Hi All from Steve

[MrSteveVee]

Hiya Chaps, Just a quick hello as I have just joined your group. If all goes well I should be an owner of the MZ-X500 sometime next week, its a very rare creature here in the Uk but I managed to hunt one down.

 

I have a had a few keyboards over the years but as I am not a strong player (Hobby only) and I seem to suffer from that strange malady where my left hand refuses to work if I concentrate on my right I tend to use the special effects more on the boards. The Triton LE was the first, a fun keyboard that taught me my first lesson, I cannot play! This was fine for a few years until I persuaded the wife that I should get the Yammy XS.

 

The Arpeggios on this keyboard were amazing and the pattern recording was used a lot but the operating system was dire and connectivity to Cubase not as hot that made out. Here I learned my second lesson, I had no idea how to compose music! so after a few years I persuaded my wife that I should buy just one more keyboard, and I promised, the very last. I bought the Rolland Fantom-G.

 

Wow what a keyboard. Compared to the Xs it was so easy to use. The sequencer was like a cut down Daw it was almost perfect, almost except the arpeggio were terrible. Just a single simple arpeggio that could only repeat a phrase Aghh! Here I learned my third lesson. I had no idea how to program a keyboard!

 

A few more years passed, my left hand still refused to cooperate and I became frustrated again. Well it was obviously the keyboards fault wasn't it! So after much grovelling I persuaded my poor suffering wife that I could get one more, the very last keyboard. But which one, The Kronos or the Korg Pa4X. I chose the Pa4x.

Hmmm That was a mistake. I didn’t like the keyboard from the start. It had good accompaniment and to be honest I played better with it than I had ever done using just the one hand (after much practice I had managed to train my left to hold a beer when using the right to play) but when I tried to do some of the stuff I like I just couldn’t get on with it and didn’t like the operating system and here I learned the fourth lesson, I had no idea how to arrange music either!

 

Now on reflection, it was probably the better option but I had been spoiled by the ease of the Fantom, and had also learned from the Fantom that envelopes were not just used for letters and I wanted more. The Kronos videos so tempted me, so quickly I arranged a swap out and got the Kronos.

Now I won’t bore you with the ensuing conversation with the wife, suffice to say I managed to heal although I will always have this limp and from this day on if I even raise an eyebrow when she buys new shoes I will be toast!

 

Well the Kronos is an excellent board but I am now back learning the first lesson again, I cannot play! and the added problem is, that the Karma that I was so relying on helping is not what I envisaged. Now I am sure it’s great in its way, but it cannot be controlled like an arpeggio , it’s more a jazzy fill in. Ahh despair. I retreated to the corner and gave up on my right hand, I just concentrated on my left hand holding the beer! But still I kept looking. I looked longingly at the Tyros and wondered if I should have gone that route, but it is so amazingly expensive. I looked at the cheaper PSR series and wondered if they would have done, maybe the Korg PA series would have been better than the 4x, ahh woe.

 

I sat watching YouTube videos as my left hand wandered off to fetch another beer when I came across a video of the Casio. I watched it, the operating system looked good, it sounded good , and then the player played using only his right hand! SOLD! I neeed that one! But there was a problem. I had had my last, my very last and my very,very last keyboard , how can I get one more.

 

Beg, plead, grovel, I did them all, yes I would do all my chores. Yes I would do the chores I promised to do last time but forgot,  yes you can buy new shoes, yes and a new outfit, but it wasn't working, I finally resorted to the last straw.

 

I gave her the TV remote!

 

YES it worked, one last very very very last keyboard, and this time I get to keep the Kronos as well yipee! And it arrives next week wohoo!

 

But this time I really think I need to learn how to play.

 

Thanks for reading. I'm Steve, hello to you all

 

 

 

 

[drb32856]

Love your narrative as it somewhat mirrors my own. Except for me I suffer from "Newgearus Musthavious"! And my poor wife has learned over the years that when I have a major flair up I have to go to the advanced clinic called " Sweetwater" for Gearfest therapy. Infusions of many methods of treatment  including but not  limited to: Kronos, Ion, FA-06,and yes that new experimental MZ-X500 have worked only to dull the condition. Alas there is no cure on the horizon, but I vow to continue searching until my wife puts me out of my misery and takes the credit cards away. Welcome to the group!

[Brad Saucier]

Welcome Steve!  We hope you'll enjoy you enjoy your MZX.  We're a support forum so you can ask any questions if you ever get stumped along the way.  We'll be here to help.