IS THIS FORUM DRYING UP?

Come on, guys! I haven't seen an interesting post in more than a week! Nigel is going to pull the plug on this forum and close the gates if you all don't get off your duffs and post some interesting thoughts or questions.

Because Me-shoot-a-the-ass or whatever the company name that produced our wonderful KNs is kaput, you all shouldn't stop in your tracks by losing interest and no longer learning how to get the most out of your keyboard. Quit thinking about the next wonderful button pusher that is being produced as I write. Start by LEARNING FULLY how to get the most out of your fine KN6000/KN6500/KN7000. Stop depending on presets or other talented people to send you styles that you lazily never bothered to learn or commercial styles you have had to pay for. Quit thinking about new buttons to push on the latest "toy" that is still in the process of being built. How many of you know what Advance/Delay is? Better yet, how many of you can even FIND IT in your keyboard? Have you ever thought of using it and for what purpose? This is one of many things that you probably aren't even aware of. What about Chord Modify? Do you know how to use it? The list goes on. You each own a keyboard that can make you a better musician - start, by being one. The three models have more features than anyone could ever dream of or want - start using them.

Seeing no posts means most of you have gone into tilt. There is an old saying, "Keep on keeping on." Now, get mad as hell and say, I ain't gonna take it anymore! POST! If not to this one, then come up with something better.

kn7

I couldn't agree with you more. kn7! For a while now, the posts here have indeed been diminishing, but for those of us who are not professionals, there is still such a great deal to be learned about the great Technics keyboards, as you mentioned. However, more and more, instead of knowledge-sharing,we read mostly about how folks are swiftly moving to the Tyros (or some other keyboard); I'm sure that is fine if you want to spend a fortune for something new, even though the "old" keyboards are still the greatest and y ou really don't need something new! Like me, however, I'm sure many of us still rely on and enjoy our Technics, having spent a great deal of money on them already, and no need to move to another more expensive one and learn a whole new set of new ways to utilize it, when we haven't even mastered all the wonders of the keyboards we already own! I guess I don't understand why, just because the Technics keyboards are not being manufactured any more, there seems to have been a seemingly immediate mass exodus to another brand. Perhaps the major problem is that those artists who have the Technics keyboard knowledge we non-professional "hobbyists" would like to continue sharing have so quickly abandoned Technics, and the rest of us--the knowledge seekers--are more and more being left in the lurch! How totally devastating it would be if Nigel abandoned us, too, because there is too little interest. Please let's not let this happen!

Thanks for starting this thread, kn7; I wonder what sort of response it will get, other than this brief reply from me!

Ted Rose

Good points have been made .
Perhaps you would like to share your knowledge regarding "advance & Delay "

Good post KN7,
there is still so much to learn/discover from of that very advanced keyboard, which made that playing on it gives so much enjoyment. I suppose, as there aren't new models anymore to discuss, the real (hobby) musicians will stay here and share there interest about kn-keyboardsmusic !??
Cees

So what is the saying,"You don't know how much you will miss it until it's gone".

Why don't we start with each of us posting where your point of interest my be. Ex, "How do you edit a style", or How do you use the Music Arranger".

Ask your questions and you will see the life come back to this forum.

If not a question maybe you can tells us ABOUT your favorite part of your keyboard and how you use it.

Trying, John C.

Cheers to KN7, Ted Rose and Cees, they're people who care.


[This message has been edited by bruno123 (edited 05-20-2006).]

KN7 is a fantastic instrument.I don't understand people who jump from one instrument to another,only to have the newest model.KN7 has all the tools anyone could need to make all kind of music - the rest depends only on talent.

We ain't lost interest KN7 we're (Keyboardcapers and myself) busy teaching second owners of Technics keyboards how to use them - the first owners having sold them to buy the latest wonderbar...see www.keyboardcapers.co.uk
Advance/delay (p107) and chord modify (p113) are about making alterations to your or other folks sequenced efforts - most of our pupils are still learning how to translate those strange annotations on and between the five horizontal lines onto their newly purchased set of second hand ivories...
One step at a time seems to be the way forward...
Rog
Using panel memories is still a million miles away - patience Midge patience...

