How much do sounds and styles really matter?

With all the discussion about number of keys, colour of the keyboard and so on, when you are looking at purchasing a new arranger, how important are sounds and styles and the OS? Do those things not prevail over other characteristics of the arranger?

If it sounds the way you like it, it is not heavy and it does what you want, what does it matter if it has 76 keys? What does it matter that the keyboard is green?

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TTG

Perhaps not in a practicle sense but, I for one, likes to take pride in the look and feel of my keyboard. Take the G70, for example, I am proud of it no matter what it weighs.

I love the balanced look of my PSR-S910...an ergonomic delight, the 61 keys starting and ending on "C"...five octaves of pure playing pleasure.

It has awesome styles played by the same incredible style engine of the Tyros3/4 and it's sounds are excellent.

Having all this in a 25 lb package makes it a perfect gigging arranger, that still does a marvellous job as a home instrument.

Ian

The ONLY thing that really matters is what's coming out of the speakers--all of the other features are just glitz! The weight, number of keys, color, key feel, display intensity, etc.. are meaningless if the keyboard doesn't sound great in every category. The sound is followed by the OS, which of course is of paramount importance for both pro and home players.

How it actually sounds, of course, is very subjective, and every player has his or her own preferences. Some want loud, sharp drums, while others prefer them to be more balanced with the other sound components. Some want more realistic sounds and larger, actual samples, while others are content with what the manufacturer supplies. This component alone has likely triggered more heated discussions on the forum than any other. It's a mine sounds/is better than yours syndrome that will NEVER END.

When it comes to operating systems, some folks want an OS that reads the player's mind and does everything on its own without player intervention. A select few are willing to sit down, read the manual, then take the time to learn the OS from top to bottom. This is one of the few aspects pertaining to arranger keyboards where Diki and I are in agreement. I know a huge number of individuals that have never taken their keyboard's operating/user manual out of the zip-loc bag it was shipped in.

Cheers,

Gary

Well said, Gary, and I am in complete agreement with you and Diki...many people hardly use the arranger they have to it's full potential, before moving on to a new one.

Ian

I've sat in audiences and listened to people critique other players and make fun of them and how cheezy their keyboard or vocals sound.

To me this is the priority for me; not to sound cheezy. Most of today's keyboards have great sounds that don't sound cheezy with some exceptions.

I really think it boils down to the styles and whether they fit the songs your playing and if they make people want to dance.

And I must say, I just bought a 61key arranger instead of a 76key on PRICE differential alone.

I think sounds are extreme in importance,but NOT the utmost determining factor,i mean sure that ferrari may be the most powerful out on the road,but do you really want it as your daily driver?
All features and how they are layed out are integrated in my decision making process.

Bread and butter sounds need to sound good.. styles are just styles..there are plenty of great styles already...to me it is dumb to purchase a new keyboard for styles..

The utmost reason to keep or buy a keyboard is comfort...that includes the keys...operating system (with real time control)...and durability..

It seems from a lot of responses that a balancing act is going on.
Contrarily to popular belief, having sounds and styles that a persons like does not necessarily mean that they would buy the keyboard regardless.
For example, just look at the issue of colour. If a keyboard has great sounds and styles and an OS that you like but the keyboard was silver or black you would probably still buy the keyboard. However, if the keyboard were hot pink, some persons would reconsider the purchase.

Every one has their limit as to how much of a characteristic of a keyboard would they tolerate. I may prefer a 76 key arranger but would not buy a 88 key. Another may prefer 61 keys but would not buy a 49 key one regardless of how great the styles and sounds and OS are.

Styles are probably among the things that most first time buyers and even some pros consider.

I know this because I did work in the retail Music for over 20 years, and if the arranger do not have the patterns/rhythms that appeal to the customer, he/she will buy only the arranger that provides those styles, that is to suit their "needs" and "wants" for the consumer.

Even in the arrangers "low" end, as an example, the ethnic group, like my Mexican customers that where looking to purchase an arranger ($100-200USD range), that if it does not have a "Cumbia" style, and as you know, the low end models on the Yamaha PSR line that does not have any, well, they purchase the Casios because they have it, and I heard that many times they may have said, "I like the sounds better on the Yamaha, but, does not have what I need/want".

In the medium to large arrangers, many customers are not aware of the loading user styles possibility, depending on the brand/models.

So, it is very important the styles issue too, unless the user plays only midi files, then, it does not matter.


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mdorantes

Very good point, mdorantes...when I worked in retail, I experienced the very same.

And, when someone wanted to move up to a new instrument, they wanted it to have the same styles that were important to them on the older one.

Nowadays, as you say, it is not so much of an issue, and you can download and save the styles, and then load them in the new instrument.

Ian

Then please explain why Yamaha is the leader?

Just kiddin' Ian

I agree with your thoughts MD....

If it does what I want, it allows me to play a fairly full piano part (or Rhodes, etc.). So there's WHY the need for 76. After that come the basic sounds... who wants to play a wanky piano sound even if it HAS got 76 keys? After that comes the styles... Are they too busy? Too song-specific? Lacking in genres I play?

After all that comes the weight (if I can lug around a forty pound speaker, I can manage a forty pound arranger ) and after that comes color... No, after that, I really don't give a toss what color it is!

Absolutely! Styles do matter.
But how much do they matter when put against other characteristics of the arranger?


If it has the styles that some one wants, if the arranger was purple does it change their decision to buy? If it has 49 keys does it change their decision to buy? If it weighs 40 LBS does it change their decision to buy?




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TTG

For me personally, sound quality is paramount, as is operability, styles, so long as they can provide a nice simple backing that can be edited is all I need. (All singing all dancing styles (Particularly song specific) usually bore me to tears after a couple of listens (There just too repetitive for me)

Additionally (Not related to the post however) is longevity of a board, changing every 3 years or so is a no no, I just want to change the stuff that does the work, and not have to buy a new board to get it.

Bill

76 keys is a hot topic because it influences my performance directly and so the general sound of my performance.. Many other things like sliders, knobs, buttons also directly influence my performance and should be taken account of together with Sounds, styles, Mediaplayer options, sound edditing possibilities, sample loading memmory... and many more So its not just sound and styles that matter.

Color and looks is offtopic, tough i really like the black look of the new Motif XF above the dull grey of the Motif XS it should not be of any concern when buying a new instrument.