Either keyboard will probably serve your needs, and in reality, the learning curve is quite steep. No owners manual that I've come across in the past two decades has been comprehensive, and none were well written. Fortunately, there are user forums where knowledgeable individuals are usually more than willing to help you solve many of the complexities.

For the most part, I lean toward Yamaha for several reasons. First and foremost Yamaha seems to have much better factory and technical support than any of the other leading manufacturers. There are factory authorized service centers worldwide that usually provide excellent support for their products. Naturally, there are exceptions to this, but generally speaking, Yamaha seems to be at the top of this list.

As for the sounds, this, of course, is subjective. Some like the polished sounds Yamaha provides, while others prefer a rougher sound claiming it closely resembles a live band. Of course, everyone that sees you playing knows it's not a live band creating the music. I, personally, love both Yamaha's styles and individual voices.

Much of the sound quality produced by any keyboard will depend heavily upon the PA system you select. Another key factor will be the tuning of the keyboard's global EQ system.

The ball is now in your court,

Gary