The volume of posts is like the stock market, ups and downs. We have experienced a couple of real low in posts since I have been a member but have always bounced back with new members. I think this will happen again. John C has made some good sugestions.

Looking at the number of posts on other Synth Zone BBS forums, we look pretty good.

Fran in SC

I cound'nt agree with you more, the Technics keyboards are fantastic instruments and in my opinion, nothing produced since has surpassed them. Every time I play my KN7, I marvel at the sounds it produces. I've tried the Tyros 2 and although it has some likeable features (ie built in song registrations) to my mind I prefer the sounds on my KN7. The only time I would change, is if the KN7 blew up.
About you're mentioning the hidden features on the keyboards, how does one get them up?
Derek Munson

Well, how wonderful that so many of you have come out of the woodwork! It is good to know that you are out there.

ADVANCE/DELAY is a nice feature to be used when recording a song in at least a couple of ways. Example number one: Your ending of a song will be in the strict time you are playing in but you would like to retard the ending. By going into Advance/Delay, you can go to either the last measure or the one just before the last measure and "Delay" it several degrees, however much you want. Example number two: Let's say you played brilliantly up to a point and one measure, you were slightly off in your fingering and you are afraid to try and correct it in PUNCH RECORD because you might lose some of the following measures by not punching out fast enough. You have decided that using QUANTIZE won't do it because it will end up sounding too mechanical. So, depending on whether you played the measure too rushed or lagged a bit, you can go to that particular measure and make it come in faster or slower, depending on a + or - used. This effects ONLY the measure or measures you choose to correct and has nothing to do with changing the rest of the playing.

To find this little darling, you have to bring up RANGE EDIT or you won't find it. To find RANGE EDIT, click on SEQUENCER and you will see it in SEQ MENU at the bottom left of the screen.

CHORD MODIFY pertains to the COMPOSER. It is a complex subject that requires a lot of time and patients to understand it. I don't have Alec's manual and perhaps he covers this subject. Using it depends entirely on how you want to use it to respond to playing a pattern. If you are into composing, you will be surprised how a particular track responds when playing a chord. I'll try and keep this simple without taking up a lot of space. Say you have played several single high notes in a piano part that you think will be perfect in the style you created. You leave COMPOSER and play your style and hit a 7th or 9th chord and the piano notes you used in COMPOSER sound like hell - they are all over the place and nothing like the way you played them. This is where CHORD MODIFY CHANGE comes into play. You have numerous possibilities to correct this so it plays back correctly under all or most all circumstances.

kn7

It's inevitable really that this Technics forum would in the not too distant future suffer from falling membership, to a point where very little activity was occuring, and members would start to realize that the situation could be very serious!

I still own my KN7000 and have no intention of selling it, but as i've pointed out before on this forum, sometimes it's just nice to experience the change to another keyboard. A lot of members from this forum have now moved on to other forums, or keep in touch privately. What is happening here
is die hard Technics fans (myself included) are moving on.

It's hard for some to accept I know but Technics are no more, and the KN7000 has now had it's day, it is one of the best keyboards I have ever owned, and I still love playing it, but new technology makes the new instruments even more attractive.

Just my thoughts on facing the reality of the desperate situation here.

Peter

KN7
I wish you were my neighbor.I live in Chicago and can not find anybody i could share my ideas and learn something new about KN7000.
Just those 2 tips show that you really know what to do with this machine.
I hope you'll be aregular guest on this site
Greetings
Adam

Pretty good thread going here. Yes the KN7000 is the flagship that gets the most posts. But don't count out other Technics Models that people have.

I'm sure there are folks out there that still have past KN models and of course the PR models. So I guess the feedback by kn7 is not just limited to people with the KN7000 but all Technics models. So lets hear from you too!

I can't afford to go to the next model each time a new one comes out, or in this case a whole new Make. Not to mention the learning curve. So I plan to keep what I have for sometime. I still have the PR900 that came out the same time the KN3000 did and also have the PR804.

Lets make some music on the forum!

Thanks,

Anthony

Drying Up?
Thx to this post no.
Kn2600 user here and still enjoying it .
Have used various sounds&rythms for my
music compositions for Television.

