Is the S950 the Last MOTL Arranger for Yamaha?....

It's been a while? ...no buzz?, no rumors?, is it the end of an era? Hello Yamaha, we know your reading these posts?
If not future S-series units then what's on the horizon if at all in the MOTL Arranger KB category?
What's the delay or Whats next?

I'd say an S950/S750 replacement is already in the works.

Ian

Indeed, if these current models are selling in the numbers purported, you can bet your bippy that Yamaha have new models in the pipeline. And probably have done for a good while.

All heresay and rumore at! this point......Personally I think big changes are coming for Yamaha....hopefully for the better.....we'll see.
Players want change. Tired of same old.

I talked with a friend in Yamaha's PR department and he tells me they cannot make the 750 and 950 fast enough to keep up with the demand - so maybe there's no incentive for Yamaha to come out with a newer model at this time. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it!

Gary

Gary if they dont hurry technology is passing them by every day..they should be asking what players really want from an arranger kb instead and implement many of the needs & improvements they ask for,....and there are ALOt of them....and that includes tyros units also..Korg's recent offerings already put a big dent in their sales world wide also..

It doesn't matter what we want. People will buy whatever they offer it seems.

I suspect Yamaha and Korg took up the slack left by Roland's lessening product line, so both companies are selling arrangers at a good pace.

Thing is, most people who own an arranger, use barely half of what it can do...and that includes some pros.

So adding new features, irregardless of brand, is always going to be carefully thought out by the designers...remember, PROFIT is the ultimate goal for all these companies.

Ian

I agree, Ian - in fact, I seriously doubt that the vast majority of users use 10 percent of the incredible features available on their keyboards. And, some folks I know have never taken their owner's manual out of the plastic bag.

Donny, I don't think technology is passing Yamaha by. Yamaha is the ONLY company that actually listens to their consumers, and has responded in kind. I know I've posted this several times, and the list of Yamaha's positive responses is huge.

Now, I know some players would love to have a sequencer onboard, but I seriously doubt that anything greater than one percent of the consumers would actually use it. Some holds true for a lot of techie toys that COULD be added, but have not been for various reasons.

I kinda look at it this way, if you want to be a DJ/KJ that has a keyboard sitting in front of them, why not just get a high-power laptop, some quality sound system, and eliminate the keyboard altogether? Hell, you're not using the keyboard as an instrument. Most of the time you're just a DJ/KJ guy that sings, so in reality that keyboard is just something for show that you have to haul around. I've run across guys like this in some of the Baltimore clubs that don't even plug the keyboard in - it's just a show prop. Yeah, they can play, but they've either got tired or lazy, and just do the DJ/KJ thing. Donny, you've been saying all along that we're gonna be replaced by these folks and you have to be ready for that day when it comes. Well, I'm ready. When they move into the NH circuit, I'll let the ADs and audiences decide who stays and who goes. Ya know, for some strange reason, I think guys like me will be around a lot longer than you might think. I could be wrong, though.

Cheers,

Gary

I also think Yamaha is in a good position with arranger keyboards and isn't forced to release new models in a fast pace. Roland as a competitor has (sadly) become quite insignificant in this segment, Korg is the only important competitor. It's different with synthesizers however: there's not only more competiton from Roland and Korg, but also by computers as the younger clientele risks to completely change over to software libraries and iPads etc. even for live use...

Well, Gary, my friend, it's perhaps winding up in situations like you just described that make me very glad to be retired from any regular gigging.

I'm a player first and foremost, and I'm not at all interested in being a DJ/KJ to supplement any gigs. More power to those who can tolerate it, but it's definitely not something I want to do.

I just turned 65 this year and started Old Age Security back in April, so, I'm doing okay financially, so any jobs I take will be arranger playing only. At this point, the Tyros4 is perfect for my needs, which now include a fair amount of studio work and helping amateur singers make demo CDs.

