I think the PSR-S550 is going to be a winner! A model like the PSR-S550 is something that (I DO) like about Yamaha in that every so often they pop out a model packed with some very useful features for a low end unit. This unit picks up in areas where the S-500 was seriously lacking.

Here are some of the additions I consider to be a major upgrade from the S-500

1-Poly increased to 64 notes (that's twice the poly of the S-500)

2-Seq trks increased to 16 (again twice the S-500)

3-YAYYYYYYYY STYLE RECORDING HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK!!!!! Full style recording too, with quantize and so on. (the S-500 has no user style recording)

4-Part Mixer.., you can now adjust the volume, pan, ect on user songs using the part mixer.

Reading the manual and looking at the voice list..., I can't see any Mega Voices carried over (unless I just completey missed them). However, they sure as hell gave you enough sweet/cool/live voices to make up for those.

Man.., now I'm against the wall here. I'm going to be adding an arranger to my synth setup, but don't need something as full featured as the higher S- series or the PA series, and I was strongly considering the new Roland GW-8.., but my gripes with it are (no part editing for user songs), MFX are real-time effects ONLY, and no style recording. The S-550 doesn't have voice editing, but it records user styles, has post song editing, and records DPS to the seq. AGHHHHH decisions.....


[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 09-03-2008).]

Would you miss the ability to play bass inversion chords on the PSR-S550?

Otherwise a very nice arranger, though still in the beginner class without bass inversion.

Ian

Yeah.., that'd be a missed feature, but I guess it's really a "whole picture" approach with something like the S-550. With a keyboard like this some features may be missing, but added features can somewhat make up for one lost feature.

For me.., I'm not looking for a performance arranger. I'm wanting a nice quick go to arranger that will be both enjoyable to play, but if needed allow me to scratch out some good ideas. I'm very pleased to see the style recorder added, and the poly doubled. That IMO is major considering Yamaha had dropped this feature on some of the lower end. the original PSR-550 had style recording. It would have been nice to have the patch modify knobs like on the PSR-e413 and the arps, but again it's a "whole picture" approach to this model.

AND THE BODY IS BLACK! This new 550 with the sleak body design and the black color, with the screen has a much more pro look to it than the original PSR-550. (the original even had a software glitch that was no way fixable since the OS wasn't updatable)



[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 09-03-2008).]

I know I couldn't do without bass inversion capability...slash chords are common in today's music (as well as the oldies).

Still, it is a good bang for the buck.

Ian

But for you the arranger is your main board. For myself the board would be used as an add-on, a board to compliment my current set up. It wouldn't be used as my main composition tool.

One thing I will say.., is that (this is just how I do it), but when I record user styles..., I honestly almost NEVER record bass tracks into user styles. If I'm going to record a style to use for a user song, I always play the bass track manually for several reasons. I like arranger keyboards, but even the best of them IMO are always dead give-aways due to the bass line in the styles. Drums and bass drive the style. I like to record bass tracks (if I'm doing a more traditional style of music) manually to capture that more "live" feeling. When I record my drum tracks.., (when doing classic styles) I don't even use the quantize to keep the drum tracks more natural. Now when I'm doing more modern music....., well it's my synths all the way as I need the pattern chaining, ect. Everyone uses an arranger differently I guess. I'll often use preset styles, but I will do some heavy tweeking to them. Often I'll drop the bass track, make changes to the drums and so forth.

At times I'll do a more modern style on an arranger.., and because of that I'll record user bass lines, and quantize the hell out of the drums and bass track as in more modern styles (such as electronica) because these tracks need to be dead on.

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 09-03-2008).]