I received my first shipment of these arrangers last week and I've had a few days to play with one.
Unlike the PSRS500 from last year, this model allows you to record your own styles from scratch or from an existing style.
The sounds and styles in this model are from the Yamaha PSR700 but unlike the 700, the Interface is brought over from the YPG and DGX series.
Like the 700, there are 2 USB ports on the back. One to hook to a computer and the other for direct USB connection to a thumb drive, floppy drive, hard drive, etc.
You can play styles and Standard midi files directly from the USB drive. Lyrics and Score can be seen as well.
There are 3 intro's, 4 variations, 3 endings, just like the 700.
There are no Mega or SuperArticulation sounds but all the sweet, cool, and live sounds are here.
64 voice polyphony, 16 track sequencer, pitch bend wheel, multi effects, dedicated octave buttons, harmony button, dual and split modes are all included.
This model is also being advertised as a "world" keyboard and I am very impressed by the addition of several Arabic Drum kits, an India Drum Kit and a Chinese Drum Kit.
In addition to all the standard Yamaha great sounds, there are middle eastern sounds including Ouds, Neys, Arabic Strings, Mizmars, etc. and great India sounds including Tablas and Harmoniums.
I copied styles from my Yamaha PSR700oriental keyboard and all the factory middle eastern styles play in the PSRS550B keyboard.
Oh, did I mention this new model is Black and the built in speakers have a white cone woofer (like the old Yamaha NS10 studio monitors!).
For outputs to an amp, there is not a pair of stereo line outs, but rather a single stereo headphone/output 1/4" jack. I've put mine through a Yamaha Stagepas500 and it sounds great.
At first, I thought this was just another low end arranger without a lot of features, but now that i've got my hands on it and realize it's capabilities I'm very impressed.
When playing factory styles, you can adjust volumes, mute, pan, reverb and chorus parameters. If you want to change the voices, unlike the Roland GW8 which cannot do this at all, you must enter the Style Record mode and it's here that you can select new voices, volumes, etc. and then save as a new style.
This keyboard has a retail price of $999.00 and a MAP or street price of $749.00. A good value for many needing something in a programable full featured Arranger at a good price. It's also very light (although I don't have the weight available right now), and Yamaha is supporting this model by providing immediately, a free download on their music.yamaha web site when you register your keyboard.
Additional Russian, Polish, Arabic/Turkish, Slovak and other Ethnic styles are free to download and load into the user area or just play them direct from the USB flash drive.
I also forgot to mention that there is area inside for loading and keeping dozens of user styles for when you don't have your USB drive handy.
Let me know if you have any questions.



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George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

http://tinyurl.com/6j2e86



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 12-07-2008).]

I don't know about you, but I think that's quite a good looking keyboard, there.

Nice design.

Even WITH the silly pictograms above the notes...

Hey, I love the pictograms...imagine if it was text...

At least they are above the keys...too hard to see when under them.

I find them extremely handy.

Ian

You mean text like A..B..C..D..E..?

Like for it's target demographic?

I thought you already knew the names of the notes...

Anybody spending more than a month programming drum tracks already knows where the main GS drum mappings are. Trouble is, as GS, GM, XG, and everyone else is diverging, more and more kits don't conform 100%, so a preset layout like that is going to either restrict the kit makers, or not be correctly represented (kinda defeating the whole point, IMO), and also (OK, I conceed the point!) it makes me feel like I'm playing one of those beginner keyboards with lights under the keys!

Well...I know some of them...mainly the ones that sound nice.

I do love the drum icons on my S900...I don't program drums often enough to remember them...I generally change bass lines, chords, phrases and pads when editing styles.

I don't think it makes keyboards look uncool...they are just more user friendly.

Ian

Well, if it's GOT to be there, how about a MUCH more subdued type color, so that it's barely noticeable until you look?

I swear, that look (especially that white on black thing) makes me expect the keys to light up! Why not dark greay on black? Why not slightly embossed onto the plastic and no print at all?

Apple wouldn't make it look like that, that's for sure! (although they might have made the basic design... that's pretty stripped down and elegant))

Bring back black keyboards I say!

I reccon black looks more pro and elegent than the silver. there was a time where silver looked nice and modern but I think now its been over killed.

the Motif XS 6 is till IMO the best looking keyboard I have ever seen (wish I still had one).

And now I own an ugly blue PA 800 to me its a very ugly board but the sound and functions were the deal breakers for me!

They should have never changed from Black Keyboards of years ago eg: M1/T1,2,3, G1000,....these Silver/Champagne things look horrible & Scream "SISSY" not "PRO" imo..and the Blue one?.. Pllleeeeeaaaaaasssseeee!!
I also like the RED Nord's second to the Black.

Ahhhhhh what's the use?



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 12-07-2008).]