point SMF/Arranger/"Pure" playing (unaccompanied) comes a distant second compared with an out of key Vocal.....


[This message has been edited by hellboy44 (edited 08-12-2009).]

But, were HIS playing to be under great scrutiny, one would think that the form of music that requires MORE 'human' playing, and less machine would be the preferred form. Apparently, the converse is true...

Hi Diki
Yes, I`m an instrumentalist (classical pianist) and only use an arranger when I`m in duo with singers that don`t play at all.
People really don`t like so much arrangers: too much buttons and lights that "disguise" poor playing. When I play, I only use Drums, percussion and bass. And mostly play in "piano mode", full keyboard recognition.
When we play I always stop the machine and play "rubato parts" make "mistakes" (people sings with us so we extend a bar here and there, etc)
Well, is my way of working, and I`m not the only one here.

DonM, Thank`s for posting!
Oh my God, two Audyas with troubles? not good. But the company attitude seems very good. Besides your problems, how you judge the machine, and even more with the beta 3.0 version you have? At least, is more stable?

People, if you want to take a look of what I do, feel free to visit here: http://www.youtube.com/jomartinspiano
There`s a lot of videos, some solo, some with backing tracks.

THank`s a lot for your comments!!
Jo

Audya owners:
I need a little help from you (if possible):
My main instrument is piano as I said, and the worst sound in Tyros2 is the piano... I know that is almost impossible to duplicate correctly, and I have excellent piano in vst, but don´t want to carry the laptop with an arranger, or use another module.
So far, all the piano sounds I heard from Audya sounds decent to me, but the youtube compression and recorded from camera`s mic, doesn`t help at all.
Could anybody record for me a few minutes of the main piano sound? PLEASE! I don`t pretend to judge your playing, just to hear the piano sound and evaluate thru my equipment, and THANKS in advance!

Regards
Jo

From discussions on this forum, most persons would agree that the problem with arranger players customizing SMFs is that arranger players do not have the technical and musical creative skills to do so.

The same way they are able to use styles is the same way they use SMFs; OOTB and no personalization.

For those of us who actually use the arranger for what it was made for, we customize and make the sound on the gig our own and not just what a prerecorded machine gives us.