I have played for more then 10 years only on Yamaha keyboards and synths. Now I play for almost a year on a Korg PA 500 and I never want to go back to Yamaha again. Why? Because I find the sounds and styles much better on the Korg. I don't know which styles of the Korg you find busy but there is a mute button for each style part. And the support of Korg is very good if you know where to look. I mentioned before that Korg germany gives you 4 free styles every month and you can download hundreds of styles from their site. My Korg will never get bored because everything is editable. I can make him sound live or sound like a CD. It is just a matter of programming.

Fran You only get support from Korg Germany if you purchased your KB from Korg Germany. Here in the USA Korg does Zero for arranger KB's. I never said Korg styles were "Bad" just busy. That's not to say they are less useable than a Tyros. It is all a matter of preference. You like vanilla and I like chocolate. No right no wrong!

Like I said you have to look further. On the forum http://www.createsongstyles.com/forum/ you can download all the styles from Korg Germany and a lot more. They only ask a one time fee to keep the forum alive.

I'm sure both the PAX & Tyros have a lot to offer, but for better style comparison, I'd love to hear 'more songs' recorded on the Korg PA2X/Korg PA800 and/or Yamaha Tyros 2,3,or 4, to showcase the RANGE of 'small jazz combo type' styles (both factory & 3rd party) available for each keyboard. Song links appreciated. - Scott

I don't know how editable styles are on Yamaha, but with Korg you can 'busy' or 'un-busy' as much as you want. Very, very flexible in all ways. It all comes down to how much one is willing to get into their board, I guess.

OK so for 'small jazz combo type' you prefer the Korg (I have the PA2XPRO, but am thinking of a change)) but what about ballads, 60's Motown, musical theatre, show tunes, love songs, big band, old standards AND espeially ORCHESTRAL SOUNDS/STYLES etc?
Thanks,
Lee S.

[This message has been edited by leeboy (edited 11-21-2010).]

NAMM is right around the corner guys and gals. The Tyros4 seems to be full of bugs and with "4" current bugs (and counting??) it may prove wise to hold off on getting a T4 until Yamaha comes out with an OS update to fix these anomalies. In the meantime, NAMM and/or Musikmesse may turn out to be very productive in the way of top of the line arrangers. Korg is rumored to be releasing a PA2XPRO successor very soon, possibly winter NAMM '11 or perhaps Frankfurt Musikmesse which takes place shortly thereafter.

Roland is up in the air as far as what we can expect from them though. It seems their keyboard production plans are in disarray because of lack of innovation on some of their newest keyboard products such as the GW-8, etc. One glimmer of hope is the fact Roland removed the G70 product info from its website which may portend to a new totl arranger from them soon. Either that or their sales on the G70 have collapsed and further production would not make good business sense so they simply decided to discontinue it. If that's the case Roland may have decided to get out of the arranger market altogether. Time will tell.

If Korg comes through with an amazing technology breakthrough product (and bug free to boot) and doesn't charge an arm and leg (breaking the bank) like the Yamaha Tyros4 and/or the Ketron Audya has succeeded in doing, then Korg should be able to benefit tremendously market share wise from such a product. More power to them. And with Tyros4 and Audya bugs plaguing both boards currently it has opened a window for Korg and/or Roland to capitalize on these turn of events in their favor. We'll find out soon enough I reckon.

All the best,
Mike



[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 11-21-2010).]

FransN and 124
I am very familiar with the workings of the PA2x and the Creatsongstyles website. I have most of those styles. They are not at the same "Quality Level" as the internal and the Korg Italy styles IMO.

Leeboy I do not agree the PA is better for Jazz/Swing styles. As far as all the other musical types you asked about .... Well that's where the Yamaha works better style wise for me.

Once again this is not a "One is better than the other" comment. It is a "Better for me “

I gotta agree with JC Keys on this on. I'm a former Pa2xPro owner it was a great board. For the type of music I play and for my audiences Yamaha works best. It's a better for me not anyone else.

There are a number of features I miss not owning a Korg Pa2xpro Songbook, better key feel and being able to get the leslie effect by pressing harder on the keys. Some late nights when I played thru my headphones and a style ended with a cymbal in the background I'd have to turn around and make sure that I was alone and that a drummer wasn't in the room.

Bottom line as has been mentioned time and time again, the variety and number of styles for Yamaha is overwhelming. I never did like the 3rd party styles for the Korg as JC mentioned they just weren't the quality of the on board Korg styles. Now if that money tree was still in my backyard, I'd still own Pa2xPro, G70, Tyros4, my late acoustic grand piano and late Hammond B3.

Yes that's OK with me. Yamaha is better for you. What I don't understand is if you know how the Korg pa's works why you find the styles busy? Most of the styles I use I edit to my likes and lets be honest how many styles needs a person. I can make plenty of different styles just from one style.