Kmac,
I use the drums a lot. What I meant by, solo piano mode is that, if I am playing with both hands on the same sound (piano, rhodes, whatever) then I am usually NOT trying to sound band-like.
WE all have our little quirks about style and techniques, but what it all boils down to is - HOW can this keyboard serve MY needs?
If you find enough workarounds for your tastes - great .... if not... you have to keep searching.
Personally... I think it's almost going in a backwards direction. (keyboard development)
There are so many wonderful things that can be done with digital help, but it seems like we only get a "taste" of it at a time.
I mentioned before - I may try the "piano" approach this year. I have a Roland FP3, and it's very portable, and has 88 weighted keys. It also has a drum machine and a limited arranger built in, so I was thinking of trying it out so I can "pound out" on the keys when the situation arises without fearing a plastic meltdown! I'll use more sequences for dance tunes, the arranger for on the spot requests, and play the piano "straight" the rest of the time.
I'm getting sentimental for the feel of a "real solid" keypad under my fingers..... Maybe this will keep me happy for 15 minutes...... HA !
(yeah, right .... ME, happy?)

Scott..Replying again to your full keyboard mode problem. I have just checked out my friends PSR9000 with latest OS 3.1. It still unfortunately adds the extra notes from the right hand to the left hand chords in full keyboard mode as per your PSR2000.

PSR9000 Pro I am told (Perhaps 9000 Pro owners can confirm this) with the new OS 2.1 does keep the chords clean from being added to from the right hand melody notes when in full keyboard mode. I think its called A1 mode. Why Yamaha decided not to add this facility to the latest OS on the 9000 is your guess?

Graham UK

Scott, Yes, you're right. Glad I'm not a piano-style player.
Maybe they will upgrade.
DonM

Don: I sure hope that Yamaha will correct this too. Anyway, I think it's important to note that the 'full keyboard' mode 'on bass' problem ONLY occurs when you play (with your right hand) notes within one octave above the chord tones you play with your left hand. All other notes (in other octaves) played with the right hand do NOT cause the 'on bass' thing to be triggered. Unless another PSR owner (PSR9000/9000pro) is experiencing this same thing on their keyboard, I'm thinking that this is a problem (bug?) on the PSR2000 which needs to be addressed in an OS update. Don, btw, did Yamaha ever get back to you regarding the vocalizer problem? They still haven't returned my call.

Graham: Yes, 'A1 full keyboard' is included on the PSR2000 and it does solve the 'on bass chord' recognition' problem I described above, but unfortunately 'A1 full keyboard' mode also does NOT support rootless chord recognition.

I've quickly grown to realize that there is'nt (and may never be) 'ONE' single perfect arranger keyboard out there. All the arranger keyboards have different 'strengths' and 'weaknesses'. It's just a continueing fun challenge to find new ways of adapting & customizing each one to meet our individual playing requirements.

Wishing the best to all in 2002,

- Scott

No they haven't called me. Very disappointing.
I hope that new GEM keyboard isn't as good as they say it will be.
Don

I just got inspired to call Yamaha again. I nice lady told me they had answered this question for Scott Yee!!
I said what does that have to do with me?
Anyway I finally got through to a technician, and he worked on it for quite some time.
He was able to get the Speedy Mouse to work by tweaking the settings. I was not able to, but he has a newer OS than I do.
He was not able to get the Karaoke Girl to work right.
He said Yamaha Japan is closed for New Years but that he will get back to me as soon as he receives OS upgrade, and/or any information regarding the Vocal Harmony problem. He said that while the keyboard he had had a newer OS, it was not yet available in any form that could be sent out. In other words, it's in his keyboard but he doesn't have it on computer in software form.
He then told me that my case had been closed out because they had answered this question for Scott Yee, and there was a note that Scoot and I are in the same band, so they closed my file out too. I suppose somebody assumed that since we asked about the same problem, that we were "together".
DonM

Don,

Interesting how Yamaha assumed just because we both had reported the 'same' problem that we both play in the same band. Go figure! Maybe this is a cue for us to start some kind of duo act going

Yes, I talked to a Yamaha Tech named Bill Kamstra a couple of weeks back. As you may have remembered from my earlier post, he initially would NOT even acknowledge there was a problem, but he finally told me he would look into the matter and would get back to me. Still haven't heard back from him about this yet. At this point, we can only wait to see if a fix is included in an OS update I suppose.

I hope the new PSR2000 OS update will be available for download (off the internet) soon.

- Scott
http://scottyee.com

Scott,
The lady that I first talked to said that her records show they had called you back and closed the file!!
Also the guy did say that he thought the new OS upgrade made it possible to save Fingering Modes in registration memory.
Go ahead and book a couple weeks' work, and I'll be out there.
They won't know if we're Chinese, Native American, Cajun, or something in between.
Don

Wow! Scott and Don together!
How will they call you.....the Cool Brothers?

How 'bout ..... Grandfather & Grasshopper?