OK, if you're following - my EA7 has morphed into an SD7. My initial thoughts are positive, but it's way too early to change my avatar.

Positives:
1-sounds great - speakers are powerful
2-feels great - solid, weighted (but not heavy) keys
3-navigates well, not my fav, but not bad
4-most features you'd want are easy to get to
5-extra mic, or guitar input - YAY
6-intuitive sliders - well labeled
7-2 media players

Negatives:
1-larger than I'd like by 6" - makes it cumbersome to load, and tight on many stages. A case for this beat will make it impossible to fit in my trunk side to side. Don't want another minivan, don't want to slide it in longways. I want it to fit in the trunk.
2-no hard button for vocal harmony - not assignable to standard f/s
3-I'm guessing that most arranger players have WAY more free time with the left hand than the right, so splitting the controls on either side of the screen, while attractive, make it difficult to make some changes that I'm used to doing with my left hand
4-it's a tad heavy, but built very well. It's solid, pro looking, and attractive

These are my impressions after just a few hours with the unit. I spent about 2 hours updating the OS ... you have to do one at a time, and this one needed 5 updates. Future updates will be a snap.
I haven't even started to write a registration, or custom patch, but if push came to shove - I'd take it on a job tomorrow, and sweat through it.

Ketron does sound great..
Many people choose sd40 module with a light midi controller for portabillity

I tried syncing the sd90 with a Genos in store a few weeks ago..
Somehow the syncing didn’t work well, its hard to force the ketron into a slave for time sync.
Als when using guitar tracks, i found there was an unacceptable delay in chord r3cognition.

So from this experience,i would say a ketron instrument with keyboard is a more reliable solution.


For now, just enjoy the sounds and styles

I have info the perfect arranger is comming later this year from Italy...
It was meant to be introduced at Musikmesse, and no, its not a Ketron.

.

ketron has always been excellent in two aspects, drums and bass. regarding the rest of the sounds, It's already a matter of taste and smell. The keyboard sounds a bit like a wedding to me and less a professional sound. But as they say about taste and smell, there is no arguing. For me, the GENOS is the real deal and I haven't tired of it even after about a year and a half.

Pardon my ignorance but what does a "wedding" sound like?

He probably means it sounds like a live band
And not like a professional studio recording..

Hench why other people love Ketron?

I want to respond to Donny's post with the link and JDX's comments. First, I had 2 Ketron SD7 keyboards and both were as reliable as any other keyboards I owned. It frustrates me when folks post about "freezing" experiences with Ketron products. First let me say I did manage to hang up my SD7 - so it does happen. The question is why? What I found was if you downloaded a bunch of styes, which I did, and began trying them some would not work on the SD7. My question is why would any gigging player use anything on a live gig they had not tried at home?? The other thing I discovered is if I got in a hurry and did not let the OS do it's thing it could freeze up. I have heard stories that some owners had a problem with the SD7 and returned it for a replacement because there really was a problem of some kind. Well, I had that happen with a Tyros 5. JDX mentions the manual being on the keyboard - did he try to download one from the website?

Over a 4 year period, using a SD7, a SD40, and a SD90 I have not once had any of them cause me a problem on a live gig - about 600 gigs.


Deane

Deane good assessment on the SD7 I also had two SD7's....
sometimes the way you would use it on stage is totally different then what another player would do. I know you usually do not sing or use the VH combined with styles play or smf,mp3 backings etc, and that could be a reason for freeze ups also on occasion when you tax the OS and confuse it with too many duties at one time. Most times these things don't happen but sometimes they do and on stage is not a good time to do a reboot when an audience is looking at you...good to have an alternate device on board also, tablet, laptop to turn to and sing to a track while the reboot is happening which could take a few minutes.
You have to feel totally comfortable when performing with any keyboard. I enjoyed my time with the SD7's & all the other Ketron keyboard arrangers & modules I had which is pretty much all of them except the Audya I had,....
but I just prefer Yamaha to anything on the market at this time.
I hope Dave works it out and keeps it this time around...we'll see.

Take care

2nd day update:

After spending lots of time updating the OS, then practicing some much needed "keyboard distancing" (to clear my head) I have reached a few conclusions.

