We know that a Workstation is not an Arranger although some of them are getting closer to that ideal. During a Gig I have my trusty PSR 2000 and although I don't use the Arranger functions except on smaller venues I find it an enormous comfort that my PSR 2000 has "Registration" Memory. During the time before my Live playing and after I have practiced with my Band, I have a tentative song set that I practice again at home where I choose Voices, Layer Voices and Left Voices that goes well with the songs with the various corresponding Volume Levels of each Voice category, ie., Main, Layer, and Left. I then save these Voice and Volume settings for each corresponding Song to Registration Memory. Then when I play Live my Keyboard is setup correctly for each and every song and there is virtually no down time for me between songs as it takes just a second to go from one song to next and I am good to go again.

I've said all that to say this: I've played Workstations, eg., Triton Studio, Roland Fantom S/88, Motif, etc. but with the exception of the Motif I've never owned one. PS: (I owned the Motif for a very short period and returned it within 30 days for a refund and purchase of my current PSR 2000). The reason I returned the Motif was because it was brand new on the market and it still had OS bugs and SIMM memory compatibility problems. And Navigation of the OS and ease of use of its feature set was rather foreboding for me as a fairly new Keyboardist, so I just returned it. QUESTION: Does a Workstation allow a user to quickly go from song to song, ie., "changes of Voice/Volume settings" for each particular song, ie., (pre-configured settings) like I can using Registration Memory on my PSR 2000? With no down time between songs? My Band leader uses a Triton but he basically just uses the Piano Voice so he really has no need for what I'm asking, but I use all kinds of different sounds, with a lot of Layering and Left Hand Voices. Does a Workstation have a function where you can 'save' pre-configured Voice and Volume settings, etc., and then call them up in a jiffy when needed? Like during Live play?

Thanks for any info anybody can give concerning this.

Best regards,
Mike

Mike,
I have no experience with workstations but I can't imagine that they have create them without a system similar to registration memories to call up a mix.

If you have doubts you can go to yamaha's website and download the manual.

Stam

Mike
Virtually all keyboards let you configure and save registrations.Of course,only arrangers will include rythm
Bernie

Mike,
in a workstation, like in a synthesizer, you can program and save what you have programmed... only it's not called a "registration" but a "patch" or a "multiprogram" instead.
The number of patches you can save depends on the memory available: usually they are 128 for each bank of memory, because they have to be called-up by midi program changes.
In Roland workstations the number of "multiprograms" (which correspond more to the concept of "Registrations" according to Yamaha) is much more limited and this is a shame, because "multiprograms" give you a greater degree of flexibility in programming sounds for your left and right hand or for each midi channel.

There are few instruments that switch gracefully between sounds. Say you are holding out a nice string pad while the band finishes out the song, and you want to blend into the next song with diffrent sounds with out a pause in music. Till recently there were few instruments that can/could do this without an effect processors glitch or the sound droping as soon as you press the next sounds in. With presets and a keyboard that doesn't glitch really makes a huge diffrence on stage especially when you are trying to play multiple songs without stoping.

Workstations allow you to make custom sets like the registrations on the PSR's... The way some work, is that you'll have X amount of slots for saving user set ups.. These on workstations are called "performances) This is a really cool feature too because the performances have 16 parts! My old Yamaha EX was really cool with performances.. You had I think 128 user performances and each performance held 16 different sounds, and the keyboard had 16 dedicated buttons to select each sound within a performance too. However, there are limitations.. With the PSR's you can save basically EVERYTHING to a user registration, including all the DSP settings like insert effects.. When you use a budget synth that only allows the use of (1) insert effect that performacne can only have (1) voice that you select out of the 16 that can use the insert effect.. I'm not sure if the Motif has changed this, but it was this way a few years ago...

Squeak

If I change the voice on my Yamaha PSR550, while still holding down a note/chord, I hear a little glitch when I change. My Roland EM20, on the other hand, does not have this glitch. It changes voices as soon as I hit the next note/chord (which is as it should be). Sounds like a bug on the Yammy keyboard. Will see what happens if I change configuration while holding down a chord.
Star

I use both an arranger and a workstation in my rig. By far the hands down winner for performance changes is the arranger. Between categorized voices and styles to registrations to music finder databases it's all there ready to executed.

