Ca27,
The built-in speakers are ok for auditioning sounds and styles but not for gigging. It is truly amazing how great the MicroArranger sounds when connected to a good PA system. I use Bose L1 Compacts and it is unbelievable such a great sound could come from a very small keyboard. One other note, the headphone jack provides extremely good sound quality.
Deane
microARRANGER: Share your Experience here.
Moderators: Sharp, X-Trade, Pepperpotty, karmathanever
Yes yes and yes
Agree 100% with above reply. Everytthing - Exactly; well said!
NORD Electro 4D & KORG Kross (61-key)
Korg Micro Arranger...
plus Roland and Yamaha gear too.
Korg Micro Arranger...
plus Roland and Yamaha gear too.
No arpeggiator per say. Only style parts that could be used (to an extend) for that purpose.
Orchestral sounds - plenty. Some better than others. Good in general, but without articulations. The sounds are ok, but keep in mind it is a more than 10 years old sound engine.
Orchestral sounds - plenty. Some better than others. Good in general, but without articulations. The sounds are ok, but keep in mind it is a more than 10 years old sound engine.
"Many people take the bad management for destiny!" - Kin Hubbard
microARRANGER or microSTATION?
Right, i see. So that makes part of the difference between the KMA and microSTATION huh.adimatis wrote:No arpeggiator per say. Only style parts that could be used (to an extend) for that purpose.
Orchestral sounds - plenty. Some better than others. Good in general, but without articulations. The sounds are ok, but keep in mind it is a more than 10 years old sound engine.
Can you do these orchestral sounds on the microARRANGER? (First 10 seconds of this video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TqMnxDjT7M)
These sounds are just what I need.
The issue is deeper than that.
If KMA is what Pa50 is (that I am pretty sure of) then you do not have "orchestral" category as such on the sound panel. Of course you have strings, and horns and timpani and all, so you can actually create a combination of three layer, different in velocity, that will create the same complex sound. That is under style play mode.
The differences between a synth workstation and an arranger are numerous and were discussed many times. The bottom line is a workstation will give you more tools for making complex arrangements, but all needs to be carefully prepared in advance. While an arranger is like instant gratification, as it will provide the backing tracks for whatever you need right immediately, tracks that were written already and you can modify them to only an extend, depending on the brand/model you have.
Of course the users have crossed the boundaries many times in both directions, but these two are obviously for two very different (yet less and less different) uses.
Depending on what you want to achieve, you have to decide what way you go. Or just choose best of the both worlds by having an hardware arranger (can be very well KMA) and a software synth/rompler/arpeggiator/worstation/etc.
Good luck.
If KMA is what Pa50 is (that I am pretty sure of) then you do not have "orchestral" category as such on the sound panel. Of course you have strings, and horns and timpani and all, so you can actually create a combination of three layer, different in velocity, that will create the same complex sound. That is under style play mode.
The differences between a synth workstation and an arranger are numerous and were discussed many times. The bottom line is a workstation will give you more tools for making complex arrangements, but all needs to be carefully prepared in advance. While an arranger is like instant gratification, as it will provide the backing tracks for whatever you need right immediately, tracks that were written already and you can modify them to only an extend, depending on the brand/model you have.
Of course the users have crossed the boundaries many times in both directions, but these two are obviously for two very different (yet less and less different) uses.
Depending on what you want to achieve, you have to decide what way you go. Or just choose best of the both worlds by having an hardware arranger (can be very well KMA) and a software synth/rompler/arpeggiator/worstation/etc.
Good luck.
"Many people take the bad management for destiny!" - Kin Hubbard
As a new entrant to modern keyboard workstations and arrangers, I appreciate you giving answers to my thoughts.adimatis wrote:The issue is deeper than that.
If KMA is what Pa50 is (that I am pretty sure of) then you do not have "orchestral" category as such on the sound panel. Of course you have strings, and horns and timpani and all, so you can actually create a combination of three layer, different in velocity, that will create the same complex sound. That is under style play mode.
The differences between a synth workstation and an arranger are numerous and were discussed many times. The bottom line is a workstation will give you more tools for making complex arrangements, but all needs to be carefully prepared in advance. While an arranger is like instant gratification, as it will provide the backing tracks for whatever you need right immediately, tracks that were written already and you can modify them to only an extend, depending on the brand/model you have.
Of course the users have crossed the boundaries many times in both directions, but these two are obviously for two very different (yet less and less different) uses.
Depending on what you want to achieve, you have to decide what way you go. Or just choose best of the both worlds by having an hardware arranger (can be very well KMA) and a software synth/rompler/arpeggiator/worstation/etc.
