Hi,
I'm so excited, picked up a new PA3X (61 note)this morning.
Haven't even had a chance to unpack it yet.
I was considering a swap to Yammie, but deep down I knew I'd miss the style creation/editing functions on the korg.

Hubby picked up the new car last Friday, I got my new keyboard a week later. Win,win all way round. haahaa

Hi Rikki
Congratulations

What a coincidence (not) that you got a new toy just after hubby LOL.

Bernie

HI Rikki,

Congratulations!!! I know you've wanted a TOTL arranger for a while now. You must be ecstatic. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the new Pa3 as compared to the Pa800. Have Fun!

Brilliant, Rikki.

Between the new car and the new keyboard, don't forget to drop hubby a line now and again.:-)

Congrats Rikki, I think you will love the PA3X

Rikki,
I can’t wait to get a full report from you (Pa3X)

Hey, this seems like old times. (Grin)

John C.

Hi Rikki...wonderful news...a TOTL arranger is a glorious thing...CONGRATULATIONS!

Ian

Rikki...WOW...Congrats my dear.
I am very interested to have your full report and opinions soon, as I know you do like a lot of the same music I do.

If you could somehow, sometime try to do some of the stuff Telmo does on the T4 ,,,but on your PA3 that would ne Super Duper.

I sold my PA2 a month ago...now I am saving up for a T4 or a PA3...
This is going to be a tough decision...right now I am leaning towards the T4.
The good news is...either way, both are outstanding in there own ways.
I just have to decide what will work best for me the way I play, the songs I love.

Rikki, you should just give up and stay with a software based arranger system!!!!

Frank

Thanks Bernie,
yeh BIG COINCEDENCE haahaa.

That's how I got my PA800 also.

Last time he got a convertible, big mistake, could barely fit the keyboard. This time however, definately got it right, we got a GMH Station Wagon ( don't know if you call them that over there) I could probably fit all 3. Oh dear! I'm collecting again. haahaa

Hi Frank,
I know, but I'm just a keyboard junkie at heart.

Took me months to get my new laptop setup ( Win7 caused problems with some of my old software) all but had it up & running, I tripped , dropped it , broke the internal hardrive ( amazingly our insurance covered for stupidity ) worst part was when I got it back I tried to load in my back ups & discovered my 6 month old OMEGA back up drive was corrupted.
Fortunately I still have most of my programs on various disks, but, I didn't have the enthusiasm to start all over again. Now I've got 2 Back Up Drives.

Thank you 124,

only thing is, I'd become a Playstation 3 widow.

I can't beleive it, hubby's become a Playstation 3 JUNKIE.
I downloaded Socom for him & finally talked him ( after 3 years of playing on his own) into giving playing online a shot.
Within a week he had a headset, he's taken over our 60 inch tv which luckily splits into 2 screens.
He's got 3 feet of it & I get to watch 12 inches in the corner.
I get the tv volume, he has the headphones. Hard to tell who he's talking to at times, me, or his new found buddies.
It's brilliant. He finally understands how someone can get addicted to a hobby. haa haa

Hi Lee,

currently I'm running my keyboard thru a set of old stereo speakers , not ideal as it colours the sound. They didn't have the speakers that go with it in stock.
A lot of the styles are still appear to be the same as on the PA800 ( except the extra variations), I haven't had a chance to do a comparison yet, I still have my PA800 for time being, so I'll be able to compare.

The new 4 variation + break setup is great. You can have the automatic fillins like the yammies, or you can press the dedicated fill buttons yourself.

For me, just because a keyboard may be missing some styles that I like on another brand, wouldn't put me off buying it. I don't mind spending the time converting , editing etc. I'd be lucky to use 10% of the styles of any keyboard I've owned. For me personally, the style creation functions are the most important . I have a few favourite piano styles I convert from one keyboard to the next. I discovered I can do some simple guitar styles using Guitar Mode. Basically I like to fiddle round doing my own thing. The XG drum kits are going to be really handy for my psr conversions. I won't have to spend ages manually converting xg drum tracks to suit korg.
Discovered that some of the styles like Hollywood & Show styles etc ( on the PA800) really work quite well with some of the old showtunes I like at nearly half tempo..

