Ketron SD 1000 review + iPAD apps

Some months ago I bought a Ketron SD 1000 B-ware from Thomann for a reduced price. I'm currently going through all of its sounds thoroughly for the first time, and I've also begun to use two great iPAD apps which can control this tiny 1 pound module, which has no buttons nor display.

First of all, the sounds I am really extremely happy with are as follows (in brackets: Voice Bank + Voice number):

Vibraphone (A 12)
Acoustic Bass (A 33) (nicer to me than the very pluggy Yamaha Motif/MoXF one)
Violin / Cello (A 41/43) - very real bow scratch and vibrato!
Chamber strings (C43) - using the upper, VERY lively, better than the MoXF quartet and the Integra SN-A solo strings.
Altosoft and Contralto sax (A 65/66)
Most pipe organ sounds (including soft stops!)
Various accordeons
Classic choir (B 52) - very, very realistic except the very high register
Swing trumpet (B 57) - great attack phase and vibrato
Lounge tenor and growl sax (B 67/68)
Guitars: Hawaian (B105), Rock&Roll (B110 - sounds exactly like the Beatles in 1965), Ac.Stereo (C29), Acoustic guitars from D34 to D38 (one of them is just like the Integra SuperNatural acoustic strumming guitar!)
Hackbrett (C108) and other world/ethnic sounds.

So, really quite a lot of excellent sounds.
Regarding the acoustic piano, I'm not yet determined. Sometimes it sounds a little too bright and pop-piano-like to me. The 'dark piano' is the most realistic one among them.

In some cases one could criticize that dynamics is a little missing: e.g. most trumpets have nice samples, but don't seem to have multiple samples depending on the velocity, and sometimes not even an automatic filter is applied, so that some of the trumpets keep a sharp timbre even if you play them softly.

I already uploaded a demo of 3 pipe organs (http://youtu.be/UTjO2M2iVtw). I'm going to quickly record more sounds soon and post them in this thread.
About the iPAD apps, I can strongly recommend iMidiPatchbay and Set List Maker to send bank/program change messages to control the SD1000 sounds.

Very nice!
Looking forward to more demo's & songs on the SD-1000.
Thanks,
Lee

Thanks Rosetree! What kind of hardware (cables, etc.) do you need to drive the SD 1000 from an iPad?

1) What generation iPad are you using?
2) None of the iPads have MIDI jacks. So I guess you must be using some kind of USB-to-MIDI patch cable. Which one, and is any additional hardware needed?

Thanks sincerely,
Ted

I first used these apps on an iPad 2, which worked perfectly. Meanwhile, I have an iPad Air, for which I just need a small apple lightning-to-30pin adapter to use the same equipment, and it works perfectly, too.

You need a compatible usb-midi interface. There are various ones you can use with the iPad, I use a better one called iconnectMidi2+.
http://www.thomann.de/gb/iconnect_midi_2.htm
It comes with an iPad(30pin)-to-USB cable, which you plug into the interface. On the other side of the interface there are 2 DIN midi-ins and two midi-outs. This way you connect your keyboard (midi in) and the SD1000 (midi-out). You just have to pay attention which one of the two outs/ins you use so that a double midi signal (directly from keyboard to SD1000 plus indirectly via iPad) is avoided. That's all. Very portable and quite easy.

Short demo of C43 Chamber (Strings) plus Flugelhorn (part of Bach's 'Jesu bleibe meine Freude'/ 'Jésus que ma joie demeure').
https://soundcloud.com/rorosetree/ketron-sd-1000-sound-demo-chamber-strings-flugelhorn

rosetree,
Nice demo....
Also have you auditioned all these (a series) of demo's by Dan) ??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNJyKyR-8v4
Looking forward to more demos.
Lee

Yes, I listened to them before buying the SD 1000.

I'd like to explain a bit about this demo: As I wrote in my Soundcloud description, the Flugelhorn is not ideal here. However, I think the SD1000 has no better trumpet for this baroque music. All trumpets I tried were too sharp (even the mellow one) and/or had a jazz-like strong sampled vibrato, which doesn't fit to classical music. This Flugelhorn however lacks any sampled vibrato and thus sounds sterile. So, in this case versatility is a bit missing in comparison with the vast choices you have with a MoXF with flash libraries, or an Integra. Which doesn't mean the SD1000 isn't a great add-on to other instruments.

