Trying to decide on which arranger to buy. I tried out a pa800 and a s700 and they let me take the pa800 on trial until they get an s900.

Some great features in both but I'm leaning towards the s9oo right now.

I like the onboard styles better on the yamaha especially R&B and it seems easier to take parts out etc. It seems like it would be easier to find new styles and to connect to the internet also. Then there is the price difference ($1000) between pa800 and s900.

On the other hand I quickly got to like the touch screen on the korg and I think the organs and probably drums are better overall. Haven't tried the vocalizer yet

My questions to members. Is the s900 even better sound and style wise than the 700?

Which one is easiest to create styles on?

I'm a singer songwriter playing ballads, blues, soul, gospel, rock, jazz and some country. In most cases I would need different styles specific to my songs. I would also be using it to play oldies type stuff from the 60's and 70's

Thanks for any input Don Adams

Hi Don,

I think your analysis is right on. Here's my spin:

900:

- great usable styles and sounds
- third party support unsurpassed
- good writing tool
- easy navigation on things you want to do
- 700 is close, no color screen and fewer styles

800:

- styles more authentic and mind-boggling
- fabulous enough sounds
- harmonizer is UNBELIEVABLE
- drums more authentic
- organ much better
- songbook is unsurpassed for live play
- limited 3rd party styles
- fills, endings, intros unsurpassed
- pads more realistic
- keybed is much better

I had the 900 live and thought I'd never part. I took a chance on the 800 and there is NO turning back. It is the best thing to ever happen to my performances. I use all the styles tailored to what I do - I make them work and that's make me different.

Good luck,
zuki


[This message has been edited by zuki (edited 06-28-2008).]

I agree with Zuki on all points, I had the PA800 and liked enough to upgrade to the PA2xPro.

The thing I miss most and probably the only thing I miss from the PSR3000 and Tyros2 is the number of 3rd party styles and support available for Yamaha keyboards. The Songbook feature is fantastic, but from your description on how you'll use an arranger the S900 sounds like it may be better suited to your needs and $1000 extra bucks in your pocket could come in handy.

[This message has been edited by Stephenm52 (edited 06-28-2008).]

You ask how easy it is to CREATE styles on them...

Do you create styles now, or have you in the past? If not, be warned it's a LOT harder than people make out (unless by 'create' you mean assemble styles from other existing styles). In fact, MOST people that say they create styles actually 'assemble' them then do minor surgery, not create out of the blue.

From what a lot of the Korg people say there is NOT much in the way of third-party styles for the Korg. What you get is probably what you'll have to use, at least for quite a while...

If this suits you, you're OK. If the ROM styles don't cover enough of your style base, you might need to consider something else...

Thanks for the replies.

I am concerned with being able to get more styles, whether I can do more than reconfigure existing ones is doubtful given my programming abilities.

I did find the songbook and it seems to be great for some songs. How hard is it to get or make more?

So far, I'm really impressed with organs, drums, bass, electic guitars, and I'm sure many more. A bit disappointed in the pianos perhaps, but I'm used to an 88 key.

It's great to have backing accompianments to play with. I'm kinda used to being a one man show now and some of my songs cannot be represented well with just acoustic guitar or a piano.

In my studio, I'm at the point where I'm downsizing and getting rid of my Hammond and Leslie, so organ for recording is pretty important to me.

The deciding factor in the keyboards may be style and song availability. I really liked the whole yamaha R&B section.

The other thing I was wondering, is there the choice of having a second lead set up in the yamaha and not the korg for a song or style i.e. organ then switch to electric guitar with a button ? Thanks again
Don

This is why I sold my Pa800 Korg is really lacking in style availability versus Yamaha.

I was offered the korg pa800 and yamaha s900 at the same price. I chose the yamaha because its sounds blow the korg away and its styles (including intros,fill ins,endings) make the korg feel ashamed to be called a keyboard. Only a handful of the korg styles sound decent. The korgs fill ins and intros STILL stick out like a sore thumb. Yamaha - you rule! (my 2 cents)

Korg has now integrated EMC styleworks quite well into its system, and so the conversions of other styles are way above what can be achieved with the standard version of styleworks, so all is not lost for additional styles.
As I have mentioned before, sounds and styles are very personal so there is not one board for everybody just yet.
Personally as I regularly listen to live music, (Real musicians and instruments) I would take the Korg over the Yamaha.
Enjoy whatever you finally decide on, and don’t feel you have made a mistake just because others don’t like it.
In case you’re interested, here is my personal preference:

Styles:

Roland
Wersi
Korg
Ketron
Yamaha

Sounds:

Wersi
Korg
Ketron/Roland
Yamaha

Hope this helps

Bill



[This message has been edited by abacus (edited 06-29-2008).]

With respect, you have NO IDEA what you are talking about. Don't even think these remarks about the 800 hold a gram of truth. You simply have to know how to get the best out of keyboard.

zuki

Horrible, isn't it, when someone that feels free to chime in with his opinion about how great the Korg is, above all others, and doesn't expect (or receive) this kind of abuse for his opinion, is SO willing to dish it out to others that have a contrary opinion...

WITH RESPECT (I doubt that this will make you feel any better, either, zuki), you have NO IDEA how to hold a polite discussion...