No on the road again shopping

Didn't buy anything today at the store (mask on of course)....
Did look at a used Yamaha S series unit on the floor,....
But did finally play a Montage and Modx6...

What were your impressions?

Only had time to play a short while... Keybed feel excellent... Sound was amazing... Arps.. Patterns very kool to get inspired too, well built too. I needed more time too dig in..
Just got a taste and I liked what I heard. And that is where it ended for me as it was easy to play parts, patterns, and little parts here and there but getting it to be fluid and do an entire song with take some time...I just wanna pick a style sit and play.. .... For me I would say an arranger is the best all in one keyboard. These so called synths left me wondering why I needed it and too much work to create a full song vs a good Yamaha arranger kb like the SX900/SX700/Genos etc,. Do I buy another SX unit now or do I wait to see what is coming down the pike? What are your thoughts and why?

It was really sad to walk into the keyboard department and see nO MOTL or TOTL arranger keyboards besides the always present low line casio unit...everything else was either old keyboards used, and the Monatge,modx, and a few digital pianos from who knows what year.
no wonder arrangers are a rare thing.

Do you have a keyboard at all now? If not, it's ok to buy an SX now provided you can sell it later (without taking too much of a loss) if something else becomes available.

I am skeptical that arrangers will change drastically in the near future. If you look at Yamaha, for example, what differentiates the SX line from say the PSR 2000 from years ago? A couple of knobs, a chord sequencer, and yes a touch screen but little else. They have been reselling the same basic technology for years (Korg too). Genos is just a glorified Tyros with a touch screen. BTW, Yamaha HAD to add a touch screen because their main competitor Korg had it and even the old people that buy their products have them in their phones.

Roland has already gotten out of the TOTL market and is now selling one model that caters to all markets but mostly the overseas buyers. I am not convinced that Korg will not go the same way. They are late releasing the PA5X (or whatever they will call it). Some are blaming that on the coronavirus and they may be right or Korg may be revamping their line to look like Roland. I could be wrong though.

Ketron has the launchpad which is a true innovation. But each person has to decide if it will truly help what they do and there is a learning curve. Korg's innovation was Karma and I would dare say that fewer than 10 percent of the people at Synthzone use it. If you want to do the type of thing that Karma does, you will be more attracted to a workstation anyway.

I am staying put until something really new comes along (or my 900 dies), but I don't think that will happen.

W Tracy Parnell
thanx for your thoughts of many I can agree with for sure...
all good points....and at this stage of the game am I making myself happy or just won't let go of the old mindset of making others happy playing keyboard. Do you really need the automated style driven easy way or with so much time on your hands go the workstation route and take your time creating for yourself.... or just use a good digital keyboard piano, etc, and sit and play for your own enjoyment.

Donny, I've mentioned before (and now I'm actually joining you in the quest) - it's time to reinvent yourself, professionally. You are not doing anywhere NEAR the same thing you used to do, so you do not need the same tools. That's why none of them make you happy. You're buying tools for a trade that you no longer work in. You don't like piano, so scratch that option. You don't need any features in particular, because there is no end goal for the creation. My advice is to re think the whole deal. Maybe take up photography for a while, and then after a bit - make home movies, and add your old recordings to them for your grandkids. Create an audio/video legacy! You've been given a gift by being able to retire while you're still fit enough to enjoy your time ... so GO ENJOY! You can afford to pamper yourself a little. Find a new hobby, and if a new "something" happens to catch your eye one day - address it then, but don't LOOK for something you don't want, don't NEED, and won't keep. It makes no sense to hold on to things that will not return. (Take it from a 3x divorcee) You have a great family, a comfortable income for life, and you should be exploring new things to do with your time everyday. Hanging out here, talking shop with others that all have different needs is just making you more, and more frustrated as you are reminded of your "Glory Days" .... maybe your true Glory Days have not yet begun? Many people start a new path at our age ... look ahead, my friend, and leave this crazy, gypsy life behind.
You did it.
It's over.
Move on.
Sayin' all this with love and respect for a life well lived. Go find happiness somewhere other than in a plastic keyboard. There's so much to see and do - I'm seriously jealous. Wish I had the opportunity you have right now. Maybe with a little distance, you'll find some clarity of purpose, and you can act on it then. What ever you do - good luck.

Now, GO OUTSIDE!!!!!!!

Well Said

I am outside all over all the time ...
your misconception that I am on the pc at home
is totally incorrect, it might seem like that...
it's called a cell phone and I use it everywhere I go
and can go online easily but you know that.
Thank you for your thoughts but I have other plans which
I will never discuss on a public forum.
and good luck in your new home and area to live
you'll do great there for sure.
Ok so much for wearing my heart on my shoulders here..
time to back off..

bye