About pj

Now (mostly) retired, I'm pursing electronics and computing just for the fun of it! I'm a computer scientist and engineer who has worked for AMD, Hewlett Packard and Siemens. I also taught hardware and software development at Case Western Reserve University, Tufts University and Princeton. Hopefully, you will find the information on this site to be helpful. Educators and students are particularly welcome!

Yamaha MX vs. CK

Posted on March 17, 2023 by pj

I’ve spent waaaaaay too much time on this already, so here’s a quick observation on Yamaha CK’s position in the Yamaha line-up.

Blake Angelos (Yamaha) mentioned that the CK does not replace MX. I take him at his word because CK and MX are aimed at two different use cases: live (CK) and studio (MX). Some forum folk noted this distinction as stage keyboard vs. synthesizer. Obviously, you can use a CK in your personal studio or play an MX on stage. The (marketing) question is, “What is the primary intended use?”

The MX series are synthesizers derived from the venerable Motif XS (MOX). The MX internal sound architectures is very similar to MOX. The MX series are 16-part multi-timbral. The MX have patterns and arpeggios. MX are designed for DAW integration and arrive with Cubase AI. You can connect an MX to a DAW and play a 16-part General MIDI file and get a reasonable result. You can create and edit new sounds at a very deep level thanks to the John Melas tools.

The CK series are intended for live playing. It has many, dedicated front panel controls to make real-time adjustments while playing. The number of tweakable voice parameters is relatively small versus MX. The effects signal flow is limited and fixed. The CK does not have patterns and arpeggios. The CK does not have drum kits. If you throw a General MIDI file at the CK, you’re gonna miss percussion. 🙂

So, functionally, you have two very different primary use cases and capabilities. The series are offered at different price points, too:

     Model      MSRP      MAP 
     ------    ------   ------ 
     CK61      $1,249   $  999 
     CK88      $1,899   $1,499
 
     MX49      $  799   $  569 
     MX61      $1,099   $  799 
     MX88      $1,599   $1,199
 
     MODX6+    $1,899   $1,499 

     YC61      $2,499   $1,999
     CP73      $2,699   $2,099 

     Montage6  $3,699   $2,999

Yamaha like to offer a range of products that appeal to a range of customers — something for everyone. Customers on the tightest of budgets find the MX49 and MX61 under the magic (psychological) $1,000 USD threshold. The CK61 is exactly at the $1,000 mark, filling the gap between MX and MODX+.

The YC series, CP series and Montage are premium-level products. Many (most) customers and I would think twice about dropping $2,000 or more on a keyboard. This is not a casual decision especially if one is considering a piano- or organ-focused keyboard (CP or YC, respectively). Thus, the CK series is a good value proposition for price-conscious customers.

I’m going to restate a certain point that I made previously because I was misunderstood by some. When the Reface series was first released, many of us wanted to see all of the Reface engines combined into a single, full-sized keyboard. We liked the sounds (engines) and interactive interface, but disliked the mini-keys. The CK series combines the Reface YC and Reface CP into a single full-size model — and throws in a good set of bread-and-butter sounds to round things out.

Functionally, CK organs and sound editing are not at the same level as premium YC and CP series. CK has the old Reface YC sample-based engine; YC stage organs are a superior invention. You get what you pay for.

If one needs FM, then MODX+ is your full-size gateway. CS, AKA “virtual analog”, has yet to be seen in a current Yamaha product. And you already know the rumors…

Thanks for reading!

Yamaha CK random bits

Posted on March 14, 2023 by pj

I’m reading through the CK documentation and posting random observations here.

The Yamaha CK series are a response for a full-sized keyboard melding the Reface YC and Reface CP with a little bit of additional ROMpler thrown in. The Reface series shine with immediacy of control coupled with decent PRO-quality sounds. No sign of Spectral Component Modeling, so the electric pianos (EP) are sampled. Bummer, since SCM has a smoother velocity response. The EP presets are Montage/MODX greatest hits.

Organ preset voices include H, V, F, A, and Y — clearly lifted from Reface YC. The pipe organ presets (!) have a few surprises: Grand Leu, FondsEtArches, Organo Pleno, Diapason, Claribel&Flute, and SoftReeds. These presets are straight out of Genos™ and Yamaha should be commended for their inclusion. These voices are excellent. [Yeah, I know. Rockers are not looking for pipe organ… 🙂 ]

The drawbar sliders are short-throw like Reface YC. I like the buttons for percussion and vibrato/chorus control. Front panel placement is good, too, as most people change settings on-the-fly with the left hand.

