You have made some good points. And, although for the most part I may agree with you in theory, it probably will never happen in practice.


Why? Because as you know the majority of the arranger market don’t even use half of the features on their current boards (heck most of them don’t even edit or create styles).
So why would Yamaha (or any other manufacturer) go through the expense of R and D for new features that the user is not asking for and may not even understand the advancement?

If they can get away with a business model of incremental upgrades (S900 – S910) why change it if it is working for them?

It may be bad for the power user of arrangers but good for Yamaha’s bottom line.


And, workstations are not that far from that business model.

Hardly. People like "new", even if it is incremental...people buy new cars that aren't vast upgrades from the last one, but have a feature or two that they simply must have...same goes for TV's, I-Pods, recorders, etc.

I certainly didn't get the S910 because it had 10 0r 12 new styles...people didn't buy a T3 because it had 50 new styles...that would be crazy.

The basis of most luxury buys, and these arranger musical instruments are that, for the majority of buyers...most do not gig with them...is want, not necessarily need.

Ian

You're right, Diki...we aren't (or more likely, you), and thankfully for the manufacturers we aren't.

If they "froze" things the way they are, like Roland did with the G-70 and E-80, then they wouldn't make any money from TOTL arrangers, and would have to drop them from the line, and Yamaha would be in the same mess Roland is in.

Everyone has their own type of buying habits...I wouldn't have bought the S910 if it didn't have things I wanted...not necessarily needed...you tend to be more frugal, and not everyone is like you, especially when it comes to luxury items, and arranger keyboards are that for most buyers.

Plus, as I said earlier, buying amid-range is not the penalty it used to be, and it allows me to upgrade, however incrementally, if I so desire, without too much cost.

If it was a TOTL I had bought, like a G-70 or Tyros2, I'd be more likely to hang on longer.
Car makers change models incrementally every two to three years...there's a reason for that...it's called marketing, and they've been doing it for quite some time and very successfully (except for the US industry, but that's a whole different ball of wax).

Yamaha's marketing model may not be your cup of tea, but there is no denying it works...and that's the bottom line.

If they used your ideas for marketing, they'd be far less successful, but that's why you're a musician, and not into mnarketing...thanfully. ...you'd have the company in the hole in no time.

99% of "arranger" buyers consider the instrument a luxury item, not a tool for work like you.

Ian

I'm a bit of a luddite, my PSR3000 does everything I need, although if it blew up I'd be tempted by a PSR910.

Now if there was a PSR9xxx with 76 keys.....

I really meant PSR9xx, no allusion to PSR9000 pro intended!

Diki, lol, I wrote the whole thing above, with you in mind. I remember you stating that the "bass player" in an arranger, does not behave as a real bass player would because there is no way of knowing what the next chord will be.

Well, I presented you and everyone else with an idea, so that YOU, the player, will anounce the next chord to the arranger, WHILE you play. Thus, the arranges will know what the next chord will be beforehand and behave accordingly.

Please reread my post, maybe the fact that English is not my mother tongue got in the way.

[This message has been edited by trident (edited 01-19-2010).]

Where did you guys find these real bass players that follow where you are going to go..chord wise..when we don't know what chord we are going to play..till it happens..

How hard is it to program a waking lead in bass line to your existing style..not that hard...If you play a seventh chord..you know it will take you to the one (root) chord..nearly always..just add the lead in walk with the bass..

OK, I think i get the joke now!!!!

I got this joke too.



chas