I don't know how exactly to say it without coming off the wrong way, so I'm not going to worry about it, and I'm just going to say it anyway.

I play at a pretty high level on keys. It's not like I'm going to try to play Etudes, or Emerson or Wakeman style synth leads and organ, or Monty Alexander / Chick Corea jazz piano on a PSR all that often.. but on the right board I think I can play pretty close to that level, as well as playing in my own style, which incorporates different techniques I've tried to borrow from some of those players while doing my own thing.

On a PSR I just do not feel as confident playing that kind of stuff, plain and simple. Ok, granted, high level piano emulations are difficult on any non weighted key synth, particularly the 61 and even 76 key varieties, but I can do better piano and a lot better with the organs, synths, and other stuff on my PA80 or my Motif, or virtually any other synth I've ever played.

Key feel DOES matter to me, and better key feel helps make me more comfortable and better able to emulate whatever I want to be able to play in a live setting. Ok, if I'm just adding chords and playing some basic melodies and / or bass lines, or doing simple comping, then I agree, it doesn't matter so much, but occasionally I wanna break out and strut my stuff. I do a liitle in every show. I don;t overdo it, but I worked and practiced hard for a lot of years to earn the ability to do that. So I want a tool that is up to the task, and the PSR anything just ain't it.

Live is where it counts, because in the studio I have the luxury of using a different controller for that stuff and really, I don't use an arranger in the studio all that much anyway.

If the key feel is alright for you, I understand and I am truly glad for you, but please don't tell me to bulid "bridges" and "get over it". I think I know my own skills and have been doing this long enough to know what feels right to me and what doesn't. That doesn't mean it isn't right for the next player, but I'm sure I'm not the only player around who thinks this of the PSr style boards.

I'd consider the 3000 a strong candidate for me IF Yamaha would change the key feel, but it appears that they won't so I'll get off my soapbox now and move on and try to answer DJ's question at the same time.

DJ, if you are happy with the 2000 series, it may very well be worth the upgrade. I don't judge anything solely on specs, but the 3k seems to be a much bigger upgrade vs the 2000 series than the 2100 was vs the 2k. Maybe a good comparison will be, like the upgrade from the 740 to the 2000.

I was never thrilled with the 2000's guitar voices either, but I was able to create some decent patches by combining two different patches and editing some of the basic synth parameters that Yamaha gives you to work with. I actually got one electric and a couple of acoustics that I liked very much, and they reminded me of a couple of the Motif presets. Perhaps the 3000 will have improved sounds. I thought that the 2k's organs needed updating too. Overall though, it was a nice sounding board with lots of bang for the buck.

One major upgrade will be the megavoice technology. To me, the 3000 may be more like a Tyros junior with speakers, but if it has the same old PSR key feel, that kills the deal for me.

AJ




[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 02-20-2004).]