For Multiple Arranger Setup Two Tier Stand : Do you use both upper and lower keyboard for styles, just the upper / lower ? And Do You Tilt Your Upper Keyboard ?

Most of the two-keyboard setups I have seen the upper board is used for the styles, but I think this is a matter of preference, especially of the boards are identical. Now, if the boards are completely different, then both could be used for both styles and right hand voices.

At one time I had a two-tier setup consisting of a PSR-500 and a PSR-5700. After a while, I realized that this was insane and I began lightening the load - smartest move I ever made.

I had a friend who had essentially the same setup, and he used one board for bass, while the other board was set up as a bare bones rig. He lightened his load by switching to bass pedals that midi connected to his PSR-2000, and later, his PSR-3000. His right hand voices of choice were piano, vibes and tenor sax. He sometimes combined the piano and vibes voices with a strings layer - he was a fantastic musician. Unfortunately, he passed away this past year after more than 60 years on stage. He began playing professionally at age 16.

All the best,

Gary

Low : main keyboard Audya AJ; styles and all.
Upper: SD1 just for right hand sounds. It has some sounds I like (saxophone, brass,...) and that prevents sometimes changing right sound on Audya.

I did this for a while with my Roland E-50 and Yamaha PSR-S950. I had them on an A-frame stand. Both keyboards on a slight tilt to promote accessibility, but mostly to permit a clear view of the displays.

I strongly prefer Roland's "Chord Intelligence" to any of Yamaha's chord fingering systems. I didn't want to relearn stuff that was committed to muscle memory. On the other hand, Yamaha gives you MUCH more control over the subtleties of how the arranger transposes the pre-recorded pattern. They also have the largest library of great-sounding styles. So I made a special style on the Roland that generates three- and four-note block chords on demand from Roland's simplified fingering. I output these triads and tetrads via MIDI into the Yamaha, and it drives the Yamaha style engine. (This concept can be applied to almost any two brands of arrangers if you're partial to one brand's fingering.)

The two-tiered arrangement permits use of the Yamaha's MIDI player and superior color VGA score viewer (think "follow the bouncing ball.") A song can be played simultaneously with, and tempo-sync'd to the Roland's style engine. Yamaha by itself does allow you to start a MIDI song and style simultaneously. But once you press a key in the chord area, you have to play the chords yourself for the remainder of the song! With one arranger as song player and the other for styles, if I mess up or lose my place, I can quickly unmute the recorded MIDI, and then rejoin live play at the chorus, etc. Fake? Yes. Effective? Very!

The Yamaha's multipads were also available to add some variety- this was a feature the E-50 lacks.

As you can surmise from the above, I never really played on the Yamaha keyboard- mostly just used it as a module. You won't come close to the ergonomics of a two-manual organ. The odds of getting two arranger keyboards at correct playing height, while retaining access to the myriad controls and displays are daunting. Even just keeping both displays in view was a challenge.

Ultimately I scrapped this setup in favor of a Tyros 5 / BK-7m combo. Mostly for cosmetics-my urban contemporary living room doesn't look like a music studio anymore! But I miss the two-arranger setup. For a less-skilled player, I feel there is definitely some synergy / additional benefit to be gained from MIDI'ing two arrangers.

When I first started playing keyboard, I had a Yamaha on the bottom, and a Synth. On top. After I learned to play better, I put the Synth. Away.

John C.

I have my music room set up as follows...

The G70 on lower level (V-Stand).

The E-A7 on the top level (V-Stand second tier arms).

The E-A7 is slightly tilted to read and operate the controls
as well as playing.

I keep it simple, not midi'ed together.

I usually run the output of the E-A7 into the
audio in of the G70..(I can reverse this if I desire,
but I prefer the control on the G70).

I have the same styles on both keyboards.
But rarely use the styles on the G70.

This set up allows me to use the features of each keyboard.

I like to have the 76 keys for dedicated piano,
and the drawbar organ on the G70. Also specialty sounds I wrote
(6 parts available on G70 vs 4 on E-A7).
The G70 gives me the vocal harmonizer.
Also guitar mode and D-beam. And play list I use all the time.

The E-A7 gives me the pads (6 pads), sample tones, and media player.
Also nice to have the speakers for quick reference.

Most of the time I will play a rhythm with left hand bass, piano,
color sounds from EV5 pedal.(G70)..

Styles usually on the E-A7..

If I reverse the audio input from the G70 into the E-A7, I can record
both keyboards as wave files. Also monitored in the E-A7 speakers...

This is almost a perfect set up.... If Roland combines the features
of both in a new keyboard it will be a winner.

Used TwinSet for past 5 years. Tyros 2 + NP30
NP30 is muted and triggers the T2 Chords ACC Styles over it's full length.
This leaves the T2 with 60 keys (1st C# Split) provides 3 voice zones when required.
Played as organ without pedals.

Sometimes use my old SD-60 on the bottom and the SK Hammond on the top. Play left hand bass on the Hammond and f0r extra voices.

Use the drums and vibe voices from the Sd-60. I'll admit the voices are a little out of date....YA THINK?

R.