The Mega voices were designed specifically for use in styles, and are completely useless for playing solo.
The SA voices were designed specifically for solo playing and consequently unless the style plays a solo, (Which is normally what the player does) they are completely useless in a style.
If you can find the official video (Or have them on your HDD) demonstrations of the T2, it is explained within there. (It’s also been explained at the many Yamaha user meetings that take place, where users have asked this question)
Hope this helps

Bill

Thanks Bill.

Sorry, Bill, but there are plenty of polyphonic SA sounds (Ian loves those organs!). And there are plenty of solo lines in some styles...

All a style Part does is play a part that someone played on the keyboard. If an SA Tone can respond to the keyboard, it can respond to the RECORDING (SMF) of someone playing on the keyboard. If you use a T3 with a sequencer, you can still use SA Tones (right?).

Why can't the style section (which is, in essence, a little MIDI file player) play SA tones if the regular sequencer can?

I don't think you guys have thought this through...

Now, if I was a conspiracy nut, I MIGHT be thinking that there's no reason whatsoever why Yamaha couldn't do this right now, but they are keeping it 'locked up' so they can suck more of your money out of you at a later date by bringing out the T4 or T5 (why rush it, anyway? ) with this feature FINALLY 'unlocked'...

But that would just be me being paranoid, wouldn't it?

You? Paranoid? Naaaah!

Of course they are keeping these features till a later model...it's called "marketing strategy"...but thankfully, the instruments that are being made, are not beta versions that the company expects the user to test out, and then update them with the respective OS.

What interests me, is what is Roland holding back on...are they out of the TOTL arranger market altogether, or are they coming out with an all encompassing G-series that has bits of the V-Piano, and features from their synth/workstations?

Then again, what is "new" or, in the wings, that can find it's way on the next TOTL arranger (and no, let's not call it the V-arranger) that will bring Roland into the same area as Korg's DNC, or Yamaha's Mega and SA?

I can't imagine it's the features that Cassp suggested that are on their VIMA instruments...or, perhaps, some of them will get the nod.

Surely, they haven't given up TOTL arrangers...I can't imagine that happening (it would be like McDonald's cutting out their "Big Mac"), but, maybe with the current economic situation, they are "holding back"?

Back in the day, it was Roland that shook everyone out of their daze with the E-series...competition is good for everyone, especially the consumer.

What do you think?

thanx Gary ......not bad!

You may be right, but as I have not been able to try them with a sequencer, I cannot say and so can only go on what the Yamaha guys are telling everybody that asks.

One problem I can see though is; The player makes the SA voice sound as he wants by how he plays, and the voice adapts in real-time, however, how does the player tell the style how he wants the SA voice to play. (Styles using these voices I think would probably be for one specific song and no more)

We will have to wait and see what the future brings

Bill

Now is that not bad or not bad ...

t.

I think the 'Big Mac' analogy would only work IF people were still buying TOTL arrangers like they used to. Frank and George have both alluded to low high end arranger sales being the norm, right now (despite what you would infer from this place! ). Watch McDonald's drop the Big Mac like cancer the minute it fails to make money...

And sorry, but a line is a line... If it can be recorded to a sequencer (that's how they made the demo's, right?) it can be recorded to a style track. But when Yamaha basically NEVER add new features by upgrade (unlike most everybody else), don't hold your breath

I ordered a burger at McDonald's, and the kid behind the counter asked, "Can you afford fries with that?"


Seriously, I think George and Frank are spot on with their MOTL and TOTL arranger sales being the norm...Tyros3 and now, the S910, are doing quite well in my district...I sold (indirectly) three 910's this past week, and a Tyros3, and interest in the new 5-series CVP is very high.

You may be right about Yamaha almost never adding features via upgrade, but, in any case, their strategy must hold some serious merit, as they are still making MOTL and TOTL arrangers, whereas, Roland, for one, has been reduced to a BOTL arranger (well, perhaps, a Low-Mid, to be more accurate).

Perhaps Korg isn't in much better shape...it's hard to make profit on free upgrades...it certainly hasn't boosted their sales by enticing PA owners to look at a new instrument.

We can speculate all we want, but you have to sell new instruments to make money...it applies for other things like cars, phones, personal listening devices, Televisions...we are dealing in electronics, and that field seems to thrive on new products.

It's why Chas wants a new VP...no free upgrades available for the old one, so instead of wasting time and bemoaning that fact, he gets a new VP...one that has the features he wants.

It also gives customer allegiance some kind of set-back, when a company drops it's flagship product(s), whether it be a G-70 or a Big Mac, especially when McNuggets (or a McPrelude ) just won't stop that hunger, and you have nothing else to replace it, in spite of the fact that the discontinued items were too heavy in fat, and expensive to make.

I hope Roland stays healthy enough to continue with MOTL and TOTL arranger instruments...as I said, competition always improves the breed, but I just can't see Roland arranger aficionados being happy with VIMA products, although, maybe Cassp is right, and it is Roland's future.

"You deserve a break today", may mean playing that "break" over VIMA technology.

Time will tell.

Proprietary + Profit