Thinking of getting a G... some technical questions
Posted: 08:42, 15 October 2016
Hey G users. I have an FA-06, and recently I've been really bummed out by its really poor midi control for external instruments. I've had a good gander through the manual to try and work out if the G does exactly what I want (because I can't test one in person before buying), but have a few queries. I'll start by explaining my setup so my questions aren't so broad. I have a JD-XA (RX:1-8), TR-8 drum machine (RX:10), 3 boutiques (RX:11,12,13), and a few other synths I sometimes plug in to other free channels. I run the whole thing through a MX-1 (RX:15 for it's effects). I'm looking for a master keyboard that allows me to record music, but also have live functionality with the sequencer (patterns, bookmarks, yada yada). To be clear I do not use a computer in my setup (I'm aware a PC could do everything I want but they ruin my musical workflow). My questions:
1.
Can I split the keyboard between multiple external midi hardware and shift the octaves of individual midi outputs? For example I want to be able to put 3 boutiques across the keyboard, but I want to be able to drop the octave of the boutique assigned at the high end of the keyboard so I'm not just stuck with high notes, and equally the very low end I want to raise an octave. The FA-06 looked like it could do this, but in reality the midi sendout was simplified from what the internal system could do.
2.
I noticed on the pad modes theres a bookmark function - does this allow 16 different bookmarks to be placed across a song on the sequencer to jump to at any time, without stopping the track? Can the bookmark positions be changed during playback of the sequencer? The same question goes for the loop function as well (on FA-06 it cannot be altered during playback, so for live play its useless).
3.
When controlling external gear, or even internal, does the hold button stay active when I depart that channel? For instance if I am on channel 12 and play a chord, press the hold button, then change the keybed to work on channel 11 does the hold command and chord played on channel 12 stop?
4.
How many arpeggiators does the G have? Is it just 1 that you can use at a time (fine for layering in a recording environment, but less functional for live if controlling multiple synths)?
5.
Does anyone know of anything other than a G that has a good sequencer or pattern system, and all the features above for controlling external midi hardware, that does not need a PC to function? (Finding a G is hard nowadays, especially a G7!)
1.
Can I split the keyboard between multiple external midi hardware and shift the octaves of individual midi outputs? For example I want to be able to put 3 boutiques across the keyboard, but I want to be able to drop the octave of the boutique assigned at the high end of the keyboard so I'm not just stuck with high notes, and equally the very low end I want to raise an octave. The FA-06 looked like it could do this, but in reality the midi sendout was simplified from what the internal system could do.
2.
I noticed on the pad modes theres a bookmark function - does this allow 16 different bookmarks to be placed across a song on the sequencer to jump to at any time, without stopping the track? Can the bookmark positions be changed during playback of the sequencer? The same question goes for the loop function as well (on FA-06 it cannot be altered during playback, so for live play its useless).
3.
When controlling external gear, or even internal, does the hold button stay active when I depart that channel? For instance if I am on channel 12 and play a chord, press the hold button, then change the keybed to work on channel 11 does the hold command and chord played on channel 12 stop?
4.
How many arpeggiators does the G have? Is it just 1 that you can use at a time (fine for layering in a recording environment, but less functional for live if controlling multiple synths)?
5.
Does anyone know of anything other than a G that has a good sequencer or pattern system, and all the features above for controlling external midi hardware, that does not need a PC to function? (Finding a G is hard nowadays, especially a G7!)