Creating Registrations--Panel Memory

A topic like creating registrations is a good idea, thanks to Tony Lawton and Ted Rose, it's their idea.

You are playing by yourself for your own enjoyment, people visit, and you're entertaining, or you are out playing a job,

HOW ARE YOU USING YOUR PANEL MEMORY?

1-Are you playing or singing with a sequence backing you?
2-Are you just using panel registrations.
3-Are you using the Music Style Arranger?

This is going to be a fantastic topic, but there are so many different areas that can be discussed, it may be a good idea to send in your ideas in steps.

Let's give it a go. John C.

Thanks for the "plug", Bruno! I sincerely hope that there will be a lot of responses to my and Tony's (and others) suggestions for style/registration ideas,etc. I think the 6500 and 7000 keyboards have so much potential for great sound structures and many of us (at least me ) find it hard to understand all the things that can be done using Panel memory and the various other parts of the technical side of the instrument. I enjoy playing for myself and would love to play for others (especially you folks on the Forum site, via BEBOP, etc.), but I usually just play and use Easy Record to try to retain what I am playing, especially my original songs. Being a rank amateur, however, it takes me a l-o-n-g time to get a perfect recording because there is no way to edit in Easy record and I haven't yet figured out how to really use the other recording methods. Also, I can set up a song using one touch play, using the automatic setups for each rhythm group, or picking a variety of sound(s) from within the sound groups but, although I hear the melodies and chord harmonies in my "play-by-ear" head, I really don't know what instrumental sounds compliment what other sounds in setting up R1, R2, Left, TechniChord, Performance Pads, etc. Nor do I really understand how the Sequencer, Music Style Arranger, etc. work! It seems the more I read the instruction manuals, the less I know! So, thanks for the encouragement, Bruno. I hope there will be a lot of responses from the experts here who understand all the intricate workings of the wonderful 6500/7000 keyboards!!!

Ted [img]http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/wink.gif[/img] [img]http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/smile.gif[/img]

[This message has been edited by Ted Rose (edited 07-25-2003).]

Using Panel Memories is a definite must for me.

Whether I am creating an arrangement for me to play along with (I live play the lead part) or the complete arrangement including the lead part (for my listening pleasure) the use of the Panel Memories in a very integral part of my work.

All of my recording work is done via the sequencer. I use the Panel Memories to record all my changes in Instrument selection, volume settings, technichord settings, and in some cases, accompaniment pattern changes.

This makes it easy to edit any changes I want to make as I work through the song. Going to the particular Panel Memory setting at a certain measure in the song recording tells me immediately all the selections I am using via the Mixer window.

I can then experiment with different registrations by using the "Cycle:On and Off" button (upper right corner of the Sequencer window) until I get the exact sound that I want and then I save it by "Setting" the appropriate Panel Memory number.

The Panel Memory facility on the KN7000 is, in my opinion, the most flexible and powerful, and time saving aspect of the keyboard.

Larry

Ted,
I hope that there is no such thing as "A perfect recording". If there is, then we are all put to shame.
Along that line, my wife, Georgiana, does beatiful Stained Glass work. Every so often she will say "It's a little crooked over here -- it shouldn't be that way".
I tell her, "Hey, it's a handmade work of Art, if somebody wants it perfect, they can go to the dimestore and get one stamped out of plastic!"
Most of us are our own worst critics. It can help us learn to be better, but taken to extreme, can stifle our creativity.
Just my thoughts - keep on keepin' on!
Walt

Larry, your right on!
On the KN7000, the panel memory is the "Window to the World" as far as accessing the complexity of the instrument.
It allows us to "break up" a complex piece of music into little parts that we can use, which otherwise would require that we be born with five or six hands.
Walt

Totally agree - Panel Memory is 'The Business' Makes complex changes in registration child's play, but don't forget the Expand Filter - very strange and unexpected things can happen if it's not set-up correctly


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Willum

Let me start with a simple step.
My Dad was a exceptional piano player. His fingers would fly all over the keyboard in full command.