Barry

Dear members,

Thanks, again for all your replies. My post also meant ALL KN keyboards but I just mentioned the three latest models as an example. I should have also included the KN2600. I remember well how overwhelmed the KN1000 was when it came out and I bought it. I later bought the KN6000 and then later, the KN7000. All the Technics keyboards are quite advanced. I look at it this way: If Rembrandt were alive and you presented him with 10 colors and you said that if he waits, there will be 15 colors to choose from. He would tell you that 10 is enough because out of 10, I can create thousands of colors by knowing how to use them. Well it is the same with the KN boards. They have so many features in them that there isn't any type of music you can't create. Thinking as I do in no way makes me have my head buried in the sand with future technology. I am all for new technology but there comes a point when you own a keyboard like a KN7000, there isn't much else that would be major enough to give me the incentive to buy another brand. Perhaps a company will come out with a heart shaped SD card. I won't be one of the buyers.

I would like to see many of you get interested in doing your own styles. Don't let the COMPOSER intimidate you. I will say that in order for you to do good work, you must think clearly how each musician plays. Playing a bass part is not like playing a piano. You must THINK like a bass player. Playing a C note and moving up to a G, you don't just hit the G on the keyboard you also use GLIDE because a bass player moves his fingers up to play the note and he BENDS the note into tune. The same is for a guitarist. You don't just play the notes on the keyboard for a guitar solo, you have to bend (glide) notes in the RIGHT PLACES to make the solo believable. It all takes practice and above all, listening to and thinking how a good musician of any instrument plays that instrument.

kn7

As far as I am concerned the KN2600 rules! It is far more immediate and easier to cart about than the Tyros 2 that I use at one of the places I work. But look at the number of recent posts on this forum that refer to prior incarnations of the KN (etc) series. Some of these date back quite a number of years. Surely this proves that the forum is both alive, and much needed by the Technics playing community?

Cheers,

s.

Yes, I agree fully with all writers. When Tyros2 came out, I was tempted by the hype and enthusiastic after hearing the sample/demo songs of the new keyboard. Obviously lot of KN7 technology was implemented in this new Yamaha flagship. But then I came back with my feet on the ground. I know that I still do not know a lot of the possibilities of the keyboard. I have a busy full-time job with study need and other activities in private time so purchasing a Tyros2 would be crazy. The KN7 still has nice features and even secrets for me. Apart from music hobby I have other hobbies in the field of "creative communications", like photography (see my photo albums on my site http://vision-4-life.nl) en website building. After our visit to friends in Brazil we came to meet Betty Smit, a missionary worker in Manaus and I became kind of co-worker: webmaster. The Dutch site is on air, but I found somebody who starts on translating: http://zending-amazones.nl/English

So in short: the KN6000, KN7000 and KN2600 are keyboards of a high quality platform and worth attention by musicians and hobbyists.

Regards, Fred

Hi all.

Not to worry, it has always been up and downs regarding to numbers of
treads and posts, this happen at most user forums around.
As we know, there is no more new Technics keyboards coming, but there
sure are quite a lot of KN's etc. around the world who still have many,
many years left to give people musically pleasure.

There is also a second hand market who will gain new members and more
life to the forum when the proud "newbies" find the way, and if anyone
feel the need for more action, it's maybe an idea to visit "The Bar" or
some other of the sections here at SZ, such as i.e. "General Arranger
Forum".

Happy Playing & Posting.
GJ

Hi KN7 , thank you so much for taking the time and trouble to explain the advance /delay setup in the Technics keyboard .
I will print this out and keep it in the instruction manual .

Regards ..........Giovanni

Hey Adam,

You're goegraphically about as close as any other keyboarders I have encountered here! I live in Madison (Wisconsin). You ever in this area?? I can't believe I am the only Technics owner in this area!

Happy playing!

Ted Rose

[This message has been edited by Ted Rose (edited 05-22-2006).]

Hi Adam,

Old Grandpa here and still playing. I'm in Prospect Hts.. just north of old Chi. I know and meet with a few guys in the burbs and even with an excellent player on the south side. If you want to get together let me know and post your e-mail address and I will send you my phone number and we can talk and maybe get together. Just remember I was young once and if you get me you also get my Ruthie to boot. We are inseparable even if she can't play.

