Please PA3X Owners!!! Latin Styles

Could you put a demo with a few Latin and Dance latin styles, especially salsa and merengue, please?
I´m in a Island, almost 800 km from continental land and music stores here doesn´t have a PA3X in stock
I had a PA2X and it has TERRIBLE latin styles. I hope Korg improved this ones...
Thanks for any help!!

Best Regards
Jo Martins

Please people!!

I will try to do some for you. Busy schedule today though.
DonM

Hi Mr Don!!
A BIG THANK YOU for the effort. I´ll be waiting

Best Regards
Jo

Hi,
they even have an Optional Latin usb stick.

http://www.korgpa.com/en/products/arrangers/pa3x/pa3x-options.html

Be handy if they actually told you what was on it.
Info must be somewhere.

Hi,
I'll see if I can work out which ones are new. Some have changed.

Thanks Rikki. There´s houndred of demos and videos for PA2X and PA3X but very, very scarce on latin music. I owned a PA2X and the latin styles were a joke (at least for a south american guy...) As far as I know and reading the manuals, seems like there is a lot of new styles in the latin and dance department. I really hope at least Korg improved in this regard. I own a Tyros4, yes, it´s a great instrument but its sound is so weak and I really need 76 keys
Hope the PA3X is my next keyboard
Jo

Hi Jose,
they have actually used some of Manuel Dorantes ( sorry if I've got the spelling wrong) Latin styles on the PA3X.
I'm not much good at recording & I haven't used the mp3 function yet, if I can work it out , I could just do an intro & basic pattern just based on a single chord to give you an idea of what the styles sound like.
Might give you a rough idea of whether , they're westernized latin or real latin, latin, for want of a better term.

As I said, I don't know much about recording, so don't get put off by sound quality, I may not have correct settings.

Hopefully Don will have the time to do you a proper demo.

Hi Jose,
these are all the new ones as best as I can work out.
A couple of them may have new intro's so they're not quite the same as original PA800.

Haven't had a chance to record yet.

Samba Enredo New
Samba Brazil New
Bossa Nova New
Classic Salsa New
Classic Mambo New
Classic ChaCha New
Guaguanco New
Timba New
Afro 6/8 New
Bomba New
Classic Bachata New
Classic MerengueNew
Cumbia not same
Joropo New
Pop Bossa New
Brazillian Samb New
Mambo New

Bank: Latin Dance

Reggaeton 1 New
Modern Bachata New
Classic Beguine New
Modern Beguine New
Disco Cha Cha not same

Thanks Rikki
I´m aware of those styles names (i downloaded both pa2x and pa3x manuals for comparison) I really interested to hear is the ones with "salsa" and "merengue" names only as I feel that those styles in pa2x and pa800 where out of reality.
I don´t care for intros, just variations, fills and the shortest ending (because none of each really belongs to any know music and always sound way out of the music you are playing. Sorry, after 28 years playing salsa and merengue in my bands I playing A LOT and knows the real deal)
So, as far as I know, there´s 3 or 4 salsa styles and 2 merengues in PA3X and I hope they are better than previus models.

In other order of ideas, is it me or the PA3X records (mp3 and youtube videos) lacks of bass frecuencies?? sounds so similar to Tyros4 overall sound: thin
What you think?

Hi Jose,
the only 2 new styles you're asking about, are Classic salsa & Classic merengue.
The salsa & merengue styles that I haven't listed are identical to the ones in the PA800.

I only gave you the list of styles that I think are brand new or have had some sort of change. The ones I didn't list in those 2 genres are still the same.

Anyway I'll record them , just email me where to send.

Hi Rikki, sorry for the delay, I was working
If you don´t mind I would like to hear any styles with salsa and merengue in its names.
Please send it to

jomartinspiano@gmail.com

THANKS A LOT!!!

Best Regards
Jo

JO, there are only five styles with Salsa or Merengue in the name.
I will record and post them if that will help.
DonM

O.K. I recorded them using the onboard MP3 recorder, directly to USB drive, then transferred to PC and uploaded to the "hidden" PA3X folder on my website.
I identified which variations were playing, but the vocal could have been a little louder.
Here is the link.
http://donmasonmusic.com/PA3X/

Don, Thanks a lot for the MP3. Finally I can hear some of this styles
To be honest, they don´t differ so much from PA2X, still sounding too fake and unrealistic BUT, the sounds are there.