I don’t see a way to adjust rotary speaker acceleration (ramp up) and deacceleration (ramp down). These leaves me very concerned because the Reface YC fast speed and ramps are waaaaay too fast and there isn’t any way to change them. Yamaha consistently makes preset rotary speaker speeds too bloody fast.

Yamaha did not hold back on orchestral voices and deserve further credit for that decision. I didn’t bite on YC61 because it is weirdly short on orchestral voices. Where’s the oboe, for example? Add more orchestra voices to YC61 and I will pull out my credit card. Really, I can only take one keyboard to my church gig given set-up time constraints, space and my 7-decade old body.

Gut-level, the preset synth voices feel like greatest hits from arranger Legacy synths and pads. No new ground, here. I use a few of these bread and butter voices — VP Soft and Soft RnB, for example. Synth enthusiasts have already swiped left on the CK series anyway.

Like their CP/YC brethren, the CKs expose a fixed voice-effects signal flow. There are five choices of Drive, nine+ choices for insert effects, and global delay, reverb and EQ. Effect tweaking is limited — just one or two parameters per effect type.

The CKs do have potential for external control via Master Keyboard Mode (four zones). All the basic zone parameters are there including Bank Select MSB and Bank Select LSB and Program Change. Yamaha got this right. It’s 2023 and I can’t believe how many MIDI controllers commit the cardinal sin of leaving off Bank Select!

Assessing the assignment of MIDI continuous control (CC) numbers to physical sliders and knobs is going to take time and effort. Some CCs are assigned based on voice part (A, B, C). Yikes! We’re going to need to forge a secret decoder ring! 🙁

The date on the MIDI implementation chart is 16 July 2021. Yes, “2021.” Yamaha have had these designs in the can for a while. The pandemic and supply chain problems interfered with the CK’s release.

Yamaha CK61™ and CK88™

Posted on March 13, 2023 by pj

Update: Product pages and manuals are now available at Yamaha sites everywhere.

Pre-announcement information is breaking out all over. I recommend the GAK Music CK series video with Luke Juby. It gives a great overview and demonstrates the preset sounds and effects. The CK has sliders, knobs and buttons dedicated to program/effect selection and tweaking (attack, release, cut-off and resonance). The drawbar sliders are short-throw like the Reface YC. The physical controls should reduce menu-diving.

A few interesting tidbits from the video. The CK has the ability to trigger backing tracks from the keyboard. Foot pedal control is assignable. There are four zones for external control and 5-pin MIDI IN and OUT. Split and layer are supported with two split points.

Here are Yamaha CK88™ specifications:

88 keys, weighted GHS keyboard, initial touch
Tone Generator: AWM2 and AWM for Organ Flutes
128 voices of polyphony
Integrated Effects, Master EQ
363 Voices, 160 Live Set Sounds (80 preset)
Pitch Bend and Modulation Wheel
Nine Organ Footage Sliders, three Part Volume Sliders, eleven control Knobs
Built-in amplifiers (2 ✗ 6 W) and speakers (2 ✗ (12cm ✗ 6cm)); Can be switched off
Battery powered operation (eight AA alkaline or Ni-MH batteries) or AC adaptor
Monochrome LCD display (128 x 64 dots)
Stereo Line Output: 6.3 mm mono phone jack x2
Stereo Input: 6.3 mm mono phone jack x2
Stereo Phones Output: 6.3 mm stereo phone jack
Two connectors for Footswitches or Foot controllers
MIDI [IN]/[OUT] 5-pin DIN
USB [TO DEVICE] to connect USB memory sticks
USB [TO HOST] to connect to PCs, USB-Audio-Interface function (two stereo channels from PC to CK, two stereo channels from CK to PC)
Bluetooth connectivity to play back audio from a Bluetooth device
Dimensions (W x D x H): 1,333 mm × 354 mm × 148 mm
Weight: 13.1 kg (28.9 pounds)
Included accessories: Owner’s Manual, AC adaptor (PA-150B)
Optional accessories: Footswitches and Foot controllers (FC3A, FC4A, FC5, FC7), Soft Case SC-DE88, Music Rest YMR-03

The CK61 weighs 5.6kg (12.3 pounds) and has a new synth action keybed (the FSB action borrowed from the PSR SX line).

