I agree with Eddie (Btweengigs). Out of the box, the keyboard is flat, needs tuning and tweeking. However, keep in mind that very few arranger keyboard players take the time to crack open the owner's manual, sit down at the board and page by page go through the book and learn all the features these boards have to offer. This is an important aspect of any keyboard--not just Yamaha boards. It's rare to hear a keyboard that sounds great right out of the box, and off the top of my head I cannot think of one that did not require a significant learning curve and lots of late nights before getting it to sound acceptible.

Forums such as this one have been of immense help in solving some of the tweeking and tuning challenges, and more often than not the information offered up by a number of individuals provides the insight needed to make appropriate changes. Their recommendations are usually from a practical standpoint, resulting from personal experiences using the keyboard. Keep in mind, however, that there are vast differences between the needs of a full-time working OMB entertainer and somneone that plays strictly for their own enjoyment in a home studio setting.

I sincerely believe Yamaha's operating system is among the easiest to use, the most versitile, and offers the greatest number of options--especially for the OMB entertainer. The secret to success is to utilize as many of these options as possible, tune them to perfection, then utilize them in such a manner to where navigating the keyboard is second nature. Everyone has his or her own method of doing this, and there is no right or wrong here--it's just what works best for your needs.

The next part of the equation for OMB entertainers, especially those of us who set up and tear down two, and sometimes three times a day, is to streamline the entire setup to facilitate this in a timely manner. When I first entered the world of the Synthzone I was lugging around monster Peavey speakers, and more damned equipment than anyone can imagine. It took 8 trips to the van with a refrigerator dolly to unload the gear, everything weighed a ton, the wiring was a rat's nest that took 25 minutes to hook up and the total setup time was about 45 minutes. Through lots of creative engineering this task has been shortened to 10 to 15 minutes for the most part, and this includes loading and unloading time. The load now fits on a single Rock "N" Roller cart, rolls in the door of every venue with ease, and you don't even work up a sweat.

Yes, I'm still playing the PSR-3000s, love the sounds, and while I tend to dig into more of the OS than most folks, after two years I'm still discovering things that I didn't know about the keyboard. Sure, there are times when I think something could sound better, and when I encounter this type of problem it is addressed the very next day. I didn't buy the Tyros or Tyros2 because they did not have onboard speakers, which in my case provide me with an onboard monitor that's right in my face all the time. If the T2 had speakers, plus a sunlight viewable LCD display I would have bought a pair of them.

In the end, when it comes to how the keyboard sounds, I gauge the measure of success by what I hear, and my ability to provide my audiences with seamless entertainment. The true measure of success, IMO, is when you look in front of you at a packed dancefloor at lots of smiling faces, people who come to see and hear you perform week after week, month after month, and year after year. When you look at those folks in wheelchairs who are tapping their feet and singing along with you while you provide then with an avenue of escape for an hour or two, you know all the time and effort you put into the keyboard was worthwhile.

Damned, I just wrote another book!

I'm outa' here--I'm going sailing,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy