I was too young to own this but I remember my older cousin bringing this around our house and I was amazed by it ! From then on I always wanted to own a keyboard until I got a job and was able to afford my own first keyboard - the Yamaha PSS-790!

Man, that sounds so cheesy nowadays, Danny, but I do remember seeing the ads in Keyboard Magazine. They started getting serious when they came out with the CZ-101 Phase Distortion mini synth, and that spawned a whole bunch of even more advanced instruments ending with the CZ-1 and VZ-1 that many pros used. Now, with PK-5S they are a force to be reckoned with again as far as synths go.

In the early 90's, I had the PSS-795 that had a real Vector Synth, allowing up to 4 patches to be combined. It had midi in/out so could be played with regular keys, and a sequencer.

What was the first advanced arranger you owned with full sized keys?

Ian

My first full size was a PSR-410 display model that I got exceptionally cheap (I was only a junior in IT still and couldn't afford anything expensive), it wasn't in the best of conditions which is why it was cheap but I really wanted it because it would have been my first "big" jump, the only thing I recall that I didn't like about it was that it didn't have any DSP effects and everything sounded really bland compared to the 510 which my dad owned at the time.

When I was able to afford something decent (albeit on loan), I purchased a PSR620 and I thought it was fantastic. At this stage I wasn't that educated in what else was available and our local stores didn't really supply anything overly expensive. It wasn't until I visited a Yamaha keyboard shop in Milton Keynes (I can't for the life of me remember what the shop was called in the mid 90's), but there I saw the PSR-8000 and I had to get one at all costs, the keyboard just blew me away completely, from the sounds, to the styles, to the sound system and build quality, everything was pure class. It was from here I've always remained with TOTL keyboards until recently where I've added a PSR-S950 because I wanted a more portable Tyros 3.

After the 8000 I did a little detour owning keyboards from GEM, Solton & Korg but went back to Yamaha. I have enjoyed every single keyboard I've owned but there was always something about Yamaha that attracted me back, always.

Regardless, it was rude of her to throw it in the trash ...
Ah, this 'disposable' society ...

But she looked good walking away ...

I remember the 510 and 410 very well...I actually had the 510, which was a little gem of an instrument, and one of the first PSR with on bass chording. The styles on both 410 and 510 were great!

I went to a PSR-1700 after that one, and then, like you, I fell in love with the PSR-8000 when I saw it at a Yamaha "Keys To Success" in Scarborough Ontario. I had that keyboard for quite a few years, actually buying a second one as I was playing very often and needed a backup.

I feel that the PSR-8000 was when Yamaha really got serious with the competition.

Like you as well, I went to mid-range for a time with the PSR-2000, 3000, S900, S910...lucky to have them all at dealer cost price as I was a clinician. Then the Tyros4 did the same thing the PSR-8000 did to me...and now I have one.

I have always liked Yamaha's sound, even before I worked for them, and although I also dabbled with other brands, I always felt most comfortable and at home with Yamaha.

Danny, are you doing any gigging?

Ian

Hi Ian,

I remembered the shop I bought the PSR-8000 from, it was Chappell's in Milton Keynes, it doesn't exist any longer, I think they have a Yamaha Kemble place now but I've never been to that one.

I remember a feature that I really enjoyed on the 8000 was the virtual arranger where it gave the 7th chord inversions (I think) to each style, it really made a difference, shame they took that feature away.

Unfortunately there's nothing local to me anymore and I'd have to travel out of town. Most of my purchases have been online and I took a risk with GEM & Solton. I was really going into the unknown there but wasn't disappointed apart from both of those keyboards developing faults (GEM WK6 the motherboard died and with the Solton X1 the display went on it). I also owned a GEM WX2 (second edition) but I gave it to my sister.

The three Korg keyboards I owned (i30, PA-80 & PA1X) were superb and never hit any problems, the same as with all my Yamaha's.

As for gigging, I've never gigged myself but I have assisted my dad on his gigs, nothing major. I have occasionally played in Church a few times in the past to fill in for the main pianist that's when I was using the PSR-620.

One keyboard that I really always wanted to own was a PSR-730, it looks really slick. I could probably get a cheap one somewhere but really it wouldn't be for anything other than satisfying my curiosity, but it does look slick.

It's a shame I missed out on Technics keyboards, my dad owned one and I remember it sounding awesome, I can't remember the model but it was a MOTL range.

