BRICKBOO.....

I had an old ENSONIQ VFX-SD Workstation that did exactly what you are talking about...I would string together an Intro/Verse/Chorus as patterns into a song...

SIMPLE.....I used an old ALESIS SR-16 Drum Machine

I can actually pick up an ENSONIQ VFX-SD USED for $225.....

But the pianos are weak, plus some of them had reliability issues if they weren't sent back to ENSONIQ for a soldering solution....

I'm REALLY thinking the KORG PA 500 will do what I want......

I really want everything in ONE board.......

I cannot comment on other boards as I have only used technics, but as old a keyboard as it might be, the technics kn series - 7000, or 6500, or 6000 etc. - all have pretty extensive sequencing capabilities ... you can find a kn6000 owners manual to look at here:
http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/SXKN6000.PDF

technics owners here and on the technics forum occasionally will part with their kb

I have HEARD Boo play that worn-out old piece of junk, which I suppose is appropriate because that's what Boo is too.
Actually he makes it sound great, but it's a real shame that he is not longer using the sax much. He is a MASTER on it!
DonM

Steve,

After thinking about this, it seems that copy and paste, and punch in and out are 2 of the most important features. That is if you can also copy and paste a whole tune several times, for my preference.

Also the i30 has five extra tracks that you can go back after sequencing your song, and add more rhythm, solos or what ever with any instrument sound.

I can trigger this BSQ (backing sequence) and playback live with the keyboard, with all the features of the keyboard available. Such as fills endings, ensemble etc.

I didn't see many of these features in the manuals of the other boards that I investigated. Don't forget the friend in Australia said the PAX1 in his opinion did not have as good a sequencer as the i30. I don't know about the other Korg models. I kind of remember checking a few out such as the PA500 and was disappointed with the sequencing features. Maybe I am wrong.

I highly recommend getting a manual for any arranger about the sequenceing capabilites. In the old days all of the manuals sucked. Maybe the newer ones are better.
Hope this helps.

No I am not interested in selling my i30. It's not the keyboard. It's about playing the right chords (no matter how intricate they may be) and singing and being good looking like DonM, Uncle Dave, GaryD and DNJ. None of these guys can carry a tune in a bucket! But they sure can sing, croon and swing!!

For those of you interested in making money just become a DJ. Ha! Ha! That way you don't need to know a Bb from a Q#, 4/4 3/4, 5/4 50/50 or anything. Just how to count your pay. Ha! Ha!. Couldn't help it. "The Devil made me do it."

I appreciate every member on this forum. Even Nigel. Just a joke Nigel! Don't throw me off, OK? I'm hardly here anyway. I just offer a change of paste.

What's wrong with Uncle Dave? I can't get him ruffeled any more with whatever I say now. Oh! "the good old days" when Dave and I went round and round for days and days. It kept our blood flowing. I guess we both grew up and got older.

My best to all,
Boo

Yo Boo! Miss ya, man.
:-)

Ahhh Dave is gettin' old

Steve, what is your goal with your songs, what are you planning to do with them?

I write Christian/Country/Rock Pop.....

Closing in on 100 tunes. The ones I feel strongest about I use my session players in Nashville & L.A. As per my Soundclick page. But financially I just can't swing recording every song this way....

Also, some tunes I feel it would be better for me to play a lot of the parts to keep the original feel. So, I guess I would be making tracks to go into the Studio (I don't have one on purpose) to cut vocals and add other parts.

At the same time I could use my tracks via Keyboard Sequencer "live" and play piano or Acoustic Guitar with it at different Churches, Open Mics Etc.

The tracks I do may end up being re-cut with session players but if I track a REAL good feel for the song, it will be closer to the original.

I plan to release these tunes via CD and Downloads...

A lot of my songs are Acoustic Guitar written, Probably 75%. So I was hoping I could create some interesting Guitar Parts on the Keyboard in addition to my Breedlove American C25 SME Acoustic Guitar.

As I thought, you and I are very similar. This is JMO, but I'll give it to you FWIW.

I don't think you will find a solution in the arranger arena. If it had to be an arranger, I would say Ketron Audya is, by far, the best, since it sounds the most like live instruments. (I owned one.) However, it's expensive and support issues exist.

I think your only real option is a synth sequencer workstation. If you were to get good enough to lay down various tracks on one of those, it would sound most like a commercial release and, it would be more 'original sounding' than an arranger can provide. (I'm not good enough to do that. Yet.)

I am not aware of any arranger that is going to provide a decent alternative to hiring session musicians unless you are content to sell a few cd's here and there or you just want to record your songs for the sake of archiving them. Nothing wrong with that. And if I were buying top of the line, it would be Ketron Audya or Korg PA3x. But to get a sound decent enough for commercial release (in any genre), I doubt an arranger is the answer.

If you want to gig with an arranger, that's another matter. IMO, again, the best for live sound is Audya or PA3x. Roland is worth checking out. Yamaha is awesome for orchestrated pieces and big band stuff but for small combo / band stuff, it's not my choice. And I've owned three Yamaha arrangers.

Good luck!

Hi Steve,
why don't you check out Band in a Box, there's a forum.
Hey, they even offer you your money back if you don't like it.
You can record your backing tracks as audio files.
All you need is some sort of a keyboard to play along with.
The software has Real Tracks, ie real guitar strums, real guitar picking, real drums & bass. Real piano.
The realtrack style library is growing all the time.
Just have a listen to the demo's & talk to some of the muso's who use it for gigging, & a couple of them that I know of even use it in a studio.

The forum guys over there are really helpful. Doesn't hurt to ask.