First gig after Xmas today. Nursing home, nice crowd of 40+.

I took the S970 because it was a solo gig. I set up a folder for Jan 2016 and copied songs I thought the crowd might like. I checked each registration for accuracy USB stick, then copied the folder to the User area. I have no idea how much space is in the user area...but for some odd reason...I trust that more than a USB.

Then just in case, I copied my Christmas show from the Tyros on USB and moved it to the USER area of the S970. I know I can copy from the Tyros to the S970 and not the other way around.

At the gig, shure nuff, the crowd wanted Xmas music. I knew better but said OK knowing that the registrations copied from our Tyros would be iffy at best on the S970. So I diverted from my planned show for some Xmas songs and was lucky to find five registrations that worked.

Not fun sitting in front of 40+ people stumbling through registrations from our Tyros Xmas show hoping they would work on the S970.

Lesson learned.

But...Here's the thing.

It's like this registration thing is never done..switching keyboards...the Tyros for this show, the S970 for that show...

It seems like I'm starting over each show, checking registrations, to see that they will work.

My wife keeps asking me why I switch keyboards...now I'm starting to ask that question. I should mention, she plays as well and wants to settle on one keyboard.

I'm about ready to go to one keyboard and stay there. And if had to pick today? Probably Tyros.

Yes, it's slightly heavier and slightly larger. But what's really getting to be a hassle is the constant work on registrations from one board to the other.

And, truth be known, I was really impressed with our Tyros at our Christmas shows. There's just not much that keyboard can't do well and sound great.

Like I said, this is a rant.

Just hit delete.

I would just keep the S970 sell all else for gigging..your audiences and you back will love you.

good luck

You make me so glad I don't do "gigs" and am using only one "Board" at present. The 910 is adequate but I'm pining away for a 970. Maybe next year!

Anyway, your "rant" was an eye-opener to me and I can sure understand your frustration. As a songwriter, all I have to do is get one decent "cut" out of the keyboard and my crappy vocals... while you guys are "under the gun" every time you perform. Bravo, my friend... it was not a rant at all.

Happy New Year, ----Dave Rice

personally I would go with the Tyros I know everybody is all up on Psr S970

but it is not a Tyros

Keybed is not even close , tilt screen , lef and right inputs xlr Mic input

4 outs , the weight and size is just not that big of a deal to me

USB in keybed area not on back like PSR

sell both and get Tyros 5 and then have it all

I played a show today with my T 4 going in I was convenced I was going to go look at PSR 970 and look to sell T4

after playing T4 I would be crazy to do that !!!!

dont get me wrong I am not against owning 970 and I might still go play one but to get rid of T4 and replace with 970 as a piano player would be a mistake the keys on T4 so much better not even close.

get T5 and call it a day or stay with T4 and do your best show everytime you play.

Ron,
I did the same thing a few days back. On my way to a gig with my Tyros 4 I stopped by a store and played the S970 for about an hour. Before leaving the store I thought seriously about buying the S970 - it wasn't bad at all. Then I went to my gig and played my Tyros 4 and it all became very clear - yes I'll keep the Tyros 4. Put them side by side and there is a big difference.

Deane

The PSR-s970 is a very amazing keyboard, for the price, completely worth it. Yamaha is a very smart company and would never make a keyboard that would cause another keyboard to lack in sales.

I gig currently with a Tyros 5, but not for it's arranger capabilities, but for it's sound, ease of use, multiple out-puts, Audio-links, keybed, etc.

A psr-s970 could probably do this also, but it's like driving a a top line fully loaded vehicle, compared to a lower line version, they both will get you there, one will be a nicer ride, more features, more compfort, better in every way, but they both will get you there.


Basically you usually get what you pay for

Good points all. Will set up the Tyros for January....I've got a few gigs and my wife and I have a few together.

Good point Frank , I am sure the 970 is a great keyboard and I am going to go play one just too see but it going to be hard to beat the things I love about the T 4 and that is ok I also have a t 5 /76 but I leave it at a standing gig so it is the T 4 I travel around with that is how all the 970 stuff started for me it would be great to have a mini Tyros but I think the keys and the no flip screen will be a deal killer but who knows got to see for myself.