If I buy a PA3X I will have a LOT of work to do...

Is it me or the PA3X sounds thin, lacking bass frequencies? The drums still sounds a little synthetic, not much different than Tyros4. Yes, the styles are much lively and less repetitive than Tyros but sonically not much different. Don, which were your previus keyboard, how do you compare to pa3x?
Thanks Again!!
Jo

Joese....only the Audya will give you what you need regarding your assessment above. have you played one yet?

I agree with DNJ

Latin = Audya

Hi Dnj
Yes!! I purchased previusly my tyros4, an Audya 76 new (coming from a tyros2) and it sounded awsome but unpractical: I do a lot of "breaks" with start - syncstop engaged and the auido waves doesn´t respond as quick as needed, sounded choped, even a midi cymbal could disguise this but no luck... and then the unpredictable behavior: freezes, sounds that stoped playing, etc. etc. A great machine concept but still in its beginings... Sorry, i loved the sound but for a person that depends on a everyday keyboard, this isn´t.
Tyros4 had worked perfectly, BUT, to me, still sounds hollow, out of phase, repetitive, BORING... I have the Yamaha premium saxes and trombone which are excellent and I have programed a few styles myself (real salsa and merengue using real deal samples) but is incredible: real sounds doesn´t merge well with internal voices. I have authentic percussions (also loops recycled that I placed in Tyros flash ram) but when mixed with internal drums and bass, forget it, don´t blend!! I put all sounds (bass and drums) sampled by myself and sound AWSOME REAL, but I don´t want to depend on a flash ram card, those fail too, at any time!!!
As you see, this isn´t easy.
Also, I´m a pianist first. I hate 61 keys, so the Tyros desperate me more!!
God!! I really hope a good arranger comes in the Horizont... (Roland, hello??)

I really appreciate all your help. By the way, the music that I WANT to play everyday is Smooth Jazz!! But not such luck...
Regards
Jo

PS here´s me playing with a salsa style I programed in tyros2 and did a backing track with it. The piano sound is tyros2 too Autumn Leaves in Salsa style

I think that nothing sounds as good as the Audya, as far as sounding live. I'm still working on my sound with the PA3X, but I think I will get there.
I have owned Audya, several Rolands, including BK7m, G70, E80 and E50, most all Yamahas, and others from all brands.
I like the size and weight of the PA3X, as compared to Audya, and even Tyros (in this case, size more than weight).
The Korg has great vocal harmonizer and Songbook feature.
I love the sounds and styles of the BK7m, but there are some drawbacks to it, as with everything.
If it turns out the PA3X doesn't suit me, then I will most likely go to an Audya 5. I love having a joystick very close to my left hand, as the PA has, and as the controller for my BK has.
Of all the arrangers, Audya has best Latin styles (also best and most country-western styles).
The Audya is a little heavier, and the fact remains that in the U.S., if it breaks, only AJ can repair it, and that means shipping it away for a length of time. I've had great luck with mine and it did not need any repairs, but that is not the case universally. I sold it because of the weight and location of the pitch bend wheels primarily.
The bottom line is all the current, and even not-so-current, models are wonderful and you can make wonderful music with all or any of them. It's just a matter of finding the best fit for you personally.
DonM

Don
That was well said !!!!

Ron

Jo love your Salsa Piano version of Autumn Leaves......great playing technic also......would have loved to hear a sax or trumpet solo somewhere in there also....too bad you can't find exactly what you want with what is out there today. Have you every thought about using a workstation to create your backing tracks to play piano against? ..yamahas Peter Barrtmans does it sometimes also
"Mas Que Nada - Sérgio Mendes" .. a little more work involved BUT, you can get the creative juices flowing so much better to what you really need in a songthis method alleviates the repetitiousness of using styles.

Hi Dnj
I have backing tracks for my piano playing (use an Ipad for it) but do very little piano solo these days. Right now I´m working with a singer that no follow rules, and I enjoy that!! the spontaneity of real time playing is important to us and doing latin music, specially for dance, is all about: We interact a lot with people so an arranger is a must.

I´m aware of the possibilities in PA3X but seems that I need to work a LOT before playing live with it.

Once again, Thanks a lot for the comments and the help, guys!!!
Best Regards
Jo

Jose, there are some great Latin midi files out there; you have to do some searching. You can take tracks from the song and turn them into tracks for the style you create.