Grandpa Doug

P.S. Ruthie says HI to all you guys and gals.

Granpa,

This is what makes this forum something special......."Member Helping Member"

Fran in SC

Hi Doug,
It is good to know that you are so close.
I live in Des Plaines.Probably you are familiar with "American Music World" in Niles.That's where I got my KN7 from.
I know that they sold quite a few Technics to the people in Chicagoland but it seems that not too many know this forum.
I would be happy to talk to you.
Here is my cell phone # 1-847-682-2400
Greetings
Adam

Well now if this ain’t sumthin! I know, I know, I screwed up the spelling in the last word of the last sentence. I feel so good I hada do something. Just called Adam and guess what? We only live a few miles apart. In fact our telephone area code is even the same. Small small world.

I don’t know if you guys realize it but there are a lot of KN players out there. I know of over thirty five players just in about a twenty mile radius of where I live. Some of them I get together with on occasion, jam and share ideas. What amazes me is I thought I was the only one around here on this forum. Come to find out Adam has been with us for the last three years and only posted less than a dozen times. Wonder of wonders.

The point I would like to lay out on this table of electronics floating on the airways of the zone is there is one heck of a lot of KN’s out there with thousands and thousands of fingers plunking away at the black and whites.

Another thing I marvel at is how they came to own a KN. Most everyone I know has somewhat of the same story. They bought a cheapie like a Casio or a Yamaha in the beginning. The keys started to flop around, a speaker quit, the case cracked, or some such thing. Instead of going back to their local discount music and electronic store they wondered into their piano and organ establishment. In the process of looking for something a little more substantial than they had and something more like real piano keys made for an adult hand, they were amazed to see a real man-sized keyboard.

Just had to hear what it sounded like they told me. Real sounds! Real horns! Real reeds! Real strings! And wow, a real sounding band to back me up. Stumbling back a few steps after their eyeballs hit head on with the price tag they mumbled, and real green. The rest of the story we all know.

Quality, the test of time and the proof of great sound again struck me as I talked with Adam on the phone. Still got my KN1000 he said. I keep my 7000 at home so I won’t get it scratched on the job. I gig with my KN1000. It never let me down and still sounds great.

After talking about getting together, hanging up the phone and mulling over our conversation I just had to let you guys know. I got my KN1000 in my music room upstairs. After wiping and getting off the pot in the morning while waiting for Ruthie to call up the stairway, ‘breakfast is ready’, I hang the cover on the doorknob and play that old KN for the many thousands of times. Come evening old Ruthie says lets go to bed, I’ve had it. We thump upstairs. Ruthie does her evening ritual with the teeth, the hair, the soap and water, the scale, the nighty, the straightening of the towels and trinkets finishing with the pot and final paper wipe then announces - Your On!

Well old Grandpa shuts her down, slides the cover off the doorknob and puts the old KN to bed after about 45 minutes of fun on the keys waiting out Ruthie’s bedtime prep. Old Gramps takes his turn, wipes, washes up his hands and fingers from the rupture of the cheap rolls of paper Ruthie buys and that’s the end of the day.

And that folks is how the rest of the day went after talking with Adam.

Grandpa Doug

Well gee, Gramps - everything but the dogs nipping at your heels. An interesting post and I am sure all on the forum enjoyed it. So, do I understand that you only play on a KN1000? Personally, I think the styles in that keyboard are better than what is in the KN6000/KN7000. This in no way states that the KN1000 is a better keyboard. It was superb in its day. The great features that came later and especially, in the KN7000 are everything a professional musician could want.

kn7

I haven't been on this post in over a year. I used to read all the posts regularly, but then my husband got very sick with cancer. He passed away April 2005 and the music stopped, too. I don't know if any of you remember me, but the music is coming back and I have to play again. I'm glad you are still posting on this web site. I have the KN6500. Glad to be back online.

IRNGKYBRD,

I remember you. Sorry to hear of your loss. Music is not a cure all but it does help.