1) AJ and his colleagues really do have the needs of the end user at heart. They carefully chose generic, useable, styles and sounds (with great detail, and expression), rather than fill the instrument with vast choices of "maybe I'll use this" type sounds. This makes it appeal to a more traditional type of musician, like me. I play the hits. This is a PLAYERS instrument. In a band, I'd have the best players I could find, and they'd most likely use their favorite, most versatile instruments. Ketron has provided that approach to their styles. There aren't 1000 EPs, and 500 basses. There are LOTS of choices, but the choices represent the cream of the crop in their respective categories. I will focus on bread and butter sounds for almost everything. I want my "band" to sound like a top notch group of players who don't need to switch instruments for every song.
I've said many times that my priorities are vocals-bass-drums then everything else, and I have to be honest - the Ketron bass and drum sounds are among the absolute best, if not THE best. I have played. I still love the live sound of the Korg PA4x, and the SX900 sounds fantastic as I have used it, but there is something extra "in your face" about the Ketron rhythm section. I feel like I have the Wrecking Crew in a box. This makes me sing with a confidence that enhances every performance.

2) I've made lots of decisions based on size, weight, and appearance (wives?? ) ... and I seldom place sound quality first. Everything made in the past 10-15 years sounds pretty great. It's not that I don't prioritize sound quality, it's that most of the audiences don't recognize the subtitles of my decisions, and as long as my vocals sound the way I want - the overall mix just has to support that. It comes down to this: if I pick the right tune, play it reasonably well, and sing it from the heart - the people will respond favorably. That's been my mission statement from day one as a performer. I have many tools to use as I perform my craft, and lately, guitar and tracks have been my go to rig. This allows me the luxury of playing the SD7 at home until I designate it's place in my arsenal. That being said - I absolutely love the sound, and I am enjoying playing it. Some of the navigation is not what I'm used to, and some of the limits are making me think more than I like while playing, but all in all, it's a very positive experience, and with time - I'll become more comfortable.

3) Let's talk bulk. In my regular work, I set up twice a week. Once for 4 days, and then a one nighter. Size isn't an issue at either venue, and the weight is manageable while I'm still a young stud. (ahem) If work goes back to normal soon, and I am fortunate to have the same schedule, I may choose to start taking the SD7. There's one big perk that Ketron offers to me, and that's a dedicated guitar input that can be used simultaneously with the mic. The on board speakers are strong enough to handle this load, and having the option of using my keys and guitar on the same job appeals to me.

4) What about the mic processor? This is the most paramount of issues, as you know for me. There are a few hoops I had to jump through to buddy up to the harmonizer, and I'm still on the fence as to it's potential, but I'll say this ... I think it's possible that I can tame the beast, and bring just the keyboard, guitar and an ipad and do the job. I will use a small passive mixer to merge the guitar and iPad into the same input. AJ - if you're listening (and I know you are!) a stereo aux in would be a nice addition to this instrument!. Maybe reconfigure the aux out jacks? Just dreaming.

5) Conclusions (after 2 days):
I want to give this a fair chance. I already love the sounds and styles (I use very few)
and it came to me in a financially attractive way. (traded an i30HD plus some $$ for a Tyros2 - traded the T2 for an EA7 - traded the EA7 for the SD7 plus a teeny bit of $ for shipping. I'm into this at a very favorable cost, and I want to see where it goes. My best guess is that I'll be out of work for at least 1 more week (maybe 2?) and I'll spend that time getting to know the instrument. I'll make some recordings, post it live, and we can all get to know it together. Stay tuned my friends ... the music will not be silent!

git 'er done, and git it comin' ...

I think it will be much longer then that Dave.....
Hope not but it certainly looks very dismal at this point..
I'm hearing possibly 4 to 6 months the way we are now...
pretty devastating for sure..

good luck stay safe

Especially when you read about the New Jersey nursing home that has most of their residents infected and moved out. Gonna be a long ride before they feel comfortable about walk-ins.

My wife is off until 4/17. OH NO!!!!! She just walked through the door and I'm already moving furniture......lol

Things are very uncertain, but preaching doom and gloom doesn't help. Let's stay positive! I tried to make a strong, informative post about music - let's stay on track please. There's enough news when you need to hear it elsewhere. There are NO HEALTH EXPERTS here - let's talk music

My Korg is made in Italy - I hope it's that brand...….what do you think Bachus???

