Yamaha KX-10 - User Manual

G

IVEN that they are

are plenty of buttons surrounding

are what I consider to be the 'native'

generally accepted as

the display and a quick scan through

voices of the instrument. I still think

being the 'big three' in

shows that many items that are

Orla should have followed the pack

t h e

b u s i n e s s ,

i t ' s

usually tucked away in menu

in offering these voices first, with the

inevitable that I get to

systems are right there, ready for

GM set as a second rank.

r e v i e w m o r e k e y b o a r d s f r o m

use. This includes all the important

Anyway, that's just how it is and

Yamaha, Korg and Roland than any

things like volume controls, part

I'm very happy to say that the GM

other makes. At the top end, though,

on/off, transpose, tempo etc. I like

sounds are several cuts above what

there have always been the Ketron

this, as it means less button-

you'd expect from the often lowly

models and, at the budget end,

pushing and an easier-to-drive

GM set. These are all very useable,

plenty from Casio. So it makes a

instrument. There's a keypad and a

starting with a piano that's a very

change to cover a keyboard that's

data wheel for easy entry and the

strong voice. All the usual GM

from another manufacturer entirely

whole thing is laid out well.

stalwarts are there but they are all

and in this case it's Orla. I associate

The keyboard is just a touch

good sounds, voiced by Orla, from

that name with some pretty fine

unusual in that it feels like the black

trumpets and brass, through some

home organs and digital pianos but

keys are slightly higher than normal

lush strings to percussion, synth

not really with budget keyboards so

and that there's therefore a bit more

and sound effects. As I said in the

it was a slight surprise to hear that

travel than usual in them, at least

review of the Stage Ensemble, it's

one was on its way down to me.

when you compare them with other

refreshing to find a GM set without

When I unpacked the Orla

makes. It doesn't take long to get

any duff sounds. GM sets are

KX10 it was a definite case of déjà-

used to, however, and the touch

available 'off the peg' so it's to Orla's

vu, however, as the actual case is a

response curve can be adjusted to

credit that the Italian company has

very close clone of that used by the

suit the player or even turned off.

come up with something of its own.

old Yamaha PSR2000. I should

I'll start with a run through the

There are lots and lots of even

know, I used to have one! Even the

sounds, and it's déjà-vu again as the

better sounds when you go up

music rest (a pretty decent affair for

soundset here is the same as is

above sound 129. Too many to list,

a nice change) is the same. What is

used on the rather more expensive

as always, but I'll pick out a few for a

very different, though, is the colour.

Stage Ensemble piano that I

special mention. Soft Electric piano,

It's a bright metallic blue and very

reviewed in issue 340, in September

Cool Organ (I thought that was a

eye-catching. I rather like the colour,

2009. That's mightily impressive at

Yamaha trademark), Rotor Organ

it matches my car perfectly!

this price! Although the sound

(with built in Leslie effect), Jazz

The display is very big for a low-

'count' goes up to 485, the keyboard

Guitar, Trombone 2 (this growls very

cost keyboard, as it's the same size

starts with the 128-voice GM

nicely), Circus Sax and Circus

as the one used by the 320x240

soundset, but uses those voices

Clarinet (both have OTT vibrato but

pixel unit used in the PSR2000. This

again from 129 upwards, with all the

this particular 'liquorice stick'

means that it's exceptionally easy to

sounds being located in their

actually does quite well for Acker

read, with the main data line at the

appropriate groups. I make it a total

Bilk solos), and Country Guitar.

top in super large characters. There

of 384 sounds and amongst this lot

Then there are shed loads of pre-

30 KEYBOARD PLAYER ISSUE 346

O R L A K X 10

IN-DE P T H

R E V IE W

A ndrew G ilbert is s erious ly impres s ed with the wide range of s ounds

and s ty les that O rla has pac k ed into its new Orla KX10 Portable Keyboard