Sounds like an entry-level keyboard for price-sensitive customers. I anticipated a battery power option, but the in-built amplification (2 ✗ 6W) and speakers are unexpected. Given the entry-level spec, I suspect that SWX09 is the internal host/tone generator engine.

The CK is a “poor man’s” combination of Reface YC and Reface CP. Or, stated another way, CK is someone’s dream combination of Reface YC and Reface CP with full-size controls. A lot of people pined for a combined organ/EP Reface with a full-sized keybed. They got it. 🙂

363 voices aren’t many. I expect to see promotion reading “363 voices from the acclaimed Montage, YC stage organ and CP stage piano.” This smacks of the way a few new voices were lifted from Motif and built into the ill-fated MM series. I expect recycled effects from MODX, etc. and CK will not include the new, improved YC rotary speaker algorithm.

We’ll need to hear more details, of course. I don’t think the CK directly replaces the MX series. A lot hinges on its DAW/VI integration which is an MX strong point. The MX88 weighs 13.9kg, so the CK88 (13.1kg) does not have a weight advantage over MX88. CK61 weighs 5.6 kg, not much less than MODX6. Based on weight alone, I don’t have much reason to spurn my MODX6 for CK61.

If you own an MODX, I don’t think you’re going to be green with G.A.S. The extra sliders are nice, but MODX (MODX+) is so much more. The CK series should appeal to the weekend warrior with a family on a tight budget. CK61 MSRP is $1,249 USD and MAP is $999; CK88 MSRP is $1,899 and MAP is $1,499. Yamaha got the CK61 MAP under the psychological $1,000 barrier.

The pictures are fuzzy. We’ll know more and have better pictures after the official product announcement tomorrow when Yamaha releases high res assets.

CK: It’s almost here

Posted on March 13, 2023 by pj

Thanks to Saul’s recent post at Yamaha Musicians Forum, it looks like tomorrow is the day for CK.

By Tuesday evening, we’ll all be laughing at the ridiculous predictions and wishful thinking that we’ve all posted.

So, here’s some more wishful thinking. 🙂

Knowing the price points, about $1,250 USD for the 61 and $1,920 for the 88, we instantly know that these aren’t the droids some people have been looking for. At these prices, the CKs impinge on the entry-level niche held by the long-in-the-tooth MX series. Yamaha may have decided to spiff up and bulk up the MX to CK in order to establish higher margins at the entry-level without blowing up the magic $1,000 barrier. [I have some reason to believe that the rumored prices are MSRP.]

Yamaha CK61 and CK88 portable synthesizers

At such low price points, forget an FSX keybed, aftertouch, a large touch display, etc. I suspect that Yamaha engineers chose one of its proprietary SWX processors instead of the higher spec SWP70 which is the mainstay of mid- and high-end Yamaha keyboards. The SWX series integrates the host processor, display interface, USB interface and AWM2 tone generator into a single integrated circuit package. Reface YC, Reface CP and first-gen MX are based on an earlier version of SWX (SWX08). The current rev is SWX09.

The word “portable” in the terse CK description might imply an internal battery power option. Choosing SWX would at least give the engineers a fighting chance at low power. I suspect that the SWP70 tone generator is a bit of a power hog. Yamaha do not currently offer a battery-powered synth while some competitors do (e.g., Roland JUNO DS61). I would love battery power for rehearsals — anything to make the schlep and set-up easier.

Part of the MX pitch is “controller integration.” Yamaha currently do not offer a MIDI controller with all the front panel knobs, sliders, widgets and gizmos that warm the heart. Even though Yamaha tout the MX for control, it’s really feature poor in comparison to most full size MIDI controllers. Although the MX is reasonably well-integrated with Cubase, more people are running virtual instruments on IOS/Android tablets/phones instead of laptops. Yamaha must (should) respond to these trends.

I often wonder why Yamaha haven’t put forth a Halion-based version of Arturia’s wonderful V Collection or Analog Lab? I was immediately impressed by the integration of Analog Lab with Arturia Keylab Essential. Yamaha have been missing an opportunity here.

Up to this point, Yamaha seem reluctant to offer an all-in-one stage keyboard combining, piano, organ and synth. As a player, you’re forced into a multi-keyboard “top and bottom” rig decision. Implications are many. If organ or piano are your main need, then perhaps you choose a YCxx or CPxx for the bottom. Neither ‘board provides comprehensive synth sounds, so you need a synth for the top. Maybe a CK61™?