You're going to have to work out your priorities. I was really tempted into buying a Yamaha, because I really like the styles, but, I know I wouldn't be as happy with it's style creation functions as I would with the Korg. I'm more of a technology junkie than I am a musician.

One thing I've learnt over many years a good musician can make a crappy keyboard sound great, a bad musician can make a great keyboard sound crappy. I don't demo, haahaa.

Try & see both before you make up your mind, or you'll always wonder if you made the right choice. The T4 sounded brilliant, even though the guy demoing it for me at the store wasn't exactly what I'd call a good musician, there were a few noticeable bloopers haahaa.

Thanks Everyone,
I'm sure I'm going to have a ball. New things to learn. I didn't have the mp3 player on my PA800, so a new function for me.
Guitar mode has been improved ( next generation) so my guitar style tracks may improve. I may get past just strumming.

John,
it has been years since our old Technics days, nice to see a buddy with a Korg. Hope you're enjoying your PA800. I've still got mine for time being, no rush to get rid of it.

If you need any PA800 styles, I collected some thru several sources, some may need a bit of a tweak. I also have a few I did myself ( conversions, mix n matches etc), the link for those is below my messages at korg forums.

Hi,
I've been going thru some of the country styles.
A catergory that some owners said was a bit light on. There were originally 16 of them, now there's 21.

I've dumped my old stereo for a pair of Yamaha self powered monitors I forgot I had. They certainly sound better for time being. I managed to connect the PA800 & the PA3X thru them at the same time so I could do an A/B comparison.

The PA3X playing the identical country style on the PA800, to my ears, sounds much better. Smoother , more realistic, maybe better balanced mix of instruments, I don't know quite what, just sounds nicer. When I get a chance I'll do a list of what styles are totally new & which ones are rehashed. I'm guessing may also be that they've swapped some of the normal midi guitar tracks for guitar mode tracks ( which sound far more realistic).
.

Rikki, congratulations on your move up to the new TOTL Korg Pa3X arranger.
I'm looking forward to learning more about it's cool new and enhanced features as you discover and use them in your music making.
Merry Christmas in July.

Congratulations Rikki! Still waiting for mine, very limited availability in US still. Thanks for all your observations on the differences.

Rikki,
Considering your need..I think you made a very wise decision. I too am/was a more techi, than musician....Now I feel the need to change that...and learn more music, play more and tweak & fiddle less.
This is tough for me because in all walks of like I tend to be very technicle. Giving up the Korg PRO editing & functions would be difficult, but I may force myself to do it.

One thing you could do to help me....compare the Orchestral voices to the PA800...I use all thos a lot as well as Piano.
How do they compare? do they have glitches in them when you play note -note slowly right up/down the keybed?
Are they very realistic?
I know it will be a subjective thing, but I value your input.
Thanks,

Hi Rikki
I'm happy for you getting your new key board, I did like the Korg pa 800, now John has my Korg, the one thing I do miss is the song book, I did buy the tyros 4 and ya I do like it lots, my thing was all the styles , I still liked the drums and mixer better on the Korg also, for myself the T4 has worked out better but again I think different strokes for different folks both Key boards are great....... Paula

Paula, Lee here...
How do you like the lead voices and especially the Orchetral stuff on the T4 as compared to the PA800??
Thanks,

Thank you Paula , Scott & Graham,

Paula, you've got to buy what suits your needs & obviously T4 suits you better. I'm assuming you're talking about my long lost Technics buddy John C? Korg's the first keyboard we've had in common in the last 7 years or so, ever since I sold my KN7.

