I just heard the recent demo of the Yamaha Tyro 'live' GRAND PIANO produced by Simon Williams. He played it entirely on the Tyros 61 note KB (using the octave shift feature) and says no outboard efx processing was added either. I'm VERY impressed with the Tyros 'live Grand Piano sound, as well as with Simon's terrific demo performance.

Please check it out for yourselves here: http://www.psrworld.com/tyrosdemos.htm

Scroll down to 'Members Songs On Tyros' and select: 'LIVE Grand Piano' demonstration.

I look forward to hearing other people's feedback & comments re: the sound of the Tyros Grand Piano. I wonder if it's the SAME sample used on the Yamaha 9000pro?

Simon, THANKS for your excellent work.

Scott

Scott,
I too have listened to Simon's demo of this piece as you know, and I think it is excellent both in sound and his playing of it.
thanks Simon for providing it,
Terry

My guess is that it is the same acoustic piano sound of the 9000 Pro - the high end is thin and shrill IMHO. But we can let everyone decide for themselves...

I am going to contact Simon and propose a full test comparison of the Tyros, the 9000 Pro stock acoustic piano, and the PLG150-PF expansion card. I'd like to suggest that we do a full note-by-note scale walk-up on a sequencer, first with all of the velocities set at 128 and then one with all the velocities set at something like 90. Then we can each do a short piano-only performance. I can provide samples for the 9000 Pro and the PLG150-PF. I'll see if he'll post the resulting MP3's. Stay tuned.

Though I'm a Steinway guy myself (own one), I think that the Tyros' 'live' Grand Piano sample is only accurately reproducing the characteristicly signature sound of top of the line Yamaha grand pianos. I assume Yamaha would not even consider adding their chief competitor's pianos (Steinway) to their arranger keyboards, would they? Anyway, it would be interesting to find out exactly WHICH Grand Piano sample Yamaha used on the Tyros.

Hoping to hear more feedback from others on your 'personal' opinion on the Tyros 'live' Grand sound.

So,
THAT was your Steinway playing in the background....

Very nice sound and nice playing by Simon. I think The Pro is correct, the high notes seem thin. The sustain is very realistic.
Starkeeper

Scott: I agree that the Tyros/9000 Pro/PLG150-PF are likely all sampled Yamaha grand pianos... but at least two out of these three sound different: the 9000 Pro and the PLG150-PF. That's why the PLG150-PF is offered as an expansion option for the 9000 Pro, as an upgrade. Now what I'd like to know is how the Tyros acoustic grand directly compares to the 9000 Pro and to the PLG150-PF. Simon's Tyros grand piano MP3 sounds on par with the 9000 Pro but my initial reaction is that it does not sound better than the PLG150-PF. I would like to hear a couple of test midi files played on all three for comparison. In many people's mind, the acoustic piano sound is one of the most important factors in choosing a keyboard - so a shoot-out could be enlightening.

Hi Pro: I'm with YOU here regarding the acoustic piano sample being one of the most important factors in choosing a kb. Yamaha acoustic grand pianos have never been my personal favorite sounding pianos. Yamaha pianos sound a bit clinicaly clean sounding (lack of enough rich harmonic overtones, and a bit shrill in the upper registers) for my taste, but I did find that (at least from listening to Simon's MP3 demo) that the Tyro 'live' Grand sounds sounded much better than I expected, for a Yamaha type piano sound that is, especially when played along with auto accomp parts (drums/bass). In the meantime, I'm also VERY interested to find out how the Tyros piano compares to the 9000 Pro and PLG150-PF piano samples. Pro, knowing what a discrimating musician you are, I look forward to hearing your findings. - Scott

Just my opinion...
My compliments go to Simon and his GRAND PIANO mp3. I think for an arranger keyboard at its price the sound was very warm and pleasing.
No hard feelings Scott but if I wanted to compare it to a Steinway I would probably get one. This is just a 3,000. arranger keyboard that delivers one hell of a package.....Lou

What about the bestf piano sounds on the SD1 ? How would you all rate it?...

Lou: Scott isn't comparing the Tyros to his Steinway, he was just expressing his personal acoustic piano preference.

Since we all agree on the importance of the piano sound and we'd like to compare apples-to-apples, what we are really talking about is this: of the choices between the Yamaha Tyros, the Yamaha 9000 Pro, and the Yamaha 9000 Pro with the optional PLG150-PF piano expansion card installed, which acoustic grand piano emulation sounds best?

Simon Williams has accepted my shoot-out proposal. I have proposed that I will prepare three midi files: a 76-note C major scale walk-up with all velocities set at 128, the same file with all velocities set at 90, and a short popular song sample on piano only that pretty much covers the entire keyboard range. The reason for the velocity-at-preset-level test is to remove any tone variations caused by the performer - those kind of variations will come out on the short music sample. I will play this file on a 9000 Pro and a 9000 Pro with the PLG150-PF acoustic piano expansion card and create MP3 files. Simon will play the same midi files on his Tyros and will host all of the resulting MP3 files on his site for side-by-side comparison.

Even if Yamaha's 9000 Pro with the added $300 expansion card comes out ahead (and especially if it doesn't!), it'd still be interesting to know how the Tyros grand piano compares directly to the stock 9000 Pro grand piano. We will only compare the best "Live!Grand" programs.

I don't have access to any other arrangers in the same price range as the Tyros and 9000 Pro but it's possible that we could expand this test by playing the same files on different keyboards and posting comparable MP3 files. For now, I think the Yamaha arranger comparison will be very interesting.

Great idea, perhaps we could get an mp3 sample done on other yamaha boards including the basic introduction models in the psr range and a roland va7 too? Its important though that everyone sticks to the same mp3 encoding properties!
Oh and by the way, how about a recording of your steinway, just to compare!! :-)

Simon


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________________________
Simon G.K. Williams
simon@svpworld.com
Creative Music & Multimedia
http://www.svpworld.com
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Actually, the Technics KN7000 uses a 'Steinway Grand' sample for their top piano sound. In fact I recently auditioned the KN7000 and was VERY impressed with it. Too bad the drums fills (lack of) & cheesy vocalizer disappointed me.

Anyway, it would be very interesting & enlightening to expand 'the Pro's' shoot out test to include the KN7000's Grand Piano (Steinway) as well. Hopefully a Technics KN7000 owner: TechnicsPlayer (Alec Pagida), Frank Bez, or another KN7000 owner, would be willing to come forward to offer their assistance here.

I'm really looking forward to this piano shoot out. Even though the test will be only MP3 quality, at least the test will be equal across the board providing a fair comparison, especially if all are encoded at the same bit rate & MP3 quality and all are made with the same quality A/D coverters, preferably the SAME soundcard.

- Scott

Pro's absolutely correct in what I was trying to convey.

I've sent the midi files and the 9000 Pro MP3 files to Simon so it's in his hands now. I suggested that he could make the midi files I created available for downloading so anyone could try them out on their fav keyboard and make their own MP3's. It would be nice to hear direct comparisons on other instruments with our Yamaha arranger MP3's. I'm sure Simon will let us know when he's got everything online.

What I think, unless you guys have already thought of it....just # the demos 1,2,3

we can then listen w/o prejudice and say in a few days whoever numbers them could then reveal which is which, here.

Perhaps we could post in a vote thread as to which we think is best, 2nd, 3rd.

Then one of you two posts in to say which is which.
Terry

I offer my X4 to test the midi files with the standard (horrible) piano and with one of the pianos on the optional soundbanks.

-- José.

Yes,
and I could offer my VA7 and (later) my SD1 too (right now hospitalized in the "Ketron keyboard clinic").