Gigging with the MediaStation........

I made the decision to give the MediaStation a try on a regular "gig"...

After trying to gig with the PA800 for a month...I figured what the "heck"..let me see what happens with the MS..

Surprise!!!!!..Last night on stage...not a single glitch..(I would have had a couple with the Korg.. ).

The MS's media player is far superior to the PA800 MP3 player..It is easier to use and it neatly changes the title of a tune to red...letting you know ..you played it already..

I use "tracks" with the band, and the MS was ideal last night...Another go tonight, and see how things go..

The 1 gig (size) acoustic piano, I use on the MS is one of the best I have used...and the Native Instruments B4 takes care of the organ stuff..The giga library handles most of the other sounds I use..

For the rarely need of "style" play..the MS is ready with the few styles I may need to use...None were needed last night (par for the course)..

I noticed a difference in sound quality (audio) coming from the MediaStation..compared to the Korg..The MS has a high quality sound card..

The staple sounds I use with tracks..piano, EP, organ, bass, guitar, strings and brass..are all better on the MS compared to the PA800..

The only thing I missed about the PA800..it weighs half what the MS does

Last night I ran directly from the MS to the Podium speakers (stereo)..all mixing was done on the MS..making it an easy set up....(one minute boot up time was the same as the Korg)

Editing on the fly was just as bad on the MS as the Korg...(I really miss the G70 here)....but....The band needs a MP3/wav player

If the MS works well again tonight and next week..I will give it a run at the CrabTrap next month..as long as I can leave it on stage...

To be honest I really expect that I will miss the G70 with a laptop....and will be hauling the MS back to the studio

Surprise!!!!!..Last night on stage...not a single glitch..(I would have had a couple with the Korg..

Fran ... how do you KNOW you would have had a couple of 'glitches' with the Korg?

Wow! You still got that old thing...good thing you don't have to use styles.

Great Karaoke machine for sure, but a little pricey.

Ian

Tony, didn't you read that I used the PA800 the last 4-5 weeks....and history showed that I had a couple glitches every night

The glitches pertained to the MP3 player and the sequencer...

Ian are you talking about my wife?

Anyone can buy a $20 Mp3 player and use it for track play...me...I prefer to spend thousands to do the same job..

Couple of glitches every night? Good grief. What ARE you doing with that Korg? I've had an i30 and a Pa1XPro in regular use over the last ten years and I can count on one hand the number of problems I've had. Then again, I'm not an mp3/SMF kinda guy.

Maybe it's God's way of telling you to play live .

chas

That's right...Live glitches are artistic expressions..

But Chas, he is playing "live" isn't he?

No worse than American Idle...singing over "tracks".

Ian

Butt out, Ian. I'm trying to pick a fight with Fran so I can weasel out of picking up the tab for lunch next month .

chas

Ah c'mon, man...how much can a Happy Meal set ya back?

Ian

For someone that happily totes around a G70, I think it's going to take more than one Happy Meal.



chas

I suppose you're right...he must be a lot stronger than he looks...

Ian

Jeez, I don't know how that can be, what with all those chicks he keeps parading on here.

styles are midi files fellas ....or did you forget that?

Donny, when you play over "tracks" (SMF or MP3), and you stop playing, the tracks continue on regardless if you walk away, dance, hop up and down, have a drink of soda...the chord changes all happen, the fills happen, the whole thing really doesn't need you at all.

With a style, if you stop playing....the song basically does too, unless it was written over one chord.

A style is 4/8/16 bars of a band/orchestra playing single chord...a SMF includes all the chord changes.

The style involves the player more, in my opinion.

I've seen people "play" over SMF...the instrument would not miss them if they stopped playing...it would keep going, making the chord changes without them having to do anything.

I like to arrange the music and conduct, or lead the band...not have the band lead me, which it does with a SMF.

If I thought SMF were more interactive and/or involving than styles, I would have been using them long ago, but, I find them boring and non-involving.

There will be those who like using them, and, some who have to use them, and I wouldn't laugh at them if they did, but SMF have no place in my perfomances.


Ian

let's also not forget the talent in creating SMF files also.
Track by track...or using something like Korg's backing track creator also.....recording tracks one by one correctly takes much more skill then letting a style play all the parts automatically
On arrangers Kb's the sequencer is there to be used as is the styles..

I like using the sequencer to try out song ideas, or for recording my arrangements for making a Cd.

I make sure that the arrangement I record on the Cd, can be played "live" in style play when I'm performing.


Ian

There are many thing you cant do in style play vs SMF recording play......neither one is better then the other just different....what does matter is what it sounds like no matter how you do it. I'm appreciative and blessed that I can do it both ways & sing also.

As I said, I like to control or lead the band, not have the band control me...using style play gives me that advantage (IMO), and SMF would not.

Of course, we will all use our arrangers differently...I'm just saying how I prefer to use mine, and why.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with someone using a SMF, nor do I think someone is less or more of an accomplished player if they use one or not...it is just not the way I want to play my arranger.

Ian

How about that!!!!

Last night..same results..The MS worked perfectly...

Fran, how old is your Mediastation? Have you done any updates (major/minor) since you got it?

Ian

PS...How about the PA-800? Do you have the latest OS?

Fran, how old is your Mediastation? Have you done any updates (major/minor) since you got it?

Ian

PS...How about the PA-800? Do you have the latest OS? [/quoteD



My MS is a completely new chasis and components with all new updates.....only the top panel and keys are from the "old" unit..

The PA800 was 2.01..was as in gone

Heck, that was a short love affair.

Ian

Yeah, I know what you mean...the Tyros3, although very impressive, didn't quite appeal to me either....the Tyros4, on the other hand, did appeal very much, indeed.

Now I'm broke...but very, very happy.

I've never played the more recent Korg arrangers, as they won't bring them in at the local dealers, but I thought the PA-800 sounded terrific in the on-line demos. I did play an I-series (I think it was I-3), quite a few years ago, and it was really nice, although the OS took some getting used to...I do remember it had a wicked sax sound for the time.

Sound is such a personal thing.

Ian

All the keyboards are great today...we are just getting spoiled

This was a very nice read ....It is always nice to read opinions from you guys

Ron

Great media player, ability to stream massive sounds, access to any VSTi, and all from a keyboard that integrates totally with the software your running in order for it to behave like a dedicated closed keyboard.

That's powerful stuff guys.

The X-R rack on the way too.... exciting times ahead.

Regards
James.

James,

Which will be first your X rack or Wersi Wing, answers on a postcard please.

James great news.....that MS X-R module should upstage the Roland Bk7m......any Idea on the price point yet?

Two completely different instruments...Two completely different buyers..

How about a decent video of you playing the MS?
maybe live on stage?

Sorry..I just sold it!!!
Just kidding

Now let's see...what ingredients are needed for a great video?

Good visual of performer on stage (and a great view of the audience ..if they are hot}..

A good performance

A good upload


I'm not sure I could pull it off

I have a good video camera

Sure you can! GO FRAN! GO!

Sounds good Fran. Thanks for sharing!
DonM

Fran, that sounds like the Organ Groove style from the Tyros.

What are you using for the RH...is it the B4 organ VST?

Thanks for sharing.

Ian

Yeah baby!!

Well the X-R was at Messe for all to see, so it's extremely close to being released.

Regards
James

Yep....

http://www.corcyraglobal.com/purchase.html

Regards
James

very nice demos James...thank you for sharing.