Agreed Scott! At the present time a Keyboard cannot achieve the sound of a real professional Sax and Saxaphone player. But I think (my opinion of course) that keyboards will cross that barrier and will someday be able to 'duplicate' all the intricacies and nuances (and authentic sound) produced by an actual Saxaphone. In the hands of an expertly skilled Keyboardist it will actually be "impossible" to tell the difference between a real Sax and the one played on a Keyboard. Only time will tell if I'm right or wrong. But I think it will happen one day.

Anyway, Mike "msutliff" thank you for providing an mp3 of the GEM WK8 Tenor Sax. It sounded pretty good to me. I did notice that when the high notes were played it sounded a little 'thin' to me but overall it was fairly decent. And thank you Mike for providing the Midi of Tenor Madness. I made a recording on my Tyros of the Midi you posted. Here is Tenor Madness a lá Tyros.

The first link is a high bit rate mp3 and the second link is an mp3PRO Version of the same recording. Here is:

Tenor Madness On Tyros

Tenor Madness On Tyros mp3PRO Version

And for those who want the real thing here is Tenor Madness by Dexter Gordon. The first link is a high bit encoded mp3 file (13.4 Mb's) and the second is an mp3PRO version (4.8 Mb's) Running time on Dexter Gordon's recording is 10:23.

Dexter Gordon Tenor Madness

Dexter Gordon Tenor Madness mp3PRO Version

Oh; "The Accordionist" 'Tommy', as to your following statement: "You know, I think Mike is probably a younger guy who shelled out some hard-earned cash and bought Tyros. He shows the unbridled enthusiasm that I did 15 years ago with my Ensoniq Mirage synthesizer." - FYI Tommy I'm almost old enough to be you Father. But yes, I did shell out some hard earned cash for the Tyros. And if you've noticed my posts over the last several months I haven't put the Tyros on a pedestal and bowed down in homage to it. Quite the contrary, I have repeatedly picked the Tyros apart needling it for its obvious shortcomings as Steve Deming of Yamaha can attest too. But one thing the Tyros does have is some great sounding instrument Voices apart from the flaws and shortcomings it has.

>>Tom Cavanaugh wrote: "None of us have to put up or shut up. If you haven't heard the Ketrons and the Gems and the Rolands and the Korgs and ALL the rest you are just running off at the mouth.

Most of us on the forum have stopped this "my board is better than your board" nonsense. Remember that in the end most all of the sounds are imitations of the real thing. Your tenor sax and my tenor sax are still instant coffee."

I agree Tom with your statement that yours and my tenor sax are still instant coffee compared to the real thing. But to find the Board that has the "Tasters Choice" of instant coffee is the dilemma. Btw, I have heard all the Saxes of the other Boards you mentioned Tom and they don't have anything on the Tyros' Saxes if you ask me. They all miss the mark including the Tyros of course. But I think the Tyros holds its own against the lot of them IMO.

As to "my board is better than yours" mentality I suppose I do think the Tyros has exceptional sounds but as I've stated above to Tommy I have not put the Tyros on any pedestal per say, just the opposite in fact if you've followed my posts since I've purchased my Tyros. I have openly said that there are many faults on the Tyros but I have also said there are many nice features too, including the sounds. I am praying for the day when the Big Three, GEM, Ketron, or Casio come out with a board that will blow everything else out of the water including the Tyros or Pa1X PRO. And I am relishing the day when your's and my Saxes on our Keyboards will sound like the real thing. Although I think the Tyros' Sweet! Soprano Sax has almost already arrived IYAM.

Best regards,
Mike