I am sure someone at Yamaha, on occassion, reviews forums such as this. However, to have a more direct voice, does anyone know of a good email address of someone at Yamaha who matters, to let them know we really do want 76-key arrangers?

I'm sure Steve Marsden visits SZ so let's hope he reads this and feeds it back to the big guys at Yamaha.

[This message has been edited by Craig_UK (edited 05-09-2006).]

theres no way that you are going to convince me that the manufacturers make arranger keyboards heavier just because they want to !Do you think the likes of Korg are not aware that their top of the range aranger keyboard (which i own) breaks peoles backs ? if they could have made it lighter with the same build quality, they would have. Both the fantom x 7 and the korg tr are synth keyboards with synth action keys.My brother has the triton extreme and although i have not checked myself he informs me that that the extreme and the tr casing are made from the same materials. Its cheap plastic and the casing on his is cracked and flaking just from leaning the keyboard on its side when packing away.it is currently being held together with masking tape..... Not great build quality by anyones standards.... Like i said if the market wanted 76 note synth action arranger keyboards then the manufacturers would make them. I've said this before the majority of arranger keyboards and in fact keyboards in general are not purchased by pro musicians. They are purchased by hobbyists and enthusiasts. There are simply not enough enthusiasts that want a 76 note arranger keyboard or it would happen.

[This message has been edited by Spalding1 (edited 05-09-2006).]

The Tyros 2 could have and should have been 76 keys under 35LBS.

It does not use the heavy materials like Korg Roland and Gem but it is probably the most popular and best arranger on the market.


The fact that the Korg TR 76 and the Roland Fantom x7 are synths with synth action does not make the possibility of having a lightweight 76 key arranger any less. In fact, it only supports the point that the technology and the know-how is their to make a 76 key arranger. The problem is that in each manufacturer company, there is a workstation division and an arranger division most of the time in different countries, and doing their own thing. They don’t seem to talk to each other and exchange notes.

I can not speak to the build quality of TR76 and the Fantom x7, but as the Tyros 2 and PSR 3000 have shown, people are not as concern with build quality as they are with other features on an arranger.

I am not really trying to argue with any one on this topic, but I just don’t think that manufacturers should get away with just putting anything on the market and think that everything is OK.

They must be made aware of the needs of gigging musicians and make the arrangers accordingly so we can buy and support their products. Especially when implementing some of the features that the gigging musicians need would not adversely affect overall sales.

Look at the sample play back and the audio recording features on the Tyros 2. Before the Tyros 2 came out, there was lots of discussion about whether an arranger should have sampling capabilities and audio recording. Some of us gigging musicians were advocating for such features (like what the Gem Genesys had) there were others who said that those features are not needed on arranger, it will drastically increase the price, and there is no market for it, get and external sampler and audio recording device and so on. Now look at the Tyros 2 the value of the sampling playback and the audio recording capabilities is being realized and appreciated. And from Yamaha’s perspective, those features did not decrease sales or drastically increase the price. Quite the opposite, the Tyros 2 is probably the hottest new keyboard on the market today.

Just my $0.2