Help - Using the Roland XP-80 live / midi control

[Piers de Lavison]

Hello,
I'm considering buying a Roland XP-80 for use as my main live
keyboard and would like some advice from anyone who's an expert in the
set-up of performances and MIDI.
What I have at the moment is a JV-1080 and a Korg X3 which I use to
control it, and a Hammond XB-1. By creating combinations on the Korg I
can set up so that I have up to 8 sounds split / layered over the
keyboard with independent control of most controller parameters (bend,
aftertouch, foot pedal volume, velocity range etc.). I frequently
split or layer sounds from the three instruments.
When I started using the 1080 I would use it in patch mode, and when
wanting a different sound I switched to a different combination on the
Korg and it transmitted program change data (always using the same
midi channel on the 1080). The problem with this was that the sound
cut off dead, and there was a pause while the 1080 loaded in the next
patch. I solved this by setting up performances with each patch on a
different midi channel, and when changing combinations caused the Korg
to transmit on the channel for the sound I wanted next. This solved
the cut-off and reload problem, but because the Korg sends a note-off
signal when changing combinations I was unable to hold the previous
patch with a sustain pedal while switching to the next one.
Ideally, this is what I'd like to do - Split the keyboard into two
(or maybe more) zones. Use the left hand part for sustained chords or
whatever (organ or strings, say), and use the right for soloing. I'd
like to be able to switch the right hand sounds without necessarily
changing the left hand at the same time. I'd also like (and maybe this
really is asking too much) to be able to sustain sounds in the right
hand half of the keyboard after switching to a new one.
I had a quick read of the XP-80 manual, and it looks as though it
can do the latter if a performance is in "single" mode rather than
"layer". That is, you can sustain parts when playing other ones, but
you lose the ability to split the keyboard or layer it at the same
time. This isn't, though, as critical as being able to just change
from one keyboard split setup to another without the whole lot going
dead while it reloads.
Can anyone tell me whether the XP-80 can do what I'd like? When it
is in "single" mode, will it still transmit MIDI data to external
devices (in this case the Korg), allowing me to play the left hand
parts using a different sound source? Is this the kind of
functionality I will only get from a good MIDI controller keyboard?
I would be grateful if anyone can help. Feel free to email me off
list if you want to. If there's anyone in the South East of England
that would be prepared to give me a demo I'd be overjoyed!

Thanks,

Piers de Lavison.

P.S. If you want to know what really sparked this off - listen to
Cinema Show by Genesis, I've just joined the UK tribute band
ReGenesis, and though I've been playing this track for a while, I was
hoping to make my life simpler...