Old keyboard never die. . . .

. . . they just fade from popularity as the new gizmos take over. The situation with keyboards was much simpler in the "old days" when there was a bigger gap between models. this is called the price of progress. Nowadays, you hardly have time to unpack your latest purchase when a new one is released! I am sure that the successor to the 7000 is already on the way. Where does this leave the poor "user"? I'll tell you where - you are left with a perfectly serviceable instrument which is losing its value by the minute. How many people have traded their tried and trusted machine for the latest one hoping that it will improve their playing, only to be disappointed and wish they had kept their old one?
Now to qualify my previous remarks about Techplus Magazine. I can see that they have a problem. Technics bring out keyboards almost yearly and the magazine has to keep up with the new developments. However, where does this leave owners of the KN 1000, 2000, 3000, 5000, 1200, 1500, 1600, etc? They feel left out in the cold as their instruments fade from popularity. If the magazine had just one page for each of the keyboards mentioned then much of it would be of little interest to owners of the latest ones. And that is just keyboards - what about organ owners who get short shrift compared with keyboard owners? One answer is to have a Group which is "one instrument specific", but this is only possible on the Internet. Those of you who are reading this obviously have a computer connection, but what of those without one? Discuss!! ;>)

Good Morning Mike,

As you know, I expressed my feelings regarding your critique of the current issue of the techplus magazine so I won't comment further in that regard.

You raise two issues in your new post: the perceived obsolescence of keyboards; and, the advantage those of us who are "connected" enjoy as opposed to those who are not in terms of our ability to get information about, and help with, our keyboards.

Obsolescence can be a state of mind. I still have my KN6000 and am happy with it. I don't feel it is old technology or out of date. The marketplace is changing constantly. Producers of everything from cars and keyboards to washing machines and electric coffee makers are just trying to keep pace with the demands of the consumer. It seems to me that there is a majority of people now who always want the latest and greatest. My youngest son is a good example. He is constantly upgrading his four computers with the latest sound and graphics cards, microprocessors etc. I am still running the computer he built for me more than four years ago. I don't feel my computer is obsolete anymore than I feel that way about my keyboard. I may eventually buy a KN7000, wait for the next generation from Technics, or keep my KN6000 for a few more years. My decision will not be made on keeping up with the latest technology, but rather on sound quality and features I need to create MY music.

You are quite right in observing that folks like me are left by the wayside by publishers as new keyboards hit the market. Magazine publishers cannot continue to include "how to" articles indefinitely on previous generations of keyboards. If they did, their magazine would quickly become a thick book and no longer viable or affordable. Again, it is a reflection of the marketplace.

Those of us who are "connected" are in an enviable position. We can post a request for an answer to a problem on a forum like this and someone somewhere will answer, and the model or age of our keyboard is immaterial.

You raised the question, ". . . but what about those without one?, meaning those without a computer. How do they get the information they need? Through organ/keyboard clubs perhaps, or friends and family. Maybe you should consider whether there is a market for a magazine that caters to earlier generation Technics keyboards since you have a background in the business.

Finally, it seems to me that it is impossible to meet the needs of all the people all of the time. Someone is going to be left out or left behind. People without computers are left out, and those of us who do not buy the latest flagship keyboard are left behind. That is the real world. I doubt there is anything we can do to change it.

Chuck

Chuck,
Your reply " I don't feel my computer is obsolete anymore than I feel that way about my keyboard."
I'm not sure if you would say that if you actually owned the latest computer and keyboard(7000).

SeeYa, Happy Easter
Larry Hawk

Hi Larry,

Thanks for the Easter greetings my friend. I wish you and your family a Happy Easter as well.

Just read your post. I hear where you are coming from as regards obsolescence, Larry, and it is likely many, if not most, people would hold that point of view. I tend to determine whether my equipment is obsolete or not by asking myself if it can still do everything I ask of it rather than comparing it to the latest gear on the shelf. For example, my computer is running at 400 MHz in an age when speeds are above 2 GHz. If I bought a 2.8 GHz machine, the difference in speed would not be noticeable in any of the work I do. My son is running above 2.0 GHz on all of his machines and there is no obvious difference as I sit at his computers doing a task I normally perform. The one difference I see in his machines is in the graphics area because he is using high end graphics cards along with a high speed microprocessor. But that isn't important to me.

The logic I apply to my computer is applied equally to my keyboard. My KN6000 does everything I ask of it AND MORE! I'm still learning how to use many of its features. I've seen and listened to the KN7000 and it is indeed a wonderful instrument. I especially like the improved speaker system and the much improved organ section. But until my needs fail to be met by the KN6000, I'll keep it. Who knows? Maybe one day I will buy a KN7000. But then I may just wait for the next generation flagship KN. We'll see.

Happy Playing, Larry!

Chuck

Mike & Chuck,
I can understand where everyone who has posted on this and the related past post is coming from. I believe that all have made relevant points to consider, however, Mike, you were quite negative and critical to the point of raising some "hackles" of some of the readers. I guess this is both good and bad, and it does stir some to comment on the subject.

I purchased my KN7000 last fall mostly for only a couple of reasons. I was very happy with my KN2000, as was my audiences. I always use an external sound system so the improved speaker system was of secondary importance. What was important was the SD Card because of the nuisance and slow operation of the floppy drive, especially during a live gig. This was my driving reason.

Secondly, I had learned how to copy sequencer/midi files to the Kn2000 composer in order to generate new styles (something that Technics said absolutely could not be done!), but the process was very tedious and complicated. With the 7000 it is a piece of cake.
Of course, the fact that all of the newer styles, files, ETC. would not work on the KN2000 (planned obsolescence?, or not practical to provide backwards compatibility?) was another factor.
Anyway, I'm glad that I did upgrade because I have since discovered many more features that I now wonder how I ever did without.
Just my thoughts.
Regards,
Walt

Good thoughts, Walt.