Fran in SC

Hi KN7,

No, I only play my 1000 when I go upstairs. I always use my KN7000 or my KN65000 on public venues. My 65 is over at one of my sons house to use when there. I have my 3000 at one of my grandson’s house so him and me can jam. He is an excellent piano player and we do a little wood-shedding at his place. My 7 stays downstairs in the house or in the car if I feel too lazy to bring it in after a gig. If I leave it in the car I got a PR900 to bang on in the living room. My first wife Ruthie puts up with all this because I think she really likes me. On the other hand it could be that she is so lonely for noise since all six of the kids left that she welcomes a little for old times sake.

Anyway guys, how did you come to gyrate into playing a keyboard and what led you in the direction of the KN’s?

Grandpa Doug

P.S. Irngkybrd, yes, I remember you. You gotta do what ya gotta do. In a few more years I will probably give my last croak on this earth and hope I won’t be playing ‘Light my Fire”.

Grandpa Doug - I wonder if you wouldn't mind giving me an e-mail on RMepstead@btinternet.com
I've been trying help out a guy who has disks from his KN1000 which he can't now use in his KN7000 and just one set of these does not sem to respond to my software (EMC) attack and I'm wondering what's wrong with these rhythms...
Thanks in anticipation
Roger M (U.K.)

Hey Doug,
Glad to hear from you and see that you are still around. Say Hi to Ruthie from Georgiana and me.
Walt

Hey! A lot of us old timers are still around. We're the ones that came over from the old Technics site to this great one, quite some time ago. And sometimes we will answer a post, but not so much anymore since so many others have acquired the skills to answer questions that newcomers ask. But, we still look in to see what's going on or what old familiar name might pop up. I hardly see Lindoz or Larry Hawk or even Bebop in a post any more, but I'm sure they're still around and reading the posts. It's good to see Roger and Willum and Alec still active, not to mention many others. And, where would a lot of us be without Gunnar Jonny and his web site to help us along.
See, we haven't gone anywhere.......there's just a new generation of players asking questions and answering them. I still have my KN6000 and KN7000 and always will until they die, and then I happen to know someone who has a KN7000 hidden in their attic, so I hope I'm good for many years to come.

Remember also, some of us are getting older and other things take up our free time, such as taking care of our soul mates, watching grandchildren grow up, naps, etc. But, it's Technics keyboards that manage to keep us off the streets and out of trouble, and playing one is sort of magical, isn't it? Imagine that, a whole orchestra at one's fingertips!! Many times I've fantasized about how nice it would have been to have one of those keyboards when I was a teenager in the fifties. Wow! Right now I'm still stuffing styles onto an SD card and getting things ready to record again. Maybe some of the songs I recorded back in the early days of keyboards when we had to use mikes and a tape recorder. Now, using the Rolls-Royce of keyboards, it's almost too easy to record and edit, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

For those of you just now coming on board, our welcome mat is still out. The best advice I can give anyone is to just try out different aspects of your keyboard. Experiment with it. Use Alec's book to clear up cloudy areas and if that doesn't help, post. We were all in your position at one time and we all had to learn the in's and out's of our new keyboards - even Alec - so don't give up. Be thankful there are so many people now that can answer your questions, and are happy to do so.

So good luck to you all, and if God allows keyboards in Heaven, we'll be set for eternity! Happy playing. Bud Whipple



[This message has been edited by Bud Whipple (edited 05-27-2006).]

[This message has been edited by Bud Whipple (edited 05-27-2006).]

To all,

Well Ladies&Gents these posts are kinda
humbling for me .The so called pro side
of playing dosent mean much anymore,after
realizing the joy all of you get from your
keyboards.
So play on I salute you all.

Barry

A big hand to KN7 who started this with his post, he certainly got many to respond.

John C.

I'm still around....I only wish Technics was too.

To answer the topics question...Yes, I suppose sooner or later, this Technics forum will completely dry up. Keyboards don't last forever, parts become scarce, and players move on.

I still have the KN3000, and the KN7000, along with a Yamaha PSR-2000. I'm seriously thinking of moving these 3 for a Tyros-2.

The decision to end production of Technics keyboards, still has me a little upset, but that should not be an excuse for not participating more on this forum.

