Conference napalm::commusic_v1

    Only PF note I could find was 811 (you wrote it, in fact!). 

    You might try looking under keywords CONTROLLER and PIANO.  I know this
    has been discussed earlier. 

-b

	I wouldn't recommend the PF85 as a main controller because it
	lacks general control capability.  No pitch bend, no modulation
	wheel, it only has 5 patch select possibilities, and it doesn't
	allow the thru and out ports to merge. The PF85 is good if you
	need something that feels like a piano & has 88 weighted,
	velocity sensitive keys (but no aftertouch).  It's also heavy. No
	volume pedal, but it does accept sustenuto(sp?) and sustain
	pedals. 

    re: .2
    
    >>> I wouldn't recommend the PF85 as a main controller because it	
    >>> lacks general control capability.  No pitch bend, no modulation	
    >>> wheel, ...
    
    These are the primary reasons I gave up my MIDI'd PF-15 and bought an
    A-80.  The MIDI'd PF-15 was great for just the piano touch.  IF that
    is all you want, then a PF85 may be fine.  I wanted to be able to
    explore all the features of my rack units from a single keyboard.

    I am also considering a PF85 beacuse of its touch and sounds, and I
    hope I can circumvent the 'no pitch bend, mod wheel' issue with a 
    Pocket Pitch/Mod wheel thingie. I have'nt looked into that box as
    yet so if anyone out there knows about it, please let me know if
    I am barking up the wrong tree.
    
    I agree that it does not have great controller abilities, but the
    name of the game is 'trade-off'. For the price (if I can get one
    for under $1200, well under $1200 )the songs on-board are really
    good and the action is fantastic.
    
    Errol (Ah needs a nu toy)

    
    $1200 puts you right in the ball park for a KX88 NEW.
    
    wheels, sliders, funtions...even sends small make-your-own
    SYSEX messages......
    
    A80 is to my fingers, preferable to feel, but costs sooooooo
    much more.......
    
    All these weigh in at welter-weight. You dudes probably dont
    cart em around...do ya?
    
    rr
    

I didn't realise the KX88 had fallen so in price.

I like the sounds in the pf85, and dislike the piano/vibraphone type sounds in
the D550 (I bought it for its synthesiser sounds).

The reason I'm still keyboard-less several years after I originally planned to
buy my own keyboard (and gave up my CZ101 as it was murder on my fingers), is
that there STILL doesn't seem to be an ideal controller out there.

And I'd rather be patient than sink a lot of money into yet another electronic
toy that either won't last or will need to be upgraded to keep me satisfied.

I purchased the D550 last year (with programmer module), and the R8 rhythm
composer last week, knowing that these were extensible modules that are not
going to be outdated anytime soon.  Also, they are the first devices in their
respective categories that have not had any obvious limitations, and which
seem versatile enough to support my preference for acoustically oriented music.


				Mark

    re: .5
    
    >>> A80 is to my fingers, preferable to feel, but costs sooooooo
    >>> much more.......
    
    	In a package deal, I got my A-80 for less than $2k.  Still, not
    cheap, but nowhere near list price either.
    
    >>> All these weigh in at welter-weight. You dudes probably dont
    >>> cart em around...do ya?
    
    	I don't cart it around much.  My wife and I are able to pretty
    easily get it up and down stairs, into and out of the car, etc.  The
    A-80 isn't that heavy (of course, I don't use a road case either).  I
    find the real need for 2 people is due to the width of any 88-key
    controller.  I just don't have arms long enought to comfortable pick it
    up and cart it around.
    
    	With a rugged road case, I'm sure the A-80 would be substantially
    more difficult to move around.
    
    - John -

As always, it all depends on what you want to do with the controller.
If you want to use it for home/studio, and don't need pitch bend/
mod wheel, the pf85 should be great.  I use a PF80 (earlier model with
slightly different sounds).  If you need real-time MIDI conrtrol
and/or good portability, then its probably not for you.

The advantages are that it has some decent sounds built in (not to mention
its own inboard amp), to my fingers, great touch (please, no religious wars
over piano vs synth touch!).  In short it does what I need it to.

So figure out what you need it to do, and if a PF85 will cut it, go for
it.  If not, maybe a KX88 or ?

Kevin