Next SD-1000 sound demo: again on the classical side: Symphonic orchestra - some bars of Strauss' Kaiser-Walzer.
I am surprised about the really good strings (big section and Chamber strings combined). French Horn and woodwinds are only satisfactory in contrast.
The only clarinet of the SD-1000 was NOT USABLE for this tune! It has a strong sampled vibrato typical for a swing bigband. Again, too little variety for a stand-alone instrument, but very valuable as an additional instrument.

https://soundcloud.com/rorosetree/ketron...h-h-french-horn

So, regardless of this slow rendition of a Strauss waltz, which most people probably don't like, what is your opinion of the sounds themselves?
I haven't had the time to do a demo with rhythm yet, but some swing/pop demos will follow.

Next SD-1000 demo: my self-made sequencer work of Bert Kaempfert's A Swingin' Safari completely played with SD-1000 sounds. It was quite a lot of work to adjust everything and to make Sonar send the correct bank/program changes. I didn't manage to get the right brush swing rhythm in the SD 1000.
I really like the swing trumpet here!

https://soundcloud.com/rorosetree/ketron-sd-1000-sound-tests-bert-kaempfert-emulation-swingin-safari

I can see the work that must have been put into it. The results are excellent,however, and very close to original.

Thanks. The sequencer file is the same I had prepared a while ago for the Integra version. This time the work was just to adapt the SD 1000 sounds for it, which was a bit tricky. I found out very late that in Sonar you have to select "bank select = type cc 0" instead of "normal" in the midi settings of each track I am surprised, too, that the SD 1000 sounds come quite close to the Kaempfert sound, too. I like the Integra strumming guitar, the specially programmed 'Knack bass' and the marcato strings better, but the other sounds are quite comparable, and the SD1000 swing trumpet is clearly better than any Integra and MoXF trumpet for this tune!

I love the sound, great job, shows yet again the prommise of the SD1000..

rosetree,
Excellent work,
the SD-1000 sound super.
Mine will come to me this week to be used with vA2 and other things too.

How are the woodwinds?
Thanks,
Lee

Excellent on all counts, Rosetree. The Swingin' Safari was especially enjoyable and very well done.

Ian

Thanks! So, a clear recommendation for this tiny module!

http://francarango.homestead.com/DR000233.mp3



Here is my version...all G70..No outboard gear, except the Tascam recorder..

Thanks for your version. All the details are included quite like in my version, and I like the choir (which I replaced with flute/strings). But regarding all the other sounds, I am surprised that the "G70 orchestra" sounds very lifeless and sterile. A part of it is due to the lacking sampled vibrato of the flutes. I don't like the trumpet either (but I don't like the Integra SN-A trumpet too much either). IMO the G70 really sucks here (and remember, I have been a Roland supporter since 1992) although all the details are well played.

Maybe you're interested in a direct comparison of sounds, so these are the former Integra and MoX versions of my sequencer file again, to compare them directly with SD1000 and also G70:

https://soundcloud.com/rorosetree/a-swingin-safari-roland
https://soundcloud.com/rorosetree/a-swingin-safari-1960s-berts

You won't get a response from Fran for a while. I'm certain he has passed out and will need some sort of resuscitation. Maybe even a day or so in rehab. Imagine, criticizing his beloved G70. Blasphemy!

Fran, how was this recorded?

Did you use a style and play "live", or did you start out with a SMF and add/modify parts?

Or, was it completely multi-tracked?

Sounds pretty good, especially considering the age of the G-70 (not to mention the player)

Ian

"Sucks", I am deeply hurt

Actually there are no orchestral patches, and the sounds are selected to try an mimic Bert's 1962 stereo release..

It is a single pan flute, a single trumpet, and a single trombone...all velocity switched sounds..

The reason you did not use a choir or real vocal sound from the SD1000..because they really suck

I am not sure what the Roland module has to offer, I know it is stated as the full Roland library..

What I like about the G70..even today, it is fast toget the job done, offers editing unmatched, and sounds realistic compared to most others..
The added vibrato you mentioned can easily be edited, but I don't hear it in the 1962 release..and we are trying to sound like the original..

Yes your BK7m has make up tools also, but no where as easy to use...The touch screen makes a big difference..

I am told the BK9 has many better sounds than the G70, and I probably will end up with one, but not to rerplace the G70..

Ian , this is a sequence, that I only modified, it was sequenced by Donnie Carroll..

I think this version is truer to the 1962 release, in detail and the sound that I modified..

