"Deutschland sucht den SuperStar", the German TV version of American Idol (USA) and Pop Idol (Uk),
now features Joachim Wolf on a Yamaha Tyros 4 , and Jan Richter on guitar, to backup it's singers.
It's great to finally see arranger keyboards appearing on TV and on a major German network show nonetheless.
Here are some still shots from the show:

Hey Scott,
Ask Thilo if he has a link to that show with a video clip;)
Eric

Great find, Scott!

Ian

Hi Eric, here's the video clip link , but it's only viewable from within Germany.

Eric, Do a You Tube search on DSDS for video's. Many are there.
regards, chuck

i was able to watch the clips. The aranger was used just like a striaght keyboard.In other words no styles. Just because it has all the tricks up the sleave it doesnt mean that an arranger has to be used in arranger mode all the time. This is great news diki because finally musicians are getting the point. Great sounds in a ketboard are gret sounds in a keyboard.The Tyros fit the bill. The fact that it is an arranger was incidental.

Thats the way it should be

Hate to disappoint you all, but keyboards, Arrangers & Organs are pretty common on German TV shows, (As well as live) so it is of no great surprise to see the T4 on there. (This is the reason that Germany is the largest Western market for Keyboards, Arrangers & Organs)
NOTE: You will find plenty others on YouTube
You will also find that most manufactures make custom versions for the German Market.

Bill

Sorry, Ian, but I can't think of much from the T4 except the SA2 voices that isn't considerably improved in a MoXF. If those guys don't use the arranger section, it's a curious choice. Not even a big enough keyboard for a full piano part...

sheesh, guys this IS only idol...I mean who cares!!!

The size of the band here is probably in correct proportions to the usual talent of the "performers".

D

from what i can gather Diki this is the equivalent to 'Hollywood week' where th contestants can sing with a basic live acompanimnet before we get to the big show where the top 20 are selected . I assume then its a full live band.

Yes, Just like Idol they use a piano at the beginning of the show.
Later on it's a full band. You can see it on the DSDS website.
Eric

Of course you've actually played the Tyros4....you have tried the MotifXF patches that are on the Tyros4?

Having said that, my idea is that the choice for using the Yamaha Tyros4 was probably "product placement"...it could just as well have been a Korg arranger (but the PA3X isn't quite ready or available...which ever is the case) if they had offered (or paid to have) an instrument on the show...we do know for sure, that it wouldn't have been a Roland TOTL arranger.

Ian

Yes you are right. Here in the Netherlands for example at the Paul de Leeuw show they also use a Tyros. Soon to be replaced by the Kronos

There is something I don't understand Ian. How can the Tyros 4 have Motif XF patches while they use different sound engines. The motif has AWM2 and the Tyros AWM.

Actually Frans, I should have described them as "Motif XF-like" patches.

The patches sound very much the same to my ears.

They use slightly different sound engines, but both are based on 16-bit AWM...earlier AWM (before 1992) was 12-bit.

Some AWM are 32 note poly, some are 128...some AWM2 are 32-note poly, and some are 128. Both have been improved over time.

I honestly am not sure of the differences between AWM and AWM2...can you tell me what they are? Perhaps someone else knows?

Your best bet is to compare Tyros4 and Motif XF yourself...I'd be interested in your opinion.

Ian

PS...there are also some excellent Motif XF-like patches on the PSR-S910, but the Tyros4's are beefier and have more depth and punch.

Ian, me too, and that's exactly the reason I posted the pics. No more, no less.

In Holland the keyboardist of the Edwin Evers Band, that made the live music in "The Voice of Holland" season 1 and last seasons X-factor played a T4...

But then overhere in europe, i think Synths and arrangers are still equally split.

I could've sworn i saw a keyboard with speakers on idol this last Hollywood week......couldn't see the brand, even on a rewind.....