KETRON lifts the ARRANGER bar .... AGAIN!!

Team,

This is what I can reveal so far... remember, these are preliminary and subject to change in time.... more info to follow ....

AUDYA – Advanced Music & Performance Workstation

Preliminary Specifications

Keyboard : New 76 half weighted keys. 8 Velocity curves. Pitch & Modulation Wheel. Aftertouch. Portamento.
17 Slider Volume controls (includes 2 Assignable sliders), Assignable tabs.
Display : 320 x 240 True Colour Graphic Display TFT.
Hard Disk : 40G ATA IDE 2.5. (upgradeable to 80G).
USB : 2 USB Device + 1 USB host. Mass storage devices supported : Floppy, Stick, Mp3 players, CD/DVD Rom, HD, Computer keyboard…etc
Sound Generation : 360 MB PCM Wavetable. 384 New Orchestral Presets Sounds. Stereo & Multilayered Voices. 384 GM2 Sounds. 32 parts Multitimbral. Total Polyphony : 197.
Voice List : 320 programmable 1 Touch - Favourite Sounds.
Drawbars : 9 Digital Drawbars slider controlled. New Rotor, Percussion and Overdrive effect.
Programs : 320 Programs. 3 Voices, 3 splits. Sustain, Portamento, Velocity switch, Duet, Trio, Morphing, Steel, Slide, Harmony. Single & Global Program loading. Editing capabilities: A,D,S,R, Cut Off, Resonance, Effects and keyboard assignments.
2nd Voice : 384 Preset & programmable Second Voices. 2nd Voice 1 or 2.
RAM / INS : 64 MB internal Ram Sound (expandable to 256 MB). Up to 128 Voices controllable.
Sampler : New Dynamic Sampling unit 44 KHz / 16 bit.
Professional Multiplayer : 2 x Wav, 2 x Mp3, 2 x Midi file Player. Hi-quality Real time stretching and transposition. Play List, Autoplay. HD recording to 2 stereo tracks. MP3 Encoder (editable resolution). CD Audio tracks Rippled to int. or Wave.
Midifile Player : SMF Song playback with karaoke and Txt files. Converts .kar & Midi type 0 files to 1. Juke box. Intelligent Transposer. Song Chain. Drum & Bass. Lead On/Off . Save Song setup.
Drum Remix: Real time interactive Midifile and Style playing. Song and Style select.
Registrations : 320 Global panel settings. Single & Block modes. Quick & easy recall
Drum 1 : 32 New Drum sets (plus previous). 24 User Drum Sets. 10 Drum sections. Drum Mixer. Manual Drums.
Drum 2 : 62 Live Drum Loops. Acoustic, Electro and Latin Loops.
Real Audio Arranger (RAA): Stereo Live Drums (Wave) and Real Acoustic & Electric Guitars plus Bass Accompaniments (Audio). Over 200 Internal Styles, featuring new Unplugged, Latin, Pop, Ballad, Traditional, Swing and Ballroom Styles. Arranger part Mute. After Fill.
4 Arrangers : A, B, C, D. 3 Intro/Endings, Fill In, Break . Real Interactive Accompaniment (RIA). Manual Bass. Jump. Tap Tempo. Accelerando-Ritardando. Tempo control. Pedalboard funcions. Rootless & Standard Chord recognition.
Pattern : New Pattern/User Style section with Advanced Editing functions.
Song Recording : Real time Song Recording to Disk (HD or FD) or external media.
Pianist : Standard & Auto Piano-style arranger playing modes. Sustain On/Off.
Octave : 1 octave Up/Down.
Double : lower octave coupling.
Harmony : Full, Jazz, Double, Bluegrass, Trill, Repeat, Folk 1, Folk 2.
Transposer : +/- 24 half tones.
Arabic Scale : 13 arabic setups (footswitch assignable). Tune + / - 99 cents per note.
Accordion Mode : International, Belgique. Velocity control to Left&Right. Bass&Lower octave.
Left Drum to Bass&Chord.
DSP : 3 new Multieffect DSP’s with Reverberation, Chorus, Flanger, Delay, Tap Delay 4 / 8, Wha Wha, Distortion, Overdrive, Rotor Slow/Fast , Bass Boost. Portamento, Mono – Legato.
Micro 1 / Micro 2 : 2 Pro Micro Inputs with separate Gain control , 10 bands Equalizer, Echo, Reverb, Pan/Pot, Pitch Shift, Talk , Voice Transform.
Voicetron : Ketron’s New 5 Voice Harmonizer. Vocoder, Auto-Harmony, Midi Vocalizer track, Advanced Voice editing, Pitch to Midi.
Midi : In 1, In2 , Out, Thru. 32 Midi Channels. GM2 standard.
Outputs : Left/Mono, Right. 4 Separate assignable outputs ( 2 stereo or 4 Mono ). Sustain and Volume Pedal. Footswitch (6 or 13 switches). Digital SPdif In / Out.
Inputs : Stereo headphone. 2 x Micro.
Video Interface : Systems : PAL, NTSC, Super VHS. Monitor, Mirror, Zoom, Karaoke ½ page and full screen, Mark, Underlined. Size and position controls.
Optionals : Hard Case, Pedal Sustain Piano type, Pedal Volume, FS6 / FS 13 Footswitches.
Dimensions : L x W x H = ( 114 x 43 x 15 cms. ) ( 45 x 17 x 6 “).
Weight : 18,5 Kg. ( 38 lbs )
Power : Automatic Voltage detection (110V/60Hz – 240V/50Hz) - Plug and play.

Specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice.

Hi AJ.

Great looking specs there, looking forward to seeing a picture and demo's all in good time. Thanks for updating us all

Impressive specs. If Ketron can pull this off it could be the first "real" arranger workstation. However I fear the price will be to high for me.

Kind regards,
Tommy

Those are some great specs - nice

Thanks Ketron_AJ

3 Intro/Endings, Fill In, Break.


Only one Fill In ....?

Nah ... the FILLS are linked to the various Arrangements (3 in total) ...

Thanks for replying..

well, so many new functions and the new 5 voices voc. etc.

sounds really great

[This message has been edited by BL (edited 03-28-2007).]

Heyyy, not separate fill buttons or/and assignable?
Hopefully break and to end are there!
That's really a nice function on SD1.

Looking forward to more info

GJ

Thats all fine & good but what about the navigation which my #1 priority to a performance player? Although great sounds & styles My previous Ketron Kb's all left me wanting for more & moving on to others just because of navigational real time features.
Its just too important.

No sequencer AJ?

If those are the preliminary specs then I would say the full specs will also include everything that was on the SD1 as well as taking them to a whole new level.
Looks like it could cause the mainstream arranger manufactures (Y R K etc) some sleepless nights.
Certainly looking forward to see what Peter Shaw can do with it at one of the UK keyboard festivals.

Bill

Sounds great!


I'm STILL in the market for a new 'board (if anyone remembers my past thread ("What do I get??") and I'm looking at June this year as my deadline.

Hope this thing comes out by then and is at some sort of sane price point!

(They could've left out that awful vocal harmoniser thing and made it cheaper!)

Release date???????????????
Price (some idea please)???????????

------------------
God I hate signatures.

BUT...

www.chi-chi.com.au

3 hours, 52 minutes, 12 seconds....
before people start moaning "too heavy", "no weighted keys", "no FM reception" etc.



Impressive specs, and i sure would like to hear a demo of the Live bass and electric guitars.

[This message has been edited by trident (edited 03-29-2007).]

Aj, just a reminder about a control on the new KB to keep the vocals at a constant volume regardless if the harmonizer is on or off.

This should shed some more light into this. We've spent a lot of time listening, developing and .... still doing just that!!

AUDYA
Advanced Music & Performance Workstation

AUDYA represents the new KETRON state-of-the-art revolutionary musical workstation, featuring a top-quality sound engine, a powerful Multiplayer, unique solutions with Auto Accompaniment and a wide Multimedia capability. Finally the Arranger keyboard has been lifted up to a long awaited hi-professional level, offering the musician total freedom with Audio and Midi experience.


Intelligent Audio Drums

KETRON AUDYA introduces a very innovative concept used with the Styles and Midi files : Real Audio Drums (RAD) tracks still controlled via Midi. After many years of robotic Midi Drums reproduction, a live Drummer performance now brings a new drive into the Automatic section. No more short and annoying midi patterns but exhaustive Real Drums at your fingertips with tempo variations (no change to the audio pitch!).

Audio Drum tracks play extra long patterns with real Intros, Fills and Endings, all working on perfect sync with the conventional midi resources.

Check this out – you can now cover all your background style as Pop, Rock, Ballad, Swing, Traditional, Latin with an unprecedent music taste. Real drummers and percussionists did a great job for you ... and they’re still at your convenience, following your Tempo changes and improvisations ... Unbelievable !


