These new mega-workstations?

[shamann]

I checked out the NAMM promo videos for both the new Alesis Fusion and Korg OASYS, and I wonder if the target market are only people doing television work. They all just sound like generic commercial/TV filler to me, can't see why anyone would want it for anything but the most generic programming.

Am I on the mark, or is there something more I'm missing? Can't see these aimed at touring musicians as they are freaking huge. That Fusion looks like its about six feet long. I could see the benefit I guess if I were a Paul Schaeffer-type banging out the straight and narrow on late night TV, or if I had to soundtrack a mutual fund commercial, but honestly these do not to me seem aimed at making my own music (even if I were in the market financially for such a thing).

Anyone wish to rush to their defence and unravel the mystery for me?

[Stupid American Pig]

maybe some people like spending 7 grand on a keyboard?

[shamann]

Possibly so, possibly so.

[Steven West]

It's a tax write off for gigging keyboardists and justifies session players scale.

I think it's really crazy for them to come out like they're going to win us back. Heck, if I was going to do a gig or tour - OpenLabs Neko and Receptor all the way!

[jones-y]

That Fusion looks like its about six feet long.

There's a 61 key version...

I think the idea has its potential customers (even if its a decade late...), and I do think you can do serious work, in practically any genre, on either the OASYS or the Fusion. Remember, its not the paint brush, its the artist.

[DevonB]

One could also say if you think the sounds are generic, you aren't being creative enough. I think too many of us from 'around these parts' already have too much in the ol' arsenal to take some of these products seriously. Now if you're just getting started, or need to round out your collection...

And as much as people like to argue, to me, hardware still has a 'polish' to it that's usually not 'quite' there in software. That doesn't go for everything, mind you...

(Oh, and don't get your panties in a wad over this. You guys all know how much I love software too. )

Devon

[shamann]

But I'm not against hardware, just the "do everything only not as well as more limited devices" behemoths I think are stupid. You'd be crazy to shell out $7000 just to be 'creative.' You could do that easily for free. These things aren't about unleashing the artist within, there aimed at a specific pro market. But outside of TV hack work, who would want them?

[Warmonger]

It's worth noting that the MSRP on the Fusion is under $2000, according to Sonic State.

[shamann]

Yet still stinky.

(sorry I was excluding the Fusion in my price declaration. I gather the est. price for the Korg thing is upwards of $7000)

In some of the NAMM videos, the guy would say "You just got to hear this great piano" and then they'd play some dreadful sounding piano, that would have sounded crappy by hardware standards of 5 years ago.

I don't get it, obviously. So some people really like these workstations?

[derkface]

I was at NAMM watching the guys trying to push the OASYS. They were incredibly enthusiastic, and i was totally unimpressed. They also had keyoardists performing on them the whole time, who were playing the most god-awful recycled Yanni bullshit you've ever heard. I laughed. I cried.

[neverwhere2012]

Yet still stinky.

(sorry I was excluding the Fusion in my price declaration. I gather the est. price for the Korg thing is upwards of $7000)

In some of the NAMM videos, the guy would say "You just got to hear this great piano" and then they'd play some dreadful sounding piano, that would have sounded crappy by hardware standards of 5 years ago.

I don't get it, obviously. So some people really like these workstations?

for some reason, to me at least, most korg piano just sounds like M1 piano regurgitated with a better reverb on it than last year.

[hjack]

i don't know if i understand the subject of this thread
if i was very very very rich, those kind who don't know where to spend the money, yes i would have them all, and this persons exist, so here's a reason to create them even if a decade delayed than there's all that about, who does it bigger and better

[neverwhere2012]

i'm sure we'll see BT in the next issue of Remix babbling about how he sold off his entire studio because the Korg OASYS is the best thing since the polio vaccine.

[jones-y]

have them all, and this persons exist,

This person does indeed exist. I forget her name, but she lives in Washington State and owns hundreds of synths...

Hundreds of them.

[DevonB]

But I'm not against hardware, just the "do everything only not as well as more limited devices" behemoths I think are stupid. You'd be crazy to shell out $7000 just to be 'creative.' You could do that easily for free. These things aren't about unleashing the artist within, there aimed at a specific pro market. But outside of TV hack work, who would want them?

Gee, there's plenty of things out there that are aimed at the pro market. Don't see anything wrong with them either. Keep in mind, the pro market oftentimes demands speed and efficiency in our days of extremely short deadlines, so an all-in-one solution can be a great thing too.

Shamann, I kinda get what you're aiming at, but not quite? It's a flagship product, just like the Chevy Corvette. Even if it doesn't sell well, its features I'm positive will end up in future products to come. The original PCI Korg Oasys proved that one.

Devon