The first time I had an opportunity to to see an organ player, I was disappointed. I expected to see his fingers move as my Dad's did--they did not--but, they seemed very busy doing pressing and pulling buttons and slides. They were selecting sounds changes, rhythm chnages, and whatever. But oh so very busy.

No need for us to do that any longer, we now have THE PANEL MEMORY, it does it all for us. One movement, one button can do what the organ player did in 5,6, even 10 moves.

In my next post, I am going to talk about my Basic Panel Memory Set-up. I use it as a basses for all my other work.

I feel in order to keep this post interesting on a topic like this, it should be given in steps, it will have more value to those that are interested. AMEN!!
Too much too fast boooo.

CHEERS(I've come to love that word) John C.

Like Ted, I try to get a perfect recording when using Easy Record, but that used to take days of my time and I wasn't satisfied with the results. I play a song until I'm comfortable with it, then I start with the changes and set-ups until I'm ready to go. However, I don't keep starting over again and again until I have a perfect run, I just get the closest to what I want, then use the editor to correct the flaws. Now, I still use the ancient KN6000, so I can use my editor for EZ recording, but it sounds like Ted doesn't have one on his keyboard , or doesn't know it can be used on a sequenced song. Get your manual out again Ted, because you're missing an important part of your keyboard. Am I correct in assuming the KN7000 still has the editor function?

It Sure Does Bud

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Willum

INTERESTING SUBJECT !
For Live Playing
I have A, B and C loaded in three categories, Big Band, Combo Solo Voices and Orchestral. Since I have the location of each registration memorized I can easily move around and spontaneously play most songs keeping the Panel Memory set in the Normal position. All 24 PM’s have edited sounds as part of the registration.

For Recording
The ten other PM’s have edited sounds in different categories, such as Horns, Woodwinds, Strings, Percussive such as Guitar and Electric Pianos. As I build an arrangement, with all 104 edited sounds I line up the registration changes starting in A1. I then put the PM into the Expand Mode and add the rhythm and tempo information. While this is a bit of work, I’m then free to focus on the performance. After recording, I go back and make the level and sound processing changes.

I’ve left out the business of building the styles and solos. That might be another subject for us to talk about.

Frank

Being a PR owner I am not familiar with the Panel Memory location on the KN models. Just curious as to what side of the keyboard the Panel Memory is located on the KN's? Also, do you have to cycle through A, B, and C... A, B, C... Or can you go from A to C to B to A etc.???

On the PR's or at least the one's I played, the Panel Memory is on the right side which is awkward since I am playing the melody on that side. Also have to cycle from A, B, C... A, B, C, so if at C and need to go to B, I have to cycle to A first, then B.

Any feedback in this area of Panel Memory?

Anthony

Panel memories are alive and well. But this love affair with them has to stop. !! I'm a sound panel man.

Seriously though, the beauty of panel memories is only really applicable when using them as arranged accompaniment to live playing. They do not do you a favour when doing multi-track sequencing. So, I say 'No'.

They're too unwieldy. Too long-winded. Multi-track sequencing is, by it's nature, done in stages. From it's inception to it's finish, such recordings undergo many many changes. Volume levels for each independent track - Tempo changes - Voice changes, etc etc. If using panel memories as the basis of your arrangement, every change has to be applied to every panel memory being used. It's a time-consuming process.

But, if using sound panel voices only, and using the 'mixer' page to set various data, all changes of any nature can happily be accommodated by the simple process of 'panel-writing'. Done in a jiffy. !!

The entire subject of 'arrangement/orchestration/sequencing could easily take up 20 pages worth of explanantion. (not to be done here). So, it's my humble view, that any theories relating to this subject, may only be valid when directly applied to 'what you are doing, and how you want to do it'.

Three cheers for the sound panel.

