Is Roland watching me?

As I have already stated in blog posts, forums posts and a youtube video:

WE NEED NEW KEYTARS!!!!

Well, I have been heard... Introducing the new Roland AX-Synth Keytar (or Shoulder Synthesizer, as they call it... I wonder if keytar is a registered trademark that roland can not use):


I do not particulary like it and the reasons are:

1. It is a synth, not a controller, which will probably make it super-expensive for an amateur musician (who actually does not know how to play keyboard very well) like me
2. It reminds me to the keytar Jordan Rudess plays sometimes:
   

I know, I know... that one is even worst...

However I am happy about it, other brands seem to follow what Roland does, so we should probably be seeing more keytars (or shoulder Synthesizers... pfff...) soon.

Click on the keytar image for more info from roland. Specs bellow:

Built-in sound engine with voices from Roland’s latest synthesizers

Ribbon controller, D Beam, modulation bar, knobs, and easy to see display for stage

USB MIDI for easy connection to PC
Dedicated V-LINK button for video/visual control
Long battery operation (approx. 6 hours)

Keyboard
49 Keys (with velocity)
Sound Generator
Maximum Polyphony
128 voices
Special Tones 8
SuperNATURAL 4 (included on Special Tones)
Controllers
D-Beam, Ribbon Touch, Modulation Bar, Volume Knob Controller, Aftertouch/C1 Knob Controller, Portamento On/Off, Hold button On/Off, Bender Mode: Normal/Catch+Last
Connectors
Output Jacks: 2 x 1/4' inch phone type (L/MONO, R), Headphones (Stereo 1/4' inch phone type), Foot Pedal, USB connector (USB MIDI), MIDI connector (IN/OUT), Power Adaptor
Others
Battery
8 x Ni-MH rechargeable Batteries
Display
(3 x 7) segment LED

Accessories
Owner's Manual, Shoulder strap, CD with PC/MAC Editor plug-in, Cushion
Size and Weight

Width
1,145 mm
45-1/8 inches

Depth
265 mm
10-7/16 inches

Height
90 m
3-9/16 inches

Weight
3.7 kg
8 lbs. 3 oz.

Street Keytar Player

I am currently in the US, in california, and found this guy playing keytar in the streets. I originally thought it was a guitarist playing and was quite surprised when I saw a guy with a keytar.

Keytar for sale

Remember my friend's Lync LN 1000 from this post?

Well, it is now for sale on eBay here. My friend wants to buy some other gear and since he is not usually playing live these days, he decided to get rid of it.

I know it is not cheap, but I can tell you it is worth it. It is in perfect condition and you do not see many of those coming out on eBay. I wish I had the money...

Happy bidding.

Keytar Night

My friend C.A. has recently gone into a keytar buying spree. Within a month or so, he managed to score 2 keytars from eBay. The first one he got was a non working russian synth, the Junost 21, pictured bellow, and the second one he got was a Lync LN 1000, also pictured bellow. The lync is actually a Midi controller, rather than a synth as the Junost is. So, since he had not seen/heard my avr synth and I had not seen/heard his keytars, we decided to meet yesterday for a "show me yours and I will show you mine" night.

So we tried the Lync conected to my avr synth. Here we have C.A. with the Lync:

Is that cool or what???? And now myself with the Lync (and the avr synth) in my "keytar pose" (not bad for a guitarist :-P ):

I was quite impressed with the lync, it was realy confortable to use and extremely cool. My friend is considering covering those pink/yellow/green button legends and logo, but I certainly consider he should not or he will remove its soul, its mojo...

And now the Junost 21... As I mentioned before, it is not working, so another reason for my visit at my friends place was to take the Junost home for service. Checked out the schematics from here but I am not sure if I will understand the comments in russian. Hopefully the problem will be something simple, otherwise it will probably go back to my friends place as it came (any help will be greatly appreciated). A picture of the Junost here (more to come soon, stay alert!!):


My conclussions from the keytar night were:
1) We need more keytars!!! if a midi controller manufacturer is reading this, please, buid a new keytar... and do not try to trick us as behringer did, adding a strap button to a regular midi controller (here and here), we want a proper keytar!!!!
2) I need to learn some russian.

UPDATE: my friend is selling the Lync. More info here.