The Tyros4's new kits are exceptionally "realistic"...and, as said above in Al's post, you can also add new drum samples via flash memory (I have the 1 gig) and put together your own custom kits.

You are correct about the new technology partly stopping the pirating of styles (which some SZ members feel should be being done--yet they pirate indiscriminately themselves <grin>) as, unlike the many available Yamaha Premium Styles, for instance, the Audio Styles cannot be shared.

As Al has alluded to above, the use of Audio Drums, is to capture more "feel", which can be difficult on any arranger using MIDI Drums, although, I must say manufacturers are getting more adept at it, using clever programming tricks.

Also another value of Audio Drum Styles is in when a rhythm requires multiple, and sometimes simultaneous, versions of a particular percussion instrument, like the several snare drums in a Marching Band style, or multiple congo/bongo drums in a Latin Style.

From the way they were showed to those of us lucky to be at the very first presentation, that's how it was explained to us...the Audio Drum styles aren't intended to replace MIDI drums, because, for one thing, the latter can be edited much easier and extensively, where the audio can not.

If the new midi kits in the S950 are as good, or even 8/10th as good as the new kits in the Tyros4 (and, at first listen, they appear to be), then they will prove totally worthwhile. At the demo, I didn't find the "quality" change from Audio Drums to Midi Drums very dramatic...it was subtle, and, again, it affects the "feel" more than actual sonic quality.

I will know more once I get a demo S950, and I can directly compare it to my own Tyros4.

I suspect the Tyros5, and the soon to appear, CVP-6** series, will have significantly more Audio Drum Styles, but, will also continue to support the still extremely powerful midi drums.

More "in your faceness", can easily be established, again, as Al has stated above), with simple EQ'ing, and, much of the criticism leveled at Yamaha's allegedly less "aggressive" midi drums, is mostly by those who have never tried using the EQ or Filter, or, more than likely, have never spent any real time with Yamaha's latest arrangers.

Speaking from personal experience, Yamaha's Audio drums are very well done...for example, in the S950's fantastic 60's Super Group Audio Drum style, the same microphones, Ringo's actual drum kit, and the very same studio and desk (and effects) were used to record the patterns, so it is extremely realistic. Thjey were even picky enough to use the same type drum sticks. Yamaha's Martin Harris was heavily involved in producing the Audio Drum recordings. We watched a very interesting video of how each type of Audio Drum Style was developed and recorded.

It is nice to see criticism, as some is legit, and it will certainly encourage Yamaha to respond to any really useful suggestions.

We clinicians and demonstrators are urged to submit our own, and, of course, public, suggestions and criticisms...it is partly what has been making the company as successful as it has been these many years.

Ian

BTW, the S950, judging from initial interest ( I got hundreds of emails), looks to be potentially even more successful than the S910, which sold in higher numbers than nearly any other Yamaha MOTL arranger.

I think (and hope) they are on the right path.