Advice on what to buy Yamaha or Roland

I'm considering buying either a Yamaha PSR 3000 or possibly a Roland G70. Seems to me that they are in 2 diffent classes in terms of price. I'm not sure about function?? Some of the decision is based on what I can sell a grand piano I own ,that I rarely play anymore. ( got to raise some extra cash first).

At home and it stays at home because it's too hard to transport to solo gigs is a Yamaha Clav CVP 107. If that were portable, I'd take that on gigs. And the story would end here.

Since I'm a pianist and prefer at least 76 keys. As a substitute until I found something I really like I bought a Casio Privia PXR-400 that I've been taking on my solo gigs. It does the job OK and for the price hard to beat. But I just am not crazy about the overall styles and the only good sounding voices are the some of the pianos, eps, organs and octave jazz guitar.

Any advice?

Thanks

I strongly suggest G-70, especially for the keyboard quality and extension, unless you have a special preference for Yamaha styles/sounds over Roland ones.

Hi Stephenm52,
Between Psr3000 and G.70, I also suggest G-70. But you have also Korg PA1X 76/61 keys (www.korgpa.com).

Franky

I haven't checked out the Korg at this time. I did do an iquiry from a local music dealer about the Roland and when he started negative comments about the the G70 and talked up the Korg I got some bad vibes. So I haven't considered the Korg.

check out something alternative to the "big 3", stephen...why not have a look at some of the General Music gear?? www.generalmusic.us

peace, out

Roland exr7 is also 76 keys btw...

Timo

Do you have an EXR7 if not what have you heard about it?

essentially the exr 7 is a 76 note version of the exr-5, (which i also owned briefly)..sounds were lacklustre, no sequencer (which i beleive has been addressed in the exr-7) keybed was very average to use, and the rhythms were well...boring..its a cheap keyboard what more can i say other than you get what you pay for..

Thanks for the info, looks like that's not a board for me.

I dont have a ex-7 I was just kinda looking like you for a 76 note keyboard and some people on these boards recommended it in the $1000 price range.. hmm I hear you can get it
for $750 or so.. but by the demo's the yamaha's 1500 are quite a bit better and I see they are only about $1000 but there only 61 keys on those. sounds like you are going for something top of the line so these budget choices probally dont help u out much....

I may be wrong but isn't the psr 3000 a 61 note keyboard?

[This message has been edited by Timo1 (edited 04-23-2005).]

[This message has been edited by Timo1 (edited 04-23-2005).]

Hi, Stephenm52

Why PSR 3000 not Tyros?

Franky

Some consideration to $$ and also that's it's 61 keys and the possibility that the new Tyros II will have 76 keys.

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I've been trying to put this in my mind why some members claim they need more than 61 keys. I've watched many 76 and 88 key players perform, and most perform well within the range of 61 keys. I never seen a piano player play the extreme lower or upper ends of the keybed. In most instances, when playing a 61 key keyboard as a piano the left had begins at C-2 and pretty much stays in that range, while the right hand rarely strays much above C-4's octave, and when it does, it's only few a few scant notes.

I'm really interested in hearing why there's a need for 76 or 88 keys, and the songs that make the need for them so necessary.

Cheers,

Gary

Hi Gary,
a second splitpoint to separate upper3 sound.
Have a look at G-70 demo of Roland US. You'll see.
Regards,
Hanspeter

http://www.rolandus.com/products/ck_deta...age=1&ReviewID=

Scott

The video demo in mono(and audio samples) all are recorder direct from the mixing console.... right ?

Please can anyone explain why I always get the impression it is recorded with mikes, about 20 meters from the speakers ? (delay etc)

If I were Roland, I would reduce this effect a lot, just to get a better accent on sound-quality. Imagine what happens in a 'real' hall : People get it twice ! (internal Hall-simulation PLUS the actual Hall-effects)

I prefer cristal-clear sound from the speakers. (e.g. like Scott's machine has)

Just my opinion

Hi Roel,
it's only to give people a reason to grumble about. Nothing else. The last question, I think, has been another.
Regards,
Hanspeter

Hanspeter,

I'm serious my friend..... is this sound 'Roland-typical' nowadays ? (distance miking instead of close-miking)

I used to have the Soundcanvas SC55 loooooong time ago and I cannot remember I noticed it at that time.
Perhaps it's my English, but what are you trying to say about the 'last question'?



[This message has been edited by Roel (edited 04-24-2005).]

Hi Roel,
no, I think your English is much better than mine, and you know it! But this is not important. Last question has been
Garry's about the amount of key's.
Best Regards,
Hanspeter

I'm really interested in hearing why there's a need for 76 or 88 keys, and the songs that make the need for them so necessary.

Cheers,

Gary

From Stephenm52

I originally studied piano and for the most of the last 30 years always used 88 keys because I strictly played piano. A couple of years ago I started with low end Yamaha arranger for fun. One thing lead to another and I started taking an arranger on gigs. I guess for me it's my security blanket in the remote case that someone asks me to play a ragtime or classical piece of music.

Gary, I agree that 61 notes is perfectly fine & adequate for auto accomp mode style keyboard playing, especially because I'm able to trigger all left hand chords (even full 7th chords), and in all inversions, as well as those cool rootless type jazz chords, with the kb split point set at F#2, leaving over 3-1/2 octaves free for right hand play, pretty close to the 4 octave range available above middle C on an 88 note piano.

For traditional 'acoustic piano style' playing though, where you need to reach down and play (with your LH) the lower notes (BASS) and reach up an octave to play a chord (stride style), or common left hand arrepiation (Root -5th - 3rd), with right hand concurrently required to play mid-high & high notes for fills & arrpegios, 61 notes is NOT adequate at all. I feel that 76 keys is the 'bare mimimum' required to play in a traditional acceptable sounding solo piano style.

Though I'm satisfied (and even prefer) a 61 note keyboard for its lighter weight & smaller size transportability, there are too many times I want to throw in a piano SOLO number on the Tyros and can't pull it off because of insufficient KB real estate (notes) and flimsy (synth action) key feel which prevents me from utilizing the traditional acoustic keyboard playing techniques required to sound convincingly like an acoustic piano, and of which a weighted key action 76 or 88 note keyboard controller can provide. Admittedly, as portable keyboard arranger performers, it's a set of trade-offs, weight & size being at the head of the list for one man gigging performers. I for one think the Ketron SD1 with 76 keys, includes the best balance of weight & size, weighing in at a mere 36 lbs. I much prefer though, the Tyros instrument voice sound quality, Korg's more contemporary (fresh sounding) styles, Technics (and Yamaha's) user friendly intuitive OS navigation, and Roland's incrediblely realistic Fantom acoustic piano samples. If only these kb manufacterers could come together & roll all these strengths into ONE keyboard. I can dream, can't I? - Scott

Thanks for the replies guys. For me, a person who has not played a piano since I was very, very young, anything greater than 61 keys is far more than I need. I guess when you've been trained on a paino and spent many years playing with 88 keys, the need for additional keys is very real.

Thanks again,

Gary