Chuck

Hey Chuck good points you made..I guess if your happy with what you have then stick with it....however eventually everything becomes obsolete.

There is a whole list of products that at one time we were all happy with. Looking back at these relics( 8 track tapes, 386 Intel computers, the KN550, etc. etc.)compared to today innovation, it's probably better to have the latest.

The hardest part is making the decesion to "Upgrade". Sometimes you become so accostomed with a product that it's tough to give up on it. I know when I purchaced a new computer and went from Win98 to XP, I was dissapointed at first, however after now having it for over a year, and then just recently helping my brother with crashes on his WIN98 computer, I know what a far superior product the newer version is.

Sooner or later we all upgrade, it's just a matter of when your ready.
In accordance...
Here is a link for obsolete musical products called "120 Years of Electronic Music" http://www.obsolete.com/120_years/


SeeYa,
Larry Hawk

Hi Again Larry,

You are right, of course, that at some point in time my KN6000 and computer WILL become obsolete. Thanks for sharing the web address with me. I'll bet not many of our forum members have heard a Theramin. I saw it listed on the site. It had a really nice tone and I heard it played on several occasions in my church as a young boy by a man who was an expert with the instrument. I did not know it was invented by a Russian. I also noticed the ARP synthesizers are not listed. I wonder why?

Who knows, Larry? Maybe by the end of this year I will decide to buy a KN7000. Gotta run. Take care.

Chuck

I think the Theramin was first brought to widespread prominence in the West by Alfred Hitchcock in the soundtrack to Spellbound in the 1940s, when he wanted a sound to represent mental turmoil. It was then used in about every B science fiction movie of the 50s to represent the aliens... and even survived into the 60s on some pop records. The concept has been tried many times with varying technologies and success, the latest copy of the control idea maybe the D beam on Rolands.

Thanks, Alec. Interesting background. I wasn't aware Theramins were so widely used.

Chuck

next time you hear to Beach Boys' Good Vibrations, listen for the sound...

The Theramin was also used on The Beach Boys' recording of Good Vibrations. I built one of these devices way back in the 60's when analogue synths were just starting to appear. It takes a great deal of skill to play - something which I never really mastered - I eventually dismantled it and re-used the components. However, it was quite an interesting project.

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Willum

Hi Bill and Alec,

I will look for that Beach Boys album. I can see me sitting in the church listening to the Theramin as clearly as if it was yesterday - but it was in the early 40s. The musician playing it could create a vibrato by waving his hand back and forth and I remember one note sort of "slurred" into the next. It produced an eerie sound so I'm not surprised it was used by Alfred Hitchcock in his films. I can understand you having trouble mastering it, Bill, for I suspect it would be a very difficult instrument to play.

Happy Easter to both of you.

Chuck

Hello,

Yes, It is like you say, al depends on what you need and the publicity do evereting to let us now we need greater and bigger hardware. The tric is to be happy with what you have and like there are many expantion boards on the market there is always a way to please ourselfs with nothing more than a little waverom board with over 400 extra sounds!

presumably with valves, Willum? The heterodyne principle was discovered by the radio pioneers, but Theremin thought of using the resulting beats to get audio frequencies. You had one hand for volume and one for pitch I seem to remember, so by waving hands you could get tremolo and vibrato.

I always thought the problem was one of sine waves, and the relative blandness of the sound compared to the overtone rich sound we are used to from acoustic instruments. Thus the resulting incredible skill required to hit a pure note on perfect pitch, since the slightest shift either side would give a swooning effect that soon tired the ears, and that is why it was so difficult to play. The instrument was the king of portamento!

I believe the ARP synthesizers lasted into the 90s although I'm not positive. The list in the link above only includes up to, and including 1989

My first portable electronic keyboard was a Cordovox. Cordovox made both portable keyboards and accordians. Cordovox had a distinct mello sound .."groovy".. as they use to say. I also recall that Cordovox were bought out by Moog.

Robert Moog started in 1961 and built and sold Theremin kits, and later became a Giant in the Electronic Keyboard Industry.

Whatever happened to Moog and my Cordovox ?

SeeYa,
Larry Hawk

Hi Larry,

I don't know what happened to Moog, but I still have a Moog Prodigy synth in storage along with an ARP Quartet synth.

Chuck

Hi Alec, You're right, I did use valves for the first one I built - EF80s if I remember correctly and two telescopic aerials recovered from scrap portable radios - as you say - one for pitch control and the other for volume control. I revisited the project, in the late 70s, at the request of a friend, but used transistors and ICs on that occasion. I've lost touch with him, so can't determine if it's still alive
If you fancy a bit of fun with a simulated version, follow the 'bbc' link on my 'Theremin' post.


------------------
Willum

When I think of Moog..I think of Flower Child, VW. Bus, Woodstock, Hippies and other groovy things.

METAMORPHOSIS?

I just remembered there's a pretty good Theremin between the Psycho and Out of Africa episodes on the Cinemania demo that came with the EW02 sound card! 7k manages Ok

If I may be so cheeky as to bring yo'all back to the original subject....
One way in which owners of all past models are able to converse/learn/swap ideas etc around our way (North Wilts - England) is by being a member of our Technics Club which meets fortnightly and has members of all ages with all ages of Technics keyboards...
Our concept/strategy/policy (call it what you will) is that we learn from each other and we are strictly non-commercial - in other words we are not out to sell any member anything and are not affiliated to any Retail Music Store.
We try to introduce a new subject each meeting - so for example the last meeting was all about buttons you press and hold down to obtain additional displays on screen.
You'd be surprised how many there are like that on all models of technics keyboards and how little our group new about them!!!!