Ron

Personally I'm waiting for the next models Tyros/S units or whatever its called,.. hopefully in BLACK, smaller, lighter, More Live Control knobs, better tracking VH2, Bigger Tilt up display screen, XLR inputs,.....I guess we wait and see. But for now the S970 does it's job very very well on the road & sounds terriffic,....

I'll go back to the Tyros for Jan gigs and leave the S970 in reserve. If January goes well with the Tyros....my wife likes that board better, the S970 may go up for sale.

Eventually we will then move to a Tyros 5 or wait for the next Tyros whatever.

It's kind of nice to have a board that will expand with premium packs and voices

Sharing registrations between different lines of keyboards can be problematic, depends where certain feature exclusive saves were created and saved to that registration. Obviously in your case certain Yamaha registrations can be somewhat compatible with another Yamaha arranger.

I always own two arranger keyboards at a time. The second one is always ready as a backup. Lot more convenient keeping my home studio Tyros wired and setup, and my gigging Tyros ready to go in it's soft case. Any registration, style, multipad, midi files, or audio file changes or edits are safed to my USB stick and transferred to my gigging board.

Everything is kept in duplicate, down to the wires, mics, stands, and midi bass pedals. I keep a set of 10", 15", 18"subs lightweight powered JBL EON speaker system. I take only the combination of speakers I need for the venue size.

Worked out well in the past having two PSR arrangers and traded one for a Tyros 3, and then when the Tyros 4 came out, trading last remaining PSR for the Tyros 4. Sharing registrations between the Tyros 4 and the Tyros 3 wasn't that difficult and worked out well for years. Also any older style was easily upgraded to the newer keyboard voices and drum kits.

When I traded my Tyros 3 for my first Tyros 5, I had a much more difficult time sharing registrations between my Tyros 5 and Tyros 4, because I benefited so much from the newer Tyros 5 features and addition Mega, SA, SA2 voices. I use Organ World, Ensemble, and the newer DSPs all the time that I hated having to gig at times with my Studio Tyros 5 for the odd special occasion, having to strip down my studio setup each time the need came that I used the Tyros 5.

Ultimately my solution was to sell my Tyros 4 and get a second Tyros 5. Found a great deal on a demo Tyros 5 with full Yamaha warrantee. Greatly satisfied using the Tyros 5 exclusively and totally free to create and share exact registrations and expansion data between the two boards and benefit from all the TOTL arranger features and great keybed with aftertouch control.

Sorry, I actually ranted on longer than the original post. I can see the attractiveness of the lighter and more compact PSR S970. I can see more similarities between a Tyros 4 and a S970, then a S970 and a Tyros 5. I could see that working fairly well keeping both the Tyros 4 and a S970. Just a little work reworking some styles and voices and making shared registrations or rework any new registration to suit the second board.

Of course everyone's needs and situation is different, but certainly easier sticking with one arranger brand when trying to share similar setups and registration for gigs and when the need arises to upgrade to the newest board. Never had a breakdown with a Yamaha product, but keeping two boards also shares the wear and tear and can potentially keep the boards more reliable and in better shape for trade in value or selling to another person. I even keep the screen protective film on my Tyros displays.

Marcus

I have a Tyros 5-76 and do not gig so weight is not a problem.
The many features and the keyboard touch are really superb.
My friend bought a 970 so I played on it for awhile and noted
the keyboard touch so so much better on the T5.
Of course there is a big difference in price but for me the
price difference is well worth it. Lloyd

Many good responses...and appreciated.

Still, to avoid a lot of repeat work on registrations, I'm going to have to stick with one main board for gigging and use the other for backup. In this case, the main gigging board will be the Tyros. Also, it's much easier to transfer registrations from the Tyros to the S970 than the other way around.

So, we'll see how it goes.

It also makes sense to wait on trading boards until info comes out on the next Tyros whatever.

Take care all.

Rog