Lol, I knew you would Jørgen But is true ... you provide an awesome service to Yamaha arranger users. Many thanks to you from us all.

It's amazing how much increased interest in (both by the music industry & internet forums) arranger keyboards there's been since 1999 (when I first joined SZ). Back then, the leading US keyboard magazines (Keyboard & Electronic Musician) hardly mentioned (less reviewed) arrangers, even though they certainly existed (Solton X1, Yamaha PSR9000, Technics KN5000, Roland G1000, etc) yet only discussed in detail here on Synthzone. It seems only in the last 2 to 4 years that Keyboard & EM have finally took notice & now showcasing them in reviews & articles, plus, the manufacturers are now even actively promoting their arrangers in magazine advertisements. Wow ! Though I realize I'm only one voice (of many) I'll not forget the year I attended NAMM and had the opportunity to meet Steve Fortner & a group of others from Keyboard Magazine to express my disappointment that arrangers weren't being covered by their magazine. It's apparent now that Steve finally took notice, and that Arrangers are now finally considered a main stream keyboard option for musicians & composers here in America and worldwide, as evidenced by the many terrific arranger forum choices available to us now. Thank you Nigel, Al, Ron, Bill Pittman, Jorgen, and the other arranger kb forum administrators for all your hard work, and support of the arranger keyboard musician community.

Scott

[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 08-20-2007).]

I wonder if the increase in magazine reviews has resulted in higher sales, yet? It still seems that arrangers are getting harder and harder to find in the stores... Especially TOTL and MOTL arrangers.

Maybe a dealer (George? Al?) can give us some figures... (Industry wide, not just your specific store, if you can).

I can only say that all the local Guitar Center stores here in the San Francisco Bay area (3) who only a few short years ago not only never stocked mid-top level arrangers, but never heard of them, are now far more aware of & knowledgeable about them, in part because they're finally featured & reviewed 'highly' in Keyboard & Electronic Musician magazines, which in turn generates increased buying public respect & interest for arrangers as a legitimate keyboard musician's pro music making tool as well. Talking to quite a few pro keyboardists who play in live Bands around the Bay Area, appear now to have greater respect for and now adding to or turning to an arranger vs workstation for their music production. I believe that the line between arrangers & workstations is changing and will eventually merged into one. I don't really know, but my guess is that the next generation Yamaha Tyros2/Motif will be a merging of the unique workstation features of the Motif with the arranger features (including SA voices) of Tyros2. Of course, only time will tell. - Scott