Hello guys,

It’s known that when a new big keyboard gets released, some new activity takes place here.

4 years ago I was introduced to PSR-S950 at Yamaha’s office at Moscow. At that time they were looking for new people to demonstrate their products like Peter Baartmans does, I was one of those people. I got more or less good deal to purchase that keyboard, although soon they cancelled the project and hired no one. As you know, the economy isn’t very kind mostly everywhere, and Russia is in a quite questionable state right now.

As long as $500-600 a month is considered an “okay” income here (US dollars and euros have almost doubled their cost after events on Ukraine), a middle-range keyboard for $2000 seems here, I presume, as extraordinary, so I can’t blame Yamaha for cutting down some expanses. In other words, when I pictured myself here trying to promote such a product I felt quite unsure.

I’m addicted to playing instruments since my childhood, so it’s no wonder that I’ve been playing my PSR-S950 quite a lot. Now the keys are quite noisy, the power button doesn’t work to shut it down (I have to unplug the cable), and now I have to push the turn-on button for several time to succeed, also, pitch-bend is partly broken… So, the thing has got old. All this can be fixed, if I get around and bring it to the service.

Nevertheless, it’s not my point right now to complain about stuff. I remember my feelings when I had a chance to play PSR-S950 at Yamaha’s office for the first time. At that point I had PSR-3000 at home, also Yamaha MM6 and Yamaha C40 (which is a classical guitar). On one hand, I was quite happy with what I had, I thought to myself that it’s all about music, not equipment. On other hand, I was impressed with the fact that I was in Yamaha’s office, in Moscow (I live in suburbs), the new keyboard seemed to be so contemporary and, as some people said, “light-years ahead”, so I was kind of sad having to go back to my dated PSR-3000.

The thing is that at that time I was so impressed with guitar voices of PSR-S950 and new styles that I thought that it would provide some “bright future” for me, that it was the whole new level of quality and so on. But now, with the excitement gone, I see that these voices, being quite decent, are still the voices of a keyboard. So, the thing is that if I am to play in public, I will feel safer just playing with piano and electric piano voices, and I also have a sort of dream to play an actual guitar on a decent level…

Sometimes I even think to myself that that deal with Yamaha and PSR-S950 was a distraction to me without which I would have become a more decent player right now, but still I cherish that experience.

So, my PSR-S950 is to me now like PSR-3000 used to be before, and this fancy GENIS is a new temptation. I know that if I get a chance to play with it for a while I may convince myself that with this tool I will become a successful musician (song writer), although it seems illogical that it will help me with lack of talent of lyricist (and this is mostly what song-writing is about);

Frankly, I’m quite alarmed, because I know that Yamaha knows how to touch a player’s heart. You try it, and you are not thinking “it sounds realistic”, you just feel love and you don’t what to give it away.

Although I have been enjoying PSR-S950, it’s hard to state that owning it has bought me a pass to somewhere… In fact, I have to think that owning MX61, which is more than two times cheaper, could be more practical.

I have to say, that it’s not the first time that I had to pay more attention to cheaper alternatives after making an expensive purchase. MX61 doesn’t look too attractive with its small “retro” screen, but – wow – it has 128 voices polyphony, how did I miss that?..

I know that I’m a kind of hypocrite. Today I declare that I’m a minimalist and will be happy with a cheap keyboard and a guitar. Then I’ll get bored, offer some services to some store and get a fancy keyboard and enjoy this illusion that I’m on a whole new level of professionalism and creativity.

I was singed it on this forum in 2004. I was… 18 years old… Now I’m 31… do I really hope to refocus my priorities? The hell with them! Does anyone have a Peter Baartmans’s email? He owes me a Genos! (ha-ha)

You have a great way with the English language and paint and interesting word picture of your musical life in Russia. Sounds to me that you could work with and appreciate just about any Yamaha keyboard. Thanks for posting.
Eddie

I have no clue, where you want to go?

But first of creativity does not come with a keyboard that does the same thing as the previous one, but only better...however, new features can inspire creativity..

In general psr keyboards and all other arrangers are still best at replaying songs we created by others with dizying similarity. Thats the core of an arranger.

Some instruments are replaced every 3 years... while others have a much longer life... a grand piano is king and has eternal life, as is the orriginal B3... some analogue synths like the yamaha CS80, minimoog, jupiter 8 will allways keep wanted.

But arrangers, whats the life span of arrangers? For Yamaha depending on the buyer that would be 3 or 6 years, one or 2 generations... for Korg, it seems 4 years.. but then there are people still enjoying Roland G70, Ketron Audya, General music arrangers. What does make thise instruments last longer then others?