The workstation, on the other hand, is nothing compared to the arranger. I have programs which are basically voice patches. I can combine up to 8 voice patches into programs which is essentially a layer. All of this must be well thought out BEFORE the performance. You cannot create an 8 voice layer or patch or keyboard split on-the-fly with a workstation. This can be done quickly on the arranger.

Also, sorting and remembering patch, programs, and performances on a workstation is not very easy. They are numbered and there are very few quick-access keys to use to map to a particuar program. ON the Triton, there is a concept of an instrument group, but there is no way to map that to a quick key and display all those voices within the group. What I had to do was setup my BANKS of sounds by sorting all my Piano's in Bank A, Organs in Bank B, Sax's in Bank C, etc. This is problematic in itself if you want to install new patches from other users or vendors via what they call PCG files. Doing this load will scramble all your Bank assignments and your back to Square 1.

I think the Motif does a better job of this in that you have categorized buttons on the keyboard which map to certain Groups or categories of sounds such as Piano, Guitar, etc. However, on the MOtif you are limited to only 4 layers of sounds for a performance!! Ugh!! So many keyboards, so may different interface designs.

When I look at a new keyboard, I find myself looking more at the Operating system and the ergonomics rather than the voice capabilities.

Al

One of the best features and very useful for me in an arranger is the harmony effects which is not possible in a synth or maybe in workstation. I can play lead with harmony using only one finger. Of course you have to turn off the drums o9r beat. all you have to use is the chords in which the harmony rely on. As far as choosing patches or voices in live situation, there are some synths that already has buttons of different category in which you can assigned what ever sound you want. The Roland XP's like XP30, 80, 60 have those thing. I agree that arranger keyboard s have some very important and useful features for some musician. I wish there were a mini arranger (37/49 keys, slim with no speaker or maybe a small speker)keyboard with full features out there. anybody knows one?

Thank you for all your comments everybody. So apparently all the new Workstations on the market today have the capability to store Voice/Volume/etc., settings "Performances" that can be called up on the 'fly' but it seems some do it better than others`

Thank you for all your comments everybody. So apparently all the new Workstations on the market today have the capability to store Voice/Volume/etc., settings-"Performances"; that can be called up on the 'fly' if necessary but it seems some do it better than others. I know I've heard Yamaha uses a system that causes a "glitch" when keys are pressed and at the same time switching to different settings-"performances" and others like Roland don't have that problem. PS: I've heard from people that owned the Yamaha S90 say they returned it because of this very thing happening when they tried to Gig with it. The S90 must be more of a Studio Tool, or for using in a more casual setting like a Piano Bar and not for more demanding Styles and types of music where switching Voice and Volume and other performance settings on the fly and doing it often occur.

I've been thinking about getting a Workstation to supplement my Arranger. If I do I would use it for Gigging with my Band and use my Arranger as a tool for coming up with ideas for songs and using different voices, layers, etc. to see what would 'fit' for a song[s] then set everything up on the Motif ES... Whoops! Did I just say that? Ha, ha, he, he.....Well the cats out of the bag I guess. BUT, let me say, if the Motif ES "7" has that very same problem of cutting out when keys are pressed and you try switching settings, ie., you get a discordant cut off, cut out, clanging, clunking sound, I most definitely will pass on the Mo' ES. My PSR 2000 has the same type problem when using the OTS function, but for a Workstation made specifically for Live use you would and should expect more from it.

I'm guessing from Paul Davis' statement that GEM Keyboard[s] are free from this annoying problem too.

Another bad thing about Workstations is they have no built-in Harmonizer capability so that would mean buying extra gear to be able add Harmony to vocals.

What I would REALLY like I think is to wait for a High End Arranger that HAS Sampling, great sounding Onboard Speakers, 128 note Polyphony or better, Hard Drive, a Professional Sequencer with mind boggling editing capabilities, 32 Multi-Timbral, FANTASTIC sounds, Digital Out, a Firewire or USB 2.0 interface, a Huge LCD Screen that can be used in direct sunlight if necessary, and 76 Keys would be a big plus too. And all weighing in at under 40 lbs.! Am I asking too much???? Well, according to Yamaha, Korg, GEM, Roland, Casio????, Ketron, and Technics; I am. But maybe someday they will build it. I just hope they do it before I'm too old to play anymore.

Thanks again everybody!

Best regards,
Mike