Scott, I was so tempted to buy the T4, but deep down I knew that little devil inside that needs to fiddle round with styles creator & all the other technical stuff would get the better of me. I buy with the intention of playing more, but, never happens haahaa.

Graham, so you're getting one too. Brilliant. I remember one of the early pa800 owners, swapped from PA800 to PA2X and said the styles somehow sounded better. I'm noticing that with the PA3X. Love the new 4 variations & the option of automatic fills, or you can hit the dedicated fill buttons.
Got so many more buttons & sliders than the PA800 it's great

Hi Lee,
Good for you. I've been promising myself that for the last 20 years, more playing , less techi stuff. I haven't succeeded. haahaa
My resolve to play more, usually lasts a couple of weeks. I'm hopeless,.
When I get mp3 function worked out (never had one before), I'll see if I can record some voices for you.

[quote=leeboy]Rikki,
Considering your need..I think you made a very wise decision. I too am/was a more techi, than musician....Now I feel the need to change that...and learn more music, play more and tweak & fiddle less.

Hi Lee,
over all I like the T4 better then the Pa800, the voices to me are great,I have more time to play music with the T4 as I am not constantly trying to change the styles or make new styles from styles, I did my first gig last night with the T4, and wow the place rocked, the age group was age 55 and up and I did a lot of the 60 Rock styles as well as country and some of the 30es and 40es, and the dance floor was packed,I did a three hour show, the T4 performed great so for myself I am very,very happy with styles and voices on the T4 ....Paula

Hi Rikki,
ya thats him John C , I'm glad your in contact again,
have fun with your new keyboard, I have been keeping an eye on your posts.... Thanks again for all the past help from you with the Pa800 .....Paula

Paula,
Glad to hear your input on the T4...If I go that way, I will do the same...play, play, play...tweek very little.
Thanks,

Rikki,
I am afraid I may be pulled the same way...if I can not fight it off :-)
I would appreciate some mini song pieces with some of the Orchestral voices.
The demos on KorgPA.com are not that much help.
Thanks,

It’s nice to see Lady members on SZ, good luck with your T4 Princess

Tony

Congratulations !!!...I hope some day I can have the PA 3X too.
I have the T4 and the PA 500, I will eventually sell the PA500 and with some added cash, get the big boy.


I am curios, I wonder how many of the styles we made for Korg, where included on the PA 3X?.


For now, Enjoy your keyboard and let us know your impressions.

Hi Paula,
I'm glad i was able to help in the past.
I sure will have fun, even more buttons to push haahaa.

Congratulations on your T4, I'm so glad to read it's working out for you so well.

Thanks so much Tony , so far so good with the T4.
Paula

Hi Lee,
look I know what you're going thru. I knew I'd have an awful time trying to decide what to get, to the extent that I dropped out for nearly 6 months.
Didn't touch a keyboard in all that time. ( I take a break every few years to try & cure the addiction. Didn't work. haahaa).

If all I wanted to do was play, I probably would have gone for the T4.
The guy at the store gave me a brief demo, it sounded brilliant.
All set up, ready to play.

Then I read some of the Korg specs, the 2 main things on my wish list had been, XG Drumkits & 4 variations, almost like they'd been listening.

Eventually I'm hoping to incorporate my softsynths ie use my laptop as a soundmodule, so I really need the controller functions on the korg.
I'd bought a number of programs like Garriton, & some NI sounds etc, hoping to use them for more than just Band in a Box. Actually it was all going pretty well till I broke my laptop. I'm slowly getting stuff loaded back in.

You've really got to try & see both before you decide. The PA3X may not be different enough from the PA2X for you, if you weren't happy with the styles.
I use a lot of my own conversions, so editing is important for me, The xg drumkits have just cut out an awful lot of work in not having to remap drums manually, I don't use EMC for converting any of my PSR styles.

Rikki ... A little late to reply. Congrads on the Pa3x ... I love mine I am sure you will be very satisfied with yours!!! The converstion of styles from the Pa2x is very simple. Check out the EKO Italy site there is new styles/pads already there for download. Have fun!!!!