Don, I am recovering nicely

Why did you choose a pan flute? I thought so when I listened to it. Bert Kaempfert used traversal flutes for this tune. The flutes from SRX 06 or the SRX 03 are good, I used them in my Integra version, (and one of these boards can be used in the G70). You are right that vibrato isn't necessary, it is in fact the mellow pan flute sound that doesn't fit.
You are wrong about the choir: I originally made this sequencer file on the MoX (not MoXF), which has poor choirs, and thus I integrated the choir sequence in the flute and strings tracks. And now I was too lazy to create an additional track for the choir. The SD1000 and Integra both have very good choirs.
BTW, my versions were also intended to mimic this same original recording, with the typical trumpet style of Manfred Moch (not yet Ack van Royen) and the specially edited Knackbass of Ladi Geissler.

Rosetree, I have and use the SXR 03 Studio exp board..My favorite..I know the Integra has the JV80 choir sounds..

I used the pan flute because the default sequence selected the pan flute..and I thought it sounded correct..

Now I would use a lot more changes if I wanted it to sound best to me...but would not sound like Bert's..


Sorry about the knock on the SD1000....I owned the X1 and SD1, neither had choirs to match the Roland SC sounds...The Fantom (XV) engine choir sounds were terrible..

BTW: Roland user/fan since the 70's

Fran ... I have to say I thought the sounds on the SD version were closer to the original ...
JMHO ...

I think some changes such as taking the SRX03 flutes instead of pan flute would definitely approach it more to the original. The flutes in the original sound much more brilliant to me than the G70 pan flutes.

Tony, how can that be when a third of the song had the wrong instrument sounds

Rosetree, I will try some different instruments and post..

Here is the sequence...if you guys want to fool with it..

The Integra has got SuperNatural choir tones PLUS old choirs from the XV/JV PLUS excellent choirs from the SRX06 (plus boy's choir from SRX03) etc.

You see, I tend to defend the Roland Integra, not the SD1000. This module is nor more than a nice add-on for my Integra and MoXF, I'm quite objective about it. It does have some cons (e.g. missing velocity layers in a number of sounds).

Fran ... because the 'voices' that were correct sounded that much better ... as I said JMHO, but what do I know ?!? ...

I listened to your version again, the midi file does have a number of deviations from the original, where shall I start:
- the guitar pattern is different: only off-beat chords, the strumming is missing. For this purpose I had recorded two different guitar tracks to come closer to the strumming
- the trombone chords thrown in are much too long, they are short and attack-like in the original (and in my version)
- the double bass line is missing: Kaempfert uses the pick bass (Geissler's Knackbass) to play short pronounced tones, plus a low-key acoustic bass to play continuous eighths (quavers) as a second line. I have that in my sequencer version.
- the original consists of a soft brush swing rhythm, not hihat etc.
-in addition to be traversal instead of pan flutes, the flutes are three-voice, not two-voiced with sixth intervals.

On the other hands, it is true that I added a few tones, also a background piano, which are not clearly present in the original.
I have specialized on Kaempfert for quite a number of years (my father was fond of his records in the 70s already), so I figured out many details especially when listening to Swingin Safari again and again. But of course I am always thankful for additional hints what is missing or too much.
But in this case I hear more deviations in the midi file you used.

Rosetree, I edited the sequence using the flute and trombones from the Studio card,,and edited the drum kit a bit...The results were better...

rosetree ... I was going to ask how you accomplished that ... the 'strumming' is very good ... thank you ...

OK, would be interesting to hear the changes. The SRX 03 really has some very nice samples. Equipped with enough SRX boards, Roland is certainly up-to-date. If I had a G70, I would use something like a XV 2020 or Sonic Cell to get two more SRX slots.

http://francarango.homestead.com/DR000235.mp3



Bass , trumpet, trombones,guitars, flute, from the Studio card

Thanks. Yes, those sounds are much better than the first version. I realized there IS the double bass line in your midi version.
One more thing I noticed: the strings with their descending sequence exactly play 16ths to the point, they should play the sequence faster and earlier (I can't express this in detail in English). I think the main thing about the midi version you use is the typical midi file characteristic: too much to the point, either programmed on the computer or too heavily quantized, and therefore a bit machine-like. If each track is played by a human on the keyboard when recording and isn't quantized, it inevitably sounds more natural afterwards.

But really, the sounds are much better now.

How old is G70 now ...1996 release?

No, about 2004, roughly at the time the Fantom X was released.

Close....2005

G1000 was 1998

I recently bought one for my nefews that i am teaching them to play.... Its still a great thing, with a lovely keybed.. Better then most modern arrangers..

Its still sufficient for an average players needs..