Ketron SD40/90 Question

Question of curiosity...sorry if it has been addressed.

Anyone using a Ketron module with an 88 weighted key keyboard? Thoughts re: home playing and performing?

Also, do the dynamics of a weighted keyboard work with the module?

Tx all.

MIDI data will be the same , transmitted via a PSR keyboard or an RD2000..

What is different is your ability to control that transmitted data because of the dynamics of the key bed..

Ditto..... BTW tired of Genos already? Modules can open up a new world in music..

Modules indeed give more flexibillity...

Sadly there isn’t much choice... its Ketron or Ketron..

To be able to fully controll the ketrons (on top of the local sounds, and not instead) the keyboard requires atleast 2 fully direct accesible midi channels...

When it comes to an 88 keyboard perfect for combining with the Ketron modules for using both the onboard as well as the ketron sounds.... there aren’t that many choices..

Nord Stage 3 has 2 external channels..
Roland rd2000, has the best keybed(opinion), but no aftertouch...
Yamaha montage has just like Roland 8 channels... but also comes with 10k arps
Korg Kronos has 16 channels and comes with Karma..
Kawai mp7 and mp11 both have up to 4 midi channels...

The new MODX8, might be very interesting, but does not have the high end keybed of the montage..

From the top of my head, all other keys (88) don’t have the flexibillity of easilly combining midi and onboard sounds....

Um, there's also the BK-7m which is cheaper, much more readily available, and probably has a better system for simplified chord fingering (if you're into that sort of thing.)

I have only a single MIDI connection between the 8-lb Ketron SD90 module and the 26-lb Casio Privia PX560 88-key stage piano. Since I do not care about the local sounds of the Casio PX560, this setup works fine for me with all sounds coming from the Ketron SD90 module.

I also tested the Ketron SD90 with the very compact 11.5-lb M-Audio Code61 61-key MIDI controller - a fairly light weight and compact full size key arranger solution. The Korg microkey 61-key controller is far smaller and lighter than the Code61, but I do not like playing with mini keys, or adding a Kenton MIDI USB Host mk2 to provide a 5-pin MIDI connection.

Thanks,
Paul

The latest OS from KETRON has addressed this in the SD40/90 by offering an internal/software Midi Merge, so only 1 midi cable plugged into either Midi In1/In2 is now required to do both.

Just an FYI.

Thanks,

Well, yes it is for sale..
Roland is still selling out old stock..
And its indeed still quite popular..

Its about the same size as the SD40 from ketron..

Channels... not cables...
IF you want to combine left and right hand with onboard sound on the keyboard... it works better to set up sepperate midi channels for left and right hand. instead of using the global channel

Some keynoards (as listed) are much more suited for this..

Offcourse you can opt to just use a mastercontroller and the global channel.. but if you want to take full effect of the 88 keyboards onboard feature, having 2 sepperate channels for left hand and right hand, works much much better

Still love my Genos. Just thinking of something for home use with my
DGX 650.

I'm guessing, from what I read here, that the SD 40/90 would not be compatible with my Yamaha DGX 650?

I don't think the DGX 650 has Midi?

From the User Manual of DGX 650, I can see that this keyboard does not have a built-in MIDI port, which is required to control the Ketron SD90 module. You will have to connect the DGX 650 to an external device such as the Kenton or MIDIPlus MIDI USB host to convert the USB port to MIDI in/out ports:

http://www.kentonuk.com/products/items/utilities/usb-host.shtml
https://www.amazon.com/midiplus-USB-MIDI-Host-Controller/dp/B074NGTGHN

I only tested the Kenton MIDI USB host by connecting a keyboard with USB to-host port to the USB 2.0 port of Kenton MIDI USB host, and Kenton's MIDI out port to the Ketron SD90 MIDI IN2 port - it works as expected using the default MIDI channel 1.

Thanks,
Paul

However....some 88 note keyboards can only transmit out on 1 channel at a time (no splitting of left and right) -:(

Hench why i made a list... of instruments most suited for this...
But indeed you are right...

If you go for simplicity, by the wwy, there is nothing wrong with that choice...
If you want the extra depth that combining 2 instruments(👍🏻88key and module) gives you
Then just having a single midi channel will not be enough..

Combining a module with a Kronos, montage, modx(low weight and pricefriemdly) or nord stage, adds another layer of possibilities...

Yup.

You’re right.

Tx

Tx all. Good info.