MIDI sound module options

[JSVice]

So here's what I'm looking for.... A sound module that can be used live and has just a few basic sounds. Ones that I need are a piano, Rhodes, Wurly, B3, and maybe a Clavinet or some Moog sounds. Nothing crazy. I don't want a bunch of drumkits or crazy synth sounds that are worthless.

Does anyone have some recommended products to check out? I'm not well-versed in this area, so I don't really know what's out there. Any help is appreciated.

[jchas]

Other than the Moog sounds I think a Kurzweil PC2r would work for you. The pianos and organs are pretty good.

[popmann]

piano, Rhodes, Wurly, B3, and maybe a Clavinet or some Moog sounds

I was going to say...I have no idea what a Moog sounds like, but the Pc2r will cover the other basses well. And someone was selling one in the classifieds for dirt cheap recently...

[mute pink]

check out the Nord Electro racks

http://www.clavia.se/products/nordelectro/index.htm

[drBill]

Check out the Roland JV5080. Should fit your needs very well and then some. Also it can be had quite reasonably these days.

[AndreH]

Originally Posted by drBill

Check out the Roland JV5080. Should fit your needs very well and then some. Also it can be had quite reasonably these days.

IMHO, a stock JV5080 doesn't really shine in these areas. There are some great expansion boards that'll bring it up to speed, but you may be better off with other brands if you don't want have to add on to achieve your goals.

BTW, I love my fully loaded JV5080 and use it all the time.


Andre

[popmann]

IMHO, a stock JV5080 doesn't really shine in these areas. There are some great expansion boards that'll bring it up to speed,

Agreed 100%. I'm a huge fan of Roland's Exp boards (I have a 3080 to house a few)...but, their stock synths except maybe the latest FantomX just fall down in those areas, IMO. They save their good samples and programmers for the exp boards.

[popmann]

I want to add on the B3 note....any organist will tell you it's about drawbars and manipulating them as you play. The Kb3 in the Pc2 series will do this. It's default wired for Voce's old MIDI drawbar controller, but obviously, you can use anything with programable sliders.

Sample based things like Yammy and Roland can't touch this capability. You know, if you REALLY want a good organ sound. The Kurzweil isn't the nicest of all the modellers, but it does far better than a static sample, IMO, and I have chosen it for it's vibe over more "realistic" models.

[alcohol]

I just picked up the Nord 2 Electro. Only dedicated Hammond Clones do a good B3 emulation and the Nord does a great job - from Jimmy Smith to Deep Purple. It also has a passable grand piano and does a great job with Rhodes, Wurli's and a Clavinet. It's got the right effects built in for getting the classic sounds, with flangers chorus, overdrive etc. And it's Leslie emulation is among the best. It has "soft" drawbars, but they're not that hard to get used to and not as likely to break.

[JSVice]

For some reason, I had guessed that there would be tons of viable options out there, but it seems that only 2 come highly recommended -- the Nord and the Kurz.

[popmann]

For some reason, I had guessed that there would be tons of viable options out there

Most of the world switched to software synths/samplers years ago. The market has kinda gotten, well...they've lost a big chunk of their demographic...I'm still waiting for the hardware piano sample that competes with a 6 year old GigaPiano...the B3 model that beats NI's B4...the symphonic sounds that compete with the Vienna and LSO and such...the drum machine that tops DrumkitFromHell or BFD...

If you want the absolute best sounds, you have to wade through the 9 million shitty software titles, usually with no trial period to find them. Then, usually spend some time tweaking them up right and keeping your computer up and running and responding quickly to incoming MIDI...

I still have the computer here...but 90% of my key sounds are coming from hardware these days--cause I have music to make.

[manning1]

jsvice....
a popular midi sound module with lots of sounds is this link (280 buks 30 day money back guarantee blah blah.)
http://www.pgmusic.com/sd20.htm
its got a slew of sounds ....piano and others built in .
as to whether it meets your needs only you can tell.
if i remember it does 64 parts.
you might want to check it out.
a lot of folks seem to like it.
the advantage of external midi modules is versus softsynths ....
lots of softsynths /samplers on a pc can chew up pc resources.
if you need a cheap master midi keyboard also the same site sells one. as well as band in a box which is used in lots of live situations i believe.

