Thought you all might be interested.
http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail/0,6373,CNTID%253D23207%2526CTID%253D205500%2526VNM%253DLIVE%2526AFLG%253DY%2526LGFL%253DN,00.html

Scott Langholff

One thing that I thought the PSR2100 would have but it doesn't is Live! drums. The drums will be the same as the PSR740's drums. Oh well.

It's interesting that Yamaha notes that the keyboard has double the PSR2000's voice rom and 50% more voice rom than the PSR9000 - even though the PSR9000 has live drums.

I'm wondering if the old styles, and 85% of the styles are identical to the PSR2000, will be mixed with the new voices. Hope so.

I'm excited. My first keyboard should arrive on Thursday or Friday of next week.

Beakybird

[This message has been edited by Beakybird (edited 06-14-2003).]

Same junky keys as the 2000?

From what I've heard they are the "same" keys/keybed feel. No Live! Drums either. I just downloaded the Data List for the PSR 1100/2100. Maybe the extra WAV ROM will help the Drum Kits some, although my PSR 2000's Drums are pretty decent. If you want terrific sounding Drum Kits unfortunately you will have to buy a Tyros or SD1, etc.

Another gripe about the Keys is the smaller Key size than the PA80 and almost every other Arranger Keys from other Manufacturers. For instance the Keybed on the PA80 is just 1/16" shy of being 1" longer than the Keybed of the PSR 2000/2100. The extra width of the Keys is a major concern when considering my next Arranger purchase. I hope Yammie is listening. Steve, tell your product developers that most quality Arranger keyboards are purchased by ADULTS, usually 'older' adults that are getting gray hair and bulging at the midriff section and gaining weight in general all over, "fingers included", so that extra Key width is a MUST imo. Even those that are of average weight or rail thin would appreciate it too. Wider Keys translates into less anxiety when playing Live and also fewer Clams too. It just makes sense Steve. I mean were not talking Ivory here.

I think I know why Yamaha Japan hasn't seen the light and that is because of the "fact" that most Japanese are of small stature and their average weight borders on "lean". Trying to convince a small thin CEO, or COO to increase the Key width could prove a little daunting to say the least. Although Korg, which is a "Japanese Corporation", (albeit their Arrangers are made in Italy), has seen the light. Whoa! Bingo!!! Have you seen some of those Italian Opera Singers? Most of them are rather hefty to put it mildly. With all that Pizza and Pasta who can blame them! I betcha the Korg Italy COO fits the bill to a tee too. So that's why the Korg Arrangers have wider Keys which results in a longer Keybed! And the Ketron's, and the General Music's too! Either way I am all FOR it.

If we Americans could just get Pizza Hut and McDonalds to have a larger foothold in the Japanese market I think the problem with the narrower Keys on Yammie's Arrangers would eventually be solved.

Best regards,
Mike
PS: All in jest but serious none the less.

The PSR2100 will have 19 new panel voices according to the data list:

1. Live! Grand Piano
2. Live! Harpsichord
3. Live! GrandHarpsi
4. Live! Nylon Guitar
5. Live! ClassicGtr
6. Live! HyperBrass
7. Live! PopBrass
8. Live! OctaveBrass
9. Live! Gospel
10. Sweet! Harmonica
11. Sweet! MutedTrump
12. Sweet! FlugelHorn
13. Sweet! Oboe
14. Sweet! Violin
15. Sweet! Mandolin
16. Cool! Elec.Organ
17. Cool! Jazz Organ
18. Cool! Jazz Guitar
19. Cool! Jazz SolGtr.

The Yamaha website makes it sound like the flute controls on the organ is a new thing, but it looks the same as the PSR2000.

The Yamaha website also makes it sound like the harmonizer is better, with up to 4 vocal harmonies - I guess like the Tyros and the PSR9000 Pro. This will remain to be seen.

When I think about how superior the sweet and live voices are to the regular panel voices, I think and I hope that the PSR2100 will be that much more fun to play and that much more pleasing to hear. I don't think all that much of the Cool! Electric Guitar and Cool! Electric Piano on the PSR2000. I use them, but they aren't awesome like the Sweet! Sax and the Live! Strings. Hopefully, the other cool voices on the PSR2100 will stand out more.

I should be getting my first PSR2100 by the end of this week.

Beakybird