Schlep and cost are major factors. Two keyboards is a lot more trouble and cost than one. The keyboard stand is bigger and heavier. Yada-yada. For me, I play in an incredibly small space and, as an older adult, my body is whacked out from hauling gear! Cost is another big factor as I don’t want to tie up funds in idle keyboards — no matter how pretty they are. 🙂

So, maybe I will view the CK61™ as a Korg Triton Taktile on steroids. The Triton Taktile 49 was a light-weight controller with lots of knobs and sliders, and had a “courtesy” Triton engine. The Triton Taktile had its disdvantages — no way to store user edits, no internal battery power. The CK likely avoids these pitfalls in which case a CK plus an iPad (Camelot, Korg Module, iSymphonic, SWAM) might do the trick as a light-weight stage gig rig.

As to that “all-in-one,” might that be the Montage successor? Yamaha was slow to follow Motif XF (August 2010) with Montage (January 2016), so the wait for the Montage successor is not that surprising. Plus, you don’t really think you’re getting AN-X™ for free, do you? 🙂

CK: Scraps from the dustbin

Posted on March 9, 2023 by pj

Today’s tidbits are from Jason at the YamahaSynth.com forum.

First, a major shout out to Jason. Every forum has one or two people who energetically answer questions and keep a forum community alive. Jason is that guy on the Yamaha synth forum, especially after Phil’s (Badmister’s) retirement. Thank you, Jason!

Have you thanked a forum contributor recently?

I’ve been searching for evidence of Yamaha’s CK61™ and CK88™ as we run up to NAMM 2023 (13-15 April 2023). Jason’s diligence has paid off; I’m too freakin’ lazy. 🙂

He scraped a document listing the recyclable content for various Yamaha products. [A document required by some civil authority, no doubt.] I don’t like to post information unless I can verify it independently. More eyes on a problem or situation are always good. Fortunately, I found the same document.

It’s quite a comprehensive list of products all the way down to pedals, stands, power adapters and soft cases. The products are list by category: piano, digital piano (CL), music production (MP), portable keyboard (PK), etc.

Lo and behold, under “MP”, we find CK61™ and CK88™ with product codes VDY9110 and VDY9230. So, these products are not phantoms — unless Yamaha is playing an enormous joke on us! 🙂

Given the list’s completeness, it’s interesting that “Montage” does not appear. I searched and scoured the list. Not there. This could be a mere oversight or what? Have Yamaha decided that MODX+ has overtaken (subsumed) Montage and that’s it for the heavy grey lady? Is Montage necessary if the CKs implement AN-X™? All speculative, of course. [Yamaha’s product strategy smacks of “Pokémon Gotta Catch ‘Em All.]

I have not been able to independently verify Jason’s other information:

STAGE PIANOS
CK61 New generation 61-key portable stage synthesizer inc. adapter $22,630.00
CK88 New generation 88-key portable stage synthesizer inc. adapter $34,736.00

Prices are given in Mexican Pesos. If these are pesos and genuine prices, that’s approximately $1,250 USD and $1,920 USD, respectively. I think the use of “STAGE PIANOS”, here, means stage keyboards. I don’t think “synthesizer” is accidental, tho’.

Blake Angelos (Hi, Blake) has posted an invite to “Join us for the Tech Talk Season 3 finale on March 14. We’ll be revealing something new you won’t want to miss! It all happens Tuesday, March 14 1:00 PM PDT, 10:00 PM CET. Hope to see you there!”

Please check out the discussion on the YamahaSynth forum and let Jason take a victory lap. Thanks, again.

Update. And the thread is gone from YamahaSynth. If you would like to join a discussion, Yamaha Musicians Forum has knowledgeable and passionate members who are engaged with this topic. You might also consider the Music Player Keyboard Corner, too.

Yamaha may be trying to stuff the toothpaste back into the tube, but their own site has pages referring to the CK88™. That’s why I don’t believe in conspiracy theories. 🙂

Review: Akai LPK25 Mk2

Posted on March 8, 2023 by pj

Here’s a mini review for a mini keyboard!