Real Audio Arranger (RAA)

We didn’t just end with Audio Drums – why not Audio guitars, bass, strings ... everything? In addition to the audio Drums, a huge variety of Real Guitars backgrounds has been provided on AUDYA. Folk, Classic, Electric and even Flamenco patterns, all performed by respecting the proper feel of each different types of music, and all perfectly synchronized with Drum and Bass ! With the Unplugged styles you can enjoy the individual Guitar performances, a perfect tool for singing and compositions.

The sensation of playing with a Real Band behind you was never as true and exciting until AUDYA. Just strike a chord … and listen !


Professional Multiplayer

Thanks to the Midijay experience, the KETRON AUDYA brings now the Player to a new enhanced dimension, with Dual Wave, MP3 and Midi file channels and 2 tracks HD Recording. New hi-professional advanced algorithms permits AUDYA to fluently manipulate Waves and Mp3 with accurate Stretching on fly for timing ( bpm ) and Transposition with no appreciable loss of quality. A very useful built-in Mp 3 Encoder device allows the musician to sing and perform anything on the keyboard while the resulting data is immediately saved as MP3 files onto Disk.

The internal 40G HD (upgradeable to 80G) can support a big repertoire of Audio and Midi Songs.

Additional features such as DJLoops, SFX and CD Audio track rippled to Wave (via USB) ensures that the AUDYA’s Multiplayer the first in it’s class, with endless possibilities for live ad studio performance.


New Sound Generation

Massive 360 MB hi-quality Sound engine, following KETRON’s tradition of the Best Natural Sounds. Great variety of New Stereo and Multilayer instruments, including Grand Piano, El. Pianos, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Pads, Accordions, Synths and some New un-compromised Brass and Sax voices which will sound more realistic than ever !

Additional Sounds (up to 128) may be quickly loaded from Disk to the internal 64MB (expandable to 128MB) Internal RAM and a renewed Sampling section 44 KHz / 16bit is also provided.

A new Digital Drawbars section with 9 sliders, Percussion, Rotor and Overdrive effects together with sampled Stereo Organs will produce any full, rich organ sound required.


Voicetron, KETRON’s new Vocalizer !

Up to 5 voices simultaneously!!. Plenty of DSP controls with Formant, Pitch correction, Voice transform and EFX for new exciting vocal textures. Personalize your live performance by adding the powerful Voicetron to your Midi files, your Styles or just controlling your “singing notes “ manually from the keyboard . Presets collection database will transform quickly your tunes from a single line voice into a “ A Cappella “ vocal set ! The vocal section includes 2 x Microphone XLR inputs, 10 band equalizer, individual Effect and Slider controls, Talk, new Pitch to Midi features and more.


DSP

3 powerful DSP’s with new enhanced Reverb, Chorus, Distorsion, Echo and Rotor Effects, With individual controls per Voice. Separate Reverb ambiences for Lead section, Accompaniment and Micro (Voicetron). Global 2 Band Equalizer for Wave, Mp3 and Bass Boost.


New Keyboard & Layout

We revisited the drawing board here again. AUDYA is equipped with a new full 76 half-weighted keyboard, with Aftertouch and Portamento. A new very intuitive layout makes the keyboard extremely easy to use. The operative system is similar to those used in today’s computers and therefore will result as a confidential platform for any traditional musician, producer or programmer.

A new Colour Display 320x240 TFT , 15 slider controls plus 2 programmable extra sliders and assignable tab controls ensures a cool and relaxed panel navigation.


Connections

A couple of Stereo Main Outs, 4 Separate assignable Outs ( 2 Stereo or 4 Mono, with no exclusion of Internal Effects ), 2 x Line Inputs, SPDIF In/Out, Video Interface socket for additional Monitors/TV for karaoke, Footswitch, Headphone and 4 Midi sockets will ensure any type of Audio and Midi professional connection.


USB / Multimedia

2 USB host sockets + 1 USB device allows AUDYA to be properly interfaced with new Multimedia gears and computers.External HD, Sticks, CD/DVD Rom and others mass storage devices can be easily connected, thus allowing save, reload and transportation of complete music repertoires in a total safe environment.

We at KETRON work very hard indeed …. So you don’t have to. We believe once more, we raised the Arranger Workstation bar – yet again … thanks to our entire global team of Engineers and musicians.



[This message has been edited by Ketron_AJ (edited 03-29-2007).]

AJ,

I have to say that this sounds not only interesting, but very
interesting.
Hopefully you don't take away the nice features like "break",
"to end", "jump" and such things who are to find at SD1.
I could already read that i.e. fills will be dedicated to the
different variations. Hmmm, hopfully there will be more than
one fill button, and assignable.
Also I hope there will be a good useable software who will
allow editing and kb hd-administration direct form PC as well.

