Thanks for posting this! It looks like a fun keyboard. With the audio loop feature, I wonder if it's possible to get real vocal ooh's and aah's that follow the chords of the song. That would be especially helpful for '50's - '70's music.

Its the same old same repackaged..

Tough i am happy with the fact that there are atleast some knobs featuring on a PSR keyboard, really hope they make it into the next generation of Tyros..

I will always boycott keyboards which don't have 5-pole midi out so that to connect modules like SD-1000 or Integra you would have to install a laptop with drivers and USB. That's just stupid of Yamaha. (Direct usb to usb doesn't work). The behavior of a company that wants to have a monopoly.

I dont think that this keyboard is aimed at people that have an Integra 7 or other high class or classic rackmount stuff...

This is the entry level keyboard...

I thought it was meant to be midrange rather than entry-level.
Yamaha skipped midi-out also with DGX-630/640/650. It's meant as a 'home' instrument, but in fact I've seen several DGX on stage or in churches, where midi out would make a lot of sense. Are these connections so expensive?

No they are not that expensive . The company are just making clear demarcation lines between their home and pro products that's all . Just because someone takes a home product and puts it on stage does not change its intended use .

Arrangers Keyboards have always been designed for the home market (There just keyboards based on the easy play features that were first introduced on home organs) with probably about 99% being used in this role, however you will find many out in the wild (Usually TOTL models though) being used by professionals who want something light and compact. (Although over the last few years (Particularly in the UK & Europe) pro players have been adding a second keyboard and pedalboard to turn then back into portable modular organ, so that they can get away from being stuck with having to use boring and monotonous styles)

Home users have also started to move to the multi-keyboard line-up route, (I think Roland is the only Arranger that has not had a dedicated multi-keyboard organ designed for it) as users find it more satisfying to play the instruments, rather than playing along to a style. (I also suspect that manufactures will be adding more real time controls to give some of the flexibility of a Workstation to try and entice younger users)

As to Midi sockets, then it confuses most home users as they try and work out how to use them, whereas virtually everybody knows how to use a USB cable, and this combined with the fact that all modern OS have Midi Drivers built in, makes it a logical choice. (Even if an arranger has Midi sockets built in, the Midi features supplied are usually pretty limited)

Bill

I think the real power of arrangers is indeed the ease of use and a layout perfect for playing live, where backings, keyboardsounds are sepperated interfaces, while still being integrated..

The philosofy behind arrangers just makes them perfect for one mand bands and duo's yielding great resluts with top class sounds and clear operating structure..



I somewhat dissagre with you that home users go a 2 keyboard route these days.. tough i agree they want to play an instrument, and thats why digital piano's are extremely popular these days and arrangers are somewhat on the way back..


However all those nifty arranger features, do fit perfectly on top of a digital piano, which gives the students both a great piano to play solo on and some accompaniments for quick fun..


In the end i am convinced that Totl workstations and Totl arrangers will be replaced in the future by instruments that combine the best of a stage piano with the best of arrangers (easy opperation) that have a whole deep edditable sound engine hidden under the hood... offering 88 weighted piano keys for an instrument not weighting more then 25 pounds.. just look at the Privia PX-5S, it has weigthed keys great piano action at only 22 pounds..


I dont think people will be wanting to have multiple keyboards in their livingroom, unless its a great piece of furniture (Wersi Organ) but then, when it comes to furniture and looks, nothing beats a piano.. and thats where the ladies in the househeld of musicall kids will have an important vote..

And thank goodness for that. IMO, never start a kid on an 'easy-play' keyboard. If he/she masters the piano, learning another keyboard (arranger, ws, synth) will be a piece of cake...mastered in months. Unfortunately, the reverse is not true. Same principle as learning to drive; learn on a manual transmission, the 'automatic' will be mastered in minutes.

I'm sure that most of the people here, even those that LOVE their arrangers, will admit that they are grateful for their early training on piano or accordion. In fact, compare THEIR arranger playing with those who STARTED on arrangers. JMO, though.

chas