The Akai LPK25 Mk2 is proving to be quite useful. This is a surprise because I initially bought the LPK25 Mk2 as an “organ donor” for one of my other Akai MPKs. I intended to transplant its Gen2 dynamic keyboard to either the Akai MPK Mini Play Mk1 or Akai MPK Mini Mk2. Given the mounting requirements and potentially incompatible cabling, a transplant is very doubtful.

Instead, I’ve been test driving the LPK25 Mk2 with virtual instruments running with an Audio Modeling Camelot host on iPad. Connection is made through an Apple USB charge adapter since the LPK25’s only interface is a full-size USB-B device connector.

The LPK25 Mk2 is super small — barely bigger than its mini keybed. Power draw is extremely modest. You can run the LPK25 Mk2 from iPad battery using the old Apple Camera Adapter. [This was tested.] I’m using a charge adapter primarily to satisfy the CPU- and power-hungry virtual instruments. Not many mini keyboards can run on iPad battery power, tripping the infamous “attached accessory uses too much power” message followed by USB shut-down. Definitely a plus for the LPK25 Mk2.

As I mentioned in my transplant article, the LPK25 Mk2 has the new Akai Gen2 dynamic keybed. The LPK25 Mk2 Gen2 keyboard is still two octaves and tiny, but it’s playable! The degree of touch sensitivity depends upon the responsiveness of the virtual instruments themselves. The LPK25 Mk2 does not have any internal touch sensitivity setting.

Functionality is straightforward. The LPK25 Mk2 arpeggiator borrows from the well-known (well-worn?) MPK Mini series. There isn’t much more beyond the arpeggiator: octave up and down buttons, shift, and sustain. The sustain button (CC#64) is the only way to send a MIDI CC message as there are not sustain/expression inputs, knobs, sliders, wheels, etc. Nada. The sustain button may be a lifesaver because I need some way to control rotary speaker speed in IK Multimedia B-3X.

CC#64 is all you get. The CC message number cannot be changed to anything else like CC#1 modulation. Akai missed an opportunity here as allowing this change by way of the LPK25 editor would provide a tiny skosh of configurability.

If you absolutely detest mini keys, I doubt if the LPK25 Mk2 will change your opinion. However, if you want a “lap board” and accept the limitations of 25 small keys, the LPK25 Mk2 is a candidate for consideration. It’s not much bigger than the Keith McMillen QuNexus and its mini keys are more playable than the KMI chiclets. Of course, the Akai keys don’t have tilt, aftertouch or MPE…

My dream is a tiny keyboard rig for melody lines or the occasional one-handed pad. In this respect, the LPK25 Mk2 is $40 USD well-spent (Used, B&H Photo Video). The LPK25 Mk2 is also an ultra inexpensive gateway to Akai’s MPC production suite and software ecosystem.

NAMM 2023: Roland go uptown

Posted on March 7, 2023 by pj

Roland’s big announcement this week is the GP Series Grand Inspiration digital pianos. The GP digital pianos cover a range of players and prices:

GP-3 Micro Grand: $4,000 USD (available now)
GP-6 Mini Grand: $6,300 USD (available March 2023)
GP-9 Grand Piano: $11,000 USD (available March 2023)
GP-9M Grand Piano: $19,000 USD (available May 2023)

All instruments feature beautifully styled wood cabinets and the “Piano Reality” sound engine inside. The product line is feature-graded, of course. 🙂 White models are also planned and will be available.

The GP-3 and GP-6 are appropriate for families who are serious about piano. I wouldn’t drop that much for a beginner piano! The GP-3 and GP-6 should also appeal to space and budget conscious schools and worship communities. As I’m painfully aware, not all churches can accomodate or afford a full grand, acoustic or digital.

The GP-9 is the targeted sweet-spot for sensible upscale customers and I think Roland is hoping to sell a lot of these. The GP-9M adds a self-playing moving key function, XLR outputs and a microphone input for sing-alongs. The GP-9M has an air of “expensive toy” about it. My Lord, the GP-9M is about what I paid for my Toyota (Scion) iM.

The 9s try to provide a complete piano experience minus the hassles of strings, humidity and temperature fluctuations. Public spaces are notoriously hostile to acoustic instruments. This model should appeal to churches and commercial venues — excellent piano experience and low(er) maintenance than an acoustic grand.

As to technology, the GP-9 Piano Reality engine claims “unlimited polyphony.” The keyboard has progressive hammer action, escapement, hybrid wood/molded keys with Ivory Feel, long key pivot length, and haptic vibration.

