Jon,

It is nice to see a gentlemanly and concise response to this issue.

I merely added the bit about the G70 to illustrate that issues of non support for arrangers is not exclusive to one manufacturer...some people have such difficulty with the simplest of statements, but you seem to understand my motive quite well....thank you.

It would be a shame to see the G-series line end with the G70, and, even though Roland seems to have given up on it's support of the "ol' girl", it is still a nice keyboard.

It is also a darn shame that Yamaha will not put a 76 note keyboard on the next generation Tyros.

The PA-2Xpro, with its limited style fills, and the G70 with it's unfinished guitar mode and incomplete accompaniment system (it will not allow the basic ability to change chord recognition type without the Accompaniment parts being cut off) would be outclassed by even a 76 note Tyros2.

If Yamaha had stuck a 76 note keyboard on the S900, it would also have given these keyboards stiff competition.

I have never claimed that I know WHY Yamaha does what it does...those answers will never be revealed to a person of my modest position...but I do get news sometimes of WHAT will happen...and the Tyros3 will remain at 61 notes, no doubt to the delight of Korg and Roland, and the dismay of Yamaha aficionados.

It would probably greatly benefit the consumer if Yamaha were to produce a 76 key Tyros3, as competition generally forces other manufacturers to improve their products, but sadly Korg and Roland will continue on unchallenged with their limitations and unfixed OS issues.

On the subject of the PSR-9000 Pro...a friend of mine owns two of them, and wouldn't part with them for love nor money.

Ian

[This message has been edited by ianmcnll (edited 11-04-2007).]

I don't really get the whole 76 key thing. Quite frankly the only instrument you could use it with is the piano, and as everyone knows, the piano sample on the T2 is, unfortuantely, nothing to be proud of...

I would rather my keyboard be more portable than have the extra keys tacked on. Just my preference.

Chony

Little by little I'm leaning to that way of thinking also Chony regardingthe 76 keys although I was a big fan.......you really start to realize your priorities when you gig alot every day on the road at different locations for sure, having to make certain compromises is a must....I never liked the Tyros pianos either.....Roland's & Korg's are so much warmer & responsive to my ears personal choice as is personal needs.

But sadly, when your arranger DOES have a beautiful Grand Piano inside it, it is a crying shame to not be able to stretch out and use it...

Don't forget the humble Fender Rhodes, either (although a little easier to fit into 61 notes). Not to mention the fact that, if you allow yourself 2 octaves for chord recognition, that's only 3 octaves left for your RH. Split THAT 3 octaves to get two lead sounds, and you are into seriously cramped conditions.

Then add in the demands of using the keyboard with SMFs, where you play in a FAR more 'standard' keyboard mode, sort of WS country, and having a decent range for at least TWO important sounds is usually a necessity. Although a 61 definitely takes the edge for 'convenience', 76 is often the more 'musical' choice if you want to PLAY like a normal keyboard player, who either favor several 61's or a 76 or even 88 as their main 'solo' axe.

If you STRICTLY only use the arranger in 'arrange' mode, 61 does the job adequately (but barely, IMO), but the minute you want to stretch out, and use it for sequenced stuff, or God forbid! even play with a band (the horror!), 76 starts to be more useful than inconvenient.

But, as usual, JMO, yada yada yada...

Just to post the grapevine info I have got from a source...is that Roland are planning an update to the G70 along the same lines as the Audya, ie using more flexible audio samples in conjunction with midi files for styles, plus the ability to record full wav/and or MP3 data. Possibly to a built in HDD, but more likely to a SSD..Thats all I have heard so far, not even the slightest hint as to a release..Also the E-80 is to remain the flagship 61 note arranger for a while yet, with maybe some more software updates. As i said it's just grapevine stuff, but who knows!!!

Hmmmmmmmmmm, Dennis looks like my Roland hint from 6 months ago about not an update but a NEW model is coming along nicely But what do I know? Yada yada yada.

So, which grapevine to believe?

The rumor mill grinds on... This one sounds like Roland are going to roll a few more FantomX features (it can do synchronized audio loops already) into the next G-series, and a new Atelier organ is touting some SA-like voices, so this looks like another possible improvement (however, from the demos, they have a LONG way to go on this one).

I know which rumor I would LIKE to believe in! Only time will tell.

But I still find myself dreading what well-loved (if not essential!) features Roland are likely to DROP, rather than which new ones they are likely to add... The list keeps getting longer.

I have often contemplated what would make me take the plunge and “update”. I do not have an answer. (!!???!!) largely because the things that I am use to and love may well not be present in the update, and change is always difficult, especially if you have to compromise on what you already have. I guess there will always be trade-offs (read disappointments) on every change. (However I did not really have too many (!?!) disappointments when I moved from the PSR 640 to the 9000PRO.) It’s a pity that there is not some generic standard of features (apart from the very basic ones that exist) that evolves which could include things, apart from the normal hardware configuration, that are more software functionality - like the number of variations, fills, harmony, eq mixing etc. You know, the things that we often take for granted, (because we often already have them) until we find out that it’s not, it’s only half the measure. Such a generic standard of features would be “make and model independent”, and could grow and evolve with time , and it would become the yardstick for every new model that was released. The standard would be referenced by time only. So when for example Roland releases the replacement, it is manufactured to at least the “standard” and one can quickly refer to the standard and see just how the new model supports it and where it improves on it, or falls short on it.
Anyway that's my two pence worth.

Jon.

Intro 2 to follow chord changes, this enable you to fit in better with the the tune to be played.

Why stop at 76 keys? Why not 88???

Or better yet...

Tyros3M (Module version)
Tyros3-61 (61 keys)
Tyros3-76 (76 keys)
Tyros3-88 (88 piano keys)

Let us choose which one we want!

And add that arpegiator from the XS!!!

And give us 1500 styles! And 8 variations per style

Doc-Z