I don't think that the Synthzone crowd is representative of the average arranger keyboard user and even less of the average Yamaha a.k. user. Much more representative of the second category are dedicated Fora like:
PSR Tutorial SVP World or Yamaha PK Owner

If you hang on these Fora for -say- a week you will have a better grasp of the average Yamaha a.k. user and you will see that they couldn't care less for a 76 notes Tyros or S900.
Since they are also the vast majority of all Yamaha a.k. buyers, the moral of the story is that the folks at the Yamaha marketing department are -sadly- 100% right in their decision to go on with 61 notes keyboards.

You want a 76 notes arranger? Buy a Ketron, or a Korg or a Roland.
End of the story.

The number of people who switched to 76 notes on SZ is relatively small compared to the numbers Yamaha would consider in order to justify a 76 note instrument...it's always the same few who cry about it over and over...incessantly.

In my opinion, SZ has very little influence on Yamaha's decisions.

Ian

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Roland, Korg and Yamaha too...will we ever get a chord sequencer from you?

Great post Dreamer...I saw yours just after mine was posted.

You're perfectly right...SZ is not representative of the average Yamaha arranger player.

Ian

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Common misconception...size and weight equal quality and performance. Don't be fooled.

sad sad .......sad ;(

Thank goodness for choices..

i have seen nobody address this and answer it..how can you ignore the logic? that the home user wants 61 keys makes no sense. 61 is for a PORTABLE-minded user.

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Miami Mo

has everyone forgotten that CASIO is Yamaha's biggest competitor to the "home user", and Casio makes several 76/88-key boards..like the wk series. how come their research doesn't tell them to keep everything to 61??????

Maybe because the "typical" home user is a former organ user? Organs tipically have 61 keys manuals (even if usually there are two of them), so the home user is more "at home" with the 61 keys format?
Misteries of the marketing...

Hi Miami Mo
Ask yourself these questions
1. What instrument did arranger keyboards develop from?
2. How many keys did these instruments have?
Answer these 2 questions, and you will find the logic

Bill

Casio is marketing WK to the beginner piano players, as does Yamaha with the DGXs and YPs...for those who want a little extra.

Arranger buyers are usually coming from an organ/synth background, so 61 will do the job.

Ian






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Common misconception...size and weight equal quality and performance. Don't be fooled.

If that were the case, how do you explain Roland, Korg, Ketron, Lionstrack making 76 key arrangers?


And just because there are web sights that are dedicated to Yamaha arranger 61 key players does not say that those persons are in support of 61 key arrangers. It just means that they are dealing with what they are provided with.