You can also take part of a drum track and copy the claves or congas and create pads. Adding pads to the styles you have can take them up a notch. There are times when I turn the accompaniments off leaving only the bass and the drums and then I add the pads which in many cases gives you a good sounding Latin sounds/rhythm.

Hope this helps, John C.

Hi John
Sounds interesting.
How many bars can handle PA3X Pads?

Jose, I LOVED your version of Autumn Leaves!

Ditto +1

Scott

Hi Jose,
what about Audio Drum Loops for your styles?
Haven't tried it in the PA3X , but I did play around with them for my PA800.
2 options
Loop: as is,
or you can slice & create drum kit. Means to a certain degree you can even manipulate the pattern via the midi notes.

From memory you can even use in a pad.
Pads I beleive are up to 32 bars long.
I'm not near my keyboard, so I'd have to confirm.
(The Ketron SD1 Live Drums were a bit like a sliced audio loop.)

Couldn't really do a great deal in the pa800 , lack of memo\ry which couldn't be expanded.

Download the extended manual that goes into sound editing etc.

Wow Jo,
you do play well..

Thanks People!!
Glad you like it.
Rikki, I use a few audio loops recycled and sound fantastic! the problem is (in order to don´t sound repetitive) they extend for 16 bars (each for every percussion instrument) so it takes a LOT of memory (my merengue takes 280 megs only the percussion, my salsa 380megs...) In order to preserve memory, I try to use internal bass and drums but they don´t mix well at all and sounded too weird, I don´t know why. I try to do it with internal sounds but Tyros4 perc and drums still thin and hollow.
Also, I´m afraid of ram (even if it is flash). It fails at the worst time!!

Hi,
don't know if I've misunderstood, each percussion intrument has it's loop?

I've only used pre recorded loops where all the drums are on a single track, so it only uses a few megs.

One of my favourites though, was a simple brush swish pattern
( percussion track )to which I added additional midi drums on on the drum track. The brush loop just sounded so much better than a midi brush pattern.

Yes rikki
Real percussionist in latin rhythms play a lot of noises into their instruments (could you imagine Michael Jackson without all those vocal percussions???). If you use a loop with the entire perc set you loose all that nuances. When you need a break, or stop, or anything else it sounds real. If not in this way, sounds as chopped as in Audya.
I tried this since my Tyros2, but abandoned becuase it takes almost an hour to load the 500+ meg
In Tyros4 is right at the boot up. Sounds amazing good!! But I try to not depend on it because is still RAM

Oh another question:
Does PA3X allows to transpose the bass only in the styles and assign a playing range? i think the bass in PA3X (at least in the few demos and videos I heard) sounds to high in register. These days a 5 string bass is so familiar and GOOD (I´m a bassist myself) and desirable for dance music (including of course latin)

What do you think?
Audya does it, perhaps is part of the difference??
Jo

Jose,

I think that you will need to create your own styles or modify the ones from the keyboard to your liking.
Look like that any of arrangers styles in the market today can satisfy your requirements.

Hi Jose,
in style edit, you can transpose the bass, you can also set a range for it to play in.
In style play mode, you can set a Wrap around for each of the instruments.

Hi Jose,
you know if you really need so much variety in your percussion track, you've got the 6 cv's to play around with, for each of the variations. Whenever you play one of 6 different chord types you could have a minor variation in the track.

Hi Rikki
Yes, the CV looks very, very interesting, but can´t imagine all the work it needs for programming. Oh well, I´m trying to find somebody, somewhere I can try this keyboard or a place where I can purchase and have a returning policy. Is the only way in order to made a decision

Best Regards
Jo

Hi Jose,
not necessarily.

I tried some weird experiment with my PA800 a couple of years ago.
And if you're interested I could give it a try with the PA3x.
The tracks are basically independant. So, provided you have the right key & chord setting for the track, the chord recognition will play it back correctly in style play mode.

Basically my cv1 was based on cmaj7th chord. The tracks were set to trigger no matter what chord type I played
maj , min. 7th whatever It was a fairly basic style so it worked with all the chord types I needed.
Next up , just say for argument sake I wanted variety in the percussion track. I just needed to copy cv1 to the rest of the cv's, alter the percussion tracks, set up the chord types that triggered the various cv's.