Korg Forums

[Chiplet]

Hi all



So I currently play a Yamaha Tyros 2 and I'm strongly considering the Pa900. I've never had a Korg before so I would appreciate a bit of info from the experts!

1. As an ex organ player I currently use a set of midi bass pedals with the Yamaha, it allows me to play the bass note from the style auto accompaniment on the pedals 'organ-style'. Does the PA900 offer the same feature?

2. Does the PA900 offer a feature similar to the Yamaha 'registration memory'? ie save the panel setup for easy recall during a song?


Thanks in advance!

[PraiseTheLord]

Welcome Chiplet, I think you will love the Korg Pa900. I am sure you can use pedals using the midi inputs just like Yamaha, but I'll defer to others to confirm that.

There was a good discussion on the forum recently on registrations, see:

http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=559679#559679
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Graham (Pa1000)

[Chiplet]

Hi Graham


Thanks for that excellent info, it looks like the 'songbook registration' may do the equivalent of the Yamaha's registration memory.. the info on the link is for the PA2X - is the PA900 basically the same OS?

Yes if anyone can elaborate on being able to use midi bass pedals to control the bass note of the style that would be great as that's critical to me getting a PA900!


Dave

[PraiseTheLord]

Yes, Pa900 OS is similar to Pa2X. For more info on Songbook see p295 of the User Manual. There is a link to many great resources in the thread just above this one.
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Graham (Pa1000)

[BillyHank]

Hi Chiplet,

Welcome to the forum from me too.

I second Graham's mention of the song Book being similar to Yamaha's registrations only it is much better IMHO.

You do loose the 8 buttons for a single song however and that could be a problem if you use the Yamaha registrations in that manner. There could be a work around, but I have not yet explored that possibility.

I don't know about using organ style foot pedals, but I would be very surprised if you couldn't as many folks do use them.

The Pa900 is more like the Pa3X I believe than the Pa2X and the Owners Manual are nearly identical for them as well - except that all of the information is combined in a single manual for the Pa900 instead of the two for the Pa3X.

Bill G

[Chiplet]

Cheers Bill


Is it just me or does the PA900 looks like a very good buy?! I was originally considering a Tyros 5 but that was until I saw the price and it seems like quite an incremental upgrade to Tyros 4 (and in a lot of ways that was not too different from my Tyros 2). Besides, I fancy a total change to shake up my playing and the Korg seems to have more of a 'live' sound if that makes sense. I'm trying to locate a dealer in my area to test drive the PA900; hopefully it will live up to my growing expectations!

Hopefully it will allow the use of the midi pedals as I need that.. I found someone using a PA3X as an 'organ', does the PA900 share most of the PA3X features in this regard (OS & midi implementation etc)?

Sorry for all the noob questions!


Thanks
Dave

[hotkey]

Hello,

I have PA600, all programming is the same way as PA3x, only some less functions.

I think there should be no limitation about Bass MIDI pedals, they shall put Notes On and Off, you only have to set correct MIDI channel for this.

About registration, if you want 8 registrations, simply put 2 entries for the same song with different registrations into Songbook, MySong01 and MySong02
If you want more variations, just make two styles with changing some Bass or Drum variation, read some acc variation from some other style...

Organs programming, check if it could be done over MIDI,
then MIDI controller with 8 sliders (Behringer BCF200) could do all work as on PA3x, with more MIDI control as you wished.

Else very good foot controller for PA900 is Behringer FCB1010 - Volume and expression control, most arranger controls (over MIDI!)... But could not be used from your side because of Bass pedal...

Regards,

[BillyHank]

Dave,

The Pa900 and the Pa3X do share similar MIDI functions, but the Pa3X has a ports for the Korg EC5 pedal board and one assignable and one sustain.

The Pa900 has only the assignable and sustain ports - so it may be that you can't use your pedal board.

I have to say that I am very happy with my Pa900 and it is everything I always was hoping to get in the Tyros models, but they always fell short on features.

Bill G

[Chiplet]

Thanks guys, appreciate all the great info!


My pedals are a Roland PK-5, for the Tyros I just use a standard midi out-in and set the root/bass note channel to match, works very well. I'm hoping the PA900 will allow the same and then it's one step closer to getting my first Korg!

[Thoraldus]

[Fransman]

[BillyHank]

Frans,

To be sure the Yamaha registrations are one of the most powerful features of their arrangers and I fail to understand why Yamaha has never made them accessible from their Music finder(Song Book).

Having owned three Tyros models and several PSR's, I can say without a doubt my Pa900 is head and shoulders above any of those keyboards.

Bill G

[Fransman]

[Chiplet]

Great info guys, thanks!

Fransman, what is the 'acknowledged' way of establishing the registration feature on Korg? Is it via the songbook? I would be grateful for any insights you have on this as it will help my transition a lot!

I was thinking about a used T4 before I saw the PA900, my T2 was used and I had a couple of issues with it which has kind of put me off - plus I think there is something about having a shiny new 'board

[Fransman]

I'm not sure, but the Songbook probably is the best tool for this.
There you can program 4 STS's with your song (not quite the same as 8 panel memories, but it comes near).
For me this is fine in almost all cases.

But if you like, you can of course make different Songbook entries for different parts of a (complex) song (with different tempo, mute/unmute tracks, even different STS's or style etcetera).
With a footswitch or assignable button you can switch between these different song-parts. (Not as practical/convenient as the registration buttons IMHO).
I don't know a way to change tempo with STS's alone; I think you need different songbook entries for that, or you have to re-progam style variations (I don't know how to do that).

Maybe somebody else knows a better way or give some extra information on this topic?
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Musical grtz, Frans

Play in style.