click the image for the full size shot. Via E-MU:"The LONGboard 61 is a professional 61-note USB/MIDI instrument ideal for the stage or studio. The instrument sports an all new E-MU synthesizer chip capable of 16-part multitimbral, 128-voice professional sample playback with 32-bit reverb and chorus effects and comes packed with a 64MB sound set that includes a General Midi bank and a complete range of classic keyboard sounds such as: Grand Pianos, Electric Pianos, B3s, Clavinets, and Solina-Moog-OB-Prophet-Juno-TB synthesizer leads and basses.
Easy to setup and use
Designed to operate as a stand alone instrument, the LONGboard 61 can operate on USB, wall adapter, or even battery power. To use with a computer, just plug in and go! With the Kensington slot and dual headphone jacks, the LONGboard 61 is ideal for academic and institutional settings.
The LONGboard 61 also has a built in wireless transmitter that, when combined with an E-MU PIPEline™ receiver and a set of batteries, enables a totally wireless playing experience! (PIPEline is E-MU's new wireless stereo transceiver system designed for musicians.)
LONGboard features:
E-MU 8030-based sound-engine with 128-voice polyphony
Over 192 built in sounds featuring 64 custom E-MU classic keys presets and a full GM bank with drums
128-voice polyphony
16-part multitimbral synthesizer
Reverb and Chorus effects
User-definable split keyboard (for playing two sounds at once)
Synthesizer controller knobs (double as MIDI controllers)61-note velocity sensitivity keyboard with aftertouch
Pitch and Mod Wheels
Data control slider
Octave transpose buttons
Built-in wireless E-MU PIPEline audio transmitter
MIDI Input and Output jacks (the MIDI jacks can also function as a MIDI interface for your computer)
Dual 1/4" headphone jacks
Can be bus-powered via USB, DC adapter, or batteries
Example onboard presets:
Grand (x2) and honkey tonk pianos
Rhodes, wurlis, CP-70B and DX7's
Oberheim, Juno, and Moog's
Strings, brass, and sax's
Full GM bank plus 16 drum kits"
You can find the manual and more info here.
I'm not seeing E-MU on the NAMM directory. If anyone knows they will be there, feel free to comment.
Thank you for the colours on this, E-MU. Refreshing to see comfortable, creamy vanilla like things in this world of black, white, red, sometimes blue and a lot of times - just silvery chrome.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the thinking behind this product and can't imagine who E-MU think will want to buy it. As a MIDI controller its functionality is very limited compared to the alternatives on the market. As a sound module or synth, its 192 preset offering is not very generous by current standards and the fact that 128 of those come from the GM straight jacket makes it even less appealing. 16 drum kits is hardly impressive. And, to top all that, it isn't much of a looker either.
ReplyDeleteSteve - Quantity of sounds is not a good way to judge an instrument. I gig with several different well known cover bands in the area. I play a wide variety of material and very rarely would I use more than 30 patches in a night. Based on the demos, the sounds are pretty good quality. In addition, if it feels like the Xboard, that's a big plus. The only situations I don't think it would work in is trying to control a DAW in a studio or some sampled based live music. But for $400 what more can you expect? I'm curious to know what type of music work you do.
ReplyDelete@Kaje P: At that price it may not be so bad. It's just that this particular instrument seems, to me, to fall between different stools - studio, gigging, home market, etc - without managing to find a place on any of them. Of course, quantity of sounds is not in itself the be and end of; it depends on how good the ones provided actually are. As you ask about my music, some of it is available online here: http://soundcloud.com/stevecooke A case in point, perhaps, because most of the material there was recorded back in the 1990s when my main 'synth', a Yamaha QY10 sequencer, offered just 30 preset sounds, only a few of which were actually usable.
ReplyDeleteA poor man's Nord Electro? Seems like a good idea if the sounds hold up well in performance. Looking forward to trying one. Now, if they only sampled mellotron...
ReplyDelete