Zuki agreed... it's a sad state of affairs here
in NJ & NY and many other places around the globe...
this is serious stuff. Pray for the World.

Yes, let's do that, and keep this place as an escape by concentrating on music, and music stuff ...

YES!

When I owned the SD7, I also owned the SD 1000 plus. Same sound engine less the Ram sounds.
I also owned the Integra7..

These comments are based on sound and not the features.

At this same period of time I also had the G70, BK9, and EA7.

The following are my observations..

The drums and basses on both Ketrons (SD7 and SD1000+) are a given.
They sound real.
The G70 with Studio exp, come close to Ketron.
BK9 a bit better than G70 (bass and drums).
Followed by the EA7.

But I found (not surprising) Integra7 (Supernatural), the best of all.

If I had to choose the sound device again. It would be along the same lines as before. I would use the Integra7 (sounds), and need a keyboard to use (G70).

I love some of the features on SD7, I also dislike what it does not do. I would not replace the G70 with the SD7.

If you want that Ketron sound.. go for SD1000+

If you want the best sound device ever..Integra7.

There is a difference in the sound quality between synth/workstation and organ, and I mean the ketron sounds remind me of an organ level, while the GENOS is more like a synth, although it is not yet at the level of for example MONTAGE.
The fact that sd7 sounds more live I like it ,because it reminds me of the era In which I played in bands.
all I'm talking about is the sound quality. I know that some of my friends don't matter that much and they keep on saying that the audience doesn't understand or notice anyway, and even if that is true,] to me it is important and also to some of the audience who feel the difference just can't explain it in professional terms.

David,

Each to his own. I don't care what people say but I have never ever heard any Yamaha arranger keyboard that does not sound like a KEYBOARD. The Genos is a great ( and expensive) piece of equipment) and I would love to have some of its excellent sounds on my Ketron SD7. Other than that the SD7 is hard to distinguish for the average listener from a true band, and I guess that is a fact. In the end it all comes down to taste and purposes. If you like making CD like quality productions, let alone if you are not a singer, I would always go for Yamaha.
If you are an entertainer and a singer on top of it I would always go for Ketron. Korg sits in the middle of all this I guess....

regards
John

This is my camp, too. Well said, John.

People claim to have seen the new keyboard in korg factories in spring 2019.. sound design was being done back then..

Its aclaimed to be the follow up of the pa4x series.. probably have a brand new name..

Its expected to have someengines from Kronos, atleast those engines used in their grandstage (also made in italy) the piano and the dp engines. The AL1 virtual analogue, 3 organ engine (b3, farfisa, vox) .. an advanced version of their sample ingine from the pa4x that is also compatible with HD1 kronos sample sounds. And possibly an FM and a wavetable engine..

Personally i am hoping there will be a new drum engine inside ,... including drum pads..
and also some things leased from ketron like launchpad and a songplayer with both midi as well as audio tracks..
Next to the sliders it should also have knobs...


If you read back on korg forums, you will see where this info is comming from..

But then with Corona in Italy blowing out of proportions, it could take quite some time before we see this...

My best bet is, they will push it when live continous to normal after corona..

Bachus,

who cares??!!
This is a thread, and a constructive one to boot, about the Ketron SD7.
Get a life !!!

John

+1

What the heck is going on here?!?
I really think people are getting cabin fever and need to do something physical to release some pent up emotions rather than hastily (MY opinion) writing their thoughts here ...
As I see it, Bachus first stated that Ketron sounds great, then voiced his opinion about using modules and stuff - which quite frankly is foreign to me because I'm just a simple AKB player -
Then zuki asked Bachus' opinion on something and Bachus answered ... In what way does that deserve the comments that followed???

TAKE A CHILL PILL FOLKS !!! and read and RE-read what you write BEFORE you post it !!!

PS: It's not the first time and won't be the last that a topic has strayed off a bit, and we are ALL guilty of that to some extent ...

Trying to follow this great advice, myself. Just breathe .......

It is going to be a VERY LONG While before this is over
and if ever back to what we once knew as normal.
This is an opportunity to really DIG IN and work on your Music,
playing skills, singing, recording, setups, studio redecorating, memorizing songs, and so many other things musically.
This ain't going away for a long time why not make it productive.
Wake up, eat, music, dinner,TV, sleep,....rinse and repeat.
Stay home stay safe.