Hi Mdorantes,
thank you.

I haven't even been thru all the styles yet.

There were some latin styles I'm sure weren't on my PA800?

Do you actually have a list, and I can check for you?
or would they all be in the Latin section, in which case I could just do a comparison of what's new.

Thanks JC,
luv it already. haahaa

Ok I'll check out the site. Thank you.

Hello again:

The PA 800/500/2X in their Latin section, did not have ours, we made ours when this models where already in production.
Korg Later release them for their users for free.

Here is the link of the Latino styles (Spain) that we made for Korg, if you want to download them, they are free for the Korg users. Just download it, then load them into your PA3X, beware not to erase your data, I always make a backup just in case, is a lot easier, that way you can restore your PA like when just opened, chances are you know this already, just in case, better be safe than sorry. ;o)


Here is the list:

1 MARIACHI CUMBIA ritmo de música con Mariachi
2 BANDA CUMBIA con el ritmo de Cumbia, muy popular
3 BANDA DEL RIO Fusión reciente de Banda y de la Sierra
4 CUMBIA DEL NORTE Cumbia al estilo Norteño
5 NTE CUMBIA LENTA a Ramon Ayala se le atribuye este estilo de Cumbia lento
6 CUMBIA ANGELICAL Cumbia Colombiana al estilo de los Angeles Azules, etc
7 SABROSURA Cumbia tradicional con mucho "Sabor"
8 CHARANGA Cumbia rápida muy tradicional
9 CUMBIA TECNO La versión moderna de la Cumbia
10 SONORA TROPICAL Sonora tradicional de influencia Cubana
11 KEBRADITA Tipica de música de Banda, baile rápido
12 MARIACHI POLKA música de Mariachi.
13 DE LA SIERRA Reciente estilo usando guitarras básicamente
14 PASO DURANGUENZE Estilo reciente de Durango, con baile especial
15 POLCA DEL NORTE música de "redoba" del Norte
16 MARIACHI LENTO Típico de Mariachi, Jose Alfredo Jiménez
17 MARIACHI VALZ Muy popular el Valz con Mariachi
18 DE LA SIERRA 3/4 La versión Valz de este estilo del Norte
19 3/4 BANDA Valz con la Banda
20 VALZ PERUANO Respuesta al Valz Vienes, solo más romántico
21 BOLERO RANCHERO Uno de los generos más románticos y populares
22 BANDA BALADA Lo más romántico de las Bandas de viento
23 TRIO BOLERO Las Románticas serenatas con trio.
24 NUEVA BACHATA Nueva instrumentación de la Bachata
25 RICO - CHA CHA Cha cha al estilo Cubano
26 MERENGUE POP Versión contemporánea de Merengue
27 MAMBO PRADO Mambo a la Pérez Prado
28 VALLENATO POP Popular baile Sur-Americano
29 BANDA SHUFFLE Banda con un Poco de Swing
30 BANDA ZAPATEADO Típico de Banda (Sinaloa)
31 MERENGUETENGUE A 6/8 como el Chilito Pikin
32 MARIACHI SON La más identificable música de Mariachi


The name of the style and some clue of the music that you can perhaps type on You tube, for those that may not be familiar with those music styles.
Thank you again,

Hi mdorantes,

sorry, what I'd been trying to say was, I'd check my PA800 & then do a comparison of PA3X styles to see what was different.
I was aware you generously gave us PA800/PA2X styles for free.
The list will be so much more helpful for me to check & see for you, which of the styles Korg has included on the PA3X ( provided they kept the same title haahaa)



[quote=mdorantes]
Hello again:

The PA 800/500/2X in their Latin section, did not have ours, we made ours when this models where already in production.
Korg Later release them for their users for free.

Rikki,
Great decision for you...the Korg works VERY WELL with the external sound module (or VSTi) thing...where the Yamaha does not. And with your love of style work...it will work out super for you.