Since I've also recently retired from Yamaha as well, I've really started to enjoy a more leisurely existence, and since selling my house and moving to a lovely secure apartment complex, I have no maintenance issues anymore, like snow removal or lawn mowing, which suits my basically lazy nature just fine.

I don't miss gigging (I guess after over 45 years, I was ready for retirement), and I especially wouldn't miss having to supplement by DJ'ing and/or KJ'ing.

I think you still have a unique product, and I'm sure you would be hired before a DJ act, especially at NH jobs, but also in a club environment as well.

Ian

Thanks Ian, I appreciate your comments. Amazingly, the largest audience draws in my area are to the Amoss Theater across from Harford Community College when they have the big bands appearing. They're sold out three months in advance of a Glenn Miller Orchestra or Dorsey Brothers Band concert. The theater seats 600, and there's always at least another 150 standing in the back. When they fire up and do In The Mood, the isles fill with people, young and old, dancing.

Now, the rock concerts at Merrywether Post Pavilion draw thousands of youngsters. You can smell the pot while parking your car, fights break out constantly, there were hundreds of police there last week and they had their hands full with the crazies. Not for me, but I guess the futuristic techie guys on the forum will love this kind of stuff.

With my current health situation, retirement is much closer than I would like, but when it comes, I'm ready. Gonna spend most of next summer sailing and enjoying what little time I have left on the planet.

Cheers,

Gary

Gary stop painting such a grim picture and just wake up and be Happy your alive and able to do what ever you want.....
Live every day as if it were your last my friend!

Yep, live everyday as if it was your last...and, sooner or later, you'll be right!


Ian

PS...nothing grim about retirement Donny...it's not an "end", but a "beginning" of a new life.

That's funny retire from what, Playing music? ....give me a break! When people keep droning on heath issues it brings down the spirit in the room so to speak & everybody in it,......Think positive,always remember there are people way worse off then what ever you think is wrong with you so embrace life and go enjoy it every day. Hug your kids and you wife everyday, go out and enjoy life, and "retire" when your in the coffin....

Carry on

Thanks Donny...I certainly hope you follow your own advice.

I retired from "gigging" not "playing"...I play for several hours every day.

Plus, I'm having a great time in this new apartment complex...I feel like it's a college dorm and I'm a kid in college.

If you can think even half as positively as I do, you'll do okay, grasshopper!

I got rid of the wife and have no kids so I give myself a great big hug every morning, just before I have my cuppa tea and switch on the Tyros4.

I honestly don't see much "droning" on here about health issues, but I do appreciate knowing how others (such as Gary) are fairing along health-wise, so keep thinking positive Donny and keep embracing life.

I know I will.

Ian

Sounds a bit lonely for me Ian ...but who am I to judge...?

That's right, Donny, we shouldn't judge...walk a mile in my shoes before you do.

Ian

Hard to be lonely in Cape Breton. I've found Capers to be a gregarious, in-your-face kind of friendly bunch. And there's good musicians out the wazoo up there.

Hi Donny,

To be honest, apart from some additional features and maybe extra audio styles I'm not sure how much better it would sound over the s950 overall. It would have to be a mini T4 at the very least, including all the vocals and synth/pad sounds from the T4 for me to even be remotely interested. I think it might be quite difficult for Yamaha to create something that sounds significantly better than the s950 whilst keeping it at the mid range price.

Also let's not forget Technics and GEM they were the big arranger giants that were copied by KORG and Yamaha and were way ahead of their time, and probably some of the programmers went to work for the existing companies. And like you said KORG,Yamaha,Ketron, WERSI are mostly left taking up most of the slack, who knows maybe Roland will make a comeback?
I wish Yamaha made a little better quality on the PSR models but then again I guess you get what you pay?

I posted links in another topic, but it's somewhat related to this topic to - about "what Yamaha is up to" ... That is, Yamaha recently released 3 *new* models of Electone/StageA organs. Supposedly with Tyros4/Tyros5 "stuff" in them. So they are very likely working on a new middle-of-the-line arranger too (successor to S950).

Jim