I'll try a little harder, although that would be easier if we were talking, maybe KN-9000



------------------
Larry
SynthZone Frapper

Well, sooner or later both we and the keyboards will be "completly dryed up"
I guess, cause nothing last forwer some say. Probably only a matter of time,
a few million years or so.
My good old KN5000 is "buildt like a tank", so it probably last longer than
me......

But maybe some new keyboard brands and/or further developed technology will
help to keep up the discussions around, I'm wodering a bit about what's to
come on this site: http://www.technotemusic.com/keyboards.htm
Myself I would love to see a mix of Technics KN <-> Ketron SD, maybe a new
Techtron or Ketronics ???
Yeah, I know, wishful thinking....

Happy Playing & Posting, whatever brand we play on.
GJ

I am now realizing just how many Technics people still check in to this forum to, if nothing else, see what's going on. I know I do several times a day. Up until recently I began to wonder why I did. I then began to think that if everyone was just anomynously lurking, who is to know that there is still a large following ?

This thread at least provided a catylist to spark some responses from people that are before my time, and people like Grandpa Doug, with his funny wit. Yes, time marches on, and the good old glory days are over, with all of the excitement and frustration over brand new challenges like the "infernal SD card", and Alec coming to the rescue, and Bill Norrie,and others establishing websites.

I started to jump ship, but couldn't find a keyboard I liked more than my KN7000. I resisted my tendency to switch just because there was a new flagship keyboard out there. I love a challenge, but a whole different OS, I don't think so.

I found my own personal solution in keeping my beloved KN7000, and buying a Receptor, which is a double space rack computer that handles software programs, and very well at that. This satisfies my new gear addiction and I will keep my old friend to our dying day.

I am not wise enough to offer a solution that already hasn't been mentioned except, that if people would post anything, even a humorous anecdote, we would know you are alive and hopefully well.

Thanks, everyone, for posting.
Bernie

Roger Mepstead,

Rog, I’m having trouble with my mail server. I can receive mail but cannot send it. In lew of the problem I will post what I have written for e-mail on this fourm. Here goes -

What’s wrong with these rhythms? Roger I don’t know! I don’t have any EMC software so I have no idea. As far as these disks go are they the rhythms taken from his 1000 and copied to a floppy? How about the floppy? The 1000 only used the small capacity disks. Maybe the rhythms were copied on the wrong type of floppy. Could be the floppy is corrupted. They do that quite often you know. Are those disks third party rhythms? All this must be taken in consideration when trying to determine what’s going on.

My 1000 still pumps out the music it did when I first got it. Run it through a good amp with a good set of speakers and a sub-woofer and you got music. Of course it’s like any other computer, junk in and you’ll get junk out.

How is things with you and your country? Seems like here the keyboards are getting better and better while the politicians are getting worse and worse as times get on. They are getting so wimpy and messed up in their thinking that I think perverts will be the norm and straight thinking folk will be the odd one out. Ruthie and me are sort of glad that we are at the end of our rope, so to speak.

Before I get all bent out of shape and start to get wordy thanks for the thought that I might know anything. The only thing I really know is how to turn it on and play it. I think Ruthie and me could have a smashing time together if we ever came over to your neighborhood.

Grandpa Doug

True, but we don't sit around a board meeting and make a decision to "dry up" our lives.

On the other hand Technics did. This is what is a little upsetting... Corporate greed at it's best. Rather then try to keep the Technics production alive, or at the very least, allow another venture to take over, they just flat out quit.

We all love out Technics keyboards, great keyboards they were, but I can't forgive them for taking away that love. Yes they were built like tanks, but new tanks are better then old tanks. There will be no more new Technics "tanks", maybe it's time to move on....

(Remember the Edsel?)

------------------
Larry
SynthZone Frapper

the question was 'is this forum drying up?'. Compare the Yamaha forum here with only 2/3 page of threads in the last month with this forum here with its full page of threads with I would guess over twice as many posts... maybe the question is more pertinent over there

Right you are Alec. Over the years we have lost members to different new keyboards and at the same time we have replaced them with new members.