[John The Cut]

Originally Posted by popmann

Most of the world switched to software synths/samplers years ago. The market has kinda gotten, well...they've lost a big chunk of their demographic...I'm still waiting for the hardware piano sample that competes with a 6 year old GigaPiano...the B3 model that beats NI's B4...the symphonic sounds that compete with the Vienna and LSO and such...the drum machine that tops DrumkitFromHell or BFD...

If you want the absolute best sounds, you have to wade through the 9 million shitty software titles, usually with no trial period to find them. Then, usually spend some time tweaking them up right and keeping your computer up and running and responding quickly to incoming MIDI...

I still have the computer here...but 90% of my key sounds are coming from hardware these days--cause I have music to make.

this doesnt make sense

do you prefer hardware or software?

[popmann]

Is that confusing?

I use hardware because it sounds good and works...100% of the time.

Software, IF you get the right software, sounds better than the best hardware in terms of emulation.

I don't see what's confusing. I don't think people would clamour for a U67 if it only worked 4 of 5 times you fire it up....and one of those times it sounded like a 4033...and one more of the working times it sounded stellar, but delayed the signal a handful of milliseconds-throwing the singer off.

That's how I feel about software synths. The best of them sure do sound good when they work.

Since going back to hardware (and dedicated computer sequencer)...I've had zero problems. Everytime I need a keyboard track, I fire up the Mac&rack...or maybe just the rack since I often just play it live as audio anyway...and hit record. I still have Gigastudio and the B4 loaded on a PC to run as a stand alone "module" off the main system...when they're the best choice and the gods of Windows deem them worthy of working correctly today, I'll use them. But, I haven't really felt the need.

I do PC/network support all day...last thing I want to do is figure out why the driver to my sound card loads in a different order from a cold boot than a restart in order to express myself at night.

Of course, YMMV.

[cjogo]

'Nother vote for the Kurzweil!! Great sounds ---best used price module out there..

[bcgood]

I have an akai z4 rackmount sample sound module. If you extend the ram to 512 you can put some great sounding samples in it. It takes a little time to get used to bringing in the samples with the Akai software into the unit but once you have it up and running its pretty cool in my book, especially for the price. I actually think I get better sounds and definitely more reliable than any Giga or whatever software sampler, they're too unreliable except for maybe Garageband.

bcgood

[Tommy-boy]

For the bread and butter sounds you've listed, I'd suggest looking at the Roland boxes.

A Fantom rack unit would do a great job. But an XV-2020 will be less expensive and still have many of the same stock sounds. Expansion on the 2020 is limited, though.

I have two XV-3080s almost fully loaded with cards. I would recommend these without hesitation (as well as the 5080s that were mentioned).

My main board is a Kurzweil so I have most of those sounds already. But if I had to pick the Kurz or Roland for the sounds you've listed, I'd pick the Roland - BUT either one will do fine.

-Tommy

[jchas]

If you do decide on the PC2r (and decide quickly) there is one listed on the HC classifieds http://www.harmony-central.com/cgi-b...me=1&buyerzip= for $400 which a great deal. It doesn't say what, if any, additional Rom cards are installed - but even a stock box for $400 is a good deal. It will have all the pianos and KB3-organ sounds discussed above, as well as strings, basses, horns etc.
There are a couple optional cards available which give you some stellar orchestral instruments (Orchestral ROM) and their best 60's/70's keyboards (Classic Keys).

[JSVice]

The only thing that deters me from the Roland boxes is that Roland in general tends to make their gear less than intuitive and the manuals have a bad reputation. I've owned 2 Roland drum machines and a VS880 so I have some experience with that. My question would be has anyone used these units in a live situation?

[Sqye]

if i were you, i'd check out the yamaha dx7 and the prophet 600.

i don't know about all this "module" crap,

but they're supposed to be pretty hip.



just kidding - expanded 5080 fan, over here.

[uncle duncan]

How any module is going to work will depend on how your controller interfaces with the module. If you can set up your favorite patches and recall them with the touch of a button, any module will work. If you have to scroll, you're screwed. I've been using a Emu B3 module for organ, and it's okay. There is a function in the global menu that allows you to assign any patch to any patch # coming into the midi in. This box has all the proteus sounds, plus a couple of banks of organs, so there are a lot of patches, and without the global patch input feature, I'd be SOL. I use Roland stuff for everything else. They seem to give their patches a lot of presence, and they cut through a live mix nicely. The JV 1010 is out of production, but the 60's - 70's expansion board on that thing was killer.

[orange]

nobody's mentioned the E-MU vintage keys - pick one up on ebay cheap ?

si