Not sure what I'll do yet...

Hi mdorantes,
in regards to your list, I found the following 4 style names in the PA3X. I haven't had a chance to download yours yet, the names are identical, though.

They're actually in the World Category of styles.

Here is the list:

1 MARIACHI CUMBIA ritmo de música con Mariachi

12 MARIACHI POLKA música de Mariachi.

17 MARIACHI VALZ Muy popular el Valz con Mariachi

21 BOLERO RANCHERO Uno de los generos más románticos y populares

Thank you very much for that info, too bad that all the Phoenix Metro music stores do NOT carry the PA3X, only a couple had a PA 500 and another a "gently used" PA 800.....

Hi mdorantes,

I just happen to be lucky enough to have a large Korg dealer only an hour away.
I'd still be waiting another month or two if I'd wanted to buy one from my normal supplier. Stocks from what I gather are still be scarce.

A couple of things that may interest you, the XG drumsets on the korg sound pretty similar to my xg psr 1500 kits. May mean a lot less tweaking for you if you're recording same styles for both keyboards. Also you've got the 4 variations on the korg now.
They've also improved Guitar Mode. Before all you had in a guitar mode track were all the strums, fret noises & the 6 individual strings, now you can also record regular midi notes on the same track ie the lower section of the keyboard used to have the individual notes that triggered the strums, the upper end of keyboard triggered the noises, middle there was basically nothing . Now there's 2 or 3 octaves of normal guitar sounds. I used to have record my strums on 1 accomp track, then if I wanted midi notes for that track , I had to waste accomp 2, now both can be recorded on the same track in short a Guitar mode track can also be used a a guitar midi track.
They've also added a function that shapes the chord,. When I figure out what the hell that means I'll let you know. I'm not a guitarist. haahaa I think it gives more control of the strums and how many notes the strum plays, & which note the strum starts from or something. Until I actually fiddle around with it a bit, I can't be sure. The manual without hands on testing, doesn't really explain it all that well. .

Hi Rikkis:

In the Guitar mode you have also the "Capo" function, that is if you want to let say, in a 12 strings guitar you have in the 4th, 5th and 6th strings a thin string and a wide string tune (same note) an octave apart, this allows you to do that too.

Or like in the Vihuela, same tuning of a guitar except there is not 6th string, and on the 5th string is tune an octave higher than the regular guitar, that gives the Vihuela a special sound.

I hardly can wait to put my hands on that PA3X.

Hi mdorantes ( is it Manuel?)
I am aware of the Capo function, quite honestly haven't got a clue how it's supposed to be used. The only type of guitar mode patterns I've ever created on my PA800, were simple strum patterns, and intro's/endings. I don't even know where to put in the fret noises & thumps & bumps for realism. haahaa
Having said that, even the simple strum patterns sound better than one created using normal midi notes. I'm probably a typical keyboardist who would voice a guitar chord the same as a piano chord. I may need to learn guitar, in theory, if not in practice. haahaa

The PA3x manual is downloadable. Reference to Guitar Mode is in the smaller Advanced Manual, not the main one. I would say for anyone who creates Guitar mode tracks, this is probably quite an advancement, having a Guitar Mode Track also function as a normal midi track.

Love to hear your comments after you finally get to see one.

Yes....I am Manuel Dorantes.
I played guitar long time ago, I remember all the chord positions, but my fingers would have to pay their dues all over again, and that is a little painful.
My previous Guitar experience helps to figure how to use those functions.
Keeping in touch.

Hi Manuel,
I figured you must have been a guitarist. You worked those functions out so easily.
The only way I can work out what a guitar mode function does, is record it it into a sequence, then check the resulting notation in a pc sequencer. Cumbersome,haahaa

We watched an amazing spanish guitarist the other night on Foxtel TV, a musician by the name of Benise. I'd never heard of him before. He was brilliant.