From bruce@ashbysolutions.com Fri Apr 28 16:27:58 2006
Subject:Re: blues_ballad1 (was Re: XK-1 day)

Hi Gene,

Actually, it's funny. We spend hours of time, and lots of money, replacing one perfectly good clone with another, often thinking that it will make us better players. Sometimes it does, but most of the time it's just some strange musician's exercise.

I've been tempted to replace my BX-3 a couple of times, but why? Is my Korg the best, most realistic clone out there? At this point, maybe not, but it's still better than what I used as my "Hammond" in the early '90s (a Roland D-50 and an Alesis Quadraverb) and LIGHT YEARS better than what I used in the late '60s (a Farfisa Mini-Compact and a Uni-Vibe). I've decided that for my playing style, two keyboards are necessary, so that limits the field a bit, too. I might supplement it with an XM-2 when they come out -- but it would have to sound a LOT better to justify paying $800 or $1,000 dollars (or more?) for the upgrade. The BX-3 more than does the job, and it has great ergonomics. Only a poor craftsman blames his tools, right? Any of the current batch of clones can sound right, if you have the chops and the knowhow.

I've actually played around with a higher-end Casio in a store one day, and was surprised at the Hammond emulation. Better than my Korg? No. Better than I had a right to expect, at the cost? Absolutely. Good enough to use if my Korg got stolen and I had a gig tonight? Yeah.

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions™ http://consult.ashbysolutions.com
978.386.7389 voice/fax
bruce@ashbysolutions.com

At 06:17 PM 4/28/2006 -0400, you wrote:
>
>In a message dated 04/28/2006 5:00:25 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>bruce@ashbysolutions.com writes:
>
>Hi Simon,
>
>Not the three clonewheelers over in the corner: They're listening to your
>key-click and foldback!
>
>Regards,
>
>-BW
>
>Hey Bruce,
>
>Yea, you guys in the corner are the ones I'm paranoid about having come
>listen to me play. Nothing like performing in front of those who know better to
>make me nervous.
>
>:-)
>
>Gene

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