Good luck.
Spent practically all music on a non-electronic piano, so. will take those into account and give you guys updates on my experience as well.
For now, I am still aiming at the KMA.
I hope for more people sharing their experiences in this thread.
Thanks!
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Will Parker
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2013 9:06 pm
To answer your latest question first, they are fine for auditioning the sounds, if you are in a fairly quiet room. I was surprised how good they sound, for small speakers. You can alway plug in some headphones, its puts out enough decibels to damage your hearing if you turn the volume all the way up.ca27 wrote:Thanks for all your posts
Agree to the dexterity thing. All about flexibility and adapting to different key sizes and beds.
Built-in speakers: are they still good for hearing those great sounds?
One thing that I discovered is the Assignable slider seems to be set up (out of the box) to control your right-hand parts as your are playing along with the styles. I would turn the Master volume slider to 0 with the other 2 up about halfway and then with your HPs on, turn the Master volume up slowly while playing something on the keyboard.
You don't want to go deaf like Beethoven or Pete Townsend (The Who).
I live in Olongapo for 3 years from 1979-82. Hope you wont hate me for stealing one the beautiful Fillipinas. We will celebrate our 32nd wedding anniversary this December! I think we get along because I let her do and go what/where she wants.
Where are you in the PI?
Looking forward to answering any more of your questions if I can, I just got my MA 1 week ago. Already I have done a song cover, using a modified style, and recorded it to my computer based recording software. Reading this forum helped me a LOT.
Also, search You Tube if you can for William Parker, (I use my real name on my channel), and look for a playlist called "Synth Keyboards" where I have put some useful videos of the Korg MicroArranger. Of course what you hear is only as good as their MIC and YOUR sound system... a few of them seem to know what they are doing.
Will Parker, near Seattle Washington
William,
NO offence but your comments with your video the KMA being just a toy thing just for fun etc. is shortchanging both yourself and the KMA.
It is a fullfledged arranger keyboards with indepth soundprogramming, even more elaborate than all Yamaha keyboards. It is nothing more or less thant the Korg PA50 but with smaller keys. The PA50 for your information was about 90% the same as its more expensive counterpart the PA80.
All this going back to the period 2001-2005.
Most of the keyboard recordings on my youtube page ( john smies) have been done with the PA50 (=KMA).
regards,
John
P.S. should you have an interest in my Resources for the KMA you can read all about it here on the forum and on my webpages:
http://pasounds.intropagina.nl/page-8-u ... anger.html
NO offence but your comments with your video the KMA being just a toy thing just for fun etc. is shortchanging both yourself and the KMA.
It is a fullfledged arranger keyboards with indepth soundprogramming, even more elaborate than all Yamaha keyboards. It is nothing more or less thant the Korg PA50 but with smaller keys. The PA50 for your information was about 90% the same as its more expensive counterpart the PA80.
All this going back to the period 2001-2005.
Most of the keyboard recordings on my youtube page ( john smies) have been done with the PA50 (=KMA).
regards,
John
P.S. should you have an interest in my Resources for the KMA you can read all about it here on the forum and on my webpages:
http://pasounds.intropagina.nl/page-8-u ... anger.html
-
Will Parker
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2013 9:06 pm
They are not my comments, John, only my playlist...
I agree with what you wrote below. I have never made a video or uploaded one to you tube. This is only a playlist I made of You Tube videos relating to the Synths I was considering for purchase the past few weeks. I decided on the Korg MA, and am verry happing I did.
I didn't make any of my playlists for any purpose other than to help me find them again easily. I've never even mentioned them to any before until I saw the post by the guy from the Phillippines and thought it might make it easy to evaluate the KMA. I don't even recall making comments on any of the Synth videos, which are of varied quality and usefulness.
Maybe you are reffering to the remarks of someone who calls himself Grubenpony12 (If I recall correctly) He calls the KMA a "toy" that makes "Toy beats", I found those comments disturbing as well as I wanted to buy one. I added his vids to my playlist because the sound quality (of the video) was good, and allowed me to just the quality of the KMA voices or tones. I found the many sounds to be very good, and a big step up from my old Yamaha PSR-270, which I believe was designed in the mid-nineties.
Some of the video on my list had poor sound qualitybut they demoed various styles, which I also want to be good quality. They both are. The only thing I miss on my Yamaha are the "pianist" styles which are paino-only styles. Many of the songs i recorded used them a a 1st track to which I then added other tracks of various instruments to complete the production of the song. By the way, I do all this merely as a hobby, and no one has ever heard them except m immediate family who live with me.