No one knows HOW LONG, and yes, it MAY be very long ...

And no, I don't think we will get back to what has been 'normal' for us pretty much all our lives, but every generation has adjusted to a 'new normal' of one type or another - remember when there was no such thing as the internet or 'smart' phones?, and we will adjust after this also ...

As to the rest of the message, I will give a +++1 ...

PLEASANT thoughts, everyone ...

Yes - please, let's all try to refrain from stating "facts" that are really opinions. I'm staying positive, and hope it's contagious.
Watching my words.

Thank you Bachus. Appreciate your reply to my question. I sure hope it's a Korg coming down the pike. I'm happy to have held off on the 4.

I thought about checking the Korg forum on this subject, so thanks for that too

here is a fact dave not opinion just announced...

State orders halt to nonessential construction...

https://www.politico.com/states/new-york...ruction-1269370

+1 t.

Not taking any click-bait. I watch the news and make my own reactions. Let's stay focused on music - this is a safe space, so let's enjoy it with a smile!

I understand it could reach the 70's today...temperature wise

ok dave fair enough....that said I just finished another 8 song registrations on my T4....that makes 4 banks so far.

that said ....will you decide on the sx900 or
sd7 to use live down the road...?
what are your A/B thoughts using both at this time....pros /cons?

How about getting back to Ketron subjects?

Deane

My idea all along, don't know why Tony got so upset about stating the obvious.

Dave,
any chance of you doing a streaming with the SD7 soon ? Would be great I really enjoyed "She's no lady ". Keep them coming please.

regards,
John

To answer Donny and John .... the SD7 is edging out the SX900 as my road rig ... mostly due to 2 things. The chord recognition, and the harmonizer. I plan on doing a "LIVE" either today or tomorrow on the SD. I'll post when I decide!
Having the SX900, and the PA4x in my studio will afford me all the sounds and versatility I can ever imagine I'll need, and the Ketron will shine as a live performance tool. As many of us have found out - we can certainly use almost anything on the market, but at THIS moment, in THIS climate, the SD7 looks like my go-to unit. I still plan on doing much of my work on guitar, and this allows me the option to do both, and monitor it IN MY FACE. ... where you all know, I LIVE.

Dave, remember when we were both playing Solton X1? I got mine one day and called you and you said go ahead and take it to work tonight, it's easy to operate.
Worst advice I ever got!
Sure sounded great at the time though.

I did the same! I can definitely take this one out - I have a good handle on it ... just need a footswitch.

One thing I don't like is the archaic interface for the foot pedals. Have to tighten and loosen every time you set up and break down.
The FS6 is extremely useful though. You can assign almost anything to it. I used VH on/off, Fill/break, Sustain, and various others. As I have lost most feeling below my knees because of neuropathy, I am now trying to limit myself to two or max three foot switches, so I don't have to look to see my feet.

I'd be just fine with a single. I use sustain, and harm on/off only. I'm sure AJ will come up with something .... Fran and I were just talking about making one. That connector should only be a few bucks, and it's got to be a relatively easy mod. Until that time - I assigned a soft button on the bottom of the screen, similar to the way the SX900 offers extra soft buttons.

More SZ SD7 reviews....

Ketron SD7 SZ reviews

John ... So Deanne says lets get back to Ketron subjects - well, Bachus starting talking about Ketron, and yes, went off the path talking about a possible arranger from Italy which prompted a question from zuki, which Bachus then answered ...
I just didn't think that either of them going off the path was worthy of Bachus being told to "Get a life" ... As I said - not the first time going off track has happened on this board, won't be the last ...
Am I being a little oversensitive right now about how people are responding to each other, perhaps I am ... but I don't consider that a bad thing JMHO

Now, how about that SD7 ?!?

Thanks Bachus,
Something to look forward to.


P.s probably shouldn’t have posted a response, but if someone posts something that I find useful,I have the good manners to say “ Thank you”

Hi Dave,
getting a bit confusing, so SD7 is additional to the sx900?

If so, good for you.