Colin Leaney

There is no right or wrong, no good or bad, just our opinions on a subject. What I my feel is beautiful, another would reject it. As far as perfection goes, it doesn't really exsist. It could be what we strive for, but it can also take away the joy of enjoying while we create.

And yes Colin, panel memories are not good for all things, it has it's place.

Different types of bands for different types of music. A polka band does not play Misty or Stardust. A Latin Band does not play German polkas. Not only are the musician of different backgrounds, so are the instruments they use.

This is my thought for my panel memories.

My favorite is Big Band, so that's where I would like to start.

I use the 1 thru 10 panel memories to create different types of bands/orchestras.

Example: Panel memories in normal mode.
1-Medium Big band for songs like Satin Doll and Don't get Around Much Anymore.
2-Soft big band for Misty, stardust, ect.
3-Strong band for In the Mood, "A" train, ect.

I select a style and use use 1,2, or 3 as selections for the different instruments.

My setup is the same in all three memory banks.
1-Some type of piano
2-Rt1 Trumpet, RT2 Sax--Both solo inst.
3-Rt1 Bone, RT2 Clarinet.
4-RT1 Sax section with T Chord RT2 Soft Brass with T Chord.
5-RT1 Clarinet section, RT 2 Flute section.
6-RT1 Harmon Mute section, RT2 Bone mute, same
7-Med. Brass, Rt1 and RT2 combined
8-Strong Brass RT1 RT2 High trumpet, combined

The three banks only differ in volume and types of instruments, (Tenor,Alto, soprano,ect)
Bank 4 Latin
Bank 5 Strong Latin
Bank 6 Polka (ethnic)
Bank 7 Strings
Bank 8 Piano --Different types, and octaves.
Bank 9 Piano --8 and 9 are great for just enjoying Piano.
Bank 10 The odd combos

I am ready to play most types of music live and (possibly sequenced) without searching and stumbling. It's all right there, a band that sound they way I feel it should sound for the kind of music/style I'm playing.

I am sending my first three setups to Bebob for you to see. I hope this hasn't taken to much space/time, but I live with this setup. More about the different uses at a different time.

John C.

Thanks John C. -- very interesting.

One question. If I have a floor full of dancers and I want to play a latin piece followed by a big band number, how do I go quickly (less than 5 seconds, so the dancers don't walk off of the floor) from bank 4 to bank 3? Is there a way without having to cycle through all 13 banks each time?

This is why I only use bank A and dedicate all eight panel memory positions to a song setup and save it to the SD Card under a unique name. The name could be either a specific song title or a generic such as BB Strong. If properly saved, it only takes three or four seconds to find and load a new setup.
I guess this might be another example of how one method might not be right for all circumstances. Larry G. likes panel memory for sequencing but Colin uses sound panel.

The upshot of the discussion is that as we share our methods, we generate new thoughts about how each one of us can best use the resources of the KN7000, and they are many.
The best to all,
Walt

One question. If I have a floor full of dancers and I want to play a latin piece followed by a big band number, how do I go quickly (less than 5 seconds, so the dancers don't walk off of the floor)

Walt, What I gave in my last post was a basic setup. Here are the ways I use it.
1-Sitting in my living room and going through the different styles.
2-When I create a sequence I will use one or more banks for volume balance and instruments selection. Then I select extended Panel Memory and add my selection of tempo, style, variation, and whatever else comes to my mind.

If I am recording a waltz, and I have a bank of strings with the volumes balanced, and instruments that compliment each other already created, a good part of my work is done.

Now your question about speed, and not losing the dancers.

1-Panel Memory is in expanded mode
2-In my music book I put a selection of songs in the order I wish to play them
3-Then give the bank a name relating to each group of songs.
4-Normally I have 2 to 3 songs that compliment each other for the tempo and style I have selected. I allow one panel memory for each songs---And I write the name of each song int the panel memory. I have eight panel memories in a bank, and I use ten to fifteen songs per page.

