The basic system consist of:

Windows 7.
Live-Styler (mostly), vArranger & OMB.
Abeleton Live includes effects (replaces forte as host).
Kontakt 5 Sampler for Main or Right Hand Sounds.

Main or Right Hand VST Sounds:
NI Kontakt 5, Bardstown, VRSound, GOP, JABB, Garritan Strings, and many others.

Auto Accompaniment Wavetables:
Halion 1.5, Bandstand, SGM 2.01, Colossus (General Midi, XG, GS, etc.)

Antares Harmony EFX (Works well with Abeleton Live but not with Brainspawn's forte.).


i7 Intell Processor
8GB RAM
M-Audio 1010LT Soundcard

This system works well with my Roland A37 controller keyboard:

You can use the lowest octave for changing variations, fills, etc. Alternatively you can progam all the buttons on the PC keyboard to perform all the arranger controls you want.

There is no noticable delay in playing the notes or changing sounds for both the auto accompaniment (Wavetable is fully loaded or each wave is partially loaded) or the main (right hand voices which are loaded in Kontakt/Abeleton Live-switching channels changes voices, etc.). Now you may from time to time changes all your right hand voices to better suit what your playing say from jazz to country....keep in mind you can load many, many, many, many sounds since it only loads part of each wave within each sound.

As most of you know I have used this kind of system for years, and then some. Would I ever go back to a hardware based system....the answer is absolutely not. On top of everything the system sounds really, really good.

Lucky me!!!

Frank

Nice, Frank! My setup is similar to yours, but I'm still on Cantabile Performer (I didn't like Forte and can't be bothered to try Ableton Live).

I just wish development on OMB and Live Styler would pick up the pace, or that vArranger was about 300€ cheaper. :P

Do you like vArranger, by the way?

Hi Frank,
noticed you gave up Forte, any particular reason?

Also with VArranger, what soundsource are you using for the Ketron style's Live Drums?

Dan's just introduced Roland styles to VArranger, so it's got me interested enough to switch my PA3X off for a day or 2. haahaa

arbrandes, my go to auto accompaniment player is Live-Styler. In fact, I purchased the complete system including thousands of styles and sounds (giga and soundfont). Ableton Live turns out to be a very good host. It takes a bit of effort to get it all setup.

Rikki, I gave up on forte so I could use a much higher quality vocal harmonizer, namely Antares' Harmony EFX.

At this point I have not used any of the Ketron stuff with vArranger. This will be a future undertaking.

Frank

Rikki, I should have mentioned that my perference would be to have a software based wavetable for use with vArranger. I want to stay away from hardware based stuff including sound modules. How well this would work for Ketron's mix of midi and audio based styles I don't know.

Frank

Correction: It should have been Halion 1.6.

I should have mentioned that I also use VI.ONE for both auto accompaniment and main voices.

Hi Frank,
you're going to have problems with the "LIVE DRUMS" if the Ketron style uses a Live Drum kit. SD1 styles do, though can't remember if it's the case for all of them. Styles from earlier models may not be a problem.

Hi Frank,
what's that??

http://vir2.com/instruments/vione

Enjoy

Bill

Hi Bill,
thank you, I'll check it out.

The following is a more complete list of my sound sets and wavetables:

Auto Accompaniment Wavetables (GM, GS, XG, etc.):

Halion Sonic 1.6
Bandstand
VI.One
Colossus
Soundfonts (SGM 2.01, Papelmedia 2006 and many more soundfonts)
Live-Styler (Many GIGA & Soundfonts)

Main or Right Hand Voices:

Grritan (Personal Orchestra, Jazz & Big Band & Orch. Strings)
VI.One
Quantum Leap (Colossus & Brass)
Kontakt 5, Experience & B4II
VRSound (Alto & Tenor Sax & 3D Pipes - Organ)
Bardstown (Piano, Banjo, Guitar, Accordion, Clarinet, etc.)
Cool Vibes by Art Vista
Scarbee Bass
Whole Lotta Country by Larry Campbell
And Others

I have purchased the above over a period of many years. I like the flexibility of adding and changing voices as my requirements change. The above is not intended to brag but to give some idea of what is possible.

Frank

Hi Frank
how do you find the Live Styler Giga & Soundfonts. I bought his Ketron set, but never really got round to using them because I own an SD2.

[quote=Frank L. Rosenthal]


Live-Styler (Many GIGA & Soundfonts)

Rikki, I would rate them as good. Norbert, has designed them to work well with up to the Tyros 2 styles. I happen to like the Halion Sonic wavetable. Given that Steinberg is taken over by Yamaha, the Yamaha styles sound pretty good with Halion Sonic.

Frank

Thanks Frank.

I must be getting old but I need to make another correction and that is, I have the Antares Harmony Engine EVO.