From jjmcs49@yahoo.com Mon Oct 21 10:15:07 2013
Subject:Re: Re: Question about Roland VR-09 & Hammond SK1
I'm not sure how you had yours set up but I don't think you had something set correctly. I have my SK-1 set up so that its keyboard usually plays the internal Extra Voices along with some of the Extra Voices in the XK-3c. Part of the lower manual of my XK-3c/System plays the upper manual of the SK-1's organ. I have the preset load parameters set so that pressing one of the Favorites buttons calls up the EV I want but none of the organ related settings change. The System expression pedal controls the SK's volume and everything works as one large instrument. I also have an old Hammond M2 with a line out that I run into the XK-3c effects return to the right of the System so I can play it along with everything else. It all works smoothly.
---In CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com, wrote:
About question 2 - the SK responds either to MIDI OR the keyboard for the internal sounds to sound. So if you set the SK to MIDI you can play it from the Kronos. But if want to play the SK keyboard it will not sound. You will have to go into the menu and change it from MIDI to internal so that it will sound. I had a sequencer palying the organ part on some songs (sk set to MIDI) and on other songs I played the organ 'live'. I had to switch the SK to internal to do this. Main reason I returned it. Nice sounding hammond sound and sim though.
On Monday, October 21, 2013 11:06 AM, "jjmcs49@..." wrote:
The SK's have 200 Patches stored/available - 100 Preset and 100 User. The 100 Preset patches are locked and can't be changed, the 100 User Patches are editable.
The 10 Favorites buttons have 4 modes of use - from the SK manual (Pg. 76):
This is for setting the action of the Favorite Buttons.
ASSOCIATE:
Each number button usually calls the related patch.
If you touch each number button holding down the [RECORD]
button, it relates the number button to the currently selected
patch.
* Using this mode means a given patch is associated with each button ie: button 1 could be Patch 32, button 2 Patch 99 and so on. In this mode pressing a button and record assigns the currently active patch to that button (but does not actually save any changes to the Patch that have not been saved separately).
OVERWRITE:
In addition to above, if you touch each number button holding
down the [RECORD] button, it records the current setting to the
selected patch.
* This mode works the same as above except that pressing a button and record assigns the active patch to the button but also saves the patch and any changes that have been made (but not already saved separately).
LOCKED1-10:
Each number button usually calls the corresponding patch, 1 ...
10. If you touch each number button holding down the [RECORD]
button, it records the current setting to the corresponding patch,
1 ... 10.
* This mode connects buttons 1 - 10 to Patches 1 - 10. If Patch 32 is active and button 3 is pressed plus record, Patch 32 is also saved to Patch 3 and button 3 will call up Patch 3.
DIRECT:
This is for directly calling the patch, using each number button.
To call the patch, fi rst put in the 3 digit patch number and then
touch the [ENTER] button.
U001 ... [1], [ENTER]
U010 ... [1], [10], [ENTER]
U100 ... [1], [10], [10], [ENTER]
P001 ... [1], [10], [1], [ENTER]
P010 ... [1], [1], [10], [ENTER]
P100 ... [2], [10], [10], [ENTER]
You can not relate the patch to each number button.
* This mode basically just turns the Favorites buttons into a keypad so any of the 200 Patches can be called up directly.
The SK's have External Zones which are Patch parameters so you could have any number (up to 100) of Patches which can be set to control external devices as well as change the current setup of the SK.
---In CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com, wrote:
You didn't confirm how many presets there are on the SK? I don't recall, I only owned one for about 48 hours.. Is it just 10 favourites?
I agree with you on most of your points but as far as the extra voices, I think that's really a matter of taste. However, one of the areas that you said you preferred on the sk1 was strings, but as far as I know the SK1 has no warm strings at all, and about the worst thin and harsh sounding strings I've ever heard on a keyboard.. Perhaps they've added some new downloadable strings but the ones I heard were awful. You can argue which has better EP/AP and clav sounds but as far as everything else goes the VR-09 is way ahead, including strings, and brass sounds.
One last point about the advantage of the VR over the SK.. VIRTUAL ANALOG SYNTH!
Basically this is the same synth that's in the top of the line Jupiter 80 (albeit limited to 3 layers). This thing has over 330 different wave forms to choose from, so if you can't find a sound you like in the VR-09, you can probably make it using the VA synth.. This is an outstanding advantage for the VR-09 but only IF you want/need synth sounds.
From my perspective if Gene likes the VK organ sound (many don't) then the VR-09 is almost a no-brainier here so long as he doesn't mind the keyboard...
Sent from my iPad
On Oct 21, 2013, at 8:55 AM, wrote:
Gene, I have both. I don't delve into midi that much so I can't answer that one, but as far as the first goes, there's a difference between presets and favorites on the SK, you can store 100 presets on the SK, the favorites are just quicker to get to under your fingers fast. I actually find the SK quicker to get to sounds in, the VR you have to do a few button presses, the SK I have the banks of presets loaded up so I go to the rhodes favorite, and if I twist the value knob after hitting the favorite I can sweep through all my rhodeses, so even though it's only 10, it's actually quicker if you set it up right. The VR you have to pick a bank, then a preset. I'm slower at that (although I admittedly use the SK more so I know it better).
Bottom line, they both have great organ sounds, but the SK feels way more playable to me with the keys and drawbars. The no pitch bend is something to consider though if you do use a lot of synth, and also no portamento on the SK. The SK has some nice sounds as far as synth goes, but not having the bender makes it unplayable for me for the most part. On the other hand the SK's sounds are way better to my ear on a lot of things (like deep strings, rhodes, clav, etc.)
What's really cool is I have both so with a two tiered stand you can bring both and be under the weight of your roland.
---In CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com mailto:CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com, wrote:
HI Everyone. I'm still deciding between a Roland VR-09 and a Hammond SK1 to go with my Kronos X61. I currently use a Roland VR-760 for Organ and other Synth type sounds (limited but it works). But the VR-760 is getting to heavy for this back to carry.
So a couple questions to you owners of these two rigs.
1) How many favorites can you save? (SK1 I heard 10. That's a bit limiting for me)
2) Is there an easy way to activate MIDI on the keybaord so if for one song I wanted it to play sounds off my Kronos, can I do that relatively quickly or is it many button pushes if it can be done at all.
I guess I'd also consider the same questions about the Nord 4D. I haven't been able to find out by looking in the manuals athough I've not taked a deep dive in them, just read the basics. Your experience and knowledge would be helpful.
Thanks,
Gene