I have ten pages (ten banks) with songs titles to choose from. I can flip through the pages for the next song, or go to the next song on the same page. Many times I have to change the mood of what I'm playing (ballad to rock or big band) so it's off to another page. Each page has a general theme.

When I want a lot of freedom, I go back to my original setup. I can then select a style and tempo and bank for that type of music and play with a complete band from piano, to sa section, ect. I get more freedom, but it is more involed. In the second setup, I can change very quickly. Sometimes when people are not responding, I just press another botton right in the middle of what I'm doing and go imediately to another mood/song.

If all goes well I am going to give Bebop three setups, they are not perfect, my work is always in movement, constantly changing. Whenever I get a new feeling, I write it in.
Please keep in mind that my setups are only for example, so that people can better understand my method.

Have a good day, John C.

Thanks John,
Will look for your info via Bebop,
Walt

Walt, there are two ways of decrementing Panel Memory Banks :
1. Use a footswitch set to carry out this action - Increment is already on the Panel.
2. Press 'BANK VIEW' go to Page 3 and there you have the necessary control to Increment/Decrement the Banks, with full view of the content of Panel Memory settings within the selected Bank. Both are much quicker than scrolling all the way through.
The ability to Decrement Banks is a glaring omission from the panel controls. I'm sure it would be quite easy to include this extra facility so that there were three buttons above the 'Circle' : PREVIOUS BANK, VIEW BANK, NEXT BANK.
When I went to the KN7000 UK launch last year, I had an opportunity to talk to one of the Japanese designers and mentioned this. He said it was a good suggestion and would 'pass it on'. I also mentioned the possible inclusion of a 'Ritartando' or 'Rall' control and this was also well received. So maybe on the KN????......


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Willum

Very interesting topic - thank you John (and all contributors)I hope it goes on for a long time so that I may finally learn a little about getting the most from my keyboard. All this technical stuff is very new to me having played organ for over 30 years but only recently getting into the fascinating world of keyboards.

I just hope I don't miss out on your examples, John, I have the 6500 and therfore can't load 7000 registrations.

Tony L.

Of course you know the third way, don’t you? The pads! 1-P Mem Increment. 2-P Mem. Decrement. 3-Panel memory bank decrement.

Grandpa Doug

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Tony Lawton:

I have the 6500 and therfore can't load 7000 registrations.

Tony L, I still have my KN6500. If I can I'll send the info for both keyboards.
Take care, John C.

(Normal) Panel Memory--Registration.

Three demos have been sent to Bebop. These demos will give examples of how I am using the panel memories. These demos will show you some of what is possible.

This is another way to use our keyboards. It is not intended to replace what you are using now, possibly to add to.

I like this set up. I have used it since I bought the KN5000. Whenever I buy a new keyboard or I get a new idea, I upgrade the panel memories. It's a work in progress, about seven years in progress. It keeps getting better and better, TO MY EARS. I still feel it is not complete, I do not think it will ever be, it must change as I get new ideas.

Set the Panel Memory to Normal, not Extended.

1- I decide what tempo, and style I want to play the song in.
2- Then I select the matching bank A,B,or C.

Each bank has the same type of sounds in the relative panel memories.

Example:
1- Panel memory #1 --
RT1 Piano, RT2 something that blends to Piano. All three banks A,B, and C, will be the same except for the volume balance and type of Piano.
2- Panel memory #2
RT1 Trumper RT2 Sax. Again, all #2 panel memories in each bank will have some type of Trumpet and Sax.
This makes memorizing the three banks easier.

The Drums and Bass are subject to what an individual hears. Sooooo, if you want more drive, press the Sound Arranger button. It may be neccessary to do some adjusting to create what you wish to hear.

John C.

[This message has been edited by bruno123 (edited 08-02-2003).]

Me too. I have the KN6500 and would hate to miss out on this learning experience.