Keyboard Magazine 1999:

Not a single review, advertisement, or so much as a mention of any arranger keyboard make/model, could be found, even though arrangers (of which at that time included: Solton X1, Korg i series, Technics KN5000, Roland G800) were all being marketed & sold in the United States.

Forward to:

Keyboard Magazine (Sept 2007) issue:

Front Cover: Ketron Midjay review announced
Inside Front Cover: Full Page Korg PA800 Ad
Page 18: Casio CTK-810 arranger announced (w/picture)
Page 74-76: Ketron Midjay Feature Review


as Bob Dylan so famously sang: "The Times they are a changin'" , and of which brings me to the question: What do you all think brought about this change (revolution/evolution)?

Scott

[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 08-29-2007).]

Not on mine, Dave Brubeck's on my cover. Nothing about the Midjay. Maybe the Sept issue? Haven't got mine yet.

Glenn

It is the Sept. 2007 issue.

all it means is they paid more for advertising nothing more.

Come on Donny, it's gotta mean MORE than just that. If what you say is correct, then WHY did the manufacturers now in 2007 decide to promote their arranger (thru advertising) in Keyboard Magazine when they didn't in 1999? In 1999, manufacturers would devote their inside cover ads to Synths and workstations, never arrangers. - Scott

I think it is due to increased general awareness of arranger keyboards. Advertising is just another indication of the increased awareness otherwise manaufacturers wouldn't be paying to advertise .... like they didn't back in 1999.

I think the other thing that is earning respect for arrangers is the use of sound engines and features from the pro lines of synths. The reputation of sounds on arrangers is now up there with pro synths. I don't think this was so much the case back in 1999, well at least that is how arrangers were perceived back then.

Actually, having been in music retail for 30 years plus, I'd say Donny is pretty close to the truth.

I don't think there is that much more understanding or knowledge especially about mid or high end arranger keyboards than there ever was. Why? Go to the large majority of music stores, including Guitar Center and you won't find even any mid range arrangers, unless you're in a very large major city. And if you do, 9 times out of 10 the people selling them don't know what to do when once it's turned on. Result, low public exposure and understanding of arrangers.

Here in the Pensacola area there is a surrounding population of 400,000 and I doubt the local GC will even carry a PSR-S500.

So, I think what the companies are doing is to increase the awareness of what's out there in the top of the line models as opposed to the cheapie low end which is what most people think of because that's all they see, to see if it boost's their sales or not. After a while they will analyze sales vs advertising expenses, figure out what may have helped, what didn't and make adjustments. It will be interesting to see if these ads continue over an extended period of time. That is what will tell the story

Scott

Hi,

Having worked in or around music retail, wholesale and manufacturing for the past 35 years, I will agree that there have been past editors and management of years gone by where it sure appeared that there was favoritism going on. But under the current crew at Keyboard, I don't think your comments are the least bit valid. Advertising or the lack thereof has absolutely nothing to do with the reviews that appear in their magazine. In fact, Ernie Rideout, editor-in-chief of Keyboard talked about this in his editorial a month or so ago. He explained the decision to replace the term review with Audition. And while the writing style, personal experience and musical tastes of each person doing an Audition varies, which will have some bearing on the outcome, the goal is to be as un-biased as possible.

Case in point, Keyboard included the Genesys Pro S in their Arranger Keyboard article in the April 2007 issue and did a full review of the pRP700 in their March 2007 issue. Generalmusic hasn't advertised in keyboard magazine for years.

Dave

------------------
Wm. David McMahan
Nat'l Product and Support Manager
Generalmusic USA
GEM Community Forums

[This message has been edited by WDMcM (edited 08-30-2007).]

Has that April issue boosted Gem sales?

What it has done is added credibility. That we were asked by Keyboard to be included in this article and the pRP700 audition (in part because of the increased talk and interest in Generalmusic keyboards on the Music Player forums and others) was a very nice surprise. Add to that the nice things Stephen Fortner, technical editor for Keyboard, had to say about the Genesys Pro S with absolutely no prompting from me btw; we were very pleased with the article.

The fact that Sweetwater Music decided to include Generalmusic products in their catalog and website, and the fact that others are knocking on our door so to speak indicates that things are on the up-swing.

Dave

------------------
Wm. David McMahan
Nat'l Product and Support Manager
Generalmusic USA
GEM Community Forums

Hi

I don't know how you could think that there is any favoritism when it comes to advertising which is what I am talking about. I think they won't turn anybody's money away

I think that's great and says a lot, that the retailers are now approaching you first without your company ever approaching them first, if that's what you're saying here.

Hi Dave (WDMcM) Yep, I'll never forget Winter NAMM 2001 when I got the opportunity to meet Chris Anthony (at your booth) & watch him first demonstrate GEM Genysys. Interestingly enough, I was standing next to Ernie Rideout (Keyboard Magazine) and will never forget the look of excitement on his face, witnessing for the first time the wonders of what a top of the line arranger keyboard offers. After the demo, I had a chance to speak with him and inquire why arranger keyboard coverage was so absently missing from Keyboard Magazine. He openly acknowledged that up to know he had't been aware of arrangers that much, but after all the arranger demos he witnessed at NAMM that year, arranger kb coverage at Keyboard Magazine was about to change. This was the same NAMM year that Yamaha introduced their 76 note 9000pro arranger, and Ketron introduced their SD1. Definitely a memorable NAMM year for me and a banner showcase year for Arrangers, and a chance to meet Dave (Gem), Dan O'Neil & AJ at the Ketron booth and Chris Halon (Technics booth) as well. Wow. treasured memories I'll never forgot.