I guess the answer is character, the same as with a good glass of wine, my Kronos is 8 years old, and still doesn’t feel old.. and there are still parts that keep surprising me.. almost daily.


And then there is this notion, that the better the musician. The less need hey seem to feel to improve their instruments.. I seriously beleive that when your instrument is above a certain treshhold(and the s950 is) there is ample need to replace it for a good musician, because they allready sound top knotch..


So what reason is there to upgrade an instrument? I guess its functionallity that allows you to do things your current instrument can’t do.

For example....
Launchpad on Ketron SD9 pro
Ensemble voices on Genos
The direct controll features and VH on Korg pa4x.
Live knobs on psr s970 and the live controls on Genos.

In the end...
its mostly a matter of enjoying what you have...
While dreaming from the one instrument that rules them all
Keep in mind, that if you ever get that instrument, there is nothing left to dream..
And having nothing left to dream about, makes life a....


So i hope all this phylosophical writing makes you enjoy the things that are in your reach more.. while accepting your dreams as a dream.. just ask yourself, is this new keyboard all i want... or would i want even more after that?

I want to win a monster lottery; if I do, I won't give a hoot about any future dreams....I promise.



chas

New keyboards should have the chance to get old..

If you are one of the many folks searching in a keyboard what they think are lacking..... better get a reality check..
The problem is not the keyboard... it is you.

Stop looking for new gimmicks that you think will make you sound better, it won't..
Improve your game.. Learn what you got..

I will say 100 percent of folks do not learn every detail of their keyboard, let alone master anything.

I know my keyboards ... and yet today I learned another feature I did not know possible.. Almost ashamed to admit it...
I have owned this board for more than a decade now....

Yes it has more features than any other keyboard I have seen.. and yet I over looked the capability of yet another feature... The sound assignment of the D-beam is linked to lower 2.. This makes the D-beam that much more effective..

There are so many overlooked features on this board, that I am sure previous owners have never mastered ..

Singer's key, Guitar mode, Playlist, Harmonizer to name a few..


Stop dreaming about keyboards that may never exist for you... and dream that you can get the handle on the one you already own,,

I recently liquidated some gear that I could get back to my primary keyboard.... it already has paid dividends.

I understand what you are saying. My first real keyboard was the Korg M1 back in 1989. It gave me sounds to create arrangements... to get those ideas out of my head. The T3 came out... too expensive for minimal upgrades. Then the O1/Wfd came out and it was a major upgrade for me. Sold the M1, bought an O1/Wfd.

Ours ears get sounds from these keyboards that burn into our brains. An M1 in 1989 sounded awesome... my Yamaha Motif ES sounded great in 2004 and it sounds great in 2017 but the sounds are old to my ears.

With Yamaha, I've been waiting for the next instrument for me. I mostly want newer sounds to create new arrangements. Montage was a major upgrade but they took out the sequencer. The Genos has drum kits that can transform an arrangement. I had PSR3000... PSR-S900... PSR-S970 and I loved the sounds but the sub par sequencer and keybed touch were deciding factors to sell those boards. Our brains evolve and crave new sounds... very simple concept.

Now... a Genos at $5499 US is not worth it... but discounts are out there and the sound quality may be worth it for new sounds to create musical arrangements... to me!!!

Thank you for your attention and replies,

I've been meaning to say some more things, but then I felt like making a new video. This is my new demo of my PSR-s950 (with "Church & Christmas" expansion):



I guess, watching Genos's videos I felt a challenge)

You don't need a Genos! Great sound and performance. Thanks for sharing!

BRAVO!

BRAVO X2!

Kabinopus, you are incredibly talented, and I listened to your performance on this thread twice and loved every minute of it.

Don't worry about the Genos, you do just fine with the S-950, which is what I also use. It's a fantastic arranger keyboard. My power switch is beginning to act up as well, and I may attempt to fix it myself in the next few weeks. If I do, I will post some photos of what and how I did the job.

All the best,

Gary

Thank you for watching!

I remember me posting somewhere here years ago a track which I had recorder with PSR-3000, it was "track after track" recording, without using accompaniment feature. Now I'm kinda making a summery of having PSR-S950 for four years, so I made a track using the same method (using external sequencer), it's a tune from an old Russian movie https://soundcloud.com/kabinopus/17-moments-of-spring-cover

Two VERY fine performances ... thank you for sharing those ...

Very well performed, Kabinopus!

Your other tracks on SoundCloud are also fine!

Thanks for sharing,


Maarten

Excellent playing! Shows very well how wonderful the S950 and the other siblings in the PSR line can sound! Keep up the great work Kabinopus!