None of my amateur "records" have I ever posted anywhere. I doubt anyone would be interested in them. I wouldn't enjoy reading the comment if I did, as everyone seems to be a critic.
I also know that you are very Senior to me in all keyboard related knowledge related matters. I look forward to learning enough about he KMA that I can take advantage of the many resources you have generously developed and made available.
I am sorry that I did not make this all clear enough when I posted what I did. I thought that you tube made it clear who uploaded a video, and IDs the user name of people who post text comments below the videos.
You have videos of yourself on You Tube, right? I think you do. I will go look at them now. I feel sure they wil be informative to me newbie brain!
Hoping for Peace & Love on this crazy planet,
Will
I didn't make any of my playlists for any purpose other than to help me find them again easily. I've never even mentioned them to any before until I saw the post by the guy from the Phillippines and thought it might make it easy to evaluate the KMA. I don't even recall making comments on any of the Synth videos, which are of varied quality and usefulness.
Maybe you are reffering to the remarks of someone who calls himself Grubenpony12 (If I recall correctly) He calls the KMA a "toy" that makes "Toy beats", I found those comments disturbing as well as I wanted to buy one. I added his vids to my playlist because the sound quality (of the video) was good, and allowed me to just the quality of the KMA voices or tones. I found the many sounds to be very good, and a big step up from my old Yamaha PSR-270, which I believe was designed in the mid-nineties.
Some of the video on my list had poor sound qualitybut they demoed various styles, which I also want to be good quality. They both are. The only thing I miss on my Yamaha are the "pianist" styles which are paino-only styles. Many of the songs i recorded used them a a 1st track to which I then added other tracks of various instruments to complete the production of the song. By the way, I do all this merely as a hobby, and no one has ever heard them except m immediate family who live with me.
None of my amateur "records" have I ever posted anywhere. I doubt anyone would be interested in them. I wouldn't enjoy reading the comment if I did, as everyone seems to be a critic.
I also know that you are very Senior to me in all keyboard related knowledge related matters. I look forward to learning enough about he KMA that I can take advantage of the many resources you have generously developed and made available.
I am sorry that I did not make this all clear enough when I posted what I did. I thought that you tube made it clear who uploaded a video, and IDs the user name of people who post text comments below the videos.
You have videos of yourself on You Tube, right? I think you do. I will go look at them now. I feel sure they wil be informative to me newbie brain!
Hoping for Peace & Love on this crazy planet,
Will
johnsmies wrote:William,
NO offence but your comments with your video the KMA being just a toy thing just for fun etc. is shortchanging both yourself and the KMA.
It is a fullfledged arranger keyboards with indepth soundprogramming, even more elaborate than all Yamaha keyboards. It is nothing more or less thant the Korg PA50 but with smaller keys. The PA50 for your information was about 90% the same as its more expensive counterpart the PA80.
All this going back to the period 2001-2005.
Most of the keyboard recordings on my youtube page ( john smies) have been done with the PA50 (=KMA).
regards,
John
P.S. should you have an interest in my Resources for the KMA you can read all about it here on the forum and on my webpages:
http://pasounds.intropagina.nl/page-8-u ... anger.html
Will Parker, near Seattle Washington
-
Will Parker
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2013 9:06 pm
Just watched 2 of John's tube videos
I just watched John Smies videos of Fields of Gold and Dont't Think Twice. I enjoyed them both. Fields of Gold is one of Stings most beautiful songs, among the many he has written, and one of my all-time favorite songs. (I have MANY!)
Sting has a great voice, i used to be able to sing about 70% as good as Sting when I was young. Sang 2nd Tenor for 4 years in a School Choir. We had to sight reading classic choral pieces as well and broaway show tunes. Voice almost gone now, turning 60 soon...
Of the 2 performances of John's I preferred his simple direct presentation of the Dylan song, over the more highly produced version of Stings song.
Nice fingerpicking and you sing better than Bob...
We have a lot of common favorite songs, judging by your you tube songs
"Vincent" is another song we have both covered. John even looks like the guy who showed how to play "The Needle and the Damage Done" in 1972. (I did not know what a hammer on or pull-off was...)
.
Who else has even heard of Neil Young's "Out on the Weekend", I have not listened to your performance yet, but I can still recall the lyrics of 40 years ago:
"See the lonely boy, out on the weekend, trying to make it pay.
Can't relate to joy, he tries to speak and, can't begin to say."
