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#429761 - 03/11/17 01:47 PM Workstation Advice Needed
Bernie9 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/02
Posts: 5507
Loc: Port Charlotte,FL,USA
I am set for arranger work, but wondered if there is any advantage of a workstation for my band. I need combi, or section sounds on many occasions to fill out the sound. I know I can create them on my arrangers to a certain extent, but wondered if a used WS would be advantageous. The trouble is I would be paying for ethereal sounds and loops I would never use. I even thought of a Korg Karma for $750.
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pa4X 76 ,SX900, Audya 76,Yamaha S970 , vArranger, Hammond SK1, Ketron SD40, Centerpoint Space Station, Bose compact

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#429763 - 03/11/17 03:35 PM Re: Workstation Advice Needed [Re: Bernie9]
Uncle Dave Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/99
Posts: 12800
Loc: Penn Yan, NY
Bernie, that 4x will do ANYthing you need in the band.
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#429780 - 03/12/17 01:07 AM Re: Workstation Advice Needed [Re: Bernie9]
Bachus Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 03/02/06
Posts: 7143
For me, my combi of 88 key stagepiano/workstation and 76 key arranger works near perfect... but since moving from the tyros to the pa4x, .. i found that most of my soundcreation stuff works quite well from the pa4x You can do almost anything you want with the pa4x synth and sound part in the same way a workstation does.. except for synth arpeggiator

If you want/need more then 3 sounds layered, you could reroute your midi out to the midi in, then create an empty style, and choose 8 more sounds from your style tracks... you could even use multipads on top of that for doing some arpegio like things and drums...

You could also choose to use the ipad as a midirouter, and add some ipad stuff to your sound... but this is not necessarilly needed.


Edited by Bachus (03/12/17 01:08 AM)
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#429783 - 03/12/17 01:54 AM Re: Workstation Advice Needed [Re: Bachus]
abacus Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 07/21/05
Posts: 5345
Loc: English Riviera, UK
Originally Posted By Bachus
For me, my combi of 88 key stagepiano/workstation and 76 key arranger works near perfect... but since moving from the tyros to the pa4x, .. i found that most of my soundcreation stuff works quite well from the pa4x You can do almost anything you want with the pa4x synth and sound part in the same way a workstation does.. except for synth arpeggiator

If you want/need more then 3 sounds layered, you could reroute your midi out to the midi in, then create an empty style, and choose 8 more sounds from your style tracks... you could even use multipads on top of that for doing some arpegio like things and drums...

You could also choose to use the ipad as a midirouter, and add some ipad stuff to your sound... but this is not necessarilly needed.


Be Careful, as some keyboards don’t like having their midi outputs connected directly to their midi in, as it causes glitches and may cause the midi sockets to shut down. (Modern keyboards have better midi electronics (Chips) so should be fine, but better to be safe than sorry)

The 2nd problem with doubling your tracks via midi, is that most arrangers are limited to 128 notes of polyphony, which can soon run out if start going beyond what the keyboard was designed for.

Not major problems, but something to be aware of.

Bill
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English Riviera:
Live entertainment, Real Ale, Great Scenery, Great Beaches, why would anyone want to live anywhere else (I�m definitely staying put).

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#429787 - 03/12/17 05:39 AM Re: Workstation Advice Needed [Re: Bernie9]
Bernie9 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/02
Posts: 5507
Loc: Port Charlotte,FL,USA
I am seeing the versatility of the Pa4x for this purpose, and have gathered that most of the difference in listening to demos of WS is probably the fact that factory combi's are made by programmers with superior knowledge of the instrument, as well as orchestration in general.

But, hey, this is a small senior band of 10-20 old musicians playing to old people that enjoy our sound anyway. I can now see that the Korg will do all I ask, if only I knew the right questions.
Thanks all
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pa4X 76 ,SX900, Audya 76,Yamaha S970 , vArranger, Hammond SK1, Ketron SD40, Centerpoint Space Station, Bose compact

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#429793 - 03/12/17 08:11 AM Re: Workstation Advice Needed [Re: abacus]
Uncle Dave Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/99
Posts: 12800
Loc: Penn Yan, NY
Originally Posted By Bernie9
problem with doubling your tracks via midi, is that most arrangers are limited to 128 notes of polyphony, which can soon run out


Same deal with most dedicated workstations.
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No longer monitoring this forum. Please visit www.daveboydmusic.com for contact info

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#429795 - 03/12/17 09:04 AM Re: Workstation Advice Needed [Re: Bernie9]
Bachus Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 03/02/06
Posts: 7143
Originally Posted By Bernie9
I am seeing the versatility of the Pa4x for this purpose, and have gathered that most of the difference in listening to demos of WS is probably the fact that factory combi's are made by programmers with superior knowledge of the instrument, as well as orchestration in general.

But, hey, this is a small senior band of 10-20 old musicians playing to old people that enjoy our sound anyway. I can now see that the Korg will do all I ask, if only I knew the right questions.
Thanks all


I dont think the keyboard sets of the pa4x are anything less then workstation factory sets... its great how you have direct access to these keyboard sets on the pa4x...

The only thing the pa4x lacks standard is the number of splits and layers, but i also indicated a workaround for that, trough a direct midi routing... or even by combining several sounds into a new one.. with 18 oscilators in a single voice, the possibilities for splitting and layering become endless... but this requires quite some hard work...

There is also 3rd party selling new keyboard sets of the highest quallity..
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Yamaha Genos, Roland Jupiter 80, Ipad pro.

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