Korg Forums

[Deane]

I have had my PA900 for 6 days now and have spent about 9 hours each day playing with it and learning about it's OS. I now have a SongBook setup and will take it out to it's first gig tomorrow.

I put off posting any feelings about it until I had more time with it. After only 2 days I was ready to put it on Ebay or Craigslist. But, I wanted to make sure so I kept after it and am very glad it worked out that way. Each day I felt better about it and after changing the Master EQ and doing some tweaking on some styles it now sounds pretty darn good.

I found out it does not like Korg's Legacy style collection but does load and play the PA80 styles. I downloaded the PA3X styles. I auditioned every single style from the PA3X, PA80, and of course the PA900 and then saved to the favorites banks any style that sounded like I would actually use it for my gigs. I ended up with 4 full favorites banks of styles and then went through each one of them and making any changes to them I needed such as octave up or down, changing STS voices, and adjusting style to lead voice balances. I don't know why these arranger manufacturers can't at least get sound balances right before shipping product.

Anyway, it has been many hours of work but a lot of fun. My next project will be to sample every available sound on the PA800 to see what I have to work with and learn how to tweak sounds. I like the OS on this keyboard and am finding it very easy to learn how to do things with it.

Here is my list of impressions:
1. Very short power cord
2. Power cord is not standard
3. Keys are pretty good - not great or bad but typical of arrangers
4. Button layout is easy to use
5. Really like the touch screen - easy to use and see
6. Many styles are very busy and noisy - needs lots of tweaks
7. Not many great country styles
8. Latin styles rock!
9. Assignable buttons are neat but not in a convenient location
10. Rather silly - but I wish it was black
11. In Side by Side tests the little KMA, with John Smies resources, Wins.
12. In Side by Side tests the Yamaha S950 speakers win.


I don't sing so have not used the VH or even messed with it.
I'll post here tomorrow after my gig. I plan to video it and might post
a link to the videos for anyone interested.

Deane

[BillyHank]

Deane,

That's great you are going to gig with it tomorrow.

We'll be looking for your report.

Bill G

[sgca]

I just spent a few hours on my new PA900... first learning a song to play by ear... a very simple 4 chord song with an 8 bar repeat... "Stand by me"... I played it over and over again - probably 200 times -- and pushed all the buttons to see what changed... got myself wrapped in a few noodles in the process (like suddenly hearing no sound at all), but as a total newbie to arrangers, I feel I will understand the manual a lot better now plus it was a lot of fun.

I'm really thrilled to begin this journey of playing music w/o depending on sheet music and having some accompaniment along the way. So far, I'm thrilled with the PA900, but then I have nothing to compare it to other than my ancient Yamaha P200 which I used as a Grand Piano stand-in.

So nice to be here in this forum with other enthusiasts.

Saroj

[johnsmies]

[BillyHank]

John,

I knew you would get a big chuckle from that one.

Bill G

[Giner]

Saroj, I can feel your enthusiasm! Welcome to the fun world of arrangers.
_________________
When I nod my head . . . Hit it!
Pa3x-61, Pa1xPro, i30, Micromoog (1975)

[johnsmies]

[azsert]

Hello! The English language does not know, sorry, translated using auto translator. Hopefully, that will understand me. Bought a Korg pa900. Now I try to burn mp3. Do everything according to the instructions (brief leadership, complete not). Files are written in all three facilities (medium, high, and highest) quality 32 kbps in sec. In the quick start guide and a video manual clearly seen medium (128 kbit/s), consequently, the following modes should be a high quality. I have all files are written as a 32 kbps. Please, tell me what could be the problem? I really hope that this is not a tool breakage, and the problem to be solved settings. Pity that there is no detailed guidance on Russian language...
Give assumption. Perhaps the problem is in the operating system? The video manual drew attention - OS Version: 1.00 Jan 31 2013. There you can see the numerical designation medium (128 kbit/s). In my system - only medium. Maybe this is a system issue that mp3 is only recorded very low quality 32 kbps. No changes (medium, high, and highest) on the quality of the recording is not affected. Please help me!!! Tool not a penny's worth. I don't want to give it back, but the problem has to be solved. I would be very grateful to you, if you know the solution!!!

With respect.
Paul.

[Deane]

Paul,
I'am sorry I do not know the answer to your question. But, I am finding many problems with the PA900 operating system such as selected sounds not playing and styles stopping when a certain variation is selected. I hope Korg sees these problems and provides a quick fix for them.

Deane

[azsert]

[BillyHank]

azsert,

I did an MP3 recording on my Pa900 tonight and when I looked in the file on my PC, it said 32 KBPs, but when I opened this MP3 in a player it said
"MPEG Audio Layer-3, 224 kbps, joint stereo, VBR" .

The selection I chose was "Highest" and no bit rate was presented, just Highest, Medium and Low.

So I think you get very high quality MP3 recordings in deed from this
keyboard.

Now at first when I tried this I could not get the MP3 Record display at all, it kept giving me the MIDI record choices - then I went ahead and did the upgrade of the OS to V101 and everything was working ads advertised then.

Bill G

[PraiseTheLord]

Deane, which sounds, which styles? Let me know and I will try them on mine. Probably best to start a new thread.
_________________
Graham (Pa1000)

[Deane]

Graham,
I don't remember off the top of my head. I'll make a note the next time I run into the issue and let you know. I was wondering if any keyboard settings might cause a sound not to play. I do remember one of the sounds was a clarinet voice.

Also, I am still experiencing the problem of the STS voice not being ready to play until the 1st beat of the next measure. But this seems to be style specific because it works on some styles but not on others. Puzzled.

Deane

[azsert]

[BillyHank]

azsert

I wish I had as much faith in any program as you have with Adobe.