Plain jealous that we don’t have an AJ over here, or I’d be tempted to get a module.
Unfortunately the people that used to sell Ketron here, were not very reliable.
Can’t understand why they never really took off over here.

Sorry, but I for one disagree with that statement, if it’s played by a PRO,
Don M’s expertise makes any keyboard he’s owned sound like a backing band including Yamaha’s.

+++1

I agree

HA! Don has you all fooled with that 'guitar thing'. I have it from a reliable source that he uses a REAL guitar.


chas

What a great left handed compliment.

+++1 as well!

Hi Rikki, As someone who plays full time, and also likes to dabble in the recording end of things, (sometimes for profit, most times for fun) I've always wanted a fully loaded arsenal at home. I also have a mindset that has me always prepared for "the next thing" ... which may come in handy in the coming months, as many of us will be restructuring our workload. My studio setup revolves around a Mac running Logic, and Studio ONE. These platforms allow me the versatility to produce almost any type of music on their own, and I add my own keyboard, guitar, drums etc to further enhance the product as desired. My main desk has an Akai 249 controller that connects me to all the sounds that reside in the computer, and my SX900 sits right beside for quick demo tracks of basic arrangements. The beauty of this setup is that I can record these tracks as audio AND midi, to allow sweetening, and editing later on. I can do most anything with these basic tools ... BUT - there's more - there's the live room (it's actually in the SAME room, lol) that allows me to record small bands while I man the controls that feed the "Big Mac".

I essentially have a section of the room dedicated to a live drummer, keyboardist, guitarist, and singer. Any more people than that, and I have to use my living room. The drum set is a Roland Octapad with dedicated Snare pad, and 2 cymbal surfaces for ride, and Hi Hats. This gives drummers the feel, and location of the main components that a traditional kit provides. For live, quiet work, I also have a small acoustic kit , with low volume cymbals in my living room.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SPD-30KIT--roland-octapad-compact-electronic-drum-set-white

The "Korg Korner" is for keyboard players, and has the SV1 sitting under the PA4x - this gives the player killer EP/piano, bass, and organ/synth in a very compact package. These keyboards are also very robust, and I don't worry about players who are somewhat "heavy handed" ... I worry about that with the Yamaha key action, so I keep that one at my side that only I play. There's also a 14 channel mixer in the Korner that allows custom tweaks to the band's instruments, and feeds the main interface at the desk. I can also make a live OMB recording here, direct to the Korg with my vocals and harmonies, then transfer to the computer for further editing.

The Guitar section has a Roland Jazz Chorus with a Boss Acoustic Singer sitting on top to cover acoustic, electric, and looping, Both amps can DI straight to the Mac, so recordings can be done very quietly with every player on headphones. There are guitars, basses, mandolins, and ukes hanging on the walls, and banjos and backups in closets ready for their moment.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/...tereo-combo-amp

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/...c-combo-with-fx

My living room has the P-121 in a corner with a nylon string acoustic guitar for quiet couch sessions, and the teeny tine drum set I made from (jingle-less) tambourines, 12" snare drum, and a pancake kick drum.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/...nch-black-satin

The SD7 will be the road warrior, and live in a case by the door, unless it's setup on stage, or in my trunk. Same with the guitars I use on stage.

So, you see - I have a diverse set of needs, and the tools I feel that best compliment those needs. I don't just buy the "next greatest thing", and I actually feel that I don't have any redundancy in my gear. Everything has a specific strength, and comfort factor that makes each piece a valuable tool in the arsenal. Fran will tell you that all he needs is a G70, Chas just needs a B3, and Donny ... well, that's a story for another day (he said with LOVE). We all have our "stuff", and as long as we're chasing our creative destiny ... it's all good. Guess I rambled on quite a bit, but I hope that answered your question. The picture of the desk area was before I got the Yamaha, so the PA4x was at my side. That's since been updated. Enjoy!

A man and his musical instruments ... BEAUTIFUL !!!

Careful, Dave, you are getting off the SD7 track ... oh but then, it is YOUR thread ...

