Yamaha,

This is what you need to pack into your Tyros II to make it a hit amongst gigging and studio musicians. I am going to list the features in order of priority.

1. Keyboard Touch:

Use the same 88 natural wooden keys with weights and interlocking levers that you housed inside the CVP-309. You got this thing just right. Do not cut corners by downgrading to a plastic GH3 design of the CVP-307. This is your trump card. No one in the industry can match this feel. Include some spare keys and make it easy to be user replaceable. Pros play hard and occasionally crack keys. Throw in an instructional DVD.

2. Grand Piano Sample:

Include that 54MB Grand Piano Sample from the CVP-309. This sounds better than the one in the P250. A convincing piano sample is a must.

3. Portability:

I understand this intricate system of levers takes up a lot of depth. It cannot be housed inside an S90 casing. On the other hand it does not have to be as bulky or heavy as the P250. There is no need to use a wooden case. Cut down on weight by using a honeycombed metal bracing. Cut down on bulk by removing the speakers from the P250. It does not need to have any on-board speakers or amplification or your fancy iAFC room correction tools.

No need for a polished piano black finish. The aesthetics of an S90 will do just fine. No need for a CVP-309 style fluid damped sexy lid that closes down ever so softly and slowly. A dust cover will suffice.

4. User Interface:

Retain the user interface and panel styling of the CVP-309. It looks classy in black. Thank you for not including disco lights. Change the LCD to a flip up display. Move the 5 EQ sliders on the P250 and change them into 8 long and thin sliders under the center flip-up LCD screen. Make them user-assignable to behave as drawbars, data-entry, volume, pan, EQ, etc. This will be a big improvement over the up/down buttons you have. Include a MIDI panic/GM Reset button on the front panel.

Add the Pitch and Mod wheels of the P250, but change the design to make it into a single combination X-Y control like the one Korg provides on the Triton Extreme. Include the ribbon control too.

Try to experiment if you could combine the Alpha Dial with a Track Ball. It is possible to get very creative. For example, rolling the track ball horizontally from left to right could make you jump to the next parameter, while rolling it vertically up and down could change the value of that selected parameter. The track ball makes a nice mouse substitute while connected to the internet.

Allow layers and splits across 4 overlapping sizable zones. A master controller must have this.

5. Styles:

Use the stock styles of the Tyros and PSR3000 but please add some new ones with more complex variations. Steal Stephen Kay – Mr. StyleMaker Extraordinaire from Korg and get the job done right.

6. Connectivity:

Drop the Smart Media slot. This was a lame move. The industry is standardizing on the SD media. SD has won. Include an SD memory card slot and 2 USB-2.0 ports. And don’t forget an mLAN port. This is your invention – and a damn good protocol. Add in a 40GB hard drive. Place the headphone jack in the front left like the P250, not concealed under the bottom like the CVP-309.

7. Standard Accessories:

Include the 3 sustain pedals of the CVP-309 and throw in the FC7 volume expression pedal as standard accessories. Include a clamp holder on the back for a mike boom for the singer. Copy the mike contraption design from the Apex Plus AX-48BP. Include a gooseneck lamp. Make sure the power supply is internal with built-in voltage protection.

8. Keyboard Stand:

It would be nice to include 4 telescopic aluminum legs that either fold inside the case or can be screwed in place. Saves you from carrying an Ultimate Apex.

So there you have it. By combining the ingredients you already have in the P250, Tyros, S90 and CVP-309, you can make a truly professional Tyros II.

Release this at a street price of $3495, and you have a Pa1XPRO killer in your hands.

Tapas