Guess we'll have to wait and see, but it looks like you're
listening and taking input from users, and that's something
who counts when concider what keyboard brand to choose next.

Keep on the good work.
GJ

Especially "To End", which is on the SD1 but omitted on the SD5. This is an extremely useful feature.

Glenn

Wow! No wonder Ketron took so long to replace the SD-1. Cutting edge and new innovative features required extra development time I reckon.

The weight is okay for me especially since it has 76 keys, and 'half' weighted keys at that. Weighted keys do add extra weight of course.

I noticed A.J. hasn't responded yet to the question regarding a Sequencer on the AUDYA. I wonder also if the USB is USB2.0 or USB1.1. If it is the latter it will be unfortunate.

The Polyphony at 197 is the best yet for any high-end Arranger, although in my opinion Ketron would have rocked the keyboard world if they had given the AUDYA 256 polyphony. Still, at 197 notes of polyphony, Ketron is no doubt turning heads from the corporate higher-up's at Yamaha, Korg, and Roland. Ketron raised the polyphony bar and I hope finally Yamaha and the others will follow suit.

The cost is going to be crucial in the scheme of things and I hope Ketron doesn't price themselves out of the market. We shall see.

All in all though the AUDYA looks very interesting and it really is indeed a true workstation Arranger keyboard from the specs. >> If there is a built-in Sequencer that is.

Mike

[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 03-29-2007).]

keybplayer,

We might just upgrade to 256 (notice how we now have an odd number for the polyphony?)

Shhh ... just wait and see!

spalding - Sequencer - Yes and No. (No because it is not the full flesh sequencer you're used to e.g SD1). Yes, because you can now use the PATTERN EDITOR as a sequencer - nearly unlimited bars (loop points) with 32 tracks!!!

Hi AJ,
does it have event list editing?? for patterns A function I really miss in the SD1.

best wishes
Rikki

Any chance of a Chord Sequencer?

And I mean live looping of chord input, NOT pre-entered chords. Some of us play sax, t'bone, guitar, whatever. Without a chord sequencer, you HAVE to use SMFs for backing.....

Dear Ketron AJ;

"Additional Sounds (up to 128) may be quickly loaded from Disk to the internal 64MB (expandable to 128MB) Internal RAM and a renewed Sampling section 44 KHz / 16bit is also provided."

Maybe if Ketron could expand this part of the Audya Keyboard. 128Mb is not a lot of storage space for additional sounds. It would be consumed very quickly. The additon of extra sound would allow user to customize their Ketron for their particular application. The Tyros 2 currently has 1 Gb expandable internal Ram. At least 1 Gb ( possibly 2 Gb) if not more would be a great addition. Aftermarket companies are starting to make larger samples. Capabilities of reading multi-format samples would be nice ( i.e Aiff, Wav, Akai, Giga etc..) This would open the door to selecting sample from various companies. Further, if the tranfer rates could be made at USB 2.0 speeds (480Mb/sec) or better then loading extra samples would be much easier & faster. Thanks for listening

PS--keep up the good work, the Audya looks promissing

Regards;
BN

2 important questions have been mentioned, but maybe AJ is not in a position to answer them at the minute.

1) Price
2) Release date (europe - Ireland for me)

AJ if you can shed any light, it would be appreciated, as this really does look very tempting. Cheers.

I can't believe that I'm the only one who is interested in how many styles are on board? Or is that mentioned and I missed it.

Will there be 8 bar, 12 bar, and 16 bar loops? Or just plain old 4 bar loops? These two things are essential in my even thinking of another board.

Seventeen sliders sound great. Another big big down fall for me is what Diki mentioned. Sequencers are very important. I think great and easy sequencers with the option to use the variation changes and other functions while playing a sequence in a live act when playing another instrument of any kind is a must on an arranger board. I think this feature would draw more horn players into OMB situations because large bands venues are getting more and more scarce as time goes on.

What a large customer base the keyboard manufactures are passing up. I can’t believe that they haven’t figured this out yet with all the folks that work for them that probably went to college and studied marketing. Perhaps even the owner(s) studied marketing, eh?

Nah, you're not the only one, and somewhere I did read 200 on board styles.
But maybe the addonstyles plays just as dynamic as onboardstyles this time?