Hi Mr. Langholff; aka: ScottL
You're probably right, but this doesn't answer the question of why manufacterers have only now decided to promote their arrangers in Keyboard Magazine, yet never did this eight years ago, when they were producing plenty of top line arranger (Korg i series, Yamaha PSR9000, Solton X1, Technics KN5000, Roland G800, etc) then too.

To discover Korg now suddenly advertise (promote) their new P800 arranger on the "inside COVER" of Keyboard Magazine instead of their TRITON Workstation has me thinking that there's been a major shift going on in the music industry. Perhaps Korg is merely testing the waters, but the fact that they're gambling on this with such a costly 'inside cover' glossy color ad signals that they have every indication that the American mainstream keyboard buying public is for the first time, ready to accept arrangers as a viable pro keyboard production-performance tool.

- Scott

You might consider that the demographic of Keyboard magazine may be changing, as more magazines start to address the younger players, and their particular needs (none of which are in the slightest interest to all but the few, here at SZ), like Future Music, etc., and the readership of Keyboard gets older.

Older readers, older products get advertised...

The manufacturers get a very detailed breakdown about age and income demographics before they spend their money. All this may simply come about because they see that Keyboard is being read by increasingly less younger players.

Add to that that many modern WSs are SO tailored for modern music, that us older players are almost FORCED into choosing arrangers as the only things left that have seriously old school sounds and capabilities..

And, let's face it, few kids have the skills to use an arranger well, and few of them have any interest in the sounds and styles provided... Arranger manufacturers, faced with a dwindling target market, are going to HAVE to be more aggressive in their advertising...

And don't let anyone kid you... Reviews in ANYTHING other than Consumer Reports are driven by advertising and money. When was the last time anything that DOESN'T advertise in Keyboard got reviewed? There is an increase in arranger advertising, and lo and behold! There is an increase in articles and reviews.

Coincidence...? I think not....

Hmm,

Maybe I wasn't clear in stating;
"Case in point, Keyboard included the Genesys Pro S in their Arranger Keyboard article in the April 2007 issue and did a full review of the pRP700 in their March 2007 issue. Generalmusic hasn't advertised in keyboard magazine for years."

On the other hand (and so you don't think I'm picking a fight, which I am not ) I agree with you that it makes sense that a reviewer would tend to be favorably biased toward a manufacturer that advertises in his publication (and don't for a minute think consumer reports is immune from that fact), but at least in the case of Keyboard Magazine, of which this post is centered, I can say without a doubt that there is no favoritism being exhibited and I congratulate the editor for that.

Best Regards,

Dave

------------------
Wm. David McMahan
Nat'l Product and Support Manager
Generalmusic USA
GEM Community Forums

Hi Mr. Yee.lol

Well, I'm thinking they feel the overall sound is way up there these days and has a better chance of being accepted. The inside front cover has got to be costing them a ton. It may be that their PA800 isn't paying the bills and hope to boost their sales and profits.

Also, Dave, I think it's great that the magazine doesn't appear to show any favoritism, however, it would be a very rare publication if a company spent a lot of money in advertising and requested some kind of article and be turned down.

I did that all the time when I had my full line music store and the newspapers were more than happy to do that. So, if their is anyone at any level on manufacturing, distributing or retail that isn't at least seeing if this is possible, they are missing the boat IMHO.

Hi Scott,

Correct answer: Mothers against drunk driving = Cops sitting out in front of the bars/clubs waiting for them to close. Military CPO ond officers clubs being turned into tea clubs. Vehement hatered against smokers. Lawyers suing the bar when some drunk ran over somebody. I think that about covers how it really started, at least in my state.

End result = The masses that loved to dance, socialize and listen to live music now stay the h*ll home for fear of getting into deep dodoo = only confirmed drunks left in the bars and they are usually drunk before they even get there. Consequently they don't spend much. Even if they wanted to the bar keep would have to cut them off so he doesn't get sued (see above)

All this equates to: Bars don't take in enough $ to pay bands which = bands work for pass the hat which = bands say screw that and give up and then . . . the music died.

Remaining market = limited primaraily to a keyboard player that can mimick band.

Honorable mention: keyboard players complaints about weight of organ and piano.(even though the really good solo entertainer would only have needed to move the stuff maybe once a year to change gigs) The bands didn't care about the weight.

Also I shouldn't fail to mention: Those keyboard players that used to play in bands now sit home and pretend.

And lastly, Doctors prescribing music therapy for depressed seniors and aging boomers.

Oh well. It was a blast in the 70's and early 80's. I can still see'em in my minds eye dancing on the tables.

And for what it's worth, I don't think it could possibly, by any stretch, be called a revolution.

Danny




[This message has been edited by pianodano (edited 08-30-2007).]