I also had a lot of trouble relating to back then, but I have always felt related to Neil. I beleive I recorded this song live in my apartment in Olongapo RP in around 1980-81. I sat in front of a small Toshiba boom-box with built-in stereo mics and played on a $40 acoustic guitar, Japanese brand called Tetomas that I bought (also in Olongapo City) in 1975.
Gotta go watch another video now!
Sting has a great voice, i used to be able to sing about 70% as good as Sting when I was young. Sang 2nd Tenor for 4 years in a School Choir. We had to sight reading classic choral pieces as well and broaway show tunes. Voice almost gone now, turning 60 soon...
Of the 2 performances of John's I preferred his simple direct presentation of the Dylan song, over the more highly produced version of Stings song.
Nice fingerpicking and you sing better than Bob...
We have a lot of common favorite songs, judging by your you tube songs
"Vincent" is another song we have both covered. John even looks like the guy who showed how to play "The Needle and the Damage Done" in 1972. (I did not know what a hammer on or pull-off was...)
.
Who else has even heard of Neil Young's "Out on the Weekend", I have not listened to your performance yet, but I can still recall the lyrics of 40 years ago:
"See the lonely boy, out on the weekend, trying to make it pay.
Can't relate to joy, he tries to speak and, can't begin to say."
I also had a lot of trouble relating to back then, but I have always felt related to Neil. I beleive I recorded this song live in my apartment in Olongapo RP in around 1980-81. I sat in front of a small Toshiba boom-box with built-in stereo mics and played on a $40 acoustic guitar, Japanese brand called Tetomas that I bought (also in Olongapo City) in 1975.
Gotta go watch another video now!
Will Parker, near Seattle Washington
Hi William,
First of all my sincere apologies for the misunderstanding about the toy comments etc.
Thank you for your compliments it is always pleasant to hear someone is actually enjoying the things you are trying to create. However my musical capabilities are limited. Anything more than four chords and without the use of the transpose button and I am lost !!!!
Most of the stuff on my youtube page was done before 2006 either simply with acoustic guitar or with the Korg PA50 (= Micro Arranger).
Here you can download for free the CD I made at home with the KMA in 2006. ( PA50):
https://app.box.com/s/x9w7xjfm6jtjgyrtm105
https://app.box.com/s/lnn6ardd3xslwqej0wy0
https://app.box.com/s/ygr6p26dagmvowclhky5
https://app.box.com/s/cf4xorrq4n3rfl07kjzi
And here you can download my home efforts with the Korg PA800 recorded in October 2012:
https://app.box.com/s/k2y9a6x7oh7knnl5dxxb
https://app.box.com/s/ojt88o3vtfnmt0qju57g
Best wishes,
John Smies
Software and Resources for KORG PA 50/80/500/800/2X/KMA see my webpages:
http://pasounds.intropagina.nl/
First of all my sincere apologies for the misunderstanding about the toy comments etc.
Thank you for your compliments it is always pleasant to hear someone is actually enjoying the things you are trying to create. However my musical capabilities are limited. Anything more than four chords and without the use of the transpose button and I am lost !!!!
Most of the stuff on my youtube page was done before 2006 either simply with acoustic guitar or with the Korg PA50 (= Micro Arranger).
Here you can download for free the CD I made at home with the KMA in 2006. ( PA50):
https://app.box.com/s/x9w7xjfm6jtjgyrtm105
https://app.box.com/s/lnn6ardd3xslwqej0wy0
https://app.box.com/s/ygr6p26dagmvowclhky5
https://app.box.com/s/cf4xorrq4n3rfl07kjzi
And here you can download my home efforts with the Korg PA800 recorded in October 2012:
https://app.box.com/s/k2y9a6x7oh7knnl5dxxb
https://app.box.com/s/ojt88o3vtfnmt0qju57g
Best wishes,
John Smies
Software and Resources for KORG PA 50/80/500/800/2X/KMA see my webpages:
http://pasounds.intropagina.nl/
I've been amazed by This Little Keyboard, but i encountered something,maybe worth asking for advices...
I have a problem when playing Vanbasco and/or other Midi Players using KMA as a sound module.
KMA is not reading Reset Controllers on midi files using external midi player.
I've tried different Midi Players and USB to MIDI Interfaces, but still the same results.
I think the problem is with the KMA.
I hope they would look into it and update the OS.
I have a problem when playing Vanbasco and/or other Midi Players using KMA as a sound module.
KMA is not reading Reset Controllers on midi files using external midi player.
I've tried different Midi Players and USB to MIDI Interfaces, but still the same results.
I think the problem is with the KMA.
I hope they would look into it and update the OS.