Roland clearly put a lot of effort into the multi-channel audio projection system in order to produce an immersive experience. Don’t like what you hear? Use the Piano Designer tools and app to tweak the sound (string tuning, temperament, key sensiticity, cabinet resonance, sound field, etc.)

For 11 or 18 large, I’m sure you’ll read the specifications and try one first. 🙂

Yamaha teasers

Vocaloid™s are welcoming a new singing avatar into the pack: Po-uta™. Po-uta is based on the voice of Porter (Po) Robinson. [“Uta” means song.] As with most things Vocaloid, you’ll need to point your browser toward Japan as Yamaha seems to target Vocaloid primarily to its domestic market. Vocaloid 6 implements Vocalo Changer™ which uses your own vocal data to personalize a performance.

Notice all of the trademark ™ symbols? Yamaha applied for these trademarks in roughly the same timeframe as AN-X™, CK61™ and CK88™.

Yamaha issued a teaser NAMM 2023 press release stating:

This year, Yamaha will introduce breakthrough products at the show across multiple musical categories, including piano, synthesizer, winds, acoustic guitar, drums and percussion, and professional audio.

So, will AN-X™, CK61™ and CK88™ see the light of day?

Inside Akai LPK25 Mk2

Posted on March 3, 2023 by pj

Akai Professional have sliced and diced its mini-controller technology in every way possible: MPK Mini Plus, MPK Mini Mk3, LPK25 Mk2, LPD8 Mk2, and more.

The latest keyboard-equipped minis — including the LPK25 Mk2 — sport a new Gen2 dynamic keybed. The original keybed (Gen1) is grudgingly tolerable and nothing to write home about. Judging from Youtube repair videos, the Gen1 keys are prone to break. So, is the Gen2 keybed a genuine improvement?

Like the game of poker, you need to flash some cash to see the cards. So too with mini keyboards. As a secondary question, I also wanted to crack a new Akai mini open and see if it’s possible to transplant a Gen2 keybed to my Akai MPK Mini Play Mk1. I needed to tear down LPK25 Mk2 to know if such a mod is remotely feasible.

An Akai LPK25 Mk2 sells for $59 USD (MAP). Since I intended to void the warranty immediately, I bought a used LPK25 Mk2 for $40 in order to save money. At the very least, I knew I would gain another license to Akai’s software bundle: MPC Beats, Velvet EP, Mini Grand and AIR Hybrid 3. Fair enough.

Before grabbing a screwdriver, I compared the LPK25 Mk2 keybed against the MPK Mini Play mk1 and MPK Mini Mk2. A little bit of trial play with the LPK25 Mk2 and I’m already convinced there is improvement. The black keys have a little bit of pleasant-to-feel texture. The keys have a nice springiness.

Truth be told, there are differences in the MPK Mini Play Mk1 keybed and the MPK Mini Mk2 White Special Edition — both “Gen1”. The Special Edition is easier to play — the keys have a lighter action and seem to strike more reliably than the Mini Play. Key texture between models is different, too.

The Gen2 keybed really is more dynamic. Playing Lounge Lizard EP, response from pianissimo to forte is relatively smooth without any nasty jumps in volume (key velocity). In comparison, inconsistent touch and volume discontinuities with the Mini Play drive me crazy! As a player, I’m sold on the Gen2 keybed and recommend Gen2 Akai minis, if you’re faced with choice.

Popping the LPK25 Mk2 top is easy: remove the eight screws along the perimeter of the bottom chassis plate. I first thought that the rubber pad in the upper right corner (looking at the bottom) might cover a screw hole. It does not. Leave the rubber pad alone. Please. In the image above, I parked the screws where they need to be removed. The ten screws (5 x 2) arrayed further toward the middle of the plate mount the keybed assembly to the bottom plate.

With the top removed, one quickly discovers that Gen2 is not hype. Gen1 and Gen2 keybeds are significantly different. Gen1 keys are secured at their tops by screws. (See one of the many MPK repair videos for details.) Gen1 keys flex when they are struck and they return as the plastic flexes back to its original position. This is why Gen1 keys often break. Flex and return weakens the plastic.

Gen2 keys are individually sprung — with real springs! When a Gen2 key is struck, its spring is stretched. The key returns when the spring collapses to its original coiled state. The Akai Gen2 design is similar, in this respect, to the Arturia Keystep key design. The Akai Gen2 keys should be a lot more reliable in the long run, in addition to being nicer to play. Gen2 has padding to eliminate clunks and thumps, too.

