Yeah, but if they did that.., they wouldn't be able to charge nearly four grand and expect Motif players to pay that. One problem here is the huge price difference between these two keyboards.

The 61 key Motif XS costs much less than the Tyros 3 (even the Tyros 2). The Motif isn't "less pro", but actually more pro orientated than the Tyros..., but I still go by what I was told by a Yamaha rep years ago.., in that top arrangers have always been more expensive because the market continues to pay the price and the targeted market "tends" to have more disposable income...

Times may have changed a bit since that statement, but the mentallity on the pricing sure hasn't

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 09-17-2008).]

Very good points, Diki, I agree wholeheartedly.

Ian

As someone from "across the pond" I can tell you that no, not all arranger players in Europe are old geezers Maybe you should take into consideration what this "Pakefield Festival" is about, and for what audience it is being organized...

Hey, have any of you guys checked out the new synth voices on the T3 yet? And how about the new Acoustic Kit, or the T9 Kit? No? This thing sounds so hip. I guess you're going to have to wait a couple of weeks to try it for yourselves.

Don't be cranky about this, if I could demo it for you, I would.

Regards,



------------------
Yamaha Customer Support
YCASupport@yamaha.com
714.522.9000

While you're here, Steve, how about this one...

Do you honestly think a few more synth voices and a 909 kit are likely to entice younger players away from a MotifXS and pay over $1500 MORE for a T3 (street price on MotifXS6 is about $2200), without arpeggiation and loop features, or any sampling, DAW features and poorer build quality?

Somehow, I just don't think so...

But hey, if you can get the Motif team to make the loops and arps behave like arranger variations and fills (rather than the 'cue everything up in advance' way it is right now) you might get everyone here that wants a newer sound and style package and OS, but with arranger ease of control (you know, the NEXT gen customers) to go Yamaha after all!

And we wouldn't even have to bitch about the lack of a 76 or 88, either.

The chord following abilities of the XS system are SO close to being usable for us arranger fans, it would take little in OS upgrades to make them the next step, rather than having to battle the wealthy retirees that seem to be the T3's target customer.

All it would take is some extra rules about loop behavior, like dropping into a fill at any point (rather than cue it up a bar in advance) and a set of rules as to where to go AFTER the fill loop plays. Same rule would suffice for an Intro loop, and a loop that could be programmed to stop after one time through would be an ENDING.

That sure doesn't seem too hard to do (and current behavior could still be the default). On bass (bass inversions) might be the next step, but just the loop destination rules would be enough to make me jump ship from arrangers, and move into the 21st century.

Audio loops in combination with arps and styles, with a decent sampler and cutting edge as well as classic sounds is the mantra of the expensive 'open' computer based arrangers. So little needs to be added to the MotifXS to equal these in practical terms...

Maybe the old geezers you saw in the photos were the only ones with enough free time to attend a festival....

....while the young are busy hitting girls.

The first of the photos (the one with the pianos in a row) is making me shiver. Looks like a typical old mansion room in a horror movie. brrrrrrr

[This message has been edited by trident (edited 09-18-2008).]

And if the divisional rivalry would not make the Motif xs have full arranger features, hear is a way Yamaha could do it.


Since the Tyros users are technical dummies (as most people on this forum continually state) why not make a TOTL arranger with exceptional ground-breaking sounds, lots and lots of great styles that can only be played on the Tyros (as per Diki’s topic on style copy protection), only a 61 key version made out of plastic.
Don’t include any sequencer, sampler mp3 player … none of that. Not even style creation.
Just sounds and styles and an OS to play with those sounds and styles.
That would satisfy the market that just want to play the arranger out of the box with out having to tweak and do not want or can not deal with any advance features on an arranger.
What that does is keep the arranger division in Yamaha happy as they still have a product to make and no other division in Yamaha will take over their territory because they have a specific market.


Now for those who really want to use an electronic musical instrument, the Motif division would include styles and style modification and creation along with any other technological advancement (audio sampling…) on the TOTL WS. This would not disturb the arranger division and market because this new motif is an advance arranger which most people know Tyros users do not want creation or modification features on their arranger. Also this would solve the 76 key issue because the Motif line already has a 76 key version.

So there you go. Both the arranger and WS division can keep their market and not disturb the other.

So Tyros would have just ground-breaking great sounds and styles (with no sampler sequencer MP3 player) it would be made from plastic and on 61 keys and the person playing would sound like a CD. Exactly what Yamaha’s arranger market wants.

The Motif would also have great sounds, and everything else that is already on the Motif but would now include styles and style modification and creation and have a 76 key version. Satisfying the Motif market.

Hello everyone...

As regards to age in Europe and the UK in particular, the owner of the site being linked to is 27 and he has found the time and the enthusiasm to run a website based on his interests of Yamaha keyboards and Digital Pianos, so they do appeal to a wider market

Oh and I am the owner

All the best

James Woodcock http://www.yamahapkowner.com

[This message has been edited by glidem (edited 09-20-2008).]

James, you've got a great site. Although I don't visit as much as when I owned a T2, I still do visit. You've got lots of great content on the site. Keep up the good work!

James.....your website is one of the best for sure. Thank You for your efforts it is appreciated by so many players around the world for information & support.