In the 70s a hammond Organ cost the same as a detached bungalow in outer London!

I had one of these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-FS-500-Triple-Keyboard-Digital-Organ-RARE-MINT-/320445361664

It was the last one I had. It retailed for $15,000. A new car then was maybe $6,000. I went to a PSR70, DX7, drum machine and piano module, and never looked back.
DonM

BTW, that thing weighed nearly 350 pounds and the bench was 30. Had to have organ dollies to move it, and then add the Leslie with it. I don't miss those days at all. I think it was the last organ made before midi was invented.


[This message has been edited by DonM (edited 03-12-2010).]

Perhaps, but the number of chords available using single finger is very limited...major, sevenths, minor, minor7th...not a lot to go on.

I had a buddy that used a midi accordion with a Roland RA-90 and he didn't have it set for single finger...he was playing augmented, major 7th, minor 7th flat 5's...even the occasional demolished chord ...so it couldn't have been single finger.

I thought a midi guitar sent chord information from the 6 strings...I can't see how single finger would work, unless the guitarist was using bass pedals, and that would again limit it to only major, 7th, minor, minor7th.

Ian

It's funny that the 2 best keyboards(my opinion) are the cheapest. Oh and the PA800 is definitely a TOTL Arranger. The PA500 is a MOTL Arranger.

I had a D-85 before I got the portabilzed C-605, and it had the same type three keyboard setup...the sound was analog, and pretty good for the day...it weighed a ton.

The motorized faders on the FS-series were troublesome Don...did you ever have to get them fixed?

The FS-500 was quite the instrument all the same...I use to play one for hockey games at the local arena....the Brass Sounds were very strong...you had to be careful.

They had it piped into the house speaker system.

Ian

My father used to sell Yamaha Organs in the late 70s/early 80s. I remember being wowed by a White GX1 and speakers in his showroom.

Putting a 'home player' feature on a keyboard aimed squarely at the pro gigging musician doesn't make it a 'home' product, Ian. It simply extends the market that the product might appeal to.

If any of the TOTL arrangers were TRULY 'home' keyboards, they would start by taking OFF all the features that are hardly used by home users at all...

Samplers, detail voice editing, complex style editing tools, things that 99% of 'home' users never switch on ONCE.

I know, I know, some 'home' users will now pipe in and go 'but I use those things', but in truth, about as many home users use those things as 'pros' use the one-finger chord system (there are some that have admitted it )

Some VERY advanced supercars have got stability and traction control on them, despite the 'pros' seldom using them. Does that make them commuter cars? I doubt you would describe your Enzo as that...

Yes, I agree...it is meant for "home", and extended to the "pro" market.

Remember...all arrangers started out as "home" easy play keyboards...pros just started using them and, of course, more pro-type features, like broader chord recognition, were added.

The first arrangers were "home organs"...organs that had easy play "One-finger" accompaniments added.

It was only natural to see these features on "home keyboards"...the early arrangers like Yamaha's PS-6100, Casio's CT-series, and Korg's SAS-20.

Today's arrangers just have more features...they still evolved from, and are based on, the home market first.

Ian

All keyboards started out as 'home' keyboards... (except maybe church organs!). They were played at home, in people's houses.

What makes a WS any more 'pro' than a TOTL PA2Xpro or Audya (or G70/E80)..? I've seen PLENTY of MoXS's, Fantom's and Triton's sitting in people's houses (along with SteinwayD's, C5's, etc.). That make them 'home' keyboards..?

Apparently... They have easy to use arpeggiators, plenty of great content provided, and tools that make the amateur use of them easier. So, I guess ALL keyboards are 'home' keyboards, eh, Ian?

Now, it wasn't that long ago, you were saying that these features were used by more home players than we would imagine.

Most of my clients are anxious to be taught how to use style editing, and voice editing...why wouldn't they? Why buy an instrument with all those features and never use them? Yamaha forums have plenty of users asking questions about, and learning how to use, these features...it must be the same on Korg forums, although Roland Arranger.com is rather slow lately.

The Internet has opened up many resources to home players, that were not available when arrangers were first introduced, and these keyboard/arranger type forums are very busy.

Most pros use workstations...not arrangers...we are a very small bunch here on SZ.

Ian