I want to give a heads up on the new Ketron SD4 that I received about a week ago and use with Sonar Producer. I want to start by saying that this is the updated or newer version of the Ketron SD2
I'll start off with the connections. The SD4 gives you a lot more options than the SD2. First, it gives you two 1/4 left and right
analog outs, two 5 pin midi ins and one 5 pin midi out. It also has a 1/4 stereo headphone out. These connections give you so much leeway to meet
or match any configuration that is needed in any recording situation.
With the SD4 you can have 3 layers of sounds and it includes 3GM banks of 128 sounds each, 32 drum sets and 82 grooves. There are also 128 presets
that can be tweaked and configured by the user.
There's also effects on the unit that can be activated and include Chorus, Distorsor, Delay, leslie Slow, and leslie fast. It also includes 2 dynamic
operating ranges of low and high. You also have full control over the panning of each instrument. All these are accessible on the unit so you can define
your sound before it gets printed in sonar saving resources.
There's also an SD4 editor that can be downloaded which allows you to do realtime effect or parameter changes.

I found just like the Ketron SD2, the SD4 has remarkable and realistic sounds of orchestral instruments, bass and drum sounds. I still find it
amazing how real they sound. I really can't put into words how real they all sound. It's like there's a violinist or saxaphone player playing
right in front of me.
My favorite thing to do with this unit is to layer 3 sounds, pan them all different and add some effects. Then, I just trigger the sounds with my
midi keyboard (axium 49). I have my own personal orchestra that will do anythnig I ask....
I'm still just hitting the surface with the SD4, but I'm so amazed in how it gives authenticity to your song or project that are produced in Sonar

Heres a link http://ketron.com/itemdetails.asp?mod=SD4
Cj

Thanks for sharing. I know you have your music site. Could you tell us when you put up a song that uses the KD4 please.

Ed

Sure, i just finished recording the music parts. Im just writing words for it and then recording the vocals, then mixing/mastering it. I used the violin in the chorus parts of the song. I t does sound pretty cool. It should be done in a few weeks
Cj

I had heard on another forum that the SD4 simple had two "SD2" sound banks and that the sounds were the same quality. Can you shed any light on this?
Wyndham

If you ever heard the Ketron SD2, then having the same sound quality as that would be just fine. THe Ketron SD4 is just like the SD2, but with allot more features that i described in my 1st post. for instance it allows you to layer up to three sounds. While the SD2 can only play one at a time.
Cj

CJ,

Question for you - Have you been able to layer 3 voices and play them all at once with your controller? If yes, do you use 1 midi channel to control them or are they all on separate channels (multi-timbre)?

Why did you quote me on something i never said??? Can you edit that please..
I use one midi channel from my axium49 to play the 3 layered voices.
Cj

Cj,

How do you change voices within the same track on the SD2? I am trying to avoid using all 16 tracks, but however have say 2 voices used within the same track in a song. Eg song starts off with Grand piano on track 1. Now on measure 230, I want to have the voice on track 1 change to sax. Hope you understand what I am trying to do.

Thanks,

KV.

How do you change voices within the same track on the SD2?

You can change the voices on the SD4 module itself, if your using the analog outs into your sound card and then sonar.
How are you liking the SD4 with Sonar??? Im having a good time with it and im still learnign it. Theres allot more to it then the SD2
Cj

After further review i found that you can make a program change by pressing the function/P.ch key. The LCD will blink and the display will show the number its set to. Then you can use the up and down value keys to change the patch. This is doen in the edit mode.
Cj