You playing live out, much, James..? Solo, OMB work, that kind of thing?

Bet you aren't using an MS...

Open stuff has its' place, but as the best tool for the average arranger OMB to use, it still has a VERY long way to go.

Content, content, and more content. THAT'S what the arranger market's vast majority want. You don't think Yamaha would LOVE to save a fortune and sell their arrangers with no usable styles (obviously, a HUGE part of R&D for a new model for them, or Dom could have afforded it, too), and leave it all in the hands of their users, do you? They aren't that stupid. Lionstracs is, apparently.

Even Ketron realized that their Audya would stand or fall on the strengths of its' included styles, NOT on whether it could play audio files as part of a style (but you had to make them yourself). Lionstracs didn't though.

Different tools for different jobs. Want to make utterly original music, ambient soundscapes, groove based music? Open keyboard's your best bet every time. Want to go out to a restaurant and entertain the diners with some jazz and light pop, oldies and standards? Open keyboard is NOT the best bet, in fact, it's the WORST. Dom never got this. Still doesn't, IMO.

I only wish he could play worth a damn. The MS might have turned out FAR more a player's tool than a studio wonk's. Still could be, if he bothered to make it a GREAT arranger, THEN add the 'open' stuff. But he always felt that 'open' was sufficient by itself. It's resounding failure to make any serious inroads to the arranger market ought to convince him of his error.

But no, you'll NEVER hear Dom admit it. Only his actions to change to designating his product a 'GrooveStation/WS' do that.