GEM PRP-700/800 digital pianos (plus a MidJay?)

Hi all. I've come up with an interesting arranger rig based around the new GEM PRP-800;

along with another device to go with it, the Ketron MidJay ;


If you haven't heard the GEM PRP's yet, they are definitely worth a look and listen. The PRP 700 and 800 have the same piano sound as the GEM RP-800 and use the same DRAKE technology as the GEM ProMega 3, which may be one of the most developed acoustic piano sounds in the industry currently. The PRP's have 80 notes of polyphony. I understand that the PRP's have been selling in Europe (particularly Germany) since last Spring and are doing well. They are supposed to begin selling in the US this month. I think the PRP-800 is the lightweight (under 45 lbs) graded hammer 88 digital piano and controller I've been waiting for. I like internal speakers for ease of practice so the 800 would be my choice over the 700 but either would make a good stage piano.

The addition of the lightweight MidJay would effectively turn the PRP into an arranger keyboard, plus the PRP's and the MidJay are both silver with blue displays. Should make a lightweight excellent-looking multi-functional solo rig combo.

I'm still interested in pursuing a soft-arranger setup based around my laptop but the MidJay keeps drawing me back for it's size and convenience.

Comments?

Esh, WDMcM should be able to guide you.

Jim,
the RP-800 looks interesting; here in Italy it should be available around mid-December. If I have the opportunity to play one, I will let you know.

Esh....Im using a Roland A37 http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?CatID=8&SubCatID=38&ProdID=A-37

with the great sounds of the Ketron Midjay and Im having a ball...it sounds Great and the flexability of playing Styles/Mp3's/Smf/Wav/SFX/Lyrics, Vocals & Harmony all in realtime seperatly or together controlled with sliders in an 8 Lb module & a controller keyboard via Midi is an awesome combination all interacted via USB ......

Good Luck it will fit you nicly!!

Interesting idea, Jim. I already have half of the setup, so... The PRP-800 looks very interesting, lightweight and the piano sounds should be top notch. Interesting price, too. My only concerns are the the controller capabilities of the instrument. Should be ok for piano, but no wheels... I'll take a look at the manual.

-- José.

[This message has been edited by Route 66 (edited 12-06-2005).]

Hi Esh,
I have a Clavinova CLP170 ( no styles) , and I'm hoping to buy a Midijay this weekend. The midijay sounds like it's a pretty amazing piece of equipment. I'm still continuing on with my software based arranger system as well, but it will be nice to just be able to switch it on & play.

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Esh:
[B]

Hi Esh,

Check this out:
Korg SP-250!

I think this new Korg sounds pretty good, What do you guys think?

Greetz ,
Marcel

Thanks for all the replies and thoughts guys.



So the MidJay is acting as both your accompaniment and your live-playing tone module? Impressive, especially if there is enough polyphony to do SMF's or style accompaniment and live playing at once. But the MidJay is so flexible that I could see how you could use the internal sounds to create wave or MP3 files for backing tracks and then play them back on the MidJay while using a controller to play the internal voices live. I will be flying to some gigs next year and I'm looking for ways to avoid shipping keyboards, like renting a digital piano or controller on site, so having a MidJay that can do it all is reassuring... plus I could carry a laptop as a backup.

Marcel: the Korg SP-250 looks nice but I'm ready to take a break from the Japanese keyboards for now. GEM has gone further with modeling the piano than many other manufacturers and the price and portability of the PRP-800 are spot-on for me. One little added cool feature of the PRP's is the illuminated music stand that lights up in soft blue. It seems that just about any digital piano combined with the Keytron MidJay would be effective.

Jose: you're right, the PRP-800 has no wheels which is a drawback, or more like a trade-off for the 80-note polyphony modeled piano capability. For me it's not an essential feature because I have several other controller options - in fact I could easily see using my Novation X-Station 49 as a super-light second keyboard/controller to access voices in either the GEM PRP-800 or the Keytron MidJay. I also intend to keep one of my Yamaha 9000 Pro's which would make an arranger system of doom if added it to the PRP-800/MidJay combo. Too much fun.


[This message has been edited by Esh (edited 12-06-2005).]

Jim.....Midjay/+ Conroller is really a great way to go for so many playing situations....there are a few limitations vs a stand alone Arranger but not enough to effect playing live on stage without any problems.....using a FS6/FS13 pedal also will improve hands free navagation.....
I think you will be very surpised at ALL the Things the MIDJAY can do, its a great concept for the live performer.
I love this thing it sounds Sooooo good!
Keep us posted on your progress.


[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 12-08-2005).]

Rikki & Esh I feel so sad and once again so alone.....oh well I like the software approach regardless of what everyone else likes. When you think of it...I have it pretty good. M. Bedesem I think likes the Tyros and yet has expended considerable effort to help me like my software approach (modifying his software so I can use it for free). It doesn't get any better than that. Even Rikki & Esh provided all kinds of advice so I could like my software jungle some more. Oh well!!!

Frank... I haven't left you. I fully intend to continue my work with softsynths an developing an ESH2006 system... what do I have to lose? I'm still interested in hardware too though, and a lightweight serious digital piano is at the top of my interests. I was thinking about going more for a CME UF8 controller and go all-softsynth on stage but I'm not sold on the CME's or any other 88 controller right now, so meanwhile I though I might spend a few dollars more and get a PRP-800, which could still be used in conjunction with a laptop-based system.

The MidJay is fascinating and has amazing potential as an arranger plus it can play the MP3 files I created with my Yamaha 9000 Pro and my collection of GM SMF's as well. I can put that to work immediately. I may even use my Novation X-Station 49 as a second-tier keyboard and use my laptop-based ESH2006 system with that in addition to a PRP-800 and a MidJay. Or use my Yamaha 9000 Pro with all of the above. I'm not above setting off an arranger doomsday device.

The "NI Bandstand and flr2006" thread has had an amazing level of interest. I'm happy about that - it shows that there is a lot of interest in thinking out of the box with arrangers. I wish I had more to add to the topic but I don't at the moment. I've been following it with keen interest though. With NAMM coming I'll bet we'll have plenty to talk about in the coming month or so in both hardware and software.

I have been thinking about using the music software for just one purpose, to make my PSR3000 keyboard sound better. Better sound = more fun. But, the notion of software only approach for the sake of going "software only" is no my motivation. I want the best possible and comfortable setup, the best of both worlds. If it takes using a $1500 arranger keyboard as a control surface and style player while turning off all local sounds and compliment that with a software sound module, so be it, as long as it produces a better result. Better than my standalone arranger that is.

The problem for me with the software style players is that the navigation will require the use of a mouse, even if minimally, I am not excited about it. I want the convenience of the hardware arranger board with all the bells and whistles and a better sound. So, I will continue to look for solutions like that. If it is my PSR3000 plus laptop with Bandstand or some other mute controller plus MidJay plus Bandstand or... I think that everyone here is trying to make their system better and more power to them. It is very helpful for all of us to read about these experiences and learn together.

By the way, Frank, you are one of the major contributors on this forum that ventures into the software world and I have followed your quest for a "software only" solution with great interest. I am definatly pulling for you and I am sure that you will succeed. Perhaps, you will also see alternate points of view such as this; to me the dedicated "hardware" arranger is just a controller keyboard loaded with a processor and "software" to play the styles and "software" to produce the sound. Some of them even allow OS updates. Technically, it is really the same as a controller, plus computer , plus software. Does not matter how it is done, as long as it is the best sounding and easiest to use system for me.

So, good luck to all and thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and ideas with the rest of us.

Hi Frank,
I'm actually still tossing up between a Midijay & the SD1plus. I'm not a performer , so some of Midijay's performance functions are wasted on me. Only bonus would be Midijay would sit neatly on my digital piano, and I wouldn't have to find a spot in the house for a 76 note keyboard. Plus side is,I would have a controller with aftertouch.

Guess what, it's GM so I may be going through the process of converting my OMB (xg psr )styles to GM . I'm still sticking with OMB / soundfonts arranger setup to go with the Clavinova.

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Frank L. Rosenthal:
[B]Rikki & Esh I feel so sad and once again so alone

Hi Oleg,
have you considered using a softsynth ( good quality) for just the lead sounds & use the psr3k for the styles. The mega voices would cause problems if you used a softsynth for the psr3k internal styles. You'd have to edit them out & save as a user style.

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by oleg7:
[B]

oleg7, Rikki and Esh that makes me feel somewhat happier.....I will just keep moving on down the software road....to see where it takes me.

[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 12-09-2005).]

Frank: count one more. In parallel with my work with the Tyros and the Midjay (a little box with a terrific versatility), I keep also following the software route. I bought Bandstand and Real Guitar, and I'm already using the amazing Real Guitar in one of the songs in my show (in chord mode). See, we didn't "leave you".. :-)

Jim, at the moment I'm using the Midjay with a lightweight Kurzweil KME-61, and sometimes a 88-note fully weighted Technics P-30, so I'm not in a hurry to buy another controller. Anyway, the PRP-800 seems an interesting choice at a very interesting price...

-- José.

Rikki, you are probably correct about the PSR3000 styles, they trigger Mega Voices and may cause other sound generator to produce undesired results. In general, I have been waiting for a sample player software that has superior sound quality and ability to accept program changes. So far it looks like Bandstand may be the only one that can do it and if I purchase it, I will then experiment with a configuration that will give me some sonic benefit (over my PSR3000 alone). If I can only improve my lead voices, that would be great, as long I can trigger the sounds using my keyboard buttons as usual and not have to touch the laptop. Hopefully it's possible with the use of MIDIOX or a similar program that can remap the program changes that my keyboard is sending out to trigger the correct software sounds. PSR3000 has ability to turn off local control for some or all internal parts. So, that's the plan for now.

Hi Oleg,
I'm an OMB user, I actually use a remote computer keyboard to trigger the variations. I stand it up on a music rest & I've marked the keys with the particular functions. One of these days I'm going to see if I can get one of those small numeric key pads to work. Then I only have a dozen or so keys to worry about.
I've just bought an sd1plus and I've got my laptop/omb/softsynth setup.
For me they're each an instrument in their own right.

The SD1's there, ready to play with all it's sounds, styles etc don't need to alter or add a thing if I don't wish to. Press the on switch & play away.
The laptop/omb/softsynth setup is different.
It requires that personal touch. I think we possibly tend to think of it as a defacto software psr. It's not really. We're fortunate in that it can load psr .sty files, but it really is an instrument in it's own right. You can use any sound source you like , provided it accepts program changes, you can use .sty files, you can create styles from midifiles. You can do all sorts of editing.

Even though it may not be as easy to use as a keyboard pressing varition buttons, fills etc etc you're going to find it fairly difficult to edit the styles in a psr , and then get the psr to trigger the correct sounds in something like Bandstand.
Remember the drum mapping is xg based in a psr , it's gm based in bandstand. You may have handclaps where you should be hearing brushes.
If you you really do want to have software based sounds for styles, you really may find it easier to also use a software based arranger and just use the psr as a controller. I found it a bit odd at first, but you do get used to it.

If you just want softsynth for lead voices, you may have half a hope.


best wishes
Rikki
[QUOTE]Originally posted by oleg7:
[B]