The exciting periods were the introduction of newer models, which you did a great job. You were probably the best sales person Technics ever had. This missing...as previously stated...lets share some knowledge and learn how to use the great instruments that technics produced.

Fran in SC

Along with others, kudos to kn7 for this post.

To Alec - It is time to fess up. We all know you are the one that created the KN boards - admit it. You know too much.

Scott

Back to Grandpa Doug briefly...I have been sent some styles purporting to come from a Kn1000 and wondered whether you would mind testing them out on your KN1000 as my EMC software doesn't seem to recognise them as being from any Technics Model including the KN1000 - the guy wants them converted for use in his Kn7000 which normally I can do with EMC...can you help by testing them for me on your KN1000?
Rog

Hello All
Here is a short section of the post I did on the Blackpool Keyboard Festival UK and I think might interest you.
The evening concert started with Chris Jones playing the Yamaha US 1 and Technics KN 7000, (Which he has built into one cabinet) and even taking into account that the sound system did not seem set up correctly, his overall performance was rather bland, however in spite of this, one thing did stand out, and that was the KN 7000, which in spite of all the improvements other mainstream manufactures have made, can still hold its head up high.

Bill

Roger, send them over. (dugg@ync.net) will do the job quite nicely. Can’t send out yet but can get your mail. Come to think of it Rog, I don’t believe I have ever loaded anything into that KN. Hold on a minute and let me run upstairs and see if there is even a disk drive in the thing. I can’t believe it! I whipped the cover off and no drive. Putting the cover back on I felt something on the right side as I pulled the cover down over the board. I looked and lo and behold a disk drive on the right side of that bugger. Over all these years I never knew it had one or I had forgotten all about it. I don’t believe I ever used the thing. I did however wear out the drive on my KN5000 by using it so much. I must have shoved thousands and thousands of those babies in and out. I finally got me a hard drive and thought I was in heaven and I was.

Alec, you bring up some happy memories for me with your comment on the Yamaha forum. If that isn’t a pitiful example and representation of a supposedly high-end keyboard discussion forum and it’s owners I never seen one. One thing I got to admit is that Yamaha and some of those west coast players really were a great source of fun for me. When Scotty and some of those other Yamaha PSR buff’s were trying to justify their purchase of those toys by touting there excellence over our KN’s on our forum is when Yamaha gave me great joy. If that was all they could afford or thought was the pinnacle of keyboard excellence, that was OK by me. Just don’t come into my house and shove your toys into my toy box. I think the story about Ruthie finding me on the floor throwing up and mumbling something was hilarious. Well, for me anyway for I have somewhat of a, you might say, warped sense of humor at times. Anyway Ruthie thought I had to go to the pot when she thought I was saying pisser when I was really saying PSR.

Well enough of that for the KN is no longer a threat or challenge to Yamaha. We still get demo’s of the Yamaha T for 2 from those guys once in a while. I know, I know it’s presented as purely to appreciate the merits of arranger keyboards. I’ll tell you one thing. If the vocal did not drown out or mask the T2 sound it would be about as dull as an old pair of shoes.

Before I go any further and sound like I have anything against Scotty I want everyone to know for certain, I DON’T! I think Scotty has a great voice. I know for certain that he has mastered the art of handling that voice and presenting his most inward feelings of the song. As for his ability in musicianship he does not have to take a back seat to anyone. I would also like to say the T2 is suitable as a backup for vocals. The piano as Scotty uses it as a break or solo in his vocals is perfectly acceptable. However and I do say however because I mean however!

There still is no board out there to match the quality and authenticity of sound like the KN. Almost 50 years of dance band experience in the reed section and dubbing on accordion in specialty charts leaves me with no other conclusion. You need no other proof than to listen to Larry’s Big Band Stuff for reality. I don’t sing but have a canary with me as the occasion warrants so vocals is the lesser concern for me when I use my KN for an engagement. For the last dozen years it has been mostly solo KN work.

Well guys and gals, here I go again running off at the mouth so until I find something better than I got for my kind of work and enjoyment I will try not to drop, run over, spill beer in or destroy in any other way, any of my KN’s.

Grandpa Doug and his other little beauty, Ruthie.

On the way Doug and thanks
Rog