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[This message has been edited by Mystic Jammer (edited 02-13-2010).]

Really? In any case, at this stage of your "keyboard journey", it might be more fruitful for you to be concentrating on learning to PLAY the keyboard rather than worrying about the (highly subjective) subtleties of which TOTL keyboard has the best sounds. They all sound lousy if you can't play, just as they all sound good if you can. Priorities, my man, priorities.

chas

Your talking about two completely different technologies, so it's no wonder. It's like very old VS very new.

The M3 is based on the almighty OASYS, and it's EDS sound engine is new and ultra deep. Its an evolution of AI1, AI2, Access, and Hi-Sys. So your talking about 5 different synth engines of evolution in total.

Where on the other hand you have a Yamaha S910 which uses AWM2. Yamaha have been milking that cow for 15 years or more and have not developed a new PCM based engine since.

My 2 cents.

James.

[This message has been edited by Irishacts (edited 02-12-2010).]

I think you can't compare a M3 with a PSR. You must compare a M3 with a Yamaha Motif XS or Roland Fantom. If you compare a Korg keyboard with a Yamaha keyboard then yes I agree that Korg just sound better. But this is also personal.

For my part, I think a lot depends on what kind of music you prefer to do. Modern WS's excel at complex electronic sounds, etc., but their emphasis isn't always geared towards acoustic sounds. Many arrangers, IMO have some acoustic sounds that are FAR better than some of the top WS's. Your S910's SA sounds are hard to beat (if played well) by most WS's, even including the MoXS, which has a derivation of the SA spec originally invented FOR arranger players.

But heed chas carefully, in his advice. He has hit the nail on the head. From your demo, it's clear you have quite a way to go before the basic sound is going to matter very much...

Walk first, run later.

Chas hit the nail on the head!

Gary

In defence of MJ. You don't have to play well to hear the differences between keyboards and synths. And I mean the total sound not some SA solo sounds.

[This message has been edited by FransN (edited 02-12-2010).]

But you DO have to play well enough for people to look past your errors and appreciate the sound...

Few people, even musicians, can look past an awful performance and go 'that synth sounds great'.

Performance first, sound later. Use what you would have spent on the TOTL on lessons with a sympathetic understanding teacher, and your music grows by leaps and bounds. Spend it all on the best synth and continue to self educate, and your progress is a fraction of what it COULD be...

Just a thought.

Yes there you are right. But what I actually mean is if you play the arranger by pressing a chord you will hear the difference between brand A and brand B. I don't want to go in details here but I go for the more live like sound.

[This message has been edited by FransN (edited 02-12-2010).]

I found the "sound" of the M3 rather bland in both presentations by MJ and James.

Nothing bland about the patterns...they were very interesting and it seems there are lots of possibilities.

It would be even better to hear the instrument triggering some DNC voices, instead of basic GM sounds.

Any chance of hearing that?

Ian

Can't argue that, but MJ seems a bit too focused on the technical aspects of music at this point, and those of us skilled enough to appreciate those differences are often forgetful about what it was like when WE couldn't play, yet...

He's got a while to go before getting the TOTL is going to do anything more than just make life more complicated for him. S910 sounds like a VERY good starter arranger. He'll know when he really NEEDS something better to progress if he listens to himself critically..

If noodling to new age arpeggiation backing is the END point of what he wants to do, then perhaps now is a good time to get an M3 or Oasys, and bliss out on 'heart of space' music to his content. But if he wants to progress further than he is now, sticking with a good all-rounder (some of the S910's pads and synth sounds are quite excellent) and concentrating on some basic lessons will yield the better, faster improvement, I think...

I totally agree. Even I find all that Karma talk very complicated.