Yep, I’m sold on the Akai Gen2 dynamic keybed. But, can a Gen2 keybed be transplanted to a Gen1 instrument?

Doubtful. At best, it’s not a slam dunk. The Gen2 keybed is mounted to the bottom plate. Gen1 instruments have no such mounting holes as the Gen1 keys are screwed directly to the bottom plate. (There are two 12-key subassemblies plus the high C key.)

Then there is the ribbon cable connection to fret about. Are the signals compatible? Are the connectors compatible? I don’t know at this point. The LPK25 Mk2 cable dresses to the left while MPK Mini cable dresses toward the top. One idea to explore is mixing and matching pieces such as transplanting a Gen1 contact printed circuit board (PCB) into a Gen2 keybed assembly. Given the way the Gen2 keybed mounts from the bottom, I doubt if one can replace the Gen2 contact PCB with a Gen1 contact PCB. Oh, well, only out $40. 🙂

There you have the nickel tour. If you’re buying, go for the Akai Gen2 dynamic keybed. If you’re thinking about a transplant, buy and mod at your own risk.

NAMM 2023: Korg want to sell you (a) kit

Posted on February 27, 2023 by pj

Korg have announced the ARP ODYSSEY FS synthesizer kit.

In case you’re Rip van Winkle, the ARP ODYSSEY is a classic 2-VCO duophonic synthesizer played by the greats like Herbie Hancock. Korg have been manufacturing and selling the ARP ODYSSEY Full Size (FS) and will now offer the FS as a kit.

The Korg ODYSSEY FS has all of the ARP basics: 2 VCOs, sync, sample and hold, pulse width modulation, high-pass filter, two envelope generators and proportional pitch control (PPC), which was ARP’s take on modulation control. Korg extends the original spec covering all three generations of VCF circuitry: Rev1 12 dB/octave, Rev2 24 dB/octave and Rev3 resonance stable filter.

Like other Korg kits, the ODYSSEY FS requires assembly, but no soldering. Judging from the picture, assembly will be more involved than the NTS-1, for example, due to the number of components and printed circuit boards. It does look manageable, however.

Korg also kick in a bundle of music software. European prices are £1,699 and €1,889 recommended retail price (RRP). I’m still waiting for official USA pricing. Update: And that will be $1,800 USD street. Ouch.

I hope the ODYSSEY FS kit is not a ghost. Where is the NTS-2, Korg?

NAMM 2023: Roland SH-4D

Posted on February 23, 2023 by pj

This week’s launch Thursday goes to the Roland SH-4D Desktop Synthesizer (AKA a “module”). I don’t know which is worse: the over-the-top marketing-speak, the seizure inducing media, or endless scrolling through pop-up site graphics. Save some eyestrain and go right to the Soundcloud demos.

We report the facts without glitz:

11 oscillator models: SH-4D, SH-3D, SYNC, SH-101, JUNO-106, Cross FM, RING, WAVETABLE, CHORD, DRAWING PCM, Rhythm
60 voice polyphony
5 parts (4 tone, 1 rhythm)
Modulation matrix
Effects: Reverb, Chorus, MFX, Delay, Master, Master EQ
Rhythm part: 49 preset kits plus 64 user slots
Arpeggiator
Sequencer (5 parts, 64 steps, motion recording)
Pattern plus mixing mode (level, pan, chorus, reverb, delay)
LCD display 128 x 64 pixels
USB-C, 5-pin MIDI IN/OUT, clock IN, audio IN
12 channel USB audio
USB (500mA) or battery power (4 AA LR6 or HR6)
Battery life: Approximately 4 hours
14.2″ x 7.7″ x 2.6″ (360mm x 195mm x 66mm)
3.9 pounds (1.78kg)

All of this for a fairly reasonable asking price of $650 USD (available March 2023). If you skipped the Boutique series so far, the price and models make the SH-4D irresistible.

The front panel and its controls are small — designed for elfin hands. That would make real-time performance a little tricky. Listening to the demos, I like the sound of this thing.

“Future Retro” in 1960s OCR font? Pu-leaze! I’m sure Roland will be featuring the SH-4D at NAMM, 13-15 April 2023.

Sand, software and sound

Electronics and computing for the fun of it

Author Archives: pj