I had a PSR-730 at home for a few months as a demo...it was basically a smaller version of the PSR-8000, and it had the Virtual Arranger feature as well...I also thought it was a pretty cool feature.

I do remember one glaring problem, at least for me...if you used a Registration, and then decided to transpose, let's say down a few semi-tones, and started to play, if you went to another registration, the instrument would go back zero transposition. You basically had to assign/store all four (I believe that how many) regs to the new key.

I'm not sure if it was ever fixed on later models...I had a very early production model.

It didn't matter if the Freeze was on or off.

Otherwise, it sounded very much like the 8000...very warm and full. Plus, it looked great!

Ian

I have just been on Dikipedia and typed in "Tyros 5" and nothing, not a squeak even tried "Tyros 5 + real drums" still nothing

All very well but was this not about the Casio VL-1 ?

Actually I had one ( still have come to think of it) and used it on some recordings. I have uploaded one of those so brace yourselves !

I used two Sony tape recorders to pingpong the recordings. The drums are from an L.P. on which an LA session drummer did his stuff ( series of five called DrumDrops) so you had to play along with the drummer so to speak. The leadsinging was my girfriend's at the time.....those were the days

Mind you my current PA800 and Tyros 4 don't sound too bad either

https://app.box.com/s/btrfdd92o0l6jhnojw63

regards,
John

Never really had a dedicated arranger as I moved from organ to controller keyboard and computer software in the late 80s, I did dabble with a Yamaha DGX300 (I think that was the number) but soon got rid of it as the sounds were naff (As were all arrangers at the time) compared to what I was used to.

The only other one is the Wersi Abacus which I bought used around 2003, (Which is really a single manual organ rather than an arranger) as it would go in the lounge without complaints and I could still run my computer software on it. (It also had the OX7 Drawbars (Made by Blue Chip) on-board which I enjoy as it is the only module that can give you the Euro Sound, rather than the traditional Hammond/Vox/Farfisa that other emulators give you)

One day there may be an arranger that makes be go “wow” (A Korg Kronos with an arranger section would be a good start) but currently there is nothing out there from any manufacture that floats my boat. (The nearest is probably the Korg PA3x (just wish it used Roland Styles though)

As to the VL1 I do remember it, but it was naff even when it was launched (Sort of thing you gave as a present to somebody you didn’t like, but they had something you wanted) so never took any interest in it.

Bill

The main reason I didn't bother getting a VL-1 was the button type keyboard...of course, the sounds were rather cheesy, but, sometimes that's just what a song needs, as illustrated in the video clip.

Today's arrangers are phenomenal, with all their incredibly realistic sounding (and very expressive) SA/SA2, DNC, and SuperNatural sounds.

I bet a lot of VL-1's ended up in Xmas stockings, and no doubt, the first tune played was "Joy To The World".

Ian

Ahh ! Felicita...great recording John!! Al Bano classic... My dad has played and recorded this many times himself, he knows all the Italian classic artists but his number one is Adriano Celentano followed by Little Tony.

This is where I will need a lesson in history!!! So, to the other extreme, can anybody remember what were the TOTL model of keyboards of the day when this Casio was released? What was Yamaha churning out them days? I'm only guessing but was the PSR-500 anywhere near this era? My dad owned a PSR-500 actually and I think he only recently got rid of it whilst having a clear out!

The VL1 came out about 1981 during the organ/analogue synthesiser heyday, so the Easy Play (Arranger) keyboards were few and far between.

Bill

Danny,

In 1981-83 there were only a few Yamaha portable arrangers, and, of course, they were based somewhat on bits of the Electone Technology.

1981: PS-10, PS-20, PS-30.

1982: PS-30B, PS-3(I), PC-100, PSS-30, MP-1 (had a music score printer built in), PS-300.

1983: PC-50, PS-35, PS-35S, PS-55 (PCM drums), PS-55S, PC-1000, MK-100

The PS-6100 came out in 1984, and was pretty cool for the day. It used the current at the time FM synthesis to make the preset sounds and also, like the earlier PS-55, had PCM drums.

The PSR-500 didn't come out till 1991, and the PSR-410/510 in 1993.

Quite a few of the earlier Yamaha and Casio keyboards became popular with the "circuit bent" crowd, and were modified in all kinds of cool (and strange) ways.

