Greetings,
I have been viewing this forum for a while now and have reviewed many of the postings. (I have been praying for Bebop's Wife, Jann and Clif's situation as well just from reading the postings.) I find it a very warm group of people and very encouraging.
Happy Birthday to Ryan and Robby by the way. Really liked your music. My birthday just passed and that is the reason I am writing here. (Birthday present to myself)
I thought it is time to get a new keyboard. I have a Yamaha PS55 (yes circa 1983) and I think it is time to upgrade. It was good for its time but my needs have changed. I like to compose music and would like the ability to capture, edit, and produce the file and use the MIDI capability as well as record to sound files directly. I had originally looked at a PSR550 then the 740. I looked at the comparison features on line and for the extra difference have liked what I heard about the PSR2000.
I do get together with friends and play once in a while but mostly play for myself and kids. I also like the vocal harmony feature. Its not that I can't sing... Its just that people don't want me to... (a line I use in my act)
I really enjoy the encouragement and knowledge that is shared here so I want to know if I have missed anything on my keyboard selection and then what the next steps would be on obtaining one.
Thanks in advance,
- Brian

Welcome Brian,
I think the 2000 would be wonderful for your needs. It is of course quantum leaps from your old PSS. It is probably the most value for the dollar ever produced in an arranger. I have loudly criticized Yamaha for the way they handled its debut and sale, but none of it's shortcomings should affect the way you will use it.
DonM

Welcome to the forum, Brian! Happy "belated" Birthday to you, too! There have been a lot of birthdays in July out here on the SynthZone: you, DonM, Dnj (this Sunday they will be having a Birthday Party Bash), and Robby and I.

And thank you so much for complimenting our music - that means a lot to Robby and me! Your encouragement is extremely important to us and I cannot wait to share some more of our music with all of you in the near future!

I am glad to hear that you are getting a new keyboard. To me, Yamaha offers the best keyboards and they are obviously the most experienced. (The SynthZone and Yamaha donated a keyboard to me for free! You can check out my story at my website: http://webquad.tripod.com/ph/ ) I've heard A LOT of great things about the Yamaha PSR2000, but you might want be patient and wait for more opinions about it from the forum members here...there are many experienced musicians out here who are willing to help you!

Good luck with choosing the keyboard that meets your needs and glad to see that you are now a part of this wonderful forum community! See you around Brian!
Ryan

------------------
CHECK OUT THE PTRNET WEBSITES!

Performance Hall, Dedicated to Thomas Brothers Music: http://webquad.tripod.com/ph/

American Conquest Real-Time-Strategy Game: http://ptrnet.tripod.com/ac/

(NEW!) Officers of Valor Gaming Group: http://ptrnet.tripod.com/oov/

Brian,
The next step might be to contact me! I own a music store in Southern California and I've been selling products to members of this forum for years. I have very fair prices and give a lot of customer service if and when needed. Please contact me by email or call me at my store. I stock and sell all the models from Yamaha, Korg, Roland, Ketron, Generalmusic and Casio.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
kayeland@aol.com

QUOTE: "Happy Birthday to Ryan and Robby by the way. Really liked your music. My birthday just passed and that is the reason I am writing here. (Birthday present to myself)"

Thanks! Just passed by this thread, and I knew our Birthday our be floating out here in various topics. And again, thanks. This truly is a warm group of people, from what I have witnessed myself.

See You All Around!
Robby

Hi MagicUser,
I have a PSR2000 too , (and I haven`t thrown it out the window yet !! hahahaha), So -ImhO - I 2nd Don , I think a "Y2K" (psr2000) would be A-OK
AND- BTW "Welcome to our family and the best corner of the web" There`s a GREAT bunch of folk`s here and we all help each other ( and of course, have a fun time)
Also Happy B-Day
jedi

DonM, Thanks for your quick reply. I have been trying to read all fo the messages related to the 2000 and I think for its functionality and capabilities it offers a lot for its price range.

Ryan,
I have read your site through and the story and links related to your getting the 740. I think it is wonderful. I agree with the postings related to your music and it definately leads you to "telling a story through your music." I also read that you are homeschooled. I homeschool (really world-school) my 4 sons as well. Excellent. Keep up the good work. Thanks for the birthday greetings as well.

George,
I will definately contact you. I have read your posts and you are quite the resource. It must be nice having the music store. Reminds me of a kid who lives in a candy store or a lumberyard having all those good things right there to play with.

Robby,
Thanks for the birthday greetings. It does seem like a very warm group of people. Very rare find on the internet in one location.

Jedi,
Thanks. I am looking forward to sharing what I know and having a fun time is always a goal in my day.

- Brian

Hi Brian,

Welcome to the forum & happy belated BD. I (like Jedi) also own and perform professionally on the Yamaha PSR2000, and think it's an excellent arranger KB choice.

Btw, can you share with us, WHERE you live, & the type of music you enjoy playing most? Your profile doesn't list this.

Thanks,

Scott



------------------
http://scottyee.com

I live in New York. Closer to the Ohio/Pennsylvania side (about 7 hours from NYC). It is rural. The town I live in has about 200 people in it. I think they count the cows to up the population for tax purposes.

When I started taking piano lessons I asked my teacher to teach me what was on the radio. I noticed when I went to parties that very few people asked me to play "scales" or any classical music. He was very accomodating and provided me with the most popular songs of that time. It took me a while to read the music (long after I stopped taking lessons) but I was able to watch his hands and memorize the finger movements. I played for my HS stage band that way. I could also listen to songs and play them so that helped. My piano teacher concentrated mostly on music theory. How to play every song with I, IV, and V7 chords. Then how to change it so it was CEG became GCE and then pivot those and and and... until I could use a fake book really well. A really good skill to have I believe.

I like popular, show tunes, things most people can sing a long with, as well as modern songs and oldies (I have to be careful there the stuff they are calling oldies now on the radio I remember from high school so I think they just labeled it incorrectly )

I'm still learning a lot and try to work on new songs all the time. I think the new keyboard will help.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

- Brian

Brian..
Welcome. George will stear you right. I have three of the later model PSRs (9000, 740 and 2000). All are very good. My choice for playing out on jobs is, without a doubt, the 2000.

The 740 is also an excellent KB, but I prefer the 2000's operating system and the speed it offers to get from one registration to another. The PSR 9000? Awesome but just too dang heavy to haul around.
Eddie