GJ

When I purchased my (Roland) auto-arranger keyboard, I went crazy downloading, borrowing, seeking out alternative patterns/dance styles. I ended up with probably about 600 that I stored on the computer. Do you know how many I've used on the job for the last 10 years. About a dozen! Why? Because I discovered no one even notices... on the job. Nowadays you're lucky if they even notice your melody line! Still....I'm looking forward to the new Ketron as I'll play it for sheer enjoyment for myself. My audience wouldn't know if I showed up playing a washboard with chopsticks!

I'd play a washboard with speakers before I play anything else without 'em.

What a dissapointment!
If I understand correctly Ketron has not skipped there completely useless operating system. No information of important features as Songbook/Music finder. Very limited registration memory.
Sounds and styles means nothing if it can not be operated in a proper way!
Look at Yamaha and Roland and make something smililair!
I hope I'm wrong otherwise it's no point of releasing this product!

1. According to reports it is not due out until later in the year, so was most likely shown to the trade to find out what they think needs modifying for the final release.
2. If you listen to the video and read other reports, it says that the OS has been redesigned to allow easier use of all the facilities.
3. Remember the saying “One mans meat is another mans poison” so while you may enjoy the Yamaha OS, it does not mean that others will.
Enjoy whatever you play

Bill

Agreed

I personally really like Ketron's Registration feature, particularly on the Midjay. The number of registrations is unlimited, easy to access and easy to set up.
On the SD1, I could call up any registration quickly either by number or alphabetically.
Other features of the SD1 OS I didn't like much at all. It is much improved on the Midjay and I expect that system to be incorporated in the new keyboard.
DonM

Completely useless? I think not......needs a bit of practical improvement with some real Pro user input ? Yes.....otherwise Ketron is a force to be reckoned with that thru the years keeps getting better & better!
Tortoise & the Hair ring a bell?

tonkan

Yamaha/Roland/Korg's SONG BOOK/MUSIC FINDER feature = Ketron's REGISRATIONS (booth SINGLE and BLOCK).

AJ

Hang on.


Can I ask a stupid question? (yes, another one)

If there is no "Full Fleshed" sequencer on board, can you not properly edit Midi-files on the keyboard itself?

I realise you could go to town on any PC, but I much prefer even some quick "changes" on the board.

Can we at least change select instruments/sounds on each track, reverb, delay other fx, velocity changes etc etc?


If not.....well.

Good question!

Also, still no word from A.J. about the AUDYA having USB2.0 or not. Since he didn't respond on my original post in this thread about the AUDYA's USB specification I kinda suspect that the AUDYA will have only USB1.1 If that is the case then it will be truly disappointing. Most of your keyboards being built today have USB2.0 and/or Firewire and now there is even an Ethernet interface with the Yamaha Motif XS. The Korg Pa800 has USB2.0, the new Korg M3 and so on. So is Ketron stuck on a outdated spec like Yamaha is stuck on only 12W internal speakers for its Arrangers?

Let's hope not because that could be a deal breaker for more than just a few arranger keyboardists.

Mike

Good question..

USB supports three data rates:

A Low Speed rate of up to 1.5 Mbit/s (187.5 kB/s) that is mostly used for Human Interface Devices (HID) such as keyboards, mice, and joysticks.
A Full Speed rate of up to 12 Mbit/s (1.5 MB/s). Full Speed was the fastest rate before the USB 2.0 specification and many devices fall back to Full Speed. Full Speed devices divide the USB bandwidth between them in a first-come first-served basis and it is not uncommon to run out of bandwidth with several isochronous devices. All USB Hubs support Full Speed.
A Hi-Speed rate of up to 480 Mbit/s (60 MB/s).

So...what you need there a USB 2.0 if then your all keyboard need ton of minute just for loading some Mb?
Just looking the T2, 1Gb RAM, need about 57 minute untill you are ready to play some..
PA800, PA-X and other same..
In this way USB 1.1 is enough too, because more speed in the embedded CPU you never can have.
AUDYA is the same, they use the DSP Dream chip and the all data loaded from the HD or USB, must pass trough the DSP chipset, that is really slow to loading data.

The Dream SAM9708 is the bigger DSP chipset that can drive MAX 256Mb of total soundbank: http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?part_id=2589

Not really well understand how they can have more than 300Mb soundbank...they use maybe 2 of this device?
If yes, then the audya will have 128+128 voice, 256 Voice, but still there nobody know.
Let Ketron complete the OS and the definitive hardware and then we will know.

I was in the Musikmesse the demo too, AUDYA is really a nice keyboard!
Compliment Ketron for the big jump!

Thanks LIONTRACS, wise words and very informative post.

Happy Easter!
GJ