What we play today is pretty amazing, considering their origins.

Ian

Wow I was pretty way out with the PSR-500, 10 years out infact, how embarrassing!!!

Oh gosh what we play today is on another planet and we have to realise how lucky we are that we can create incredible music with relatively simple ease.

In the early 80's my dad had an Elka organ in the lounge, I think it was the Elka E30 which I remember playing a lot.. that was my very first introduction to anything with keys!!! I still remember those rotary effects and it's cool rhythms.. !

Danny, you can view the history of Yamaha products here, in case you haven't already found it.

http://www.yamaha.co.jp/manual/english/chron.php

We used an Elka Rhapsody, a sort of strings synth in one of the bands I played in many years ago...the guitar player owned it...he probably still has it.

It did the synth strings pretty good, especially for those Disco type tunes.

Ian

I purchased the second PSR500 that came to Maryland, right after seeing a guy performing with the first one sold here. He was doing a restaurant job and rocked the place. The following year, I purchased a PSR-5700 from Washington Music in Rockville, MD. That keyboard was well ahead of its time in many respects and I really enjoyed the wonderful piano and vibes sounds it provided. That same year, I was playing the same restaurant job where the guy with the PSR-500 played and stayed there for two years before moving on the the American Legion in Havre de Grace, MD where I played every Friday night for the next 7 years. I can't remember the year I switched to the Roland G-800, and the Korg I3, but neither keyboard was with me for very long before I went back to Yamaha. That Roland had some great styles, but I never really liked the right hand voices. Same was true with the I3. I then purchased a PSR-630, PSR-740, PSR-2000, PSR-3000 and now I'm having a ball with the PSR-S950. I just hope I can work a couple more years before failing lungs force me to retire.

Gary

I bought something like this in 1980. It was a white Casio with really small keys and limited settings....$210.00, I believe, which appeared to be a little pricy, even though it was a new item. I was playing an Electone at the time at the Campbell house, with a string machine of some kind on the top. The string machine stopped working one night, and I hooked the little Casio up via the earphone jack.


R.

You've certainly gone through some keyboards! One thing I've noticed missing from your keyboard inventory was a TOTL from Yamaha!? Not even an 8000 or 9000!? How comes you passed them by? I had the 8000 and I was amazed by it's sheer sound quality.

Danny, to be realistic, I didn't really need the TOTL to get the job done. The MOTL boards all did great jobs and after all these years, my calendar is still filled to capacity until 2015 so I must be doing something right. Yes, 2015 and that's not a typo. I've already booked a couple dozen jobs for 2015, and just last night a couple asked if I would do their wedding. They're both in their mid 40s, which was a real shocker to me. They heard me performing at an upscale jewelry store last night and said they loved everything they heard.

I have played the T2 and it's a great machine, but it was just too heavy and bulky for me to lug around 5 to 7 days a week, even for short jobs. Either this stuff is getting heavier or I'm gettin' old. Unfortunately, the later is likely the case.

Cheers,

Gary

Gary has not only been through quite a few keyboards, but he also learned each of them in depth, and has contributed greatly to PSR Tutorial, with styles, gig disks, and a lot of how-to posts.

One great benefit of Gary using mainly MOTL in recent years, is that his styles, gig disks etc. were accessible to a wider range of instruments.

He is a generous man and his posts have helped me many times.

Ian

Thanks Ian, I appreciate that.

Gary

That's fantastic Gary, and a tribute to your playing & singing abilities. Obviously the couple in their 40's think you're pretty awesome too.

I think you're right in saying that you don't necessarily need TOTL keyboards to perform with, actually my dad has never owned a TOTL keyboard and he's still using his Korg PA-60 and it suits him fine (another fine keyboard). The only problem is that it won't recognise the hard drive I installed for me, I've tried everything to get it working but I've given up!!

But yes, the S950 is more than adequate and will do the job very well.

That's a really wonderful post and I couldn't agree more. I could also learn a lot from a few of you from here including you Ian !

Strange... I typed in 'Tony Hughes' and got back several pictures of donkeys. All from the rear.

Thanks for the web site Ian, very good information there.

You are only jealous Diki because everyone calls me donkey, anyway what's your slant on all this new T5 and BTW not War & Peace please, just nod your head like a donkey, also you need to play one before you can tear it apart.