Looking for a GS2 keyboard/arranger w speakers and/or...

[stefanone]

Hello and Happy New year from a newly registered member
I used to play with just a Roland SC88 sound module + master A30
I only play midifiles or just piano
I then decided to buy a Roland BK-5 to have built-in speakers and arranger section (actually never used)
I hoped to play my midifiles in the same way as before but... My midifiles contain prog changes and other midi messages on ch1 so that I keep playing without touching any button while the sounds are changing under my fingers (that was ok with old setup SC88+A30 with keyboard sending to ch1)
The BK-5 has different "layers": live keyboard on UP1/UP2/LWR and midifile goes to another layer
The midi commands contained in midifile in ch1 have now no influence on UP1/UP2/LWR sounds so I have to manually select the different sound when needed and sometimes it is impossible (too fast)
The result is that I can only save UP1/UP2/LWR settings in the BK-5 Performance, sometimes playing with switching between UP1/UP2/LWR but still I am not satisfied.
I need to find a solution:
1. edit all midifiles and enter necessary parameters to send commands to UP1/UP2/LWR parts when needed during the song (and what commands should I enter?)
2. consider to change keyboard for something like a GS2 module + keyboard + speakers (+pitchbender/modulation)
Any suggestion?
Thank you in advance
ciao
Stefano

 

[Biggles]

Welcome.

Roland are not very big in the arranger market hence there are very few arround with Yamaha and Korg being the main players.

I cannot help at all on the specifics of your BK only in general arranger terms.

Roland have a Youtube video channel labelled as Product Support and there you will find video playlists for each of their newer models. There are some for the BK of which this is one, a search of their channel may find more.

What I can suggest is if you are considering changing your keyboard then depending upon budget there are six options plus a wildcard.

Korg Pa700
Yamzha PSR SX700

Korg Pa1000
Yamaha SX900

Korg Pa4X
Yamaha Genos
(do ensure you are sat down when you look up the cost of these two, especially the Yamaha).

The thing with the Korg’s is that they have a MIDI to Style convertor built in and the MIDI files I have converted have been good but they can be better as they make a guess and include the nearest instruments the keyboard has onboard hence a bit of tweaking can be necessary. I am not sure if the Yamahas have this feature.

The wildcard is an arranger made by Ketron, they are literally the only manufacturer who make an arranger module.

Finally, a software arranger of which there is only one PC based that I am aware of, it is vArranger. I do not know much about it myself as I am in the process of evaluating it, as far as possible given they have no trial version available, video tutorials are lacking, forum support is questionable. There is also Arranger Apps for an iPad, One Man Band is one and xMure (by Dexibel) are the two.

 

[happyrat1]

Don't forget Medeli if they're available in your country.

 

[Biggles]

Well remembered Gary

Medeli AXK 10 is supposed to have specifications like the Korg Pa1000/Yamaha PSR SX900 for about 40% of the cost.