I think the main point Yamaha is emphasizing with the Tyros3 sounds is the sounds themselves, and not necessarily the chops (or method) behind the playing. Whether it's done by means of a MIDI guitar, Cubase, or Peter Baartmans , Yamaha is trying to get the listener to hone in on the "sound" that the Tyros3 is producing, whether AC.Grand Piano, Irish Bag Pipe, or Jazz Guitar, or whatever. They of course want the sounds to sound as natural as can be to their native environment i.e. the real instrument itself being played by a real person, but if it can't be humanly achieved they need to fudge a little (or a lot ) to get it done needless to say. And it costs Yammie a whole lot less too than if they had hired world class musicians to attempt to do it. If the Jazz Guitar was done by a real person using a MIDI guitar, the session player would have commanded a premium price for his work and must have cost Yammie a pretty penny just for that one demo alone. More than likely though is was done by skilled software engineers using Cubase.

Yamaha has not really deceived anybody by doing this though. They have put up information saying as much i.e. that the demos can't necessarily be interpreted as something the user himself can actually accomplish when playing the instrument himself - that is, whatever the keyboard instrument might happen to be; in this case the Tyros3.

Giving the listener the opportunity to hear the sounds at their professional playing best can give him or her the inspiration and desire to try and attain those same ideals. Of course, 99.99999% of the population could never really attain the precise perfection that these demos demonstrate. Nevertheless practice does make perfect; and trying to attain those goals can only go in helping the player's own natural playing ability in the long run. In other words, it may be a possibility that someone on this very forum could be the next Peter Baartmans or even exceed Mr. Baartman's playing ability if he or she has the desire and dedication (and the chops) to attain or exceed that specific goal and ideal.

Another thing. We need to lighten up a tad because, as we all know, Nigel is looking over our shoulders and we don't want to upset him to the point of doing something rash now, do we?

As far as the sounds on the T3.. The AC Piano - is 'pretty good', the Irish Bag Pipe - 'I guess you need to be a full blooded Irishman to appreciate it to its fullest extent eh?' . I would rather have had a brilliant Scottish Bag Pipe sample though since it is the sound that is so well known throughout the world, instead of what they gave the T3. And finally the Jazz Guitar - 'sounds pretty good also, although nothing new or beyond what the T2 already brings to the table in my humble opinion. I would need to hear all of them in person before I make my final determination of their real worth though. Same goes for all the other voices in the new yammie as well.

Best,
Mike
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Yamaha Genos, Mackie HR824 MKII Studio Monitors, Mackie 1202 VLZ Pro Mixer (made in USA), Cakewalk Sonar Platinum, Shure SM58 vocal mic.