Probably, most of you know this already, but I just figured it out. I have been frustrated with the lack of expression on my PSR-8000. Of course, this has more to do with the player than the instrument. Still, I have generated more feeling on other instruments. I do not want to limit "expression" to any one thing, but controlling the timbre of a sustained note is pretty important. Aftertouch is useful for this, but it is subtle on the PSR-8000 and absent on lower end synths.

The PSR-8000 allows three right-hand voices. It has a foot controller input that can be assigned to any combination of voices. By assigning the foot controller to one right hand voice I can vary its contribution to the overall right-hand sound as I am sustaining a note.

This allows some very appealing effects with some combinations of voices. For example, I play a "crunch guitar" without foot control and a "feedback guitar" with foot control. The crunch guitar plays as you would expect, but I can swell-in feedback at will. One type of combination is to use a solo instrument without foot control with a similar ensemble (or section) sound with foot control. This arrangement allows the fullness of a sound to be varied in real time. More generally, pad sounds can be controlled with the foot controller to vary the timbre of a lead sound.

I would like to hear if others are doing this and, if so, what sound combinations are particularly useful. Anyway, it is fun finding new ways to enjoy an instrument!

Clif