Quote:
Originally posted by Eric, B:
BTW

Here is a little known fact: As stated in an earlier discussion here at Synth Zone: Yamaha sales are only 5% of the world sales.
The rest goes pretty much to Europe.

It has been said many times that Yamaha and other manufactures don't care or listen.
However here is the little known fact:
After the Psr-9000 was released 5 representatives from Yamaha Japan went to Germany (one of the biggest KB sellers. Membership on the Yamaha forum alone is in the thousands) to ask members of the german Yamaha forum what they want/need.

The Tyros was the answer: No speakers (the 9000 was darn heavey ), megavoices, better guitar voices, better screen (color), light up buttons, so you know were you are in a registration etc, better music finder etc...

A lot of the demands were implemented.
Also a lot of the German Tyros players are proffesional.
So you see, they did listen.

Again I understand your frustration, but with only 5% of US players, priorities are certainly different.

Eric



I fully agree that Yamaha is probably correct in it's corporate reasoning behind snubbing the American arranger market... correct for a mega-corporation that is... sucks to be an American consumer. Everything related to the Tyros 2 seems designed for the target German market, right down to the fact that the info was released in German long before it was available in English. What will happen when system upgrades become available - German before English? Will American Tyros 2 owners be put on the back-burner in favor of the larger markets? When you think about it, do you really want to be part of 5% of anything? That's a pretty exclusive group, with a $4k membership fee and the probability that your investment will be seen as little more than a statistical blip by Yamaha.

Maybe I am an American musician, but over the past 30+ years I have invested a hefty amount of money in keyboards from Yamaha, Roland and Korg. And the thought that my business and trust in these products makes me less important as customer is pretty revolting. That's not to mention how much publicity and marketing I provide for these companies by displaying their products and corporate name to hundreds of other American consumers each week when I perform.

Time for a change...