Novation introduced the critically acclaimed SL MKII ranges of DAW Controller at Winter NAMM 2010 in Anaheim, California. The Novation 49 SL MKII MIDI Controller Keyboard features 49-key velocity sensitive, Fatar semi-weighted action keyboard with after-touch. The Novation 49SL MKII incorporates giant 144-character ultra bright LCD screen, Automap 3 PRO Control software, Assignable Controls; 16 knobs and 8 faders with touch sensitive and 32 buttons with integrated LEDs, Octave buttons with LED indicator.
The Novation SL MK II most obvious enhanced feature as compared to the SL MKI is that now all the sliders and knobs are touch-sensitive. Another enhanced feature is each of the eight parameter positions in the display can be controlled by the rotary encoder for rapid adjustment. Similarly, you can just touch the encoders to navigate the menu layers and it is as fast as the wind for users. The Automap 3 PRO Control software biggest asset is Keystroke Assignment, this enables almost any QWERTY or ASCII keyboard shortcut to be instantly assigned to the SL Mk II controls, providing unprecedented DAW control. The Automap 3.0 also introduces ‘Autoview’, where the ‘heads up GUI’ can be programmed to automatically appear displaying the present status of all controls whenever a controller is touched and then disappear upon release.
Overall, the Novation 49 SL MKII features are very professionally enhanced. Quick and easy usability for the masses and affordable for the budget conscious musicians. The Portable keyboard weight 5.2 kg.
The Yamaha Tyros3 features a vast range of voice technologies from Organ, Piano, Guitar, Trumpet, Accordion to Saxophone, just to name a few. Tyros3 has Yamaha’s FSX (Flight Simulator X) keyboard actions, 61-key and touch sensitive.Tyros3’s Super Articulation 2 gives you a direct control of the original instrument real vibrator and a detailed control of musical expression of each voice. There are 450 Styles (Pop & Rock, Latin, Swing & Jazz, Country and many more) to choose from and they are suitable for both beginners as well as professional musicians because Styles follows a player’s chord progressions.
Tyros3 other features includes:- Music Finder, Music Finder+, One Touch Setting, Registration Memory and Score Display. Music finder is a popular feature which allows you to search your favorite songs on the Music Finder song list. Whereas, Music Finder+ assists you to search for songs not on the list, by accessing to songs library online. Thereafter, the sheet music of your selected song will be downloaded directly to Tyros3’s display by internet direct connection. The OTS (One Touch Setting) feature provides four different professionally created registration for each Style. Just select a Style and the One Touch Setting and you can start playing the keyboard.
The Tyros3’s Registration Memory can store virtually unlimited Voices, Sounds and Effects. You can set what is stored and recalled. A single press of a button and you can recall. Tyros3 is compatible with all SMF (Standard Midi File) song software. Score (notation) display in TFT (Thin Film Transistor) display screen can be enhance by changing score size, adding note name, coloring the pitches and so forth. The Tyros3 can bring out the best in each voice, styles and it is also user friendly. Though the price range is on the higher side compared with other branded Arranger workstation but, to all professional musicians take a closer view of TYROS3.
The Casio SA-75 Mini Keyboard is great for kids who love to hammer the keys. However, the keyboard is designed not just for children but also beginning musicians. The SA-75 package comes with a Microphone headset, thanks to Casio. This hands free microphone makes playing much easier.
The Casio SA-75 Mini Keyboard features 37 keys, 100 PCM Tones, 30 accompaniment Patterns which comprises of 10 Rhythms,10 Free sessions and 10 Funny modes, 4- note polyphonic and10 Tunes. Though Mini in size but, comes with LCD screen and Musical Information Display System, whereby On-screen music staff displaying notes played and icons indicates the beat. This musical instrument has an option for players to turn-off the melody and concentrate on playing songs with notation. There are 2 built-in Speakers but players should be aware that there is no line out or headphone jack. Players have an option to run the SA-75 Mini Keyboards on 5-AA batteries or AC adapter, which are not included in the package.
Children can learn about chords and melodies simultaneously because this keyboard can produce 4 notes at once. The quality of sound is unexpected though it runs on 5-AA batteries. The very low volume is still high so it is great for children and the new generation. Taking into considerations the features, it is unbelievable that this musical instrument cost slightly more than a toy keyboard.
The Roland G-70 Music Workstation is the product of a combination of technologies from across the entire Roland product range. The G-70 is equipped with a powerful sound engine; with a lightening-fast processor, stellar sound set, 128-voice polyphony and six real-time performance parts. The G-70 takes sound and performance to new levels of realism.
The G-70 gives you a superb professional feeling because when you play you can feel only a slight differences between a grand piano, classical guitar or an accordion sound. The G-70 also incorporate Virtual Tone Wheel technology ported from Roland’s popular VK organ range. Nine front-panel sliders correspond to the 3D animated Virtual Harmonic Bars on its full-color LCD provides organ players the feel and response of a real harmonic-bar organ .
Roland takes advantage of the power of it’s Arranger by recording a combination of 285 completely new styles from jazz, pop ensembles to classical orchestrations, using live studio musicians to create professional backings. In addition, the G-70 allows you to customize instantly any part of your style or song and enables each accompaniment instrument to play smoothly and without any awkward interruption each time you change chord, thanks to Roland’s Cover & Makeup Tools and ACV(Adaptive Chord Voicing) Technology. The G-70 also provides 50MB internal memory, a floppy disk drive and a memory card slot which supports Smart Media and Compact Flash. For songwriters and performers, this Arranger is the RIGHT investment.