Hi Tony,
let's just keep it to the fact that we kind of agree to disagree here, no hard feelings which should go without saying really.
It if kind of funny how due to Uncle Dave acquiring a secondhand Ketron SD7 as well as me doing so a couple of months ago , has removed this keyboard from the backburner so to speak and imho rightly so. Mind it is not the answer to everyone's musical prayer and I do not pretend it is. I do stick to my remarks about Yamaha as compared to Ketron no matter how David, Rikki and others may feel on this issue.
I would like to repeat though that I would gladly add a number of fantastic yamaha sounds to my ketron SD7. If the price were not so prohibitive I would definitely go for an SD60 ( = SD9 with speakers) but also taking into account that I do not play the arranger keyboard that often as I also use my old stage piano more and more (as you may have heard if you downloaded my recent home made CD)I feel that the SD7 gives me ample stuff for my needs.
I am very much looking forward to hearing more from Dave on the SD7 (hopefully he will be doing a streaming session soon) as of course he is an absolute professional and listening to his recent recording of She's no lady, is a complete treat to me !!
In case you missed it, but I don't think you did, the links to the two songs I had a go at yesterday on the SD7.
Stay safe,
JOhn

Midnight Special EQ-ed
https://app.box.com/s/p7clot5g1aun9jrillw0rw9yohg8y9rv
Factory:
https://app.box.com/s/ati0x2nkd9i4tq04pdtc6esgnt6lpwpt

Wow Dave,
that is one heck of a setup.

Can see why you would want a seperate keyboard to be able to just pick up and go to work. Not doubling up on what you already own, makes a great deal of sense. I ended up with 3 korgs, but only because I didn’t try and sell any of them,
put it in the “ too hard “ basket , wish I had, because selling them , didn’t prove to be a problem in the end.

The last thing you would probably want to do is have to unplug an existing one and take it to work, then put set up back together again.

Enjoy your new keyboard.

That's the idea, Rikki. When I'm set up at the club, everything I use stays there from Thursday thru Sunday, so back at home - I need everything ready to play when I turn the switch on. Putting together a few thoughts for an SD7 "Live" tonight - stay tuned.....

Good one Dave.

Amen on the chord recognition!! Will it take an act of Congress for Yamaha to wise up? Everyone BUT Ketron offers Yamaha-stye chord recognition as an option. If Yamaha would offer Ketron / Korg / Roland-style chord recognition as an option, the fading of Roland wouldn't be as big a loss to the arranger community. Roland players would have a legitimate "mass-market" alternative. Uncle Dave you got a screamin' good deal on that SD7! For me personally the SX900 would be a non-option, unless it were being driven by a non-Yamaha arranger in a two-tier setup (which is way more than most people would take on a gig.)

Intrigued, what exactly is wrong with Yamaha chord recognition?

I personally don’t try and play very complex chords on an arranger , but I do play full chords and inversions, haven’t really noticed any problems.

Also I don’t play in pianist mode, just split left chords, right melody.

So just interested in what the problems one might encounter are.

I like using 1, or 2 fingers for most chords. In the Yamaha if you only play 1 finger, you get a tonic only, with no 34d or 5th ... unless you use the no musical, ancient, baby Casio way (sorry - it bugs me) then a single note give a MAJ chord, add a Black key to the left for Min, and there's a thrid option for 7th, but I forgot it. That's against everything I ever learned in theory.
As a manual bass player, I never learned the really complex LH chords that many organists, and pianists use, so the sinple 1 finger maj - add the second finger to change Maj/Min and more than that, I have to use more fingers.

Hi Dave
so problem is more so , what they call the single finger chords, and by the sounds of things, they’re far from that if you need 3 fingers to play a 7th.

Might do a bit of investigation and make sure I have actually picked best mode for me, seems to be working ok.

Yamaha does a great jb with 3+ dinger chords - even jazz, rootless chords. The simple method I prefer works like this. Using just 2 fingers, I get Maj/Min/7th - all else requires 3 or more.
If I press:
C - I get C major
C+Eb - I get C minor
C+Bb - I get C7

This relates to the theory practices of building chords, and makes more sense to me. Sounds like you use 3 notes or more, and that's terrific. Probably very common for a pianist, or organist. I was a bass player before I was a piano player! LOL

Hi Dave ,
the above is closer to playing a real chord than the Yamaha method.
Just tried the single finger and the multi finger, pressing the next black note down from the C ( Bb) to get min and the next white down (B) to get the 7th , isn’t all that great musically, but maybe easier to remember if one doesn’t understand chords?
You just have to know the root note, and the black one , down next to it will give the minor etc etc.
Just discovered fingered mode which is great, don’t get a chord till 3 notes are held down,
Fingered on Bass, brilliant, I’ll have to spend more time practicing inversions, should I ever need to use it.
A1 fingered, I think I’d get myself in trouble.

