Report from Pakefield Keyboard Festival on the launch of the new Regi Stick Plus for the Tyos 2, to be sold at Dealers 29.99 or from the Yamaha Club at 24.99 pounds

By Chris from YPKO Forum

You get about thirty different headings, e.g. Ballads, Country, Big Band, Euro Organ, Theatre etc. For each seperate heading, you get eight registations. These reg's accurately reproduce different styles of that heading. For instance in Big Band, one registration is for Glenn Miller, one is for Count Basie etc.
While we were present James played some great sounding theatre registrations and some very accurate church styles starting off with a soft organ style ( not unlike the playing out following a funeral service ). Sorry for my analogy but that is what it sounded like, then building through the registrations up to a thundering Cathedral style, ( which the speakers just managed to deal with ).
What makes these sounds special is the accuracy of the sound compared to what they are trying to copy. I do not think there are any brand new rythmns or sounds, but by the use of existing sounds and effects, they have created some clever stuff. i.e. If anyone has heard the Carpenter's song " I'll say goodbye to love ". There is a fantastic guitar solo halfway through. Well James and Richard have got it spot on.
There is also a section called "Melody maker". I did not quite understand this section, but it appears to be a collection of sounds that can be used as templates for different types of music.
The midi setiings are there for your keyboard configuration. Keyboard, keyboard and pedals, 2 keyboards and pedals etc. Settings for using a real leslie speaker.
The bottom line is that if you like a certain type of music, e.g. Whitney Houston, Klaus Wunderlich, George Shearing, Theatre Organ, Jazz Organ, Marches, Latin, you should be able to find it.
My honest opinion is that for £25 my keyboard could get a new lease of life. I have already ordered mine.

Chris


[This message has been edited by Tony Deaf (edited 09-17-2007).]