Gary, the thing about the DW8000 is that it's really a wave-based synthesizer, so all of its
sounds are derrived from subtractive filter synthesis of the built-in simple wave forms.
None of the sounds that it produces are really very similar to an actual acoustic
instrument, although it does a reasonable job emulating some electronic instruments like
an electric organ, synth brass and strings, etc. But if your main reason for buying it was to
use it as a portable digital piano, you're going to be disappointed to find that it doesn't
have a nice accurate acoustic piano sample. Ideally you'd want to get a sample-based
synthesizer along the lines of the Korg M1 and up, or something like the Roland D-50 line
and up. The reason the manual doesn't go into detail of telling you how to create a
particular voice is because there are virtually zillions of combinations you can make to
synthesize a vast armada of different sounds; although none of them will be particularly
good at recreating an actual acoustic instrument.
But I don't think you should be discouraged, either. Back in 1992 I bought my DW8000
because I needed a lightweigh 61 note keyboard that was velocity-sensitive for the
express purpose of using it via MIDI to trigger a sampled piano module (Like the Kurzweil
micropiano 1/2 rack module). I didn't want to have to lug around my 100 Lb Korg SG-1D
88 note weighted piano to practice at gigs. To that end, the Korg DW8000 was one of the
best and most affordable choices at the time that included velocity sensitivity. (Today
there are a lot more choices, but I still think the DW8000 is a rockin' board.)
The manual for the MEX-8000 memory expansion unit is in the files section of this group.
Just click on "FILES".
As for an amp recommendation, any amp with a High-level input will work fine. For
porablility, I kind of like the Trace Acoustic amps, because they have several inputs so you
can gig with your instrument ∗and∗ a microphone with the same amp. They generally
come with both a low and high level input and a balanced microphone input and an effects
loop. But their mic inputs don't provide phantom power, so you'd want to stick with a
dynamic mic if you use one. Check them out here:
http://www.trace-elliot.com/acoustic/acoustic.html --- In DW8000@yahoogroups.com, "garywalters2000" <garywalters2000@y...> wrote:
>
> I recently aquired this equipment, along with the owner's manual for
> the DW. I was used to a Yamaha PSR-6 which has built-in voices, and
> am primarily interested in playing digital piano thru an amp. I find
> the manual for the DW to be fairly technical in that there is an
> absence of any direction as to how to set parameters to achieve any
> particular voice. I have no clue how to use the MEX. Additionally,
> I'd appreciate any advice about what amps would be suitable. Look
> forward to hearing from any members.
> Tks,
> GW