So back to my multi finger or fingered mode, toss up between those 2 for me.

I learnt a bit about chords years ago when I was learning piano. The left hand arpeggio style I liked playing, was useless for keyboards, but at least I learnt a bit about chords.

I posted to reemphasize Dave's point-- if you're used to the "easy" mode on a Roland, Korg, GEM, etc., the SD7 is a much better choice than the SX900.

If I could play all the component notes of a chord timely and accurately, I wouldn't bother with an arranger- I would just get an organ or synth/workstation. Easy chords are gold!! On a Roland for example, you can actually play DOZENS of chord types, including many slash chords and tensions, with one, two, or three fingers. Yamaha isn't an option unless you're prepared to relearn everything. Yamaha could fix this by changing their menu structure for chord recognition and adding some options. But Yamaha knows everything. Yamaha is always right! I doubt they ever will.

Ketron arrangers are rare unicorns, so I haven't had much seat time with them. None at all with the latest generation of products. What I recall from the SD5 is that for the 3-note inversions I use to trigger minor 7ths on Roland and Korg, Ketron tends to recognize these as a 6th chord. This presents a problem for me, because i would have to re-learn my hand positions on songs I've been playing for years.

Now I don't know nearly enough about music theory to argue that minor 7th chords are more "important" than 6th chords. What I can say is that minor 7th chords appear much more frequently in the pop music I like to play. I have a lot of Hal Leonard-style EZ-play books, and 6th chords almost never appear in these. Even the full SATB sheet music I've purchased seems to have more minor 7ths than 6ths.

[Getting a bit off-topic, but recent Casio products have a mode that actually EXCLUDES recognition of the 6th chord, making minor 7ths playable in all inversions. Casio's simplified chord fingering logic is actually very good. Unfortunately their keybeds, MIDI implementation, and overall quality is NOT good! However, the existence of this mode shows that Casio's product designers also favor minor 7ths over 6ths.]

If Ketron has fixed my "problem" with their recognition of minor 7ths, I might start saving up for an SD40. Unfortunately there's no way of knowing. Too many combinations to ask you to try, I would have to test one for myself. Way too expensive to just "take a chance." And if there are problems, it wouldn't be easy to trade in or get my money back. So I stay on the fence. Good thread though!

Hi Ted,
Most of my old books are that type also, not that I have a problem reading music, but I love them because I can actually see the notes and chord symbols without squinting.

I have that problem too I fingered mode, I end up playing a 6th chord instead of the min 7th , now before learning something new, I just make sure I play the min7th in its root position.

From a theoretical standpoint (music theory), most chord embellishments (like 7ths, add9s etc) are there for color and beauty. The basic Maj-Min-7, and dim are the building blocks for the melodies that float through the (chord) changes, but adding the "color tones" is what separates the simple from the sublime.
Example:
A simple I - vi - lV - V7 progression will give you a suintable backing for thousands of songs. Much of the 50s and 60s music in the US is loaded with this very chord progression. If you add a 6th to your l chord - it's almost the same as your straight vi chord. In C, the notes of a C maj are C-E-G-C, and a C6 is C-E-G-A. Notice that these notes are teh same as an Amin7: A-C-E-G ... this is where your bass notes become paramount to the tonality you're seeking.
I won't go into a big theory lesson here, but the watered down version is this:

1) To any Major, or Minor chord, you can add a 2, or a 6 without changing the fundamental integrity of the chord. The added notes serve to sweeten the harmonic structure, and add some live to an otherwise basic chord.

I'll address your questions in detail if you have any, but this is the simplest way to add love "sizzle" to your basic chording.

Hi Dave
Thank you. You’ve just encouraged me to do a bit of testing in regards to 6th and min7th chords.

My theory on having to play min7th chords in root position ( so that Yamaha recognises it as the min7th) isn’t correct.

