Ian is spot on - There is not enough interest for Yamaha to make 76 note arrangers as the vast majority or AKs are sold to home users it's as simple as that.........

I use my tyros at home with an 88note weighted controller but I wouldn't gig out with it - I haven't the stamina

KF

As a pro who utilizes the Tyros2, I concur with Ian's comments that Tyros2 was primarily designed & targeted to the arranger keyboard hobbyist-enthusiast. Still, I appreicate my Tyros2 for it's onstage ez 'on the fly' navigation, terrific sounds, and responsive keys. As I have reiterated before, for arranger style performance, 61 keys is fine. I'd of course would prefer 76 notes, but only if the case size & weight remain the same as Tyros2. For serious solo piano performance, 76 is required, and 88 notes prefered, so (optionally) taking along an 88 note controler board for only those occasions offers flexibility.

Scott

I don't know about the interest in general, and can only speak of my own interest - indeed, my interest is in a 76 key high-end arranger. I would love to get a 76-key Tyros2, I believe that it is the most user-friendly instrument out there. However, if at the time when I will need to replace or augment my G1000, the T2"Pro" is still not available, there will be other options. Thankfully, the marketplace provides us with a variety of choices. The Ketron SD1, Roland G70, and Korg PA1XPro all have the good features AND 76 keys.

Some people say they get by swimmingly with 61 keys - that's great. I, on the other hand, feel severely constrained having only a 5 octave keyboard to play, so it would not work for me. The saddest thing is that Yamaha could probably add the 15 missing keys without even changing the case dimensions - just eliminate the wasted space on the sides of the keyboard (the same goes for Genesys "pro". While it may be true that the 9000Pro did not make a lot of money, its development costs were miniscule - it reused all of its technologies from other boards - the case, keyboard, sound engine, user interface were all cannibalized from other products in the Yamaha's product line. As Jim's (Esh) experience indicated, Yamaha did not even do a proper job integrating all the parts together, and the plug-in cards did not work properly. Hopefully they will do better when putting together the Pro version of the T2.

I also wanted to address the subject of using a controller - it may work for someone who is playing at the same location every night. I play in a variety of venues, and not very regularly. The extra work to accommodate the keyboard AND the controller is significant - I'd need a larger, heavier, longer to set up and break down stand, another case to carry to and from the car, another set of wires to plug, even more mess on the power bar. With the extra height I would be forced to play standing up, and the keyboard higher rig would obstruct the view of the audience. In addition, having to reach over the other (the T2) keyboard would put the panel buttons out of easy reach, negating much of the user friendliness of the T2. Sorry, but to me having a controller keyboard is not an answer.

The only approach that IMHO works with controller keyboards is having the T2 (or even PSR3000) functionality packaged as a module. Such a module can be placed right on top of the controller, with its buttons within easy reach. However, Yamaha does not seem too keen on making a module version of the T2/PSR either.

Regards,
Alex

Alex and Scottyee,
I have a good friend that has two PSR-9000 pros and he wouldn't part with them for love nor money. He absolutely must have 76 notes....probably because he is first and foremost a piano player.
I came from the Hammond B3 to the Yamaha Electone (even took the Electone music program and ended up teaching it after graduation) so I'm used to playing chords in a way that's pretty close to what's needed on a 61-note arranger.
Just because Tyros 1/2 isn't a "pro" instrument doesn't keep a professional entertainer from using it to make terrific music with it,as Scottyee has expressed.And Gary(travlin'easy) makes the most of the 3k which is not truly a "pro" instrument....he's making a living!

Professionals have always been resourceful and make the most out of a instrument...sometimes even using it's limitations to their own advantage.
The arranger module is a great idea...I used Roland's great series of RA arrangers,the last one being the RA-90,but again they were dropped for some reason after the RA-95(correct me if I'm wrong).My understanding is that they were hard to sell because they were too pricey....
A "Tyros in a Box"....that would be ideal, and something I'd love to have, but Alex, I'm afraid you are right about Yamaha's disinterest in making a module.
I have used an 88 note controller connected to the 3k but it was off to the right (in an "L" configuration) and I used it only as a solo piano and sometimes to play along with a midi I had previously recorded.To have the 3k mounted above the controller would have made both difficult to use.
The inside info I have received from other Yamaha Clinicians is that a 76 key Tyros 2 is not in the near future....a boon to Korg and Roland and others...but a bane to us Yamaha devotees.
Ian

Ian,

Please do not confuse my designation of the 76 key version of T2 as "T2 Pro" with the propfessionals using the keyboard. My name of T2Pro is purely ficticious, though in keeping with Pa1x PRO and Yamaha's own 9000 PRO.

I never alluded to a greater professionalism of people who require the 76 keys, nor to the fact that just because someone uses fewer keys or a lower end instrument, they are less professional than others. In fact, the opposite may very well be true - a real entertainer will be able to keep his audience happy with a $99 Casio. Paganini demonstrated his place at the apex of the violin technique himself when he continued performing on only a single string, after the other three strings of his violin broke in the middle of the performance.

Nonetheless, there are some of us (perhaps of lesser musical talents like myself), who need 76 keys, because we have developed a certain technique, after years of playing a 6 octave keyboard. As I said before, I can only speak for myself for certain, but at this point I would feel that going with a 61 key board would take away from my playing whatever technological advantages this new board may contain inside.

You may well be correct that Yamaha will not be making a T2 module nor the 76 key version. In that case, I will just have to turn to the competition - fortunately Yamaha is not the only game in town.

Regards,
Alex

Yes Alex,I am inclined to agree with you...it is fortunate that Yamaha is not the only game in town.
The lack of a 76 note arranger is certainly something they should have rectified,and with the Tyros 2 having such a great sound with the new SA voices,it would have made a wonderful basis for an instrument with 76,or even 88 keys.
Of course,if portability isn't an issue,the new CVP line will have the same features as Tyros 2 plus Yamaha's great Graded hammer keyboard...88 of the finest feeling keys on the market.
Of course if portability is an issue,the only choice is the competition...Roland and Korg make excellent instruments that would surely meet all your requirements...
All the best,
Ian

If an arranger manufacturer would make a reasonably priced arranger module, that could solve the problem of asking them to build a full 76 or 88 key arranger. You jus get the module and use what ever 76 key controller you want.

OH! there is just one problem, they don't seem to be making 76 key controllers any more. Its sad.

TADA....to the rescue...get yourself a Ketron Midijay module and a CME UF7 76 key controller keyboard and there you have it...

Tom

------------------
Bigger is not always better

Tada, Tada....A Midjay and a Roland A-37...

But you can not get A-37s any more. Can you?

[This message has been edited by to the genesys (edited 02-01-2006).]