Hi everyone,
This is my first post; I've gleaned much useful information from this site over the last couple of years and found it a really great resource. Thanks to the many folks who have made so many useful contributions.

I would like to comment on my recent acquisition of a Tyros 3.
My previous instruments = Lowrey TLOKS, Lowrey MX1, Ensoniq 16+, CVP-109, Tyros, Tyros 2 and now Tyros 3.

I've had the Tyros 3 for only a few days now and I know it takes time to get to know a new machine and become accustomed to the different sound and feel of it but here goes.

The Tyros' sounds have been generally good but in my opinion have been lacking in 3 main areas - Piano, vocals and organ sounds.
They have, in my opinion also excelled in some other areas i.e. mega voices, some wind instruments and I’ve also liked the Yamaha’s Styles generally.


Now with the Tyros 3 I have to say that I really like the effort Yamaha has made to the organ sounds and effects – a good and useful improvement over previous tyros models.
The SA2 instruments are also a nice improvement, some really good sounds there - love the breathy sax.

The vocals haven’t effectively changed for 3 models – a bit of a poor effort there.

The Piano – Oh dear…. A VERY POOR EFFORT in my opinion.
I don’t need Irish pipes etc. I want a half decent piano sound.
I’ve heard a better piano on a 35-year-old Optigan (anyone remember those?).

The sample Yamaha used (supposedly taken from the latest CVP series) sounds nothing like any current CVP I’ve heard.
Try listening to the Concert Grand (the name sounds good at least) with the “Initial Touch” off and play E3 and compare it to F3.
A half decent piano should be sampled note for note and not filled between the sampled notes. This technique was used years ago when memory was extremely expensive and sample space was critical.
This is a very, very poor effort and makes it sound cheap (because it is cheap) at least for the mid range of this sample where your right hand tends to hang around quite a bit (the low end and top end are actually quite nice). Add a few effects and you can pretend you have a bunch of other pianos as well i.e. Pop, Rock and Ambient Pianos.
I have to admit I am very disappointed with the piano sound on the Tyros 3 and prefer the Live Grand on the previous tyros keyboards and that’s not saying very much as I still think the Live Grand is thin and lacks substance. Yamaha can do it easily, they just choose not to.

So, overall I’m a little disappointed with a new keyboard for the first time ever.
I would’ve been happier if they’d at least installed a half decent piano for their third model flagship arranger keyboard, but alas not – do Yamaha not want to infringe on their CVP line?
I don’t know, but Yamaha will really have to lift their game for the next model T4 or what ever they’ll call it.
Anybody considering upgrading from a T 2 to a T3 really needs to do his or her homework on this one.
It’s not a sure thing and that is for sure…

The Tyros 3 also feels like it’s been rushed with regards to the balance and selection of a lot of the voices used with the one-touch settings. It’s taking me a lot longer to “get right” than the T2 ever did.

Anyhow thanks for letting me get that off my chest and thanks again to all the posters that make this forum such a great resource.
Chris.