Root position plays Am7 chord A C E G
First inversion plays A6 chord. C E G A
Second inversion plays Am7 chord. E G A C
Third inversion plays Am7 chord. G A C E

So guessing I’ll have to be careful not to play a min7th chord in first inversion, or I’ll get a 6th chord, which would mean I’d have the incorrect bass note playing ie I’d have a C playing instead of an A?

Check box, check box. All brands of arrangers should have a check box that allows the player to specify which inversions are recognized. Everyone would be better off, and no one would be worse off. Not really asking for much here, because at the end of the day these things are 85% software!

If you are playing a 1-6-2-5 progression, it won't make a big difference..90 percent of the people (players) won't notice.

If you are ending a song, with the 6th chord, it is noticed more (play the root position).

Thank you Fran.

Wow, a lot of stuff here, it’s good to know there are other views.

My View: When playing full left-hand chords.
Much of this is based on my guitar when playing rhythm chords. There were times when it was a duo, Sax and Guitar.

1-Turn the rhythm off.

2-Assign an instrument that will add to my right-hand instrument.

3-Set the velocity to sensitive, so you can play soft and louder with the same volume setting.

4-Play the chord progression. The chord progression should be telling a story of their own – with only one thought, supporting the vocal, or solo.

5-Play both together –how does I sound?

6-Turn the rhythm and play.

Because our keyboards are limited in some areas we have to work around those problems.

Rikki, if you are using full left-hand chords the is my suggestion.
Learn the most used chords in the key your are playing.

Key of Cmajor --- In order of importance. C G7 F play them all in the same position. In some cases the instrument you are using is too low, too muddy – raise it one octave.

Key of Gmajor --- G D7 C For G I use D G B
For D7 I use D F# A C (same position)
For C I use C E G

My left-hand sound is important, so I am not concerned with the bass line normally.

If you want more on this subject, let me know, John C.

I will add one more thing. Some do not use a left hand instrument,and can get away with more as far as ascending and descending chords are concerned. Piano player,of coarse, know this very well.

Yup - that's me. I never use a LH sound, because I am playing full chord/melodies with the RH. I use the auto acc parts as a backup to my piano arrangement, which is the best way to compliment my ideas, and vocal choices. Before arrangers, I used a manual synth for bass, and played everything else with my RH, so when the gear got better - I didn't change the approach. I still play manual bass most of the time, but I appreciate the freedom that the auto acc parts give me, and I like how they fill up some of the holes in the arrangement.

Sidenote: In smaller, more intimate settings, I almost NEVER use any auto acc parts. When the instrument is not moving air in significant amounts, the auto stuff sounds less realistic. I switch between auto and manual bass as comfort dictates, but mostly ,y sound is a piano/bass/drums trio with a singer ... and that's worked well for me all these years.

I hardly ever use lh voices. Sometimes ooohs and aaahs for ballads. I use LH piano for Last Date.

Hi John,
Thank you for some good ideas. Even though I play full left hand chords, to date, I’ve really only played held left hand pads, strings. Really like to be able to do left hand piano, ( ie not just a held chord) but as you said, arrangers do have some limitations.



I will do John , Thank you.

I signed up for an online piano course a few months back when I bought the p121/sx900. It is proving to be quite helpful.
ie. what to practice. Years ago I spent nearly all my time doing scales, hanon , cerny, which (probably necessary if one wants to become a really good pianist), but I only wanted to entertain myself. After doing hours of that each day, didn’t leave much time for actually learning a tune. Haha.
The course basically suggests what you mentioned. For the song you want to play,
Practice the chords (in different inversions, ) practice “the scale,” and do some exercises to strengthen fingers and build up speed.

Also learning about chord progressions ( one part of the course is 500 songs in 5 days) 500 songs based on 4 chords, had no idea that was possible as I’d never really paid any attention to the chords in a song. I know how to play the chords ( I had learnt how chords were constructed) but, didn’t understand that certain chords are likely to be in a song , depending on the key.

Nearly got sucked back into learning piano, but, takes a lot longer to learn a solo piano piece vs learning a song for my arranger.
Simple split L/R hand ,I could possibly learn a fairly basic version of a song I am familiar with in a couple of days or so, a nice sounding solo piano piece could take me weeks or months.
Think I’ll go for volume and variety. Haha, and hopefully incorporate some of the tips I’m picking from the course into arranger playing.